2026-07-21: Mujina and Oracle
- Log: 2026-07-21 Mujina and Oracle
- Cast: Ren Amamiya, Makoto Niijima, Hibari Aoki, Futaba Sakura, Ichika Kawase, Ryuji Sakamoto, Yusuke Kitagawa
- Where: Back Alleys - Leblanc Cafe
- OOC Date: July 21, 2026
- IC Date: December 13, 2012
- Summary: After changing Kenzo Aoki's heart, The Phantoms convene to hear Hibari and Futaba's decision on joining the team. It's more complicated than has been discussed before, something they make clear now--but that doesn't dissuade either of them.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
It's been a few days since The Phantoms changed Kenzo Aoki's heart--enough time for them to get in some rest, and more importantly, enough time to observe the effects of the change and confirm it was successful. He's changed all right, and so there's cause to celebrate on top of getting together to discuss Hibari and Futaba joining the team.
Ren leaves snacks duty to the others. After last time, enough of their friends told them they could handle that for them to decide they can relax and leave it to them.
"So, the change of heart was successful," Ren says once everyone who can make it today has arrived. They nod to Hibari, letting her give the details. Their gaze shifts from her to Futaba. "I asked you two before if you'd consider joining the team--but before you give your official answers," because Futaba answered way too quickly last time, "I do want to give you fair warning."
They turn a serious, even grim look to the room. "We have a lot of enemies. Not just the police, who want to catch us--not even Makoto's sister Sae, who's the prosecutor in charge of our case. There's Strega, the Wild Hunt, the New World Order, possibly SEES now though hopefully we can at least stay neutral with them..."
They look back at Hibari and Futaba. "And, specifically in the New World Order, the Ryouhara ninja clan, and Ruin, the one in the black mask. These guys in particular are murderers." Some (all?) members of Strega also are, but Ren isn't as familiar with them to say so with certainty. "Only last week... I saw Ruin blow a guy's head off." They bow their head, eyes briefly going out of focus. The nightmares have been easing up, but they most certainly aren't gone. "...It wasn't pretty."
The others have their own horror stories. Tsubasa in particular no doubt has much to say about the Ryouharas, which Hibari will already know, but Futaba sure won't. This isn't quite the 'talk to your friends about it' that Umie suggested they-as-Joker do, but... it's a start.
A deep breath later, and they fix their eyes on Hibari and Futaba again. "I don't say this to freak you guys out. I want you to know what you'd be getting into if you join us. All our enemies will become your enemies too. If that's more than you want to deal with, I understand."
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
</poem>
<Pose Tracker> Hibari Aoki has posed.
Kenzo's changes since the Phantoms performed a Change of Heart have been somewhat less public than some of their targets. There's no announcement on the news for him, for instance - even if he wanted to, he's not exactly a public figure.
But they're there, if you know what to look for.
Kenzo has apparently thrown himself into exam studying, not to avoid thinking about things but to give himself time to do so where he has an excuse to not talk to people. Since normally he does not bother studying much, simply assuming he'll pass, this was noteworthy.
On top of that, he actually vanished from class for a day, and the rumours are that he got into a significant argument with his parents - something that basically never happens, as he's been their perfect (to them)/spoiled (to everyone else) son. When he returned, he avoided about half of his old crew - the worst half, the ones that are (were?) the most like him, and some of whom also have family in the government. It's clear that he has encountered parental disapproval, because his motorcycle is MIA and he didn't crash it. And Kenzo *never* gets punished by his parents for anything he does to anyone... except going against them.
And more than that:
"He actually called me," Hibari says, by way of explanation. "I've got him blocked on *my* phone, and have since then, but it's not like my home number's changed... He *apologized*, and I didn't think he knew how. I didn't really know how to handle it," she admits, because she still felt like she was being run over a little bit; talking loud over someone who has a propensity to not bring up objections isn't something a Change of Heart changes. "But... it's different. I don't know what he's going to do from now. I still don't really want to deal with him."
But she can move on, and that's enough.
Hibari lets Ren lay down the facts other than that. She tenses for part of it, and her eyes widen pretty far at hearing about Ruin. Hibari doesn't always handle *personal* violence great, either. (Just ask Tsubasa and Ichika. It's why she joined the Thorn Gang in the first place... and why they never asked her to fight.)
What she says, though, is: "You know, I kind of already have some of those enemies," with a nod toward Ichika. "I'm with them, after all. I've fought the Ryouharas." She says nothing about Ruin, or about Sae, though she will remember both names. "And... I mean, if Kenzo's uncle is with the government, too - if Kenzo decides to go back to the police and tell him he lied, *after he got bailed out*, I don't think his uncle is going to be too happy with me, because he's not going to blame anyone else. And I think Kenzo was considering that, when he called me." Maybe that's what he was arguing with his parents over?
