2026-10-10: It's All or Nothing

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<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.

    Mementos, Shibuya Entrance

    Kasumi and Morgana are returning from another training session.

    "We're doing really good, Mona!" Kasumi says cheerfully. She's tired, but beaming from another successful Mementos run. "I think we're really getting the hang of working together like this!" She's really starting to believe that just the two of them will be able to make it through that mysterious palace together! A second Phantom Thieves group should draw attention, and that should get Mona further into the depths, she hopes.

    But... There is still something that bothers her. Is this really the right thing to do? To work around The Phantoms? And what of Amemiya-senpai...?

    That question might just be about to get answered, as the pair climb the escalator steps. Because she's taller, Kasumi spots a group waiting for them. "Ah...! Joker-senpai! Everyone...!" She calls out, if only to prepare the Mona for what awaits for him soon. "What are you all doing here?" She asks, gently.

    Kasumi can already guess. To bring Mona back in the fold, she assumes. And if that's the case... What should she do? Trying to stay out of it again is cowardly, but that means she has to pick a side. Hurting Amemiya-senpai and the others, or going back on her promise to Mona.. There's no good answer.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    "We are!" Mona agrees as the two head up from the depths of Mementos. "Good work out there, Belle! You've come a long way already! Now we just need to finish up that grappling wire and that mystery Palace's Treasure is as good as ours!"
    
    He tenses when Belle spots and calls to The Phantoms at the top of the escalator. However, given all the encounters he's had with their members over the last couple of weeks--in particular with Ann just the other day--he's ready for this. His paws are folded and his head held high by the time he crests the top.
    
    "So you guys did show up. I was wondering when it'd happen," he comments, glancing briefly over at Panther. His tail undulates, but he lets Belle's question rock, his tiny heart already beating faster with anticipation.
    
    Joker, for their part, has been waiting, facing the escalator as they lean on the wall, along with their other friends. One of them had spotted Morgana and Kasumi heading into Mementos, and Ann and Hibari had confirmed that Morgana was still after the Treasure of that new Palace in Odaiba, so they'd called everyone else to wait at the top of Mementos to talk to the two.
    
    Could they have gone into Mementos after them? Sure. There was a chance that they'd miss each other doing that, though, so Joker had made the call that they'd sit tight and wait at the exit for the two to leave. After all, Ann had told everyone what Morgana had said: if they all came together and asked him to come back, he'd hear them out.
    
    They step forward, tails of their coat billowing with their momentum, to face Belle and Mona. Joker gives a discreet nod to the former. "We wanted to talk." Their gaze sinks to the latter. "Mona... Won't you reconsider leaving? If there's problems with our deal, we can work them out."
    
    Mona frowns. However, rather than responding immediately, he glances at Panther and the others. 

<Pose Tracker> Hibari Aoki has posed.

Hibari's talk with Morgana had gone, by her estimations, about as well as it could have, and it taught her a lot about what was going on - she was missing some context from having joined so late. She'd kept her eye out for him since, but not intentionally gone hunting - she did not want to crowd him, after all. She'd also not shared most of it with the other Phantoms.

But she did tell Ren at least that she'd met Morgana and he looked okay, and that Morgana was still apparently going after the new Palace with Kasumi. She was a little concerned about that - doing things with just one or two people was rough, regardless of how skilled you are; she remembers that from her time as a solo agent.

So Mujina came along with Joker to Mementos. She hasn't met Belle like this, even though Kasumi has met Hibari at Leblanc, so for her benefit, Mujina has a broad mask in the same reds and whites as Fox's; hers has stripes that go up from the cheeks and over the eyes in a wide arc, and wider, more triangular ears with red along the outside, the mujina of her namesake. Her trench coat is belted around her waist, open below that with black leggings and high boots, and trimmed at the collar with white fur.

"We came to talk," Mujina says, echoing Joker without meaning to; she looks a little amused at the doubled line, but ends up making a sheepish smile for repeating them. "I know it sometimes gets a little awkward to meet in here, but it was by far the easiest way to find you."

(It helped that Mujina could tell when Morgana was getting close. Thanks, Danzaburou.)

To Kasumi, she adds, "Sorry to interrupt your training like this." At least they're probably done if they're up here again. 

<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.

Ryuji isn't very pleased to see Morgana but he was sure the feeling was mutual. While Ichika had talked some sense into him, he still knew he was going to have to have a man to man with that stupid fool one of these days.

