Game start!
"Long ago, there was a young girl who lived in a small, unnamed village. She was known to cause mischief and trouble. She would let the pigs out of their pen and have them run wild or throw tomatoes at people's feet, making them slip and fall.
"She was wild and uncivilized," the people would shout. "A fool of mischief," they called her. The village leader heard his people's complaints and banished the young girl from her home until she could prove that she had a change of heart.
The girl, with nothing but the clothes on her back and food to help her survive months on end, left her home without so much as a goodbye.
She walked for days, traveling the wide world, fending for only herself.
Suddenly, as she walked through an abandoned crossroad, she noticed a grand door. It was deep blue with a gilded touch, and it glimmered in contrast to its dull gray surroundings. Out of pure curiosity, she placed a gentle hand on its golden knob and opened it cautiously.
When she opened it, she was enamored with its beautiful and powerful magic. She stepped inside and gazed into its thick aura.
"So, you finally found me. I’ve been waiting for many years. You’ve caused quite a stir. For years, you have been shunned from the place that you called home. "Hear my voice and let us bind a contract." A voice spoke out. "I am thou. Thou art I. No more will you be deemed a fool. Show them you are more than what they make of you."
And from there, the first persona was born. The girl made her way back to her village to show the people her new-found strength and to prove herself more than what they deemed her to be.
However, in the distance, thick, black smoke rose to the clouds, and the curtailing screams of the townsfolk flooded her senses. She ran to her home and found that, as she was gone, they had been attacked by the shadows of the storm. An ancient evil that had somehow been resurrected.
With her persona, she fended off the shadows and claimed the land that had been stolen. The townsfolk witnessed the might of her power and rejoiced, as they were now forever in her debt. They crowned her Queen of Magic and built her a grand castle in their gratitude. She continued to protect her people, and thus the kingdom of Momentos was formed."
—
‘Stop. You’re going to kill them. They’re going to die.’
Every single one of them was lined up in a circle, and he got a clear sight of them all. Their sadden faces broke him. It was just going to be him and him alone. He was the only one supposed to die, but he knew they would lay down their lives for him. They would follow him to hell and back, and all he had to do was say the word.
He loved them. All of them.
‘Stop it. Stop it. I won’t let you. You won’t get away with this, you sick bastard.’
They were all on display for the whole kingdom to see. Every single one of his friends, his family, was going to die, and it was going to be his fault.
‘I won’t let you. I won’t let you kill them. Stop. Stop it right now.'
In the crowd with a horrifying front row seat was his family. Takemi. Ohya. Chihaya. Iwai. Mishima. Hifumi. Yoshida. Shinya. Sae. Jose. Kawakami. Sojiro, his dad. His real dad. He could see them all—his friends and family. Morgana. Ryuji. Ann. Yusuke. Mokoto. Futaba. Haru. Sumure….Goro. They were all here because he wanted to take back his birthright. To save his kingdom. To honor what he had lost. They all looked sad. Fearful. Regretful.
‘Damn you, Shido. I won’t let you. Stop it. Stop It, STOP IT.’
He could see the guillotine blades rising, getting ready to behead them one by one. Saving him for last. So, he could watch them all die one by one. A sickening message from that damn bastard, taunting him. ‘This is what you get for crossing me.’
‘They're going to die. Do something, you fool. Stop it. He’s going to kill them. Stop it. STOP it. STOP IT!!’
"STOP IT!" he shouted with a raw voice, his throat burning and tears running down his face. He burst into bright, beautiful blue flames. A dark voice he hadn’t heard in years laughed for everyone to hear as he finally reawakened. Everyone had been pushed back by the strong energy, but he could care less. A familiar mask was clinging to his face, and he reached to pull it off. It barely dawned on him that his guillotine had disappeared, and he was freed from his shackles because he could only think of one thing.
‘Shido will pay.’
—
*12 years earlier*
Ryuji huffed silently as he walked alongside his father to the throne room. He’s never really been inside the castle or even seen the royal family outside of paintings. While his father was the captain of the royal guard, he was considered too much of an embarrassment to be brought anywhere near the family. It took a lot of begging and chores to convince his mom to convince his dad. Finally, his father agreed, but any indication of misbehaving would send him straight home and force him to clean the horse stables for a month.
Unfortunately, the day he was brought in was the day of an important business meeting of royalty and nobles. So, Ryuji walked quietly, something that took a lot of concentration. The duo had to arrive early to ensure that every guest had safe passage to the meeting room. There was so much expectation bestowed on his father and, thus, on Ryuji. However, Ryuji never thought it would be so boring. The only thing to do was analyze the castle walls. The castle itself was grand. The royal family, with their awakened personas, was captured only in paintings. Ryuji thought they looked elegant while conveying a sort of badassness to them. He imagined it would be so cool to be a persona user, but his mother said only the royal family could wield a persona. There wasn't any indication that someone outside the royal family could wield a persona.
She had also mentioned that, while only the royal family could wield a persona, a user hasn’t been seen for generations, the last one being a little over 20 years ago. Some of the people live in fear because of that. They believed that if one didn’t awaken soon, the whole kingdom might become runes. A persona user was the primary protector of their kingdom, and while nothing bad has occurred for the need of said persona, many believed it was only a matter of time.
Ryuji dreamed of following in his father's footsteps. To become a part of the royal guard and serve the kingdom and its people. If the family couldn't, then he would. He trained himself hard and did what he could so that when he was of age, he could take the knights entrance exams. Apparently, only the best of the best were allowed to serve in the castle, and the greatest could only become a part of the captain's squad.
Two knights had opened the door to allow them inside the throne room. Ryuji stared in amazement as the king and queen sat prestigiously and sternly. The king sat firmly with a piercing, strong gaze. A man who knew how to lead. He was handsome, with deep brown eyes, soft brown hair, and a healthy build. A great example of confidence and refinement.
