Joker stared down the Yaldabaoth, the God Of Control, without a clue of fear in his heart. No matter how wounded they were, they refused to stay down, no matter how hopeless it seemed. As long as he had his friends by his side, he knew that they would win. The Phantom Thieves had gone through much since he and Ryuji first had stumbled into the Metaverse by accident. They had gotten so much stronger together, brought down Shido, and made so many friends and connections along the way. And here they were, about to kill a god. Joker felt the belief in the Phantom Thieves grow stronger and stronger before it became almost overwhelming. He tore the chains that surrounded him and Arsène and unleashed this overwhelming power. Blue flames surrounded him as Arsene roared before bursting into light and energy. The others looked around in awe as the sky was filled with burning and falling lights, hope returning to the hearts of his friends.

For a moment, nothing seemed to happen, and Yaldabaoth took that moment to gloat. “So, you have failed to harness the power. No matter how many prayers of the foolish masses come together-” A rippling sound of thunder interrupted him as dark clouds began to darken the sky further. Yaldabaoth looked up and exclaimed, shocked at what he was witnessing. Joker had to admit Yaldabaoth was exceedingly hard to read due to his lack of face, but even he could see the disbelief he felt. Joker mused to himself that he would too if a massive bat-winged demon lord descended from the heavens. All was silent besides the harsh windblown from the flapping of its wings. Satanael, the name popped into his mind freely. The word felt powerful and fitting for a Persona of this level of power.

He saw his friends react in various ways. Yusuke could barely get a word out of his mouth from awe. Ryuji remarked on its size; Morgana was left in disbelief that Satanael was a Persona. The crowd that had gathered below had similar reactions as their excitement grew. Joker couldn’t help but smirk because he knew that they had won against a god. He felt a wave of rejuvenating energy from Satanael hit him and the rest of the frontliners. Queen straightened herself back up and assumed her fighting stance. Noir sighed in relief as she picked her ax back up with relative ease and newfound strength. Panther cheered as her restored health brought back confidence in her stance. And Joker straightened himself back up, standing tall and proud once again. Yaldabaoth bellowed in anger and tried to overwhelm and destroy them, but the Phantom Thieves stood firm, unscathed. Morgana said something that was probably inspirational, but Joker wasn’t paying attention. He found himself lost in the moment, a bit of bittersweet reflection at the realization that it was all over. It is not just the fight against Yaldabaoth but also the Phantom Thieves, the Metaverse, everything they’ve been doing for the last half a year. He felt a little guilty that he couldn’t be happy about its ending. His little escape from reality would end, and there was nothing he could do about it.”

Regardless, Joker knew what he had to do. He held his right hand out; the energy that had gathered in the air coalesced together in his palm. Joker felt it flow into his body, the power and strength now rushing through his veins as the bond strengthened. It felt almost overwhelming, but he kept up his usual calm demeanor before uttering a single command to his Persona.
“Pillage him, Satanael!” Joker then readied himself as he used Satanael’s most potent ability. The knowledge of the skill, the power of it filled his head ‘Sinful Shell.’ He smirked as he withdrew his pistol from his long-jacket and angled it towards the God of Control. Satanael did the same with his gigantic gunblade. Joker looked at the God of Control one last time, determination burning in his eyes. He prepared to pull the trigger. Joker hesitated for a moment, and at that time, it didn’t seem vital as he still pulled the trigger. Yaldabaoth opened a portal beneath his friends in a moment of desperation, its sudden appearance causing Queen, Noir, and Panther to drop into sudden and unexpected darkness. Joker held on for a moment before his grip slipped. He heard the screams of shock and fear from his friends as he fell, following his teammates. The last thing Joker saw before he was completely swallowed by darkness was the Sinful Shell Barreling its way through what amounted to Yaldabaoth’s face before the portal closed suddenly and violently. Fear clawed at his heart as he fell, the corners of his eyes darkening before he passed out.

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Akira wasn’t sure when he started to come back to consciousness. But when he did, he felt a few things that were a bit odd. For one, it seemed he had landed face-first onto something that was somewhat soft and warm. A bizarre comfort after what he had just experienced, but it helped him relax. The next thing that felt off and was mildly concerning was he could swear he could feel sensations on and above his back that he simply shouldn’t. And lastly, the one that was the most disturbing and caused his breath to hitch was just how his body felt in general. He didn’t have an excellent grip on what exactly was different, just that it felt different and oddly… Right? And that feeling of rightness scared him deep down, something that he had repressed for so long that it became scarier than anything he had faced before. He tried to steady his breathing as his mental state panicked, but all the other worries and thoughts began to pile on, and it became too much. What had happened? Had they failed? Had he been the cause for their doom? What about the rest of his friends? His breathing became erratic and shallow, his eyes burning at the edges with tears as these thoughts assaulted him without reprieve as a strange buzzing filled his ears. Whatever he was lying on groaned and shifted beneath him before an unexpected pair of arms wrapped around his waist. The touch was unanticipated, and Akira tensed for a moment.

But the tension quickly left his body as he felt the gentleness and care they conveyed. Everything just became overwhelming as he let the emotion flow out. At first, they were quiet sobs before graduating to wails as more and more worrisome thoughts cascaded into another. He felt another gentle touch on his shoulder followed by another on the other. He didn’t even consider who they might be, they still felt comforting, and comfort was precisely what he thought he needed right now. He shouldered so much, stressed, risked his life again and again for a moment of hesitation to ruin everything. The people and friends he had failed. All of the little doubts and anxieties became too much, too overwhelming to bottle them like he usually did. He heard faint murmurs of voices around him, but he couldn’t understand the buzzing in his ears. Regardless, his spiral eventually began to taper off as his mind ran out of things to remind him of painfully. His breathing began to slow, and his tears began to cease. Only then was he finally able to understand what was being said around him.

