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2026-03-14: A Mark on the Door, A Chip from the Step

2026-03-17T10:16:01Z

Makohime: Created page with "*'''Log: 2026-03-14: A Mark on the Door, A Chip from the Step''' *'''Cast:''' Ren Amamiya, Ichika Kawase, Tsubasa Seki, Makoto Niijima, Futaba Sakura, Sojiro Sakura - Temped by Futaba Sakura's Player *'''Where:''' Sojiro Sakura's House and Cafe LeBlanc, Yongen-Jaya, Tokyo *'''OOC Date:''' March 14, 2026 *'''IC Date:''' October 09, 2012 *'''Summary''': ''Determined to find out more about Futaba Sakura, Ren gathers Makoto, Ichika and Tsubasa to try..."

*'''Log: 2026-03-14: A Mark on the Door, A Chip from the Step'''
*'''Cast:''' [[Ren Amamiya]], [[Ichika Kawase]], [[Tsubasa Seki]], [[Makoto Niijima]], [[Futaba Sakura]], [[Sojiro Sakura]] - Temped by Futaba Sakura's Player
*'''Where:''' Sojiro Sakura's House and Cafe LeBlanc, Yongen-Jaya, Tokyo
*'''OOC Date:''' March 14, 2026
*'''IC Date:''' October 09, 2012
*'''Summary''': ''Determined to find out more about Futaba Sakura, Ren gathers Makoto, Ichika and Tsubasa to try and have a talk to Sojiro about the Phantom's potential next target- but upon arriving to the Sakura household, they find the door unlocked and no one responding, with a storm rolling in. Led by Tsubasa and Ichika's prior experiences they enter- but the power is knocked out by the storm and Makoto starts to fall apart. Someone else is in the house with them- Futaba Sakura herself. After a brief encounter leads to Futaba fleeing, Sojiro arrives assuming home invaders, but is baffled by what he sees. After returning to LeBlanc, Sojiro explains his and Futaba's situation and the Phantom Thieves make a deduction to Alibaba's identity. CW: Nyctophobia/Fear of the Dark, Trauma Flashbacks, Mention of Suicide''

----

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
Sojiro isn't in the cafe tonight. Something about business elsewhere. Ren doesn't know for sure if it's business with Sae or something else, but it does provide an opportunity. They use the group chat to call over everyone who can make it to Leblanc to discuss the matter of Futaba Sakura, with a promise to update everyone who ''can't'' make it afterwards. (Some people have to come from quite far away, after all. Even without that, this is a last-second meeting prompted by circumstance.)

"So I'll get right down to it," they say once everyone who's going to arrive ''has'' arrived. (The sign to Leblanc is set to 'CLOSED'. Members of the Phantom Thieves will know not to be deterred.) They wipe their brow--they'd passed the time by cleaning the store; good way to justify closing it for the night but keeping the lights on downstairs--and continue, "It turns out Futaba Sakura is the Boss's daughter. Makoto's sister Sae," they shoot her a quick glance, "was in here the other day with allegations that he's been abusing her and threatening to take him to court over it if he didn't spill about some information she wanted. I'm not exactly sure what that's about, but..." They bow their head. "...he's not an abuser. I'm sure of that."

Even if he ''did'' vanish for a month--but he ''didn't'' leave town. Not exactly. There were extenuating circumstances either way, surely. If they can all meet Futaba and figure out why Alibaba wants her heart changed, maybe that'll provide context on why Sojiro vanished for so long in the first place.

"Here's the plan," Morgana chips in, tail flicking off the counter stool where he sits. "The chief's house is just a block or two over. We go over with a present as a cover, get him to let us in, and while you guys distract him, I'll sneak around the place and see if I can't find her."

"I was just in Port Island earlier with Minako," Ren adds, "and there's this ultra-popular beef bowl place in the area--they let you do take-out if you're a member, which she is, so..." They raise up a plastic bag with the Umiushi Beef Bowls logo. "...I got a seasonal item there, the Autumn Beef Bowl. With any luck, this should be our ticket in."

"Even if we can only get the chief to open the door, that'll be enough--I can zip inside on my own if I have to," Morgana says with confidence. "Any questions? If not, we'll head on over right now!"

No time like the present, after all.

Outside, it's already dark, and the wind has picked up with the smell of rain on the air. The forecast said there'd be a storm tonight, after all. Fortunately, the Sakura residence really is only a block and a half away. The lights are on inside, or at least some of them are, and the front gate is unlocked--as is the front door, which they'll find out when there's no response to either knocks or the doorbell. As it creaks open, Ren shoots everyone a concerned look.

"I'm going inside. Something weird is going on," they say quietly before doing precisely that. Morgana skulks in too at their feet.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
<poem>
Ichika and Tsubasa are two of those with non-Metaverse B&E experience--well, there's no B here, but there's definitely about to be E. Ichika's at Leblanc with some of the others, listening to Morgana. She nods, when Morgana is sure he's not an abuser.

"OK," Ichika answers. But a beef bowl place... Hmmm.

"OK," Ichika says again. A present, while Morgana goes. "I'm in. Besides, I..."

She shakes her head. "He deserves to have his name cleared," Ichika thinks.

Outside, Ichika is there too. There's the smell of rain, but... something weird..

"I'm in," Ichika agrees, and quietly follows after.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
That sign can't stop Tsubasa, because Tsubasa breaks into joints even when they ''don't'' have a sick feather hood, as Ichika's noted. Besides: the sign's not for them!

But Futaba is the Big Boss's daughter, huh? (Tsubasa adds a qualifier to his name, because, like, there are ''so'' many Bosses in their life, that's what you get coming here from Kasugayama. They're even still in their uniform, because they came straight here from school! The ''boys''' uniform, that is.) Ren insists Sojiro isn't abusive, and Tsubasa scowls, thoughtfully.

"Hundred percent sure?" They check -- but just the once.

... Ren knows why they might be kind of paranoid about that. But if Ren's certain... they'll trust them on that, too.

Ren outlines their plan, though, and holds up the beef bowl -- "Sweet," Tsubasa nods, firmly.

The door creaks open, though, as they knock. "... mm," Tsubasa grunts, their blue eyes narrowing, though they go quiet as they slink inside. They have a pen light they pull out -- the kind one uses, when breaking in somewhere they're not wanted, to avoid turning the lights on and alerting everyone -- in preparation to examine those rooms which ''aren't'' lit up.

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Makoto had already made plans to assist Ren with talking to Sojiro about Futaba, so when Ren announces a meeting about it, she's one of the first to make her way to LeBlanc in the evening, and slips through the closed door to wait- after all, the others who can make it are travelling from further away.

Sure, she may be coming fresh off a fight with a Homunculus, but there's no need to worry anyone else with that.

She's still somewhat dumbfounded by the truth of things. Not just that Boss has a secret daughter, but...

"...Sis is investigating this too?" It's a worrying thing to think about, and even if Ren is certain that Boss isn't an abuser, well...

It's hard for Makoto to believe her sister would be off on a wild goose chase. There are thousands of concerns running through her head. Does she know about Alibaba's request? Has she found a lead on the Phantoms here in LeBlanc? Is there something she knows about Sakura-san that the rest of them don't?

'Match found.'

...She puts that thought to the back of her mind for now.

"...You're certain there's no possibility?" Makoto asks, a little uneasily- and at nearly the same time as Tsubasa. She wants to trust Ren's convictions. It's... well. There is doubt there. She'd like to be a good enough person to be able to clear it from her head, but she's not. Still... she'll trust Ren, as long as they don't find any other evidence. Still, there's a plan. "...Hopefully it'll be a suitable gift."

She nods as Morgana makes his suggestion. "Alright. Let's move out."

When the doorbell doesn't get a response, and they find out the door is open, Makoto does call out. "Sakura-san? Are you there?" Another moment. "Is anyone home?"

Makoto looks to the others before Ren decides that she's going in. Makoto is a little less confident than the others on just walking in, but, well... "...Are you sure this is okay?" She asks, after the other three start moving- and as the rain starts falling, Makoto grimaces slightly. "My apologies, Boss."

Either way, when they're through the door, Makoto is standing next to Ren, slightly concerned as Tsubasa enters like some kind of sneak thief from a crime show.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
<poem>
The lights are on - or at least, the television's on. You can tell it's the television from the flickers of the reflection; the unique signature of the modern media, cast on the backdrops of human existence.

Knock knock knock.

No answer.

Ding dong.

No answer. (Did the sound change? There's a faint meaningless sussurus - at least to human ears. Even to Morgana's acute feline hearing, though, it's just... something on TV?)

Silence.

But the gate was unlocked.

So was the door.

Open it...

A dark hallway.

Close.

It's suddenly gotten very quiet, almost like a sepulchure. The air has a smell not too unlike a lot of Japanese homes: generally-clean, a few familiar threads of commercial cleaners. There is a lingering undernote of cigarette smoke, no doubt thanks to Sojiro. A little of the lingering funk of summer, which seems to take a bit longer every year to depart.

It is harder to hear the television now. Maybe it was turned off, or maybe some trick of acoustics was carrying sound from a neighboring property. Or it's on mute.

There is no tang or scent of Resonance, nothing lurking supernaturally. At least, as far as the Phantom Thieves would know, but they are hardly novices. The house does not seem *derelict* or *abandoned*. Simply... quiet. And perhaps a little too close.

The rest of the place is - dark, perhaps disused. The light of the television in what must be the dining room or common room is throwing off enough visibility that there's no risk of stumbling even if you don't have the advantage of whiskers, but the other rooms -- Tsubasa's penlight comes out and turns around. Small patches of daylight brightness. They try one room --

-- and it's a bathroom. One of the ones with a washer unit tucked in where the hot water can flow into it just as easily as into the bath. It's kind of cluttered and there's some dust-bunnies on the floor. Though some of the hair in it seems to be a bright orange, rather than ol' Boss's shade of brown.

And then:

KRRRRROOOOOM

The sound of thunder. Distant, in the sense of not being right overhead, but coming from the westerly direction. The air is smelling suddenly and poignantly like rain. It's not typical weather for October - fall is normally quite beautifully clear - but any of the Phantom Thieves who watched the weather report might have seen some commentary about the remnants of a typhoon that had, blessedly, just brought a wave of warmer air and some rain on Shikoku were due to collide with some air mass rolling down from Siberia.

It's a coincidence.

Probably a coincidence.

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
Hundred percent sure?

...But Ren can't answer that, either to Tsubasa or Makoto. They bow their head, ''because'' they know why the two of them ask that.

"Guess we'll find out," they say grimly, raising their chin. They might clear Sojiro's name, as Ichika notes--or they might find that there's someone else whose heart needs changing. As for Sae, they shrug a little. "Apparently so. But it sounded like she didn't care about Futaba so much as getting the Boss to spill the beans on whatever it was she wanted to talk to him about."

That might be related to the Phantom Thieves; it might not. All any of them can do is move forward while they've got the chance.

Except something's wrong. The four of them walk into the Sakura residence, and... there's a level of quiet that makes Ren uneasy. They look around as Makoto calls for the Boss and Tsubasa flashes a pen light. They can hear the television in the distance from the other room, or they thought they did, but... nobody responds. Their concern deepens. Nothing happened to him, did it?

"Boss? It's me. I brought you something," Ren calls, following Makoto's cue, as they around the foyer. They peek into the bathroom, but no one's in there either.

Still no response. Ren glances back at their friends, then tilts their head forward just as thunder rumbles in the distance. (That's not ominous ''at all''.) If Futaba lives here, then the four of them would've alerted her by now, but it's so still. They don't know if Sojiro would have told her about them any more than he'd ever told them about her, but hopefully knowing they're here for him might make her less inclined to think they're burglars.

They walk further in, Morgana hurrying along at their side.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
<poem>
Ichika too knows why Tsubasa especially would wonder--but she's sure that if it's not true, Sojiro needs his name cleared, if only to them.

She's a little worried if the prosecutor Sae is involved. Still... They walk in, and--

KRROOOOOOM.

"Tch--" She didn't like that. But she's also concerned. There's no response...

"...Uh, lead the way," Ichika says. "Isn't this weird, though...?"
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
"We'll figure it out," Tsubasa decides, when Ren can't say it a ''hundred percent.'' Maybe Ichika's right, you know? Maybe Sojiro needs his name ''cleared.'' It'd be better if it was like that. "... sounds suss," is what they think, about Sae's focus.

Makoto and Tsubasa have similar concerns... but Tsubasa has more than enough concerns they can give Makoto all on their ''own,'' too, as they enter the house. "It's cool," they assure her, voice low.

Is it really cool, though?!

Smoke... Tsubasa resists the urge to cough, even if the air quality isn't being brought down right ''now.'' They happen to do that by grabbing a puffer out of their pocket and breathing it in, which is its ''own'' set of concerns, probably. Tsubasa why are you doing drugs?! (Hey, hey, it's not ''drugs,'' it's ''medicine,'' they got it from the clinic right down the road...)

The ''sound'' of that spritz is way too loud to their ears, though; they tuck the puffer away, and don't make much more noise, aside from that. Their penlight comes in handy, in the dark rooms. They make a quick inventory, as they go, and they ''do'' break the silence to murmur: "Don't look like a break-in," ... because they've been checking for the commonly-looted valuables, and everything's still in place.

Bright orange hair... they notice that, and take a second to feel proud that they ''did.'' See? Those detective instincts are clearly already real sharp.

The thunder's rumbling, though...

"Weird," they agree, with Ichika, at length.

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
It's not the answer that Makoto is hoping for, to be fair, but it might be the best they have. "...Right." The rest that Ren says about Sae, though... Well.

It's not hard to see that Makoto looks both worried and ashamed at what she hears. But whatever Sis is up to, if she isn't interested in Futaba, is a lower priority for the Phantoms. At least today.

Tsubasa tries to assure Makoto that it's cool. Makoto seems incredibly disbelieving. Unfortunately, 'It's cool' is not enough to mitigate nearly two decades of life in a cop household.

"...You shouldn't say that in someone else's house," Makoto remarks in a whisper to Ichika, because she is *clearly* focusing on the right things and trying not to think about the fact that they are trespassing right now. At least she's slightly reassured by Tsubasa's statement that it's not a break in.

"Maybe he's not home?" Makoto ventures, though that seems unlikely to be the case. "Boss-"

And then the there's a crash of thunder and Makoto jolts alert for a second, before looking around anxiously. ...It's fine. It was just thunder. She's just on edge, being in someone else's house. "...Maybe we should think about turning back."
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
<poem>
Ren calls out to their erstwhile legal guardian, complicated though his situation may be. He's got a lot going on. But... When Ren calls out, there is no reply. Nothing seems to echo in this space. It's a quiet house.

Morgana can't pick up much other than 'slightly dingy house,' even from his lower perspective. There's a whole crinkled disposable-chopstick wrapper underneath something... unforgivable... unless it's recent, perhaps.

Tsubasa hits the dilator. Justifiable. There are surely worse places out there, but this isn't a *great* place. They are correct, at least, that this place doesn't seem ransacked. Boss might not be in, but then why would the door be unlocked like that? Why would he leave the TV on? He's a business owner! A professional!

Unless something has happened quite recently. Quite recently indeed.

But there's a lot of somethings that could fit this bill. They know Sojiro isn't in the bathroom - that would have been a farcical conclusion to this tension. But where could he have gone?

And where might 'Futaba Sakura' be?

Makoto counsels the potential of retreat. There are four of them in a house where, perhaps, Ren might have a clear reason to be present. It's getting late. Something could -- It seems for a moment like the lights came on!

Just for an instant.

KRRKKKKOOOMMMMMMMOOOMOOOOMMMM

Thunder! Closer, now, seeming almost directly overhead, huge enough that you might be able to *feel* it just a little bit deep in your guts. And just like that, the lights go out.

*ALL* of the lights. Every single one.

They are cast in thunderous darkness, marked by the sudden sound of intense fat raindrops, angrily hurled from on high, pouring down. A staticky sound that engulfs the dark passageway. The one point of light comes from Tsubasa's penlight, currently pointing towards an unremarkable patch of the wall. If anything it makes the rest of the darkness deeper. But as eyes adjust--

They don't have time to adjust.

Someone screams. A sudden intense from-the-diaphragm shriek, radiating from elsewhere, washing through the thin walls, unearthly and of indeterminate direction. It sounds like a young girl, it's certainly not Boss!

Several quick heartbeats later there is a loud slamming THUD from upstairs, something heavy dropping onto the floor.

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
It ''is'' sus, as well as weird. And it's a point in Sojiro's favor, in Ren's opinion. If he really were abusing his daughter, would Sae really gloss over that part once Sojiro broke in favor of whatever information she was trying to squeeze out of him?

...At the very least, Makoto doesn't say anything about it, and she'd know her sister best.

"It is," Ren murmurs to Ichika and Tsubasa. About it not looking like there's been a break-in: "Agreed. But if he collapsed somewhere..." They shoot Tsubasa a concerned look as they use their inhaler, but... they seem to have that under control. Yeah, it ''does'' smell like cigarette smoke in here.

Makoto jumps at the sound of thunder and suggests they leave. Ren looks at her with slightly widened eyes.

At their feet, Morgana growls, "We can't turn back! If we don't find out more about Futaba Sakura, Alibaba will expose us!"

And that's true, but it feels like there's something going on with Makoto. Ren's gaze settles into concern--

Just as there is a flash of light and an INCREDIBLY loud crack, and all the lights go out.

Damn, that storm rolled in ''fast''.

There's a high-pitched scream and a THUD. Thanks to Tsubasa's penlight, they're not completely blind, but Ren can only whirl around; they can't make out where the stairs are.

But Morgana can, and with a loud, "Futaba!!" he's already racing up them, bounding two steps at a time despite the fact that they're as big as he is. There's an advantage to being in a cat's body.

Ren considers these sounds, and the flash of a furry body as it sprinted ahead. "...Futaba-san?" they call.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
<poem>
"Not the decor," Ichika whispers to Makoto, "The weather! That feeling... it's weird!"

But Makoto's... fine. And this house is OK. She doesn't mind it, except for the smell of smoke. But the TV's on and--

At least Tsubasa agrees.

"Definitely not a break-in..." The lights go out! Ichika's breath catches--but she doesn't freak out. Not until the ''shriek'', which jars her vis--Well, it would be visible, if anyone could see.

"Shit!" Ichika says. Morgana's alredady on the way up--

"...Scared me," Ichika mutters. "Futaba-san?" she echoes Ren. "You OK?"
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
"It's cool," Tsubasa shrugs off Ren's concerned look. "... don't worry. I'm lookin'." They gesture with their pen light, helpfully. It's not ''only'' good for sighting valuables -- it's ''also'' good for illuminating collapsed business owners.

"Jus' coincidence," they assure Ichika, on the weather. "... right?" Like, now they're THINKING about it, IS it a coincidence that the weather is creepy as hell right now? It's not like Sojiro has a machine in here to control the weather or something... like... that's stupid, right?

Right?!

"You chicken?" Tsubasa wonders, to Makoto, when she asks if they should ''turn back.'' Man, are they seriously ganging up on her with Morgana?! They sure are, and part of it is that ''they'' feel a little more on edge after dwelling on the thunder, too.

The lights go on, which has their head snapping up -- except of course it's just the thunder yelling LOUDER, and Tsubasa, after a moment of alarm, shines their pen-light where they heard Morgana calling out. Thankfully, that's the stairs. "Oi!" Their voice raises from its raspy whisper to call out. "Sakura-san?!"

They'd run up there, too, except --

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Indeed, Makoto is doesn't say anything about Sae glossing over that part.

Family loyalty gives you one hell of a set of blinders. That's what makes it more terrifying when you keep being given reasons to take them off.

"Ah, right..." The weather. She's not the biggest fan of storms- sudden loud noises have always been a slight problem for her, but what's worse is the really bad ones. It's part of the reason their apartment is in one of the newer areas of Shinjuku- it was something Sae managed to take into consideration when they sold the family home to relocate.

She knows Ren is looking at her, worried, and Morgana is pointing out the facts. "I know that-" Makoto starts, but she's definitely... off kilter. Tsubasa- Tsubasa of all people- taunting her doesn't help. "That's not it, it's just-"

And then- the flash of light, the thunder crash, the sudden darkness and the scream.

...Screams, actually, as a shorter, smaller one comes from Makoto who lunges clumsily to grab onto Tsubasa- who was just about to rush forward, clutching them with all her might. She doesn't even have time to notice that Morgana has run off, when a few seconds later, she looks up to the others.

Despite the fact that she and Tsubasa are the same height, the way Makoto moved to grab onto them has left her at an awkward angle, making her seem shorter right now. "Wh-what was that?" Makoto blurts out, panicked, before trying to stand up on her own again and disentangle herself from Tsubasa- but she's definitely curling in on herself, making herself look small, not looking up- only to yelp again when she hears the thump from above, and sees the light fixture above them swinging.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
<poem>
Morgana is the man on the scene first, the dark house still being *dark* to him but navigable, thanks to the utterly human eyes he possesses. Run, run! Dart through to the stairwell and ascend it at lightning speed. Upstairs, there's a hallway. Two doors.

