2025-08-17: A Phantom Thief Never Tells
- Log: A Phantom Thief Never Tells
- Cast: Umie Akabane, Ren Amamiya
- Where: Gotoku-ji Shrine, Shimokitazawa, Tokyo
- OOC Date: August 17, 2025
- IC Date: June 27, 2012
- Summary: Joker has come to collect on Umie's offer of information, and, despite Umie's best attempts to put up a cool front, he may've collected a bit more, in the form of at least one ally for the future.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
"Sorry about that day."
The apology came suddenly as Umie rang up Ren's items, as quickly as one of Umie's opening attacks, an escalation from out of the blue.
"And thank you." If there was any hint that Umie suspected anything about Ren's other identity, her next words may despell it. "Last minute shift changes are no joke." (Besides, she'd already thanked Joker. Ren is clearly a different person, who also needs to be thanked separately.)
That seriousness is gone. A few pleasantries, some light-hearted comments, a wish for Ren to enjoy his day. (And of course, a compulsive wish for Ren to please come back to the 777 for their great deals and sales.)
_DAMN IT REN WORKS HERE_
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Did Umie get the letter?
Well, she's here, and quite suddenly as well, appearing in the shrine grounds outside like someone who forgot to call ahead to let someone know they were on their way.
Her clothing is much like it was that night: pale windbreaker, oversized to mask her movements, with its hood up. Shorts, sneakers, and a mask: simple, plain. She's adjusted it down; idly fiddling with the straps as she tries to scan around, her resonance quietly emerging after a moment of concentration.
A shrine makes her nervous. But if she's here, in disguise... then--
'Yes, make yourself exposed and obvious. Offer up your heart on a silver platter for them to take.'
It might be the case, she realizes.
Her right hand reaches into the front pocket of her windbreaker, her fingers feeling the handle of the bifurcated blade of her weapon.
No, she can't think like this. "Going to make a lady wait?" she says, disguising her nervousness with sarcasm, regardless of whether there's someone there to hear it.
She could have gotten the wrong temple, after all.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Hmm?" Ren looks up from his purchases at Umie, dark grey eyes guilelessly wide behind his non-prescription glasses. He's buying a few things for lunch for the next few days. Too many days where he went hungry for lunch and/or had to beg lunch off his friends because the school store had sold out of bread by the time he got there have prompted him to take advantage of his employee discount at Triple Seven to buy goods for lunch for the next day or two. It's usually just a quick trip after school; the Triple Seven's right there, so it's easy for him to pop in between train transfers. He smiles when she makes herself clear.
"You're welcome. You had an emergency," he replies graciously. He chats with her a little bit, or rather, lets her chat him up. That's part of the plan. While picking up today's items, he let Morgana out of his bag close to the break room. He'd brought a certain letter with the Phantom Thieves' emblem on it and left it to his partner in crime to sneak it into Umie's bag. It would be logical for them to meet in Mementos, since he knows she knows how to get in, but for a meeting like this, he thinks--and Morgana agrees--that it's worth staying up late to be a little more dramatic...
Soon enough, he's finished making his purchases. Ren politely pretends not to hear Umie's automatic customer service pitch and excuses himself to use the conbini's restroom; when he leaves, the cat is back in the bag.
~ * ~
/To the honorable Umie Akabane,
We shall come to collect your offer of information. Meet us at the Gotoku-ji Shrine in Shimokitazawa at midnight tonight.
From The Phantoms, Thieves of Hearts/
For all that the notice said "we" and "us," there's no sign of anyone at all at the legendary cat temple of Shimokita, even after the stroke of midnight turns the skies green and the crescent moon sickly yellow. The temple grounds are fairly broad; on top of the collection of maneki-nekos, there's an entry building and a stone path leading to a three-story pagoda deeper within. As Umie passes through the entrance into the temple grounds proper, she complains aloud.
"Perish the thought," comes a deep, confident voice behind her.
