Chapter Text
As Mitsuru and he walked as calm as they could manage through the Moscow streets, Yu tried to think of something they could have done differently or better, and to his frustration, he found nothing. They'd managed to sneak into the country as soon as they heard the sudden drop in crime and unrest, the country's leader, having seen the fate of his counterparts in several other countries was desperate to have their aid. Of course, the Shadows in his Palace had resisted them, but world leaders, in his newfound experience, tended to be paranoid lots.
The simple truth was, Two of them was too few. They'd managed a few successes here and there when there'd been more of them. Back in Japan. When they found out that if they could keep the Phantom Thieves away for one day after the Calling Card, they'd give up. Back then they'd felt more hopeful than ever, even if it meant that someone wasn't going to be brought to justice, but at least would continue to fight their mutual opponents.
Crossing the red square was a dangerous proposition, but a detour would take too long. They stayed near a corner and watched. The square was empty, except for a couple of dozen protesters who looked incredulous and demotivated at the lack of people here. So many magistrates and businessmen had been confessing to their corruptions the last few weeks, and with the very public delivery of the Calling Card, the square should be full with furious protesters and police clashing. Instead, the few policemen standing there barely seemed to give them a look. It wasn't unfamiliar. Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, New Delhi, Washington, New-York, Brussels... The pattern was a recognizable one. Just people going about their every day business.
They'd never even seen the Russian leader's treasure. When the calling card was delivered, they'd just gotten into his Palace as quickly as possible, taking heavier and heavier risks to get to and protect the representation of the man's distorted desires. They figured they were getting close, when they heard the rumbling sound of a Palace crumbling, and they'd known they failed. All they could do was make their escape.
When they returned, the government officials had given their face one look, and pretty much scattered. The knew what was coming just as much as what remained of the Investigation Team and the Shadow Operatives did. A total collapse of the existing power structure as heart after heart would be stolen, met with nearly complete indifference and vague amusement by a large part of the population. Until someone with a relaxed smile and a voice soothing like a placid lake would take the top seat and assure people that the troubles were done and they could continue with the order of the day.
They'd lost this battle. Now they just had to get out of here and continue the war. Even if they were running out of ground to give. Or soldiers to fight. But this moment, when they lost all the support of the local powers that be, this was when they were at their most vulnerable. Yu gritted his teeth as memories came back. This was when they lost people. At least with a smaller group, they could move more quietly.
They almost made it too. Yu'd hailed a taxi, paying him with some of the little money left to them and got driven to the airport. They'd buy a ticket to... South America maybe? Regroup. See if they could find allies there. The Phantom Thieves should be busy cleaning up Russia for a bit. Then, just as they got out and paid the taxi driver, Mitsuru pointed them out.
Two teenagers lounging near the entrance. Haru Okumura and Yusuke Kitagawa. Noir and Fox. Phantom Thieves. Just as Mitsuru pulled at his shoulder to go find another exit into the airport, Haru noticed them, and quickly raised her cellphone at them.
A picture, she was pointing out the others. The hunter had caught their scent. (They had been the hunters once, and the Phantom Thieves the prey, it felt like a long time ago) Yu stopped, gritting his teeth. “We've got equal numbers. If we run, we'll be outnumbered soon. If we beat these, maybe we can handle the reinforcements.”
“We're still exhausted from the palace.” She warned.
“So are they, hopefully.” It was optimistic. What he really thought was that they were also too exhausted to be able to run for very long.
Yusuke stepped forward, swallowing some of the meds they used, and his winter outfit changed into the blue and white costume of Fox, a katana appearing at his side. “Narukami Yu. Kirijo Mitsuro. It has been a long dance, over several continents. But all things must end.”
Haru too put her cellphone away, and her outfit too changed into the musketeer outfit, the black mask covering her eyes, the axe in her hand. “Please surrender. You can go home then.”
The two of them didn't have any weapons. Mitsuru stepped forward, the evoker drawn from within her clothes. “I've seen what happens with those who fall in your hands! You like messing with minds so much? Have some of it yourself! PERSONA! MARIN KARIN!” She put the barrel against her temple and pulled the trigger.
It was the first obvious sign that something was terribly wrong. When the sky rained blood and they realized they could summon their personas out in the world. No Dark Hour or TV world needed. Artemsia flashed into existence, the magic she shot slamming into Noir. Fox reached for his mask. “Very well then, a glorious last stand for you two it is.” The mask was removed, blue fire appearing. “PERSONA!” He shouted out. “CUT THEM DOWN!” His persona, Susano-o appeared, striking a harsh blow at Mitsuru, causing her to waver.