"And I know about Strega and SEES, and I've heard things about the New World Order too." Hibari would, paying attention to rumours both supernatural and otherwise. She doesn't know anything about the Wild Hunt, though, and her information about the details of all of the others are random and a little sketchy. They *are* rumours, after all, and information people would trade her.
"But... can I ask a question, too?"
Hibari does wait for a response before she asks it: "What's your goal? I mean, long-term. Do you have one beyond finding Palaces and fixing them? I know Mona has one, but I don't know if that's an, ah, group goal. And if you're going up against murderers - "
They have to have one, right?
<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
Futaba Sakura...
IS HERE.
It's not too surprising. She's got the least committed schedule, especially since both Ren and Morgana are usually not that active in the witching hour, which is when Futaba lives her secret NEET life.
(Anime. She watches anime. And plays shooting games, as Ren and Ichika have witnessed.)
As an early arriver, Futaba has been able to stake her claim, which is once again on the bed. She has her shoes off, so it's not gross, but she's brought up her feet, hugging her knees with every sign of comfort. Though she does seem to get more muted in terms of the amount of wiggling around and Morgana-bothering once others arrive, she doesn't shrink up much beyond the already defensive posture of her knees being up high enough to rest her chin on.
Ren speaks of what the deal today is.
First of all, the Change of Heart. Great success. Except it's not just a great success. Futaba's head turns to look at Hibari and she rests her chin on her right knee, which also means she's avoiding having the slightly slack-jawed expression she has often habitually assumed, thanks to hours and hours of screen time. Her eyes widen as she relates just *how* changed the heart was.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ms8rsIwvPo8
Futaba's head tilts to the side. She rocks back on the bed, then back forwards. It's about eight degrees of movement, but it's notable. She's not really looking at anyone as Ren's words hang in the air.
"..."
"I guess Aoki wasn't there... but the rest of you. You saw what was in my Palace."
Futaba rocks back again.
"... I meant what I said. I've seen the truth. I'm not going to lie to myself... or put up with anyone else lying either! These aren't some kind of happy little stories, like -- religion, or a novel, or whatever. People are getting hurt. People are dying."
Futaba turns her head to look at Ren. Her expression is hard to read. (Inwardly, Futaba is producing a slowly expanding crowd of 'aaaaaaaaaaaa' as flop sweat is sneaking slowly up her spine.)
"People are dead."
Her nose wrinkles to push her glasses back up her nose.
"... I'm not going to just sit there and let that kinda thing happen."
Futaba's tone softens. "But you guys..."
"You help people. I've seen it. I've seen it *twice*, and that's leaving aside the other cases. Kamoshida. Madarame! Kaneshiro, Kamiya... and now Kenzo Aoki. And that's leaving aside the mysterious Alibaba." That may have been a joke.
"Um... You get it, though, right? You... I mean... I know there's good adults," Futaba says. "Sojiro's a good person. Maybe he's not perfect, and smokes too much, and thinks those pink shirts make him look cool, but... ...and my mother! *She* was a good person. And..."
Her face reddens slightly. She's silent for several seconds, and finally sweeps out an arm!! Towards Hibari!?
"He CALLED her and APOLOGIZED! To her!! They all apologized! In public! In the most super humiliating way possible, right?! They broke down in tears! But you didn't just -- super-hypnotize them, because I didn't -- I mean -- I mean you can STOP them! They can *stop being bad people*, not because you beat them up or had to get the crappy police to arrest them, or, or because you killed them. I mean they -- they just -- they stop being bad."
Futaba hugs her knees a little more tightly. Her face is getting redder.
"... So that's why I didn't have to think about it," Futaba says, not looking at anyone. "Even if I didn't know about the ninjas until just now. I'd help even if I couldn't do anything but cheer you on."
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika today has met a dog, seen to a friend, and now, is seeing to other friends. She's gotten some rest and changed out of her uniform to come by and see everyone. There's room to celebrate!
As usual, Ichika defies the power of December by showing skin. Specifically today she's in a short skirt with thigh-high stockings, a skull tanktop, and a heavy jacket. Her nails match Tsubasa's wig of the day.
And she brought snacks! She made some cookies (chocolate chip) in the dorm kitchen.
"Yeah?" Ichika says to Hibari of how he called her, a little concerned immediately--but it seems it went all right. When she says she doesn't want tod deal with him, Ichika nods. "Right," she says. "That's... normal."
Ichika looks back to Hibari at some of those enemies. "I don't really want to fight SEES," Ichika admits, "If we can help it. My sister's one of them. But..."
"Fuck the New World Order, and fuck the Ryouharas." Notably she isn't so vicoous on Ruin, despite the fact that he just killed a guy.
