Chapter Text
“Ah come on!” Ryuji yelled as he hunched over the controller.
“I told you not to get too cocky!” Ann shouted competitively.
“Come oooooon guuuuys!” Futaba whinned. “I wanna play Smash too!”
“The last time we let you play,” Yusuke said, “You hacked Haru's Switch and summoned your own Giga-bowser.”
Futaba crossed her arms, “Well it's their fault for making it so hackable!”
“Go Ann!” Haru cheered.
“Hey, what about me?” Ryuji asked.
“Girls gotta stick together Ryuji.” Ann responded.
“Man, wish I could play.” Morgana laid his head on Ren's lap, “I can't with these paws though.”
“I'm sure Futaba can figure something out for you.” Ren smiled.
“Heh heh!” Futaba laughed, a glint on her glasses.
“I heard they're going to release the first DLC character for it soon,” Makoto sat watching, “Who do you think it's going to be Ren?”
“Dunno,”
“I might leak…” Futaba adjusted her glasses, “If one of you can beat me!”
“Noooooo!” Ann cried as she got knocked off.
“Ha!” Ryuji jumped up, “Told you I would win!”
“Fine fine, don't rub it in.” Ann waved off.
“I'll take you Futaba.” Ren challenged.
Futaba's signature evil grin came on, “Okay…”
“Please don't leave your hacks in there.” Haru pleaded.
“I wont this time.”
“So what you guys talking about over here?” Ryuji took a seat.
“I was asking who everyone thought the next Smash Brother would be.” Makoto repeated.
“Oh, Shadow hands down.” Ryuji chugged on some water.
“I hope it'll be Springman.” Ann said, “That would be a fun character to try.”
“That would be interesting.” Haru agreed.
“Lets just see if Ren can beat Futaba…” Makoto yawned, “Then im heading home.”
“Oh come on Makoto, it's only eleven!” Ryuji complained.
“I'm tired.” She leaned back, “And besides, unlike you, i actually want to wake up for breakfast.”
“HUAAAA!!!” Futaba cried as she began mashing buttons like a maniac.
“Rgh,” Ren hunched over and began doing similar as Futaba had a two stock lead.
“Come on Ren!” Ann cheered.
“We gotta know who the next Smasher will be!” Ryuji added.
“Not on my watch.” Futaba got that look in her eye.
“Uh oh,” Everyone said in unison.
“Behold my power!” Futaba cried as she began comboing Ren's Pikachu with her K.Rool.
Ren grunted as he tried to fight back, but it was useless as Futaba took him off stage, flying back as Ren fell to his death.
GAME!!!
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The next morning…
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“Open up Ren!”
Poor Ren woke up to the sound of Futaba knocking on his door. “Ugh…?”
“How is she up so early?” Morgana stretched.
“Futaba?” Ren sat up.
Futaba opened the door and walked in. “God sleepy head, you only stayed up till 1.”
“Isn't that late?” Ren asked.
“No… 3 is late.” Futaba shook her head, “Anyways, your mail's crowding the mailbox.” Futaba stuck a stack of junk mail on Ren's lap for him and Morgana to see. “Who knew you had so many subscriptions.”
“But I dont…” Ren answered, somewhat confused.
“Yeah… you totally don't.” Futaba quickly left before Ren could retaliate.
“That is alot of mail.” Morgana commented.
Ren just shook his head, “I bet you she's pranking me.” He sat at a table and began sorting through it.
“Seeing as she has access to your phone, I wouldn't be surprised.” Morgana jumped up and began pawing through some of the letters, but then stopped. “Hey, look at this.”
“Huh?” Ren picked up the mail Morgana was pawing: The letter was just a simple white envelope, no address, no stamp, only thing on it was: Deliver to Joker.
“What?” Ren looked at it closer.
“How did they know Joker was here?” Morgana asked suspicious.
The two exchanged looks before opening the envelope. The letter reading:
Greetings Joker, Leader of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
It has come to our attention that you are a master thief and fighter, and therefore request that you would infiltrate someone's palace.
We understand that you have been out of the buisiness for the past year or so, but dont worry, we have already given you the necessary materials…
“Necessary materials?” Ren repeated.
We ask however that you come alone, as we dont want too much attention drawn to you. Carry out this task, and recieve rewards greater than you can imagine.
When you are ready, open your Meta-nav and input:
Name: MH
Place: park
Distortion: Award Theater
Do not worry about the calling card, we have already sent it. All you must do is steal the treasure before the end of the day.