He heard Makoto’s voice, her voice strained and filled with concern. “I-I think they’re finally starting to calm down.” Akira couldn’t help but look up and realize that he had been lying on Makoto this entire time with only slight horror. But as the panic began to rise in his heart was quickly extinguished by the look that the red-eyed woman gave him. She was still dressed in her Queen outfit, looking no worse for wear. The amount of sincere care and concern that filled her eyes and bled into her face should be illegal. The look made Akira feel something that he rarely felt, especially in the last half a year. Safe. He looked lazily to his right and saw Haru’s face sharing a similar look, and her brow furrowed adorably in thought. Her Noir outfit looked a little more ruffled than usual, and her hat tilted cutely. Then he looked to his left to see Ann giving him a wobbly smile. Her Panther outfit looked to be in the worst condition as her red leather had pieces of dirt clinging to it, light scratches appearing on some parts more prevalently. Akira couldn’t help but gain a small smile of his own at the sight of his friends’ concern. Ann’s smile transformed into a much more genuine one at seeing her frizzy-haired friend smile, even if it was just slightly.

Haru broke the silence by clearing her throat before speaking in her usually soft and light tone. “So, does anyone have a clue of where we are? Because it is a bit concerning that, we don’t seem to be in the Metaverse.” She looks around warily at the green forested area they appeared to be in. Akira sat up slightly, trying his best to ignore how different his body felt at doing such a slight movement.

Ann pipes up, her usually bubbly voice tampered down a few notches, “Beats me, but wherever we are, some of us seem to have come a little different. Like I know I should be freaking out over having an actual cat tail. But like, it’s oddly comfortable? Which sounds weird out loud, but whatever.” The newly minted yellow blonde cat tail moves into view before she clutches it close to herself to prove her point. Akira finds himself staring at it for a moment before shaking his head to refocus.

“I think we-” Akira cut himself off as he gasped lightly, his hand raced to his throat in surprise. His voice was so soft, delicate yet firm, and oddly beautiful and so much more him. That caused him to sit up further and look at what had happened to his body. He raised his hands, and they were smaller, seemingly more delicate. He gulped nervously and looked down, confirming his fears and suspicions. He had boobs. He looked down further, and he saw that his body was a lot more shapely than he remembered. He idly realized then that he was still in his Joker attire, although modified for some of his additions. His hand immediately raced down to his crotch, and instead of the usual lump he felt there, it was flat. He knew he should be screaming, freaking out over his lost manhood, about how he didn’t want his body to look like this. But… Deep down, he knew he liked it, loved it even. He couldn’t help but let his small smile grow into a genuine grin. He felt more at home than he ever felt in his old body. But this was wrong; he always had these thoughts and feelings that were weird. His smile faltered as he began seeping his mind in self-loathing. What kind of freak even wants to be the opposite gender? What kind of freak yearns every night for the ability to wake up as a woman. He knew how Japanese society treated people like him. His only option was to bury himself so deep in the closet that he forgot he was what he was.

Makoto’s voice tore him from his self-hatred spiral. “Akira, you know it… It’s okay to like how you are right now? We’ll support you no matter if you want to be the sweet and caring guy we knew or… Or the sweet and caring girl you could become.” Akira found himself desperately looking into those deep red eyes, searching for any malice or hate. But all he saw was love and care there, and that made his heart swell. He heard an affirmation from both Haru and Ann, and he couldn’t help but let a relieved smile grace his delicate features again. He felt tears of happiness brim in his eyes as he felt safe again. His friends cared for him for… her. And those thoughts of self-loathing and hatred wouldn’t leave her for a while, but she couldn’t be bothered to think them at this moment. This moment Akira could only feel relieved at being accepted for being herself, no matter how forcibly fate seemed to drag her out of the closet.

Ann spoke up again next. “Yeah! I mean, how could I not support you after everything you helped me with! Without you, I don’t think I would be where I am today. Of course, I’m not going to leave my fearless leader when they turn out to be a girl.” Akira can’t help but feel her smile broaden at the sincerity of Ann’s words. She’s always been able to do that with her, with her bubbly nature and positive attitude. Akira can’t help but look at Haru, who seemed a little nervous having been put on the spot, but she still speaks in that usual soft way she does.

“Of course, I still support you. It would be foolish of me to throw away our friendship over something like this. If it weren’t for you helping me with my father or fiance, I would still be trapped without a choice to be me truly. I imagine that you felt similar to how I did, although to a more literal extent.” She giggles in a soft melodic way that makes Akira’s heart melt. “And if anyone ever is rude to you about you being yourself well…” She smiles grimly, her tone becoming threatening, “I’ll bury them.” Akira can’t help but let a shiver go down her spine at the manner of speaking, but she smiles regardless.

“I-Thank you, I don’t know what I would do without you all,” Akira speaks slowly, still unused to the sound of her new voice. She lifts herself off of Makoto and stands tall. That is when she noticed the other elephant in the room. She felt new muscles twitch and shift on her back as she looked and found that she appeared to be two sizable black crow wings. Akira found herself staring slightly slack-jawed at the immensely unusual addition. She thought that a magic sex change was understandable. Hell, even Ann getting a cattail was understandable, logical even, but her getting crow wings seemed unbelievable to her. And even worse, it reminded her of him, that oddly charming psychopathic detective. Even in another world, Akechi is the one to get the last laugh. She can’t help but chuckle at that. She decided to file this away, along with many other conflicting feelings for now. Right now, her team needed her.