Morgana goes for the open door. He may think, later, that the closed one was decorated, but he finds himself in a man's bedroom, the smell of Sojiro hanging wistful in the air. There's nobody under the bed. Nobody on top. Morgana might notice it's bigger than Ren's bed, even though Ren's bigger than Sojiro. Weird.

But there's nobody who can hear Morgana...

The house creaks. Ichika calls out to Futaba-san. There is no response. Then her attention turns to Ren. Quite excellent.

Tsubasa speaks in support of Morgana's assertion before his tragic departure, and then raises their voice to call out again. Sakura-san!

A series of soft thuds. Like someone descending stairs. No answer.

A sense of Presence increases.

A sense of something being closer.

A hind-brain tension. Is it just the ionized air produced by that helatious lightning bolt, which might have struck an entire sub-station from the sound of it?

Or is something getting slowly, implacably *closer*...

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
That weird feeling might just be the smell of ozone. Did anyone remember to shut the door?

But then there's way more to get weirded out by, like how still no one responds even though there's ''definitely'' someone at home. It still might be that she's scared of home invaders or something like that, so after Ichika and Tsubasa call out, Ren adds, "I'm Ren Amamiya--the guy living in the attic of Leblanc. If Sojiro-san ever told you about me." He might not have, they suddenly realize. "These are my friends with me. We're not here to hurt you. Are you okay?"

Morgana pitter-patters down the upstairs hallways, slinking like the cat he most certainly is not. He picks the first door he comes across, and once he enters, it's immediately apparent this must be Sojiro's room from the smell alone. That doesn't mean Futaba ''isn't'' in here, but a quick check under the bed and in the closet make it clear this isn't the case.

It ''is'' weird how big the bed is though. Maybe Sojiro just likes to spread out.

Downstairs, Ren turns towards Makoto as she lets go of Tsubasa, only to curl in on herself. Okay--this is going beyond just being spooked. They reach out their free hand to attempt to steady her...

...but then there's something. A soft series of sounds descending.

Coming closer.

Closer.

Closer...
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
<poem>
Ichika... doesn't think introducing herself will be very reassuring. So she doesn't! Instead, she considers the matter of the weather. "I mean, what else would it be?" Ichika whispers back. There's now eather machines! ...She does wonder about... Makoto. "it's OK," Ichika assures her, trying to soothe a little and stop Tsubasa taunting. But she doesn't go hard, because they've been friends longer than...

Makoto blurts something out and--

Ah. It is weird, but...

"Uhhhhhh," Ichika starts. She did not shut the door. And instead she just--

Kind of stands there. Oops.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
Man, Tsubasa can be a ''jerk.'' Luckily, the universe can repay that with --

"Wha-- hey!" They yelp, when Makoto lurches forward to grab them. "Makoto-chan?!" Tsubasa, who is ''decidedly'' not a huggy person to most people, is just kind of frozen there for a second as they stare at her with wide eyes. This may, in fact, make it ''worse.''

Or maybe what's worse is the way that they awkwardly pat her shoulder, when they realise what's going on. "H--hey, man, it's cool..." They shoot a panicked look over her head at Ichika, as if to say, 'THERE'S A PANICKED GIRL CLINGING TO ME WHAT DO I DO'

"J...jus' stay behind us," they suggest, almost as unnerved as she is, when she straightens up only to shrink down like that.

There's a pressure, growing closer...

Seeing Ren reaching out to steady Makoto, Tsubasa instead steps forward, towards that impending Presence. "Oi!" They call, again. "Who's there? Sakura-san? It is Sakura-san, right?!" Or is it ''not'' Futaba? They take another step forward, their expression turning a shade grim as they shine their pen light around, their other hand curling to a fist in preparation.

If this is a home invader, he's ''not'' here to steal shit, and that means...

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
It's a good thing everyone else can sort of keep their cool, because Makoto sure can't. Sure, they've seen her be on edge in Mementos, and the few times they've met in the Dark Hour, Queen's Phantom Thief outfit is always active, local threat or no. Ren is trying to reach out to the entity in the house, who is hopefully just Sakura-san's daughter. Hopefully. Ichika's soothing, while helpful is perhaps a little too late once the lights are out, and Makoto seems to barely be capable of communicating.

Tsubasa's own freezing might have made it worse if Makoto were really capable of noticing, but the shoulder pat seems to help for a half second, even as Makoto turns her face to the ground to not be seen.

As Ren reaches out to steady her, Makoto, her voice quiet, speaks up. "Can... Can I hold on to you?"

She turns her face up, hoping Ren is the only one who sees her. There's a rictus grin on her face, and her eyes a wide with nothing short of terror. Beads of sweat roll down her face. In the flash of Tsubasa's penlight, it's easy to see how pale she is now. The second Ren gives her assent, Makoto latches onto her arm tightly. She's trembling with her whole body. She's not even moving beyond that.

And then she hears the footsteps.

"What is this!? Who's there!?" She can't even pretend to control her volume anymore, and she starts to look around frantically.

More of those noises of something getting closer.

"I can't take this anymore! I'm done! Take me home!" It's just short of shouting, or maybe screeching. She wills herself to and take a step, closing her eyes-

And instead, her legs give way under her, and she falls to her knees, gripping tightly enough to Ren's shirt that it's in real danger of tearing, her other hand digging tightly into Ren's arm. "No... I can't move my legs..." Her voice becomes small and quiet again, speaking in terror and disbelief, unable to do anything but cling.

Another step, and she lets out a gasp of fear and buries her face into Ren's side, closing her eyes tightly.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
<poem>
If Morgana doesn't get caught up checking Boss for contraband, he would see that the other door in the hallway is now open. But...

Soothed reassurances and expressions of confusion. Tsubasa's speaking to Makoto. Their voice echoes outwards. Clear and easily heard. Would a whisper even be quiet enough, in the face of this sense of pervasiveness?

Makoto is the one who takes it the worst. Or at least the most sharply, the most acutely.

A faint rustle from nowhere in particular.

Tsubasa's penlight stabs into the gloom. It is *dark* out. Given just how dense it is, the power must be out for most of Yongenjaya. Here they are, indoors and downstairs, without even windows to admit anything to relieve this cthonian darkness. The only exception is Tsubasa's penlight, which glitters off of the odd shiny object they end up pointing at.

The gleam of leather on one of Sojiro's oxfords. Oxblood brown, nearly purple. His kind of color.

The glint of the ceiling lamp mount's shroud, a piece of cut synthetic crystal that would doubtless glitter. It twinkles instead, as the penlight crosses through it.

Their light ends up on that painting in the hallway, which has, of course, a protective cover on it, because it's a print *of* a painting rather than the thing in itself. That cover is plexiglass, and it's clean and it's shiny, and where Tsubasa's standing, and looking, they're able to see a reflection of the hallway behind them.

A hallway where four people -- and Morgana, but of course, he's easy to separate out -- should be standing... and instead where five *are*.

The third-hand light of Tsubasa's penlight shimmer off of a pair of broad, circular, immense, shining-in-the-murk EYES --

No, eyeglasses.

Highlighted by that dimness, the figure - who seems almost to be coming *OUT OF THE WALL* - is leaning over to look at Makoto, the angle of the lean putting her less than twenty centimeters from her. That shadowed figure looks down, the darkness hiding everything save the suggestion of a SHROUD AROUND HER HEAD:

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Makoto opens her eyes, as the thing gets closer. She looks up, slowly. Cautiously, terribly slowly.

And then she sees it. Those two glowing circles in the night. The terrifying figure stalking them.

The ghost, haunting the Sojiro household.

And Makoto shrieks, cutting through the silence of the room like a knife, her pupils shrinking, tears streaming from her eyes, each was wide as a dinner plate as she clings so tightly to Ren's leg that it might hurt, unable to do anything but scream for the moment, as loud as she possibly can.

If Futaba or Sojiro ARE in, there's absolutely no way they haven't heard them now.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
<poem>
She's there for several moments. Her head turns to look past Ren's looming size (because she IS directly behind them) and at Ichika and Tsubasa. Their angle is better: there's the shadow of a face beneath those gleaming spectacles. Something that makes them *clearly* glasses, because what else would be atop of a face?

But then back to Makoto, JUST as she sees her, JUST as Makoto opens her throat and shrieks. There's another moment of blurring motion on the part of the shade-- no, she's looking around sharply, almost a reflex behavior, up towards Ren, back out at Ichika and Tsubasa, nearly a second into Makoto's horrified reaction before

she
screams
TOO!!

The grip on the side of the doorjamb ends and the figure sinks down nearer to the ground (or, if you read her, ends up crouching for a moment in the hallway and staying in that lowered posture after.) Another instant, her hands held up as if in defense. Her fingers curl, uncurl, freeze...

And then she books it, back through the room from which the TV lights had been coming, with the slamming of several objects on a table falling off, a casualty of this hasty passage.

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
Sometimes, things don't need to be described by words. Sounds will do. The ''uhhhhh'' that Ichika intones covers everything that's going on pretty nicely, actually.

As Tsubasa calls again to Futaba--assuming it ''is'' Futaba--Ren looks into Makoto's pale, terrified rictor grin. They nod once, mutely, creeped out by her terror but unwilling to say so. They know they're just missing context on why she's acting like this, and if they knew, it'd all make sense.

But it's ''incredibly'' unnerving to see Makoto "Queen" Niijima acting like this. At least they can be a rock for her, and when she latches onto their arm, they hold still.

This is good, because Makoto ''doesn't''. She wails, then sinks to her knees. Her grip is painful, but they steel themself, keeping their expression neutral and free of flinches or grimaces. They watch her as she buries her face in their side...

Tsubasa's penlight travels through the room. Ren isn't watching that. What makes them look away from their friend is a presence at their back.

Synchronous with Makoto, they slowly look up and back.

A fifth person is there, looking down at her.

Makoto SCREAMS and clings hard enough to their leg to cut off their circulation. Ren stays where they are, rattled in a way that only remaining as outwardly still as possible can counterbalance.

Because of this, they get a good look at the 'spectre' whose luminous eyes, this close up, are ''definitely'' glasses, as it looks around the room at the rest of their friends, at them, and then back at Makoto, before SCREAMING too. They see it--her--crouch, hands up, curling, uncurling--and then she bolts out of the room and away. Crashing sounds echo in her wake.

"........"

so, that just happened.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
<poem>
Rustle. penlight. Leather...

Five people. "Holy shit!" Ichika says, and jumps, a heartbeat after Makoto's shriek.

She saw a person. And now Makoto's clinging to Ren. And thre was a person who also screamed and left. A 'spectre'...

"Um."

Ichika looks at Ren. She looks at Tsubasa. And she looks to the door.

"Uhhhh..."
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
"Dude, ya freakin' me out!" Tsubasa tries to calm Makoto down, except, like, that's not soothing at ALL. Being fair: she's ''freaking them out.''

It's so dark, man! Normally when they're bustin' into a joint, there's at least street lights and shit!!!

They do their best to illuminate the situation, though. Man, Sojiro hasn't cleaned up his shoes, huh...

There's a lamp mount, a painting, and...

"SHIT!" Tsubasa yelps, as they see that reflection of ''five'' people, and whirls around to face the -- ghost?! Seriously, Makoto, did you get them haunted by FUCKING GHOSTS?! -- with their light.

No, those are glasses --

And she's just --

Collapsing down and shielding herself and --

SLAM --

"Uh."

Tsubasa takes a breath.

"Orange hair... ain't that Sakura-san?"

They sound ''terribly'' unseated by all this, but they ''definitely'' remember seeing loose hair of that shade in the bathroom. Tsubasa's detective deduction is... it must belong to the other person living here! And that person is ''probably'' a girl, with how long the hair was! And that girl must, then, be the mysterious Futaba Sakura--!!!

Look, it's either that or she's a ghost, and Tsubasa just is NOT going to cope with that tonight.

</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
If it was unnerving to see Makoto acting like this, it's only likely to get worse.

Because for all Tsubasa is trying to get her attention- Makoto is totally non-responsive to outside stimulus right now, instead she's back to burying her face in Ren's leg, her voice going a thousand miles a minute.

"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry," she starts, her voice going at almost a blabber. "Help me! Sis, where are you? I'm sorry I'm sorry!" Her voice keeps going, as her voice grows ever quieter, becoming a desperate whimper- but at no point does it stop. "Sis, help me! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry, Sis, help, I'm sorry..."

It's almost like Makoto, for all she is physically in the room, isn't here mentally- and wherever she is, it's bad.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
<poem>
Before it ran, that shadow-shape looked directly at Ichika when she said 'um'. Or near enough.

But what may have caused that bolting, separate from the sheer astonishment of Makoto's terror-scream causing a contagious reaction, it - *she* - had looked directly at Tsubasa when they spoke of the orange hair. When they said a name. When they advanced a hypothesis... *that had her dead to rights.*

But now she's thumping up the stairs, and matters accelerate enormously when a spectral voice --

Not spectral, muffled.

Grounded. Bound by material life.

*Familiar*

"Futaba?? Are you okay!?" says the voice of SOJIRO SAKURA, followed by hurried footsteps, a sharp twist of the doorknob followed by a slam, and followed by a gruff and all-business voice of the familiar gentleman - now speaking with a cadence and tenor that even Ren likely hasn't heard.

"Who the hell are you?! Don't move!" He reaches down.

"You hear me?!"

Something goes click --

SOJIRO & TSUBASA
Followers of the Pocket Flashlight Way

And casts more light on the situation.

The flashlight walks over Ichika - who had been looking that way just a moment ago - then Tsubasa, and finally on Ren and Makoto, inevitably. "You...?"

The flashlight's beam is turned towards Makoto, as if she is being inspected.

"What are you doing in my house...?"

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
Once again, Ichika speaks for the trees. There's only the ''holiest'' of shit going down right now.

It's Tsubasa who has the most presence of mind of all four of them--putting together the orange hairs they saw in the bathroom with the orange hair on the mysterious fifth and name her as the Futaba Sakura they all seek.

This is some bang-up deductive logic--Akechi would be proud, surely--but Ren can only spare a couple thought cycles towards it. Makoto is having a full-on meltdown right now, her mind somewhere bad and very, very far away. Gingerly, they rest a hand over one of hers.

"Makoto. It's okay. It's going to be okay," they murmur in their deep, most soothing voice. They might start repeating this to until it's able to break through to her, except--

'Who the hell are you?! Don't move!'

Ren looks up, eyes wide behind their own glasses, just as Sojiro shines his own flashlight on everyone. On the plus side, seeing faces he recognizes means he calms down. On the minus side... this went ''incredibly'' pear-shaped, incredibly fast. They can only hope that Morgana's got eyes on Futaba.

(He does--or at least, he does on the door to her room, into which he has now crept. He may or may not escape before she returns, but he may be able to scope out her living space a bit.)

"Uh," they utter, as eloquent as Ichika in the moment. Then they raise their other hand, which still carries a plastic bag with the Umiushi Beef Bowls logo. "I brought you dinner from Port Island...?"

They glance over their shoulder at the stairs. Then they look back at Sojiro.

"...Was that your daughter?"

If they're the one asking, it'll make sense, at least--they were there for that conflict he had with Sae.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
<poem>
Ichika can't do anything for Makoto right now, either; she has no idea ''why'' she's so scared, but she knows that kind of fear when she sees it. Or doesn't see it, because it's still really dark in here... Tsubasa's a detective but--

Ichika puts her hands up when Sojiro says not to move, eyes wide. This isn't like running from the cops--they're not running!

...why aren't they running

Ren has an answer, at least.

"...What he said."
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
"What the fuck?" Tsubasa asks, looking at Makoto, face drawn tight; it's entirely possible to miss the fact that they're so freaked out because they're deeply ''concerned.''

And like, it's not just Makoto, even? There's that girl? Who's apparently, like...

Okay, so Tsubasa once heard Shuyo talk about spiders and say how they're more scared of ''you'' than you are of ''them,'' and Tsubasa looked at him and punched him in the shoulder and told him to fuck off with that shit, those things are creatures of malice, and he punched them ''back'' and told them how they're ''so stupid'' where are they supposed to ''keep'' malice their brains are like the size of a ''pinprick,'' which is when Tsubasa grabbed him in a headlock and declared that ''he'' was the prick, and --

ANYWAY, that's what they think about with regards to the girl in the locked room, yeah? She's more scared of ''them'' than they are of ''her.''

They might have even pointed that out, except --

IT'S THE COPS!

wait, no, it's her dad.

IT'S HER DAD!!!

"We ain't doin' nothin'!" Tsubasa yelps, holding up their hands, which has the helpful side-effect of illuminating the ceiling. (It's not that helpful.) "Hey--!" -- oh, it's a flashlight.

"Look man, I get ya pissed, but Makoto-chan's scared a th' dark an' we heard a bangin' like someone fell down or somethin' an' we -- she's cool, man, jus' give her a minute!" They're still worried about what Makoto's going to do faced with this ''new'' terror, apparently...

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Unfortunately, Makoto is not cool. Even with the flashlights, even with Ren and Tsubasa trying their best to mitigate Sojiro's reaction, Makoto is still shaking, still babbling, still begging for her sister to save her. No matter what, it's going to be hard to have any real conversation while Makoto is like this.

On the upside, if someone tries to get her to stand, she's at least... agreeable to being moved, as long as no one tries to pull her completely away from Ren right now.

Someone else will need to hold the umbrellas to get them back to LeBlanc, should someone suggest they talk there.

Once they're in LeBlanc- and, fortunately, the power comes back on in the time they get in, and after being given a chance to sit and recover and be in the light, Makoto seems to recover- if she's a little out of it for a few minutes more.

Eventually, though, she manages to speak up. "We're sorry for sneaking in like that, Sakura-san," Makoto starts, giving a deep apologetic bow. "And... I'm sorry for my display back there."

She and Ren were supposed to tag team this discussion, but right now, Ren, Ichika and Tsubasa will likely have to lead.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
<poem>
"You--" The flashlight beam turns towards Ren, and then towards the bag. There is a sound of exasperation. "... I can't exactly blame you for expecting me to leave something on the counter, after everyth--"

Ren intercepts! "Wh-- you--!" Heartbeat,

"... Yes." A grunting sound of weariness. Ichika is acknowledged with a turn of the flashlight for a moment, but then the light focuses on Tsubasa. Perhaps into their eyes! A little. It's hard to not do that at least a little. When his face can be glimpsed Sojiro seems stern but he is visibly listening.

"-- Alright," he says, his voice gentler. "Look. The power's on at the shop. The rain's eased up a little... I was waiting it out, but then I'd heard..."

With a defeated air, Sojiro continues, "Besides... if we stay here, she'll hear us. She's safe. I... urgh. I'll explain everything. Come on." He steps back then, the flashlight turned towards the floor - a guidelight rather than a piercing beam.

Along the way, Sojiro hangs back a bit. Bringing up the rear, perhaps. "Did I seriously leave this unlocked again...?" he comments, to himself. And on the way, muffled slightly by the rain, he asks Ren:

"So, you and her--?" He sounds guarded. He looks grave.

But, at Leblanc, Sojiro helps people in - holding the door, coming in more bedraggled than usual. Mostly the water.

Once everyone is settled, he begins with answering Makoto.

"... Forget about it," he says. "Fears can be like that." He grimaces, and sets himself in one of the bar seats, turned to face others.

"If she's here... Niijima, right?" This towards Makoto, perhaps a little more grumbly but not hot. "I imagine you've heard about... about Futaba." Now, Sojiro looks at the others, and finally, to Ren.

"I shouldn't have kept this a secret," he said. "I'll tell you everything. So..."

A couple of seconds. "Where do I start...? Futaba's mother. We knew each other, long before Futaba was born. She - her mother, Wakaba - she was a weird one. We got along well, though. She was sharp as hell. A little stern. A little..." He raises a hand loosely. "... socially inept. But carefree. She was a great woman."

After a beat, he continues. About the mother, it seems. "If something piqued her interest, that'd be what she focused on. She always burned the midnight oil. I thought that would change once her kid came, but even Futaba didn't change her much. Don't get the wrong idea about her... she always took good care of Futaba."

Sojiro sighs. "... But one day, she left."

His face hardens. "... She committed suicide. Threw herself in the street, right in front of Futaba's eyes..."

"... A lot happened after that, but the long and the short of it is that I ended up taking custody of Futaba. She's... Once she got here, she was so depressed she wouldn't answer back if I spoke to her." His jaw tightens. He seems out of steam for the moment.

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
Given that she's latched on to her, Ren's got to be the one to guide Makoto back to Leblanc. After handing the Autumn Beef Bowl off to Sojiro and letting someone else handle the matter of the umbrellas, the five of them manage to make it in one piece. Once she's in the light, Makoto starts recovering fairly quickly too--not ''immediately'', but she really is scared of the dark, huh...

Ren also notes that Morgana's nowhere to be seen--but given where they last saw him go, they're confident he's going to be fine.

Along the way, they murmur to Sojiro, "You did." And then, firmly: "''No''."

Once everyone's back at Leblanc, where the power is indeed on and the lot of them can get dry, Ren settles on a seat to watch Sojiro and listen quietly. Wakaba... Hadn't Sae mentioned that name too? But his use of 'was' implies that...

Sure enough, he reveals she's gone. Ren sits up straight, eyes widening as their lips part in shock. Not just killed herself, but ''right in front of'' Futaba--? That's... that's horrible.

