2025-09-05: Girl Und Panzer

• Log: Girl Und Panzer
• Cast: Commandant P. Pen, Kasumi Yoshizawa, Ren Amamiya, Yusuke Kitagawa, Ann Takamaki, Haru Okumura
• Where: Commandant Kobayakawa's Palace, Parade Grounds
• OOC Date: September 05, 2025
• IC Date: Friday, July 06, 2012
• Summary: The Phantom Thieves descend deep into Principal Kobayakawa's Palace to see if they can rescue Kasumi Yoshizawa... Takes place immediately after the scene The Great Debunker.
• TW: Glorification of a Sexual Predator, Suicide Attack, Exploitation of Children

---

<Pose Tracker> Commandant P. Pen has posed.

Loudspeakers lead the Phantoms far deeper into the bunker, every so often the loudspeakers mounted on the walls screech their staticky announcement.

>Thebztmartial of BZZTTT-TCK-oshizawa will begin shortly on the parade gro-HSSHHH

The bunker trembles in the aftermath, like the aftermath of a mortar's detonation like the entire place would be under threat of coming down from a single good shot. And yet, they have to keep going, because Kasumi Yoshizawa is somewhere deep within. Still in danger.

As their footsteps take them closer to the parade grounds, there are things that catch their eye, on announcement boards, postings in regards to disciplinary action taken.

JUNIOR OFFICER MAKOTO NIIJIMA - INSUBORDINATION, DERELICTION OF DUTY
 
By order of the Commandant, she is to be stripped of rank and commendation, blacklisted from the Military Academy of her choice, and shipped off to Fort Big Bang to serve as a mess attendant.

CADET SHIHO SUZUI - DEFECTION, TREASON

Rumored to be under the protection of foreign saboteurs. If captured, by order of the Commandant she is to be immediately expelled by firing squad.

CADET RYUJI SAKAMOTO - ASSAULT ON SUPERIOR OFFICER, INSUBORDINATION, VARIOUS UNIFORM VIOLATIONS, DELINQUENCY

Stripped of rank and honors, consigned to the brig of obscurity for as long as he should live.

CAPTAIN SUGURU KAMOSHIDA - HONORABLE DISCHARGE

It is with a heavy heart that the Commandant regrets to inform all that our beloved Captain Kamoshida has been taken advantage of by saboteurs, and forcibly defected from our ranks. Let us remember him as he once was, and not the stain of this most ignominious disgrace.

That's all infuriating enough, certainly, but as they turn to go, Joker's foot finds a torn flyer stuck to it. Look closely, it's half of Kasumi's face, her smile and gaze bisected, with only a glimpse of red hair in profile.

SHIZAWA - KILLED IN ACTION, DISHONORABLE DISCHARGE

etting herself be killed before repaying the Commandant's investment in her, she is to be buried without honors and discharged from the rolls.

It's not that far beyond that the tunnels reach a much larger blast door, which is currently wide open, and beyond it is an enormous bunker room that dwarfs all the others. The sky is still invisible, but the blare of floodlights overhead light a large room up, apparently meant for assembly and yes - parade of the troops, despite the entire bunker being underground.

It is here that Kasumi Yoshizawa is found being held up by two cognitions, wielding gymnastics ribbons to bind one arm each from the side, pulling her in both directions uncomfortably at once. These cognitions are even recognizable, as members of the rhythmic gymnastics team, in leotards, wearing sunglasses, and dark berets.

"Disgraceful."

"You were supposed to bring us glory!"

More shadows, and cognitions of various special forces units, each wearing berets and sunglasses, many more with dark jerseys rather than leotards, as if to mark which unit they belong to.

But towering above all, is an enormous Reviewing Stand, draped in Shujin colors, with the Insignia of Shujin Academy prominent, surrounded by the rays of the Imperial Sun.

And atop it, is an enormous man, and wearing a red officer's uniform that's stretched out by his mere girth, with large silver shoulder plates, a black cape, and a peaked service cap, as he taps an educator's baton to his side like a riding crop.

He seems disappointed and vaguely put out by this.

Below him, is his right hand man, Vice-Commandant Kawazu, a cognition of Shujin's Vice-Principal in a less resplendent but still authoritative, green version of that same uniform, wearing shaded spectacles, leading the proceedings... and this is what they walk into.

<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.

    "'Motojima-senpai... Furuya-san... Please, let me go." Kasumi looks at the two holding her up with pleading eyes. But the two members of the gymnastics club only give her glares in response.

    "Quiet!" Vice-Commandant Kawazu shouts at Kasumi. The ribbons tighten around her wrists and she winces in response, going silent as she stares in confusion at the man she thought was the Vice-Principal.

    "Hmph, better. Let us begin. Cadet Yoshizawa. You were discovered out of uniform attempting to flee through the main gate. As such you are hereby charged with desertion." The Vice-Commandant Kawazu sighs, "To think that we treated you with honor because of your supposed skills as an elite soldier."

    Kasumi is aware that something weird is going on, but she can't quite grasp what as she tries to explain, "But I-"

    "I said quiet!" Kawazu cuts her off, the ribbons pulling on Kasumi's arms and causing her to let out a yelp of pain. Her head then drops down as her mind swims. She can't understand what's going on. Why the people she thought she knew are being so weird and hurting her.

    Kasumi can barely hear 'Vice-Commandant' Kawazu as he continues, "Consider your special status revoked!"

       But at the rate that things are going,
   Yoshizawa-san's honor status could possibly be
   revoked.
                          Getting special treatment is like... Whatever if
                          it's deserved. But do you think she's earned it?

    Kasumi freezes, staring down at the ground as the Vice-Commandant's words sound so familiar. Finding satisfaction in Kasumi's seeming obedience, Kawazu continues, "You and your sister were transferred to this command for the express purpose of bringing us honor and glory."

                              We took in those sisters to improve Shujin's
                          standing, but at this rate, we're only going
                          to end up suffering for it.

   Hey, isn't that the new transfer
   student? I don't get what the big deal
   is, she doesn't seem that great.

    Kasumi hangs limply as Kawazu paces in front of her, "Not only did your sister go and get herself killed before she could even start her service, but you have repeatedly shown an inability to perform your duties to the level expected of you!"

               Not only have we lost one of them, but the
           other one's not doing us any good. Talk about
           a waste of effort...

                                  Well, third place doesn't really cut it in
                               this case. She needs to attain first-place
                               results for her exceptional status to be
                               worthwhile.

    Although Kasumi remains silent, she does clench her fists as Kawazu sighs and shakes his head, "It's because of those with disgraceful actions like you and your sister that this command is under threat of falling to the enemy and central command doubts our ability to hold this position!"

                         Hah! That's all you can do!? You're pathetic. I've
                     seen monkeys with more grace than you.

         If this school doesn't bounce back soon, even my
         own ass will be on the line.

    Kasumi, her head still bowed, is starting to shake a little as Kawazu stomps right up to her and finishes, "You'll never be more than failures. It was a mistake to expect the two of you to accomplish anything. A mistake that we shall now rectify. Cadet Yoshizawa, on the charges of desertion and repeated failure to perform your duties, you are hereby found-"

    "Enough!" At Kasumi's shout, a force cuts through the ribbons holding her up, slicing them to pieces and allowing her to drop down to the ground.

    Vice-Commandant Kawazu quickly backs up, a sudden look of confusion and fear on his face, "W-What is this!?"

    On the ground, Kasumi is still shaking a little as she starts, "You're telling me I'm not cutting it? As if I don't know that better than anyone!" She's been trying so hard all this time, but she hasn't been able to perform as she used to. Of course it's been weighing on her...

    Kasumi slowly pushes herself up from the ground, "Filling my life with this pressure... Demanding the results that you want... And now you're all branding me a failure..." Standing on her own feet once more, she continues, "Let me remind you who you're talking to... I am... I am..."

    There's a brief pause, before Kasumi looks up straight at Kawazu and shouts, "Kasumi Yoshizawa!" She glares at him, "I don't care what anyone says about me... But I will NOT tolerate anyone speaking ill of our dream!"

    Kasumi then grunts in pain, suddenly grabbing at her head-

                               So adamant...

    Kasumi pants quickly as she clutches at her face, her normally red eyes shining golden as power starts to course through her.

            Rather than accept a life in cinders... You'd strive
                   towards splendor--you know the risk...

    Kasumi doubles over, crying out as slivers of blue flames start to spontaneously burst into existence across her body, eating away at her uniform.

            Well, if those really are the shoes you've chosen...
                        Then we'll dance to the end.

    A large burst of those flames briefly engulf Kasumi's face, leaving behind a pointed black mask with silver highlights. Seemingly no longer in pain and undisturbed by the flames, Kasumi stands up straight once more and reaches up to the mask. She calmly rips it off with a flourish, power blue flames engulfing her entire body and rising high, hiding all but her silhouette from view.

    Slowly twirling within the flames, new clothes can be seen manifesting on Kasumi. First, stiletto lace-up pumps that lead into black thigh-high stockings. Then ruffled flared sleeves that extend down to a black bolero jacket that has three long coattails. A black leotard appears, hugging her torso closely as a chain belt with a large rose on the front wraps around her waist, a long scabbard with a rapier nestled within attached to it.

    The blue flames finally vanish in an instant, leaving Kasumi standing there in her new attire. And floating above her, a person. A woman with ash-black skin and blonde hair, wearing a blue crystalline dress, a skirt of golden armor floating around her waist and a white cape that flows behind her from a free-floating collar of glass hearts.

            I am thou, thou art I... Accept this contract... The
                            spell cast upon you.

    "I request we have a rematch." Kasumi calmly reaches for the rapier at her side, gracefully pulling it from its scabbard and swinging it out to her side, "This time... I'm going all in with Cendrillon!!"

Ryuji Sakamoto has arrived from Historia: The White Chronicle.
GRID: Ryuji Sakamoto has joined Ren Amamiya.