“R-Right, well, regardless of that revelation, we need to figure out where we are. Everyone stay close. Consider this an infiltration unlike any we’ve done before.” Akira spoke shakily at first before confidence and calm seeped back into her voice. “Makoto, I hope I can rely on you as our advisor still. We may not have a navigator with us, but I’m sure we can figure something out. Let’s roll Phantom Thieves!” She feels a playful smirk form on her lips as she motions them forward. Makoto and the others nod in affirmation as they follow. The forest they found themselves dropped in was nothing out of the ordinary, just especially green. Akira found Haru looking around in appreciation and thought, at times pausing to examine the plants on the forest floor carefully. Ann walked without much care. Although her balance was shaky initially due to her new appendage, she adapted rather quickly. Makoto, Akira found, to be the most careful and of them all, her eyes shifting around as she remained quiet as if trying to hear anything that might indicate alarm. Akira found the quiet of the woods alarming, especially the lack of wildlife in the area. A feeling of dread slowly formed in her stomach as she walked with her team.

Akira paused as she heard a distant sound of distant heavy footfalls. Makoto stilled, her eyes frantically looking around for the source. Akira raised her hand to halt her teammates. Haru readied her ax as Ann clutched her whip more tightly. For a moment, all was quiet. They all tensed and held their breaths for a few agonizing moments. That’s when Akira saw it, a form so black that it looked unnatural, with white bone white spikes running down its spine, small plates of white bone covering its body. A white bone-like mask accentuates all with bright red eyes. A sense of familiarity that washed over her was almost sickeningly comforting. ‘A shadow,’ Akira thought, she decided to do what she does best. She leaped forward, using her grapple hook to hook into the shadowy hide. She pulled herself ahead with surprising ease, the beast startled for a moment before attempting to thrash off the unexpected intrusion. Unabated by the bear-like beast’s struggle, Akira leaped onto its back and tried to tear off its mask.

As she attempted to tear off the white mask, she yelled on instinct, “Show me your true form!” And then she waited. And waited a little more before it began to sink in. The mask refused to budge. At that moment, Akira realized this thing was not a shadow, as did her teammates by the sounds of alarm they made. She quickly pulled out her pistol and attempted to unload into the beast, but her ammo clip was empty. She swore before she leaped off the beast, cutting her losses and taking out her knife. She looked back and simply nodded to her friends before running back into combat, knife in hand. Akira dodged deftly from a right claw that came very close to razing her stomach. She gave a few swings here and there, but her knife was woefully under-equipped for a beast like this.

She saw Makoto move swiftly as she slammed her tekkos in rapid succession on the beasts’ uncovered sides. She moved back quickly, stumbling a bit on the uneven terrain as the monster nearly slammed its body into her in retaliation. She grimaced as she noticed her strikes barely affecting the shadowy creature. She still moved in carefully when she could, striking at the exposed flesh without precision and force.

Akira moved back in, slicing at the weak unarmored joint areas. At Least she tried to. Her blade barely cut enough to be grazing the thing's thick flesh making her dagger ineffective. She realized too late that she had overextended herself as an abyssal backhand from the monster nearly slammed into her face. That is until Ann had wrapped her whip around its arm. Her grunts of exertion were loud as she struggled to hold it. Her feet were pulled through the dirt, causing twin trails of upset dirt. Haru took this opportunity to move in to attempt to finish the thing off. She leaped into the air, and her mighty ax swung down on the monster’s neck with enough force to decapitate it. Its body slumped over before it slowly turned to black mist. Akira was breathing heavily by the end of it, and as she looked around, she saw the others were as exhausted as she was. Ann was leaning against a tree, relief clear upon her face. Haru was propping herself up with her ax as she caught her breath, and Makoto had fallen on her rump in exhaustion. It is thankfully quiet as they see their breaths. Ann was the first one to speak up.

“What the hell was that thing?!” She exclaimed, her voice barely hid the panic that was clear upon her face.

“That thing, whatever it was, it was no shadow. I couldn’t find any real weaknesses when we fought it.” Makoto said glumly as she stood back up after catching her breath. She, in comparison to Ann, looked much calmer and put together. If Akira didn’t know Makoto as well as she did, she wouldn’t have seen the signs she was putting on a brave face. Akira moved over and gave Makoto a comforting squeeze on the shoulder, and Makoto shot her a very thankful look as the hidden tension slowly left her.

Haru spoke next, her voice unsure and laced with worry. “That is very concerning. However, there is one thing that I find more pressing…” She paused for a moment, her brow furrowed in unseen exertion. After a moment, she sighed sadly, “Have any of you tried summoning your Persona? I tried summoning Astarte, and there was just... Nothing.” Akira and the others gave her a look of shock. Akira tried summoning Satanael, Arsene, or any of her other Persona, but there was nothing. The flame of rebellion that burned brightly, the bond and connection that they all had felt since awakening their personas was gone. Akira thought for the first time in a long time, truly lost. She looked at the others and found that their faces conveyed the same feeling that she did. Ann looked like she was about to start crying at any moment, tears visibly brimming in her eyes. Makoto wasn’t doing much better; her face contorted between grief and uncertainty. Akira realized her friends needed her. She had to be strong for them. If she failed them now, then how could she even call herself their friends?

“While this revelation is very concerning and the implications alone are terrifying to think about, we need to stay strong. We still don’t even know where we are! We need to find somewhere safe to lie low to figure out where we are. We’ve faced far worse adversities than this as Phantom Thieves. I know that if we keep a cool head, then we’ll figure something out. Don’t count us out yet, alright?” Akira tried her best to reassure her friends, her voice struggling not to waver or crack. Miraculously she didn’t, her voice stayed strong and confident, and her friends’ faces lightened at the words.” I know we can do this, with or without personas. As long as we’re together, nothing will be able to stop us.”