...but what does any of this have to do with Alibaba?

However, listening to all this makes something else in Ren's head click. "Is that who you talk to on the phone every so often? The one who's always making demands of you?" they wonder. Sojiro once again used the past tense about Futaba not answering back, which means...

"...Like sweets from the Sumaru Hyakumanzeki Festival?"
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
<poem>
It goes better than Ichika expected it to, anyway. Makoto's a wreck, for a while yet, but...

Sojiro is answering them. "Sure," ichika says, and walks with the others. She at least does have an umbrella about it. But for Makoto, she looks. Sojiro has the right answer; but Ichika is going to worry some about that.

She settles down, sitting next to Tsubasa.

Then she listens. A mom... Ichika actually smiles at first. Sharp, and... not so good with people. She sounds charming. And when someone stays who they are after having kids... it's a good sign. But left?

Ichika blinks--and lowers her hand, next to Tsubasa.

"That's awful," she says. Right in front of her. "I'm so sorry..."

But Futaba wouldn't speak. That tracks for Ichika, anyway. "She must be in so much pain..."
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
Tsubasa's eyes are blue, when the light shines in them -- light, and steely, to the point one might get the ''vague'' impression there was a Westerner in their lineage somewhere, but don't say ''that'' in front of their father.

The light also, as it happens, reveals the flaws in their makeup... the way they're covering massive burn scars over a full half of their body with fake tan and concealer, a story also written on their ''face.'' There's a bit of a squint to their left eye they're not entirely able to conceal; they probably didn't ''just'' shave off their eyebrows. (There's cyan and white makeup, suggesting something ''like'' eyebrows.)

They ''do'' catch that Sojiro apparently leaves his place unlocked habitually... though they hurry forward a bit to give him some privacy, since he was clearly just talking to himself, and so miss what he has to say next. Besides, they're sharing Ichika's umbrella!

"Uh... yeah, man," they add, awkwardly, onto Makoto's apology, "we ain't meant to hurt nothin'." Technically, Tsubasa never said they didn't mean to ''barge in,'' which means that technically, all of that is true! They trust Morgana to do the rest of the barging, it's fine.

They listen to his story, though, and...

... and when he gets to the point, they need to reach over and grab the hand Ichika's offered them. Their grip is tight. "Shit," they surmise, eloquently. (Swearing in front of an adult! ''Again!'' Well, that's entirely normal for Tsubasa, the times they've been over here in the past.) "How could she do that to her fuckin' kid?" It was hard seeing the aftermath, but that was different... Futaba's mom really ''died...'' and right in ''front'' of her...

They scowl, troubled.

"Gotta be real fucked up 'bout it... guess that's why she looked so scared. But... if she don't even answer, how's she go with school an' shit...?"

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
For better or worse, Makoto's not in a state to hear Sojiro's whispered question, or Ren's emphatic response. Who knows, having something to be angry at instead of scared of might have helped. A bit hard to tell now.

Makoto's not being particularly talkative, but it's hard not to notice the way her eyes widen when Sojiro mentions how Wakaba died, or the way her hand goes to cover her mouth. "No way..." Makoto murmurs, and for a second, she looks almost as shaken as she did in that house- but she doesn't lose it completely, even if she's steadying herself against one of LeBlanc's tables.

She doesn't have a lot to add, at the moment. Tsubasa and Ren are asking the pertinent questions, Makoto is doing all she can just to listen-

Even as the wheels turn in her head, slowly putting things together.

...and, perhaps, feeling a little too much empathy for the girl in that dark house.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
<poem>
During the walk: There is a disconsolate grunt at the news he left the door unlocked again. There is no answer to the firm denial. He looked guilty at the time. Maybe he was trying to raise the mood. Maybe he knows it was a mistake.

After that, there are questions. Sojiro raises his head.

"Heh," he answers Ren. "Well. Not always."

And he rubs the back of his neck. "... But a lot of 'em. Including that one. Sometimes I wonder if I'm being indulgent about things like that. But... Well, it's the least I can do."

Ichika speaks... and she doesn't have a question, she has a comment. One that makes Sojiro exhale. "... Yes. Once she settled in, she opened up, little by little. That's when I found out... she blames herself for her mother's death." The bitterness in his voice is faint but deep.

"I'd wondered, why - why she could possibly - but I didn't want to rub salt in the wound. She was improving, I thought, anyway, until a few months ago. She started getting scared... even if there wasn't anything frightening was going on. She's not a typical girl, you understand. She's got such a quick mind, she's always jumping around."

Sojiro looks defeated at what Tsubasa says next. But he answers them even so. "... She doesn't. That's the answer to that." He looks up towards Tsubasa. "I've tried to bring it up, and... hrrm... You're probably thinking I should have called a doctor, and I did - they even did a house call. But Futaba locked her door and wouldn't come out. I..."

More rubbing of the back of his own neck. "I don't feel I have the right to make her do anything she doesn't want to do. It's the best I can do."

He looks to Ren, then, and says, "So... Her situation is why I couldn't let you into my house."

After this, Sojiro straightens up. His head hangs low for a moment, but he lifts it up. "... So... that's that. I hope you can all just..." He doesn't finish the thought, shaking his head slightly after. One hand goes into his pocket. "I'm going to head back, then. It's late, so head home soon, all of you, alright?"

He comments to Ren again, "Just... lock up, don't be like this old man. Thanks for thinking of me."

And then, into the rain, he leaves. Soon enough he'll be home, and the power's coming back on anyway.

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Makoto's still quiet, still listening as Sojiro answers. She doesn't speak up, though. There's a lot that could be said, but really...

Grief was bad enough when you didn't see it happen. For them to die in front of you... That's horrible. Near impossible to handle.

...And if you couldn't accept conventional help...

Makoto's silent for a bit more, until Sojiro is gone and the Phantom Thieves are alone in the cafe.

"...I think I might know who Alibaba is now," Makoto says, once she's finally sure she can speak. Perhaps it's coming from an odd angle- but for Makoto right now, it's something she can do, something she can latch on to, some way to be useful after that meltdown.

"I think the reason that Alibaba wants us to change Futaba Sakura's heart is because Alibaba is Futaba Sakura." She looks out to the other three. "If... If she can't reach out to anyone else, or let anyone else reach out to her... Maybe we're the only hope she's got."

Makoto can remember it too well. The grief of losing her mother was bad enough, but she still had the rest of her family. When her father died, though, she was alone. "...Ren, can you see if Futaba Sakura has a palace?"

That's the only way any of this makes sense- Alibaba's deal being a cry for help.

...Honestly, it's the sort of cry for help Makoto may have wanted to make herself once upon a time.

Maybe it's a cry for help she's too scared to make for someone else.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
Ren nods once when Sojiro confirms. They hadn't figured it was ''every'' call, but there was one caller that he tended to take a different tone with compared to others... They just had a hunch.

Quietly, they're relieved. There's no way Sojiro could be abusing her when he spends so much time thinking about what she wants. If she's too traumatized to leave her room and he doesn't want to force her out, and she won't open her door for the doctor...

"I see," they say quietly. Knowing that Futaba's why they're living in Leblanc's attic does explain a whole lot.

It's clear it's a painful topic for Sojiro as well as Futaba. Ren doesn't verbally respond, just nods. They watch him leave in concern, then look around at the others.

"She does. I checked her name already," they tell Makoto. "But..."

They pull up their smartphone, tap the Meta-Nav, and speak into it: "Futaba Sakura at the Sakura residence."

''Bing''. "Hit found," a smooth, robotic woman's voice says.

...Which means that the location of her Palace is the place they just were. It only makes sense, if she never leaves her room anymore. Now all they need is her distortion.

"Alibaba ''did'' get really weird when I asked them for the name of their target." They look back at Makoto. "And given that Sojiro-san was gone for a long while just a couple months ago... The timing's right. I think you're on to something."

Which changes the nature of the change-of-heart request quite significantly.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
<poem>
Ichika squeezes Tsubasa's hand, especially at the question. She glances their way--trying to offer silent support. But Sojiro answers a number of questions, says a lot. She blames herself... "That's awful," Ichika says. To lose a mother that way... to blame yourself for it--

Why? Ichika doesn't know either. But grief does strange things to people. Ichika knows that much. But lately... Hm.

"I see..." he doesn't feel he has the right.

"Thank you for telling us," Ichika says to Sojiro. "And we will." Go home soon. Ichika has her van today, so even if they talk past the last trains...

Makoto though has a theory, and Ichika's eyes widen as she says it. "What?" Ichika starts. "She wants us to change ''her'' heart...?"

But then she thinks about. And Ren ''confirms'' it. It exists.

"...She must think she's the problem..." That's what Ichika thinks, anyway. Hearing how she blamed herself...

She's sure. They have to help her.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Tsubasa Seki has posed.
<poem>
She don't even leave her room... she's scared of everything. Man...

"Sure," Tsubasa says, glancing away and reaching up to rub at the back of their neck with a hand. (Surely that's not familiar, or anything. ... in Tsubasa's case, they can't really run their hand through their hair without ruining the whole illusion.) "Later, sir."

When the door closes, behind him, they speak up: "... he ain't done nothin' wrong." They were suspicious of him, but hearing a story like that... it makes sense as to why she'd be so terrified. Maybe they're just -- biased, hearing what her ''mother'' did, but --

But there's no way Sojiro's hurting her when he's the one who helped her out, right?

Makoto floats a theory, though, and Tsubasa's blue eyes widen. "No way!" They exclaim, only for Ren to helpfully demonstrate, though the Meta-Nav, that ''yes'' way. "But -- but ''she'' ain't done nothin' wrong!" Tsubasa insists, hand coming down a little heavily, on the table. "She ain't like that fuckin' Eiji, or Kamoshida, or Madarame, or Kaneshiro! The damn phone's wrong 'bout it! No way does a girl like that have a twisted heart! Jus' 'cuz she saw some mad shit?! That ain't fair!"

But Sojiro disappeared... and Makoto's logic about her not being able to reach out isn't ''unfitting...''

Ichika, though, points out that ''Futaba'' thinks she's done something wrong, and Tsubasa sighs, deeply. "Right," they say, their shoulders sinking with their tone. "So it ain't, like... always objective, huh...? Fuck, man..."

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
The fact that Ren confirms that Futaba has a Palace seems to be all that's needed for Makoto's theory to be put together, like it was the last step.

"...I'm glad," Makoto comments, when Tsubasa states that Sojiro hasn't done anything wrong. It's... a relief at least, to know Ren and Futaba's caretaker isn't abusive.

Let's just. Ignore all and any other thoughts about that right now. Not important.

"...All a Palace needs to form is for someone's desires to be distorted. It... it doesn't mean that the ruler is evil." It has to meant that. It has to. "If her desires were distorted by her mother's death, and this badly, it might have been all it took."

It's not objective. It just is. ...especially if the distortion is about blaming herself for her mother's death, the way Ichika suspects.

"...I want to help her too. But... we can't, not without talking to her- and Alibaba seems to be the only one who can contact us, instead of us contacting her." Makoto lets out a sigh. "...Not unless we approach her in real life, at least."

She looks to the others. "We'll have to ask everyone, but if it's up to me, if Futaba-chan herself is asking for our help... I think we should do it. I'll follow your lead on what we do next though, Ren. For now though, I think all we can do is wait for her to contact us again."

...Makoto might be personally invested, but Ren's the leader for a reason- in the end, the way forward has to come from her.
</poem>

[[Category:Logs]]
[[Category:Season 1]]
[[Category:Season 1, Episode 1]]

Fictional Pop Culture and Brands

2025-12-29T03:53:08Z

Makohime:

This is a non-exhaustive list of various in-universe pieces of pop culture, brands, celebrities, places, items, and so on. Entries may be added as we think of them or as they get ICly released. Players may add entries of their own, but please don't edit already existing entries. If you see something that you think is wrong or should be changed, please send a request to staff.

== Fashion ==

; Rosa Candida (Persona 2)
: A fashionable boutique in Sumaru City's Aoba Ward that sells a variety of stylish clothes and accessories. Rumor has it they also sell quality armor.

; Croco Fur (Persona 4)
: A clothing store in Okina City that offers a wide range of outfits and accessories, from bags to boots, swimsuits to Halloween costumes. Run by Reiko Osa, charismatic fashionista.

; Tsurukame Diamond (Persona 5)
: A jewelry store in the Shibuya Underground Mall.

; Furugi no Neuchi (Persona 5)
: A vintage clothing store in Kichijoji. The perfect place to do some thrifting or sell old, unwanted clothes.

; Adios Shoes (Persona 3)
: A cheap knock-off of a more popular brand; sold by Tanaka's Amazing Commodities. Say "goodbye" to your foes.

; Baipas (Persona 4)
: A brand of sports bags that's similar to Adidas, right up to the logo.

== Entertainment ==

=== Music ===

; Giga Macho CD (Persona 2)
: Hosts a big CD store, production studio, and flamboyant radio DJ wearing a red hoodie and shades known as 'Meteor Masa,' who hosts 'Meteor Masa to the Max.'

; Kenneth Arnold (Persona 3)
: A CD and DVD chain store that has a location within Paulownia Mall.

; Babel Records Music Store (Persona 5)
: A CD and DVD store in the Shibuya Underground Mall.

; Gas Chamber (Persona 2)
: The band of Kasugayama High's Leader, Eikichi Mishina, who is the lead singer. Not yet fully formed, as Eikichi is still scouting members... and getting the members he does have to learn how to play instruments. It's not a failure, it's pre-successful.

; Muses (Persona 2)
: A hot new three-member idol group that's been successfully hyped by their manager, Ginji Sasaki. Many people are very excited for their upcoming debut.

; Hug-My-Heart (Persona 5)
: Debut single by a boy band.

; 3SHINE
: An idol trio from the 90's known briefly for the bittersweet hit 「ＡＮＯＴＨＥＲ♩ＬＩＦＥ」, but disbanded in 2007 after the lead singer died in a car crash.

=== Video/Computer Games ===

; Groove On Fight (Persona 1)
: Atlus fighting game.

; Innocent Sin Online (Persona 3)
: A mysterious MMO that's been running for years, it tells a fictionalized larger than life version of the Innocent Story version with Tatsuya and Maya. How it came about in this world is a mystery. (Don't use this to establish knowing things about the Other Side. Just don't.)

; Condemnation of Witchcraft (Persona 3 - Original)
: The new biggest MMO that everyone is leaving Innocent Sin Online for due to all the gold farmers and dupers. Affectionately known as CoW by its fans, it's a game wherein the Holy Empire of Sturmward fights the Witch Queen and her coven of 'The Abhorred'. A PvE game with PvP elements.

; Game Parade Games
: House of the Deceased - A horror game with terrifying zombies. Raises Guts.
: Real Wheel Racing - An intense racing game. Raises the equipped Persona's agility.
: Print Club - A purikura-style booth. Raises charm.
: High School of Youth - Dating sim game. Raises Charm.
: You're the Answer - Quiz show-style arcade game. Raises Academics.
: Punch Boxer - Fighting Arcade game. Raises the equipped Persona's strength.
: Edgar's House of Fortunes - Fortune-telling tarot game. Raise the equipped Persona's Magic.
: Super Game Spaceshot - Space shooter.

; Computer Software
:Lessons in Etiquette - PC software for learning manners that will charm others.
:Virtual Diet - PC software for helping you attain a beautiful body via watching videos.
:Language Made Easy - PC Software for learning English through pictures and images.
:Animal Othello - PC software for children. Adults need courage to play this.
:TypinGhoul - PC software that requires courage to defeat zombies through typing.
:Muscle Boot Camp - PC Software for learning how to effectively strengthen your muscles.
:Mindful Boot Camp - PC Software for growing your mind through meditation.
:Umiushi Fan Book - For those who love beef bowls. Has a membership code for the official site.

; Photochop (Persona Q)
: Graphics editor that has become the most used digital art software in the world. Due to image manipulation that is then posted online becoming so ubiquitous, the program has popularized the slang term 'Photochopped' worldwide.

; Star Forneus (Persona 5)
: Retro console shooting game with a space theme.

; Super Bash Bros. (Persona 5)
: Long-running crossover Versus Battle game. 'Challenger Approaching!'

; Gambla Goemon (Persona 5)
: A game about a notorious thief who fell into the depths of hell… Demons make you gamble with games of chance to pass through gates in hell and move on to further challenges.

; Stray Sheep Dolls (Persona 5)
: A puzzle game about sheep. Now with more off-kilter gender commentary! Procreate or else!

; Featherman Seeker (Persona 5)
: A retro game based on the popular long-running tokusatsu show, Phoenix Rangers Featherman. It follows the story of Gray Pigeon and their mentor-guided training to acquire power that will rival the Phoenix Rangers.

; Matador <nowiki>re:fancio</nowiki> (Velvet Room MUSH - Original)
: A video game about a skeletal bullfighter who must find a way to fancy up his life. May or may not be looking for a nice candelabra.

; Drake Adventure (Velvet Room MUSH - Original)
: A massively popular and influential JRPG series, with cute monsters and a cartoonish medieval fantasy vibe. It is currently on its ninth entry.

; Night Parade (Velvet Room MUSH - Original)
: A classic fighting game series by the Motojima Corporation, known for its theme of supernatural yokai and their hunters as the fighters. Latest release is Ultimate Night Parade 4 Remix Lightning Edition.

; Stiletta (Velvet Room MUSH - Original)
: A much-beloved urban fantasy action-adventure game about a stylish succubus who fights to find her lost memories using her transforming hair and weaponized heels. Utterly fabulous. The hotly-anticipated sequel has recently been announced.

=== Other Games ===
; Hammerstrike - War in the 42nd Millenium (Velvet Room MUSH - Original)
: A grimdark franchise originating from the west, centring around numerous spacefaring factions warring for control over the galaxy. While it started as a tabletop wargame using handpainted miniatures, a multitude of books, animations, and games have come out for it since its inception the late 1980s.

=== Books and Manga ===

; Bookworms (Persona 3)
: A small but robust bookstore in the Iwatodai Strip Mall, owned and run by an elderly married couple, Bunkichi and Mitsuko Kitamura.

; Taiheido Bookstore (Persona 5)
: A bookstore on Shibuya Central Street with shelves also available outside the entrance.

; Rubber-Armed Pitcher Hero (Persona 4)
: Sports shounen manga about baseball.

; Witch Detective (Persona 4)
: A ploddingly written romantic comedy manga about a girl on her first day of school in a new town. Vampires are involved.

; The Great Thief (Persona 5)
: The story of Arsène Lupin, greatest thief of all time.

; Zorro the Outlaw (Persona 5)
: The story of Zorro, the dashing masked vigilante.

; Pirate Legend (Persona 5)
: The story of Captain Kidd, a Scottish-American privateer.

; The Alluring Dancer (Persona 5)
: The story of Carmen, an opera about a seductive Romani woman.

; The Gallant Rogue (Persona 5)
: The story of Goemon Ishikawa, a legendary outlaw hero.

; Speed Reader (Persona 5)
: A book that gives the reader tips on how to read more quickly and efficiently.

;The Whimsy of Orange Streets (Velvet Room MUSH - Original)
:An older romantic comedy manga about a old fashioned high school student in a love triangle with two delinquents. Reading it might help you understand relationships better.

;Dragon Sphere X (Velvet Room MUSH - Original)
:A martial arts manga that takes inspiration from Journey to the West. Probably helps your Guts.

; Titanomachy (Velvet Room MUSH - Original)
: An enormously popular mecha franchise that draws heavily from Greek mythology for inspiration. Having been around for close to 30 years, it has spawned numerous films, anime, and manga series, as well as a plethora of different model kits.

=== TV Shows ===

; Scarlet (Persona 5)
: DVD/Blu-Ray rental store. Has a very generous membership plan for students.

; Phoenix Ranger Featherman (Persona 2)
: Long-running tokusatsu franchise with tons of seasons, movies, and extensive merchandising. Much beloved by the Japanese youth.

; Tanaka's Amazing Commodities (Persona 3)
: A home shopping program hosted by Tanaka, who is also the CEO of the company. Its jingle: "Here comes Tanakaaaaa~ Over the airwaves to youuuuu~ Granter of your desires!" Sells a wide range of products, from high quality to possibly less-than-stellar knock-offs. Things go quick, so buy buy buy!

; Wraith (Persona 5)
: TV show about a woman who can speak to ghosts.

; The X-Folders (Persona 5)
: Sci-fi investigation TV show. The opening theme involves a spooky whistle.

; Bubbly Hills 90210 (Persona 5)
: A Western teen romantic drama TV show set in the ritzy upscale neighborhood of Bubbly Hills.

; ICU (Persona 5)
: Medical drama show about high stakes saves in the emergency ward.

; The Running Dead (Persona 5)
: Zombie drama about fast zombies. Humans in this drama are the real monsters.

; Mouse M.D. (Persona 5)
: A maverick rodent's medical heroics. Learn about true kindness.

; D. Housewives (Persona 5)
: Women's stories of love and passion.

; 31 (Persona 5)
: A writer and editor battle looming deadlines. Praised for its gutsy tension.

; Tee (Persona 5)
: A teacher helps revive a near defunct high school golf team.