AS: Yusuke Kitagawa has readied for combat as Goemon! He is now fully healed!
AS: Ryuji Sakamoto has readied for combat as Captain Kidd! He is now fully healed!
AS: Haru Okumura has readied for combat as Milady! She is now fully healed!

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Joker looks over the various postings with a brief and stony gaze as they and their friends hurry to the parade grounds. They all found a safe room right before the place where Kasumi is to be executed for frankly bullshit reasons and took a moment to regroup and take a breather, giving Mona and the others time to catch up and join the group, but Joker's worried about Kasumi. For good reason, because again, they've all been informed that she is due for execution.
    
    As they go, though, Joker's foot falls on a torn poster and sticks to the sole of their boot. They slow and stop to pull it off, and furrow their brows at it.
    
    Killed in action... And that hair is a darker shade...
    
    They shake their head and look over their shoulder at the others. "Just another one of these garbage posters," they say, sticking it to the wall. A bit of grime on the backside lets it stay there so the others can see too if they so choose. "Let's keep going."
    
    Further on, they pass the blast door and come to a stop in a massive bunker room with an invisible sky and blinding floodlights. Joker stares. There's so many Shadows and cognitions here... There--they focus. Kasumi's being held captive by what look like a couple of her teammates. They scowl as the cognitions berate her, and Kasumi can only plead with them back. Still, as much as they want to run in, they know what the cost of recklessly going to someone's aid is. They look over their shoulder at their friends.
    
    "We're outnumbered here. We'll only have one shot to rescue Kasumi-san," they murmur. "Let's surround this parade and wait for an opening."
    
    With that, they split up while the attention is off of them, each going towards whatever cover is available--probably not much, in a room like this, but still--so they can creep closer as Shadow Kobayakawa's cognition of the Vice-Principal yells at Kasumi some more.
    
    Joker listens with one ear as they sneak closer. Kasumi's sister died... So that's what that torn poster was about. It's infuriating to see them blaming her for a literal tragedy, but that's the nature of garbage people like Kobayakawa. Joker keeps their cool and hides in the shadows, watching and waiting for their time.
    
    And what a hell of a time it is. When Kasumi reaches the limit of her patience, Joker's eyes widen behind their mask. When she tells Kawazu off so hard that light shatters around her and she pulls a mask off bloodlessly to the twirl of her Persona, Cendrillon, they grin ferociously. The transformation that follows is outright beautiful, more like a magical girl sequence than the bloody, violent awakenings Joker and the others have had so far (to their knowledge, anyway). How fitting for a rhythmic gymnast aiming for the Olympics.
    
    "And you won't have to do it alone." Joker steps out into the blinding lights and stands next to Kasumi. They gesture to the others, one red-gloved hand high to point forward, and grin at their training partner. "The Phantom Thieves are here to help you dazzle the stage!"
    
    Explanations will come later. Now is the time for being cool as hell.

<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.

"A fortress for a penal legion. How droll," Fox remarked upon joining the others at the safe room. "Perhaps Kobayakawa-sensei takes poorly to the burden of command, if this is how his cognition sees this humble institution." His tone is dry and cold. "I would thank him for the opportunity to make a personal study of brutalism, but... there are more important matters to attend to first. Excellent directions, by the way, Panther. Your inimitable style is a delightful contrast to these grim aesthetics."

====== ======

Fox glances at the poster Joker sticks to the wall, but much of the subtleties of its details are thoroughly lost on Yusuke Kitagawa Of Gekkoukan High. Still, the tone of the demerits listed has him rolling his eyes. "Somehow, I doubt you intend to remain consigned to obscurity forever, Skull." He hefts his blade over his shoulder with a cold grin towards his comrade.

The sight at the parade ground has him gritting his teeth - this is an execution waiting to happen - but at Joker's order he nods, slipping into the shadows and circling around the flood-lit stage.

Kasumi Yoshizawa defies authority even at the risk of her own life, and is immersed in blue light. For her first crime, she steals Fox's breath at the sheer beauty of her transformation... but this beauty is transient, to be replaced by the Phantom Thieves' unparalelled style in battle.

The glint of his black blade seems to drink in the glare of the floodlights, as he draws it and settles into his stance, stepping into the light on Joker's cue.

<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.

Things were bad.

...

Okay so really that's usually the case in a Palace.

But this is, like. Extra bad!! Okay?!

All of this, from accidentally drawing Kasumi into Kobayakawa's Palace, to seeing the interior, war-torn contents of his slimy mind, to her abduction by the cognitive soldiers of this realm -- it reminds Ann Takamaki acutely of her first experience within Kamoshida's disgusting Castle. The individual elements are different -- but the feel of it all, and knowing everything she knew about the gossip circulating around Yoshizawa, and Kobayakawa's spineless clout-chasing--

"We're coming! Just hold on, Yoshizawa-san...!"

Panther was extremely insistent they didn't linger in the Safe Room for very long. In fact, the only thing that manages to distract her is--

Excellent directions, by the way, Panther.

"W-wait, really?! Heh heh, I guess I'm getting better at this whole art thing!"

Is, well. That. Oh no. Now her ego is swelling...!!

But the second they're out? The red-clad cat burglar of the Phantom Thieves is at the front of the charge, sprinting across the halls until they reach the Parade Grounds, her eyes narrowed, her jaw set. Her hand firmly fixed to her spooled whip. She wants to help Kasumi, and save her from this place, and the awful things Kobayakawa has planned -- especially after finding that creepy, torn poster...

... but she'd be lying if she said her fervor wasn't at least partially personal and ignited all the more fiercely at those announcements about Shiho and Kamoshida.

She's got scores to settle here, too.

So she runs, just behind Joker. It's only as they all get to that bunker room with its myriad floodlights that Panther comes to a skidding half-stumble of a stop, sky blue eyes widening with alarm.

"H-holy crap!" she whisper-gasps, because she's a GOSH DARN PROFESSIONAL. "That's so many Shadows...!"

And there, at the center of this Kangaroo Court -- Kasumi Yoshizawa, bound by gymnast ribbons of her cognitive peers.

Ann's gaze narrows. She grips more tightly to her whip.

"... Right," she hisses out, before unfurling that whip and snapping it forward. The cognitively-empowered weapon's reach extends, snares an outcropping --

--and with one firm yank, Panther is a silent blur of red, landing on the outskirts of the bunker's upper levels in a crouch. She listens to the accusations with growing frustration, a frown pressing at her lips and her crouched stance tensing like an angry cat just yearning for the pounce.

"This is so unfair..." she mutters to herself, but, well. She knows all those things students were whispering behind Kasumi's back. The Principal, pinning all his sad little hopes onto her... she should never have had to shoulder -his- burdens for covering for Kamoshida for so long. And with what happened to Kasumi's poor sister--

She leans forward at her perch. And then--

Enough!

Something unexpected happens.

Ann's eyes widen once more.

"N-no way!"

And as Kasumi Yoshizawa's Will of Rebellion ignites into that duelist's eloquence--

There is a great, swift red smear as Panther leaps from the flood lights, landing beside Joker like a whipcrack of impact in a three-point stance -- eyes snapping up and affixed squarely on the big man in all his overstuffed grandiosity on his monolith of a podium.

"Like hell we'd let you take all your sad failures out on Yoshizawa-san! You better get ready -- you've got a lot to answer for!"

<Pose Tracker> Commandant P. Pen has posed.

Motojima and Furuya are bowled back by the display, as are the majority of Shadows and cognitions, they're all recovering on the fringes, from the force of awakening of Kasumi's rebellion.

Kawazu gapes at the sight of her awakening, seemingly taken aback by the forcefulness of her insubordination, stepping back nervously, again, and again as if in disbelief. Whereas the Ruler up on the stand, it's difficult to see, but his enormous balding head beads with sweat under the cap as he then looks straight at Joker, then Fox, then Panther like he's just realizing how many Phantom Thieves precisely are in the room already.

"So you were another saboteur! A Judas Goat leading more of them right into our midst! You- damn you! Damn you for besmirching our reputation again!"

The Ruler shouts, as the stand's Shujin flag suddenly rises, furling, and Commandant Kobayakawa rises from his chair, "Deal with this disgrace swiftly, Kawazu, if you would have any hope of one day rising to my rank." With a sweep of his elegant black cape, he turns, step - step - step. What a dignified military figure Kobayakawa cuts once he's got a handle on the situation-

STEPSTEPSTEPSTEPSTEP!

Oh he just took off running full speed, as two doors behind what once were his seat slam shut, a sign lighting up to state:

IMPORTANT WAR ROOM BUSINESS
    DO NOT DISTURB

The stand reveals a large hatch behind the flag, which opens, and through it a sudden rumbling starts, Vice-Commandant Kawazu smirks as he adjusts his sunglasses, "Your dream? How selfish of you to put yourself before the whole. My only concern is that Shujin continues to shine brighter and brighter still! What is the dream of one girl who can't even meet expectations compared to that."

He gives Kasumi a grave look, "And here I was going to offer that you atone with your disgrace with your life, Cadet. But instead you turned out to be one of the saboteurs, who took our beloved Captain Kamoshida away! But now that you've revealed yourselves here-"

Blooming Villain - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aShp3H7xiU

The rumbling grows louder, as suddenly a mass of gleaming steel to a mirror shine sporting spiked treads tear out of the open hatch and across the Parade Grounds. Suddenly multiple special forces cognitions from the Morale Squads rush out in colorful uniforms, hand him an object and boost him up, with a 'hup' that sends him skyward into a flip.

The tank abruptly brakes, and he lands atop a turret, a bullhorn in his hands posing with all the arrogance of someone who acts like he just did that on his own, the Morale Squads all saluting before scampering, some somersaulting hurriedly to get out of his way.

"-I can DISCIPLINE ALL OF YOU! Did you think we weren't PREPARED? You're just like everyone else in this generation, expecting easy hand outs, leeching off our Commandant's good will. Well you'll go no further! Witness the fruits of our Science Squad's labor!"