 Still, that wouldn't happen if this idiot stayed gone.

 So Skull is pretty much standing behind everyone, keeping his eyes mostly on the surroundings. Never knew when something would jump out at you.

 Fucking Jump scares man.

 But he does look over at Belle, smiling slightly.

 He DOESN'T glare over at Morgana unless that little jerk starts it.

 Instead of talking, he hums the theme song to some anime he heard at work, quietly, as he places his hands behind his head. He is really trying to give Morgana some space before putting himself in the mix. 

<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.

Ah...! Joker-senpai! Everyone...!

Everyone. Panther - Ann Takamaki - numbers among that everyone today, standing there at the entrance of Mementos. Pink gloved hands folded against each other and pressed to the small of her back, she's been waiting near the wall the Phantom Thieves' leader occupies, having spent most of the time waiting for those two familiar silhouettes to ascend those escalators worrying at the bottom corner of her lip.

She and Morgana had talked, the other day. She wouldn't say it was... painless. Some pain was simply unavoidable. But at the end of it--

"Ah! Guys -- guys! They're here!"

She had come out of with a resolution. And an agreement.

She's anxious. But she's also indomitably positive, too, as her right hand unlatches from the left so she can wave down the two approaching splinter (sort of) thieves. "Belle! Mona! Over here!"

Joker and Mujina both explain why they're here. And as Morgana greets Ren's request with silence, Ann looks between the others before taking a firm step forward.

"... We need you, Mona," she says, firmly. It's a repeat of the words she offered him before... but it's no less true than it was then, either.

Behind that red panther's mask, Ann looks back towards her fellow Phantom Thieves from Ren all the way to her eternal squabbling partner (affectionate), Ryuji. "Right??" 

<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.

 
Oracle is with the other Phantom Thieves as Operation Watch and Wait commences.

Oracle has been trying to lean against something for a couple of minutes. She had her goggles down; this is, mostly, to hide her eyes, because she feels...

She doesn't know how she feels.

Futaba does not have a very large baseline for how she understands a lot of aspects of the world. She lived, in large part, with a single other touchpoint leavened by the occasional interaction with people outside of that space. Then the single touchpoint changes... settled again. Now there's a *lot* of people.

Which means a lot more connections. If you only have hydrogen and oxygen, there's only a couple of possible configurations that can be established. But once you have the entire periodic table, it's still easy to think it's just one thing. At least, that's the analogy Futaba has tried to unwind in her mind, and if it's not a very good analogy, that's just how it goes.

"They're coming," Oracle had said a few moments ago, straightening up afterwards and fidgeting in place for a moment. Belle is greeting them first, and then...

Oracle looks at Mona. The red lenses, implacable, artificial, concealing, have no remorse, no blink or glisten to them. Even Mona's own expression in his true-er cognitive form is incredibly emotive; right now, Oracle's actual face is veiled by both goggles and the anomalous shape they create.

"..."

"....."

Mujina speaks. Oracle's lips draw back just the slightest bit from her teeth.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

"... Mona."

Another pause.

Her mouth tightens...

"I'm sorry I ate your tuna!!!" Oracle half-screams, her hands spreading behind her as she leans forwards slightly - no, wait, she's bowing, it's just at a clumsy angle. "I didn't mean to!! I'll buy you as much - as much sashimi as you can eat! I'll stay up early and take you to the fish market so you can pick it out and you can eat it til you get sick!! Just --"

Oracle stops.

She straightens up.

She takes two steps to the left and slinks behind the concrete pillar she had been leaning against, takes another step and a half to be semi-hidden from both the Belle/Mona Combi and the rest of the Phantoms, and rests her head against the pillar. The good thing about the goggles hiding a lot of the face is that between that and the eerie red-litten gulfs of Mementos, it's hard to tell just how red she turned! 

<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.

When prompted, Ryuji looks up at Ann, blinking as he suddenly doesn't comprehend what's being asked of him. Then a millisecond makes him look down at Morgana and soften his expression. "Yeah...Come on, dude. We want you back...." He doesn't try to fight...He doesn't try to make any sudden moves. He just wants this over with. 

<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.

It's rare that Shadows make their way up to the highest echelons of Mementos, but Fox has taken it upon himself to stand sentinel for the team just in case, a little further down from them. This isn't strictly necessary, considering that they have two Navigators here, but it helps him a little to stand apart from the group and gather his thoughts.