; Not-so-hot Betsy (Persona 5)
: A TV show that tells the story of a homely girl who captivates people with her inner charm.

; Jail Break (Persona 5)
: A jailbreak TV drama.

; Fist of the Phantom Star (Persona 5)
: A post apocalyptic martial arts retro anime that codified a lot of Shounen tropes. Contains numerous beefy men rescuing beautiful women from their rivals.

;Yureka Six (Velvet Room MUSH - Original)
:An anime about growing up in a war torn world of robots, aliens, and flying skateboards. The main character starts off as rather childish but grows mature through facing the shortcomings of adults.

=== Movies ===

; Climax Theater (Persona 2)
: Sumaru City movie theater where rumors have made the films occasionally quite strange.

; Screen Shot (Persona 3)
: Movie theater chain throughout Japan.

; Friday in a certain day (Persona 3)
: A film starring Catherine Billey. Its tagline is, "Fans of a Dutch soccer team, Americans heading off to war are facing." Yes, just that.

; The more than dreamin (Persona 3)
: A film about an alien visitor.

; Detonator (Persona 3)
: Starring Sharon Waxman and Craig.S.Smith. Its tagline is, "A troubling trend for a Dutch." It's a film about boxing! (It references Lennox Lewis and Andrew Golata's boxing match.)

; Worst Detective (Persona 3)
: A film noir about a detective who is terrible at his job.

; Loan of the Rings (Persona 4)
: Fantasy epic film.

; Dumminator II (Persona 4)
: Film on… Why?

; Trial of the Dragon (Persona 4)
: Kung fu epic film.

; My Neighbor Dodoro (Persona 5 - Original)
: A classic heartwarming children's movie about two young sisters meeting a big yellow bird and having adventures together. Includes a cat that is also a large vehicle.

; Tanktop Millionaire (Persona 5)
: Movie about a scrappy kid who came from the slums to win big on a quiz show.

; The Cake Knight Rises (Persona 5)
: A cake-themed vigilante avenges a friend who was wronged by a psychopathic baker. It's a ridiculous film, but the protagonist's passion to fight for his friend is touching.

; Like a Dragon (Persona 5)
: Yakuza action film.

; Mes Miserables (Persona 5)
: Apparently just like the real work except with even more theological commentary. (A bishop is the antagonist rather than Javert.)

; Pach-Saw (Persona 5)
: Horror film involving an elephant and torture elements.

; Wild Max (Persona Q2)
: Post-Apocalyptic film series praised for it's fight choreography in vehicles.

; [[SMILE (2012)]] (Velvet Room MUSH - Persona 2/Original)
: A slasher movie released at the end of August 2012, starring Junko Kurosu as the killer. Part crime movie, part suspense horror, part slasher, noted for it's well executed twists in an otherwise kind of schlocky but fun slasher.

== Food and Drink ==

=== Vending Machine Beverages ===
; First Appeared in Persona 3
: Aguafeena - Extensively purified tap water.
: BauerBar - Keeps you going for 24 hours straight.
: Cielo Mist - Beverage imported from Jamaica.
: Cylon Tea - Comes in 12 different varieties.
: Definitely Lemonade - A fresh, lemon-based drink. A bit watery.
: Dr. Salt - Salty soda. Popular, but an acquired taste.
: Fountain Dew - A disturbingly yellow soft drink.
: Happiness Water - Water that tastes like happiness.
: Mad Bull - A mildly bitter beverage with a flavorful kick.
: Moonkist - Soda with the slogan, "Kist my full moon!"
: Nastea - Tea that tastes great, despite its name.
: SoBay - Popular tea often auctioned online.
: Starvicks - Famous coffee, mixed with cough syrup.
: 1UP - Soft drink coveted by old-school gamers.
: 4biotic Pack - A set of 4 probiotic drinks.

; First Appeared in Persona 4
: Dokudami Tea - An herbal tea good for detoxes.
: Dr. Salt NEO - An intensely carbonated beverage.
: Orange Smash - A refreshing citrus beverage.
: Second Maid - A cold beverage that got heated.
: TaP Soda - Old-fashioned fizzy beverage.

; First Appeared in Persona 5
: Arginade - Contains arginine.
: Chunky Potage - You can never drink all the kernels.
: Creature - A drink that blows away sleepiness.
: Durian-au-Lait - Made from the king of fruits.
: Earl Green - A blend of Eastern and Western tea.
: Joylent - Unsettlingly nutritious.
: Manta - Makes you want to dance all night.
: Muscle Tea - Popular tea often sold online.
: Oh! Shiruko - So good it makes you say, "Oh!"
: Udagawa Soda - Triple-filtered carbonated Shibuya water.
: Udagawa Water - Triple-filtered Shibuya river water.
: Ultimate Amazake - Makes you think you're drunk.
: Water of Rebirth - Blended with placenta.

=== Dining Out ===

; Peace Diner (Persona 1/Persona 2)
: Franchise that serves mostly fast food; there's a branch in Yumezaki's Yumezaki Center. Rumormonger Chikarin can be found here almost daily working on the Sevens school newspaper. The part timer at the register loves Japanese period dramas, and so talks like a ninja. Menu: Peace Burger, Chicken Sandwich, Grilled Burger, Peace Double Meat, Big Peace Burger, Fries, Peace Shake, Value Meal.

; Gatten Sushi (Persona 2)
: Popular sushi shop in Rengedai's Lotus Mall, run by the Mishina family. Head chef is Kankichi Mishina. It's the popular hangout of Rumormonger Kenta "Toro" Yokouchi, whose favorite sushi is the olive flounder fish fin, despite his nickname meaning Fatty Tuna. Menu: Tuna, Squid, Sweet Shrimp, Eel, Sea Urchin, Salmon Roe, Fish Fin, Fatty Tuna.

; Double Slash (Persona 2)
: Internet cafe in Aoba's Aoba Way that offers a surprisingly robust menu of drinks, snacks and even meals. The teenager who mans the counter is pretty lazy. Menu: Coffee, Cafe au Lait, Milk Tea, Herbal Tea, Double Sandwich, Pizza Toast, Spaghetti, Curry Rice.

; Jolly Roger (Persona 2)
: Pirate-themed restaurant in Konan's Seaside Mall. The rumormongering proprietor is sad and trades in rumors as a balm for the sea, to which he can no longer return. Menu: Coffee Blend, Tea Blend, Veggie Juice, Special Cocoa, Baked Apple Pie, Chocolate Cookie, Brown Rice Curry, Pirate’s Set.

; Clair De Lune (Persona 2)
: Classy French restaurant in Narumi's Hotel Pleiades, served by Garçon Soejima. May or may not also sell top-notch armor on the sly. Menu: Vichyssoise, Escabèche, Cassoulet, Brochette, Brandade, Bouillabaisse, Ballotine, Navarin.

; Wilduck Burger (Persona 3)
: A fast food burger chain with a location in the Iwatodai Strip Mall. The mainline item is the Mystery Burger for those with the Guts to try it.

; Hagakure Ramen (Persona 3)
: A ramen restaurant in the Iwatodai Strip Mall. Their mainline item, the Pork Ramen, is full of collagen to make the eater's skin silky smooth and Charming.

; Wakatsu Kitchen (Persona 3)
: A sushi restaurant in the Iwatodai Strip Mall. The seafood in their Prodigy Platter is healthy and full of omega-3s--the perfect brain food to help the Academically challenged.

; Yon-Germain Bakery (Persona 5)
: A small bakery located at the Ginza Line Gate at Shibuya Station. Perfect for when you need to grab a snack in between train transfers. Menu: Sandwich, Fruit Danish, Moist Katsu Bun (rainy day special), Melon Pan (summer-only; limited product).

; Bikkuri Boy (Persona 5)
: A spacious family diner located up a stairwell off Central Street in Shibuya. Practically deserted when it rains, so you can concentrate extra-well for study sessions in between meals. Menu: Hot Coffee (coffee with free refills), Surprise Sando (crayfish paste sandwich), Nostalgic Steak (salisbury steak like grandma made), Frui-Tea (tea made with lots of fruit), Totem Pole (tower of ice cream).

; Big Bang Burger (Persona 5)
: A fast food chain with a location on Shibuya Central Street that holds the Big Bang Challenge, wherein people can become a 2nd Mate, 1st Mate, or Captain by completing various stages. Menu: Big Bang Burger, Saturn Fries, Venus Salad (fruit salad), Earth Burger (seasonal spring offering with veggies), Moon Burger (seasonal autumn offering where the egg looks like the moon).

; Ore no Beko (Persona 5)
: Beef bowl restaurant on Shibuya Central Street. The beef part is pre-made so a worker only has to assemble and serve a bowl.

; Wilton Hotel (Persona 5)
: Upscale hotel chain with a location in Shibuya. Known for its high-priced gourmet buffet.

; Melty Donut (Persona 5)
: A donut franchise popular with cops, lawyers, and security guards.

; Katsuo Shokudo (Original)
: A mom-and-pop restaurant in Inaba, well-known to locals for its excellent food. Or it was, as with the declining Inaban economy, it finally had to close its doors in early 2010. The owner and primary cook, Hideji Aoki, moved away to the big city with his daughter Hibari.

=== Bars and Pubs ===

; Izakaya Shiraishi (Persona 2)
: An Izakaya bar in Hirasaka's Kameya Alley that absolutely doesn't serve ramen--except for banana ramen. Rumor has it the proprietress, Ma'am, is a former spy that can give tips on finding anyone. Hangout of Rumormonger Toku-san. Menu: Edamame, Yakitori, Sesame Chicken, Oden, Red Bean Gyoza, Banana Ramen, Beer, Sake.

; Parabellum (Persona 2)
: A noir-ish bar in Aoba's Aoba Way with an elderly gentleman barkeeper who makes firearms-themed cocktails. Rumor has it they also secretly sell weapons. Menu: Revolver, Double Action, Magnum, Bullet Core, Browning Power, Angel Trigger, Tilt Barrel, Derringer.

; Ebony (Persona 2)
: Classy bar in Narumi's Hotel Pleiades, run by a rumor-lovin' bartender who's as quick with a rumor or a story as she is with a cocktail. Menu: On the Rocks, Between the Sheets, Gimlet, Blue Lagoon, Green Eyes, Mockingbird, Angel's Kiss, Spritzer.

; Crossroads Bar (Persona 5)
: An adult entertainment bar in Shinjuku, Tokyo. The bartender and owner is Lala Escargot; the shop logo includes a snail. On top of wines, beers, and cocktails, there are a few snacks and non-alcoholic drinks available.

; Izakaya Nichinan (Original)
: An izakaya in Konan Ward. Known more for its beer selection than its food, it gets most of its business from younger office workers who live in the ward.

== Pharmacies and Convenience Stores ==

; Yin and Yang (Persona 1)
: Convenience store chain. They'll sell you medicine, and if you get friendly with the owner, they might let you see their collection of airsoft guns too. Yin and Yang stores operate in supernatural spaces, too -- and under those conditions, they'll sell you ''real'' weapons.

; Satomi Tadashi Pharmacy (Persona 1)
: Vibes less like they're gonna conquer the world, unlike the Sumaru City branch. Has an infectious theme song explaining what each item they sell does.

; Satomi Tadashi Pharmacy (Persona 2)
: Drugstore chain throughout Sumaru City. All the shopkeepers look the same, and are open about being sisters. Don't worry about the music overhead or why it has a different style in each store, just don't.

; Mayo Mart (Persona 4)
: A 24-hour konbini (Japanese convenience store) in Inaba.

; 777 (Persona 5)
: Convenience store chain with special sales on all days ending in 7. Pronounced 'Triple Seven.'

== Other Notable Shops ==

; GOLD Gym (Persona 2)
: Major gym workout chain with locations throughout the world.

; Kaori (Persona 2)
: Perfume and aromatherapy shop in Rengedai; scents that cleanse the soul, perhaps more literally than you'd think...

; Padparadscha (Persona 2)
: Jewelry store in Hotel Pleiades in Narumi.

; Rafflesia (Persona 3)
: Floral shop franchise throughout Japan; has various smaller branches everywhere. Sometimes includes services where they'll grow and nurture your plants for you.

; Junes Department Store (Persona 4)
: Department megastore chain. The jingle goes: 'Every day's great at your Junes!' A new store is presently being built in Inaba -- look forward to the grand opening!

; Moel Gas Station (Persona 4)
: A gas station chain where one can go to fuel up one’s vehicle. May or may not have a grey-haired gas station attendant, or job openings.

; Untouchable Airsoft Shop (Persona 5)
: A military-esque airsoft shop in a back alley off Shibuya Central Street. Although all their goods are models, the proprietor, Iwai, has a scary look.

; Electronics Superstore Akindo (Persona 5)
: A huge electronics store in Akihabara.

; De La Mancha (Inspired by Soul Hackers 2)
: Or just Mancha. A chain discount store that sells just about everything, from groceries to electronics to clothing. Notorious for overloaded shelves so they can offer more products. Very lucky shoppers may occasionally find a cognitively useful item buried in there, whether a consumable, equipment, or even a card!

== Services and Appointments ==

; Hiiragi Psychotherapy (Persona 2)
: Run by Dr. Reiko, located in Seaside Mall.

; Sumaru Genie (Persona 2)
: Fortune-teller based in Seaside Mall who goes by the same name as the store. Her fortunes stopped coming true after Wang Long fortune-telling rose into prominence.

; Time Castle (Persona 2)
: Clock shop run by the eclectic Time Count, a man who acts the part of a Victorian gentleman who gets a little intense sometimes. Offers Skill Card services.

; Tominaga Chiropractic (Persona 2)
: Run by Mr. Tomi, a bombastic chiropractor trained in the US who has a US-themed 'flair' to his personality. He utilizes his ultimate technique, the Gold Finger, to adjust any spine, satisfaction guaranteed.

== Housing ==

; Lunar Palace (Persona 2)
: Apartment complex chain; there's one such apartment building in Konan. Maya Amano, Ulala Serizawa, and Shiori Miyashiro live there.

== Famous People ==

; Eriko "Elly" Kirishima (Persona 1)
: Popular rising model. Her hobby is the occult and she gives no comment on any potential boyfriend situation.

; Hidehiko "Brown" Uesugi (Persona 1)
: Talk show host. He's known for his boisterous laughter and nonstop jokes.

; Junko Kurosu (Persona 2)
: Veteran actress who's been in the profession for decades. She doesn't get quite as many roles now that she's in her 40s with a son who's nearly an adult, but she's still going strong.

; President Tanaka (Persona 3)
: CEO of and host to a TV home shopping show every Sunday morning, both of which are called Tanaka's Amazing Commodities.

; Naoto Shirogane (Persona 4)
: The first Detective Prince, who comes from a famous detective family and has been solving crimes across the country for years from a very young age.

; Rise Kujikawa (Persona 4)
: A popular middle school-aged rookie idol who's appeared in a few commercials so far.

; Goro Akechi (Persona 5)
: The second Detective Prince, sometimes called the Second Coming of the Detective Prince. A rookie compared to Naoto Shirogane, but nonetheless a high schooler who solves crimes for the police and gets consulted all the time.

; Ann Takamaki (Persona 5)
: An exotically beautiful model of mixed Japanese, American, and Finnish descent.

; Mika (Persona 5)
: A budding model, just starting out in the industry.

; Suguru Kamoshida (Persona 5)
: A professional athlete who won the gold medal for volleyball in the 2008 Summer Olympics and was teaching gym at Shujin Academy until recently. He turned himself in for abusing his students after he received a strange calling card from someone(s) calling themselves the "Phantom Thieves of Hearts."

; Ichiryusai Madarame (Persona 5)
: A famous artist celebrated for his incredibly broad range of styles. He recently confessed that his "range" was actually plagiarized from his various students, again after receiving a strange calling card from the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.

; Subaru Amamiya (Persona 5 - Original)
: The soft-spoken and stern Mayor of Inaba, elected for four terms and presently trying for a fifth. He doesn't speak of [[Ren Amamiya|his son]] often. It's rumoured that he has greater politicial ambitions than being the Mayor of a small town. His wife Akira often acts as his unofficial assistant.

;Gozaburou "Zabu" Gessou (Velvet Room MUSH - Original)
:Talk show host and media personality. "Good Evening, Sumaru" is his show focusing on the weird rumors and happenings of Sumaru. He is also the son of a once influential political family whose patriarch died under mysterious circumstances.

[[Category: Setting]]

Fictional Pop Culture and Brands

2025-12-29T03:52:35Z

Makohime: /* Movies */

SMILE (2012)

2025-12-29T03:51:18Z

Makohime:

Smile (2012) is a recently released slasher movie starring Junko Kurusu that has opened to strong reviews. The movie is noted for it's gore and well executed twists, but is otherwise not high cinema. (Velvet Room MUSH - Persona 2/Original)

=== Review - Coolest Magazine, Published August 26, 2012 ===
SMILE (2012) - Supernatural Crime Horror, 93 minutes

★★★★☆

Review by Riko Ishiguro, Film and TV Reporter

Director: Iekazu Takai

Starring:

Kousaku Nagami

Shin'ichiro Moriwaki

Nanami Shimoda

Saya Ichikawa

Yoshiyuki Murakami

and Junko Kurosu

Directed and written by Horror Filmmaker Iekazu Takai, SMILE is slower to get to the slasher action and scares than his usual work, but stands out from the director's usual splatter-fests by providing some surprising twists and genuinely unsettling scares, along with a strong suspense buildup before the gore starts pouring.

SMILE is focused on a serial killing case where the only evidence left behind at every scene is the murder weapon- a pair of overly sharp scissors- each of which is completely identical, down to the signs of wear on the blades. While no two victims deaths have been exactly the same apart from the murder weapon. The most recent victims are Gen and Hanae Ookuma. a high profile politician and his much younger new wife. Both were killed in their home, with a smile carved into the wife's face with the scissors.

The recently promoted Chief has veteran Detective Kousaku Nagami (Youhei Itou) put together a team to investigate the killings- when two of the most experienced officers on the force turn up dead on the same night, the investigation team takes on two young officers- Kengo Sugino (Shin'ichirou Moriwaki), the son of one of the murdered officers and Maika Kishi (Nanami Shimoda) an ambitious and intelligent female officer- to fill the teams gaps.

The leads in the film all deliver excellent performances, and the handsome Shin'ichirou Moriwaki has a bright future ahead of him as a leading man. Stand out however is Junko Kurosu's excellent turn as the 'Smile Killer', delivering a pathos filled and cathartic performance in a role that is typically performed as a faceless murderer, as well as delivering excellent dramatic moments in flashback. Special mention must also go to Saya Ichikawa as the civilian waitress caught up in the detective's plan to trap the killer.

The soundtrack is a mix of atmospheric horror and modern pop, with several pieces by Idol Group MUSES, including a new song. The three singers also have a cameo appearance in the film, during the killers rampage at a political party.

While hardly high art, SMILE is a great example of a slasher film for those who enjoy it. The director's attempt to try their hand at three different genres can cause clashes at times, and the ending is resolved somewhat clumsily, it's the perfect film for afficionados of the genre and the rare example of a female killer in the genre. Some might call the ending a touch cheesy, but if you're looking for a good scare, copious blood, and a passable mystery, SMILE is for you.

=== Spoiler Summary - Posted to Double Slash Movie Forums ===
The first thirty five minutes of the film form the basis of a decent crime drama, focusing on the younger detectives efforts to hunt down the killer with Maika finding a connection between the murdered officers and the politician. Without the authority to investigate further, she takes it directly to the Chief Detective to ask for his help.

Meanwhile, Kengo, already wanting to catch the criminal who killed his father, is swept along by the older detectives on the team insisting on laying a trap for the killer at an upcoming political launch for the dead politician's replacement, his former aide and right hand man, who the older detectives believe would be his next target. While the Chief Detective is absent, the plan is put into motion, with the detectives intending to catch the killer in the act.

With everything in position, the aide is suddenly and brutally killed on stage by a pale woman in a surgical mask, driving her scissors through his head and ignoring the bullets fired by the police officers.

The killer begins a violent slaughter of the guests, security, and several of the investigation team, with the remaining detectives forced to try and protect a small group of VIPs and civilians, including waitress Misa Ida (Saya Ichikawa) and party head Atsuhiro Takabatake played by industry elder statesman Yoshiyuki Murakami.

With elevators disabled and power out, the detectives try their best to survive, but the group is whittled down over the next thirty minutes in a suspenseful chase as the detectives find themselves unable to harm the killer, who keeps managing to be one step ahead of security and seemingly unstoppable.

Eventually the group is reduced to Kengo Sugino, Maika Kishi and Misa Ida, the only remaining survivors, when the true nature of the killer is revealed- Miyako Nagasawa (Junko Kurosu), the deceased first wife of Gen Ookuma, returned from death as a Kuchisake-onna. Asking the survivors 'Am I Pretty?', Misa Ida, misremembering the myth, tells the detectives to say yes so she'll leave them alone.

What follows is a brutal vicious, sequence as the killer does everything in her power to murder the survivors, as and both Kengo and Maika make desperate attempts to keep Misa safe and survive, both accruing a number of dangerous injuries.

