AN: This is a bad idea. Not because this chapter came out badly, no actually I quite like it.

But I have a bad record of being great at starting stories and not great at finishing them. For those of you who have liked my insane ramblings for a while… I'm sorry T_T

What can you do, I guess? Even though quarantine is mostly over, I've still god a decent amount of time on my hands and an increasingly rare itch to write.

Gotta actually take advantage of the rare bit of inspiration when it comes, I guess? Ha ha.

Enjoy!

BEGIN

Ren hummed jauntily as he put the last touches on his little 'art project'.

"Well it's serviceable." A young, boyish voice grumbled from inside a bookbag.

Had it been a public spot and not a dusty studio apartment above a small Coffee and Curry shop called Le Blanc (located in the mishmash of alleyways and streets of Brockton Bay's 'Asia-town') the sight of a cute black cat with a pure white muzzle popping its head out from said bag might have caught some much unwanted stares.

If, perhaps, they had been able to hear English, rather than a cat's meow.

Stranger powers could be a complicated thing, after all.

"Cut me some slack, Morgana." Ren chuckled, "I'm new to this whole calling card deal. Or even to being a Phantom Thief. Shouldn't you be more understanding as my senpai?"

Dragging a second-hand USB mouse around and clicking away at printing options, Ren Amamiya sipped at a half empty cup of coffee as he watched his cheap printer (he had gotten the thing for cheap from the pawn-shop around the corner and spent a day fixing it up to a usable condition) begin to chug away as it printed out sheet after sheet of black and red letters on plain white printer paper.

"I don't wanna hear that from the guy using my Dia as an excuse to spend four hours yesterday battling Shadows!" Morgana hissed, fur standing on end as his blue eyes narrowed at his relatively new partner in crime. "I drank so much Gatorade because of you that I'm STILL bloated!"

"Blame the weak Cognition of Gatorade's ability to restore one's mental Stamina Power." Ren shrugged. "Unlike your Zorro, Arsene doesn't have a healing power. It's the best way to train, so I gotta do what I gotta do."

"Then use Jiraiya!" Morgana gave a growling mewl of displeasure. "You somehow get access to multiple Persona, even if we don't understand exactly how it works! And he can use Dia!"

"You're the one who told me to test my limits and get some combat experience. Not my fault you underestimated willingness to improve... Or how many Gatorades I could chug down." Ren shrugged, turning to ruffle Morgana's ears, who batted at his hand with mild irritation. "Besides, me getting stronger is what you want anyways, right? Otherwise we can't figure out who or what turned you into a cat."

"...least we're out of the fruit punch flavor." The cat grumbled in his awkward way of conceding defeat. "But you better not skimp out on the good stuff for the big heist. Remember! We have one shot at this! No matter what, if we fail, people will forget everything they see about Kamoshida's Shadow and his Palace!"

Curly, messy black hair half hid the soft crimson beginning to emit from Ren Amamiya's eyes. Past the lenses of the fake prescription glasses, the essence of a Trickster acknowledging the upcoming challenge.

"Yeah. ABB connections or not, Kamoshida's going down."

Morgana lithely stepped out of the black bookbag as he placed a paw on Ren's knee.

"Yeah. For Lady Ann. And that Ryan kid. And everyone else that scumbag has hurt or ruined." Morgana agreed, morphing back into his normal appearance, as almost a cartoonish cat-child with exaggerated anime features.

The Case 53 raised its paw into the air, for Ren to shake.

"You know he wants to be called Ryuji, right?" Ren chuckled, hand-shaking his partner's paw.

"What, let that dummy have that satisfaction after he kept fluffing my fur the wrong way? In his dreams." Morgana sniffed disdainfuly, though it simply looked cute considering his features.

Ren rolled his eyes before standing up from his workbench.

He stared at the printer in silence the chug and whir of the machine filling the silence before he shook his head.

"Still, I'm getting antsy. Let's go for a rooftop run. Get warmed up for the big heist." Ren pulled a white knit beanie from his jacket pocket and pulled it on, covering his messy locks.

"You sure? Our Cognition Armor doesn't exactly scream hero. Might end up with Glory Girl trying to chase us down again." Morgana warned, his Stranger power turning him back into a normal cat as he slipped back into Ren's bookbag.