When Belle and Mona approach, he nods to them, pulling back to the rest of the Thieves to let the others speak up first.

"... We're missing a piece without you, Mona," he adds his voice to the chorus. "I can't claim to understand exactly how or why that's true, but it is self-evident."

<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.

    As the Phantom Thieves start to plead with Mona, Belle... is filled with strange feelings. She nods to Mujina - though she isn't quite sure who this newcomer is. "It's okay, we just finished up." She replies sweetly. "It's good to meet you! Um, what's your codename? I'm Belle."

    Belle gives Ryuji a little wave! She can easily imagine Ryuji being the happiest out of everyone in this situation. Not that that's bad, but... Well, she wonders if Belle and her sister could ever be like that too.

tAnn meanwhile, seems like the more excitable member. That's pretty normal, but it is a relief to see that it isn't just Joker-senpai who needs Morgana back.

    Where does that leave Kasumi though? Not in with the Thieves, not with the Persona Users. She doesn't know what she wants to do yet, but...

    Next is Oracle. The other redhead gushes with apologies, and it makes Kasumi giggle just a little bit. That's pretty sweet.

    Yusuke gets a nod returned. Short, simple, and earnest. Not bad.

    "Mona?" Kasumi looks over to her partner-in-not-really-crime. She's really trying to make her complicated feelings show, but she's feeling a little... She doesn't know. Jealous? "What are you thinking...?"

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Joker too shoots Mujina a brief, slight smile, but nods at her addition as they look back at Mona and Belle.
    
    Panther reiterates that they need Mona. A 3-shaped smile slowly curls up on his face. "You do, huh?" It fades as she focuses on Skull. "Is that right, Skull?" he adds warily. Mona had been projecting how he thinks Skull feels about him when he told him he hates him, but it's not like these two like each other.
    
    So when Skull actually agrees, he softens too. Time and time again, he'd assumed everyone would hate him after he blew up, but even Skull isn't holding a grudge, it looks like. "You do? Huh..."
    
    Oracle draws his attention, first with his codename, then by bursting out unexpectedly, all but begging for forgiveness about eating Mona's sushi. He leaps three feet in the air in surprise. "O-Oracle?!" Still, as she hides herself in embarrassment, it's clear that Mona's softened up significantly as he settles. "Aww, Oracle..."
    
    Fox weighs in with significantly more dignity on just why they all need him. Noir, who is also here, nods firmly in agreement with him as she steps forward, hands clutched to her chest. "Mhm! We miss you, Mona-chan."
    
    Mona's tail curls as he beams at the two. This might not be the everyone that he'd told Panther to gather, but he's already spoken to Ogre and Phoenix; he knows how they feel. "Awwwww, you guyyys!" Belle prompts him, and he purrs, "Hmmmm, what should I do~? If you all really need me that badly, maybe I should..."
    
    For all that Joker does agree with their friends, and even relaxes when Skull goes along with Panther, they don't smile at Mona's reaction. Their dark eyes flick towards Belle; there's something about the way she trails off like that, too. They look back at Mona. "...And our deal?"
    
    Sure enough, that question punctures Mona's growing good mood. Still, he doesn't look angry--he looks troubled. "W-well, that's..."
    
    When he doesn't finish his thought, Joker continues, "I know we haven't fulfilled our end of the bargain. Without more of Mementos opening up to us, we might not be able to."
    
    "....." Mona's mouth forms a jagged line. He says nothing.
    
    Which confirms it to Joker. Mona does want to come back, deal or no deal. His pride keeps him from saying so, though--and Joker understands how he feels. Skull might be eager to get this over with, but they don't like the thought of letting things stand as they are, either.
    
    "Then there's no choice," Joker concludes. They take a half-step back--and thrust a finger towards the Mona-Belle duo. "Mona! Belle! We challenge you!" they declare, taking on the theatricality they usually reserve for when The Phantoms are in mixed company.
    
    Mona's eyes pop wide. "Huh?!"
    
    "You claimed you'd reach the Treasure of that mysterious new Palace first, did you not?" Joker smirks as they pull their glove taut. "If you do, you two may do as you please. However, if we claim it before you can--Mona must return to us!"
    