The Queen, in Ryuji’s opinion, was more intense. Alongside her husband, she sat regal and assured. Her stare could cut glass without it shattering, yet there was a hidden gentleness within it. An elegant woman with long jet-black hair and intelligent gray eyes. Ryuji and his father bowed until they were put at ease. Silently, Ryuji wondered where the crowned prince was if he wasn’t with his parents. Ryuji only knew of him when his father cursed something about a prank that was pulled on him that day and the few paintings they had previously passed by. Apparently, he was a quiet yet mischievous boy.
The king and his father conversed about the upcoming meeting and the preparations for the Blue Moon Ball, which was set for a few days' time. Ryuji saw the queen lean back and speak something he couldn’t quite hear. When she looked back, their eyes met, and Ryuji couldn’t help but tense immediately, feeling as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn’t have been. She smirked and said something else before turning back to the other conversation, putting in her two yen once in a while.
Confused, Ryuji tilted his head to the side and leaned to try and see who or what the Queen was talking to. Soon another head of jet-black hair and deep gray eyes met his own. When he blinked, the boy was gone. Now Ryuji was even more confused. He looked around before his eyes landed back on the queen. Next to her was a young boy around his age, whispering in her ear. Her smile grew, and she nodded. The boy turned to him, giving Ryuji a clear view of the boy. He bore a striking resemblance to the queen, the only difference being the length of his hair.
"Captain Sakamoto?" The queen interrupted the conversation in a loud yet polite manner. "The boy next to you is your son, correct?" She asked. Now all eyes were settled on him, and he wanted to do nothing but hide away shyly.
"Yes, your highness." His father spoke, straightening himself more. Ryuji could tell he was anticipating him to mess up and make a fool of himself. While his father was a great captain, he was a lousy husband and father. His expectations for his mother and himself were low, but Ryuji still felt the need to prove himself. Prove that he will be better than what his father expects him to be, and once he gets there, he’ll rub it all in his father's face.
"Would it be alright if he accompanied the prince? Akira hasn’t been around others his age lately and tends to talk to his cat most days. It would be nice of him to do something other than stay in the garden alone or stay in solitude in the library." The queen spoke, calling the prince out. Akira, Ryuji learned, didn’t flinch at the accusation. Instead, he kept his gaze on Ryuji with an unreadable expression. A hand pressed against his back and pushed him forward. Ryuji looked up at his father before looking back at the royal family.
"Of course, your majesty. I’m sure Ryuji would be delighted." His father spoke. The younger boy looked back up at him, and his father spoke quietly, only for his ears to hear. "Go on, boy. You can finally make yourself useful." He whispered, pushing Ryuji further. Ryuji huffed a small sigh before walking close to the prince. Soon, the boy was closer than he expected. The king and his father resumed their conversation, and he could feel the queen's eyes on them, but she said nothing more.
"Hello! What’s your name?" The prince started gently but happily as he fiddled with a satchel that hung nicely on his hip. It looked expensive and neatly crafted. Ryuji took a breath as he looked away. He bowed, knowing his father was still watching him from the corner of his eyes.
"Sakamoto. Sakamoto Ryuji." He stated it in the best voice that he could muster. Akira beamed and bowed back, which took Ryuji by surprise.
"Prince Kurusu Akira is at your service, but you can just call me Akira. No need for the ‘your highness’ stuff." He said. His satchel ruffled a bit before a black and white cat popped out. "Oh! And this is Morgana! Do you want to play with us?" Akria beamed happily. Ryuji scoffed playfully. Honestly, in all the paintings he’s seen of the prince, he would’ve thought the prince was some stoic and intense person like his parents, but all he sees is just some dweeb with a cat.
“Sure! Whatta have in mind?”
—
When the prince asked if they could play thief, Ryuji wasn’t expecting them to go into the vents and the walls of the castle. They explored the castle for what seemed like hours, but it was in fact only 20 minutes. Akira’s cat, Morgana, perched himself on the prince's shoulder, and they conversed to themselves, Ryuji piping in every once in a while. Ryuji was convinced that that wasn’t some ordinary cat. He would meow a response every time Akira would say something. At first, Ryuji thought he had lost it, but he was convinced that the cat was actually anything but. The three exited a wall and found themselves in one of the castle's many halls.
"Hey Akira. Not that I'm complaining or anything, but where are we going?" Ryuji asked, to which Akira only smiled as he continued to lead them somewhere.
"To the royal tailor. Takamaki-san should be here as she’s making our outfits for the upcoming ball." Akira remarked, not really looking at the other.
"And we couldn’t take a normal route, why?" Ryuji deadpanned. Akira giggled before a knight standing in front of the door opened it to let them in.
"Because it wouldn’t be as fun!" The room itself was rather big, and outfits of all kinds were displayed all over. A woman in front of a sewing machine stopped what she was doing and looked up at the newcomers. Her soft gaze turned into a happy smile once she saw the prince and his new friend.
"Prince Kurusu. What a lovely surprise. Oh! And you have a friend." She smiled warmly, like his mother would. Part of him reminisced at the similarity but shook the thought away once she started speaking again. "What brings you to this part of the castle? Your suit for the ball isn't ready just yet." She expressed this as she continued to tailor whatever outfit she was making.
"Hi Takamaki-san. I was wondering if you had any masks that Ryuji and I could play with! We’re going to be phantom thieves!" He cheered happily. Morgana meowed happily alongside him, and Ryuji nodded eagerly, now understanding that they were going to make their game just a little more exciting.
"In the chest. However, I don’t think I have a lot. I would also check in the art room for any others if you were unsatisfied with whatever is in the chest." She nodded her head to the large chest in the corner. Akira grabbed Ryuji's hand and pulled him along. They opened it up, and there were costumes of all kinds and masks of all kinds.
"Can I play too?'' A voice piped up from behind them. Ryuji and Akira whipped their heads up in surprise and turned around. There stood a girl with blond hair that seemed more natural than Ryuji’s and that was tied in pigtails. Ryuji hadn’t even seen her when they walked in; he was focused on looking around in awe. Akira was the first to speak.