"It's fine. When we raid the Palace, the two realities will overlap anyways, right? Might as well get properly used to combat outside of the Metaverse." Ren replied, picking up the cat-filled bag. "Besides, us managing to come to an understanding with her after we helped her stop that mugger got me Robin, right?"

Unlike Morgana, Ren had the unique Trump power of housing multiple Persona. He had the nagging suspicion that he gained new Persona as he made connections with people, but wasn't sure what the qualifications or requirements were exactly.

Robin had only appeared after he helped Glory Girl stop a mugger and healed the poor thief (mundane thief, not a Phantom Thief like himself) of an accidentally broken arm using Jiraiya (which he had awakened to shortly after his contract with Morgana).

Though looking like a young boy galavanting in a baggy white Cape outfit a size too large with a bold golden RH emblazoned on his front with red and blue accents, it was currently the strongest Persona in Ren's arsenal.

"Well I guess that Robin is useful, even if he's just as scrawny as your Arsene. His little forearm crossbow also gave me the idea for our grappling hooks, so I guess he's good for something." Morgana gave his grudging approval, further convincing Ren that his new friend was bad at giving compliments out of battle.

"Not every Persona has to have balloons for muscles like your Zorro." Ren snarked back, cat-filled bookbag slung on his shoulder as he locked the door to his room.

He began his descent down the stairs, skipping over a particularly squeaky step.

"Besides, at least getting Captain Kidd by hanging out more with Ryuji the past few days is already paying itself off. Don't think a Persona has to be swole to hit like a truck."

Morgana snorted air out his nose at his partner's sass, making Ren wonder what it must sound like to those who couldn't get past the Stranger effect.

His musings were cut short as a hard collapsible baton rapped against the side of his shin.

"Look lively, inmate!" A young girl with twin blonde sidebuns grinned sadistically as Ren hopped up and down with a yelp of pain. "And where do you think you're going?"

"Clearly, he desires to galavant outside and partake in merry mischief." Her twin, with a thin blond braid coming down to the small of her eleven year old back smiled serenely as she jotted something down in a cute pink flip notepad. "Would that be considered an infraction, Caroline?"

"I do think so, Justine. I think if the inmate wants to not suffer such a black mark on his record, a bribe is in order." Caroline grinned, already rolling up the sleeves on her blue button up and reaching for Ren's bookbag. "Such as playtime with his kitty-cat!"

"You could just say you wanna play with Morgana next time instead of ambushing me." Ren grinned as he grit his teeth from the sharp pain. "He likes you girls, anyways."

"That's a lie! These two are nothing like Lady Lavenza! Save me, Rennnnnn!" Morgana mewled pitifully as Justine began pulling a pink cat-sized sweater on him.

Ren looked Morgana in the eye as he shuffled away from his self-declared 'wardens'.

I appreciate your sacrifice. Ren's eyes portrayed.

You traitoooooor! Morgana's eyes responded.

"Oh my, I hope my younger sisters aren't giving you too much trouble." A gentle girl's voice mused.

Turning to the voice, Ren saw fourteen year old Lavenza Velvet, one of the adopted daughters of the café master giving him a look of apology.

A short, gentle looking blonde with long hair that came down to the knees, she was a vision of Aryan appeal and beauty that was out of place in the ABB controlled Asia-town. Usually the kind of out of place that could put their safety at risk.

But Sojiro Sakura, the café master, was someone that wasn't often bothered by the gang, simply due to the fact that some of the higher ups had a soft spot for the small café.

"It's fine. Just wish Caroline could go a bit gentle with her baton." Ren chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll be back by closing. Just wanna go for a walk and clear my head."

"Be safe, and stay out of trouble." Lavenza nodded, her butterfly hairclips seeming to flutter softly. "Sojiro has been happy to know you've been keeping your nose clean. Wouldn't want to give those parole officers any reason to worry, yes?"

"I will. You've known me since we were kids. Trust me, ok? That thing with that PRT bigwig was a weird fluke. Won't happen again."

Ren smiled, but it didn't meet his eyes.

Lavenza, with a worried look, nodded.

"It's a promise, then." She whispered softly.

Ren nodded without any words before turning and leaving, giving a short greeting to a busy Sojiro as he left.

"...he mustn't awaken it yet. And yet…"

Three sisters gazed at the door.