Of all the Phantom Thieves, Yu had an special dislike for the tall one since they lost Yosuke. His name and his persona, it was like some sick joke. He reached for the card as it appeared in front of him. “MADA, BURN HIM!” The Phantom Thief tried to dodge the inferno coming at him, but he was too slow, crashing to the ground.
Yu took a fraction of the second to peer around. Noir had just tossed Mitsuru some medication. Around them, there was a circle of people. Some of them running in terror or staring in shock, but too many of them simply circling around them as if this was a simple scuffle rather than a supernatural battle.
Then he prepared one more wave of fire. It would quickly go through his already pretty depleted reserves, but this was a chance. If they could defeat and capture two, or even one Phantom Thief, and take them to some of the local authorities that weren't too compromised, they might do... something. Fox was trying to get up, but it was too slow, and like this, he wouldn't be able to dodge at all. “Persona!” He repeated, and once more Mada appeared, unleashing flame.
It broke, mere centimetres from Fox' face. And a voice sounded from the heavens. “Oracle to the rescue. C'mon knights, let's put these old folks into their retirement homes already.”
Fox finished getting up, just in time to parry an incoming axe slash from his fellow, dousing her with some medicinal spray. “Snap out of it, Noir. You're on our side.” She shook her head, focusing back on Mitsuru and Yu.
“I'm sorry, Fox.”
Mitsuru cursed. “This makes matters more difficult. I cannot do much harm to Fox, and if Oracle is here, then...”
Yu heard the sound of running footsteps, and quickly switched persona to Futsunushi.
“SEITEN TAISEI!” Just as he turned, Skull's Persona sent a massive fist straight at him, crashing into his form without effect. Skull himself was panting. “Damn it! Friggen' Wildcards man.” In the distance, Yu saw a silhouette in red. Panther was here too it seemed. They'd been too close. Should have run earlier.
“Mitsuru, run.” He just said, and burst into a sprint. Away from the crowds. In all the months this conflict had raged, they'd avoided any casualties among bystanders. He wasn't going to break that streak now.
He didn't know where they were running to. No time to formulate a plan. And after the desperate rushing through the palace, his mind felt tired and sluggish. He just knew that they could not win this fight, that they could not talk it out, and that left only one option. He tried to stay behind Mitsuru, keeping an eye on which of the Phantom Thieves called their Persona, shifting his persona to absorb or neuter the blow. For a while it worked, but they were tired, and the Thieves weren't. And he heard Oracle from within her globe shouting orders to coordinate.
The first time he received a blast of four elements at the same time, he stumbled, but kept running.
The second time, he briefly fell to the ground, but scrambled up, Mitsuru taking out her Evoker, trying to heal him.
The third strike happened before she had the chance to do it. He tried to tell Mitsuru to run, but a moan of pain was all he could produce as darkness wrapped around him. From far away, as though he was underwater, he could hear Mitsuru yell. “No, Yu! Get up. You have to get up!”
And then there was darkness. He couldn't see anything, but now and then, he heard some voices.
“Oh, I've given up on the Phantom Thief case, Narukami-Kun. I have decided to take a sabbatical from investigative work. One should enjoy one's youth when it's there, should one not?”
“Hm, why do you think we should stay involved in that, Yu? We're good people, so it's not like they'll come after us or any of our friends. I really do need to help out in the inn, you know. I might be unable to cook, but there's other things I can do. You should visit us more.”
“Yu, you know I'm always glad to see you, man, but I gotta help my mom with the textile shops. And I really shouldn't get involved in fights anymore. It scares the heck out of her. You gotta settle down, man.”
“Hah, c'mon Yu. You guys are still dealing with that Phantom Thief stuff? Let it go already! My tour is starting next week. I got the lot of you a ton of backstage tiiiiickeeeeets.”
“Sheesh, look, I know I helped you out a lot, Yu, but I wanna just get through the academy and make sure Inaba is a nice, peaceful village. Who cares what the Phantom Thieves are doing, as long as our home is safe, right?”
“Hey partner. Hah, what are you looking so worried for? You know all of us ended up back home, right? C'mon man, stay here. You're gonna get yourself killed stressing out about things you can't change. Teddie? Huh, don't know what happened with him. He'll turn up sometime I'm sure. Ahw, hey, don't cry.. It's really not that bad. Come on, let's visit Nanako. Maybe seeing her face all cheered up by her big bro will make you forget about being a globe-trotting hero.”