"Of course! Come pick out a mask!" He shuffled to the side to let her search with them. Once they all found something that suited them, they tried it on for size. The girl had found a red panther mask, while Ryuji found something that was reminiscent of a skull. Akira found a jester mask with black circles around the eyes and a black cloth with eye holes for Morgana. They were a little big, but it fit enough that it wouldn’t fall off their faces as they ran around.
"Thank you, Takamaki-san! I promise I'll return them before you leave for the day!" Akira said as he grabbed a few more masks and put them in his satchel. Ryuji asked about the extra, but Akria told him it was just a hunch. The four of them walked out, and before the door closed, Ryuji heard the girl's mother shout to her to behave herself and play nice. The girl agreed, and the three ventured off into the walls once again.
—-
Ann had only met the young prince once before this. Her father was away on a business trip, and her mother had no one to care for her in the meantime. Her father was a diplomat and a high-class noble. He had been to the place many times before he met her mother. Her mother was a world-renowned tailor who worked for the royal family after being sought out by the queen personally.
Ann hasn’t met the king, but the queen gave her mother her own workshop within the castle whenever she had a commission for her. The queen would visit time and time again, and Ann had met her plenty of times because of this. Ann thought she was intimidating because of her piercing gray eyes. She spoke modestly and held her head high. Ann looked up at her in admiration, but she was a scary woman indeed. Beauty, grace, and everything else Ann thought she would be when she first saw her in the castle paintings.
Ann was her mother's model in the making; she only models children's clothing currently, but she had fun, nonetheless. She hoped to be as talented and kind as her mother and as strong-willed and beautiful as the queen. Not saying her mother wasn’t the queen just took the cake and set the standards high when it came to women of class.
One day, the queen came in with a young boy in her arms. He looked precisely like the queen. Absolutely identical. He was sleeping at the time, so Ann couldn’t say she exactly met him, but it was similar, nonetheless. The queen has requested a satchel made from the finest leather they could find yet sturdy enough for a little boy to play with. The boy at hand was currently asleep, so the two spoke quietly, but Ann was skilled enough to eavesdrop on the conversation without being caught.
To this day, Ann is happy to know that the satchel that was carefully crafted by her mother is still in use and not collecting dust in the prince's closet. It was well taken care of and seemed to be in great condition.
Akria led them through the walls of the castle, making most of the conversation, yet he seemed pretty delighted to talk to his cat most of all. Ann knew Morgana wasn’t an ordinary cat, yet she didn’t dare say anything. The prince seemed pleased to have new friends, and Ann was enjoying the company. It was another day of not having a babysitter, so she was really happy that her mom brought her along once again. Ann didn’t have many friends besides Shiho, yet she could see that Ryuji and Akria were in the same boat.
—
The four exited the walls and found themselves in a room with white sheets on the floor and paint splatters everywhere. Art supplies were neatly placed in the middle, and someone was face-deep into a canvas.
"Yusuke!" Akira shouted happily, running over to the boy, who tensed slightly in shock, looking over the canvas before smiling brightly. He put his brush down and ran to the prince. Both Ann and Ryuji thought they were going to run into each other's arms like some silly reunion, but instead they posed in a rather goofy manner, one leg up while their arms reached to the heavens. unfit for a prince, but neither of them seemed to care. Ann slapped a hand on her mouth to keep her from laughing, while Ryuji threw his head back and burst into a fit of giggles. The two other boys also giggled slightly and hugged each other when they finished.
"I haven't seen you in a while. I thought you and your mother were in the next kingdom over. What are you doing here?" Akira had asked as they walked back to the canvas Yusuke was working on. Ryuji and Ann followed, curious to see what the painting actually was. Ann bit back her shock to see a beautiful painting of her hometown's clock tower. Very well done for a 7-year-old boy. Something Ann and Ryuji couldn’t even fathom making, if she were to be honest.
"Their royal Majesty requested my mother's presence at the upcoming ball. They wanted her to paint the event in all its glory. In fact, she should be in the meeting for the preparations; I was given permission to use the art room in the meantime." He stated, focused on the painting. There was a hint of excitement in his tone. Akira pouted playfully, letting out a pitiful whine.
"And you didn’t think of coming to see me instead?" He crossed his arms as forced tears started to well up. Yusuke, who took a slight peek at the prince, panicked and quickly placed his supplies down, hurrying to comfort the prince.
"M-my apologies, my prince. I-i didn’t mean '' Yusuke started before blinking back his surprise as Akira threw himself into a fit of laughter, interrupting Yusuke's attempt at an apology.
"I was kidding, Yusuke. Also, what did I say about formalities? Akira is fine!"
“I-i see. My apologizes”
"There is nothing to apologize for. Besides, that was a little rude of me. Sorry, I shouldn’t have made you feel bad. However! I made two new friends. We were going to play a game, but we wanted to look for any other masks to use. Would you like to join us?" Akira said as he walked over to the closet full of props and art supplies. Ann and Ryuji said hello, with Yusuke following the gesture.
"I would like that." The young artist said this as Morgana popped out of the prince's satchel and jumped to the floor. The four of them picked out some other masks and put them inside Akira's bottomless satchel. They soon left the art studio, and Akira explained the game to Yusuke, who soaked it all in excitedly. Akira then gave him a fox mask, as he thought it suited him best.
They had some side conversations as they traveled through the castle. Yusuke praised Ann for her beauty and said he thought she was a painting waiting to be captured. Morgana yowled in protest, and Akira had told them that it’s because the cat has a crush on the girl.
Morgana swiped at the prince, who just giggled fondly. Ryuji wanted to ask if Akira could really understand the cat but, for some reason, decided against it. It was probably for the best that they didn't ask questions.
As Ann and Yusuke conversed, Ryuji told Akira about his dreams of becoming captain of the royal guard. Akira supported it easily and stated that he would make sure Ryuji would become his guard. It then dawned on the blond boy that he would be serving the prince. That thought made him more excited and determined to get in. Ryuji strongly ratified the thought that Akira would be a great king just from the few minutes that he had known him. He would be honored to lay down his life for someone as great and kind as the prince.