When Umie turns around, there Joker is, standing atop the roof of the entry building, smiling down at her with a toothy grin. The moonlight is at his back, obscuring his already masked features. Where did he come from?! (A Phantom Thief never tells.)
He takes a step forward and sweeps down--not to the ground where Umie is, but to perch himself on the edge of the curved rooftop. His dark coat splays out around him, and he folds his legs. There's just one of the Phantom Thieves here... but he did seem to come out of nowhere. The others could be hiding... anywhere.
"How fare you this fair night, Umie Akabane-kun?" he adds, settling his chin on one gloved fist. "Or would you prefer to skip the formalities and cut straight to business?"
On top of the fact that his particular brand of Resonance masks (ha) his true identity, he has a different way of speaking than Ren Amamiya. Still deep-voiced, but bold--not quite so quiet, though not loud either--with a smooth eloquence that definitely was not practiced at length in private in a dusty attic room with a cat as his only audience.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
It's easy for Ren to slip past Umie's defense, especially now that she's gotten used to his persona (lower case). He is simply the likeable, quiet Ren Amamiya, someone she's grown to like, especially the moments when he seems to show something a little more mischevious.
He'll grow into it, she imagines, once he gains a little more confidence.
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"Honorable...?" Umie squints at the letter as she sits in the bathroom stall in 777. (It was the only place she could think of to privately open a letter with an emblem like that.)
_Stop grinning like an idiot, Umie._
------------
It was hard to get a handle on the Phantom Thieves' resonance in the times she's met them. It would make sense they had abilities like her; just as it's helped her navigate the two 'sides' of life, it'd help even more with people who wish to attempt to something with it. .... People who aren't cowards, in other words.
But would one of them contact her specifically? She wouldn't be able to detect them at range until they made their move.
"Either you really trust that one of you is enough, or you wanted to vet me yourself, Detective-san." Her right hand is still in her pocket as she turns. (Oh, Umie heard that -kun. She's not sure what it entails; his age is vague enough, his voice moreso with it being that deep, theatrical tone.)
Umie's mannerisms also differ; the reasonably affable, polite Umie Akabane, konbini clerk, waitress, person of a thousand (no) jobs, hard-working, nosy. But Ren would have seen it peeking through anyway: the glances at co-workers that leave her a mess to deal with, the grins she makes when she senses something to lightly tease over, the times she's seemed interested in something, or the odd moments where she might be staring space.
Taking a hand from that pocket, Umie claps as Joker lands down. "Ten out of ten. Perfect landing, perfect entrance. You got me." She shrugs, trying to bite back the thrill with a disaffected tone. "... You mind if I call you Detective-san for a little longer? You'll have to grow on me a little before I can think of you as Joker."
"As for how this night goes..." Her hand snakes back to her right pocket. "I'll let you take the lead. I admit... the letter was effective. But do you really see me as honorable?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"'One' of us?" Joker echoes, grin growing wider. He chuckles, rich and throaty. "I certainly can't deny the latter, at least."
For all that he's a phantom thief, he doesn't seem to take offense to being called 'Detective-san.' (It's a little flattering, and he can understand why she might not want to call him Joker.) He bows, one arm splayed to the green skies, the other bent across his chest, as he remains seated on the edge of the overhanging roof, in silent acceptance of Umie's compliment. He had seen the little chinks in Umie's behaviors at work before--but the biggest of all was, of course, that time he caught her and Katsuya Suou exploring Mementos. Of course, just seeing that she has a Persona was confirmation enough that she definitely is hiding something. But can he blame her? So is he.
"Not at all," he replies, sitting up straight. "After your... unfortunate encounter with the 'Joker Killer,' I fully understand your hesitation to acknowledge anyone else as 'Joker.'" He shrugs broadly and shakes his head. "I'd rather not be associated with that repugnant louse, myself--so I shall wait until you can think of me as the Joker, and he a sad but unfortunately powerful madman."