But Hibari knows some... and has a question.
But then she looks to Futaba, as she says she won't lie, or let others lie, won't let it happen.
"I feel the same way," Ichika says. "Eiji... he was with the Order. And I won't stop 'til I've taken them down."
"But that's just me. For our goal in general, uh..."
She looks to Joker.
Then, "There are good adults though, yeah. My parents do their best. That reporter, Maya Amano. ...Even that one cop, Katsuya Suou."
"We're not on our own with the Order, at least. But all those other enemies..."
"We've got 'em. But we'll protect each other."
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji has secured a comically large bag of potato chips for the meeting. The blonde semi-quietly munches on said chips as he listens to the lead talk of the risks that come with the job. He nods along until his eyes bug out when Ren mentions that Ruin blew a guy's head off. "Woah...I didn't get this kinda of talk when I joined...Heh,kidding... but yeah, holy shit. He really did that?"
He looks over at Hibari and Futaba, trying to look serious as he contributes to this talk with 'his' side.
"So like I've been here since the beginning so I've seen what this life is about...Like, unfortunately, you can't really brag about it...and it's very--" He looks over to Makoto and smiling uneasily. "frowned upon if you talk about unnecessary stuff...Like it can be kinda a pain in the ass if you aren't about what we do. It's not like an anime or manga at all. There aren't any perks in doing this."
"But like, I'm all about this so if you are to--welcome aboard? Just be sure cuz we play for keeps. It's not like the student cops over at Gekkoukan..."
Shots Fired.
The punk resumes eating chips as he looks over to Ren and Ichika to gauge on how well he did. He guesses he inspired the youth to come aboard the criminal enterprise and assumes perfection.
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
Makoto was mostly running support and backup for the Kenzo Aoki mission, and much of her time has been wrapped up in, well, another of Principal Kobayakawa's boondoggles to try and salvage the school's reputation.
Also catering is important and if Ren IS trying to leave things to others, others have to step up. Makoto's brought healthy snacks, of course- a batch of rice balls because they're easy to make en masse, with a few different flavours this time (pickled plum, cooked tuna for the fish lovers, and plain) as well as buying some baked yams from a vendor she saw set up in the Yongen streets cause it's winter and they're a classic!
You need something healthy to contrast Ryuji's potato chip nightmare. (Also Makoto has developed some suspicions about Futaba's diet after seeing her room. Slowly ease her in to eating well.)
"I'm glad it worked," Makoto says, especially watching Hibari's reaction. "There's been talk from his classmates and teacher's that he's been applying himself more." ...Look, Makoto can use her teacher's pet status for good as well as evil. Hopefully things stay that way.
Makoto naturally winces when Ren brings up Sae, but it's true. She's just.... the closest threat- but in many ways the least likely to connect the dots.
Ruin just straight up killing a guy in front of Ren is... concerning, to say the least. "That's in line with what he's done so far, but... I didn't expect he'd act so openly in front of witnesses."
Futaba's given room to say what she needs, and there's a small smile on her face as Futaba is actually able to talk about her mother comfortably, instead of with all the distorted meaning hovering over her head. Heck, Ichika even lists some good adults. "They can't do what we can do, though. Even the ones with personas, we're the only ones who can perform a change of heart. There's the possibility Ruin does, but if so..." He sure seems to prefer a different method, at least.
Makoto shoots Ryuji one of those looks. "We need to be careful with our identities. If someone works out who one of us is, it's very easy to connect the dots." Makoto let's out a sigh. "...The fact that Sis is so busy investigating the Phantom Thieves is possibly one of the few things making it easier keeping my cover up." Even with Sae bringing work home all the time.
"...As I see it, we have three main goals: The first is reaching the heart of Mementos and discovering the reason the Metaverse exists- that's Ren's deal with Morgana, and going deeper into Memento helps us get stronger." Having listed that off, Makoto extends a finger on her right hand, as if counting it off. "The second is going after people that even the police and other persona users can't touch. People like Kaneshiro, or Kenzo. We can bring Justice to people who are hurting others and help their victims. As Phantom Thieves, that's our obligation." Another finger, as she moves to Goal three. "And our third and main goal is to find out who's behind the Mental Shutdowns and Psychotic Breakdowns, and put a stop to them. We have a suspicion- but we don't know if Ruin is operating on their own or for someone else. Either way, we'll have to face them and stop what they're doing." There's a pause from Makoto. "At the moment, though, Ruin's far stronger than we can manage. So we need to keep doing the other steps, until we can pin him down and interrogate him."
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
The golds and reds of autumn have come and gone, leaving only the bare trees of winter.