Ren slipped away into an unoccupied alley before double checking his surroundings.

"I am thou… Thou art I…"

A flash of blue flame surged for a brief moment before revealing Ren in his Cape outfit. He donned a black ankle-length tailcoat, an armored (on the inside) high-necked, silvery-grey waistcoat with gold accents, black dress pants, brown-black winklepickers and a pair of red gloves.

Protecting his face with what Morgana had described to be a vague Stranger-like ability was a simple, white, birdlike domino mask with black accents around the eye holes.

Now he was Joker, the Phantom Thief of Hearts.

Though he had yet to steal away a heart, or perform a Change of Heart, as of yet, he was certain he must be destined to do so.

Something about being Joker was just… right. It was hard for him to put into words.

A flick of his wrist extended a thin, glinting metal line that hooked to the top of the building he was by before pulling him up.

It wasn't Tinker-tech, oddly enough, but a part of something Morgana called the Cognition Armor, or the outfit that best fit Joker's perception of Rebellion.

If he believed it was a Tinker-tech grappling hook like the kind he saw in movies it would act as such… the actual nuances and explanation had been much more complicated, but that was the laymans gist of it.

Being a Cape was… liberating.

Like he was finally free and living.

Free to pursue his idealized Justice… but it was also terrifying for that same reason. Perhaps his Justice wouldn't be what the people wanted.

Even so, he couldn't stop here. He wanted to keep walking, head held high, seeking a brighter tomorrow!

So naturally when he witnessed a few strange black vans section off an alleyway, he investigated.

And when he heard an order to kill children, he couldn't hold still.

And judging from the actions of an unknown Cape taking action, neither could he/she.

Swarms of black buzzed and hummed with the fury of plagues best left in the Old Testament as bursts of flame leapt off a shirtless man wearing a metal mask.

A man that could only be Lung.

Joker leapt from his rooftop, gritting his teeth as he grabbed the edge of his mask, feeling skin tear as fresh crimson leaked from the new wounds before igniting into blue, flame-like energy. It was a pain that reminded him that every time he summoned or exchanged one active Persona for another, he was stepping closer and closer to the end of his rope. His own blood being the catalyst for their temporary aid, though Dia could somewhat slow this gradual descent.

"Come my Persona: ARSENE!" Joker commanded, a roar of battle and a cry to his other self as he landed near soundlessly on the ground.

Like a malevolent shadow made manifest, beneath a tall black felt top hat, a face began to form. Blazing azure flames flared as Arsene's grinning visage formed on a mask-like face with long narrow horns jutting forward as if demonic antennae searching for prey. It was as if living flame painted glowing embers for eyes and a toothy grinning fanged laugh. A stylish red suit, vaguely eighteenth century in style, collar popped and decorated with blackened, stitched hearts on the shoulders revealed long arms that ended in clawed hands.

Even the unknown Cape seemed to pause as a gold-embroidered, white ruffle tie fluttered in the evening breeze over some elegant and thin golden chains which decorated an elegant black, tailed corset. Black wings, like the feathered adornments of a fallen angel flapped, looking to all the world like a supernatural cape.

"Cleave, Arsene!" Joker commanded and with a cackling glee, Arsene flew forward like a deadly devil, revealing his legs, ending in bladed heels, viciously hooking with four total blades per foot, meant to tear and maim.

"What the fuck is that?!" One of the ABB gangers screamed in Japanese, "A youkai?!"

"Just kill it!" Another screamed next to him, "Or better yet, get the Cape!"

Although a swarm of bugs moved to block the path, a few brave gang members managed to break their way through. While Arsene dealt with the guns of the gang members, weaving around gunfire and slicing through steel barrels, it didn't do anything to stop any attacks toward his summoner like a construct normally summoned by a Master type Cape.

Arsene knew his other self needed no protection.

Joker leapt into motion, flicking out a large bowie knife from inside his coat's sleeves, another one of Morgana's additions.

A blur of motion, slashing the inside of an arm, shoulding the torso. Spinning around the stunned and breathless form. Spinning with a heel-kick to the chin of a second ganger with a stylish spin, before spinning once more to trip the third.

The blade itself was blunt and could not cut, but due to the effect of Joker's Cognition Armor gave the sensation of proper pain and a spray of illusory blood as it certainly gave the nerves involved damage, hampering their reactive speed and ability.