"So Yusuke. How do you know the royal family? Like, what’s your relationship to them?" Ann piped up. They exited the walls and walked down the hall. Yusuke pondered the questions before answering it easily.
"My mother is the official royal painter; however, she was quite famous before the family appointed her. She would travel all the time before she stumbled upon the king and queen."
"Yup! That’s actually how we first met. The annual art festival was being held near the castle, and my parents wanted to go. My dad has a knack for collecting paintings, and my mom knows a thing or two. I know nothing about art besides whatever I'm supposed to. Mrs. Kitagawa was the head hotshot of the festable, and alongside her was Yusuke, drawing idly in his sketchbook. One thing leads to another, and boom! Yusuke's is now my one true love." Akira recapped.
“So, are you two a thing?” Ryuji asked, tilting his head to the side.
"Oh no. Akira just likes saying that. Although he does model for me. He and the queen are rather alluring." Yusuke waves it off. Ann and Ryuji couldn’t help but agree. From the pictures that they have seen, the royal family's genes were perfect as they were strong.
"I say that about all my friends. Everyone is great. So now you two are courting me as well." Akira chided. The two blondes stopped abruptly and flushed in embarrassment.
“D-dude you can’t just say stuff like that!” Ryuji stammered.
“Why not? It's true!” He skipped along with Yusuke and Morgana close behind him.
“BECAUSE YOU JUST CAN’T” Ann yelled as the two ran to catch up to them.
—
As the five of them turned the corner, Akira paused for a second. The rest of them also stopped and peered to see what he was looking at.
"NIIJIMA-SAN!" He yelled, breaking into a sprint. He was really fast. Three people turned at the noise, but faster than anyone could respond, the prince was pinned to the ground, his arm behind his back, and he yelped in pain. The others rushed to his side to push off the culprit.
"Makoto!" The elder man chimed in, and the prince was quickly released. The culprit, a young girl about their age, was quick to let him go. Akira broke into a smile and thanked the man.
“Hello Niijima-san! Sae!” He bowed to the older man and then to the young teen with silver hair. The two bowed back. Akira then turned to the girl and broke into a wider smile! “Makoto!” He bowed as she bowed back.
"Are you here for the meeting?" Akira asked the oldest Niijima, who nodded.
"I presume you’re going to avoid it all together." The man mused as Akira smirked. It wasn’t a question, but they all knew the answer anyway. The elder man sighed in amusement and smiled softly before patting the prince's head tenderly.
"I’m also going to steal your daughter." He cheered. The others were kind of forgotten at the moment, yet they didn’t seem to mind, as they were curious as to how this was going to play out.
"Akira! I can’t just leave! Some of us actually follow through with our responsibility." Makoto huffed in annoyance.
"Sure, I can! I’m positive your father will let me steal you while he waits in the boring meeting with the other nobles, planners, and my parents. They don’t need me anyway. I know what it's about." Akira smirked.
"Still, it’s disrespectful to just leave when your presence is expected; you’re a prince; act like it," Makoto remarked. Akira could only groan at the reminder that he’s an important figure and has a duty to fulfill. In all honesty, he could care less about being a prince. He just wants to be free and do whatever he wants. One could argue that he could do that now since he is of royal blood, but it’s not as easy as one would expect. While he has it easier than others, he feels trapped with all the expectations that were given to him at birth. From the moment he opened his eyes, he was expected to be perfect in every way.
"Fine. As your prince, heir to the throne, and gracious ruler, I command you to skip the meeting and come play with us!" He smiled deviously. Makoto gasped and looked back and forth from him to her father, who just shrugged.
"He can’t do that, can he?" Ryuji whispered to Ann, who just shrugged and looked over to Yusuke, who nodded his head. Apparently, he could.
"That’s abusing your power!" Makoto pointed it out. Akira stuck his tongue out before grabbing her hand and running away. The rest followed after, not really doing anything to help the girl who was currently being kidnapped by the prince.
"Thank’s Niijima-san! Promise to have her back before sundown." The man laughed before saying something to the teen, who watched the whole ordeal in amusement.
—
"I can't believe you just took me!" Makoto growled as Akira laughed without a single trace of regret.
"Well, your father seems to be okay with it. Plus, you told me to act more like a prince! Anyways. You’re going to play Phantom Thieves with us! Whether you like it or not." They were supposed to be in the garden; however, Akira accidentally took a wrong turn in the midst of chaos, so now they were trying to find their way back on course. It didn’t help that the castle was bigger than many of the towns in the kingdom.
"This is Ryuji, Ann, and Yusuke. They are all my true love, but I don’t believe you’ve officially met the royal painter and her son; have you, Mokoto?" Akira quickly introduced the three. Makoto shook her head and bowed politely. Ryuji and Ann stammered at the notion but decided against it, as there was no stopping him from saying it.
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Niijima Makoto. My father is the prince's personal trainer and tutor. My older sister is Niijima Sae, the older girl you saw next to my father. I’m also the princes’ study buddy and sparring partner." She introduced. The rest followed in pursuit. Once they were all acquainted, the prince spoke up.
"Makoto is also my true love!" Akira smiled, watching smugly as Makoto blushed in protest. Ann giggled while Yusuke sighed at the comment, also finding it amusing. It was short-lived, as Ryuji ignored the remark and walked up to Mokoto excitedly.
"Dude! That's so cool! So you know how to fight? Could you teach me a thing or two?" Ryuji was quick to ask. Akira chuckled, happy that they were quick to get along. Makoto flushed and nodded. She started sharing a few tips and facts she knew while Ryuji listened intently. Between the two of them, Makoto was the better fighter, but Akira vowed to become stronger. To be better and finally win a match. Thankfully, Akira was technically the smarter one (even if he may not act like it), but Makoto was very close to surpassing him.