Yusuke has been hard at work preparing a lot of the decorations for his class's contribution for this upcoming inter-school Christmas Village event, but he's still made time to check in with his comrades - though his fingers do have the tell-tale indigo stains of someone who has been working with ink for most of the day.
... Yes, he did wash his hands, Makoto.
Sampling a pickled-plum rice ball, he listens carefully to the after-action report from Ren and Hibari, nodding slowly. "Calling you to apologise took courage," he points out to the latter. "Not the sort of thing someone used to his wrongdoings getting swept under the rug does."
Ren reviews recent events, and when he mentions Ruin's actions, Yusuke closes his eyes for a long moment. He opens them when Hibari asks what their goals are, and looks over to Makoto when she speaks up, nodding again. "I doubt I could have put it better myself." His gaze rests now on Futaba as she gives her answer again and explains why she didn't have to think twice about joining them. "I felt much the same way."
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
"Honestly, it's been like that for most of us," Ren says of not wanting to deal with the heart-changed individual. "As long as they're not hurting anyone anymore, it's live and let live."
They already know she's dealt with the Ryouharas, at least; after all, she's the one who helped them all find Tsubasa after they got kidnapped. They frown a little at Hibari's worries about Kenzo's uncle, but... they'll all cross that bridge if it forms. She's generally informed, though, and that's a good thing. Not that they expected anything less from her.
Morgana does have a long-term goal! Seated on the windowsill and in reach of Futaba-bothering, he looks pleased that Hibari remembers. (He absolutely had one of Makoto's tuna rice balls, minus the rice ball. Ren had a baked yam and a cookie.) Ren, though, blinks and glances at the group. (Concern crosses their expression as they notice Makoto wince, but refrain from making a big deal of it.) Ichika brings up Eiji in specific before meeting their eyes, but...
Fortunately, Makoto is here and extremely good at summarizing what they've been doing. Ren nods to her in silent agreement with Yusuke. "Ruin's definitely working for the NWO, and it sounds like he's got a boss he works for in there, someone he called the Silver Lion, but he's also said he does what he does because he enjoys it." They frown, eyes narrowing at the memory; then they shake their head. "Anyway. Kurou Ryouhara, the guy we fought, lives with Akabane-san, so I've been keeping an eye on him and his boss Shiryuu that way for a while." Something they've mentioned before, but reminders don't hurt. Not everyone keeps a daily diary like they do.
Futaba weighs in. There are good adults out there, just like there's rotten kids. She might not be fully comfortable being in a group yet, but the fact that she's here anyway to assert that she's definitely joining--that she's comfortable enough to talk about her mom--reassures them. They snort in amusement on the matter of Sojiro's pink shirts, but then their eyes soften, and they give Futaba a nod. "Thanks. Your powers are a huge help, so you're doing way more than just cheering us on--but I wanted to make sure you knew what you're getting into." They crook a brief half-smile at Yusuke and his support for Futaba before continuing, "You'll need a codename like the rest of us, then. Hibari's already got one, but d'you have anything in mind, Futaba?"
Ryuji jokes about not getting this kind of talk. Ren shoots him an exasperated half-smile of his own. "Ryuji." They soon shut their eyes as that smile fades. They mentioned it in the group chat, but they hadn't gone into the gruesome details--or how it'd affected them. Ryuji's surprise and Makoto's concern are well-warranted. "...Yeah. It shocked me. I knew he was dangerous, but... I've never..." They look away. "Seen someone die before, right in front of me."
Personally, they'd say that the satisfaction of meting out justice and getting back at the corrupt members of society is perk enough, but they're not going to argue that point. They know Ryuji craves recognition, and they don't fault him for it.
<Pose Tracker> Hibari Aoki has posed.
Hibari doesn't know what she'd do if Kenzo wanted to make it up to her by meeting her or something. She's been avoiding Shujin even while she's talking to people from it specifically so she doesn't run into him. And even if he's apologized, well, it doesn't undo that she's been sent to Kasugayama. Even if he goes to the police and says it was a lie, and his family *doesn't* quash it, and by some miracle her record is deleted...
Well, she's still been to Kasugayama. And Kasu has helped her, even if it was harder than she would have liked, sometimes. Without it she'd never have met Ichika and Tsubasa, and by extension everyone else - or if she did, it would be under different circumstances. She gives Ichika a thankful smile for the backup.
"It did," she accepts from Yusuke. "I wasn't expecting him to, Change of Heart or not. I thought I'd never hear from him again, and the only way I'd know anything had changed is from those of you who attend Shujin. He had to remember my home phone number, too - I mean I gave it to him, back then, but I didn't think he would have kept it."