And right before their eyes, characters flash, to show that which they face!

    The Pride of Shujin!
Disciplinary Committee's Mobile Armored Enforcement:
     Taibatsu! Sensha!
   (Subtitles: Corporal Punishment! Tank!)
 
The tank's design looks vaguely like a WWII tank from the history books, but that's where the similarities end. While its armor plating is polished to a mirror sheen, it looks as if it were riveted and welded together by the science club for some robot gladiatorial combat match. The treads are made of elongated steel rulers, with FURTHER rulers welded on and protruding out like blunt spikes.

The turret has painted upon it the characters for CORPORAL PUNISHMENT and DISCIPLINE as if it were one and the same, with several more turrets protruding from tiny slits in the steel. With several catapults mounted on the hull and- IS THAT A FLAMETHROWER?
 
Wow! It really must have been built for some robot combat match in reality!

"Ready for your commands, Sir!" Someone shouts from inside, some would recognize that masculine voice, some may recognize them as the Student Council Disciplinary Executive, apparently helping drive this crazy monstrosity! "We'll teach these so-called Phantom Thieves a lesson together!"

There's a whiteboard attached to the turret, with: 'Days since last Disciplinary Action: 2' Which he erases with his hand, and marks '0' before sliding down into the hatch, the tank then revs up, and begins rushing across the parade grounds, before circling back and, then begins to violently tilt this way and that like it's being driven in an absurd fashion, the rulers of the treads slapping the concrete grounds in a frenzy, which asynchronously pound down again and again from side to side. Enormous shockwaves rush out, even more startling than a teacher slapping your desk when you're asleep!

Then as the tank settles, the turret begins its slow turn, "You're not getting out of this one! This one is going on your Permanent Record, CADET!" Once it stops, aimed at X, he shouts, "FIRE!" One might wonder what comes out of it after that rampage of measuring implements, but it's just a tank shell fired at high velocity right at the newly awakened Phantom Thief! How boring!

Oh, wait.

OOC Note: Throughout the scene, various cognitions will attack. These cognitions can be dealt with as a free action if you so desire. They won't respawn throughout the fight.

AS: Commandant P. Pen has readied for combat as The Pride of Shujin! Disciplinary Committee's Mobile Armored
Enforcement: Taibatsu! Sensha!! They are now fully healed! Ready for 5 opponents!
AS: Persona! Commandant P. Pen has used the Strike skill Excessive Force on Ren Amamiya, Ann Takamaki, and Yusuke
Kitagawa! 3 Hits!
AS: You still have 4 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
AS: Persona! Commandant P. Pen has used the Pierce skill This'll go on your Permanent Record! FIRE! on Kasumi Yoshizawa!
AS: You still have 3 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
AS: Commandant P. Pen's turn has ended.
AS: Avoid Best! Ann Takamaki takes 21 Strike damage from Commandant P. Pen's Excessive Force.
AS: Avoid Worst! Ann Takamaki takes 51 Strike damage from Commandant P. Pen's Excessive Force. Critical Hit!
AS: Avoid Best! Ann Takamaki takes 30 Strike damage from Commandant P. Pen's Excessive Force. Critical Hit!
AS: Avoid Best! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 55 Pierce damage from Commandant P. Pen's This'll go on your Permanent Record!
FIRE!.
AS: Avoid Best! Ren Amamiya takes 22 Strike damage from Commandant P. Pen's Excessive Force. Critical Hit!
AS: Avoid Neutral! Ren Amamiya takes 32 Strike damage from Commandant P. Pen's Excessive Force. Critical Hit!
AS: Avoid Worst! Ren Amamiya takes 23 Strike damage from Commandant P. Pen's Excessive Force.

<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.

    Kasumi's head quickly turns as a strange figure steps out of the shadows, making themself known. She gasps in surprise at the bold announcement, "The Phantom Thieves?" What are they doing here?

    Speaking of, where even IS here? What even is going on?

    And what is she wearing!?

    Whatever's happening, Kasumi gets the feeling that her life is in danger. And that these people trying to hurt her probably aren't the same people she knows. Answers will have to wait though as right now Kasumi expects she is going to have to fight for her life.

    But can she trust these Phantom Thieves whom she looks at as each reveals themselves. All wearing equally strange outfits. Though again, she's one to talk.

    Looking back at Joker, Kasumi studies this stranger for a moment... Though they seem oddly familiar. Perhaps they can be trusted after all. Though it's not like Kasumi has many other options at this point...

    "Very well." Kasumi takes several precise steps closer to Joker, "I shall gratefully accept your assistance in this matter." Kasumi stops nearby Joker, turning to face Kawazu as he proceeds to get onto the tank. Narrowing her eyes at him, Kasumi continues, "But if we are to perform this dance..." She raises her hand up to her face, tilting her head back.

    Blue flames burst into existence around Kasumi, her clothes fluttering amidst them without feeling their destructive touch. Above her, Cendrillon appears in a flash, taking the same pose as Kasumi finishes, "... Let us blaze through it with elegant poise!" Kasumi sweeps her hand out and Cendrillon twirls, raising her hands into their air as flames swirl around her.

    Light bursts upwards from beneath the Phantom Thieves, engulfing them for a moment and powering them up.

    "As for you..." Kasumi raises her rapier towards Vice-Commandant Kawazu, even as the tank he is on spins its large barrel around to point at her.

    It fires.

    Kasumi dives to the side, hitting the ground in a roll just as the spot she had been standing in explodes. She comes out of the roll into a crouch, before slowly standing up and finishing, "You're nothing but a bully, treading on your students dreams. You might try to justify it as it being in the best interest of us and the school. But in reality, it's all for your own gains!" Kasumi stares Kawazu down with a cold gaze.

    Though on the inside, 'Oh my gosh, that was CLOSE! I almost died!'

AS: Persona! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Almighty skill Brave Step on Ren Amamiya, Haru Okumura, Yusuke Kitagawa, and
Ann Takamaki!
AS: Kasumi Yoshizawa's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Ann Takamaki takes 0 Almighty damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Brave Step.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Take! Haru Okumura takes 0 Almighty damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Brave Step.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Take! Ren Amamiya takes 0 Almighty damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Brave Step.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Counter Best! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 23 Strike damage from Commandant P. Pen's Excessive Force.
AS: COUNTER! Commandant P. Pen takes 8 Strike damage in return for their attack! Resist!
AS: Avoid Worst! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 24 Strike damage from Commandant P. Pen's Excessive Force.
AS: Avoid Worst! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 24 Strike damage from Commandant P. Pen's Excessive Force.
AS: Take! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 0 Almighty damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Brave Step.
AS: Crt_Up added!

 <Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Fox comments that Skull surely won't be content with obscurity as his poster says. Joker grins back at the two of them, a low 'heh' on his breath. They won't speak for Skull, but Fox has him pegged there, they think.
    
    Panther's insistence on moving on quickly is far from unwelcome--after all, Kasumi is a good friend of Joker's, and they're just as worried about her. They can imagine how much this is hitting Panther's buttons, though.
    
    With Skull, Mona and Queen hanging back to make sure they all have an escape route secure, either at the back of the parade grounds or back in the safe room, Joker, Panther, Fox, and Noir step forward to join Kasumi in her battle against those who would try to crush her and her sister's dreams for their own selfish ambitions. For the good of the school, nothing; that's just an excuse men like Kobayakawa use to alternate between propping themselves up and hiding behind others for their convenience.
    
    But now Shadow Kobayakawa's assuming Kasumi's one of them, and Joker frowns--not because they hate the idea, but because Kasumi might. They thus raise their chin in a show of contempt. "Hmph--nothing of the sort. We just happened to see the fireworks and decided to make it into a proper show!" Joker declares, projecting dramatics in their deep voice.
    
    ...Not that it matters much, with him running away into his war room. Joker's lip curls. Here, they speak more like they usually do with a curt, "Coward."
    
    Vice-Commandant/Principal Kawazu takes his place, calling forth a /literal tank/ with a rumbling that shakes the Palace. Cognitions flip Cognitive Kawazu into it, and Joker looks thoroughly unimpressed at how self-satisfied he is about it. Still... That looks like a strong enemy. They can't let their guard down if they want to win this.
    
    All the same, they crook a lopsided smile at Kasumi when she draws closer and accepts their offer of help. "We'd do nothing less," they declare as Cendrillon's light radiates brilliant power, boosting everyone's strength. They turn towards the tank with prism-edged dagger in hand. "Keep on your toes, primadonna!"
    
    It is close, though, considering Kawazu proceeds to charge that at them. Joker leaps nimbly to one side to avoid a direct hit, but the sheer force of those treads stomping down catch them in their shockwaves, messing up their landing and sending them sprawling several feet away. It hurts, but they spin around and leap upright again afterwards.
    
    Kasumi's derision of Cognitive Kawazu gets her a sharp nod of agreement. "Well said. To that, I can only add..."
    
    They raise a red glove to their face, where their mask goes up in blue flame. "PERSONA!!" Arsène's diabolical winged form rises, and cackling, they spread their clawed fingers. Several plumes of darkness bloom around the tank, seeking to tear at it with wicked force.
    
    "...A school is nothing without its students," they add to Cognitive Kawazu. "Your Ruler would do well to listen to them once in a while!"

AS: Persona! Ren Amamiya has used the Dark skill Multi-Eiha on Commandant P. Pen! 3 Hits!
AS: Ruin: Ren Amamiya gains 1 Limit!
AS: Ren Amamiya's turn has ended.
AS: Block Worst! Commandant P. Pen takes 8 Dark damage from Ren Amamiya's Multi-Eiha. Resist!
AS: Blast added!
AS: Block Best! Commandant P. Pen takes 14 Dark damage from Ren Amamiya's Multi-Eiha. Critical Hit! Resist!
AS: Counter Best! Commandant P. Pen takes 11 Dark damage from Ren Amamiya's Multi-Eiha. Resist!
AS: COUNTER! Ren Amamiya takes 11 Pierce damage in return for his attack! 