Chief Detective Kousaku Nagami serves as the cavalry, briefly stunning the Kuchisake-onna and providing an escape in his car for the survivors, his memory of the myth providing the final opportunity for escape by remembering the myth properly and throwing the killer off the front of his car with expert driving, allowing the heroes to escape via the timely arrival of dawn.

With dawn breaking, Kousaku Nagami spells out the mystery, aided by a silent flashback sequence: Neglected by her ambitious and unfaithful husband, Miyako began seeing other men as an escape for her loneliness. Caught in her affair, her husband killed her and had the new chief and his detectives cover up the murder, paying her lover to keep quiet. Several months later, after the politician marries his new wife, the killings begin, with each murder shown on screen.

In the aftermath, Maika is promoted to full detective, as it was her investigation that allowed the Chief Detective to find the truth, and Kengo and Misa are now dating. Kengo Sugino leaves work to meet his new girlfriend, narrowly missing Maika heading to meet Chief Detective Nagami. In the chief's office, Maika reveals an abnormality with the case, handing a file to Chief Nagami, informing him that Misa Ida was using a different surname during the incident. The chief opens the file, and his eyes widen before the camera shows her true name- Misa Nagasawa.

In the final scene, coming out of the restaurant, Kengo and Misa get into Kengo's car, when she asks him a question 'Do you think I'm pretty?' before pulling a pair of scissors from her purse. The screen is covered in blood as the credits start to roll.

There is one more scare left for the film in the stinger, when audiences think they might be safe. After 'discarding' her new boyfriend, Misa rises and turns to the screen as if to face the audience, her face overlayed with that of Miyako, and asks that question one last time: "Am I pretty?"

=== OOC Information ===
SMILE was developed by the players of [[Makoto Niijima]] and [[Haru Okumura]].

Write up by the player of Makoto Niijima.

Junko Kurusu, Coolest Magazine and MUSES were used with permission from players and staff.

If you want to talk about SMILE or see it on grid, please do! I'd love people to enjoy the work.

SMILE (2012)

2025-12-29T03:48:43Z

Makohime:

Smile (2012) is a recently released slasher movie starring Junko Kurusu that has opened to strong reviews. The movie is noted for it's gore and well executed twists, but is otherwise not high cinema. (Velvet Room MUSH - Original)

=== Review - Coolest Magazine, Published August 26, 2012 ===
SMILE (2012) - Supernatural Crime Horror, 93 minutes

★★★★☆

Review by Riko Ishiguro, Film and TV Reporter

Director: Iekazu Takai

Starring:

Kousaku Nagami

Shin'ichiro Moriwaki

Nanami Shimoda

Saya Ichikawa

Yoshiyuki Murakami

and Junko Kurosu

Directed and written by Horror Filmmaker Iekazu Takai, SMILE is slower to get to the slasher action and scares than his usual work, but stands out from the director's usual splatter-fests by providing some surprising twists and genuinely unsettling scares, along with a strong suspense buildup before the gore starts pouring.

SMILE is focused on a serial killing case where the only evidence left behind at every scene is the murder weapon- a pair of overly sharp scissors- each of which is completely identical, down to the signs of wear on the blades. While no two victims deaths have been exactly the same apart from the murder weapon. The most recent victims are Gen and Hanae Ookuma. a high profile politician and his much younger new wife. Both were killed in their home, with a smile carved into the wife's face with the scissors.

The recently promoted Chief has veteran Detective Kousaku Nagami (Youhei Itou) put together a team to investigate the killings- when two of the most experienced officers on the force turn up dead on the same night, the investigation team takes on two young officers- Kengo Sugino (Shin'ichirou Moriwaki), the son of one of the murdered officers and Maika Kishi (Nanami Shimoda) an ambitious and intelligent female officer- to fill the teams gaps.

The leads in the film all deliver excellent performances, and the handsome Shin'ichirou Moriwaki has a bright future ahead of him as a leading man. Stand out however is Junko Kurosu's excellent turn as the 'Smile Killer', delivering a pathos filled and cathartic performance in a role that is typically performed as a faceless murderer, as well as delivering excellent dramatic moments in flashback. Special mention must also go to Saya Ichikawa as the civilian waitress caught up in the detective's plan to trap the killer.

The soundtrack is a mix of atmospheric horror and modern pop, with several pieces by Idol Group MUSES, including a new song. The three singers also have a cameo appearance in the film, during the killers rampage at a political party.

While hardly high art, SMILE is a great example of a slasher film for those who enjoy it. The director's attempt to try their hand at three different genres can cause clashes at times, and the ending is resolved somewhat clumsily, it's the perfect film for afficionados of the genre and the rare example of a female killer in the genre. Some might call the ending a touch cheesy, but if you're looking for a good scare, copious blood, and a passable mystery, SMILE is for you.

=== Spoiler Summary - Posted to Double Slash Movie Forums ===
The first thirty five minutes of the film form the basis of a decent crime drama, focusing on the younger detectives efforts to hunt down the killer with Maika finding a connection between the murdered officers and the politician. Without the authority to investigate further, she takes it directly to the Chief Detective to ask for his help.

Meanwhile, Kengo, already wanting to catch the criminal who killed his father, is swept along by the older detectives on the team insisting on laying a trap for the killer at an upcoming political launch for the dead politician's replacement, his former aide and right hand man, who the older detectives believe would be his next target. While the Chief Detective is absent, the plan is put into motion, with the detectives intending to catch the killer in the act.

With everything in position, the aide is suddenly and brutally killed on stage by a pale woman in a surgical mask, driving her scissors through his head and ignoring the bullets fired by the police officers.

The killer begins a violent slaughter of the guests, security, and several of the investigation team, with the remaining detectives forced to try and protect a small group of VIPs and civilians, including waitress Misa Ida (Saya Ichikawa) and party head Atsuhiro Takabatake played by industry elder statesman Yoshiyuki Murakami.

With elevators disabled and power out, the detectives try their best to survive, but the group is whittled down over the next thirty minutes in a suspenseful chase as the detectives find themselves unable to harm the killer, who keeps managing to be one step ahead of security and seemingly unstoppable.

Eventually the group is reduced to Kengo Sugino, Maika Kishi and Misa Ida, the only remaining survivors, when the true nature of the killer is revealed- Miyako Nagasawa (Junko Kurosu), the deceased first wife of Gen Ookuma, returned from death as a Kuchisake-onna. Asking the survivors 'Am I Pretty?', Misa Ida, misremembering the myth, tells the detectives to say yes so she'll leave them alone.

What follows is a brutal vicious, sequence as the killer does everything in her power to murder the survivors, as and both Kengo and Maika make desperate attempts to keep Misa safe and survive, both accruing a number of dangerous injuries.

Chief Detective Kousaku Nagami serves as the cavalry, briefly stunning the Kuchisake-onna and providing an escape in his car for the survivors, his memory of the myth providing the final opportunity for escape by remembering the myth properly and throwing the killer off the front of his car with expert driving, allowing the heroes to escape via the timely arrival of dawn.

With dawn breaking, Kousaku Nagami spells out the mystery, aided by a silent flashback sequence: Neglected by her ambitious and unfaithful husband, Miyako began seeing other men as an escape for her loneliness. Caught in her affair, her husband killed her and had the new chief and his detectives cover up the murder, paying her lover to keep quiet. Several months later, after the politician marries his new wife, the killings begin, with each murder shown on screen.

In the aftermath, Maika is promoted to full detective, as it was her investigation that allowed the Chief Detective to find the truth, and Kengo and Misa are now dating. Kengo Sugino leaves work to meet his new girlfriend, narrowly missing Maika heading to meet Chief Detective Nagami. In the chief's office, Maika reveals an abnormality with the case, handing a file to Chief Nagami, informing him that Misa Ida was using a different surname during the incident. The chief opens the file, and his eyes widen before the camera shows her true name- Misa Nagasawa.

In the final scene, coming out of the restaurant, Kengo and Misa get into Kengo's car, when she asks him a question 'Do you think I'm pretty?' before pulling a pair of scissors from her purse. The screen is covered in blood as the credits start to roll.

There is one more scare left for the film in the stinger, when audiences think they might be safe. After 'discarding' her new boyfriend, Misa rises and turns to the screen as if to face the audience, her face overlayed with that of Miyako, and asks that question one last time: "Am I pretty?"

=== OOC Information ===
SMILE was developed by the players of [[Makoto Niijima]] and [[Haru Okumura]].

Write up by the player of Makoto Niijima.

Junko Kurusu, Coolest Magazine and MUSES were used with permission from players and staff.

If you want to talk about SMILE or see it on grid, please do! I'd love people to enjoy the work.

SMILE (2012)

2025-12-29T03:42:17Z

Makohime: Created page with "Smile (2012) is a recently released slasher movie starring Junko Kurusu that has opened to strong reviews. The movie is noted for it's gore and well executed twists, but is otherwise not high cinema. (Velvet Room MUSH - Original) === Review - Coolest Magazine, Published August 26, 2012 === SMILE (2012) - Supernatural Crime Horror, 93 minutes ★★★★☆ Review by Riko Ishiguro, Film and TV Reporter Director: Iekazu Takai Starring: Kousaku Nagami Shin'ichiro..."

Smile (2012) is a recently released slasher movie starring Junko Kurusu that has opened to strong reviews. The movie is noted for it's gore and well executed twists, but is otherwise not high cinema. (Velvet Room MUSH - Original)

=== Review - Coolest Magazine, Published August 26, 2012 ===
SMILE (2012) - Supernatural Crime Horror, 93 minutes

★★★★☆

Review by Riko Ishiguro, Film and TV Reporter

Director: Iekazu Takai

Starring:

Kousaku Nagami

Shin'ichiro Moriwaki

Nanami Shimoda

Saya Ichikawa

Yoshiyuki Murakami

and Junko Kurosu

Directed and written by Horror Filmmaker Iekazu Takai, SMILE is slower to get to the slasher action and scares than his usual work, but stands out from the director's usual splatter-fests by providing some surprising twists and genuinely unsettling scares, along with a strong suspense buildup before the gore starts pouring.

SMILE is focused on a serial killing case where the only evidence left behind at every scene is the murder weapon- a pair of overly sharp scissors- each of which is completely identical, down to the signs of wear on the blades. While no two victims deaths have been exactly the same apart from the murder weapon. The most recent victims are Gen and Hanae Ookuma. a high profile politician and his much younger new wife. Both were killed in their home, with a smile carved into the wife's face with the scissors.

The recently promoted Chief has veteran Detective Kousaku Nagami (Youhei Itou) put together a team to investigate the killings- when two of the most experienced officers on the force turn up dead on the same night, the investigation team takes on two young officers- Kengo Sugino (Shin'ichirou Moriwaki), the son of one of the murdered officers and Maika Kishi (Nanami Shimoda) an ambitious and intelligent female officer- to fill the teams gaps.

The leads in the film all deliver excellent performances, and the handsome Shin'ichirou Moriwaki has a bright future ahead of him as a leading man. Stand out however is Junko Kurosu's excellent turn as the 'Smile Killer', delivering a pathos filled and cathartic performance in a role that is typically performed as a faceless murderer, as well as delivering excellent dramatic moments in flashback. Special mention must also go to Saya Ichikawa as the civilian waitress caught up in the detective's plan to trap the killer.

The soundtrack is a mix of atmospheric horror and modern pop, with several pieces by Idol Group MUSES, including a new song. The three singers also have a cameo appearance in the film, during the killers rampage at a political party.

While hardly high art, SMILE is a great example of a slasher film for those who enjoy it. The director's attempt to try their hand at three different genres can cause clashes at times, and the ending is resolved somewhat clumsily, it's the perfect film for afficionados of the genre and the rare example of a female killer in the genre. Some might call the ending a touch cheesy, but if you're looking for a good scare, copious blood, and a passable mystery, SMILE is for you.

=== Spoiler Summary - Posted to Double Slash Movie Forums ===
The first thirty five minutes of the film form the basis of a decent crime drama, focusing on the younger detectives efforts to hunt down the killer with Maika finding a connection between the murdered officers and the politician. Without the authority to investigate further, she takes it directly to the Chief Detective to ask for his help.

Meanwhile, Kengo, already wanting to catch the criminal who killed his father, is swept along by the older detectives on the team insisting on laying a trap for the killer at an upcoming political launch for the dead politician's replacement, his former aide and right hand man, who the older detectives believe would be his next target. While the Chief Detective is absent, the plan is put into motion, with the detectives intending to catch the killer in the act.

With everything in position, the aide is suddenly and brutally killed on stage by a pale woman in a surgical mask, driving her scissors through his head and ignoring the bullets fired by the police officers.

The killer begins a violent slaughter of the guests, security, and several of the investigation team, with the remaining detectives forced to try and protect a small group of VIPs and civilians, including waitress Misa Ida (Saya Ichikawa) and party head Atsuhiro Takabatake played by industry elder statesman Yoshiyuki Murakami.

With elevators disabled and power out, the detectives try their best to survive, but the group is whittled down over the next thirty minutes in a suspenseful chase as the detectives find themselves unable to harm the killer, who keeps managing to be one step ahead of security and seemingly unstoppable.

Eventually the group is reduced to Kengo Sugino, Maika Kishi and Misa Ida, the only remaining survivors, when the true nature of the killer is revealed- Miyako Nagasawa (Junko Kurosu), the deceased first wife of Gen Ookuma, returned from death as a Kuchisake-onna. Asking the survivors 'Am I Pretty?', Misa Ida, misremembering the myth, tells the detectives to say yes so she'll leave them alone.

What follows is a brutal vicious, sequence as the killer does everything in her power to murder the survivors, as and both Kengo and Maika make desperate attempts to keep Misa safe and survive, both accruing a number of dangerous injuries.

Chief Detective Kousaku Nagami serves as the cavalry, briefly stunning the Kuchisake-onna and providing an escape in his car for the survivors, his memory of the myth providing the final opportunity for escape by remembering the myth properly and throwing the killer off the front of his car with expert driving, allowing the heroes to escape via the timely arrival of dawn.

With dawn breaking, Kousaku Nagami spells out the mystery, aided by a silent flashback sequence: Neglected by her ambitious and unfaithful husband, Miyako began seeing other men as an escape for her loneliness. Caught in her affair, her husband killed her and had the new chief and his detectives cover up the murder, paying her lover to keep quiet. Several months later, after the politician marries his new wife, the killings begin, with each murder shown on screen.

In the aftermath, Maika is promoted to full detective, as it was her investigation that allowed the Chief Detective to find the truth, and Kengo and Misa are now dating. Kengo Sugino leaves work to meet his new girlfriend, narrowly missing Maika heading to meet Chief Detective Nagami. In the chief's office, Maika reveals an abnormality with the case, handing a file to Chief Nagami, informing him that Misa Ida was using a different surname during the incident. The chief opens the file, and his eyes widen before the camera shows her true name- Misa Nagasawa.

In the final scene, coming out of the restaurant, Kengo and Misa get into Kengo's car, when she asks him a question 'Do you think I'm pretty?' before pulling a pair of scissors from her purse. The screen is covered in blood as the credits start to roll.

There is one more scare left for the film in the stinger, when audiences think they might be safe. After 'discarding' her new boyfriend, Misa rises and turns to the screen as if to face the audience, her face overlayed with that of Miyako, and asks that question one last time: "Am I pretty?"

2025-07-25: Alone in the Dark

2025-11-12T01:20:08Z

Makohime: Created page with "*'''Cutscene: Alone in the Dark''' *'''Cast:''' Makoto Niijima *'''Where:''' Niijima Apartment, Shinjuku, Tokyo *'''OOC Date:''' 25 July 2025 *'''IC Date:''' 15 June 2012 *'''Summary''': ''On the night of awakening her persona, Johanna, Makoto Niijima can't sleep. Her first encounter with the dark hour leads to Makoto learning something upsetting about her sister. CW: Panic attack, Nyctophobia, Phasmophobia.'' ---- '''June 15, 2012''' '''11:57 PM''' Despite how e..."

*'''Cutscene: Alone in the Dark'''
*'''Cast:''' [[Makoto Niijima]]
*'''Where:''' Niijima Apartment, Shinjuku, Tokyo
*'''OOC Date:''' 25 July 2025
*'''IC Date:''' 15 June 2012
*'''Summary''': ''On the night of awakening her persona, Johanna, Makoto Niijima can't sleep. Her first encounter with the dark hour leads to Makoto learning something upsetting about her sister. CW: Panic attack, Nyctophobia, Phasmophobia.''

----

'''June 15, 2012'''

'''11:57 PM'''

Despite how exhausted she is, Makoto Niijima can't sleep.

Even though the adrenaline and euphoria of awakening Johanna has long passed, she's still restless.

She was barely able to make something to eat when she got home, and she'd have to be up in the morning to make lunch from scratch, and she'd be in the rare position of putting the finishing touches on her homework before school. She should, by rights, be totally dead to the world right now.

But laying under her sheet, with her black and white polka dot blanket atop, eyes closed, hasn't done anything.

The dim light of the hallway filters under her door, as do the lights of Shinjuku's streets from the edges of her curtains. The light of her CD player as it plays one of her many study CDs, and the blue light from the charger of her laptop at her desk.

Just enough to avoid pitch black. Just enough that she's never totally in the dark.

A large well loved Buchimaru-kun plush lays sprawled out next to her. A childish toy that's been with her more than a decade now. But he's been a comfort all these years

But with sleep not coming, Makoto lets out a groan of frustration. She opens her eyes...

...just as the clock strikes midnight, reality shifts, and the world is enveloped in darkness. There is a sudden, unnatural silence, but most of all, the green moon of the Dark Hour is not enough to light a room like this.

Her first response is terror, her body freezing, her heart racing. The warning Ren gave her was not enough to prepare her for experiencing it.

She fumbles around on the shelf that serves as the head of her bed for the torch she keeps there, knocking her alarm clock over as she tries to grab it. That sound alone causes her to flinch, and try to cover her head.

She can't even pretend it's not dangerous. Aren't there Shadows at this time of night? And she's still in her pajamas.

After too long in silence, she reaches up again, placing her hand on the little torch. She rotates it in her hand, and pushes the on switch.

Nothing.

She presses it again. And again and again and again. And nothing changes.

Her chest feels tight. She can hear her heartbeat in her ears.

Normally so cool and collected in the Metaverse, here in the Dark Hour, she's a panicked mess.

She glances across to her desk. Her phone should be there. She just has to get there.

She grabs Buchi next to her, wrapping her arms tightly around him.

''Buchimaru-kun will keep you safe if I'm not here, Makoto.''

She manages to crawl off the bed, clinging to the plush for dear life. She creeps forward on all fours, reaching her desk. She grasps around atop it. Her phone should be right near the edge-

That's it. She pulls it down, barely avoiding tangling her arm in the cable, her other arm wrapped tightly around Buchi.

She presses the power button, and there's a dim red light coming from it. She turns the phone toward her, to try and swipe down and turn on the torch.

But only the Metaverse Nav app is there, staring at her. Casting almost no light at all. Nothing to stave off the darkness.

What little light there is green, horrid, and ghostly.

"I'm sorry," The words escape her lips quietly, and then repeat faster and faster. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry! Onee-chan, where are you, help me! Sis! Sae!!"

"Match found."

That voice startles her, and she throws her phone in the air, and it lands screen up. Standing there. The red light staring at her.

"S-" She stops herself. Her arms still wrapped around Buchimaru-kun, she takes a deep breath. Then another. And another.

Eventually, she can't hear her heart in her ears anymore. And then she speaks, unsure if the fear in her voice is from the dark or what she's about to say.

"Sae Niijima."

"Match found."

Her breath catches in her throat. Surely not. Surely it's a mistake.

"Sae Niijima." She repeats.

"Match found."

Twice is coincidence, three times...

Makoto crawls forward, making toward the phone, picking it up. From there, she crawls toward her window, and uses her cabinet to pull herself upright with one hand.

The green light is sickly, awful, and unpleasant.

But it's not pitch black.

Makoto walks shakily back to her bed, and sits upon, drawing her knees up and holding Buchi to her chest as tight as she can, as if to use him to shield her against an unnatural darkness

If there's one good thing about the dark hour, there's no one else here to hear her sob into the back of Buchi's plush form.

When the power finally returns, she can stand again. She can close her blinds most of the way. She can plug in her phone and turn off the torch and pull the covers over her and, finally, fall asleep-

As long as the torch of her phone stays lit to keep the darkness and ghosts at bay.

[[Category:Cutscenes]]
[[Category:Season 1]]
[[Category:Season 1, Episode 1]]

2025-11-07: Assessment, Acknowledgement and Appropriate Response

2025-11-08T10:27:13Z

Makohime: Created page with "*'''Log: 2025-11-07: Assessment, Acknowledgement and Appropriate Response''' *'''Cast:''' Ren Amamiya, Makoto Niijima *'''Where:''' Central Street, Shibuya and Shibuya Station *'''OOC Date:''' November 07, 2025 *'''IC Date:''' August 07, 2012 *'''Summary''': ''With the Fireworks Festival rained out, the Phantom Thieves make for Shibuya Station to get to their midnight appointment. Ren falls back a bit to enquire about Makoto's sudden and convenient acquisition of..."