Hibari appreciates Makoto's explanation, too. It's enough to explain some things to her. "I can agree with all of those," she says. "It's... not right that people get away with that kind of thing. If we can fix it, if we can help people, the way you helped me... I can't find any problem in it." And Futaba seems to agree, though - since she does not yet know all of Futaba's details - some of the details are probably lost on her. (She had a Palace? is the primary thing she is thinking right now. But nobody seems to think she did anything wrong...)
"I think it's easier if people don't know," is Hibari's perhaps not-that-surprising response to Ryuji. "I've found it to be, anyway. Actually, that's something I can offer all of you."
She pauses a moment to think of how to put it. "I'm Rumourmonger Hibari, at Kasugayama," she says, a moment later. "People come to me with rumours, and information. Some of those are supernatural rumours. I tell people I don't have a Persona, but I know people who do, and one of them - Mujina - works for me. Like they're - we're? - two separate people."
"Some people - like me, like you - can't be detected as having a Persona when you aren't in cognitive space, so people believe me. They can just look, and if they're the right kind of sensitive, see that I don't have one! Because they can't find Danzaburou. Anyway, I'm not the only rumourmonger who knows about the supernatural, even a lot about it, and that includes ones without Personas. Rumourmonger Chikarin, over at Seven Sisters, is the same way. Except I think for her it's legit," Hibari adds, thoughtfully. She is *pretty* sure Chika isn't concealing supernatural powers.
"So I can be 'out' in a way you can't, *without* being assumed to be a Phantom Thief, or even that I have a Persona myself. People know they can talk to me, Hibari, about supernatural things and I'll believe them. That I hear things, even from demons, without having a Persona." Hibari smiles, a little uncertainly. "It's not a lot, but it's something. You can use me as a go-between when it has to do with Sumaru, because of it. And I can pass messages on your behalf. I can say I got it from Mujina, or from someone else."
She glances over toward Futaba. "I actually did think about it," she admits. "A lot. I wasn't sure, for a while. I think I am now. I'm in it, if you'll have me. And you're right; I come with my own codename. I'd rather not change Mujina." A beat. "As for you... um. UFO? No, that doesn't work, it's too awkward. Alien?" She's thinking of the Necronomicon here. (The association with Alienware is, sadly, lost on her.)
<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
Futaba listens to the others. SEES, somehow, is something she knows very little about. Mostly that it exists. She is probably going to call them a bunch of nerds when she meets them, not least because Ryuji is negatively polarizing her impressionable mind.
Ichika doesn't seem to have a specific end goal. Futaba adjusts her glasses, this time with her actual hand, and listens. She keeps not facing the others, although when Ryuji speaks, she turns her head towards him. The flustering seems to be reducing.
Ryuji then looks towards Ichika and Ren for approval. While Ryuji does this, Futaba leans over and slides her legs to the other side of Ren's bed for the sake of counterbalancing as she leans...
leeeeans...
leeeeeeeeeeeeans...
Her index and middle finger come together like chopsticks on the corner of the bag and it is lifted slightly and pulled away. Within a standard Federation second, Futaba is back to her upright squnched posture, but now with a bag of potato chips.
*crunch*
Futaba shifts around somewhat as she eats Ryuji's chips. From the bag, that Ryuji bought. She is absolutely able to see the perfectly decent and probably quite tasty rice balls. That's for later, possibly.
Makoto has a more detailed sketch of the plan. "... Ruin killed my mother," Futaba answers her, more quietly but with gravity in her tone, "and that means her research has to be connected... whether because she was too close or because... That said, in her case, I can rule out anything like the stuff you guys do. The only suspicious character she knew was Sojiro."
... are they all suspicious
Ren's updates on the ninjas get her to actually turn her head around fully. Why not just sit facing the right way? Because. Her glasses slip slightly, and then there's a more grave topic raised.
A code name.
Futaba's mouth stops, mid-crunch.
FUTABA METER LEVEL CHANGELOG:
99% - 91%: walking to leblanc
91% - 90%: waiting around for people to show up
90% - 88%: everyone coming in
88% - 41%: that impassioned li'l speech she did
41% - 42%: stealing food
42% - 35%: Advancing idea regarding the case
35% - 8%: having to think of a code name
Her eyes cut towards Hibari behind the glasses as she makes proposals. Futaba draws the half-crunched chip into her mouth and chews it, in lieu of an immediate answer.
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
"I dunno," Ichika says to Ryuji. "You did get one girl out of it. So it's not like there's no perks." She grins. "...But nah, you're right. We can't go bragging, and we shouldn't go talking in ways we don't need to. She's right; we gotta keep our identities secret."
Makoto, that is.
And she's also right about, "True. They can't. Amano-san's even got a Persona, but she doesn't know how to change hearts... and that's probably best. The more people know, the more chance the wrong people find out, right?"
But Makoto goes into their goals, and Ichika nods. "Ah, yeah. That's it." She shakes her head. "He's too strong... I don't know how we even get there. But we have to try."