—
Now five of them walked, talked, and laughed together. It took longer than Akira would’ve liked, but after a while they finally made it to the large garden doors. All they had to do was walk through them.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I finally introduce you to the palace gar-" Akira started, grabbing the handles and getting ready to push them open during the dramatics, but was interrupted by a rather loud grumble. Everyone turned their heads to Ryuji, who was flushed with embarrassment, clutching his stomach like he was hoping it would disappear.
"Haha, sorry guys. I didn’t really have much for breakfast." He chuckled softly, trying not to die inside. Soon, two more stomachs grumbled. Ann and Yusuke also stepped back, now embarrassed.
“Yeah s-same. I haven't eaten in a while.” Ann said shyly.
"I must've forgotten." That checked out. Akira knew that once Yusuke was nose-deep in a project, he would forget to care for his basic needs. The prince sighed and left the door empty before smiling brightly. Morgana popped his head out of the prince's satchel and meowed his opinion as well. Akira looked at Makoto, who only shrugged before nodding at the thought of something to eat.
"Yeah okay! Let’s eat! Sojiro, our royal chef, should be starting on the course for the after-meeting dinner. Maybe he could whip up something quick for us. Usually I am not allowed to eat until the official lunch time, but something tells me that the meeting is going to take a while anyway." Akira said, temporarily forgetting about the garden and their game in favor of feeding his friends. What kind of host would he be if he didn’t offer them food anyway? They all cheered, and Ann and Ryuji were excited to taste what rich people's food was like. Don’t get them wrong; their parents' jobs pay them very well, but some things tend to pile up and cost a little more than what they would like.
—
"SOJIROOOOOO. IT’S YOUR FAVORITE PRINCE!" Akira yelled happily, bursting through the common dining area that led to the kitchen. This was where all the staff were allowed to eat while on break or during mealtimes. Some of the staff members flinched at the sudden interruption and turned all their heads to the newcomers. Some of them tensed at the prince and quickly went back to eat, while a few others watched the prince march right in, walking towards the gruff looking man who grumbled his way out of the kitchen.
“Your highness. To what do I owe the pleasure?” The man, Sojiro, asks in a rather sarcastic way. Like he really didn’t want to see the young royal. If the prince was bothered by it, he surely didn’t show it.
"My friends are hungry! Do you think you could make us something?" The prince asked, taking a seat at one of the empty tables. The others followed his lead, and Morgana left the satchel to sit on the bench. Sojiro eyed the cat to make sure he didn’t wander into the kitchen or sit on his tables.
"Alright, what do you want? I am running a tight schedule as there are guests within the castle. I’m sure you would know, as you are supposed to be in a meeting with them. I swear, you are nothing but trouble." Sojiro sighed, taking out a notepad and paper. Akira giggled and smiled brightly.
"CURRY!! We all want curry!" He cheered happily.
"Of course. Curry, it is. I’ll be back; stay out of trouble." Sojiro patted the young princes’ head and left to make the food.
"So, uh, what's up with the old man? I honestly thought he didn’t like you, but then he looked at you with a type of fondness? Then there was the head pat!" Ryuji pipped. Everyone nodded in some form of agreement before Akira shook his head fondly.
"Nah, that’s just how Sojiro is. He may look and act like a grump, but he has such a soft and bleeding heart. It’s crazy to think that he’s a dad!" Akira hummed happily as one of the cooks gave everyone water in the meantime as they waited for the food.
“Whoa wait! He’s a dad?” Ann pipped up, almost spitting out her water. Akria nodded happily.
"Yeah! He’s, my dad!" He said it was common knowledge. Now it was Mokoto’s turn to do a spit take.
"But I thought the king was your dad? Is this the family secret? The Queen and the royal cook had a secret affair, but she passed you off like the king's child, and everyone believed her because the two of you are extremely identical." Makoto asked. It was a rather interesting conclusion. It's too bad it wasn’t true. It was funny. Actually, it made Akira burst into laughter out loud.
"Haha, no no. The king is my real dad. However, Sojiro is more of a father figure to me than my actual father. Sometimes the king doesn’t even act like I'm right there. I’m pretty sure my father doesn’t see me as a son. Sojiro, though, has taught me so much. I just call him my dad because he gets all flustered and embarrassed, and it throws people off." Akira concluded, calming everyone's confusion.
"Sojiro sure is fond of you as well!" A female voice piped in. Walking in from the halls was a woman with brunette hair; in her arm was a clipboard and files with loose papers; and the other was a girl, maybe a bit younger than the lot of them, with ginger hair and matching glasses. She hid behind the women's legs and avoided any eye contact with them, but they saw her nonetheless.
"Wakaba-san! Futaba!" Akira shook excitedly, jumping from his spot and hugging the women! "Guys, this is Wakaba-san and her daughter Futaba. She’s really anti-social but really fun once you get her to warm up! Wakaba-san is our royal scientist, and Futaba is her and Sojiro's legitimate daughter," Akira introduced.
"We were here to pop in for a quick snack, so don't let us intrude at all." The women smiled softly, walking to a cook to give them their order.
"Not at all! I was just pestering Sojiro for some of his world-famous curry! Join us, Futaba! We’re going to play in the garden after we finish eating." Akira encouraged. Futaba didn’t say anything before stepping out hesitantly. She was quick to leave her mother's side in favor of the prince. There, she joined them but was still rather reluctant to say anything, only murmuring things to the prince, who translated to the rest of the group.
Sojiro, along with a few other servants, came out with the food. The chef gave a rather soft smile at his wife and daughter. Futaba waved back and turned her attention to the ongoing conversation with Akira and Yusuke. They ate and chatted, with Futaba slowly warming up to them all until she got into a rather heated argument with Yusuke about a play they both liked to watch when the theater was running.
—
Finally, they were getting to the garden doors. With an additional member and food in their stomachs, they could finally start the game. The prince took a deep breath, relieved to finally get started.
“Alright! For real this time! Ladies and Gential-”
“You’re Highness!”