Ann cheered at that. “You always know what to say, don’t ya fearless leader?” Her smile was bright and cheerful but most of all infectious. Akira felt it creep across her face quickly. Her signature smirk morphed into a confident grin. Makoto shook her head mirthfully, and Haru chuckled airily.

“Well said, but perhaps you could benefit from paying more attention to your surroundings?” An unknown voice cut through the newly found cheer, replacing it with dread once again. Akira and the others turned to the voice source and found a middle-aged man with silver hair and dark spectacles. His eyes were brown and sharp, his clothes a mix of black and green. His hands leaned on a strange-looking cane with a silver hilt and a large knuckle guard. “No need for alarm. I am not here to harm you. I was just curious why four strangers were wandering the Emerald Forest. This is school property, after all.” His voice was smooth and calm, his demeanor friendly. Akira dropped her guard slightly, eyeing the man carefully. “My name is Professor Ozpin; I’m the headmaster of Beacon Academy. I’m sure you’ve heard of it?” That got him a lot of confused looks.

“Umm, I don’t mean to be rude, but I haven’t heard of it before. Where exactly are we?” Haru asked, her voice lilting slightly in trepidation. The professor frowned and then looked over them inquisitively.

“As I told you before, you’re in the Emerald Forest, which is close to the Beacon Academy campus. You’re currently in the Kingdom of Vale. You don’t seem to be natives by the look of you. Are you from Mistral perhaps?” Akira shot him another look of confusion. She had never heard of these places before, and she would know; she was the best scorer on the exams for a reason. ‘Seriously? A kingdom? I didn’t even know places still called themselves kingdoms existed in the world.’ she thought to herself snidely.

“I… See, well, that doesn’t help us out.” Akira looked to the others for confirmation. “Do you at least know where we are in relation to Tokyo, Japan?” Ozpin simply looks at her without a hint of recognition on his face. Dread began to settle in the pit of her stomach. “Alright, fine, since you don’t seem to recognize that, can you at least tell us how to access the internet so we can find our way home?” She pulls out her phone, the charge close to death but the most worrying detail; no signal. Ozpin, again, looks bewildered at that.

“Do you mean the CCT? I assure you we have access to it, but your scroll there might be too out of date for it.” He soothed, pulling out a black rectangular shape, a diamond-shaped gold latch on the front. He expanded it, the screen materializing quickly. Akira and the others stared dumbstruck at the casual use of advanced technology. “I can see now that this is a bit unusual for you. How about you come with me for some tea in my office? We can discuss what I can do for you to help clear up your confusion and perhaps even find a way to get you girls home.” Akira ignored the flash of giddiness shooting through her by being referred to as a girl by a stranger. She looked to Makoto, Ann, and Haru to gather their opinions. Ann simply shrugged, and she deferred to Akira. Makoto looked contemplative for a moment before reluctantly agreeing. Haru had the most positive reaction out of them, her excitement at having tea was almost concerning. Akira nodded to Ozpin, and she followed carefully, keeping a safe distance between Her and Ozpin.
Ozpin started to speak again, “You know, it’s quite impressive that you all were able to take down a Grimm, an Ursa no less, without any of your Aura’s unlocked.”

“Aura? What’s that?” Ann asked as she ducked under a branch.

He looked a little surprised but took it in stride. “Aura is the manifestation of our souls. It empowers us and shields us from harm. It allows us to do feats never thought possible before. Most people who use their aura for good are called hunters and huntresses. They fight against the monstrous Grimm and protect the people. Or at least, that’s what they should be, but often some come for more shallow reasons. But that is the greatest thing that humans can do, make a choice.”

“So they’re like superheroes or something? Do they fight for truth and justice too?” Makoto joked dryly.

Ozpin was unfazed. “You could say that. Some end up in the police force, if you meant in a literal way. Others fight for a cause.” He gestured to Akira and Ann, “For example, Faunus equal rights.” Akira couldn’t help but raise a brow at that. “Faunus is the other species of intelligent beings besides humans that inhabit Remnant. Their singular or multiple animal traits often characterize them. I’m astonished you haven’t heard of that before. Wherever you’re from must be very isolated from the rest of Remnant.”

“You have no idea,” Akira responded plainly.

 

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Akira was thankful that they hadn’t encountered any more of those ‘Grimm’ creatures on their way to Beacon. Not much was said on their journey back. The sense of unease never entirely left her. She had to admit Beacon was quite impressive. Its massive castle-like structure was, in a metaphorical and literal sense, elevating. She, Ann, Haru, and Makoto followed Ozpin into an elevator that brought them quickly up to what Akira would best guess as Ozpin’s office. It was a rather cozy thing in her mind, much more welcoming than principal Kobayakawa’s at the very least. His desk was ornate, the legs on it, and his chair was mechanical looking. Behind his chair was a large circular glass window that overlooked what she presumed was the rest of Beacon. On his desk sat a delicate-looking tea kettle with five mugs arranged methodically. ‘Clearly, he was more prepared for us than he let on,’ Akira mused to herself. Akira looked up and noticed a large, ornate chandelier-like construction made out of a complicated series of gears in motion. Ozpin smiled warmly at them as he took his seat, leaving the Phantom Thieves standing.

“So, shall we get down to business? I imagine you have a lot of questions, and admittedly so do I. So how about I start? Does that seem fair?” Akira looked to the others, who simply shrugged. Akira turned back and gave a tentative nod toward him. “Good, I’m glad you find that agreeable. Firstly, you mentioned that you’re from a place called Tokyo, correct? I’m not aware of the existence of a village named that. Would you be willing to show me your best approximation of where it is on my world map?” He opened his scroll and projected a map of a very unfamiliar world. The continents present on the map were utterly foreign to Akira. She stared in stunned horror at this revelation.