And Yusuke... Ichika slides a cookie over to him. That boy needs feeding.
The Silver Lion... Hm. "Oh--you've got eyes on the Ryouharas?" Ichika shakes her head. "Can't believe Akabane-san is willing to live with one," she mutters. "But I guess you're getting useful intel..."
But she quiets, at the matter of killing her mother. "...I think he killed my brother, too," Ichika says quietly. "if he's the one behind the Mental Shutdowns."
She smiles at Futaba, though. And then back to the others.
She chimes in at the matter of a nickname after Hibari, "Saucer!"
Pause. "Green?"
<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.
Ryuji stares as Ren seems to come undone, suddenly feeling like an ass. He sighs and tries to reach a hand across to their shoulder reassuringly. "It's ok, dude. I don't think any of us would be any better...Sorry I made light of it."
He does smile when Ichika mentions winning her over. "For real? You mean it wasn't my winning personality?" Without thinking, he goes for some chips but finds only air.
Ryuji then hears munching and crunching, turning to see Futaba with the chips he aquired using his salary. Can a Phantom Thief feel robbed because thats how Ryuji feels right now!
"I dunno...it was pretty spooky how you just teleported my chips so 'Spook' could be an interesting codename?"
<Pose Tracker> Makoto Niijima has posed.
It's fine, Ren. Makoto's just still struggling with being diametrically opposed to Sae. The fact that a big deal is not made is appreciated. She updates her mental notes on Ruin as Ren confirms things for her. Unfortunately, physical notes are way too risky, even if they're better for retention. "...We have to assume the Ryouharas will oppose us by default until proven otherwise," Makoto says in a manner that sounds perfectly reasonable and level, despite the face that she very clearly still wants to smash their faces in. "We know they have some obsession with Tsubasa-kun in particular, and know their identity, but I don't know if that is likely to extend to the rest of us yet. Nevertheless, going after one of us is going after all of us."
Makoto's eyes focus on Ren again, and she looks more than a little worried. "...Are you okay? I know that sort of thing can mess someone up." Not first hand, admittedly, but the stories her dad told her about what it did to some people on the force.
"Exactly," Makoto says to Hibari's assessment of their goals. "I can't imagine standing by anymore, now that I have the power to help others." Makoto does, however, blink a bit at Hibari laying out her rumourmonger status. "Is that really how it happens in Sumaru? I know rumours can come true there, but people trade information too? That could be a huge help, especially for targets outside of Tokyo..."
Futaba does her masterful chip thievery, and Makoto is shocked by such snackery sneakery. Is... is that a thing people just do...? "You should probably pace yourself on those, there's a lot of carbs but not necessarily nutrition, not to mention the fats and oils..." Makoto can't help herself, really...
Still, as Futaba gets more serious, Makoto nods. "...Yeah. He has the capability to enter the metaverse and kill his target while making it seem unconnected- and he clearly has the backup to forge evidence. He clearly has a support network, or is manipulating one. His connection to the NWO is the most logical reason for that." She's being a little delicate, at least, but still somewhat blunt. "It's hard to say how many victims he has..."
Indeed, Ichika mentions another potential victim, and Makoto realizes she hadn't heard that before. "Do you... know why he would have been targeted? With Futaba's mother's research into Cognitive Psience, that makes sense why they'd go after her- is it possible your brother had any connections like that?"
Ryuji clearly needs to work on his anti-thievery, or his own thievery. Anyway, a thief who is stolen from has no recourse but to steal it back. ...Makoto is not explaining this part. And if Ryuji appeals to authority in this case, he would simply be a terrible narc...
"...Alien?" Makoto asks, trying to reach for something. "I know there's all that conspiracy stuff about aliens building the pyramids. Or maybe something egyptian like... Pharoah?"
Makoto is suddenly realizing that this is hard. No wonder Ann somehow came up with 'Destroyer'....
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Ren nods to Hibari as she brings up her status as a Sumaru Rumormonger and how she's already set herself up to be able to gather information without raising suspicion. "Yeah. That'll be a huge help. Actually, there's something I'd like you to look into if you haven't already--that rumor that's started going around about the old Ryouhara princess and how the Akabane family is supposedly descended from her." They narrow their eyes. "Akabane-san thinks someone in the NWO spread that rumor on purpose. I want to find out where it came from."
Then they crook a smile at her. They know 'if you'll have me' is just a formality at this point, but they still reply, "Of course."
Ryuji rests a reassuring hand on their shoulder, and Ren shoots him a grateful look and a slight shake of the head. "It's fine. It's hard to really get it if you haven't seen it yourself."