<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.

Yoshizawa's newly-blooming combat instincts are excellent, Fox thinks, as he dives out of the way of the disciplinary machine's assault after a well-meaning but flawed attempt to turn some of its shots back against it.

"Let's see just how well those treads withstand the cold." His free hand goes up to his mask. "Goemon, come forth!"

With the dramatic report of taiko drums, that watercolour-woodcut ronin manifests, swinging his kiseru pipe wide and unleashing a wave of ink and water towards the tank!

AS: Persona! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Water skill Double Aques on Commandant P. Pen! 2 Hits!
AS: Yusuke Kitagawa's turn has ended.

<Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.

Together, Ren, Ann, and Haru had managed to scout out part of Kobayakawa's Palace and found that one of their classmates was in danger. The Phantom Thieves aren't ones to rush into things, and waited for their backup in the Safe Room, but like Ann, Haru didn't want to wait too long. Who knows what would happen if those guards really did get their way with Kasumi? They weren't about to find out...Apparently, what that is would be is an execution however. "How gruesome..." Haru frowns. "We cannot allow that to happen!" She agrees.

Volunteering to stay in the back lines to keep the Shadows hounding them distracted, while the rest of the team joins up, Haru is a little late to the proceedings. As she passes by the posters - and see the charges against the students, the lack of charges against one Suguru Kamoshida - it becomes apparent just how truly distorted their principal's view has become. He may not really be calling the shots, but he sure thinks he does. Haru tenses up as the cognitive classmates berate Kasumi, as Joker relays that they only have one chance to save her... "He won't do a thing to save his own students.. not even when it's like this." She shakes her head.

By the time Haru gets close enough to do anything that could help save Kasumi... it's as if she saves herself, awakening to a Persona? "How graceful...!" Haru's eyes light up, seeing Kasumi's elegant moves as she calls upon Cendrillon with a sharp pose. That's one way to steal the show! "We'll have to match that~ let's fight together!" She agrees, when Kasumi accepts their assistance. "Milady!" She calls with a flourish of her own. "They're focusing their fire on her... let's give her some armour!" Milady raises her arms, and bestows a reflective barrier upon the newly-awakened Persona user - that tank will have a much harder time firing at her without risking counterfire!

AS: Persona! Haru Okumura has used the Almighty skill Tetrakarn on Kasumi Yoshizawa!
AS: Pressure: Haru Okumura gains 1 Limit!
AS: Haru Okumura's turn has ended.
AS: Block Neutral! Commandant P. Pen takes 20 Water damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Double Aques. Resist!
AS: Paralyze added!
AS: Counter Worst! Commandant P. Pen takes 37 Water damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Double Aques. Resist!
AS: COUNTER! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 15 Pierce damage in return for his attack! 
AS: Take! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 0 Almighty damage from Haru Okumura's Tetrakarn.
AS: Reflect_Phys added!

<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.

There's always a certain, deepset satisfaction Ann feels, witnessing someone else Awaken to their Persona.

She still remembers how it feels. Finally feeling like she was in control. That she had the power to do -something-.

It inspires the knife's slice of a smile on her lips as she cracks her whip against the ground as if to underscore Kasumi's powerful condemnation that blows those cognitive soldiers and Shadows away with its intensity. And as Kobayakawa makes his strategic retreat?

"Pfft! Look at the small man on his big pulpit! You're -such- a chicken! You better run!" Panther taunts, a spark igniting at her whip.

A second passes.

"--Wait, no! We need him here to answer our questions! H-hey wait come back--!"

                                   SLAM

                        IMPORTANT WAR ROOM BUSINESS
                              DO NOT DISTURB

"Argh! They always do that! So frustrating--!"

This is Panther, compromising her sleek entrance by literally stamping her foot and thrusting her arms to her sides, fists pointed outward, like someone throwing the tiniest of pouty tantrums.

Because Phantom Thieves contain Multitudes.

Of course, Panther knows the steps to this dance well by now -- but let it not be said that Palaces don't keep finding ways to surprise her. As that whole-ass TANK tears onto the battle field, the blonde Phantom Thief leaps -backwards-, eyes narrowed. But it's the morale squad giving the Vice-Principal - no, Vice-Commandant - the ol' heave-ho that has her sputtering out in pure incredulous bafflement.

"Wh-why are you acting so tough?! You didn't even get up on your tank yourself!!"

Yes. That's what she takes exception to right now. Though

THE PRIDE OF SHUJIN!

TAIBATSU! SENSHA!

"Wh-what the heck--?!"

certainly isn't helping all that much either.

Look. A tank is no big deal. She fought a -giant piggy mech- like. Within the last month! But -- those tread-rulers -- and all the sanctimonious, teacherly grandstanding--!

As the tank comes roiling out, rulers-a-paddlin', Panther lets out an undignified "WAH!" as she barrel rolls out of the way of its path, shockwaves rippling through her one after the other to send her off-course with a sharp gasp of pain. She flips in mid-air, the graceful twist of her limber body seeing her land several feet out with a grimace.

"Ohhhhh, I swear this is like STRAIGHT out of my nightmares--!"

School was already bad enough without weaponized meter sticks being involved!!

A tank shell fires. Ann lets out a brief, concerned "Yoshizawa-san--!"

But -- Kasumi can handle herself. No -- she's flourishing still, in the strength of her own rebellion, her bold declaration given raw, bolstering power through her Persona that ripples across the battlefield. Ann can feel the electric tingle in that surge of light. Her eyes narrow, that determined look returning in full force.

"She's right! How dare you treat your students like fodder! You're supposed to be the one's looking after us, not grinding us up and spitting us out!"

Blue flames ignite. She grips her mask.

"And all this glorifying you're doing of that monster..."

Ann rips that cognitive mask free. And Carmen manifests, swinging one of her thorn-bound servitors over her head like a lasso.

"SERIOUSLY PISSES ME OFF."

And HURLS it, straight at stretch of tank treads that Yusuke has doused with water. The second it strikes? The heart-headed servant self-destructs in a brilliant fireball plume that is distressingly heart-shaped, trying to ignite a sudden and extreme temperature shift within the tank's structure to do even -more- damage.

AS: Persona! Ann Takamaki has used the Fire skill Agi on Commandant P. Pen!
AS: Pressure: Ann Takamaki gains 1 Limit!
AS: Ann Takamaki's turn has ended.

AS: There's nothing in your queue by that number or attacker.
AS: Block Worst! Commandant P. Pen takes 27 Fire damage from Ann Takamaki's Agi. Resist!

<Pose Tracker> Commandant P. Pen has posed.

Kasumi newly awakened, flush with power is seen by Kawazu as the greatest threat in this moment, not because the others aren't threats, her newly awakened Will of Rebellion spooked him, badly, and he's spent this time within the tank.

But now the hatch flies open again, and he pops out, wielding the bullhorn, "A bully? Spoken like a girl who's never known real responsibility or hardship! You think you're special because your sister passed away young? Get over yourself! Everyone goes through that grief at some point in their lives. I'm finished coddling a spoiled BRAT like you!"

The tank is rolling away from their positions, like it's trying to get some distance now, in fact the man is stomping inside, barking orders off the Bullhorn. When Joker - attacks! And the man hurriedly ducks back inside, as Arsene's darkness blooms-! It strikes the plating's mirror shine once, twice- then, a machine gun spits a volley right through his third.

What is going on here? That tank armor is too tough to be normal!

He then throws the hatch open again, before putting it against his lips again at Joker's addendum

"Don't presume to lecture me on on the value of a cadet! Cadets come and go! They're a resource so that men like us can climb higher upon their achievements." Noir was far too correct about the values of men like this, he won't do a thing for them, "Get me some covering fire! Now! Sniper Squad! Take him down!" He returns to the safety of the Taibatsu Sensha. And that's when a cognition of an adult woman appears on a catwalk overhead, wearing a beret, sunglasses and a khaki uniform, "Line up girls! Now no shoving for the best perch!"

Those from her class will definitely recognize her by her voice, it's Kawakami! And a whole squad of girls in berets and sunglasses follow in sporting bows and arrows. "Alright! Remember! Headshots are great and all- but they're a much smaller target and this guy seems pret~ty slick! I want to see body shots instead. Nothing too fancy! You got that?" "YES MA'AM!" "That's great! Now LOOSE! Let's make him look like a porcupine!"

And suddenly arrows are flying down at Joker. It may occur to them that Kawakami isn't the faculty advisor to the Archery Club even, but does Kobayakawa remember that!?

Fox has Goemon unleash a wave of ink and water, and the tank treads for a moment slip and slide, enough that the second blast strikes against the plating without marring it at all, and a gun sends a small salvo back! Interesting, did he demonstrate the flimsiness of the treads, or the impenetrability of the armor plating?

Panther then ignites the doused treads, and indeed, they seem them warp some, certainly, several of the strange ruler protrusions bending enough that the tank's movement... jams, then halts abruptly as Kawazu pops back out of the hatch.

"Why aren't we moving!? How dare you damage Shujin property Missy! Captain Kamoshida added more value to Shujin than any number of students! You should have been grateful for the opportunity to even stand in his presence!"

Kawazu seems furious at this development, as he calls out, "You were supposed to FIX the integrity of the treads! SCIENCE SQUAD! GET OUT HERE!" And suddenly, a bunch of nerdy looking cognitions all rush out there, and the Taibatsu-Sensha vanishes in a cloud of dust.

When they look again, it's definitely something to gawk at. Because, they've improvised a fix! That fix is now the Cognitions of the Science Club having removed the lower wheels on both sides, gripping the struts, and rolling the tank forward like a bunch of hamsters on a wheel.

It sure is moving, though... at the speed of Robotics Nerd. Shouldn't it be an 'Engineering Club'? Well, why not both?