    "...Heh! You've got a lot of nerve, challenging us like that! Who do you think taught you how to be a phantom thief in the first place?" Nonetheless, Mona looks so happy right now. "Fine! We accept!" He looks up at his companion expectantly. "Right, Belle?"
    
    ...Right, Belle? 

<Pose Tracker> Hibari Aoki has posed.

"Oh, sorry. I'm Mujina," Mujina says. Her mask doesn't completely conceal her mouth so the smile is visible when she gives a short bow of her own. If not so deep as Oracle. "I'm the newest member, I suppose... unless you count Oracle." They kind of officially joined around the same time.

Speaking of... "You ate his tuna?" Mujina isn't sure WHAT she should think about that. It's not funny, she tells herself, that *that's* what she's so demonstrative about. It's really not. She sees Oracle step behind the pillar, takes a half-step as if to follow her, and then thinks better of it, leaving Futaba for a few moments of alone time.

But as for her, with Mona...

"Right," Hibari agrees with Ann. "We do. And - I'm sorry, Mona," she says, and means it. "I know I already apologized, but that hasn't changed; I should have said something earlier." She glances toward Ryuji, just for a moment, before eyes straight again. "And on top of that... I know I wasn't one of the Phantoms who originally made the deal, but I said I'd go with it and I will. If I can find a way deeper in Mementos, you'll be the first to know - and I'll be looking!"

If the door never opens, maybe there's a way around it? Something to think about, though Hibari isn't even sure where to start on THAT project.

She can tell Mona's pride is in the way. He wouldn't be the first person she's talked through a problem, but pride is touchy, and for more than the obvious reasons. He deserves to feel some pride in what he's capable of. She's about to speak when Joker decides to get all dramatic, thrusting their finger forward. Mujina wasn't expecting that, and she startles, taking a half-step backwards. "Joker...?" But it's a challenge.

Mujina isn't usually the sort to make challenges like that. It didn't occur to her. But now that Joker has suggested it, it *does* seem a possible route - and Mona looks happy about it, too, which is exactly what they're trying for.

"Absolutely," Mujina says, with a warm smile. "We can do that."

(can we do that, she thinks to herself) 

<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.

They're all coming together, just like she promised--!

To be honest, she TOTALLY wasn't sure it was going to work out, but that's why you just keep insisting it will until you believe it!!

"Hee hee," is the dangerous femme fatale Panther's dreaded Victory Giggle as Skull's expression softens behind that mask and he relents. Her grin is wide enough that her eyes squeeze shut behind her mask.

"See, Mona??" she says, spinning around to face the duo before them in triumph. She even winks!

"We all w" I'm sorry I ate your tuna!!! "WAH?!"

And 'GEH?!' is the dangerous femme fatale Panther's startled squeak as her victory declaration is run roughshod by Oracle's half-bleated apology taking her COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE. Look at the way she starts, hopping like a ~~bunny~~ panther straight verticle in the air, eyes wide and hands shoved straight down in alarm.

"O-Oracle! Jeez, you seriously almost gave me a heart attack!!"

Futaba lays down the most tempting of offers: Unlimited Sashimi Works. And Ann swings that bright blue gaze the Navigator's way as if she just suggested INSANITY as penance. A second passes. Ann slowly straightens, and lifts a gloved hand, scratching her cheek.

"... Just how much of Mona's fatty tuna did you eat...?"

is this really important right now ann

wondering over the logistics of how much fatty tuna a tiny hikikomori can consume

really

Oracle, of course, reasonably darts behind cover a second later, and Panther pouts in sympathy. "Aww, Oracle," she echoes Mona's sentiment, and meanders the orange-haired hacker's way.

As Ren, Morgana and Kasumi try to find common ground, or maybe compromise for the sake of pride, Ann is in the background shot busying herself proving that cover mechanics can't save you from melee attacks as she looks to pat Futaba consolingly.

Said patting stops when Joker makes his dramatic declaration. Literally; her palm is in stalled in the middle of a descent and everything as she snaps her attention to their leader, twintails whipping about with the motion.

"Wh-- J-Joker??" she half-yelps -- but she quickly picks up what Joker is putting down. Brows lift, fractionally, behind that panther mask. She knows what this is about, of course; it's the reason why she avoided telling the others Morgana directly said wanted them all to tell him they needed him. So she steps forward again until she's standing beside Mujina and then spinning smoothly in place until she stops, one hand on hip, the other held like a smoking gun against her lips, ready -- for a DUEL!

it's CLEARLY a time to do cool poses, okay??