They sober. They'd say, I hope none of you ever do, and they would and do mean it, but at the very least, Futaba already has, huh... Tsubasa too, since they were there when Ruin murdered the Old Maid. They glance at the former in concern, in case the conversation is bothering her, but then Makoto asks after their mental health. Even though this is precisely the reason they brought it up, they hesitate.
"...I've been having nightmares," they admit quietly. "It's starting to get better, but..." They trail off, unsure of how to finish the sentence.
Ichika talks about how only The Phantoms know how to change hearts. "Exactly," Ren tells her. "We can't risk that." Then they nod on the matter of the Ryouharas, though it's followed by a slightly nervous smile on her comment on Umie. "She's... very fond of Kurou and Shiryuu. And they're very fond of her," he says delicately. "I wouldn't be surprised if that Ryouhara princess rumor is actually retaliation. It started going around right after the Mizunagi incident--right?" He looks to Hibari for confirmation.
Futaba reveals something she hasn't mentioned before, though, and while Makoto's able to take it in stride, Ren's eyes go wide. They don't doubt her--it would explain a lot--but they still wonder, "How did you find that out for sure?" Their eyes then narrow when Ichika says that Ruin may have killed her brother, too. Makoto already asks the most relevant question, so they murmur, "And if he really is the one who targeted Tsubasa..." Ruin hasn't owned up to being behind psychotic breakdowns too, but The Phantoms have already hypothesized that they might be another form of change of heart.
Futaba then calls Sojiro a suspicious character. If this were an anime, Ren would be sweatdropping right now. They already pretty much are after her gross theft of Ryuji's snacks. Despite sitting like a certain detective, she takes a potato chip... and she eats it!!!
The others suggest codenames for Futaba. Ren mulls on ideas themself too, since she doesn't immediately say anything for herself. Makoto suggests something Egyptian, and he nods thoughtfully. "Maybe something from mythology. If something Egyptian's too on the nose, it could be Greek or Roman instead--something from that area."
<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.
THE JUDGEMENT OF FUTABA
Having finishes her chip, Futaba answers Hibari. "A new type of human isn't an alien." Another chip is taken up. "UFO isn't technically accurate, either."
Even if it's identified, it's still a UFO...
"Too Featherman," Futaba judges Ichika's contribution. Then she looks over at Ryuji while eating another chip. Another chip he paid for. She basically just took three yen from his pocket and put it in her mouth. Alright, more like 1 yen 20 sen, but it's the principle of the thing.
After crunching up Ryuji's precious wages, and swallowing them, she says: "Bad energy."
"Already ruled," on Alien 2: Tokyo Drift. And maybe Makoto's sinking in to Futaba with her worrying over fat, salt and oil, because she doesn't eat any more potato chips just now. Maybe she's getting into it. "Those shows are debunked." Pharaoh seems to be getting considered...
"Too royal." pshhoww
After a quiet admission, Ren makes their suggestion. And even then, it's not so much a specific guess as a broad range. Futaba actually sets the chips down (Ryuji this is your cue) in order to muse. "Hm."
She mumbles to herself. Those with acute ears or who are leaning in can hear her musing to herself. She said something about Athena (too aggressive) or Owl (feels wrong), then something else about...
Futaba lifts her head.
"Oracle," she states. Reaching up to adjust her glasses, she says, "With my vision, I'll guide you all to victory."
Futaba then frowns.
And takes off her glasses, in order to clean them on her shirt, because she just got chip grease on 'em. POTEST: XTRA GREASY
She gestures with them in the direction of the blur that spoke with the voice of Ren Amamiya. "I lived with her. I knew her habits pretty well." Which seems to make her more melancholy, but she does keep speaking. "How she'd get up early to make me a boxed lunch every day. How she was in meetings and on phone calls, how she'd settle in at home with a big mug of tea and get right back to work until after midnight..."
"..."
Futaba lifts her head up a little. "... Rice ball." She reaches out a hand for something more wholesome than chip.
<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.
There is little Yusuke feels he needs to say on the other matters, though he does graciously accept Ichika's proffered cookie.
Between her and Makoto he might have a more healthy diet in, say, two-to-three years...
Codename suggestions for Futaba bounce around the room, and he scrunches up his brow in thought. As he opens his mouth, though, Futaba says 'Oracle' with a firmness, and he closes his mouth, nodding in approval.
Then, he looks to Hibari. "I would dearly like to hear more about this rumour phenomenon, it sounds fascinating."
<Pose Tracker> Hibari Aoki has posed.