The Vice-Commandant pops out of the tank, wielding his bullhorn, "That's more like it! Beautification Squad! Turn up the pressure!" Upon which, several cognitions run across the battlefield, led by... a frizzy haired girl wearing a jersey and a beret. As several of them haul up an enormous hose, she turns the spigot herself with the help of two others. "Such indecency on Shujin's grounds!" And all the Phantom Thieves might be somewhat startled to know... it's Haru.

The high pressure hose is wielded mercilessly, the water coming out hundreds of gallons at a time at high pressure, attempting to wash several of the Phantoms away as the squad bears the enormous hose, pointing it straight at Panther. "SHOW SOME MODESTY!" Before sweeping it over to Noir. "I'm disappointed at how many ladies are involving themselves with these... hooligans!"

IS THIS HOW HE SEES HER? Well yes, she's a billionaire's daughter after all. How else would a man like this see her?

"Driver! Let's help our guests with drying off. The tank then whirls around, and a nozzle of sorts starts to ignite! As the tank turret then begins a long sweeping turn to try and take the Phantom Thieves right out with an enormous wave of flame that roars over the Parade Grounds, trying to catch them inside of it, before then following up with another fusillade of bullets Kasumi's way, like they're trying to target her all the more.

Morgana boosts off of Zorro's winds in a furious somersault over the flamethrower spray, leaping up and slashing, slashing through the cognitions on the catwalk (heh) with his scimitar as the snipers scatter and turns to Joker at this moment, "Joker, we're not making any progress against that thing! We just can't get through its armor. But you've already noticed, right?"

    >The treads seem flimsy...
    >He exposes himself whenever...
    >That Bullhorn...?

There are several options available to him to choose, to direct the Phantoms, "What's your call?" Morgana asks.

 AS: Commandant P. Pen has set a trigger!
 AS: Persona! Commandant P. Pen has used the Water skill Beautification Squad Go! PUNISHMENT HOSE! on Ann Takamaki and
 Haru Okumura!
 AS: You still have 4 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
 AS: Commandant P. Pen spends Limit on Exploit! Commandant P. Pen can use another Weak skill this round!
 AS: Weapon! Commandant P. Pen has used the Pierce skill Sniper Squad! Take them out! on Ren Amamiya!
 AS: You still have 4 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
 AS: Persona! Commandant P. Pen has used the Fire skill Burn their Free Time Away! Detention FLAMETHROWER! on Yusuke
 Kitagawa, Haru Okumura, and Kasumi Yoshizawa!
 AS: You still have 3 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
 AS: Block Worst! Ann Takamaki takes 80 Water damage from Commandant P. Pen's Beautification Squad Go! PUNISHMENT HOSE!.
 Weak!
 AS: Avoid Neutral! Ren Amamiya takes 27 Pierce damage from Commandant P. Pen's Sniper Squad! Take them out!.
 AS: Persona! Commandant P. Pen has used the Pierce skill Suspension! Suspension! on Kasumi Yoshizawa! 3 Hits!
 AS: You still have 2 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
 AS: Avoid Worst! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 100 Fire damage from Commandant P. Pen's Burn their Free Time Away! Detention
 FLAMETHROWER!. Critical Hit! Weak!
 AS: Haze added!
 AS: That attack doesn't seem to match one on your list.
 AS: Commandant P. Pen's turn has ended.
 AS: Avoid Neutral! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 38 Fire damage from Commandant P. Pen's Burn their Free Time Away! Detention
 FLAMETHROWER!.
 AS: Counter Neutral! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 32 Pierce damage from Commandant P. Pen's Suspension! Suspension!. Critical
 Hit!
 AS: COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Commandant P. Pen takes 30 Pierce damage in return for their attack! Resist!
 AS: Counter Worst! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 36 Pierce damage from Commandant P. Pen's Suspension! Suspension!. Critical
 Hit!
 AS: COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Commandant P. Pen takes 26 Pierce damage in return for their attack! Resist!
 AS: Counter Worst! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 24 Pierce damage from Commandant P. Pen's Suspension! Suspension!.
 AS: COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Commandant P. Pen takes 18 Pierce damage in return for their attack! Resist!
 AS: Block Best! Haru Okumura takes 46 Water damage from Commandant P. Pen's Beautification Squad Go! PUNISHMENT HOSE!.
 AS: Paralyze added!
 AS: Avoid Worst! Haru Okumura takes 78 Fire damage from Commandant P. Pen's Burn their Free Time Away! Detention
 FLAMETHROWER!. Weak!

 <Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.
<poem>
    To Kasumi, these Phantom Thieves definitely seem to have experience with whatever's happening here. Is this how they normally operate? She can't help but notice the similarities between their abilities and her own power that has awakened within her.

    Not that she understands any of it.

    But again, answers will have to wait as right now there's more life-threatening things to focus on. Kawazu pops his head out of the tank again to continue berating her and Kasumi grips onto her rapier a little tighter, "You think this is easy for me?"

    Kasumi stares at the ground, "Taking on the responsibility of achieving our shared dream... Of continuing forward for my sister's sake, who will never be able to see the results of her efforts." Kasumi is shaking again as she says, "She worked so hard! Yet here I am, failing her... But I'm not going to give up."

    Kasumi looks up at Kawazu, "I don't need your coddling! I don't need your special treatment! I'll get through this with my own strength!"

    The tank's turret starts to turn, unleashing that stream of flames towards several of them, Kasumi included. She quickly leaps backwards into the air, performing several flips to try and escape the range of the flames. She can feel their heat radiating around her as she barely escapes with her new outfit slightly singed.

    Landing on her feet again, Kasumi whips her rapier up into a ready stance as she watches closely. She can see some of the Phantom Thieves fighting in her periphery, hearing them counter Kawazu and his troops. Some of whom look familiar! Meanwhile, some of the Phantom Thieves are taking this rather personal... Are they fellow Shujin students? It would make sense.

    Power washes over her and Kasumi feels herself become a little stronger. She's not sure how all this works, but she seems to be receiving help from one of the Phantom Thieves. Kasumi nods in Noir's direction, "Thank you."

    And it seems that assistance comes at just the right time as the tank unloads a barrage of bullets in her direction. Kasumi has never even so much as seen a real gun, let alone been fired at before!

    But thanks to the power awakened inside her, she reacts on instinct, rapidly sweeping her rapier out in front of her with numerous quick strikes. A powerful force radiates from each strike, blowing many of the fired rounds back in the direction they came from, while others slip past and just barely miss striking Kasumi.

    Kasumi lets out a quiet breath of relief as the barrage ends. She's working up quite a sweat in this stressful situation... How much longer can she endure?

    Another Phantom is seeking guidance from who Kasumi has assumed is their leader... But she's not going to simply stand around and wait, following someone she doesn't even know. She raises her rapier up in front of her face in preparation, saying to the Vice-Commandant, "You should be ashamed of yourself as a teacher and school administrator! Your role is to give your students the knowledge to help them enter into the harsh world. Not to exploit them!"

    Kasumi spins around, sweeping her rapier down. Cendrillon appears above her, performing a similar twirl and lashing out with her hand. A single large crescent of physical force slices out towards the tank, attempting to slice through its armor with intense sharpness.

AS: Persona! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Slash skill Keen Blade on Commandant P. Pen!
AS: Aggression: Kasumi Yoshizawa gains 1 Limit!
AS: Kasumi Yoshizawa's turn has ended.

AS: Block Worst! Commandant P. Pen takes 49 Slash damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Keen Blade. Critical Hit! Resist! Block
Slash!

<Pose Tracker> Yusuke Kitagawa has posed.

The tank doesn't show much sign of being particularly hindered by Goemon's wave of ink and water... but the tracks stall in the muddied ground, and are outright ruined by Panther's flame.

Fox grins, sharply - only for that grin to vanish when the tank turns A FLAMETHROWER on him.

He takes the blast full to the chest, knocked down to the hard ground with a strangled, agonised cry.

Coughing, he struggles to his feet and staggers backwards, withdrawing to the rearguard of the group. "Goemon..." He calls out for a blessing of speed for himself and his comrades, the charring on his mask vanishing as the much more comfortable blue fire washes over him.

AS: Persona! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Almighty skill Masukukaja on Ren Amamiya, Kasumi Yoshizawa, and Haru Okumura!
AS: Yusuke Kitagawa's turn has ended.
AS: Yusuke Kitagawa cancels 1 attacks on Ren Amamiya.
AS: Yusuke Kitagawa cancels 1 attacks on Kasumi Yoshizawa.
AS: Yusuke Kitagawa cancels 1 attacks on Haru Okumura.
AS: Persona! Yusuke Kitagawa has used the Almighty skill Masukukaja on Yusuke Kitagawa, Ren Amamiya, Kasumi Yoshizawa,
and Haru Okumura!
AS: Yusuke Kitagawa: Haze and Crt_Up removed!
AS: Yusuke Kitagawa's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 0 Almighty damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Masukukaja.
AS: Spd_Up added!

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Panther yells at Shadow Kobayakawa that he better run--then remembers with a mini-tantrum they need to question him. That is, in fact, explicitly the reason they all came in here in the first place.
    
    Joker says nothing, though there is a single, subtle bead of sweat on the side of their face. They... also forgot about that part...
    
    ahem.
    
    Joker's expression twists with anger when the Vice-Commandant yells at Kasumi to get over her sister's death already, then tells them that 'cadets' are expendable resources for men like him to use as stepping stones. "Disgusting," they snap. It's pointless to get upset at cognitions--they're only reflections of the Ruler's mindset--but this is a reflection of a man who is in charge of a significant chunk of not just their life but many of their friends' lives as well.
    
    However, their righteous fury takes second place to Kasumi's. Once again, she's well said. She's as ferocious and willful as any of The Phantoms when they first awoke, and Joker crooks her another smile as she stands up for herself with bravery and style. She's inspirational--for Panther and Noir too, no doubt. Maybe Fox will want to paint her portrait next.
    