The pommel of the knife slammed down on the face of the third ganger to knock him unconscious.

With the combined power of Arsene and the insect swarms, the mundane gang members were being held up swiftly, Lung himself was a different story.

The man had, seemingly recognizing the inherent danger of a Persona, whether by the demonic presence of Arsene, or the sheer fact that the battlefield was shifting to his enemy's favor with the hemorrhage of his underlings' consciousnesses, the Kingpin Cape was growing rapidly.

Already triangular scales had covered his upper body fully, encasing his form in steel, making the attacks of the insect swarm on his personage quite ineffective. And unfortunately, it seemed to catch a glimpse of the bug manipulating cape on a nearby rooftop, leaning in unconsciously to witness the battle below with her own eyes.

They must have been new to the Cape scene considering Joker couldn't name her off the top of his head despite his recent research and foray into the Cape scene of Brockton Bay, but her outfit was made well, despite it's amateur make. A thin but well-made black bodysuit with grey pieces of armor plating woven into it. A simple black mask with what looked like quality swim goggles made up the lenses.

Lenses that were about to be melted into slag.

A burst of flame rolled upwards in her direction, forcing Joker to leap and intercept the attack with his own body to shield the insect manipulating Cape. A Master like her likely wouldn't survive the attack, unlike him with his Persona enhanced body and Cognition Armor.

Though Arsene was weak to both Ice and Bless type attacks, it was resistant to both Curse and Fire, allowing Joker to soak up some of the broiling heat with nothing more than light burns.

That, however, did nothing to stop the concussive force that knocked him up to the roof edge.

Still Joker, readjusted his body with cat-like grace expected of a Phantom Thief, landing on the edge of the rooftop.

"Are you alright?!" The insect Cape, definitely a girl around his age by the sound of her voice, called in alarm. She certainly hadn't seemed to be expecting a Cape she had never met to block an attack that was meant for her.

"I shall survive the blaze." He assured the girl, speech already being affected by some of Arsene's taste and flair, "However, this goodly thief could not let a young maiden suffer such scorching heat."

Even so the taste of copper in his mouth wasn't a great sign.

"Thief?" She sounded confused before snapping to attention as a shadow flickered in the flames below, "Watch out!"

A blur of motion rushed up the side of the building like a literal hell-train as Lung charged out of the blaze, metal mask melting with his face into the visage of a dragon. His feet dug into the side of the building, spraying brick and mortar downwards in a spray of superheated shrapnel over his own men.

Naturally, though it wasn't his intent, Joker entrance into battle had accidentally given the girl away, so he turned to grab the girl in a tackle, his grappling hook flying out at blinding speed, allowing him to swing away to the other side of the roof with the female Cape in tow.

She had struggled after the initial tackle, the blow knocking some wind out of her, before quickly realizing that she had been pulled out of danger.

Though clearly shaken, she was surprisingly calm given her situation.

Cool-headed was something Joker could work with.

"Arsene!" Joker roared over the blazing, crackling flames, "Strike Lung with Dream Needle and Eiha!"

"As thou desires, my other self!" Arsene cackled as it rose in elevation with a powerful flap of his wings.

Then the Persona spun, lashing out a kick, unleashing a bullet of energy forward, striking Lung's back. A small burst of metal scales scattered away as it found purchase. Lung swayed for a brief moment, as drowsiness began to overcome his form, but was quickly shaken off by his regenerative powers and currently evolving and transforming body.

Still it was followed up by a swell of black Curse energy, forming a face of malevolence in the black and crimson light and shadows. While it was an attack that ignored some of the benefit of Lung's scaled and armored body, it didn't seem to do much other than get a grunt of annoyance and pain.

He flung forward small walls of flame at Arsene as the Persona twisted to avoid the attack, taking nothing more than grazing flame, causing Joker to grit his teeth as he felt the heat wash over his Persona.

"Sukunda!" Arsene crowed with a snap of his fingers, as dark green globes of light, like sickly, ginormous fireflies attached to Lung seemingly forcing him to move sluggishly, much to his roars of indignation and anger.

Sluggish for a half metal dragon man, so now, Lung, at a normal man's jogging pace, ran towards Joker and Bug Cape, arms aflame.