"Hee. Bring it on! There's no way we'll lose with this much at stake!" 

<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.

 
Hearing Belle's sweet little giggle makes Oracle produce an internal fault state best rendered as 'fsdgfhs'. The importance of this will be revealed at a later date.

Breathe in, Oracle, Futaba tells herself. Breathe out. You can do this. You said what you wanted and he didn't even - he didn't -

The interior of Oracle's goggles fogs up abruptly.

She lets out a tiny, tiny scream in the back of her throat, and pops them up over her head and she pushes off the pillar and comes to an upright stance.

If still hidden.

Inari is agreeing with them. Maybe he's not so weird after all, judges Oracle, breathing inwards and outwards. Belle and Mujina exchange their information, and Mona... is he going to come back? Are they forgiven? Oracle already estimated the price of a kilogram of fatty tuna, which is probably enough to stuff Mona's conventional-universe stomach. Probably.

It was a price she was willing to pay. Her face isn't burning quite so hard, and she slips a little before --

"!" Joker's making a declaration!? A challenge?!!? Oracle looks to Mona when Mona lets out the 'huh??' as if to say 'same'. But...

Panther is coming towards her. Oracle crab-walks a few steps nearer to her and says, quietly, and immediately, "(You're almost definitely not going to have a heart attack just from being surprised. You'd have to drink so much coffee you'd wash away to even elevate your risk. Most old farts smoke for fifty years and that's why their hearts give out.)"

There's a moment of hangdog look on her face as she explains in that same sotto-voce way, "(Umm... I think he just really wanted it... Joker brought some back from... a mission, and we kind of... Even if he forgave us at the time, it was still rude. Apologies mean more if you back them up.)"

At this point she pulls her goggles back down, hiding her big wet eyes. She turns to look towards Panther for several long seconds without saying anything -- and her head swivels around to look at...!!!

Belle. To whom Oracle raises her own finger. "You'd better take this seriously, too. Don't just coast on Mona's veteran talents. I know what throwing looks like."

It is way easier to talk to people with these goggles on, Oracle thinks, even as she sees HUD rotational elements that zoom in on various points of Belle's face and outfit. (A secondary thought: I wonder what those little squares are. Are they... targets? Motion points? I should experiment.) Experimentation in this case meaning 'look over at Mujina for a few seconds, then back at Panther.' 

<Pose Tracker> Ryuji Sakamoto has posed.

Skull slouches as he finally takes a good look at Morgana. If the little guy was gonna play nice, so was he. No sense in fighting right now.

 Even as he kinda dreads Ann's I told you so energy. Heh. Just like her.

 So when Joker drops the friendly contest, the blonde grins, scratching the side of his face. "Heh. So that's how it is...Yeah, guess we're going head to head." He looks toward Morgana, grinning wider. "You're going down, dude. Don't think I'll disrespect you by going easy on ya." 

<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.

Fox looks sharply over to Joker as the challenge is issued, then looks to Mona.

Seeing the cartoon (not)-cat perk up with the stakes made, he breaks into a grin too, pointing with his sheathed sword. "Prepare yourself!" 

<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.

    "Mujina! It's good to meet you!" Belle gladly matches Mujina's bow with one of her own! "That'll be why I don't know you and Oracle..."

    Size isn't everything, Ann-senpai! Especially when it comes to tiny girls and their food. "If I'd be getting my food comped, Oracle could eat as much as she'd like." Kasumi says with a laugh.

    Was that... a verbal keysmash from Oracle? Kasumi tilts her head a little bit. The confusion at least does turn into another giggle. "So cute..."


    "Huh?" A challenge? Huh? It takes Kasumi a few seconds for it to sink in. "Ehhhhhhhh?!" She lets out, covering her mouth with her hands. A challenge... to reach the treasure first! That's pretty exciting... And saves Mona's pride at that!

    It's not enough. "I can't agree." Kasumi gives Mona an apologetic smile. Then, she turns back to Joker. "It's all or nothing." She suggests her counter-offer with surprising force. "I won't let Mona go by himself!"

    If they lose, both Mona and Belle join the Thieves. Kasumi won't let herself become on the outs again. It suits Kasumi too, as she has her own kind of pride.

    "If that's fine, it's a deal." Kasumi says with a smile. "We won't lose!"