    Then the order comes to turn him into a pincushion, and Joker looks alarmed before they spot Cognitive Kawakami ordering the archery team around. He is pretty sure Kawakami is not advising any clubs at all, considering her side job, but that doesn't matter at all to a Ruler. Joker's next several seconds are spent avoiding the porcupine's dilemma with all their might. It's exhausting, and a few of them score lines or holes in his dark coat, but it's better than the alternative.
    
    By the time they're done, the tank has gotten a tread upgrade, and Kawazu has called out several squads, including one with a giant hose wielded by... Oh dear. That sure is a ridiculous cognition of Haru. But flames follow the water, and between those two elements, The Phantoms are taking a beating. Meanwhile, Kasumi continues to draw Kawazu's ire...
    
    Morgana somersaults down and suggests that there's a way they can get past the tank's ridiculous armor. In truth, Joker has already noticed it.
    
    "He exposes himself whenever he pops out to lecture us," they reply. "If we can draw him out and distract him... Noir! Take that opportunity to use your grenade launcher. I'll provide a distraction!"
    
    Kasumi would no doubt be an even better distraction, but for all that they're working together, she's not someone for them to give orders to, and they don't even try. Instead, they touch their mask, which lights up in blue flame for an instant before Arsène materializes again. Joker runs for them, and already knowing the intent of their other self, Arsène extends a clawed hand from them to leap up onto--a trick they never would've thought of without Queen and her Persona. Boosted by the speed Fox's Goemon grants the two, they boost Joker towards the catwalk where Cognitive Kawakami and the Archery Team have been sniping.
    
    Twirling in mid-air, Joker pulls their Makaronov and guns down each of them as they turn. At the other end of their trajectory, they grab the edge of the catwalk and pull themselves up with another aerial flip to land on it just as the cognitions dissolve into black smoke.
    Mask back in place, Joker smirks down at Cognitive Kawazu, one boot planted on one of the posts on the edge of the catwalk. "If you want to snipe someone," they call loudly, "this is how you do it!"
    
    Taking out cognitions might not mean much at this point, however many of them there were--but between that and Kasumi's frontal assault, the two of them are sure to get Kawazu's attention, and give Noir and the others an opening.

AS: Take! Ren Amamiya takes 0 Almighty damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Masukukaja.
AS: Spd_Up added!
AS: Weapon! Ren Amamiya has used the Pierce skill Makaronov Shot on Commandant P. Pen! 3 Hits!
AS: Ren Amamiya's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 0 Almighty damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Masukukaja.
AS: Spd_Up added!

<Pose Tracker> Haru Okumura has posed.

"You're welcome!" Haru asides to Kasumi. "Fight on... you can do this!" She encourages her. She knows it's not easy to be thrust in this situation, but Kasumi is strong - she seems to be handling it better than she had.

Noir squints as a new squad of cognitive students enters the battlefield, calling themselves the Beautification Squad, led by none other than... herself. "Beautification Squad? Is that supposed to be me?" She winces, with that kind of second-hand discomfort that may as well be first-hand. "That's so... embarrassing!" Thanks to this, Haru is actually well-prepared when her cognitive self readies a hose of all things, bracing against the heavy water pressure.

"Immodesty? Come now... you should know, there's nothing less beautiful about a catsuit, is there!" She points an accusing finger at Kobayakawa's cognition of her, who is apparently big on the internalized misogny. Haru gets the feeling that, in Kobayakawa's cognition, she won't have the spine to fight back when the pressure is on her. So she doesn't even raise a hand against her.

What Haru is less prepared for is the follow-up, which is an actual flamethrower. Though she withstood the hose attack, it's left her clothes damp, heavy and difficult to move in, so the natural reaction of jumping away and taking cover from the fire doesn't do much good, leaving her clothes being disaster the least of her worries as fire engulfs Milady's form. At least they'll be good as new next time they infiltrate a Palace, right? "They're tough...!" Haru struggles, gripping her axe, before swapping for her grenade launcher.

Thankfully, after the setback that was the flamethrower, it's like she never slowed down, feeling lighter on her feet than ever. "Thank you!" She calls, getting herself in a better position, as the Thieves plan out an attack

"A distraction? I'm counting on you, Joker!" Haru nods, readying her gun. Joker and Kasumi together - they should be more than enough. Her eyes just need to follow them. Joker's mid-air tricks as he taunts Cognitive Kawasu are certainly a show-stopper. If Kawasu had been sniping them before, now it's time to turn the tables. The moment her eye catches him, Haru doesn't hesitate to fire off a booming grenade directly for the cognition!

AS: Take! Haru Okumura takes 0 Almighty damage from Yusuke Kitagawa's Masukukaja.
AS: Spd_Up added!
AS: Weapon! Haru Okumura has used the Pierce skill How's this? Painful? on Commandant P. Pen!
AS: Pressure: Haru Okumura gains 1 Limit!
AS: Haru Okumura: Paralyze removed!
AS: Haru Okumura's turn has ended.
AS: Block Best! Commandant P. Pen takes 10 Pierce damage from Ren Amamiya's Makaronov Shot. Critical Hit! Resist! Block
Pierce!
AS: Block Worst! Commandant P. Pen takes 4 Pierce damage from Ren Amamiya's Makaronov Shot. Resist! Block Pierce!
AS: Block Worst! Commandant P. Pen takes 4 Pierce damage from Ren Amamiya's Makaronov Shot. Resist! Block Pierce!

<Pose Tracker> Ann Takamaki has posed.

"Ugh! What is this thing made of, anyway?!"

Probably a silly question to ask in a world where everything's made up and the points don't matter, but.

Let Ann vent her frustrations, here!!

No, but really -- there's something up with this tank. It's even tougher than Piggytron, and that's saying something! Irritation rides high on Panther's fair features -- even her momentary look of triumph as her clever endeavor to hobble the tank with a one-two combo of elemental opposites is cut tragically short as -- a cognitive nerd squad shows up to do a pit stop fix on the tank and through the power of SCIENCE innovate--

"W-wait, what?!"

-- manual labor?!

"That's so messed up--!"

That's not the least of it -- there's a cognition of Kawakami beyond, leading a -- sniper squad?? What?!

"What? Kawakami-sensei doesn't even advise the Archery Club, you dumb jerk -- Joker, look out!"

But Ann has her own problems to worry about. Mid-warning Ren, she notices someone familiar out of the corner of her eye, flanked by a whole BEAUTIFICATION SQUADRON. Bafflement writs large on Panther's masked features as she half-turns.

"Okumura-s--BLRUGL"

FWOOOOSH

And this would be the exasperated and pained and ever-so-slightly garbled sound Ann makes as she is hosed down for her indecency by the WORST COGNITION she's EVER SEEN excluding her own--

--oh god she hopes there isn't one of her here--

She has more important things to worry about right now, though. Attempting to guard that hose with Carmen is a futile endeavor: the raw power of the very element she is weak to crashes into and -THROUGH- Ann's Persona. Her pained cry is cut short as the water engulfs her, the great wave of H2O hitting her like a battering ram loaded on a freight train going at maximum speed. She hits the wall of the bunker so hard the stands of the Parade Ground tremble. She struggles, gloved hands trying in vain to push through and past the water, only to be slapped back against the wall once more. When it ends -- she lands in a kneeling slump, gasping for air, twintails drooping and water sluicing off cognitive leather as she tries to keep her vision from swimming -too- bad.

"... blgh... you think... I'm gonna let what you think of me get in my way...?"

Ann drags herself up. Drenched she might be--

"... Like I'd ever care about what someone as pathetic as -you- thinks."

-- but her stare is fire.

"That's the problem with shitty faculty like you. You don't even know what your school staff does -- how are you supposed to actually run a successful school when all you can think of is yourself?! You've got no one to blame for the sorry state of your school but you, for not even seeing how amazing your students like Yoshizawa-san are, and groveling at the feet of perverts and predators like Kamoshida! But you better believe -- we're gonna remind the Principal of just that!"

All that moisture evaporates off Ann with the ignition of the fire in her heart, manifesting out into the cogni-physical. She braces -- and then surges -forward-, swinging her whip up high before slinging it -wide- to snag that hose and -yank- it up and out of the Cognitive Beautification Squad's hands.

"And just so you know?!"

There's a fire in her eyes. A fire in her heart. A fire in her whip!

oh wait oh no

"I!" WHIPCRACK! "LOOK!" WHIPCRACK!

And this would be Ann, swinging her weapon so violently and so swiftly the entire air becomes filled a sequence of increasingly loud leather snaps punctuated by superheated bursts of flame as she becomes a veritable STORM OF WHIP slice-snapping through the cognitive crowds.

"AMAZING!!"

crackcrackcrackCRACRACRACRACRACKACKACKACKACK--*

All punctuated with one firm high-heel boot planting right into the cognitive Haru to kick her away right as the REAL Haru cuts her cognitive self down to size with words.

Proving that words and violence are equally effective!

A second passes. Panther realizes what she has done with a look of dawning embarrassment. Did she just -- put the boot to her cognitive senpai?!

"Um. S-sorry, Noir!!"

wait why is she apologizing to noir DON'T BREAK KAYFABE PANTHER

The whipstorm, however, is finished. And Joker seems to have a plan. Ann turns her gaze on Kawazu, teeth gritting towards a sneer. A distraction. Joker provides one.

"Hey!"

Panther decides to join in.

"You know what's really indecent?! How TERRIFIED you are, huddling away in your little tank without your golden child. You really can't do anything without Kamoshida, huh?"

Ann cracks the whip, one more time, blue flame igniting.

"That's just -sad-. Dance, Carmen!"

And Carmen re-manifests in a gout of flame and an eloquent twirl of motion, the skirt-bouncing swivel of her movements sending her kneeling over the tank and blowing it cigar-chomping kiss. A soft puff --

And a weakening swarm of pink gushes past, seeping into the foundations and - hopefully - disorienting Kawazu's cognition the second he takes the bait.

Hopefully, it's enough--!