"Oh, for the love of... Haru!" The prince turned around to see a young noble girl making her way over to them. "Everyone! This is Okumura Haru, my one true love." That earned him an elbow to the gut from Makoto, who flashed him a harsh glare. Everyone looked puzzled at them as the prince continued. "Her father is the royal economics manager as well as the CEO of a few diners in the kingdom."
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" She bowed politely, seemingly not bothered by Akira's comment. Everyone welcomed her warmly, bowing in return. "I was just about to head over to the garden until I heard a familiar voice. My father was attending the meeting per the king's request, and I assumed you would’ve been there as well." She expressed it to them, respectively.
"Yeah, well, this one doesn’t like taking responsibility for his duty." Makoto scott playfully, chopping the top of his head. Akira screeched and swatted her hand away before scratching the back of his neck bashfully at the call out.
"Mako-chan! It’s nice seeing you again!" Haru beamed happily, hugging the other, who flushed and hugged back. All her stuck-up aura vanished when she did.
"Makoto has a crush on Haru." The prince whispered to the rest of the group. Everyone 'oh-ed' as the piece of the puzzle fit in place. Futaba giggled and smirked at the prince.
“Just like how you have a crush on Ak-”
“HATATATA Haru! Come play with us?” Akira offered as he quickly covered Futaba’s mouth in an attempt to hush her. Makoto, forgetting Akira’s earlier comment, shook her head rapidly in hopes that she would agree. Of course, she would. Who wouldn’t want to play with-
“EW! FUTABA!” He shouted as he wiped his hand on her shirt after she had licked him. She giggled and stuck her tongue out. He groaned in annoyance, looking at Haru for her answer.
“I’d be delighted! Are we playing in the garden?” Akira nodded. She cheered as Akira turned to the garden door.
“Ladies and gentlemen! And Futaba. May I present to you the castle gardens!” He threw the garden door open. He breathed a sigh of relief as he was finally able to go through his dramatics. Everyone cooed at the multitude of colors and greenery. Different types of flowers from all over the world filled the castle gardens.
The garden was always Akira's favorite part of the castle. Besides being beautiful, it was a great place to play and relax. It was also huge, going about two archers behind the castle and wrapping around to the entrance. He’d read, play, and do all sorts of things here in the garden. It was always more fun when he had people to accompany him as well. Yusuke, Futaba, Makoto, and Haru have all been here before, but he doubts Ann and Ryuji have, so he was happy to show them something new. While the gardens were open to everyone, no one really visited them, and when they did, it tended to be short-lived. No one really appreciated the love and care that went into the garden.
"Akira, this is so cool! And it’s so big!" Ann gushed, running around to take in every little bit of it.
"Are you sure we’re allowed to play here? I don’t want to ruin anything!" Ryuji pipped, soaking in all the beautiful colors and floral scents.
"MHM! Come on, let's go!" Akira said, grabbing the two blondes' hands and leading them to a bigger clearing. The others followed in close pursuit. They had reached the front of a rather large pergola. The front of it was big enough for them to play and run around without disturbing the greenery. There was a rather large green house just a bit away and a hedge maze to the far right. Another, smaller but grander, pergola stood tall, but Akira was going to use the main one as the base of their game.
He explained the rules to everyone and their roles. He gave everyone who didn’t already have their mask, thankful he grabbed all the ones he could.
“We should have code names!” Haru was the one to propose the concept.
"Oh yeah! Like, I could be Skull. Cuz of the mask!" Ryuji quickly agreed. "Ann could be like a cat or, OH OH! Panther! Yusuke is a fox, obviously." He suggested it, which the two naturally agreed with.
"Ohhh, I like it." Ann said, purring at the name. Morgana seemed to like the name as well, which Akria laughed at.
"Hmm. I am content with the name. What about the rest of them?" Yusuke asked. Every thought for a second before Futaba cheered.
"I wanna be Orical." Futaba stated. Akira didn’t have a mask that suited her, but she didn’t mind, deciding to use her goggles instead.
"I am particularly fond of Noir," Haru said. Akira always liked how she might look cute, yet she seemed like she could also easily kill them all. At least he’s sure she could kill them. Maybe she’s too nice for that. Haru spoke again, snapping Akira out of his initial thoughts. "Queen seems like a good one for Mako-chan." She suggested it, to which Makoto quickly agreed, flushing at the name.
"Queen seems to suit her well. A head-strong woman ready to take the lead when needed." Akira praised. "Morgana can be Mona, and I want to be Joker!" Morgana seemed pleased, and everyone cheered as they could now start the game.
Akira had taken off his crown and placed it on the table within the pergola. That was going to be the treasure they were going to steal, but they had to fight shadows and the main boss in order to steal it. They all agree to take turns being thieves and shadows. Akira and Makoto were the leaders when it was their turn. They all had special powers as well. Ann was great with fire attacks, while Ryuji was great with electricity, and so on and so forth. Futaba wasn’t too keen on doing any actual fighting, so she was assigned to tell the types of shadows they would be, their weaknesses, and sometimes heal from the sidelines. She seemed to give her role a lot of depth, and it helped the rest of them with planning and keeping score of who was hit, down, or who made a critical hit.
It was Akira’s turn to be the main boss, with Futaba at his side, keeping him company while he waited for the group of thieves to make their way to him. What made small talk was remarking on the strategy and moves they came up with.
"Hey Akira, look," Futaba said, leaning a bit of ways, peeking behind a blue rose bush. Akira followed her line of sight and grinned widely as he saw what she had caught.
There, sitting on a bench, nose deep in a book, was a young boy with brown chestnut hair and beautiful red eyes. He didn’t seem to notice them, which was surprising because they weren't the quietest kids around. It was the boy the prince had only seen in passing, sitting not so far away from them.
"It’s him, Futaba!" Akira beamed. The boy was the son of one of the common maids that lived within the castle. His mother was nothing but a humble servant who was allowed to live within the castle walls, courtesy of his mother. Akira doesn’t know the full story, but something happened between his mother and one of the castle staff. Akira has never talked to them; he has only seen him in passing. He’s tried to gain the attention of the boy before, but every time he goes looking for him, he can never find him.