    Oracle makes a threat, and Kasumi has to put together the meaning. "Throwing?" She repeats, tilting her head. Once it connects, she shakes her head. "I would never! That goes against the spirit of competition!" By her tone of voice, there could be nothing more sacred.

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Joker shoots Mujina a quick wink when she seems uncertain about their aura-farming, as if to say, 'Trust me.' Fortunately, she does--and Mona responds well.
    
    She suggests a good idea too, one that hadn't occurred to Joker before: between Mujina and Oracle, maybe The Phantoms can find a hidden or alternate route deeper into Mementos, one that doesn't rely on making the main blockages open up. It's worth trying, at least. They can all try asking Jose if he knows anything too, since he has his own strange ways of getting about. But later.
    
    Panther does the important work of reassuring an Oracle--Joker has to stay focused on Mona, and, well, Mona and Panther already worked things out between them--and the even more important work of joining in on the theatricality of Joker's challenge along with Fox.
    
    They're all getting into it--just as phantom thieves should! Mona thinks. He's further cheered by when Panther declares they won't lose with so much at stake, and Skull says he won't disrespect him by going easy while Fox tells him to prepare himself. "Hah! That ought to be my line!" he retorts cheerfully. "Let's see just how much you all have learned since we started!"
    
    But... Belle doesn't agree?! Mona's taken aback by that--until Belle says it's a package deal. He perks. "That's right! We're partners--I'm not leaving her behind!" he declares, folding his paws as he looks back at the others.
    
    Joker shares a quick glance with the others. However, given that Belle was a temporary teammate some time ago and chose of her own accord not to join... "Fine by me," they say. They quirk a smile at Belle when she declares she'd never throw a competition. "Heh. Well said."
    
    Their coat flares as they spin to face the exit, then look back over their shoulder at Mona and Belle with a broad smile. "We'll retreat quietly for now--but when next we meet, it'll be at that Palace."
    
    "Deal," Mona says firmly. A beat, and then he looks over at Oracle with concern. "Oh, and Oracle..." He pauses--not even for dramatic effect. There is a great struggle within him before he concludes, "...Don't worry about the fatty tuna, yeah?"
    
    Another pause.
    
    "Though, if you happen to come across more sometime and need someone to help you take it out...!" he adds eagerly, true-blue eyes sparkling.
    
    How much fatty tuna DID Oracle eat? ALL OF IT, PANTHER. ALL OF IT. (Actually only half of it; Sojiro ate the other half. And her half was one piece. It was still ALL OF IT.) 

<Pose Tracker> Hibari Aoki has posed.

Mujina had actually been thinking about that for a little while - not long, just since she spoke to Mona. If the door doesn't open... don't use the door. Before she joined the Phantom Thieves, she snuck into Palaces on her own; though she had never made it to the Treasure solo, she'd found other interesting things that she could retrieve, sell, or trade (or, in the case of Eiji's palace, hand over to Ichika).

*With* the Phantom Thieves... well.

Mujina tends to be a little less dramatic than a lot of them, but even she gets into it when Ann spins over to her, giving a spin herself that makes her coat fan out a little around her legs. By the time she faces the others, she has the pair of balls she fidgets with - and casts spells with, in here - in her hand, and is spinning them around with her fingertips. They move away from the center of her palm a little as she keeps them moving.

(Her new ones don't have the bells in them and chime. They're jade, or look like jade, at least in Mementos. They look more like artificial jade in reality.)

Majina uses her middle finger to touch her palm and the balls slow to a halt. "Both of you?" she asks, before the smile comes back. "That seems fair enough." She'd feel better if Mona had some help, anyway - and it's not like he's asking her, *she's* demanding it.

But there is one more thing...

Mujina gives Futaba a quizzical look when she realizes she's being looked at, and... compared? to Panther. Her expression is questioning even if her words aren't, though both of them being Navigators, she COULD just ask without words if she wanted to summon Danzaburou. (She doesn't, though.) 

<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.

"(Aheh-heh. I guess that's true. I do have a really strong heart.)"

ann that wasn't futaba's point

"(I've been training it, you know? And one time I even got Ren to insult me a bunch to toughen it up further--)"

ann we are straying further from the plot with every waking moment

Thankfully, she is eventually dragged back into the present at the critical moment (even if she does whisper an incredulous and concerned "but do you have that much money though, futaba-chan--" beforehand). And this moment? Pretty great. They're all unified! At least half of the crew is striking a cool pose! Even Mujina is getting in on it! They feel like proper Phantom Thieves now! Everyone knows Phantom Thieves need that critical moment where they have a falling out only to then get back together for a critical heist! They're more legit than ever now!