"People trade information all the time!" Hibari is happy to explain a bit about rumourmongery to Makoto. "Some of it's, well... not relevant to you. I hear a lot of local gossip, of course, and places to buy things you might not otherwise think to, and other weird things. Like, there's a sweepstakes in Miracle Magazine, and if you're really lucky, you can win spell cards. I have an open offer to trade for those; that's how I get most of mine, since to most people they just look like weird curiosities or some kind of card game. I also know things like - oh. Things like where there's a booth where, if you buy a scratch-off ticket, you will *never win*. Not even the little prizes that are worth less than the ticket! They never get sent any cards that do. Somehow."
"But sometimes it really is something you might want to know. Where the demons are most active, or least. Like, there's a store that has demons drop in, where you can't summon your Personas because the *demons* spread a rumour that you can't. And a different rumour that Jack Frost will sometimes trade you a spellcard you can't get anywhere else, if you make him happy, which is true; I got it. One of the ones I've heard lately is a rumour of haunted books at Seven Sisters; I got that one from Chikarin so it's apparently legit, too."
Hibari hesitates, then: "There's one about the Ryouhara, actually." Which Ren apparently knows... "I don't know if it's retaliation. But it is weird. It's the kind of rumour - I mean, it's not an urban legend like, say, the haunted books, it's not something any demons would have started, it's not the kind of thing that just comes up in conversation ... it doesn't feel organic, I guess? Generally the more complicated it is, the more likely it is someone started it. And sometimes that's fine. But sometimes it means someone really wants it... Anyway, I haven't spread that one myself. But I know it, and you're probably right, someone spread it on purpose." she agrees with Ren. "I can try to find out where and when it started, but sometimes that's hard, after the fact. Especially if they tried to leak it quietly."
Hibari shakes her head. "But that's what a Rumourmonger is. Hearing what's the word on the street, and deciding whether to spread it, or ignore it, or to work against it. It's just not always supernatural. Uh, I also end up talking to a lot of Kasugayama students," she adds. "Our new counselor is OK - actually he's pretty good! - but a lot of students there don't trust adults. Talking to me is safer. Those I'm not sharing. Sometimes people just need to get things off their chest." Because that was told to her in confidence! Hibari likes knowing things and while she also likes gossip, she doesn't *have* to. Sometimes just listening, or one word to the right person, is enough.
She didn't know Futaba's mother was killed. And over research... the same way Ichika's brother died? Hibari doesn't quite jump in her seat, but she does look over sharply, and then seems concerned. Well, she did say she sometimes did counseling, sort of; maybe it's related. Same with Ren, and the nightmares. She might have more to do about *that* here than she thought. The Phantom Thieves always seemed like they had it together, to her.
Yes, even you, Yusuke. He's weird, but Hibari understands artists. She has already decided he needs a proper meal at one point when she has time and a kitchen. Only fate and timing has prevented this.
"Green would be kind of weird," Hibari says, thoughtfully. "What if we saw something else green? Like a green giant?" Is that a thing? She's pretty sure that's a thing. Oracle, though... "I like it," she says, after a moment's thought. "I mean, not that whether *I* like it means as much as whether you like it does!"
"So, Oracle it is!"
<Pose Tracker> Ichika Kawase has posed.
Ichika knows what it's like to watch someone die in front of you... but she doesn't want to get into that with the group. Not right now, anyway. Still, she looks at Ren. Then... Hmm. Nightmares... "Hey," Ichika says quietly. "Let's talk later."
But only the Phantoms can do it. Umie, though... Ichika frowns. "Huh," she says. "That's... something." Fond of each other... "Guess even assholes have people they care about."
And Makoto asks. Ichika shakes her head. "He didn't," she's quite sure. "...The Order was trying to pressure my father for something. I don't know what. But instead of going after him, they went after his son. ...Whatever it was, I believe..." She bites her lip. "He's a good man. He didn't do what they wanted."
Suspiciousness!! Ichika sees Ryuji chipless and laughs. "Have a cookie," she suggests.
Alas, though. Her suggestion is 'Too Featherman'. But what Futaba comes up with...
"Nice," Ichika says. "That's cool."
Jack Frost. Ichika makes a face. She doesn't like Jack Frost...
But she smiles at Hibari, anyway. "Sumaru's just like that. I'm glad we've got you to think about it."
"And can confirm--Hibari-chan never spills secrets she's been given." But then...
Ichika rises--to also take a rice ball. And get Futaba one too, if she's being LAZY.
<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.
Oracle, Futaba decides on. The one who will guide them all to victory.
"Perfect," Ren replies with a smile.
Ichika meanwhile leans over to tell them they should talk later. They give her a curious look, but nod.
Ren is very good at seeming like they've got everything together on the surface. Part of that is how they tend not to volunteer personal information--when they do, it's usually because someone else gave them a push, gentle or otherwise. They've got plenty of their own problems, though. This isn't the first time they've had nightmares over Phantoms-related things, just the first time they've brought it up.
But that much, they won't mention. Hibari's got her work cut out for her.