“T-that isn’t the entire world, right?” Akira speaks softly, her voice hitching. Ozpin’s smile turns to a frown of concern.

“To the best of our knowledge, these are all the landmasses on Remnant. Are you alright? You seem, for lack of a better term, shellshocked.” He watches her with concern before his attention is dragged to the others. Makoto’s brow furrowed in confusion, clearly lost in a way she has never been before. Ann’s hand covers her mouth as tears threaten to overflow out of her eyes, and Haru does her best to console her.

“That’s a bit of an understatement, professor, as far as I, and presumably the others can tell us that we are very lost. You keep referring to the world as Remnant. Why is that?” Makoto queried, her voice steady. Ozpin blinks at that.

“Why it’s called Remnant, not many know. It is simply the name of our world and has been for as long as we’ve known.” Ozpin answered simply, taking a sip of his tea. “I’m guessing by the reactions some of you are having,” he looks pointedly at Ann, “That you are more lost than you believe me to understand. I imagine if you were to give me your names and I were to look for any way to identify you, I’d find nothing. If what I am gathering is correct, you are not from this world, are you?”

Akira gives him a baffled look. “Another world? It wouldn’t be the most unlikely answer, but that’s a little far-fetched, don’t you think? I mean, we as a team have done some stuff thought impossible, but this seems straight out of some hokey science fiction novel.” Akira scoffs, pointedly not looking at him in the eyes. “And even if we were somehow in another world, would that even really matter? W-we’d be stuck with no… No way of getting home.” Akira’s voice cracks, emotion breaking through her usual calmed facade. She let out a choked sob as she covered her eyes with her sleeve.

“I… See. I apologize for my lack of tact in this situation. Admittedly in all my years, I have never encountered a situation like this before. You have my sincerest sympathies toward your plight.” Ozpin said and sounded surprisingly sincere. “I can offer you some help if you wish. I am fairly influential. I can pull some strings and help you integrate with your new home for the time being. You seem to be around the age of the students at this academy. I wonder…” he mused to himself thoughtfully. “I could help you make new identities for this world, help you get settled in so you can live as close to normal life as you can or… Or you can enroll at this academy, become huntresses, and work to protect the people. You certainly have enough experience to potentially succeed, at least from what I saw when you fought that Ursa.”

“Can you… Can you let us discuss this? Alone? We have… A lot to think about.” Akira spoke quietly.

Ozpin simply nodded. “Of course, I can assign you a room to stay in. For the time being, the school year hasn’t started yet, so we have a few dorm rooms open and available.” He handed Akira a keycard and told her the room number before dismissing them. She, Haru, Ann, and Makoto took the elevator down, staying silent the whole time. Not a word was spoken until they arrived at their temporary living space, Akira’s anxiety growing with each moment of silence. She noted that the room they were given was a little small, still more significant than the room she had at Leblanc but still small. Four single-sized beds were sat in pairs, a bookshelf separating them. Akira walks over to one of the beds, collapses onto it, and screams intensely into the pillow. The screams descend into muffled sobs as she starts to process everything that had happened to them today. She felt her wings try to wrap themselves around her like a safety blanket. The comfort is appreciated. She thinks suddenly that maybe there are some pluses to this. That is until the tsunami of negatives floods over her mind.

She thought of her friends, of the other Phantom Thieves that she had no idea of their fates. What about Sojiro? The man was more of a father to her than her actual father ever was. She hoped he’d be okay at the very least. She hoped for the very best that her disappearance wouldn’t set her friends back. She hoped Futaba wouldn’t go back to being unable to leave the house alone. Or that Yusuke would be unable to find inspiration again. Or hell, she hoped Ryuji would just be okay. She then got to thinking of what her friends had lost. Ann had lost Shiho, her best friend, and something potentially more. Even more than that, Shiho had lost Ann, her best friend, and closest ally. Makoto had lost her sister. Sae and Akira hadn’t always seen eye to eye, but she knew how deeply they both cared for each other. And Haru, on a surface level, had lost the least, she had only lost her garden and her father’s company, but she knew it would be just as hard for her too.

She knew that they had all lost a lot, but she felt guilty that she took comfort in that. The fact that she wasn’t alone in this. Akira couldn’t help but shudder through her much quieter crying at the thought of being alone in this situation. She looked up from her pillow, seeing the concerned look Makoto was giving her. She always admired Makoto’s ability to stay calm in a crisis, even if that made her a little cold at times. Akira didn’t even think before she got up and hugged Makoto. The brunette girl tensed in surprise before she relaxed, awkwardly putting a reassuring hand on her leader’s shoulder.

“There, there?” The ruby-eyed woman said, cringing a little at her awkwardness. Akira gave her a wet chuckle before burying her face in Makoto’s shoulder. Makoto herself gave it a titter “I’m sorry I’m not… Used to giving people comfort like this. Am I doing it right?” That made Akira giggle, and my god, she loved that she was able to make that sound! She gave Makoto a nod before letting herself get lost in comfort. She felt herself drifting to sleep as Makoto moved to her long and full hair, running her hand through it lovingly and carefully. She fell asleep with a happy smile on her lips.

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Makoto knew she had to be calm right now. Akira was barely keeping him-herself together. She hid it well, but Makoto could see the cracks in her demeanor. And when they all had gotten to the room, she saw her suspicions confirmed. And here she was as she carefully placed a sleeping Akira in bed. The poor girl had fallen asleep against her, and Makoto knew she needed the rest. She looked to the others, and her concern grew. Ann was lying in bed, her eyes glued to the ceiling as she stayed silent. Ann’s body language, however, screamed suppressed panic.