He rests his gloved hands on the edge of the roof, uncrossing and re-crossing his legs. He studies her when her question is about, of all things, if the Phantom Thieves think of her as honorable. "An unknown troupe of Persona Users ran to your aid, and in gratitude, you have offered information as your form of tit-for-tat. What is that sort of behavior if not honorable?" He pauses, deliberately; his eyes flick to her hands, though it would be nigh impossible for Umie to see that with the eerie moonlight at his back. "Unless you disagree?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
Damn it, Joker saw through Umie's ploy.
Her theatrics, despite her 'performance' as 'Butler-san', have been lackluster. Her eyes have kept on Joker the entire time; eventually, she begins to pace slowly, her side turned towards him.
"I'll hold you to it, then, Look forward to that day," she murmurs, grinning. "I'll make you earn it."
'Go ahead and preen your feathers up for him. I guess they won't have to steal what they already _have_.'
It's like a light was turned off; the grin, the coyness, all replaced with distance once again. Umie's face tilts downwards, the edge of her hood falling slowly, obscuring it from Joker's view.
"Do you see yourself as honorable, then?" she asks then, turning the question around. "Though... I'd say your team knows each other much better."
"I looked up a little about your persona," she says, holding up her left hand. "Arsène Lupin, master of disguise, gentleman thief." She begins, lifting a fingernail for each she begins to list, starting with Joker's own. "Goemon, an outlaw hero who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Carmen, a character of the opera of the same name, who stole and dominated the hearts of two men. Johanna..." This one is harder for Umie to pin down. ".... That one's a little harder."
(Unlike Ren, Umie just looked them up online; she'll get around to proper research eventually.)
"But you had another persona." She looks up then, her gaze distant. "If you are a gentleman thief, we should trade information, starting with my question."
It comes out again, that smile, open mouthed, reaching up with a twinkle in the eyes behind her painted mask. ".... It's only polite for a lady to go first, eh? Why do you have another Persona?"
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Joker chuckles again at Umie's bravado--but almost right after, it all fades away, leaving her cool and distant. His own smile fades as he observes this. The fall of her hood obscures her face, but there's a shift in her tone and her body language. He doesn't answer at first, which gives her time to describe what she researched about his and his friends' Personas.
Which is impressive. He's been checking out books from his school library about their Personas and getting better acquainted with them that way, so it makes sense that someone else might do something similar. He knows she's not attending college, though, so either she went to a local library or looked it up online.
But... he has another Persona beyond the gentleman thief. So it does logically follow that he might be more--or less--than a gentleman. And then Umie suggests that they should trade information, and that it's ladies first--if he's a gentleman.
"I am a gentleman thief--and it seems you're turning out to be quite the femme fatale, with these rather obvious attempts at manipulation. Might I remind you that information is what you offered us as thanks for us saving your life? We're merely here to collect what you freely offered. I don't mind a trade of information after that, but if you want us to continue to think you're honorable, you might consider honoring the original terms before trying to strongarm an exchange."
He is, at least, still smiling: an expression of nice try, but not nice enough. That's better than him being mad at her trying to get one up on him, probably?
"So, Umie Akabane-kun: what's all this business you have with Strega and the NWO?"
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
"Someone once said I don't seem to mind it." It comes again, slowly; that bravado, a willingness to jump aboard that stage Joker has set up and play along, like she did that night Joker Killer came after her.
To open up to the spotlight is just a little too dangerous for her.
Umie's shoulders shrug. "... It was worth a try, eh? <Alright>. We'll stick to the original agreement."
And on the very first question, Umie gives in, almost too easily; it's information she's already been wanting to give. She's no longer angled away from him. "Strega are the ones that operate the website that's run in darker circles than yours: offer a name, and they go and kill that person. It wasn't until the attack on Kasugayama High that any of us even knew they were togther with Old Maid--" She pauses. "... That's the codename others use for him." She holds up a finger. "I don't know much about Strega, but did you notice how they summon their Personas?" She mimics that Evoker to her head. "As for the NWO... if you're going up against people like Kaneshiro and the like... be careful."