*'''Log: 2025-11-07: Assessment, Acknowledgement and Appropriate Response'''
*'''Cast:''' [[Ren Amamiya]], [[Makoto Niijima]]
*'''Where:''' Central Street, Shibuya and Shibuya Station
*'''OOC Date:''' November 07, 2025
*'''IC Date:''' August 07, 2012
*'''Summary''': ''With the Fireworks Festival rained out, the Phantom Thieves make for Shibuya Station to get to their midnight appointment. Ren falls back a bit to enquire about Makoto's sudden and convenient acquisition of a Buchimaru-kun umbrella, and they discuss Akechi's motivations, as well as how to respond.''

----

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
While inside Triple Seven, Ren had gotten Makoto's text that she'd gotten an umbrella. That's great--one less umbrella that the group needs. They rejoin Makoto and Ann with Ryuji in tow not too long after that--though still after Akechi's ride has already driven off. Thankfully, Kazusa is gone by now--probably inside Triple Seven to go after her own friend.

As Ryuji and Ann talk between themselves (probably good-natured bickering) and distribute/receive Schroedinger's Goods, Ren looks curiously at Makoto's umbrella. The panda-like design looks familiar. "Where'd you get that from, anyway?" they wonder. Kazusa didn't have anything like that on her, so she couldn't have gotten it from her...
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
It's a little easier to wait outside with a proper umbrella, rather than the shelter of the storefront. It provides a little more protection from the angled rain swept in with the occasional wind. It's also, frankly, a little awkward and embarrassing and *surely* Ann noticed right? But... well. Those two are occupied and it's just her and Ren hanging back.

"...It's almost too unlikely to believe," Makoto starts, with a sigh, but she sees no reason to hide it from Ren asking, she just wanted to avoid any unnecessary shouting. "It was Akechi-kun." Makoto shakes her head, clearly a touch frustrated. "Apparently, Sis had let him off work early for the fireworks festival. Given he pulled up in a government car, that much checks out but..." She looks up at the panda umbrella, before returning to Ren. "...It's an incredibly unlikely coincidence, isn't it? But if he was following us, why would he go out of his way to show up like that?" Makoto lets out a fatigued sigh. "I really don't understand him."
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
Ren's eyebrows rise. It was Akechi? They glance at Ann and Ryuji, distracted with each other, and step in closer to Makoto so they can talk more. Morgana's still taking cover from the rain in their bag, too, so...

Those eyebrows furrow when Makoto explains more of what happened. That ''does'' sound like an unlikely coincidence. At the same time, the rain was abrupt; a lot of people didn't anticipate it. On the other hand, Akechi is smarter than most and could have anticipated the possibility... But showing up just long enough to give Makoto an umbrella, while in a government car, and then just leaving? One hand rises to twiddle with a lock of their bangs in thought before they too look again at the umbrella.

"Don't you have a pencil case with this mascot on it?" they observe. "Is this a thing?"
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
As Ren steps in closer, Makoto adjusts her grip on the umbrella to give him room, understanding the need for quiet conversation under the circumstances. It is, after all, technically PT business and it's good to not be overheard.

That's not the question Makoto was expecting, frankly. "Ah, yes, I do." Makoto blushes a little at the question, looking a touch embarrassed. "It's Buchimaru-kun, he was a mascot around when I was a kid." She's not surprised that Ren hasn't heard of him- but she is a little surprised that he noticed. Not that Ren's unobservant, it's just... most people don't.

"They don't really make things for him these days, but he was pretty popular when I was a kid. Dad got me the pencil case when I was young, and I've kind of... collected it ever since." It's a pretty childish attachment, but an important one for Makoto. "Why do you ask?"
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
Good thing there's no one around to read too much into the fact that Makoto and Ren are now sharing an umbrella.

Ren listens to Makoto's explanation. They don't remember ever seeing or hearing of Buchimaru-kun, and they're only a year younger than Makoto, but they grew up in a country town, after all. It probably never reached their neck of the woods, especially if he was a flash-in-the-pan mascot, from the sounds of it.

So it's a thing Makoto likes and has liked for a long time, that she is at least a little embarrassed about liking, if that blush is any indication. "Did you ever tell Akechi you like Buchimaru-kun? Or do you think your sister might've told him?" they press, their form of an answer.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Who could possibly read too much into a simple sharing of an umbrella between friends.

Still, Ren brings up a new idea, and Makoto pauses. "...I don't think Sis told him," she says, thoughtfully, "but I am pretty sure he learned I liked him from her." Makoto thinks back. "He already knew about that the first time I met him."

Makoto frowns, she hadn't thought about it at all back then, but she's had to replay that first conversation a few times in her head since then. Ren is giving her cause to go over it moreso. "...Apparently he saw Sis looking at a pair of Buchimaru shoes at some point, and thought they were more my taste than hers."

Makoto sighs. She and Sae still hadn't had a proper conversation since then. How much of that was Makoto becoming more guarded, and how much was it Sae having less and less time for her. Not that Makoto had as much time for Sae, either.

"It's... not exactly a hard thing for him to figure out, if he spends that much time with Sis." It's easy to catch the jealousy in Makoto's voice, especially given she has little reason to hide it from Ren beyond habit. "But it's... weird that he'd have a Buchimaru umbrella at all. They haven't made these in years, and you'd think it'd show more use of wear and tear unless he's a collector."

Makoto's frown deepens. "He even said I could borrow for as long as I wanted, which kind of indicates it's not precious to him."
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
Makoto's initial reply prompts a quizzical look from Ren. As she explains further, understanding dawns, and they nod once, mulling over the facts. They've only seen Sae once, but based on her style, they think that's a fair assessment on Akechi's part. That lawyer lady definitely doesn't seem like she'd be using panda goods for herself, and if Akechi knew she had a younger sister...

But then there's another piece of information: that jealous note ringing like church bells in Makoto's voice. Ren gives her a concerned look. She hadn't wanted to talk about her home situation before, but this definitely sounds like she ''dis''likes the fact that Akechi has a close relationship with her sister. After all, if Akechi saw Sae looking at Buchimaru shoes, that means they were shopping casually together. And if he's not personally attached to that umbrella...

"He definitely got it specifically for you," they conclude. "No idea where he got it ''from'', but I don't believe for a second it's a coincidence."
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
It's a style that Makoto kind of respects, herself, even if it's not quite hers. That said, Makoto's own style has shifted more adult in the years since her dad died, and only some of that is because of Sae's hand me downs.

Look, you don't have to discuss your feelings if you bury them deep enough no one else notices, or fail so badly at that that the people around you notice!!

Indeed, she takes Ren's concerned look to match their conclusion, and not Makoto's own emotional state. "...That's the only explanation that makes sense," Makoto agrees, looking up at the umbrella again. "But ''why'' though?" Makoto shakes her head, clearly failing to understand the logic. "If he wanted to show that he knew I liked Buchimaru-kun, well, he did that in our first conversation. If he wanted to show he has his eyes on us, hasn't he done that enough already?" She rotates the umbrella a bit, as if looking for something planted on it- but Makoto sees nothing, and an umbrella is surprisingly hard to hide things on. "So... why go out of his way to deliver an umbrella to me ''tonight''? And there's no way he could have accounted for you going in after Ryuji and Ann being distracted at the time. He's good but he's not Sherlock Holmes. Only fictional characters can get to ''that'' level of deduction..."
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
Ren considers the conversation they'd had with Akechi only yesterday and rubs a lock of their bangs again in thought. "So, they don't make Buchimaru-kun goods anymore, right? So this probably isn't something he picked specifically because it's an umbrella; it's probably the first Buchimaru-kun he was able to get his hands on. He's probably had it for a while, and he gave it to you tonight because he knew you'd be at the fireworks festival, and probably guessed it'd get rained out after checking the weather like you did. The rest ''was'' a coincidence, but also an opening he was waiting for, probably. Maybe he would've gone for it anyway, but who knows.

"As for why..."

They slip their hands into their pockets and look back at Makoto. "I don't fully get Akechi, either, but he's confided a lot of personal things to me. Assuming they're true, I do understand some parts of him, and there's two plausible scenarios I can think of.

"The first is that he was trying to be nice and give you something he knew you'd like, but didn't want you to think he was making a big deal of it in case it didn't land or you turned out not to like it after all. In other words, he's trying to make friends with you but he's too awkward to say it.

"The second is that he's showing off that he knows you like this thing because of how close he is to your sister--closer than maybe even you are, thanks to how much they work together," Ren says, watching Makoto's face closely. "In other words, he's mocking you and trying to make you feel bad about yourself.

"Which do ''you'' think it is?"
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Ren lays out the scenario as he sees it- and it's kind of surprising the way Ren thinks through Akechi's logic, in a way Makoto just couldn't. Finding rare merch just in case, waiting for an opportunity, weighing the odds and making a right call that Makoto got wrong about the weather. And then striking the second he saw the opportunity. Makoto seems to take a while to process Ren's logic, walking through it herself.

And then Ren posits his scenarios, and that gives Makoto pause.

''Which do ''you'' think it is?''

Makoto sighs. "It's... probably the latter." Makoto says, sounding a touch frustrated with herself. "He made it clear how little he thought of me at the end of that first conversation." She frowns. "He seemed pretty disappointed I was a 'good girl pushover' instead of being more like Sae." Those words are still buried in her head, popping up with many of her other recurring doubts, sometimes for motivation, sometimes to dispirit her. "...He probably worked out how I felt about that too. It goes against his image, but..."

But does he care if he thinks that they're the Phantom Thieves?

Makoto seems frustrated by this revelation, but is she more frustrated that Akechi thinks that way or that she couldn't work it out on her own. "Leave it to Akechi-kun to find a way to wrap an insult in a kind gift." Makoto mumbles, somehow having failed to place juvenile bullying tactics that she was on the receiving end of as a kid.

"...Is that too harsh of me?" Makoto asks, looking to Ren for advice. They know Akechi best of all of them- and that Makoto is predisposed against him already could be colouring her view. "And... what do we do if I'm right?"
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
Ren is silent at first when Makoto posits that scenario #2 is probably the correct one. That's definitely possible--they wouldn't have brought it up if they thought otherwise; they even called Akechi out yesterday on doing plausibly deniable things with the intention of hurting others, but not so overtly that he couldn't get away with it.

"His image is fake, anyway. Cultured for the cameras," Ren remarks. They shake their head. "No, it's not too harsh, but... There's one thing that doesn't make sense if that's the right scenario. That's a ''lot'' of effort to go through to insult you in a backhanded way. Does he really hate you that much?"

They look back at her. By now, they're back in Shibuya Station--no doubt have been for a bit. "Truth be told, I'm 99% sure Akechi already knows who we are. That means he's seen all of us fight, up close and personal. He knows you're not that 'good girl pushover' anymore. I bet he did dislike you back then, but he probably doesn't want you to be like your sister. He wants you to be you, unapologetically." They look back at her. "And you are now."

They pause to let this sink in for a moment. "That being said," they continue, "he ''is'' a jerk. He mocks me a lot too. And at the same time that he mocks me, he challenges me. Sees what I'll do when he jabs at me and encourages me to push back. He's a ''competitive'' jerk. He likes it when people push back on him--and at the same time, he hates being rejected."

Ren offers Makoto a slow, slight, but real smile. "So it might be that the truth is in the middle: it's some of both. If he really held you in contempt, he wouldn't go to all that trouble. He's trying to challenge you--see if you notice both sides of the gesture and how you react." They shrug a little. "...That's what I think, anyway."

That smile fades as they look back at her. "Either way, this is a message he sent to you specifically. What we do next depends on what you want."
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Ren is quick to dismiss Akechi's image as fake, and Makoto is inclined to agree with them there, but Ren posits something she hadn't considered at all- the idea that it could be both. It takes Makoto a while to consider the possibility. "...honestly, after that first meeting, I'm kind of surprised he'd consider me even worth his notice." Makoto seems to take a while to think about that, while Ren lays out everything else. When given the chance to let things sink in, that gives her a chance to truly consider what it means- especially the fact that Ren suspects he's fully aware of who they are.

"...And he hasn't just handed us over to Sis. That means he's more interested in the competition than anything else, right?" It's an educated guess, but it tells her something too.

"...Do you think that's what he was doing, when he approached me for information on you?" Makoto frowns. The implications of ''that'' are worrying. It means Akechi-kun's push is what led her to join the Phantom Thieves, and the further implications of that...

The specific words about changing Sae's heart take on a new context, if Akechi was active as a Persona User even then, that's... that's a whole lot. Enough to make Makoto hesitant to voice any further.

She takes in Ren's smile, that smile she associates more with Joker than she does Ren Amamiya. So if it depends on what Makoto wants...

The Queen's cold expression makes it onto Makoto's face, perhaps a little out of place here in regular Shibuya Station, as Makoto Niijima finds her answer. "...I want to wipe that shit eating grin off his smug face at least once."

And maybe there's a more personal side to that ambition than just Akechi needling her, challenging her. Maybe, just maybe, she wants Sae to see that Makoto is just as valuable, worth just as much as the Detective Prince.

That part, however, is a little harder to say out loud.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
<poem>
'That means he's more interested in the competition than anything else, right?'

"Exactly."

But does that mean he was pushing Makoto deliberately, back in their first meeting? "I'm not sure. Pushing you towards us? Yeah, I think so. But he couldn't know that you'd end up awakening and joining us. I think that part had to've been a surprise." But Ren doesn't sound sure of that. "I think it's likelier you were a pawn to him back then, and he's taking you more seriously now."

None of them know for sure how long Akechi's been a Persona User. However, Ren knows it's at least been since before that visit to the TV station. That means he was definitely awakened by the time he and Makoto met. More importantly, Makoto considers what she wants...

And when she says it, Ren's slight smile broadens into a sickle of a grin--an expression that's ''definitely'' more Joker than Ren Amamiya.

"Give 'im hell, Makoto," they encourage. "It'll be fun."
</poem>

[[Category:Logs]]
[[Category:Season 1]]
[[Category:Season 1, Episode 1]]

2025-07-25: Old Friends and Old Haunts

2025-09-12T05:11:19Z

Makohime: Created page with "*'''Log: 2025-07-25: Old Friends and Old Haunts''' *'''Cast:''' Masao Inaba, Eriko Kirishima *'''Where:''' Aoba Way, Aoba, Sumaru City *'''OOC Date:''' July 24, 2025 *'''IC Date:''' June 15, 2012 *'''Summary''': ''Paths that diverged three years ago finally cross again, and Masao 'Mark' Inaba and Eriko 'Elly' Kirishima catch up for the first time in ages, sharing the highs and the lows. CW: Mentions of Stalking and Abuse.'' ---- <Pose Tracker> Masao Inaba has..."

*'''Log: 2025-07-25: Old Friends and Old Haunts'''
*'''Cast:''' [[Masao Inaba]], [[Eriko Kirishima]]
*'''Where:''' Aoba Way, Aoba, Sumaru City
*'''OOC Date:''' July 24, 2025
*'''IC Date:''' June 15, 2012
*'''Summary''': ''Paths that diverged three years ago finally cross again, and Masao 'Mark' Inaba and Eriko 'Elly' Kirishima catch up for the first time in ages, sharing the highs and the lows. CW: Mentions of Stalking and Abuse.''

----

<Pose Tracker> Masao Inaba has posed.
<poem> It's a scenic early evening in Sumaru City, and Aoba Way's traffic is about to disperse as people make their way home for their evening meals, gathering with the family to discuss the day, and rest up for whatever the next day will bring. (Probably more of the same, for however malleable 'the same' tends to be as a concept in Sumaru City.)

"Freakin' A, man," says a young man wearing a yellow beanie - it's not the same stocking shape of his high school days, but the same white pattern seen on it has been embroidered anew as an unmistakable familiar aspect - has a raised voice as he's chatting away on his cell. Excited, but also agitated, as his path eventually has him sitting down on a nearby bench with one hand on his lap. "Yeahhhhhh. Same ol', same ol', huh."

It's a lot of small talk in that vein. An exclamation, some murmuring, occasionally some laughter. sometimes, a hand on his forehead. An animated conversation, when it feels like it's just about to be too late in the day to just have such a lively conversation.

It's easy to zone it all out as one goes about their day, but one may eventually overhear something more immediately relevant to one's recognition...

"Yeah, you saw the one I did for the festival? There were thirty of us that day, but that one - that one's a Mark original, yep! Shit, thanks to the city council gettin' in our face, we almost didn't get 'em done in time... but that one? That one, I'm proud of. ...Yeah. Yeah. It's gone now, but, I'll slip you some pics of it later."

"...Family had me manning a stall to advertise for Inaba Dry Cleaning, so I couldn't see everyone check it out live... yeah." He laughs. "What can you do? ...I love 'em. Some days more than others... yeah. ...Shit, man."

It starts trailing back off into empty pleasantries.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.
<poem>
Plenty of people are heading home, but just as many are getting ready for their evening out, or work events, or whatever else.

Emerging from Double Slash, a black haired woman in a fashionable tan jumpsuit is preparing for the former. It was a short shoot today, uneventful and quick. Not really the best sign for her career, admittedly, but... well. She has other priorities right now.

Don't mind the long thin sports slung over her shoulder.

Ostensibly, she's going to stop by a bar gaining popularity in Aoba Way, then start some other investigating. It's a short walk through the shopping arcade, and shouldn't really be disrupted-

Only to overhear someone talking on a cell, and a few words catch her attention, causing her to glance and see a design she hasn't seen in years. She blinks for a second, as the person starts to walk away, past her-

And a pang of worry grips her before she starts after them. It's rude to interrupt someone on the phone, but-

"Mark?" Eriko calls, a little loud, with a perfect American English pronunciation. "''Is that you?''" She continues, hoping that her use of English will cut through the background noise.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Masao Inaba has posed.
<poem> Blah, blah, blah--

'Mark?'

The young man on the phone looks up. He responds to 'Mark,' all right, but there's something in that voice--

'Is that you?'

"Sorry, man, gotta call you back-- yeah, catch up soon," click. He knows he's not hallucinating that voice. Who else can it be? He stands up.

"'Hell yeah!'" His English is accented, but for a guy who studied abroad in New York for some time, clear. "'It is me!'" He raises up a hand and waves, with all the excitement of someone who still has the flame and passion of his high school years even with the realities of adulthood coming down on oneself.

"Elly! It's me!" He returns to his native Japanese, stepping over to meet her all wide smiles on his face and everything. "I transferred back to Japan back in May!" He trails off a bit. The circumstances were messy as hell and it's made things... difficult. But he's not going to let that get in the way, as he walks up with an outstretched hand for a high five.

"How you've been?! I tried to call you when I came back, but it's like nobody ever picked up..."
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.
<poem>
That ''Hell yeah'' back at her only serves to fill Eriko with delight, unable and unwilling to hide the bright smile that comes to her face, and as Mark raises his hand for that high five, Eriko meets it vigorously with a ''Yeah!'' of her own. It's completely out of keeping with her reserved presentation and right now she doesn't care.

"Welcome back, Mark!" The high five done, she returns to a slightly more elegant posture, adjusting the bag over her shoulder.

(It's just long enough to hold the sort of one handed sword Eriko used to favour, if Masao is paying attention.)

"May, really? That long?" Eriko seems surprised, surely she would have-

And then he mentions her phone and Eriko's face falls a bit. "Oh, right." Eriko looks away, not meeting her old friend's eyes. "I had to change my number a few months back, I'm sorry, I must have forgotten to get you the details." It seems there's some dark spectres hanging over them, but Eriko brightens up again- though, a touch more forced then before.

"I've been doing well enough, all things considered. There's some absolutely ''fascinating'' things happening lately! Mysteries and intrigue and there's a high school full of demons the next ward over! It's like old times again. And now you're back too!" Eriko's delight in the occult is hard to hide, as it ever is.

"What about yourself? Did the ''Big Apple'' treat you well?" She gets a bit more enthusiastic, reminded of her old home, and then thinking about why Mark is back. "Oh, don't tell me, you have your first international exhibit already?"

And then Eriko remembers they are standing in the middle of a shopping arcade and while they aren't blocking traffic, she can already feel a disapproving stare from a office lady annoyed at her for blocking traffic. "Actually, are you free for a bit? We should catch up! I was on my way to a bar nearby to investigate something I heard about." She tilts her head. "Though, if we want to be ''nostalgic'', It's not Joy Street, but there's a Peace Diner nearby! My treat?"
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Masao Inaba has posed.
<poem> The moment of excitable youth passes, as Mark takes a respectful step back as the two settle as they do. Mark, too, still has a yellow bag on his back - large enough to put an axe in there, too. Some old habits die hard, but then again...

"Oh... that what happened?" He rubs the back of his head. "Yeah, it's no big... glad you're okay..." He was worried, for a bit. Even the carefree, act-first-think-later class clown was a known worrier for others, as his stance settles as Eriko brightens up.

"'Fascinating,' uh, yeah, that's... that's a word for it all right." He looks off to the side. "Yeah, I was there one night - that school - 'cause of the demons. The way the others were actin' it's like an every night thing for 'em..."

Putting aside the whole Dark Hour thing which *is* every night, his tone of voice doesn't betray how weird and unsettling he finds that fact. How normalized it feels like it's all become.

"Heh, well! New York's freakin' sweet, is what it is! Was havin' the time of my life. As for why I'm back, uhh..."