On the other hand, Haru looked vaguely uncomfortable as she tried to make herself busy tidying up the books on the bookshelf. She was just trying to do something, anything, to keep her mind off of processing what had seemingly happened. Makoto sighed heavily. Fuck, they all needed therapy, didn’t they? She added that to the list of ‘We’ll deal with that later,’ which became a concerningly long list. She got up from the bed, careful not to wake up Akira, and moved towards the other two. Haru looked at her curiously, and Ann just continued to stare at the ceiling.

“We need to talk. Both of you. Hallway?” Haru nodded nervously, shakily getting up and moving toward the door. Ann just continued to lie there, not even acknowledging as if anything had been said. Makoto moved slowly toward Ann, her hand moving to Ann’s shoulder. “Ann? Are you alright?” Ann jerked at the contact. Her face contorted briefly in panic before becoming embarrassed.

“S-sorry, sorry, I just kind of spaced out there for a moment. Did you say something?” Ann questioned.

“Yes, I was just asking if we could discuss some things out in the hall? There is a lot we need to discuss, and I’d rather do it while Akira is sleeping.” Ann nodded before getting up. Makoto followed behind her. She quietly closed the door before she nodded toward the end of the hallway, moving them toward an area that was less likely to wake their leader up from their voices. Makoto paused for a moment, looking around before turning back to her blonde and auburn-haired friends.

“What is it you wanted to discuss without Akira, Makoto-san?” Haru asked cautiously, her brow furrowed in worry.

“Yeah, whatever it is, it’s important enough to have you worried. So, what’s up, Makoto?” Ann questioned, her usually bubbliness toned significantly down.

Makoto swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat before speaking. “Do any of you know what Akira could be going through? Sis didn’t encourage a non-sheltered upbringing, so I’m a little… Lost.” To her, it took a lot to admit that. She was never great in situations where she didn’t know what to do.

“Shiho was always more connected to the whole thing, y’know. I kind of know what she’s going through? But, like, not enough to be helpful…” Ann glumly admitted.

Haru cleared her throat. “Then allow me to help! I know exactly what she’s going through, and I assure you it isn’t easy. I can tell you why and how later, but right now, we need to discuss how to make Akira-chan happy. We need to support her and be the best friends and allies we can be for her! Firstly what we need to do is to validate her feelings and identity. I don’t imagine any of us would, but please don’t try to tell her what she’s feeling is wrong or weird to you. She’s been told that enough by the society we grew up in.”

“Next, we should do some nice things with her to include her in some typically feminine activities! Ann-chan, how about at some point you offer to take her shopping? I think she’d appreciate that! And Mako-chan, perhaps you could treat her to a girls’ night? The best we can do right now is support her and help her not collapse in on herself. But beyond that, that’s Akira-chan’s story and feelings to tell.” Haru finished, a look of fierceness rarely seen in the fluffy-haired girl’s eyes blazed stronger than ever. Makoto swallowed nervously and nodded fervently. She had a feeling Ann did the same. Haru lets out a pleased hum.

Makoto waited for a few moments before she spoke. “So with that settled, we should probably go back to the room and wait for Akira to wake before we discuss the offer that has been given to us. Hopefully, she doesn’t sleep too long. It’s starting to get dark out, and I don’t want to sleep in my Queen outfit.” She looked down in discomfort at it. She was never the biggest fan of her Phantom Thieves outfit, although it had grown on her. She still felt a little uncomfortable with it, but it was something she could live with. However, the leather material of it was never the move comfortable to even rest in for a while in safe rooms. She dreaded the thought of trying to sleep in the damn thing.

“Ugh, tell me about it!” Ann empathized emphatically.

“I can understand your frustration Mako-chan, but I always found my Noir outfit to be quite comfortable,” Haru replied.

Makoto shook her head, trying to refocus. “It’s whatever. If we have discussed all that we need to without Akira, we should head back now. I don’t even want to think about what would happen if she woke up alone.” Haru shuddered, and Ann nodded, both realizing the implications of the brunette’s words. She led them back to the temporary dorm quietly. Thankfully for them, Akira was still asleep and hadn’t had her sleep disturbed at all. Makoto let out a sigh of relief. She had grown close to her leader over the last couple of months. She wasn’t always the best at expressing or even identifying her feelings, but Makoto could tell how she felt about her leader. It was a feeling of trust and safety that Makoto hadn’t felt since she was young. If only someone would tell her what that warm feeling in her chest was whenever the frizzy-haired girl held her. She wasn’t allergic to Akira, was she?

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Akira found her short sleep to be thankfully dreamless. She drifted on the waves of wakefulness before fully coming. She sat up and lazily looked around the room. It was now dark outside, judging by the windows. She looked around and saw her friends in various states of boredom. She stretched for a moment feeling her bones give off satisfying cracks and pops. That quickly drew the attention of the others, who looked happy to see her awake. Makoto was the first one to come over to check on her. Akira found the ruby-eyed girl’s mother hen tendencies to be quite endearing, especially at a time like this. She found herself smiling as Makoto looked at her with such sincere care and concern.

“It’s good to see you awake again, Akira. I hope you rested well?” Makoto asked, her hands hovering over her leader’s shoulder. Akira nodded, Makoto’s awkwardness drawing a chuckle out of her.

“Yes, I’m doing better now. I’m sorry for falling asleep on you…” Akira’s face flushed at the memory.

Makoto placed her hand awkwardly on her shoulder. “It’s… Alright. You needed the rest.” The ruby-eyed girl had an odd lilt to her voice that Akira couldn’t identify. It made her heart flutter oddly. “I’m sorry to cut to business so fast, but we need to discuss this offer as a team.” Akira nodded, thankful for the distraction. Makoto motioned Ann and Haru over; they sat on the bed opposite the one Makoto and Akira were sat on.