The playfulness dies away to caution, nearing concern.
"I can't tell you what fingers they have and in where, but the higher up you guys go, the more likely you'll reach complications. One of their agents was there with us; she disappeared before we got to the battle with you. She was investigating Mementos as well, before that." She sighs. "It's why I didn't question it when you came and joined us. I didn't know she was one of their dogs when I first met her, however."
'Back to over-volunteering, I see~' _shut up._
".... Whether Kaneshiro himself is connected to them... I don't know. It could go either way, as I see it."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It was worth a try, eh?
"It was," Joker agrees amiably. He takes note of how she phrases the rest of that initial response, though: someone else said she doesn't seem to mind it. Hmmm.
He did notice how Strega summoned their Personas--as well as several others who were fighting against them. It wasn't something he could afford to pay much attention to at the time, but when he and Morgana reviewed the battle afterwards, those strange Persona-summoning guns were on both sides of the fight. Joker has no idea what that means, but he nods once at Umie all the same.
A darker website... Joker doesn't know what she's talking about, but maybe Mishima will. It's disturbing to think a site like that actually exists. The Joker Killer rumor is one thing, but... At least it's easy to see how the two are linked. And... an attack on Kasugayama High, huh. Joker did see something about that on the news. It was supposedly a fight between rival gangs, but if there was something supernatural involved, he's not surprised that didn't get reported.
'Old Maid.' Another codename. Appropriate for someone who's named himself for a playing card, much like Joker himself has--for all that it was Morgana's suggestion. It's good to know, anyway; it means The Phantoms themselves have something else they can call the Joker Killer--and if anyone else says the same name, they'll know who it is.
Meanwhile, the NWO... may or may not have some connection to Kaneshiro, but one of their members was plumbing his Palace. It sounds like they're a broad and mysterious organization, the way Umie describes them. If Umie knows one of their agents, though... Ah, but she clarifies she didn't know she was one of their 'dogs' at first. The fact that she calls them 'dogs' at all is telling, though.
"You seem to have quite a hostile relationship with them," he observes. "How did you get on both their bad sides? You seemed to have an idea the other night..." As for the NWO itself... Maybe we can try asking Shadow Kaneshiro about it after we steal his Treasure, Joker muses. We won't have a ton of time for that, though... "For that matter--are Strega and the NWO connected with each other? That guard Shadow said those of Strega were there as contract defense--but the Old Maid didn't seem all that invested in staying, considering he left once he got bored and brought his allies with him."
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
The amible agreement earns a chuckle from Umie, but the amusement doesn't last for long.
The NWO, as nebulous and clouded in mystery as they are, holds a particular place in Umie's heart, with both parts caution and hate hiding behind her polite smile. "I know enough about them to know that they'll want to know everything about all of you sooner or later, especially if Mementos holds secrets they can't figure out themselves. So..."
She breathes in; and, just a little, eases her right hand out of her pocket.
".... I don't know if I agree with everything you do, Detective-san. It scares me, to think someone could control me without me knowing. But all the same, the spirit all of you showed me these past two times makes me want to believe that all of you won't be tempted into using whatever ability you use for personal gain. It could change in the future, but..." She looks up, and, in a gesture that is worth nothing except in terms of symbolic value, she takes off her mask, hair peeking from her hood.
"Stupid thing's itchy as hell," she grimaces. "... I want you to succeed in spirit. Keep your identities hidden; they already have a file on me. They already know who I am, but _they don't know who all of you are_. Be careful, but... believe in the bonds you have with each other. Maybe that way you'll keep each other grounded. Being by yourself is... extremely lonely. I don't recommend it. "
This time, Joker offers information, albeit something that was said at that battle. She recalls this, her mask in her left hand, her other hand held to her chin. "That's probably something of a good sign. I'd hate to see them be loyal allies. Maybe on a mercenary basis?"