Futaba had seen his fascination with him once and made it her end goal to tease him relentlessly about it. She did all she could, somehow gaining access to the castle’s files and finding whatever information she could about him. Akira had to physically stop her, as that was technically an invasion of privacy.
“I’m going to go talk to him!” He decided.
"Wait, but it’s almost your turn to fight! Akira!" Futaba protested, but he was already too far gone. That, or he ignored her.
"Sorry, Futaba, but I don't know when I'll ever get this opportunity again." He whispered shouted, turning the corner and disappearing behind the bush. Futaba groaned and left him to do whatever he wanted. It wasn’t her problem.
—
Akira slowly approached the boy, making his presence unknown. Akechi was nose-deep into a book, seemingly lost between the pages and enamored with the story between his fingers. He was breathtaking. Akira thought he looked beautifully handsome. Akira dreamed of meeting the boy face-to-face, taking him inside the castle, and having him beside him. Although he also knew it was childish to be infatuated with someone he'd never officially met.
"That seems like an interesting book. What is it?" He started calmly, finally making his presence known. The boy snapped his head up in surprise, quickly landing his gaze on the young prince. He was merely a few feet away from him, the closest he could get without making Akechi too uncomfortable.
"What’s it to you?" He glared, slowly closing his book, and wasn’t that a surprise? No one usually dared speak of him that way. Perhaps he was bold and uncaring of his status, or maybe he hadn't realized who he was. That was rather refreshing. Being seen as just another kid instead of the crown prince. Perhaps it was the lack of his coat and crown, but even so, his family has very definite features. It’s rather hard to miss them if you’ve even seen a portrait of them.
"Just curious. Why are you all alone?" He asked, stepping closer. The boy made no move to get away from him, but his posture was still tense and on guard.
"That’s none of your business. What’s a snot-nosed brat doing here in the castle? Are you just another lousy noble here for the meeting?" Ah, so he didn’t recognize him. That was good. Perfect even. He didn’t really mind the insults; it felt nice, actually. People always spoke so highly of him, giving him praise for the little things. It was always forced and fake. He hated it. People hated that they had to respect a child just because his family was the rulers of this land. He’s seen the rude looks and snide remarks. Some were even bold enough to tell it to his face when he was alone with them. His father's advisor most of all.
People hated him because of his status alone, and he was fine with that; he just wished they’d tell it to his face rather than behind walls where they thought they couldn't hear.
"I thought I'd ditch and look around. I dislike meetings. Even so, aren’t you barely a year older than I? If I'm a snot-nose brat, then what would that make you?" Akira pondered, holding in a laugh as Akechi clutched his book, his glare becoming harsher. He dodged that last question, and it seemed Akechi noticed too, saying nothing of it despite it.
"Whatever. Just go back to where you came from and leave me alone. I don’t want to be near a rich asshole like you," Akechi sneered, opening his book once more and utterly ignoring the prince.
"Why don’t you come play with me and my friends instead? It can’t be any worse than being here alone."
"And surround myself with more dirty trash? No thanks." He said, not looking up from his book. He was a tough nut to crack, but oh, how Akira loves a challenge. He never thought talking to the boy would be so refreshing and thrilling. Something so new.
Call him spoiled, but the princely life was so mundane. He was ignored by his father, and while his mother was more into his life, those moments were rare as she only talked to him when convenient. Another form of neglect, though he would never see it that way. He was far more privileged than others. It was better to sit and take it all in than complain about something many others could never have. He spent most days alone tutoring in the library or alone in the garden, making his own fun. Morgana made everything more bearable, but he wasn’t allowed in many parts of the castle and was left to do his own thing at night.
Sure, he had Makoto, but that was only for 2 days of the week for 3 hours each. Then they went their own ways, bearing their own responsibility. Yusuke was always traveling around with his mother, only seeing him for important events. Same thing with Haru. Futaba rather likes her solitude and mostly stays behind her mother's legs, so their paths rarely crossed as it was. He’d only just met Ann and Ryuji today, but they also have their own lives. It wasn’t like he could hang out with the servants or even leave the castle.
"HEY! Did you hear me? I said no. Now go away." Whoops, he must’ve gotten lost in thought. Akechi looked close to throwing his book, annoyed that he was still here.
"Sorry. I just got lost admiring your beauty." Akira was barely able to catch the book as it was thrown at his face. He deemed himself smug as Akechi huffed in annoyance and anger. The boy was really starting to piss him off. Akira opened the book, looking at the story title. ‘Robin Hood.’ He’s read it once before. A thief who stole from the rich and gave to the poor. Akechi seemed like the type to enjoy stories like this one, if their first meeting wasn’t any indication.
“Give that back.” He growled. Akria suddenly thought of an idea and grinned.
"Play with my friends and I. Just one round. Then you could have it back." He said, putting it in his satchel. Where was the harm in temporarily stealing from your crush, not crush? The boy was ready to murder the prince with his bare hands, and there would be no one to witness it. Akechi took a deep breath, his nerves calming briefly.
"Fine. One game. Then you will leave me alone for good. Alright?" He gritted his teeth. Akira beamed happily, taking Akechi’s hand and dragging him to his friends who had paused the game to look for him. Futaba hadn't really been covering for him. Harsh but well deserved. Akechi protested at the contact, and Akira let him go, his grin never fading.
—-
Goro had stayed far longer than one game. He would never admit it, but he rather enjoyed it. He’s never really played with other kids. He was homeschooled, as his mother and he lived within the castle. His mother was super smart and taught him what she could. The times she couldn’t, he spent in the library while eavesdropping on the prince's lessons. He’s never seen the prince, or the royal family, for that matter. Whatever painting they were in, he ignored them in favor of listening to his mother or burying his nose deep within a book.
However, he could care less about the family or any noble, for that matter. Apparently, his father was a noble with some kind of title and wealth, but he left him and his mother alone to rot on the streets. His mother had found a job within the castle, so they lived there, but there were many places they weren't allowed to remotely visit. Too bad. What they don’t know won’t kill them.