“So, I’m going to be fully honest here. I think we should take it.” Akira started, her voice dripping with anxiety. “I know that you might all disagree, but I think we could do well here. It’s certainly not what I would’ve imagined doing with my life, but I think it’ll be for the best.” She said before adding blandly, “Besides, perhaps we could use it to try and find a way home if possible?”

Ann stared at her for a moment. “I kind of agree? Like, obviously, this isn’t great, but I mean, it sounds kind of cool? But it also would be putting us in grave danger.”

Haru interjected, “To be fair, Ann-chan, as Phantom Thieves, we were always in genuine danger. This would just be a bit of a more direct approach to helping people than stealing hearts.”

Makoto chuckled before adding to the conversation. “That may be true, but we need to consider what we’ll be putting ourselves through. Because as far as I can tell, this is just some way to train young people to hunt monsters. Are we really equipped to do that, as well as emotional baggage from being torn from our world and lives?”

That certainly put a damper on the discussion. Akira knew what Makoto said was right, but her mind had already been made. “Maybe it’s not healthy for me to think of it like this, but this is a fresh start for me. I can be me without the stigma of being like this in Japan. No one besides you all will know how I was before, but this… I don’t know why, but being like this feels right. Even these wings!” She half-shouted, her anxiety peaking. “And yeah, it really fucking sucks that we’re stuck here without our friends or family; it makes me feel guilty that I’m fucking glad that it’s just us!” Akira was breathing heavily as her eyes burned with unshed tears. Fuck she went too far with that. She tried to apologize, but she found that her throat had sealed itself. No matter how hard she tried to speak, she just couldn’t. Haru suddenly reached over and placed her hand on one of Akira’s.

“Akira-chan,” her fluffy-haired friend began, her use of honorifics making Akira’s heart flutter. “I… I understand more than you know. Father and I never had the best of relationships, but I still loved him dearly. I knew that he did too, or else he probably wouldn’t have let me be me.” Akira perked up at that; she couldn’t possibly mean what she thought she meant. She distantly heard Ann gasp in realization and Makoto’s hum of understanding. She was too focused on Haru to notice. “I was very young when I told him that I wanted to be princess more than anything. It took him a while to understand, but he supported me wholeheartedly. When I got older, though, he, unfortunately, twisted that to have me engaged with that low-life.” Haru looked at her leader with more understanding than she had ever thought possible.

“Y-you’re like me! W-why didn’t you say anything or tell us before now?” Akira practically pleaded with Haru.

Haru shifted uncomfortably. “It wasn’t something I was comfortable sharing. I hope you can understand that Akira-chan, it’s just something very… Personal.” Ann gave Haru a short side-hug, which the auburn-haired girl greatly appreciated.

Akira breathed deeply, attempting to calm herself and mostly succeeding. “I’m sorry, Haru, that was way out of line.” She huffed in frustration. “I’m glad that you felt comfortable enough to share with us. I promise this won’t change how we see you.” She gave Haru a small smile. Haru smiled back, the simple act of which flooded the frizzy-haired leader with relief. She was thrilled she hadn’t just alienated one of her few close friends.

Makoto cleared her throat in an attempt to get the group to refocus. “So, putting that aside, for now, we still need to decide on whether or not to trust Ozpin. He seems well-meaning, but there’s something about him that’s rubbing me the wrong way.”

Ann looked confused at Makoto’s deduction. “Sure, he was a little vague, but I don’t think he means anything bad by it. Maybe he just likes being aloof?”

Akira shakes her head. “I doubt that. Honestly? I’m willing to give him a shot. And if he turns out to be some shitty adult? That’s something we specialize in taking down.” The others nodded in agreement. “So we’re all in agreement?” Again, there were nods of assent. She felt a familiar smirk grace her lips. “Shall we go and deliver our verdict?”

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The ride up the elevator to Ozpin’s office was quiet. Yet, Akira could feel the determination in the air from herself and her fellow Phantom Thieves. As the doors slid open, she noticed that there was another person up here besides Ozpin, a blonde-haired middle-aged woman with sharp green eyes behind glasses. Her clothes were a bit of an odd sight to the frizzy-haired girl. She thought that they wouldn’t look too out of place as a metaverse outfit. Ozpin was seated at his desk, his hands steepled.

“Ah, I assume you’ve come to give your decision?” Ozpin gave them all an easy smile before turning to the blonde stranger. “Before we continue, let me introduce you to Glynda Goodwitch. She teaches the combat class here at Beacon.” The woman gave them all a curt nod. “So, what is it you came to see me for at this late hour?”

“We’ve come to an agreement,” Akira began, her voice filled with confidence. “We’ll take you up on your offer. Assuming at least that you can do what you say you can.” She coughed before awkwardly adding, “And also, if we can get money for normal clothes, that would be great too.”

Ozpin chuckled. “Of course, I am glad you decided to take my offer. I think you’ll find you won’t regret it. I realize now that I never asked for your names,” Glynda shot him a look of disbelief mixed with frustration. “I still need it for forging your new identities. And if you wouldn’t mind taking our written exam portion to see where you are education-wise, that would be most appreciated.”

Akira nodded before speaking. “My name is Akira Kurusu, a pleasure to meet you, Professor.”

“Ann Takamaki!” Shouted the blonde.

“I’m Haru Okumaru, pleased to meet you.”

“And I’m Makoto Niijima. I look forward to attending, professor.” Makoto said courteously.

Ozpin hummed, seemingly pleased as he typed on his scroll. Akira found it a bit odd but decided to ignore it for now. “I’ll try to get your new identities sorted out by tomorrow. Then after your exams, I’ll help create an education portfolio for you all.” Glynda shook her head in obvious disapproval. “With that settled, would it be alright if I unlocked your auras? As you’d imagine, it is quite difficult to attend here without one.” Akira had to admit her curiosity had been piqued from what she had heard about aura.