Her hand travels behind her neck, past her hood. God, her neck hurts.
"Also... Could we..." She looks to the side, as if mildly embarrassed to admit it. "...talk at an angle where my neck's not going to hurt tomorrow morning? I could get up there but it's not going to be pretty."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"..."
She's shifting her right hand again, Joker notes. He doesn't read into it; he simply takes note of it as what seems superficially to be a nervous tic. It might turn out to be a good tell. More importantly than that, as far as he can tell, is that this NWO seems to be a widespread organization that digs into the supernatural for unknown but not particularly friendly reasons. He also notes Umie's misunderstanding about the Phantom Thieves 'controlling' people, but he lets that one go for now. She seems willing to have faith in them based on how they actually acted and how they cooperate with each other, and that's good enough--especially when she takes off her mask in what appears to be a symbol of trust.
Well. She claims it's because it's itchy. Joker doesn't believe that, though. If there's some shadowy organization that's tracking Persona Users and the supernatural, and if they've been isolating her like she's implying, then it's no wonder Umie's paranoid and manipulative. Of course, that's all assuming she's telling the truth... But Joker's willing to give her the benefit of the doubt this time.
"That could be," he says. "What I don't understand is how they were 'hired' in the first place, and by whom. Normally, a Palace Holder doesn't know what happens in their Palace--they don't know what a Palace is at all. Junya Kaneshiro shouldn't know that any of us have been meddling in his--either me and mine, or you and yours. It's possible he's an exception somehow, but... if he were that aware of the supernatural, somehow I think his scope would be broader than scamming children." (High schoolers like him, really. But it blurs the radar more if he calls them "children.") He rests a hand on his own chin. "Who, then, hired Strega to protect him--and why?"
All very good questions for Umie to possibly discuss with Katsuya and whomever else she decides to talk to about it. Her request gets a low chuckle, though. "Very well, then--"
He slips his feet underneath him and launches himself into a flip off the rooftop awning. He lands in silent grace, coat once again splaying around him; then he rises slowly to his feet and tucks his hands in his pockets. He remains a respectable distance away from Umie, but from this angle, it's easier to see the intense look he gives her.
"On which note--who are all those other Persona Users who came in with you? You might claim to be by yourself, but at the very least, you're friends with that Officer Katsuya Suou." His smile is gone now. "You must expect that we Phantom Thieves aren't fans of the police. If the rest of you are similarly aligned..."
He doesn't think they are. It's entirely possible Umie was only there with that Katsuya fellow (and the NWO operative she claims left early) and everyone else was there by coincidence. Joker would rather hear what Umie has to say for herself, though.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
It's totally not because it's itchy. (But maybe, a little. But also not.)
"Yeah." Umie's expression is equally as flummoxed. "Oh, uh." She raises a finger again. "Another website to keep mind of. Darkside. Ancient BBS, but it's likely your best bet for rumors. Based in Sumaru City, full of information, a lot of rumors, a lot of bad ends. ... Just..." She makes a vague motion with her hand. "Maybe be careful with internet traffic."
(This is the same person whose missing phone likely presented no challenge for Akechi to get into.)
"There were threads on there that hinted about a lot of the things I've told you, but one thing they never, ever mentioned... was that." She frowns. "... It's not as if the NWO is the only organization that exists with power to pull something like that off... but given them delving into Personas..." She frowns. "It also said nothing about what my associate and I saw, that day--"
"He's doing that too?!" You hit a button, Joker. Tutor-sensei mode has been activated, if that sudden blip from Umie's emerging resonance signals anything. "_What the hell_... *kids*? I mean, I heard rumors, but!!"
As angered as she is, it gives Joker the space to make a graceful flip down.