“Calling Card?!” Ren repeated.
“How do they know so much about us?” Morgana asked.
“And the meta-verse is gone.” Ren inspected the envelope for some date, perhaps thinking it was outdated. There was none however.
“Should we tell the others?” Morgana asked.
“I don't know…” Ren pulled up his phone, but froze upon unlocking the screen. “What?”
“What is it?” Morgana hopped in Ren's lap to see, eyes also widening. “The Meta-Nav!?”
Indeed, the app Ren thought he would never see again, had returned. However this time, instead of red, it was a more colorful blue, green and pink. “Should we tell the others?” Morgana repeated.
Ren paused. “It says by myself though…”
“It's not wise to go in on your own though.” Morgana warned, “It can be dangerous.”
“I know…” Ren looked at the card.
“Although…” Morgana got that glint in his eye, “It does say rewards greater than we can imagine!”
Ren didn't answer as he continued to contemplate on this. “Let me see something…” He began texting:
Ren: Hey guys, has anybody seen anything from the Metanav lately?
He waited to see if there would be a response…
Makoto: No, I haven't at least. Why?
Futaba: No Metanav here…
“Huh,” Ren said, “So they don't have it.”
“They must really want only you going in.” Morgana said… when there was another bleep on his phone:
Futaba: Why is there a Metanav on your phone Ren!?
“Oh right, she can see it.” Morgana stated.
Makoto: Ren has Metanav?
Futaba: Yeah, it's right there on his phone! What's with the weird colors on it?
Makoto: Hang on, how is it back?
Ren: Come over, there's something I need to talk to you guys about.
Futaba: I think the others are still sleeping, it's just me and Makoto.
Makoto: You guys did stay up late
Futaba: 1 is not late!
Ren: It'll have to do.
Ren set the phone back down. “Guess we'll just have to tell the others later.” Morgana stated.
“Yeah, they must still be sleeping.”
Futaba suddenly burst through the door, surprising everyone and snatching Ren's phone, getting into it. “Futaba what are you-”
“I'm seeing this for myself!” Futaba peered intently at the phone, “Wow, it really is back, what's with the colors though?”
By this point, Ren had learned it was pointless to try and wrench a device from Futaba's hands, especially when she was nerding out like this. “I'm honestly not sure,” Morgana jumped up on the desk, “I don't recall anything about it changing colors.”
“It just showed up like that.” Ren added.
“But it's only on your phone!” Futaba pulled her's out and began peering deep into it.
That's when Makoto appeared in the doorway. “I'm here.” She announced before entering. “What's going on Ren?”
“The Metanav is back!” Futaba shoved the phone in her face, “But only on his phone!”
“What!” Makoto took the device and gazed at it. “What's with the color?”
“Our exact question!”
“And look here.” Ren set the letter on the table.
The two girls peered over it, reading it intently. “The heck? I didn't send that!” Futaba finally said.
“So your admitting you had something to do with it?” Morgana wagged his tail with a smug grin.
“The last time we got an anonymous request was from you Futaba.” Makoto added.
The glare on Futaba's glasses hid her eyes. “You really think I sent that letter?”
“I don't think you did.” Ren assured, “What are your thoughts on this?”
The two sat and thought, Futaba pulling out her laptop and typing profusely. “Have you tried seeing if it works?” Makoto asked.
He shook his head, “No.”
“It's almost like this guy knew it would be there.” Futaba mussed, “And he says he already sent the calling card. What the heck does MH stand for? And he knows we haven't pulled a heist in a year… i can’t find any info on it though!”
“That's saying something if you can't find them.” Makoto expressed concern.
Ren thought for a moment. “I think our best lead is to investigate the location.”
“We don't even know who this guy is though.” Makoto reminded.
“He's right though.” Morgana sat up, “What ever this is, investigating the palace is our best lead.”
“And if he already sent the calling card…and we don't know anything else about this palace, then we gotta act quick.” Futaba adjusted her glasses.
“I know the vote has to be unanimous,” Ren spoke, “But I think I need to go investigate as soon as possible.”
“I don't know…” Makoto looked unsure.
“Come on you guys!” Morgana jumped in front of them, “the letter says rewards beyond our dreams!”
“What does that even mean though?”
“We need your approval to move foward on this.” Ren said, “We don't act now, we may not get the chance.”
Makoto looked down. “I guess, let's start investigating.”
“We can take care of telling the others!” Futaba assured.