“That should be agreeable. May I ask, how exactly does someone unlock an aura?” Makoto questioned.

“It is a fairly painless process, although it is typically exhausting to the one who activates another’s aura. I, fortunately, am quite skilled in the art of doing so. If you all are ready, we can get started?” Ozpin asked, gently rising from his chair.

Akira nodded, moving forward toward the grey-haired professor. “I’ll go first, as their leader and friend. I owe it to them to show that this isn’t dangerous.” Ozpin simply nodded before resting his hand on the girl’s shoulder. Akira took a deep breath before she closed her eyes.

“Focus within yourself, Ms. Kurusu,” Ozpin said simply before Akira felt something odd. A gentle pulling sensation on something deep within her. She almost resisted before she remembered what they were doing. She was having her very essence be unlocked. She relaxed and just let go. She felt the feeling grow stronger and stronger until she was enveloped by warmth. She felt good, like really good. She heard, distantly, the heavy breathing of Professor Ozpin before she opened her eyes. She looked down at herself and found her body surrounded by a warm red light. The black-haired girl looked to her friends, and they were looking at her with shock. She clenched her fist as she felt almost overwhelmed at how much more powerful she felt. After Ozpin gathered his breath, he moved on to Ann who’s aura ended up being pink. Akira noted that Ozpin also glowed while activating another’s aura. His green aura shone brightly. The rest went reasonably quickly afterward, Makoto’s aura was a bright white, and Haru’s a soft purple. Ozpin looked thoroughly exhausted as he, with slight grace, collapsed into his chair. Glynda came over to him, concern slipping through her usual stoic demeanor.

Ozpin waved her off before turning back to the four Phantom Thieves. “I believe that is everything we needed to do tonight. If there is nothing left to discuss, you should go back to your room.”

Akira nodded and headed back toward the elevator with her friends. She breathed a sigh of relief as the doors closed, and they descended from the tower. She looked to the others, and they were similarly exhausted. Akira leaned against the metal walls of the elevator, relishing the cool contact it gave. Eventually, too soon, in her opinion, the elevator doors opened, and she led the others back to their temporary residence.

“I’m beat,” Ann whined.

“I do have to agree. That was oddly exhausting.” Haru agreed.

“Regardless, let’s try and get some rest. I imagine our days are going to start getting very busy soon.” Makoto said grimly.

They all could agree to that, and they all went to get ready for bed. Akira found that her usual way of sleeping was just not possible with the addition of her wings. And even worse, due to the new expansion on her chest, she found it extremely uncomfortable to lay on her chest. She was never fond of sleeping on her side, but it was her literal only option. She grumbled to herself as she tried her best to find comfort. Her sleep was fitful, filled with visions of falling into darkness—images of her friends’ corpses strewn about, crushed under Yaldabaoth’s might. Akira decided then that she preferred it when she dreamt of the Velvet Room.

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Ozpin watched the elevator doors close as their unexpected visitors left. Admittedly, he was a bit rusty regarding aura activation, but that took more out of him than he expected. They all still had a very potent aura. Ozpin mused to himself that they were indeed exciting and potentially instrumental additions to the board.

“I still don’t think that was a good idea. Earlier tonight, you personally invited a girl two years too young after being detained. And now you forge identities for strangers? I can at least understand the Rose girl, being Summer and Tai’s daughter and all, but why also those four?” Glynda questioned, her tone filled with frustration and confusion. Ozpin always found the woman a good ally, but she at times could not see the bigger picture. Ozpin shook his head at the blonde woman.

“You may not understand, but I assure you, this was necessary.” He attempted to assuage her. “These four hold a lot of promise; it would be a waste not to help them. Besides, would you prefer if they went to Atlas instead?” Glynda grimaced at that.

“Still, you barely even know them. You’ve seen them do what exactly? Fight a singular Ursa? How is that worth all the trouble you’re going through?” The spectacled woman questioned, her disapproval dripping from her words.

“That might be true; however, there is something more to them. Call it a gut feeling.”

Glynda groaned. “Why are you basing a decision like this on a feeling. You know what? Fine. Whatever. I’ll be on my way if you don’t need me.” She stormed out before he had a chance to reply. He shook his head as she quickly descended from the tower. This left him alone once again, and that was a comfort he rarely got most days. This age-old game against Salem was incredibly exhausting as of late. It seemed that the Queen of Grimm was beginning to make her moves. The attack on the Fall Maiden was problematic, to say the least, especially with the condition she had been found in. Ozpin found himself looking out his window that overlooked the entirety of Vale. He saw the distant lights of the people who lived and made their homes here. The people he had sworn to protect and give a future to. He moved back over to his desk and looked through the newly updated list of students coming to take the exam.

He couldn’t help but smile at the selection they had this year. He had a good feeling about this year’s freshmen, especially with his new acquisitions. Ozpin knew that they would prove to be great boons for humanity’s future. He knew that for sure with the silver-eyed daughter of Summer Rose, but these other-worlders… The grey-haired professor couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something special about them. He felt conflicted about dealing with their team placements because he knew he would be foolish to separate them. He hadn’t seen much of them, but they all seemed very close to each other, and the way they worked together taking down that Ursa. Ozpin knew he couldn’t do too much not to appear too biased toward them, but that doesn’t mean he can’t manipulate the variables to give him the best chances of it happening. After that, he would have to hope luck would shine on him that day.

He pulled out the chess set that he was using as the relic for this year. It was a relic in its own right, though not in a valuable way. The professor looked over all of them. He always preferred the white pieces; the black ones always reminded him too much of Salem. He chuckled lightly to himself.

“Well then, once again, let us start the game.”