"Not good." Joker muttered as a new mask formed over his face, Arsene fading into the ether.

This time a blockier domino mask, vaguely amphibian in nature, appeared over Joker's face, the shadow covering his visage retreating into said mask. Green camouflage with a thin red line dividing it horizontally, and orange eye-lenses marked by small shuriken that overlapped with the pupils, this mask was also torn off with a spray of fresh blood.

"JIRAYA! Magaru!"

A thin, lanky Persona appeared in an eruption of waves of green winds, flinging Lung from the rooftop to the alley below with a roar of rage. A white bodysuit ending in green camo at the ankles and wrists, crimson scarf flickered with a mind of its own behind a V shaped chest piece in the form of a cartoonish fanged smile. It's palms and eyes were represented by golden shuriken that spun occasionally in place.

"Yo, my other self. Finding yourself in a pinch before sending out the calling card, eh? Mona's gonna cry if you end up delaying your current plans as a result, ya know." The ninja Persona cheekily teased Joker.

"He'll live if that's the case. Help me out, Jiraiya."

"Not a problem, not a problem." Jiraya chuckled, the green light of a healing Dia sprinkling over Joker's form. "Although… I don't think that little can of pepper-spray's gonna do too much to help ya there, jou-chan."

The Bug Cape flinched, half in confusion, half in concern, as the Persona chuckled teasingly at her. She seemed to have fished out a can of pepper spray from somewhere on her person, but was now holding it a little sheepishly.

"Jooh-chahn?" She asked questioningly at Joker, not seeming to be too bothered by the fact that it seemed to be shrouded in shadow once more from pulling away his mask.

"Ha ha, t'would mean princess. And an informal, teasing manner to boot." Joker grinned, flashing his pearly whites through the shadow shrouding his face. "But-"

Joker was interrupted by a metallic, clawed hand grabbing the edge of the lip of the roof. An angry Lung glared menacingly at the two teenage Capes as he flipped himself back onto the rooftop.

It was more reflex than anything.

"Lucky Punch!" he and Jiraiya cried in unison, a large cartoonish boxing glove on an extendo-arm lurched and stretched forwards, catching Lung in the chin.

It certainly didn't seem to hurt him much, but did cause him to flinch just enough with just enough knockback to begin to fall off the building for a second time.

What Joker and Jiraiya hadn't expected was the vision of a giant meat monstrosity, a dog-faced creature resembling some kind of vaguely canine-shaped lizard/tiger hybrid. But instead of fur or skin, tangles of naked, visible muscle and bone made up the surface of the creature as it let out an unholy mixture of growl and bark, tackling Lung off the building cleanly.

The sound of an audible crash came from the streets below.

While the Bug Cape stared, Joker spun about, coat tails flipping in the sharp turn as his knife appeared almost miraculously in hand again, this time a model gun flickered out from his other sleeve.

A TT33 Model Gas-Type blowback with a well painted metal finish, almost indistinguishable from an actual Russian pistol given the street name of Tkachev. They were common enough in Brockton Bay thanks to the E88 that it could pass as an actual gun, rather than the model it was. Perfect for pairing with Joker's Cognition Armor.

Although the dog monstrosity had just helped them, the fact that two more of different size and shape had landed on the roof tactically pincering him and the Bug Cape in wasn't ideal.

"Whoa, whoa. Watch it with that." A boy in a white cotton renaissance shirt held up his hands in the air as he slid off the back of one of the creatures, a silver venetian mask hiding his face, though it left his mouth bare, much like Joker's own masks.

"We're here to give our thanks. You saved us from a lot of trouble." A tall boy with a deep, masculine voice said, slightly wary, but indeed grateful. He was dressed in motorcycle leathers and helmet, with said helmet being sculpted to become a stylized skull, though some creative and intimidating liberties had been taken with said artistic design.

Likely an intimidation factor.

Joker twisted his wrist, letting the small metal arm connected to the base of the model gun's grip retract it up his coat sleeve as a sign of faith, though it was really more for show, as he knew he could have the weapon ready before a normal person could blink.

...He might have excitedly practiced and played around with it more than he reasonably should have.

That didn't stop him from keeping his knife in a reverse-grip, however.