He gets interrupted by the aura of Irritated Office Lady, and with the invitation to head to a place to grab a bite to eat...

"Yeah, I got time! Even if I didn't I'd make some... y'know what? Peace Diner sounds great, let's do it." Her treat! The universe has decided this is a moment in time he hasn't lost another bet to Hidehiko Uesugi! Which is a good moment in time.

"I'll catch ya up on how I came back here over burgers!" He waves along, as he starts headed that way.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.
<poem>
"Ah, well..." Eriko's own awkwardness kicks in. "I'd... rather not get into out here." Eriko admits, and her right hand crosses to grab her left bicep anxiously, and her posture gets... slightly self protective?

"Oh? You visited Kasugayama High already?" Eriko asks, blinking. "What was it like? Did you encounter anything interesting?" Oh no, the occult weirdoness has gripped her again. "And nightly, really? That's so many ''wonderful'' opportunities to explore!"

Eriko claps her hands. "Oh good! I'm glad! I like it in Japan, but I do miss New York sometimes. I wish I could have made time to visit while you were there, you could have shown me how it's changed!"

Eriko might have also recalled that bet, and maybe still feels a little bad for Mark and Naoya having to pay for everyone else. But only a little...

"Oh, ''excellent''! Let's! It'll will be good to talk about all that's happened!"

It's not a long walk to the local Peace Diner, and while the high school crowd has mostly filtered out, the family crowd is starting to filter in. It's a bit too late to grab a booth, but an upstairs table for two is less of an ask- with wide windows giving a view of the people wandering through the arcade. Eriko has ordered a small Chicken Burger combo with iced tea to drink, but has no qualms covering Mark's order.

"So, do you want to start?"
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Masao Inaba has posed.
<poem> Mark has a bit of resignation that there's no quelling Eriko's interest in the occult, and there's a bit of off-screen small talk on some of the Demons that showed up when he lent a hand, but nonetheless...

The local Peace Diner's register, miraculously, works! Mark got himself a Chicken Burger and a Peace Shake, and stood in brief childlike wonder that they could actually order food here. Nine times out of ten, back then... it's a wonder the chain even stayed in business.

"Yeah... I'll start," Mark settles down as he leans back in his seat. "So yeah, went to art college in New York. Third year, I got invited to an internship with a famous artist back home here. We were gonna get it all sorted out that I'd fully transfer to a local college here-- yeah, really," that art scholarship and its weight was worth its weight in gold, "but..."

Mark exhales, lowers his head, and puts a hand on his face.

"That artist was Ichiryusai Madarame... the guy that just confessed to bein' a plagiarist and ruining a bunch of others' careers." The sound of a bullet being dodged - but also a great, life-altering inconvenience when a major part of his ability to transfer back here hinged on that internship. He shakes his head again. "Just, outta the blue, screamin' and cryin' and carrying on 'bout being that bad a guy..."

He sits up again. "So, uh, for now I moved back in with the folks. They moved to the Hirasaka Ward here - mom loves the shopping center. They'd been makin' a lot of noise about me settling into inheriting the family business, as always... I'm still enrolled in college, but... it's a lotta online stuff, now, and even that's a real shit show." He smiles. "Scholarship's still got me covered, but shit... just my luck, right?"

But he's making the best of it, looking to his face. After all, he promised Naoya and the rest - no matter what - he'd go out and become a great artist, after all they been through together.

"...How 'bout you? Seems like somethin' has been weighing on you. What's up?"
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.
<poem>
Eriko may look very different than she did in high school, but some parts of her will never change. If anything, she's even more open about it! No evading the Eriko demonology debate!

Eriko nods, picking up a fry to start her meal as Mark talks- an indulgence for sure, but she's planning to work it off tonight. Mark's story sounds wonderful to start off with- an internship, a scholarship, studying under a renowned artist, yet Eriko knows there's a but coming.

So when he brings up Madarame, Eriko's eyes widen. "''Oh my.''" That's the only initial response she can make. "That's awful. I'm glad you didn't end up under that man, but..." She can't help but note the opportunities lost at the same time, or the dip in Mark's energy. "I can't believe your parents would expect you to give up your art to run their business, though. You're so skilled, and passionate!" Eriko shakes her head. She's been relatively lucky in the parental department compared to a lot of her peers- there was only a little clash on her choosing to follow her path. "Have you spoken to Brown yet? He meets a lot of people in his line of work, he might be able to find someone who could help you."

Still... "...I saw some of that press conference." Eriko admits, after a moment. "It was... very intense." Eriko frowns for a moment, before stopping to take a bite of her burger, and thoughtfully chews and swallows before eating. "There have been rumours about that, you know. Have you heard about the 'Phantom Thieves of Heart', Mark?"

But then Mark pushes her on her own problems, and Eriko places her burger down, and wipes her hands before starting. "...Well. You remember that I decided not to go to college and try and make it as a model, right?" She remembers the shock that caused Ms Saeko and some of the others, considering Eriko's academic performance. "''Mom'' was rather worried about me trying, but she supported me in the end. I signed with Glory Talent within about six months.And things were going rather well, all told!" And yet, there is a but coming.

"At least, until last year." Eriko slumps a little. "I..." She frowns. "Someone started stalking me." She says, seemingly a little ashamed to admit it. "They started with letters, then gifts, then..." Eriko shakes her head. "He started showing up at photo shoots, or commercial filmings. He even got to the dressing rooms one day when I was working at the TV station." Recalling it seems to be a bit of a struggle. For a woman who once lamented she wasn't turned to stone longer and had endured the Other Mikage-Cho without any lasting troubles, it might be strange to see Eriko Kirishima afraid. "That's... why I had to change my number. The agency went to the police, but they said their hands were tied..." She frowns, a touch of anger. Despite all the evidence...

"...At the start of the year he broke into the apartment I was sharing with some other models. It was lucky none of us had been home alone." She shudders a bit, and crosses her arms again like she did before, protectively. "I... had to deal with it myself."

Eriko shakes her head a bit. "...I haven't heard anything from him since then, but... I moved into my own place, and told my family not to visit. I couldn't bear it if ''Hannah'' or ''May'' were hurt because that ''disgusting creep'' suddenly turned up when they were hanging out with me."

She reaches for her tea, and takes a long sip through the straw to calm her nerves. "...Either way, I'm not getting as much work as I used to. Some of the photographers think I'm... difficult to work with now. Brown is still trying to get me booked when he can, of course, and Yukino seems to be putting in a good word with her mentor, at least." Eriko sighs.

"...Still, it's not all bad!" Eriko quickly tries to change gears. "I mean, it's given me time to look into a ''mystery'' of my own! Did you know Kei was back in Japan too? And now you're back too! It's been so long since we've all been this close together..."

With at least one very notable exception.

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Masao Inaba has posed.
<poem> "Yeah... we're in touch," Mark nods at the suggestion about Brown. "He's been a lifesaver. He namedropped me for doin' up a piece for that festival a little while ago. Got me a few commissions since! Still..." He rubs the back of his head. It's Brown. They were best friends growing up, best friends now, but damn if the man didn't find some new way to drag him into trouble anew. "...glad stuff's been workin' out for him."

And then, drifting back further into the Madarame situation... "Yeah... heard 'bout them placing cards all over his art exhibit before all that went down." He's shaking his head. "Like... what in the hell? How? That's what I wanna know." Him, and so many others curious about this enigmatic group.

...But soon enough, Mark pushes the point on Eriko's own life, and the way she places her food down... he knows he's about to be in for something. He puts his own food down to place his hands together. He nods. Yeah, he remembers she decided to forego college.

Things were going rather well, until...

'Someone started stalking me.'

"Ah shit." Mark sits up, listening intently to the timeline and the examples. The way she sounds actually ''afraid'', that doesn't go past him. Anything that could faze Eriko like that... yeah, that'd scare him too if he had one.

"That's some bullshit," Mark raises his voice. "If I see him I'm gonna kick his ass!" Mark does get marks for volume and boldness, as he had when they were younger - but he is not particularly imposing physically even when the metaphysical spaces has him act as a powerful warrior figure and trailblazer with the Persona, Ogun.

"Fuck that guy," he slumps, with the quiet encroaching revelation that it'd probably get his ass sued and put in jail, assuming that's a fist fight he'd win. "...That's rough. Really sounds like Brown's done us a lot of good, huh..."

He doesn't bounce back as quickly into a cooler, calmer mood as Eriko attempts to, as she voices her interest about the 'mystery' that has enamored her. "Kei? I hadn't reached out to him, since I know he's got a lotta stuff on his place... makin' good on the promise to being the Number 1 guy in Japan." With a wide smile of 'he is always going to be the Number 1 pain in the ass.' The two of them used to be outright vitriolic to one another, until They-Know-What happened.

He exhales as he has himself another sip of his shake. "...I mean, you're not wrong about the ''mystery'' stuff," he says the key word in English, because he's on the level, "ran into a bunch of Persona-users trying to kill someone on a beach, it's... it's not even just at night when a school's already closed up, that was a freakin' beach in the middle of the day."

"There was a lot goin' on and a lotta people there, but I was dealing with someone who had a Persona that seemed to form some kinda cage around them, and... not gonna lie, real freaky." He laughs a bit. "...Seriously, what the hell is up with this city?"

"I mean," he sets the shake down, "...I'm glad to be back with everyone here, yeah? Maybe we oughtta look into this together."
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Eriko Kirishima has posed.
<poem>
"That's good," Eriko says, with a nod. She notices the way Mark trails off, but doesn't push any. "He's certainly come a long way from the class clown he used to be, hasn't he? ...Even if his jokes haven't as much." Perhaps, some material is timeless??

"...So do I, I admit." Eriko says, and for once, it's not pure wonder, there's concern too. "It's..." Eriko frowns. "If it's true they can make someone like that confess their crimes, what else could they do? And there's been the Mental Shutdowns and Psychotic Breakdowns in the press, Apathy Syndrome... I wonder if it's all connected." A pause. "Though... I cannot help but wonder how it might feel to undergo such a phenomenon..."

It's... weirdly comforting as Mark gets loud and angry. It's a reminder that he's still, in some ways, the brash, proud and brave young man she remembered. "Thank you, Mark." Eriko says, a faint smile returning to her face as he swears to kick the guy's ass. "I don't think that will be necessary, though. At least... I hope it won't." She frowns again, and shakes her head. "...It'll be fine. I'm sure."

She isn't.

"Yes. Of all things he's currently serving as the RA of a high school dorm over on Tatsumi Port Island, can you believe it? It's one way to practice humility, certainly..." Still, there's a light in Eriko's eyes that implies she suspects something more. "I want to drop in on him, but he keeps insisting on coming out to meet me when we discuss..." She pauses, remembering where she is. A normal Peace Diner. Not the ones where people would hide out from demons and talk about the goings on. "''Mysteries''." She settles on, after a moment. "...besides, wouldn't it be fun to see Kei managing a dorm full of teenagers?"

Oh no she is absolutely suggesting Mark join her in an ambush.

"What...?" Eriko's eyes narrow. "That's... awfully dangerous of them. I hadn't heard about this, I would have thought the rumormongers would be talking already." On the topic of what's wrong with this city, though... "...I have some ideas, actually." But out in the open is not a great place to discuss them, is it? "''It might not be a 'what', exactly.''" She settles, on for a moment. "''More of a who.''"

And the Masao opens the door to the offer Eriko has wanted to make this whole time. "Really? That would be ''wonderful''! It's been a little lonely when it's just been Kei and I, and we've been looking into different options and methods." Eriko smiles brightly, her eyes alight with joy. "With you along, it would be much more of an adventure! So why don't we do just that- in fact, there are some things I want to look into more that I'd feel much better with you along!"
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Masao Inaba has posed.
<poem> The price of business of being in Brown's presence - the jokes. They won't have to worry about affording air conditioning with those jokes, at least. This will be a harder sell come winter, but with global warming, maybe not.

...anyway.

He takes a lot of the speculation about suffering the nightmarish afflictions in stride - he knows she's 'for real' about those thought processes after all they've been through. That's Elly. They're all who they are.

Will it be fine? Is she sure? He's got a sunken look on his face when he is quietly rolling to disbelieve, exhaling loudly in some resignation that maybe there's no way to know until someone's broken a foot in that stalker's rear end. Even so...

'Of all things he's currently serving as the RA of a high school dorm over on Tatsumi Port Island--'

"For real? Kei? Doin' that?" Mark blinks widely... "Y-Yeah, sorry, I'm interruptin'." He lets that thread continue without further outbursts. His insistence about coming out to meet when it's time to discuss... in English, Mysteries.

"''Mysteries.'' Yeah. I get it." Eriko, the occult fanatic, is one thing - but if Kei's treating this stuff seriously too, and this is Kei Freakin' Nanjo they're discussing, then...

"Pff. If the teens there are anything like we were, heh, yeah he's gonna have his hands full." He tugs down at his beanie a bit. Yeah, he'll have to see it for himself. Even if it's going to be quite a thing to process that this is what Kei's doing with himself right now, of all things.

With Eriko's brimming enthusiasm for having another friend along on their investigations and interests, Mark just shakes his head.

"Pff. It's been one thing after another since I came back... man. Yeah, all right, you know I can't turn a blind eye to this shit goin' down, whatever it is." He looks up, that wide smile still there, as he gets his phone out. "College is really kickin' my ass," beat, "I mean whose ass isn't gettin' whipped by growing up, yeah? ...But we'll keep in touch. I'll let you know if I catch wind of," he clears his throat, "''Mysteries.''"

Looks like it's been time for yet another rodeo into the world of the weird.
</poem>

[[Category:Logs]]
[[Category:Season 1]]
[[Category:Season 1, Episode 1]]

2025-07-02: A Disappointing First Impression

2025-09-12T05:05:06Z

Makohime: Created page with " *'''Log: 2025-07-02: A Disappointing First Impression ''' *'''Cast:''' Goro Akechi, Makoto Niijima *'''Where:''' Shujin Academy, Aoyama-Itchome, Tokyo *'''OOC Date:''' July 7, 2025 *'''IC Date:''' Sun Jun 2, 2012 *'''Summary''': ''Apparently by chance, Goro Akechi runs into Makoto Niijima at a mock exam being run at Shujin. Taking the opportunity to try and press Makoto for information, Akechi finds himself disappointed by his superior's little sister, while Ma..."

*'''Log: 2025-07-02: A Disappointing First Impression '''
*'''Cast:''' [[Goro Akechi]], [[Makoto Niijima]]
*'''Where:''' Shujin Academy, Aoyama-Itchome, Tokyo
*'''OOC Date:''' July 7, 2025
*'''IC Date:''' Sun Jun 2, 2012
*'''Summary''': ''Apparently by chance, Goro Akechi runs into Makoto Niijima at a mock exam being run at Shujin. Taking the opportunity to try and press Makoto for information, Akechi finds himself disappointed by his superior's little sister, while Makoto finds herself trapped.''

----

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
<poem>
The heat may feel like an intense pressure bearing down on everyone, this fine summer's day. But perhaps that is Makoto Niijima's imagination. After all, she has so many other things pressuring her.

Principal Kobayakawa's demands of her, for example.

The Shujin Academy students caught up in the mafia's operations in Shibuya...

Such responsibilities! Such problems that only she can solve as Shujin's student council President. She can't after all, rely on Sae Niijima, the adult in the room.

Her older sister.

She is after all, useless to her. A leech, that only takes, and offers nothing back to her. She can only become useful by being a proper adult. And that is why everyone is here today at Shujin...

... to take a mock exam, for college admissions. The only way to become useful... the only way, is not to lean upon her sister.

And that is when someone strikes, at the least opportune of moments, when she is on her way, the sign pointing to the mock exam has an arrow - leading the way to her future.

... her future.

"You're Sae-san's sister, right?"

Turn around, and she'll see him. The Second Coming of the Detective Prince, the boy wonder. He smiles so affably, his eyes closed subtly as to seem entirely non-threatening. He wears the Seven Sisters uniform splendidly, his tie subtly loosened as if he's 'on the case' so to speak.

"Might I have a moment of your time?"

His hair is messy, but silky smooth, his eyes once he opens them are brown, wholesome - that boy next door quality that all girls her age are supposed to be drawn to. She knows he works with her sister of course, though he's never exactly...

... come home for dinner. That would imply an impropriety that does not exist. They're coworkers, and he's her age.

A minor.

And yet one can imagine Sae does not call him useless, indeed, Sae calls him... because he is useful to her in all the ways Makoto Niijima is not.

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Today was supposed to be purely focused on the mock exams for Makoto, once class was over- and once it was it was back to her myriad other tasks. Find out if the Phantom Thieves have a connection to this school, do something about the mafia preying on students, make sure everything is ready for when Sae gets home- assuming she's coming home tonight at all. If anything, something as simple as mock exams was almost a reprieve. Studying and tests were somewhat easy for her, compared to everything else.

And a reprieve from the thoughts that are always lingering.

She wasn't expecting anyone to approach her right before the mock exams started, let alone someone invoking her sister's name so comparatively casually. She turns to see none other than the second coming of the Detective Prince himself. A boy maybe her age, who is already useful to Sae. Someone she knows purely by reputation, rather than interaction, and Sae doesn't exactly talk much about work at home.

"Akechi-kun?"

Makoto half turns toward Akechi, already suspecting the topic of conversation. It doesn't seem likely he'd just want to talk to her about her sister, after all.

"About the Phantom Thieves?" There's an edge of exhaustion to Makoto's voice there that she can't hide, resignation even. But she doesn't walk away, even if her body language all but makes it clear that she doesn't want to bring it up.

...or maybe she just doesn't want to talk to Goro Akechi right now. Who can say.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
<poem>
"That's right. It's nice to finally put a face to Sae-san's imouto. She doesn't talk about you often. We tend to keep our personal lives out of work..."

He does smile so warmly at her, "... but I remember how long her eyes lingered on those Buchimaru shoes, once, and thought - that must be your style, since it definitely isn't hers."

It's so casual, the way he talks about her, almost like he knows ''so much'' about her just through observing her big sister.

Even though this is the first time they've met.

It's only after he's dropped that fact, that he addresses her point. "Why yes, I'm assisting in the investigation, so any info would be appreciated. Knowing you're Shujin's Student Council President- I thought, assuredly you must have noticed something."

That smile, so affable, so warm. One almost would never think he was ''purposefully'' twisting a knife between her ribs, "Especially if you're anything like your big sister."

</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Makoto can't say she's surprised that Sae doesn't talk about her at work- a few of Sae's colleagues know her from dropping things off for Sae either at the courthouse or the police station, but only a few of them really talk to her. And someone like Akechi wouldn't really be with the rank and file.

And then he mentions the shoes, and that introduces a brick wall on the rails of Makoto's train of thought, and the spectre of jealousy rises in her again, but she does her best not to show it. Fine. He's a detective at Makoto's age. He's good at observations.

He's more use to Sae already than Makoto has been her entire life and they're the same age.

"I see." Makoto says, her voice quiet. Akechi just approaching her was enough to throw her off balance, but little details about that add to that loss of footing.

Her eyes don't meet his, until Akechi points out that she'd have to have notice something- only to glance away a moment later.

Which means she's not looking at him when the knife slips through. "I really have to focus on my tests." Makoto responds, a weak brushoff if anything- but she doesn't walk away either. There's still a little time before exams start, and Makoto doesn't need to do any more cramming, after all.

It's not like she has anything better to do right now.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
<poem>
Indeed so, after all, he uses his talents to assist Sae Niijima with so many of her most high profile cases. Her career has been on the rise, not entirely, but at least in part thanks to him.

What has Makoto ever done but be another mouth to feed and care for?

She indicates to him she has to focus on her tests, and he actually...

... allows a small chuckle of incredulity to escape his lips. Before one might ask what's so funny, he answers her.

"These mock tests don't actually matter, so it's fine..."

And before she can even respond, he nonchalantly bowls through any possible objections, "... Right now I'm trying to determine the points of commonality between the Kamoshida and Madarame cases. In essence, while they are both perpetrators of most heinous crimes, they are victims as well. It wouldn't truly be justice to allow them to slip away, after changing their hearts, now would it?"

Placing a hand on his chin, he takes on a contemplative stance, apparently lost in thought, like he's taking for granted Makoto's assistance.

"Of course not. They must be pursued... and I have a feeling that you could be my ally in this."

Wait why does he think that? There's no way he knows right?

RIGHT?

No, absolutely not, he must just think as Shujin's Student Council President, she's observant - perceptive, diligent, and intelligent.

All qualities he would look for in an ally.

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Makoto can't help but feel her stomach twist as Akechi labels the mock exams pointless. There's a purpose to them, surely. There has to be.

It's not like Makoto's just sitting her, spinning her wheels until she can stop being a burden, taking any and every opportunity to show her sister she'll be worthwhile someday.

Nonetheless, Akechi runs roughshod over conversational etiquette, and doesn't give Makoto a chance to say no. His certainty that she'd be an ally, however, seems to give her pause. Surely if he knew what Makoto did, Sae would already be arresting them, wouldn't they?

"You're awfully critical of the Phantom Thieves- but you don't doubt they exist?" Makoto responds to the proposition with a question of her own, trying to gain any control of the conversational momentum back.