The brat who interrupted his reading time was another one of those nobles he couldn't give a shit about. Surrounding himself with other nobles. Although some of them didn’t seem or act like nobles. They might have had wealthy families, sure, but it didn’t seem like they were raised as such. Although he was particularly fond of Takamaki. Apparently, her mother was the royal seamstress and made good money, using her daughter as her model. Niijima, however, didn’t seem to get along one bit. While he was familiar with her father, he'd never met his daughters, and it was probably for the best. Most of the time, they seemed to be at each other's throats.
Kitagawa and Okamura were also familiar to him, though he'd never met them. Sakamoto, though he was idiotic, had a good heart. He was the son of the captain of the royal guard; however, he spoke rather vulgar things about him. A good soldier, a terrible father. That was something they had in common. Sakura, he was also unfamiliar with; however, he knew her parents. The royal scientist and the royal chef. Never once had he met them, but his mother spoke highly of them both, thus getting his approval. They didn’t seem to talk to each other much, but he always caught Sakura's gaze before blushing away at being caught.
In fact, he seems to know everyone’s family except for the noble boy who approached him 35 minutes ago. Everyone seemed happy to see him; it was like his presence cured the black plague. Perhaps it did. To say he wasn’t annoyed by it would be a lie. On one hand, he was happy that the boy had dragged him along to play their games, but on the other, seeing him with all these people made his heart clench. He wanted to rip him apart because why does he get all the friends? All the money, intelligence, charms, and looks? He has everything, and Goro has nothing.
It was infuriating. He didn’t even know who he was.
Even so, they played game after game; he was particularly fond of the Phantom Thieves game. The boy, Akira, who’s come to learn it, made it up. Of course, another thing to add to his perfect little record. Being creative was something he had to have.
Everyone came to a stop as the sound of metal armor and chains became apparent. Two guards walked right into the garden, making their presence known to everyone. Morgana, the boy’s cat that he was 96% sure wasn’t an ordinary cat, jumped into Akira’s arms. Akira's entire mood was sullen, and it seemed Morgana helped ground him from spiraling. Everyone watched silently as the guards came to a stop.
"Our apologies for interrupting your game, your highness; however, the king and queen requested your presence. The Yoshizawa family is just about to arrive at the front gates." One of the guards spoke formally but quietly, making sure others didn’t hear him. Luckily, Goro was an exceptionally good eavesdropper. The other guard walked toward something from the nearby pergola before standing behind the boy. Wait. Highness? Does that mean-
Goro’s question had been answered when Akira put on the coat and placed a silver crown upon his head. So he wasn’t just another noble. He wasn’t a noble at all. He was crowned Prince of Mementos! Of course, up show Goro once more. Why didn’t he see it? It was so obvious. Why was he here instead of at the meeting that everyone else was at?
Akira bowed, apologizing for his department, as he followed the guards to the front of the castle. They had to take the long way for appearance, but Goro knew that the garden wrapped around to the front of the castle. Without another word, Goro sprinted to the area where he knew he would be able to see the prince.
The others shouted for him but followed him all the same. When they realized they all had a clear view of the front of the castle, they became quiet. Good. It would’ve been hard to hear if they kept talking. They seemed to understand what Goro was getting at and watched intently. The prince emerged with the guards standing by and Morgana by his feet. His parents gave not even a single glance at their son, and he stood next to his mother, and by gods was he a spitting image of the women.
A carriage made of silver and gold, pulled by huge, pristine horses, arrived shortly. The coachmen, along with a butler, were quick to hop off. More guards came to escort the families, and the phantom thieves watched as both the king and queen stepped out of the carriage. Soon, a pair of twins followed shortly after. They were identical, with the only difference being that one had her hair down with a pair of frames plastered on her face, while the other had her hair up and didn't wear any glasses. The princess without glasses was quick to jump out and excitedly throw herself at the prince, squeezing him in a big hug. The second princess was a little shyer but politely bowed to the prince nonetheless.
King Yoshizawa was quick to scold his daughter for being unladylike, but she was quick to brush him off, forcing the prince to spin and play. She seemed to be rather energetic; the royal family spoke amongst themselves, walking into the castle as they did so.
Akira was quickly dismissed by his mother. With a bright grin, he grabbed both the twins' hands and sped off into the garden area, where the phantom thieves hid. Apparently they didn’t hide very well, as they were quickly discovered.
"Come on guys! We have two more friends to play with! May I introduce the Yoshizawa princesses, Sumire and Kasumi." Akira smiled happily as they both bowed politely in respect. Everyone cheered happily and introduced themselves to the twins. There was no objection, so Akira led them back to the designated play area and shook off his coat and crown once more.
—
The meeting was long over, and the people who attended were now in the midst of eating. Unfortunately, due to everyone's status, the group had to split up. Akira had to join his parents, no matter what. So did Sumire and Kasumi. Makoto, Yusuke, and Haru were considered guests, so they had to join the royals and nobles; however, Ryuji, Ann, Futaba, and Goro weren't allowed since they were neither guests nor royals. Akira tried to convince his parents to let them join; however, since they let him get away with avoiding the meeting, the least he could do was stop asking and behave during dinner.
The adults talked amongst themselves as the children moped about not having the rest of their group here. Akira knew that somehow Futaba would find a way for them to eavesdrop on them, but it wouldn’t be the same. In fact, they could be listening at this moment, but there was much to listen to. All it was was preparation for the Blue Moon Ball in three days' time. The guest would be staying within the castle for the time being, and the royal scientist would be overseeing it all, as this was speculation that Akira would be the one.
The ball was most important because it was speculated that Akira would be the first persona user in generations. He was an important asset to awakening his persona and protecting his kingdom. Wakaba, who was currently experimenting in cognitive science, had stated that Akira had a gift. He would reopen the gate that helped them. On the blue moon, Akira awakens his persona and saves them all. He needed to. He has to.