She flashes a grin for the others, certain triumph is near!

But then--

I can't agree.

A twist!

"Wh-what?! For real!?"

Shock is Ann Takamaki's name, painted loud and proud all over her expressive features such that even a mask cannot hide it. Even the sacred words are uttered, so flabbergasted is she. Shock soon turns sullen, eyelids drooping as that sky blue gaze drags aside. "... Belle, did we do something...?"

It's all or nothing.

"!"

And then they squeeze out a surprised blink.

"Huh--? -- You want to join us--?"

Panther looks towards the others, as Morgana backs Kasumi up. She looks to Ren, as they compliment Belle's resolve.

And then she grins, hands planting defiantly on hips.

"Okay. Bring it on, then!"

The challenge is set. And like hell Ann is going to lose this. The determination on those vivacious features say it all.

... determination that lasts a good five seconds longer until, feeling eyes on her, she blinks, and looks Futaba's way. "Huh--? Is something wrong, Oracle?"

Is she -- being sized up?? Could it be...

Ann frowns a frustrated frown and looks down at herself critically.

"Ugh, did I get something on my clothes? I'm going to be so pissed--"

SHE KNOWS THEY'RE COGNITIVE OKAY SHE'S JUST SWEPT UP IN THE MOMENT 

<Pose Tracker> Futaba Sakura has posed.

 
Oracle gives Panther a firm nod as she affirms she's strengthened her heart. Yeah, she looks like she has good cardio. (Oracle is only generally aware of what cardiovascular exercise even is. It seems to be exercise when it's femme. Which does suit Panther.)

("Don't worry about the money. It's not about that.") (Ominous...)

alsdkfjh;, thinks Oracle. Stop giggling! (This is about Belle.) But then-- she's talking herself onto the team herself? Oracle's brow furrows (the goggles hide it completely) and her attention swings away from Panther towards Joker. What's their take. And --

They're partners???

Partners in crime, Oracle tells herself, drawing a mental square shape and adding a little custom cutie-pie seal stamp of CRIME next to it.

Mona clearly already has his chosen lady, after all.

"Hmm... she *will* have the advantage of Mona's experience... but is that going to be enough to outrace us? I guess we'll have to settle this in mid," says Oracle, and her lips purse into - somehow - despite everything, a smile. And then...

Mona does forgive her. For *real*.

It's like taking off that lead apron they put on you at the dentist before they zap your teeth to see if any of them have worms in them. (Futaba knew they weren't worms, but the conversation about the archaic idea filled the car ride home. Amazing what people believed back in the day, even if sometimes they got kinda close!)

"Don't worry," Oracle tells Mona, looking at him. The goggles are on, but maybe somehow there's less distance. "I've already committed it to memory."

And then, they're moving towards the exit. At least, Joker is, and Joker's the bearer of the flag.

Speaking of things committed to memory. PANTHER SAW HER LOOKING QUICK FUTABA-CHAN RECOUP "Oh, uh-- it was super shiny at that angle. I thought I could see my reflection, kinda. I bet you could reflect lasers off of it if they were red." She holds up an arm. "Mine's more of a matte finish..."

("Was your coat hot in the summer? Or is it all good if it's in a cognitive environment?" Oracle asks Mujina, *immediately*.) 

<Pose Tracker> Hibari Aoki has posed.

Mujina looks vaguely unconvinced about Oracle's ability to hide verbal keysmash and Annvestigation. (She seems slightly amused, actually.) But she does answer the question, since it was asked: "It's not too bad most of the time," Mujina replies to Futaba. "It's not like Skull's leather jacket or - "

She looks over at Ann. OK, bad example.

" - Joker's coat is going to be that much better. At least it's open around the legs!" 

<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.

    It's a deal! Kasumi beams very happily with the agreement. Things out to turn out okay after all! "Until next time, Senpai. The Phantoms." She offers her own theatrical bow.

    Panther assumes - correctly that Kasumi wants to join. "It just wouldn't be fair otherwise, Panther-senpai. I can't let my friend go alone," Kasumi replies, lying. "Trust me. I don't intend to lose." That bit's true at least!

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