A blonde girl dressed in a purple (lavender, Joker guessed, as Morgana insisted that a proper Phantom Thief should be able to to discern between various shades of colors for some odd reason) and black bodysuit seemed to almost bite her tongue as if she had to force herself to not say something. Possibly something rude, given that she clearly wanted to maintain some semblance of civility, despite the potentially hostile approach.

Regardless, the tall Skull Helmet approached with a clear handshake intent, but the twitch of Joker's knife hand made him step back.

He didn't know who these people (probably all Capes) were so it was best to not take any risks. Especially if the handshake was a disguise for a Striker ability.

But the remaining two Capes, both girls, slid off the back of their shared mount (both males had stepped off the same mount) as one of the girls, wearing a thick coat with a faux fur-lined hood and a dollar store halloween dog mask whistled loudly, prompting the monster mounts to leap off the roof to the fray below.

"Honestly, we're a lot more thankful than we look right now. When we got word Lung was aiming to come after us tonight, we were pretty freaked." Skull Helmet admitted, a faint sheepishness in his voice, although outwardly he kept an appearance of confidence.

"Ugh. Pretty freaked is underselling it. Nobody wants Puff the Magic Dragon coming by and huffing and puffing your house down. With fire." Venetian Mask scratched the back of his head with friendly body language and vocal tone.

Bug Cape said nothing, but seeming to recognize that Joker had at least been a tentative ally all of tonight's adrenaline fueled activity, she shuffled slightly closer to him as Jiraiya quietly and wordlessly floated down protectively revealing his height, which approached an impressive nine feet.

"Yeah, we were arguing strategy for the better part of the day. Gonna be straight with you, we just decided, fuck it, we'd meet him halfway. Wing it, right? Not my usual way of doing things, but it's kind of hard to plan for a living wrecking ball coming through our living room." Skull Helmet walked over to the lip of the roof and leaned over. "But wouldn't you know, his flunky Lee is there now with half a dozen guys still standing, but Lung and the rest of the gang are nowhere to be found."

He let out a short, genuine laugh, tinged with relief, a surprisingly normal sound considering his choice of headwear, but perhaps sensible considering his situation.

Skull Helmet turned back to Joker and Bug Cape and kept speaking.

"Lee's no slouch in a flat slug-fest, but there's a reason he's not the leader of the ABB. He got spooked without his boss there and is retreating. So the two of you are responsible for the Dragon of Kyushu backing off… shit, actually he's getting creamed out there. He's not moving so hot despite him sizing up that much. What the fuck'd the two of you do to him?"

Neither of us had to answer as Lavender Suit spoke up: "Wasp and bee stings, fire ants and spider bites, and an… almost miraculously perfect crack to the jaw to disrupt his equilibrium. Those are the obvious ones… But what Hot Hands did was a bit harder to pin down overall. Some sort of sedative powers from your summoned minion? What did you call it, a Persona? Jungian psychology, perhaps? And stylized interpretations of Arsène Lupin and Jiraiya the Gallant? Hmmm. Someone fancies himself a heroic, gentleman thief."

She grinned, a charming smile with pretty glossed lips, if it wasn't for a faint hidden intent behind it.

"Still whatever you did wasn't permanent, but put him on enough of a back foot that he'll really be feeling a helluvalot worse tomorrow with all those bug bites."

Skull Helmet quickly stepped in to mitigate any trepidation that the sudden, and very accurate, analysis of Joker and Bug Cape's battle against Lung might have caused with a cough.

"Introductions. That's Tattletale. The monicer's self-explanatory." Skull Helmet paused briefly as Tattletale flashed a smug grin despite herself, "I'm Grue. The girl with the dogs we call Bitch, her preference, I swear. The Good Guys and media call her Hellhound for the sake of being P.G., but she hates it, so stick with Bitch. Last and certainly least…"

He pointed at Venetian Mask.

"Regent."

Bug Cape turned to Bitch, certainly staring owlishly if it wasn't for her mask's goggles.

Joker's eyes flickered in her direction as well, crimson orbs in the shadow shrouding his facial features.

"Those were dogs?" they muttered in confused unison.

"Hey, fuck you too, Grue." Regent snorted, a chuckle and cheer that made it clear he took it in stride. A silver coronet glinted in the moonlight, half hidden in his short black curls, suiting his lithe form, resembling more dancer than anything.