"....." He'd have just enough time for see that clearly astonished look on Umie's face before she looks away, murmuring a soft, ".... show off..."
The level field may have been a mistake, Umie reflects, now more able to see the piercing look through Joker's mask as he asks his next question.
It isn't surprising, given how Joker reacted before to Umie's quip, in regards to Katsuya. "That one, at least, I'll come completely clean on," Umie starts, hunching down. "I tutored his brother, over a year ago. ... The NWO isn't happy about him either; one of their agents came demanding if I knew if other policemen with Personas. .... I don't want him to get killed, but telling him to stay out of things is like telling.... uh..." She rolls her shoulders. ".... like telling someone to not blink." Her quips can't all be winners.
"I was surprised that he was there, but not surprised that he involved himself. That's just the sort of person he is. The rest... they're connected to the Cardboard Dragon, out of Hirasaka Ward, in Sumaru City." This, in particular, she seems eager to reveal, now that she knows the other angle of Kaneshiro's dealings. "We can't change Personas, as you've likely figured out, but we can use Skill Cards to vary our abilities some. Myunghon is the owner, and that's a service they provide. Unfortunately, Kaneshiro seemed real keen on 'moving in' to the area, no matter if it's businesses like the Cardboard Dragon... or a school like Kasugayama."
She gives it a moment to settle, before adding, "He didn't realize he had kicked over a hornet's nest, with that. People from all other were there when he and his goons came in, including..." Her face falls. ".... For some reason, though... there was this weird image Myunghon and I saw. Or felt, more like. It was... like feeling when someone has a Persona, but not. But he wasn't aware of it. Something about, 'if someone has money, they're strong. And if they don't, they need to get out of the way."
This part, at least, like the earlier bit of information, seems to flummox Umie, even alarm her, in some ways. They clearly don't know a lot about Mementos and are playing it by ear.
Covering up that grimace with a cool expression, Umie continiues. "Anyway. I won't go and claim you need to trust anyone there, even me, for that matter. However," she begins, her lips spreading into a smile, "his hubris is what hit him in the ass. You'll likely need Myunghon's gathering of people to keep the hydra at bay. We're all up against a wall here; anyone with misgivings is more likely to look the other way if it means getting this scumbag to come clean."
She stands, and, taking a small step forward, holds out a hand. "Show them your justice, but don't let your mask slip for a second, Detective-san. We can't vouch for each other like you guys can. But we have the value of numbers."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Darkside. Joker hasn't heard of that website either, and he keeps that fact off his face. They have the Phan-Site, but that's just where Mishima collects people's requests to The Phantoms. A site where people discuss the supernatural outright... That could be very useful, or incredibly useless, with no in between. He'll just have to find out with his friends.
Umie calls him a show-off. He grins and dips into another sweeping, ostentatious bow. When he rises, he says, "That's right. It sounds like you know of his ill deeds in another fashion." But he won't push on that matter, at least not right this second; she has other things to share first. Like more about the NWO, and the police, and specifically police with Personas. She kind of is oversharing, but he doesn't stop her on that mark. It stands out to him that she says the NWO came to her to demand if she knows more police with Personas--in other words, she has a current connection with them, beyond merely being known by them. One she isn't happy about. He doesn't remark on that. That's something he'll have to be extremely circumspect about.
He also makes mental note of this Myunghon and their (their, Joker notes Umie saying) shop, the Cardboard Dragon. He'll have to look up the location later and see who can go check it, and them, out. (Them...! Their heart pounds. They keep this off their face, too.)
"Interesting," he says. "It appears to me like you and this Myunghon person sensed his Shadow. Have either of you encountered the other him in that gaudy bank? He is, as you might have guessed, the bank president. I'm curious, though--" He almost simply asks, but then thinks better of it; he quirks a slight smile, and when she approaches and holds out a hand, he does likewise--but not to shake. "Might I see your phone for a moment?"