AS: Persona! Ann Takamaki has used the Almighty skill Pulinpa on Commandant P. Pen!
AS: Pressure: Ann Takamaki gains 1 Limit!
AS: Ann Takamaki's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Commandant P. Pen takes 0 Almighty damage from Ann Takamaki's Pulinpa.

<Pose Tracker> Commandant P. Pen has posed.

Kawazu listens to Kasumi's words about her and her sister, and his jaw grows taut, "What strength? You've shown yourself to be third-rate at best." He says coldly, "Someone like you could never achieve anything of value. Not for yourself! And more importantly- NOT FOR SHUJIN!"

Cendrillon's blade comes down, with all of it's might, and the blade sparks against the armor, more - and more! As it drives it down into the armor.

And what results in the aftermath? There's a gouge there. A small gouge in the plating.

"Haha... ahahaha! Is that all your strength is worth?" But, he looked nervous there, far too nervous! Like he thought it might actually break through, "You should count yourself fortunate to be exploited in exchange for the wisdom and guidance of your elders. Exploitation is the way of this world, you foolish child! Get out there Morale Squad! Show them your moves!"

He then has to duck his head down rapidly, in alarm, as Joker calls out at him that he's going to snipe him. Waiting for the bullets to plink down, and only then popping back out, keeping his head behind the hatch.

"How dare you target a man of my stature so flagrantly!" He slams down on the side of the hatch again, "If we let him mouth off like this! Everyone else will follow his example! TAKE HIM OUT!" And catapults mounted on either side of the turret, begin to raise, before then flinging something at Joker at high speed.

SOUNDTRACK INTERRUPT (Timestamp Sensitive) - https://youtu.be/ZNGqBDRJgvo?si=_k-JQQtp3pho2FQU&t=45

He never saw it coming.

But he has honed his reflexes from many hours of training for this moment, as what's flying at him are in fact clusters of enormous pieces of chalk, sure to coat him in an outrageous amount of white dust if they slam into them. Also possibly give him a traumatic brain injury? Possibly! Has anyone studied the long term effects of taking so much chalk to the head? Probably not!

>Proficiency Check!
(If you can't make it, there's always New Game Plus???)

And then, as Kasumi and Joker serve as distractions - Kasumi may find themselves quite distracted, in response to the earlier call a team of cognitions in bright colored Red T-Shirts with a splash of other colors, runs out there, pumping their fists. Several of them twirl around in improvised dance moves, while another does somersaults, and finally one girl takes up a microphone, "Is everyone having a good time tonight?"

And there's the roar of a multitude of cognitions, "What's that!? I can't HEAR YOU!" And again a cheer goes up, louder from what cognitions are there tonight! "Let's give it up to everyone here who came out tonight!" The girl smiles suddenly as the entire team brandishes combat knives, "To watch us GUT Little Miss Traitor and her wretched friends!"

One of the boys abruptly somersaults end over end, before beginning to try and slice and dice Kasumi with a knife, while another begins break-dancing into a chaotic slashing frenzy at Yusuke to try and slash him up. Motojima and Furuya from the rhythmic gymnastics team make an appearance leaping on either side of Kasumi, as two ribbons slash at her from either side, hoping to box her in and help finish her off.

"I know my morale is going to improve after I take you out!" Motojima yells at her, "You were never worth the hype! NEVER!"

It was just Joker and Kasumi making the distraction right? Well, Panther proves quite apt at distracting him too, as a swarm of pink gushes past, and Kawazu gets a faceful, panic welling up in his throat, "H-How dare you! You're not even going to come NEAR the Commandant!"

Gesticulating wildly with a hand he yells in alarm, he says, "I want her expelled, NOW! RUNNERS! IT IS TIME TO ATONE FOR YOUR PAST DISGRACE!" And suddenly, several cognitions take the field in track uniforms, running towards Panther at top speed, it's only as they get close that you might notice the vest of grenades, all strung together, with their hand on a ring binding all the pins together.

Panther possibly even recognizes two of the faces as Ryuji's former track teammates back when they used to run, Nakaoka and Takeishi, "GLORY TO SHUJIN! BANZAI!" As they pull the pins, each of the cognitions erupts in a fireball right beside her.

Track Team students, fully willing to die in a Kamikaze attack. Faculty, fully willing to sacrifice them. Shiho, on that day fully willing to jump.

Did they not realize Panther was resistant to flames, and that this was only likely to piss her off more?

... Not even a little. That would require Kobayakawa's cognitions of his inner world having some actual awareness of the people around them!

AS: Persona! Commandant P. Pen has used the Strike skill Think You Can Get Smart with Me!? See if you can dodge my:
Chalk Launcher! on Ren Amamiya!
AS: You still have 4 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
AS: Persona! Commandant P. Pen has used the Fire skill RUNNERS! Atone for your disgrace with your Lives! on Ann Takamaki!
AS: You still have 3 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
AS: Weapon! Commandant P. Pen has used the Slash skill Morale Squad! Show them your Moves! on Yusuke Kitagawa! 2 Hits!
AS: You still have 2 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
AS: Weapon! Commandant P. Pen has used the Slash skill Morale Squad! Show them your Moves! on Kasumi Yoshizawa! 2 Hits!
AS: You still have 1 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
AS: Commandant P. Pen's turn has ended.

AS: Counter Worst! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 31 Slash damage from Commandant P. Pen's Morale Squad! Show them your Moves!.

AS: COUNTER! Commandant P. Pen takes 2 Slash damage in return for their attack! Resist!
AS: Counter Best! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 24 Slash damage from Commandant P. Pen's Morale Squad! Show them your Moves!.
AS: COUNTER! Commandant P. Pen takes 9 Slash damage in return for their attack! Resist!
AS: Block Neutral! Ann Takamaki takes 43 Fire damage from Commandant P. Pen's RUNNERS! Atone for your disgrace with your
Lives!. Resist!
AS: Haze added!

AS: Counter Worst! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 21 Slash damage from Commandant P. Pen's Morale Squad! Show them your Moves!.

Counter Slash!
AS: COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Commandant P. Pen takes 21 Slash damage in return for their attack! Resist!
AS: Counter Neutral! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 26 Slash damage from Commandant P. Pen's Morale Squad! Show them your
Moves!. Critical Hit! Counter Slash!
AS: COUNTER! Reflect Phys! Commandant P. Pen takes 38 Slash damage in return for their attack! Resist!

<Pose Tracker> Commandant P. Pen has posed.

Unfortunately for him as he crosses his arms coming down from the panic, satisfied with the horrible tableau of human sacrifice he created on a cognitive level. That's the moment that Noir fires... the grenade rebounds off the man itself, who is suddenly slammed against the edge of the tank, as the explosive device rolls inside with a satisfying clank, clank, clank.
 
The Disciplinary Committee Executive turned tank driver yells, "Is that a-? GRENA-!" But his warning is cut off by the sudden explosion within, detonating in satisfying glory as the monstrosity that was the Taibatsu Sensha begins to explode from within, spewing metallic plates and rulers and chalk everywhere, even before the fuel tank ignites, and it goes up in a fireball, consuming the tank personnel and science club as well.

AS: Block Worst! Commandant P. Pen takes 49 Pierce damage from Haru Okumura's How's this? Painful?. Critical Hit!
Resist! Block Pierce!

AS: Haru Okumura sets off Commandant P. Pen's trigger! 900 damage!

<Pose Tracker> Commandant P. Pen has posed.

Kawazu lands on the ground, his sunglasses shattered, his bullhorn missing, as he props himself up on his hands and knees! Shaking off the dust, he looks at the Phantoms and- goes into full Dogeza!? "Wait, let's talk this out! Spare me and I'll reward you! I'll recommend you all for- for- commendations!"

As the man suddenly reaches into his military jacket and throws out several form letters, not even personalized at the Phantoms, as he gets up quickly, backing up! "It's all the Commandant's fault anyway! I'm the real victim here! All he does is pawn off his work on other people, while he hides in his office and plays wargames! I'm innocent! So let me live! Please!?"

So this is what Kobayakawa thinks of even his right hand man. Who knows how accurate it is to the portrayal of the man in real life, but... there is likely a lot of truth to it.

"SOMEONE! ANYONE! SAVE ME!" As he starts running towards a student who runs out. "Vice-Commandant! I'm here to help-!" "Yes thank you! And now that you are-!"

Which is when the man grabs the younger teenager in a headlock, "Make yourself USEFUL!" And pulls a sidearm, putting it to his head, "Nobody move damnit!" And that's when they all see the expression of Mishima gaping at this betrayal of his good will. "You slaughtered enough of our Special Forces didn't you? But if you value our cadets so much then you'll let me walk away, now."

The Phantom Thieves don't kill... but... the man is just a cognition, isn't he? And so is Mishima for that matter, but that look of desperation on his face is so...