If anything his skin-tight leggings stuffed in knee-high boots subconsciously caught Bug Cape's eyes, reminding her a bit of Joker and his nearly equally outdated style.

Still, while Joker gave some silent nods in acknowledgement of the introductions to the four Capes, Bug Cape was still quiet.

"Uh… Is she ok? She hurt?" Grue asked.

"She's just shy. Besides if she was hurt, Mister Gentleman Thief over there could heal her in the blink of an eye. Real impressive, by the way. But you can feel free to top up. We don't mind." Tattletale leaned over casually to look down at the streat below.

She turned back with a small frown.

"Heads up. We've gotta scram."

Bitch nodded and whistled. One short and two long.

It didn't take long for the three monster dogs (still up for debate as far as Joker was concerned) rattled the roof with their landing upon it.

"I'd offer you a ride." Grue's helmet turned to Joker, "But I don't think you need it, huh?"

Bug Cape gave an awkward head turn to Joker, who simply smiled and nodded.

"This one will get you down safely." He gently assured her.

"Hey," Tattletale called out as she saddled herself in behind Bitch, "What're your names?"

"Joker."

"I… uh… don't have one picked out yet."

Tattletale hummed through her nose before responding.

"Well, Bug and Wildcard, a cape is gonna show up in less than a minute. You two did us a solid by dealing with Lung, so I'll give you a bit of advice. A Protectorate good shows up, finds two bad guys duking it out, they're not going to let one walk away. You two lovebirds should get out of here." She ignored an embarrassed outburst of 'L-lovebirds?!' from Bug Cape as she gave a vulpine grin.

Without any more fanfare, they leapt away, one of the three monstrous mounts crushing a part of a fire-escape with a screech as the rusted steel rent into a malformed shape.

"...Bad guy?" Bug Cape groaned as she almost collapsed into a squatting ball, fingers digging into her scalp and pulling at her hair.

"Not what I expected when I heard they were planning on killing kids either." Joker mused. "Still we've done nothing wrong, so let us descend, good Lady Bug."

END

AN2: So there's chapter 1! Congrats on getting all the way through.

SO! A few clarifications!

This is Persona 5 (Mostly) kitbashed into Worm. The main Phantom Thieves of P5 are all in this universe in Brockton Bay, but only Joker/Ren and Morgana have Personas. Some of them will have races and names altered slightly to fit. Such as Ryuji being only half asian and being named Ryan, although he prefers Ryuji as his single mother is Japanese. Ann is fully Finnish without a name change, as her family name is technically ALSO a Finnish name, though not super common.

However, not all the original P5 Confidants made the jump. Such as Kawakami (low-key one of the top5 P5 waifu and easily top 3 if she WASN'T ALSO YOUR TEACHER). Temperance is now one of the Worm cast. Might be an easy guess, but who knows.

Morgana/Mona is a Case 53, to be explained later. He comes with a Stranger power that let's him be perceived as a normal cat including their COGNITION of weight, but not actually. So decent muscle training at all times. Caroline and Justine are getting swole without knowing.

No Velvet Room, although P5's attendants in both original and altered forms all exist in the universe as something akin to childhood friends. WIth some more hidden secrets.

Palaces still exist. And come with the additional chaos of physically manifesting into their real world locations when the Heist occurs.

Lastly, in regards to Personas. Yes. Joker get's the Cast's Personas instead as proof of their bond because No Velvet Room. That's his Trump power. Still a Wildcard, eh? He did get P4 Yosuke's Jiraiya instead of Morgana's Zorro as proof of his Magician Arcana bond, however, as Jiraiya can still fit the theme of a Trickster/Thief pretty easily.

For those of you confused about Robin it's a weaker version of Robin Hood, like an adolescent version with a wrist mounted handcrossbow instead of a full glorious anime longbow. And because Arsene is garbagio with 2 weaknesses and 1 resistance, I gave him fire resistance. So 2 for 2. Not a big deal imo. Oh, and Robin doesn't have Robin Hood's Ice Resist. So that's cool.

Shiieeeeeet.

I could have fun with this. Honestly I have high hopes.

Also, no pressure, but being working way less hours, I wouldn't mind you swinging by on my Pat Reon (link the words, use your Big Brains) for more moral support. I won't drop a link, but, uh, username is KSLCross there too.