If she refuses, he won't press. If she agrees, he'll only look at it long enough to confirm if it has the Meta-Nav app or not, then hand it back with no further remark on the matter. Instead, he chuckles.
"It sounds as though we have similar goals. Very well. I won't invite you and your associates to work with us--but we won't refuse your assistance if you happen to show up at the same time, either." Show them your justice, but don't let your mask slip for a second, Detective-san... He turns sharply, coat flapping in his wake. "As if we had any other intent."
He'll wait just long enough to see if Umie has anything else to say or ask.
<Pose Tracker> Umie Akabane has posed.
For all that Umie tries to put up her guard, it can be easy to get her to say something.
Especially when she's at the point that she's decided she likes a person. (.... Or wants to keep them safe.)
No one needs to make the same mistakes as her, especially the worst kind. If these Phantom Thieves keep true to themselves, she wants to see them vault over every error she's made trying to figure out things for herself.
"So that's what it was." She looks aside, considering, her hood sagging to one side against her head. "Like in Mementos, when we encountered that man who turned into a demon." That must have been a Palace they fell into, but it was far smaller, and certainly not as grand.
"Eh? Oh, uh, sure--" Umie, perhaps caught off guard by the question, reaches into her pockets. "... Let's see... uh..." She takes out a cheap phone: a burner phone, most likely, and hands it over.
"... Wait, don't put in your phone number!!" she hisses suddenly. "I just lost my last one!"
...... Yeah, Umie definitely likes Joker, if she's acting like this.
There is no Meta-nav on it; despite no comment on it, when she gains her phone back, she clues into what he was doing.
Oh. _Oh_. OH.
Umie's cheeks redden as she looks to the side. ".... If you're looking for that creepy app, you'll have to meet with Myunghon, not me. I'll leave it in their hands if they want to reveal who has it." She seems unaware of Joker's internal reaction to how she addresses Myunghon, but her sentence leaves it clear that those pronouns were no fluke.
.... As well as a reason why Joker may want to visit personally, later on.
"There's masks there," she comments. "But if they have abilities like me, it may not matter. ... Just be careful, okay? I don't know them that well."
He does that dramatic turn. Damn it, how does he do it?!
Umie has to wait a moment, just to think.
"... With everything I said before, if there's a chance I can help you guys out beyond this, though... I wouldn't mind it."
He wouldn't need to turn to hear the smile on Umie's face. "Catch you next time--" DAMN IT UMIE YOU ALMOST DID IT, "--Detective-san."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Joker shakes his head. "That wasn't a Demon. That was also a Shadow. They can just change shape into something more... aggressive, when they decide they wish to fight." She's technically right about them having fallen into a Palace... but she doesn't say that part aloud, so he doesn't think to clarify that point either.
He does laugh when she hisses at him not to put in his number--and louder too, a staccato 'fwahahaha!'. "You really are a femme fatale, Umie Akabane-kun," he says in open amusement. She figures out what he's looking for without him having to say it, though, and his shadowed expression turns neutral when she explains that it's Myunghon who has it. Either way, he hands the burner phone back without further remark.
He does note her warning, though--that she doesn't know them that well. ...Hmmm. That's good to note, too. That's also more consistent with the other things she's been saying. He nods once.
She 'wouldn't mind it,' huh? "Heh," he breathes, smirking. "We'll keep that in mind."
He touches a pair of fingers to his mask and salutes off it as she bids him farewell. Then he leaps up--lithe and graceful and FAR higher than any normal human being could do--and lands back atop the entry building rooftop. A dash down the wall and a few leaps later, and he's gone. And--is it Umie's imagination? There's a flash of other movement, retreating in a different direction. So there were other Phantoms there after all...!
Joker makes a point to dash off in the opposite direction of Yongen-Jaya, at that. He'll circle around, rendezvous with Morgana, who likewise left going generally away from Yongen, and walk home together once they're sure Umie is gone.