Not that she has much to work with right now.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
<poem>
As Makoto tries to exert control back, Akechi's brown eyes light up, "Oh, did you watch my recent broadcast? I'd be honored if Sae-san's imouto were actually a fan of mine."

But he doesn't actually ''ask'' either if she is, he simply implies she might be.

"Common sense can get in the way at times, when you're trying to arrive at the truth. Think upon Kamoshida and Madarame's dramatic confessions. They were both abusers with a long history of exploiting others and getting away with it in plain view of others."

Others like... herself. Akechi says now more seriously, "It hardly makes sense for either of them to grow a conscience now if it were merely some prank that targeted their insecurities. Indeed, the psychological profiles of such despicable individuals is often that they feel almost no remorse for their actions at all."

Lowering his hand, he smiles at Makoto in that moment in what seems like the conversational equivalent of a shrug, "Many details become quite logical if I allow the premise that they do in fact exist."

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Makoto doesn't answer positively or negatively to the fan statement. Was he really that egotistical that he'd assume such a thing? The rest of Akechi's attitude entirely unlike that of her sister, and Makoto is not entirely sure what to do with that. "So better to assume they exist and proceed with that assumption?" Well. The fact that there's a case at all implies the prosecutors office have decided the same, doesn't it.

Makoto looks away again, as Akechi outlines the tendencies of criminals like Madarame and Kamoshida. Remorseless criminals who keep offending. People who would never have been stopped without the Phantom Thieves. Her phone feels heavy, all of a sudden.

"Do you think the Phantom Thieves acted unjustly then, Akechi-kun?" The words that come out of her mouth seem to surprise even her, as she says them. It's not something she'd say to almost any adult- but Akechi is something of a peer. "If you're working off the assumption they exist, is it really just to stop them if they're exposing criminals like that?"

Was it really any different from how Japan's justice system worked? She was hardly naive to it... A criminal confessions were one of the big parts of the 99% conviction rate, after all. Is it that different from what the police and prosecutors do?

Makoto frowns, this time at herself. "Are we having this conversation because my sister asked you to?" She asks, a little more raw than she would have liked. Sae could have simply asked her directly if it was the case.

...and if it was Sae asking, she might have acquiesced.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
<poem>
Egotistical, or perhaps merely playful... and enjoying needling her thoroughly.

Just like he does her sister. Or perhaps both.

"Wouldn't it strike you as strange if it were some elaborate prank? That all it took was a piece of paper to strike fear into the hearts of the cowardly and superstitious... enough that the weight of their guilt did the rest of the heavy lifting for us?"

Akechi does smile gently, "Your sister would perhaps not appreciate such a world, her lack of job security would become quite irksome in short order I feel..."

And with so much time left before graduation. What if Makoto doesn't gain a full scholarship? What then? Does she become even more of a burden upon Sae?

But she asks a question, and indeed he smiles, "Naturally. Suppose you had the ability to change hearts right now... and decided to use it upon, just for the sake of argument... Sae-san. Let us pre-suppose you had the best of intentions for doing so... and even an outcome that in the eyes of society would be considered 'good'. Perhaps even... 'just'."

He seems to consider that possibility for quite a long time, "But in the end, would you not also be enslaving your sister's will for your own self-satisfaction? Your own desires? Changing who she is for some preferred outcome? The choice to be that person of her own accord... forever lost..."

Now it sounds like he's hardly even paying attention to Makoto, instead contemplating that question, seeming disturbed ''himself'' in a way.

"It is my belief that no true justice can result from an act of grievous injustice. A wrong to make a right, does not erase the harm done."

And in that moment, it's like he remembers he's conversing with her again, as he smiles and asks of her, "Wouldn't you agree?"

...

"As for whether I'm here on Sae-san's behalf... it's merely a coincidence."
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
It's the sort of playfulness that Makoto doesn't enjoy- but is in no position to push back against it, really. After all, Akechi is someone more...

...Well. More important to Sae than Makoto is, apparently. (The fact that needling might be a sign of respect for Sae, perhaps, is one that goes fully over Makoto's head.)

Akechi's counterpoint is... well. Would it be so bad...? Even if Sis would hate it?

"...Maybe. But Sis would be fine." ...Makoto doesn't establish if she would be, though. Her whole purpose in life is making Police Commissioner, so she can take the weight off of Sae, so she can pay her back.

"...and maybe it would be worth it, if she was around sometimes." Makoto's voice is quiet, and it takes her a moment to realize she said that out loud. "...Please ignore that."

She tries to move on, especially as Akechi puts that on the table. Makoto falters. "That's..." Can she counterargue that, even a little. Justice is meant to be absolute, isn't it? Or...

"...But what about the victims of people like Madarame, or..." Or Kamoshida. The victims she didn't fight for.

"Doesn't Justice involve saving their victims? Or is it just about catching the criminal after the fact?"

Sae would call her childish for that, wouldn't she? Justice is about putting away criminals for her, so that's justice, isn't it?

"...I see. I'm sorry for asking, Akechi-kun." ...would it have been better if Sae had asked him? Makoto's not sure. It might have meant Makoto could have been useful for once.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
<poem>
Indeed... Makoto responds back with the idea that Sae would be fine. And that actually gets a slightly surprised look out of Akechi, "Oh my. I can't say I expected that response. Most girls wouldn't want their big sister's hard work to go to waste, don't you think?"

As if he were calling out a ''flaw'' in Makoto for desiring this. ''What's wrong with you''? Without being so confrontational.

"Well so long as she's home for dinner. She does have other relevant job skills in such a world. And I suppose her other co-workers ''have'' been suggesting she should start putting in some work when it comes to finding a husband... but who could ever find the time for that with her current caseload?"

Ouch.

But she did ask him to ignore that. And so he smiles, "Very well, I'll just pretend I didn't hear that." But ''only after he said all of that''.

Makoto is obviously startled by the idea of Sae's heart being changed to give her all she desires, and Akechi just seems to be contemplating the issue further, when Makoto indicates 'What about the victims?' and asks an incisive question, but then immediately backs off. At first, the glint in his eyes showed he was a little elated, actually - but now, it's only ''disappointed''. "Oh no. It's quite alright." He says to her with a smile, "I don't actually mind this sort of conversation..." When it's someone of actual conviction, "So I'll answer your questions."

He pauses, taking the time to consider them again, before repeating it back.

"Your suggestion is that the Phantom Thieves are saving the victims of despicable criminals... but isn't it actually the same for the Phantom Thieves as it is the Police?"

He asks her, gently, seemingly ''patiently'' fielding her points, "Madarame - and Kamoshida for that matter had many victims previously, did they not? And yet - all evidence suggests the Phantom Thieves only acted once they had knowledge of their actions. Can you truly say our system wouldn't have been able to prevent more victims?"

And he does indeed look at her, "Moreover, what if a 'Change of Heart' was considered undesirable by the victims? What if say - it was your preference that in the case of an unrepentant criminal that he suffer the full brunt of a 'fall from grace' and the punishment that comes after?"

He asks, before then continuing on, "If their apology is only the result of someone ''forcing'' them to apologize - and not as a result of their own choices; would that be sufficient for their victims?"

He does smile at her, without any warmth, "Now seeing as that I've spent a great deal of time fielding your questions, it does rather indicate you're in no great hurry to get to your mock exams."

Wait what!? Did he actually answer her questions to entrap her into having ''no excuses''?

"Won't you answer several of mine?"

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
"That's-" Makoto can't help but feel like she's walked into a trap- no, that she's only just noticed that she's fallen into a trap that she walked in to several minutes ago. "...I just can't imagine her not being able to succeed in whatever she tried." Makoto says, genuinely if a little pathetically. She really does hold Sae in extremely high regard. Like an unreachable goal. The idea that her coworkers are pushing her to marry, however, makes Makoto frown. "I'm sure that went down well," Makoto says, and for a second, she crosses her arms the same way Sae does when she's frustrated. She tries to avoid the first point, admittedly... After all... It wouldn't be right to stop her sister doing what she needs to just because Makoto's lonely.

Makoto frowns again, as Akechi pushes back on her point. Can she say for certain...

After all, certainty is the whole point of the Justice System. "...what about organized crime?" Makoto responds, perhaps with a bit more incisiveness than Akechi might expect. "We both know the way the Yakuza use underlings as protection for senior members, for example. Surely there are some threats that the system can't handle as is." That's *why* she wants to become Police Commissioner, isn't it? "The Organized Crime Exclusion Ordinances are having an impact, certainly, but it means that they simply change themselves to a Mafia, get more ruthless, or leave room for foreign crime syndicates like the Taiwanese Mafia or the Triads." ...Yeah. Makoto listened to her father a bit too much, and maybe watched too many movies, and then maybe researcher the accuracy of those movies.

...What if a 'Change of Heart' wasn't wanted by the victims, though. Makoto... didn't even think of that. Would.... Would the men who killed her father apologizing satisfy Makoto? The question seems to catch her in a quandary. What would be just, in that situation.

And that leaves Makoto fully open to Akechi finally pulling taught the web that Makoto has been spun in, the one she didn't catch in time.

"I... I suppose that's fair." Makoto finds herself forced to say. It would be impolite to walk away now, and she doesn't want one of the few people actually helping Sae to turn their back on her because of Makoto's incompetence.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
<poem>
"Oh as well as can be expected when it's a woman as driven as Sae-san."

Indeed, he doesn't actually sound like he's putting her down there. It's more like he knows quite well how she is and understands fully she won't be tied down by some 'expectation' that she marry by male colleagues.

If anything, he sounds like he even admires it some.

Makoto asks about organized crime now, and Akechi just smiles at her, "My, aren't you curious?" As if he suggests she might have a pointed reason, "Does this mean you believe the Phantom Thieves intend to target organized crime next? ... Or is it a question of personal curiosity?"

He needles her with that, before then answering, "Public outcry over loopholes in the latest revisions of the legislation does mean it's only a matter of time before they are revised again to close those loopholes, perhaps even in this legislative session... I do believe that their days are 'numbered' so to speak."

But it's no longer a question truly about the Victims, then - he's no longer addressing that, because he does understand that it isn't.

"I do believe your own sister is pursuing several cases against the so-called 'mafia' at the moment, though naturally I can't say more on the subject."

As if he were perhaps trying to push her to debate his own sister on the topic, as he's certain that will go ''swimmingly''.

And Makoto does acquiesce, and he smiles, "Your Principal has been quite... uncooperative, on the case of the Phantom Thieves. Naturally he must believe the school's reputation is on the line."

Oh no.

"As Student Council President, you must work in close proximity with him. Are there any details about the case you're aware of that he's been suppressing... when it comes to handing them over to investigators?"

Look around - the hallway is suddenly empty. Everyone is in Mock Exams now, waiting for them to begin.

"Naturally... I'd keep the identity of anyone who served as a whistle blower fully confidential."

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
Even someone like Akechi-kun can respect Sae. Maybe it's a prodigy to prodigy thing- after all, Sae passed the bar while in high school and Akechi is already working with the police on cases. Makoto, meanwhile, is barely able to cover getting into a good school, having to please the Principal to have any chance of a future where she's useful, and all Makoto has to do is manage school and an apartment, everything else Sae has sorted out for her. She really is...

Makoto's conversational footing is swept out from under her again. "...Personal interest. I try to at least... keep informed on what issues Sis is dealing with." What's the point in lying about this. "At least, what little I can find out about her work." And it's clear Akechi won't be providing more information... but the seed is planted.

But when the topic of the Principal comes up- and since Akechi has been so kind as to put up with so many questions from her, she shouldn't avoid it-

Except it's like Akechi knows. Like he's staring straight past any obscuring features, and there's no one in the hall but the two of them now.

She could just answer. She could just say something. Sae trusts Akechi-kun, so she could just tell him the truth, and...

And Kobayakawa would ruin her future and any chance of paying back Sae. She'd lose her position on the Student Council, wouldn't she? Her status as an honor student, too. She'd be persona non grata at the school, and...

And would her justice even be satisfied, then?

Makoto doesn't meet Akechi's eyes anymore, but she's honest to a fault. Even if her voice doesn't say anything, her body language betrays her. She should say something, throw him off the scent, just lie-

But Makoto Niijima says nothing, her eyes staring at an unimportant spot on the floor.
</poem>

<Pose Tracker> Goro Akechi has posed.
<poem>
"I see. Well... it's not likely to be very relevant to the question of a 'Change of Heart' or the Phantom Thieves then." He concludes, with a smile. And it's difficult to argue with that, "You can count on your sister to pursue justice for their victims."

He asks his question though, and Makoto looks away, staring at the floor. He gives her time certainly, but he also can't claim he wasn't expecting this.

Still he waits, and waits... then eventually.

"Has someone intimidated you into silence? That's disappointing... I would have expected more of Sae-san's sister than the pushover good girl type."

Akechi begins to check his phone, "Well, I suppose I'll just move on. I at least owe it to her not to press her imouto more than this if she's refusing to be useful. ... Do give her my regards though."

Tap tap tap. Certainly he implies he knows it's Kobayakawa, but he acts like Makoto has ''him'' between a rock and a hard place.

After all, isn't he obligated to tell Sae? And yet... there he is, saying that he's not going to because he ''owes'' Sae not to make trouble for her...

...useless...
...little...
...sister...

"Best of luck on your mock exams I suppose." Her ''meaningless'' mock exams, as emblematic of her meaningless journey to... become what?

Someone useful to Sae Niijima?

Goro Akechi turns, placing the phone to his ear as he apparently just called someone and starts to walk away while waiting for connection.

</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
<poem>
The silence is deafening- but what breaks the silence is even worse. She looks up at Akechi, slightly shocked, but she doesn't have anything else she can say now. After all... he's not wrong, is he?

What Akechi says next hurts more though. She's... refusing to be useful...? But...

If, say, Akechi were the sort of person that relished in cruelty, it would be easy to see the blow that has struck to what little pride the high schooler has. She shrinks back, almost as if she's been struck, even as she tries in vain not to show it. She's just... causing even more problems.

Akechi doesn't give her a chance to say goodbye, putting his phone to his ear and walking away. For a few more moments, Makoto just stands there stunned, before sagging as a sense of exhaustion and weakness overtakes her.

"...Why is everybody on my case...?" She mumbles, weakly. Pathetically. ''Uselessly''.

She stands there, for a few moments, before straightening back up and moving. She's going to be late for her ~meaningless~ exam.

She shouldn't waste the money Sae is spending for her to attend...
</poem>

[[Category:Logs]]
[[Category:Season 1]]
[[Category:Season 1, Episode 1]]

Eriko Kirishima

2025-08-09T12:02:53Z

Makohime:

{| class="toccolours" style="width: 15%; float: right; margin-left:2em; margin-right:0em; margin-bottom:2em; text-align: left; font-size: %110" cellspacing="2"
|-
! style="background:#bfbfbf; border: 2px #8e4585 solid; font size: 110%;" align="center" colspan="2" | '''Eriko Kirishima'''
|-
! colspan="2" align="center" | [[File:ErikoHalfBody.png|300px]]
|-
! style="background:#bfbfbf; border: 2px #8e4585 solid; font-size: 110%;" align="center" colspan="2" | '''IC Information'''
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Full Name:
| Eriko Kirishima (桐島英理子)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Gender:
| Female
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Age (Birthdate):
| 20 (September 21, 1991)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Hair Colour:
| Black (Dyed)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Eye Colour:
| Amber
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Height:
| 5'5" (164 cm)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Residence:
| Yumezaki Ward, Sumaru City
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Workplace:
| Glory Talent Agency
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Job:
| Model
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Role:
| Focus
|-
! style="background:#bfbfbf; border: 2px #8e4585 solid; font-size: 110%;" align="center" colspan="2" | '''OOC Information'''
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Source:
| Persona 1 (FC)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Groups:
| None
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Player:
| [[User:Makohime|Makohime]]
|-
|}

= Logs and Cutscenes =

==Season 1==

===Logs===
{{#dpl:
|category = logs&season 1
|linksto = {{PAGENAME}}
|ordermethod = title
|columns = 1
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===Cutscenes===
{{#dpl:
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}}

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Adults]]
[[Category:Focus]]

Eriko Kirishima

2025-08-09T11:41:34Z

Makohime: Created page with "{| class="toccolours" style="width: 15%; float: right; margin-left:2em; margin-right:0em; margin-bottom:2em; text-align: left; font-size: %110" cellspacing="2" |- ! style="background:#bfbfbf; border: 2px #8e4585 solid; font size: 110%;" align="center" colspan="2" | '''Eriko Kirishima''' |- ! colspan="2" align="center" | 300px |- ! style="background:#bfbfbf; border: 2px #8e4585 solid; font-size: 110%;" align="center"..."

{| class="toccolours" style="width: 15%; float: right; margin-left:2em; margin-right:0em; margin-bottom:2em; text-align: left; font-size: %110" cellspacing="2"
|-
! style="background:#bfbfbf; border: 2px #8e4585 solid; font size: 110%;" align="center" colspan="2" | '''Eriko Kirishima'''
|-
! colspan="2" align="center" | [[File:ErikoHalfBody.png|300px]]
|-
! style="background:#bfbfbf; border: 2px #8e4585 solid; font-size: 110%;" align="center" colspan="2" | '''IC Information'''
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Full Name:
| Eriko Kirishima (桐島英理子)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Gender:
| Female
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Age (Birthdate):
| 20 (September 21, 1991)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Hair Colour:
| Black (Dyed)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Eye Colour:
| Amber
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Height:
| 5'5" (164 cm)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Residence:
| Yumezaki Ward, Sumaru City
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Workplace:
| Glory Talent Agency
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Job:
| Model
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Role:
| Focus
|-
! style="background:#bfbfbf; border: 2px #8e4585 solid; font-size: 110%;" align="center" colspan="2" | '''OOC Information'''
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Source:
| Persona 1 (FC)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Groups:
| None
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Player:
| [[User:Makohime|Makohime]]
|-
|}

Logs and Cutscenes =

==Season 1==

===Logs===
{{#dpl:
|category = logs&season 1
|linksto = {{PAGENAME}}
|ordermethod = title
|columns = 1
|rowcolformat=width=50%
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}}

===Cutscenes===
{{#dpl:
|category = cutscenes&season 1
|linksto = {{PAGENAME}}
|ordermethod = title
|columns = 1
|rowcolformat=width=50%
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| format = ,,\n* [[%PAGE%]],
|noresultsheader=There are no cutscenes on this wiki that {{PAGENAME}} participated in.
}}

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Adults]]
[[Category:Focus]]

File:ErikoHalfBody.png

2025-08-09T10:46:43Z

Makohime: Art of Eriko Kirishima, from Persona 2: Eternal Punishment.

== Summary ==
Art of Eriko Kirishima, from Persona 2: Eternal Punishment.

Makoto Niijima

2025-08-09T07:44:23Z

Makohime:

{| class="toccolours" style="width: 15%; float: right; margin-left:2em; margin-right:0em; margin-bottom:2em; text-align: left; font-size: %110" cellspacing="2"
|-
! style="background:#000000; border: 2px #ed1c24 solid; font size: 110%;" align="center" colspan="2" | '''Makoto Niijima'''
|-
! colspan="2" align="center" | [[File:MakotoBust.png|300px]]
|-
! style="background:#000000; border: 2px #ed1c24 solid; font-size: 110%;" align="center" colspan="2" | '''IC Information'''
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Full Name:
| Makoto Niijima (新島真)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Gender:
| Female
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Age (Birthdate):
| 18 (April 23, 1994)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Hair Colour:
| Brown
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Eye Colour:
| Reddish Brown
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Height:
| 5'5" (164 cm)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Residence:
| Shinjuku, Tokyo
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Workplace:
| Shujin Academy
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Job:
| Third Year
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Role:
| Focus
|-
! style="background:#ed1c24; border: 2px #000000 solid; font-size: 110%;" align="center" colspan="2" | '''OOC Information'''
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Source:
| Persona 5 (FC)
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Groups:
| The Phantoms
|-
! style="text-align:left" | Player:
| [[User:Makohime|Makohime]]
|-
|}

= Logs and Cutscenes =

==Season 1==

===Logs===
{{#dpl:
|category = logs&season 1
|linksto = {{PAGENAME}}
|ordermethod = title
|columns = 1
|rowcolformat=width=50%
|suppresserrors = yes
| addcategories = true
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| format = ,,\n* [[%PAGE%]],
|noresultsheader=There are no logs on this wiki that {{PAGENAME}} participated in.
}}

===Cutscenes===
{{#dpl:
|category = cutscenes&season 1
|linksto = {{PAGENAME}}
|ordermethod = title
|columns = 1
|rowcolformat=width=50%
|suppresserrors = yes
| addcategories = true
| mode = userformat
| format = ,,\n* [[%PAGE%]],
|noresultsheader=There are no cutscenes on this wiki that {{PAGENAME}} participated in.
}}

[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Shujin Academy]]
[[Category:The Phantoms]]
[[Category:Focus]]

File:MakotoBust.png

2025-08-09T07:39:55Z

Makohime: Cropped official art of Makoto Niijima by Shigenori Soejima.

== Summary ==
Cropped official art of Makoto Niijima by Shigenori Soejima.