AS: Persona! Commandant P. Pen has used the Almighty skill Wait! Let's Talk about this! Letter of Recommendation! on Ren
Amamiya, Kasumi Yoshizawa, Ann Takamaki, and Yusuke Kitagawa!
AS: You still have 4 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
AS: Persona! Commandant P. Pen has used the Almighty skill Wait! Let's Talk about this! Letter of Recommendation! on
Haru Okumura!
AS: You still have 3 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
AS: Persona! Commandant P. Pen has used the Almighty skill Avoid Responsibility! on Ren Amamiya, Kasumi Yoshizawa, Ann
Takamaki, and Yusuke Kitagawa!
AS: You still have 2 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
AS: Persona! Commandant P. Pen has used the Almighty skill Avoid Responsibility! on Haru Okumura!
AS: You still have 1 regular actions and 0 bonus Weak actions!
AS: Commandant P. Pen's turn has ended.
AS: Take! Haru Okumura takes 0 Almighty damage from Commandant P. Pen's Wait! Let's Talk about this! Letter of
Recommendation!.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Take! Haru Okumura takes 0 Almighty damage from Commandant P. Pen's Avoid Responsibility!.
AS: Rage added!
AS: Take! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 0 Almighty damage from Commandant P. Pen's Wait! Let's Talk about this! Letter of
Recommendation!.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Take! Yusuke Kitagawa takes 0 Almighty damage from Commandant P. Pen's Avoid Responsibility!.
AS: Rage added!
AS: Take! Ann Takamaki takes 0 Almighty damage from Commandant P. Pen's Wait! Let's Talk about this! Letter of
Recommendation!.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Take! Ann Takamaki takes 0 Almighty damage from Commandant P. Pen's Avoid Responsibility!.
AS: Rage added!
AS: Take! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 0 Almighty damage from Commandant P. Pen's Wait! Let's Talk about this! Letter of
Recommendation!.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Take! Kasumi Yoshizawa takes 0 Almighty damage from Commandant P. Pen's Avoid Responsibility!.
AS: Rage added!
AS: Avoid Worst! Ren Amamiya takes 48 Strike damage from Commandant P. Pen's Think You Can Get Smart with Me!? See if
you can dodge my: Chalk Launcher!.
AS: Panic added!
AS: Take! Ren Amamiya takes 0 Almighty damage from Commandant P. Pen's Wait! Let's Talk about this! Letter of
Recommendation!.
AS: Crt_Up added!
AS: Take! Ren Amamiya takes 0 Almighty damage from Commandant P. Pen's Avoid Responsibility!.
AS: Rage added!
AS: Ann Takamaki spends Limit on Shift! Kasumi Yoshizawa can use another Weak skill this round! SP +8! Healed 20!

<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.

    Another of the Phantom Thieves provides Kasumi with assistance. She notices they're each summoning their own version of... Whatever it is that Cendrillon and the others are. She doesn't know what they are, but why does she feel such a strong connection to Cendrillon?

    Kasumi is vaguely aware of the plan that the Phantom Thieves leader is hatching. She's not sure exactly where it's going, but she's just going to have to trust them. Besides, she's just barely hanging on, her lack of understanding of current events, her sudden awakening of power, and the threat to her life, all quickly piling up.

    The more she hears Phantom Thieves chattering amidst the fight, the more convinced she is that they are fellow students. Glancing between them, Kasumi briefly tries to figure out who they might be... But it's hard to tell with their outfits and masks.

    Kasumi can't spend too much time on figuring out who the Phantom Thieves are though. As her attention is drawn back to Kawazu. He mocks her strength and unfortunately she doesn't have the experience to see through it and recognize his concern...

    She's failing to achieve again... This familiar feeling.

    The brief diversion in her attention allows the Morale Squad to move in on her. The first charges at Kasumi head on, lashing out with his knives towards her. But Kasumi leans back, showing off her limber body as she doubles back into a hand stand, causing the knife strikes to pass through the air above her.

    Kasumi then brings her feet up to follow, launching a kick into the jaw of the squad member. She's been watching closely enough as the others fought to realise that these aren't real people. There's no harm in taking them out... Right? Not that she has much choice if she wants to survive.

    Kasumi's fellow squad members--or at least these fake versions of them--both attack from either side. The ribbons twirl through the air towards Kasumi. She reacts, pushing off from the handstand and launching herself to twist through the air, gliding through the gap between the ribbons.

    As she twists, Kasumi sends the hand holding her rapier flicking out, sending the blade streaking tip first into her gymnastics senpai. Kasumi then lands in a crouch once more. Rising in a spin she swiftly summons an antique rifle into existence in her hands. She quickly levels it at the other squad member and fires a shot.

    The 'Morale Squad' briefly dealt with, Kasumi walks over to retrieve her rapier and turns to notice that the tank has been expertly dealt with by the Phantom Thieves teamwork.

    But now Kawazu is holding one of his own at gunpoint... Will this be alright? Does it even matter that he's doing this? Right now, Kasumi can't quite grasp the answers to those questions...

    But that's alright, because she has a plan anyway, "Taking one of your own students hostage... And you call ME disgraceful? There is no end to your sins."

    A quick fingersnap and Cendrillon appears, instantly calling down a pillar of bright light to engulf Kazuma. Hopefully disorienting enough to buy just a few moments...

    ... For the true threat, as a blade of golden light hovers ominously in the air above and behind Kawazu. Cendrillon brings her hand down, the blade rapidly darting point down to try and impale the 'Vice-Commandant'.

AS: Persona! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Light skill Kouha on Commandant P. Pen!
AS: Kasumi Yoshizawa spends Limit on Psych! 
AS: Persona! Kasumi Yoshizawa has used the Pierce skill Sword Step on Commandant P. Pen!
AS: Aggression: Kasumi Yoshizawa gains 1 Limit!
AS: Kasumi Yoshizawa: Psych removed!
AS: Kasumi Yoshizawa's turn has ended.

AS: Block Worst! Commandant P. Pen takes 101 Light damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Kouha. Critical Hit! Weak!
AS: Block Worst! Commandant P. Pen takes 128 Pierce damage from Kasumi Yoshizawa's Sword Step. Weak!
AS: Commandant P. Pen is unable to continue fighting!

<Pose Tracker> Commandant P. Pen has posed.

The man tries to pull the trigger rapidly of the gun as Kasumi condemns him, but the pillar of light engulfs him, and only him, dropping him to his knees. Mishima runs away, at a clumsy, staggering gait.

The man's eyes grow wide as he falls on his backside, "Wait - wait! I don't want to-!" And the blade pierces him through. He falls down, insensate.

And then dissolves. Not as Shadows do, for he's a Cognition. It's more a gradual fade of his body disintegrating, than a spray of ichor and sudden collapse.

The Phantoms know, so long as he lives in real life, he'll be back one day, like a bad penny. But for now, the Parade Grounds are silent.

Kobayakawa's office remains shut. It's perhaps not impassable, but... have they not what they came for?

<Pose Tracker> Ren Amamiya has posed.

    Exploitation is the way of this world, you foolish child! Kawazu shouts, and Joker suddenly frowns--not because of the horrible sentiment that this is (though that doesn't help), but because this is a reflection of Kobayakawa's mindset. If exploitation is the way of this world, and Kobayakawa's search to find if The Phantoms are among his students reeks of desperation... who's exploiting him?
    
    Joker doesn't have a chance to contemplate that for long. He finds himself on the wrong end of a chalk launcher, and while his Proficiency is high--it's apparently not quite high enough.
    
    They flashback to Ushimaru's murderous intent and the many bruised foreheads, and freeze in their panic...!
    
    "WAUGH," they cry while they get WHALED on with many, many high-velocity pieces of chalk. Their black coat will be pure white by the end of this. But go ahead, keep shooting, Kawazu. You'll get yours when Noir fires that grenade in your tank!
    
    And when it goes off, it goes off with a most satisfying, tank-shattering KABOOM.
    
    ...It helps shake off some of the chalk snowing down from their hair and costume, at that. Joker takes a moment to step away from the edge of the catwalk and dust the worst off it off. It occurs to them to swap Personas and use a water spell to wash it off--but no, that would only make it worse. The thought of looking that uncool in front of their friends fills them with fresh panic...!
    
    Once they look more or less presentable, Joker jumps down from the catwalk to rejoin their friends, taking another moment to look over the team and Kasumi. They've taken some bad damage--but Panther's also taken out a significant number of cognitions with her fiery whip technique, including the Cognitive Haru, and Kasumi's taken care of those cognitive bullies from the gymnastics team. (Are they that bad in real life, or is that just Kobayakawa's perception? They'll have to look into that later.)
    
    Kawazu is the worst off by far. They should be able to finish this up and leave... Except when Joker approaches, hands tucked into their pockets, the Vice-Commandant immediately starts groveling.
    
    Joker is unmoved. Not by his dogeza, not by his generic-ass letters of recommendation, not by his excuses.
    
    "If you're an adult, take responsibility for yourself," he tells him coldly.
    
    So naturally, Kawazu's response is to grab a cognitive Mishima and hold him hostage to try to get himself an escape route. Joker narrows their eyes at him.
    
    But Kasumi doesn't hesitate. As much as all this is, she's picked up on context clues to realize (or assume) that these cognitions are things that she can just take out--and does so without mercy. Cognitive Mishima even manages to get away unscathed while Cognitive Kawazu reduces to nothing. Perfect.
    
    Joker watches until the cognition is well and truly gone. Then they tuck their hands in their pockets again and look at her, then at all the others.
    
    "The show's over," they announce. "Let's get out of here before any reinforcements arrive." They turn to Kasumi. "You're welcome to join us if you like... but if you'd rather not, all you need to do to get out is leave. Once you're out of this bunker and past the perimeter fence, you should be able to return to the real world."
    
    The Phantoms do still need to question Shadow Kobayakawa, but now is not the time.

<Pose Tracker> Kasumi Yoshizawa has posed.

    Kawazu vanishes, just firmly proving that he wasn't a real person... Which certainly explains some of his strange behaviour. But does that mean the real Kawazu isn't actually like that? Or is there some connection between this fake one and the real one?

    So many questions...

    ... But now is still not the time for answers. Even though they're taken care of the ones attacking them, Kasumi suspects there are more waiting in the wings--

    --Kasumi drops down to her knees, groaning quietly as the exhaustion of her awakening and the subsequent battle overtakes her. She's so tired... But she can't stay down. She can't keep being weak.

    Kasumi struggles back onto her feet, giving the Phantom Thieves leader a weak smile as he gives her the option of joining them in their escape or going her own way, "I think I'll have to rely on your help for a little longer."

    The group begins to make a break for it, amidst the shouts and alarms that are starting to blare through the bunker. Thankfully they'll be able to make it out without another fight, more soldiers quickly following on their heels all the way back until returning to the real world.

    Upon returning to said reality, Kasumi will be relieved to find her normal clothes weren't actually burned up in her awakening (that would be awkward). But surprise quickly follows as she recognises a couple of the Phantom Thieves!

    But despite all the questions she has, she doesn't quite feel up to an explanation at that very moment... And she has to get home before her parents start to worry! She's already late!