The return of the world’s greatest Thieves! Chapter 2: The Sin of Mollycoddling.
Soft-air Gun Shop “Untouchables” - Morning -
The group of teens once known as ‘Phantom Thieves’ were once again entering the shop from the secret passage hidden in its backroom while carrying with them several paper bags.
“Door still closed?” Ryuji asked while moving two of said bags on a near table.
“...Closed and obscured.” Ann answered with a low voice once checked it.
“And the cameras outside show nobody around.” Futaba confirmed while checking from her laptop.
“The ponies are taking over the place.” Akira said sighing while sorting out their resources.
“It is to be expected, enough time has passed since the Barrier’s passage to make them feel at ease about no humans being around, so now they only have to fix the damages, and they will have plenty infrastructures to use for themselves.” Yusuke answered simply.
“Once refitted them for pony use.” Morgana added while licking himself clean.
“Of course.”
“And this means that entering here will be even harder.” Ryuji said groaning.
“If life was easy it would have been boring!” Ann answered laughing.
“But I like boring!” the thug-looking boy countered, whining.
“Let’s focus on the matter at hand. We need to hold a meeting and decide how we will act.” Makoto said, cutting-in in the discussion with a determined expression.
“May as well.” Morgana conceded, and as one every member of the Phantom Thieves fished-out their phone to open the strange App Igor and the Velvet Room gifted them.
“We know for certain that the ultimate targets are the two Princesses: Luna and then Celestia.” Yusuke said scrolling down names from the ‘Hardest’ to the ‘Easiest’.
“Celestia will be our final target, we need to weaken whatever Darkness is clinging to her causing everybody around her to be Distorted by either their Dark Desires or their Distorted Ideals; if those ponies get a change of Heart then she won’t have extra source of power to fuel her own Corruption, making our stealing her Heart easier.” Makoto added, making the group nod in understanding.
“Until here this shit’s easy, but how do we actually do this?” Ryuji asked with furrowed brows.
“The greatest contribution to this ‘War’ against us comes from propaganda, and the words of certified Heroes swaying public opinion to support the Conversion plan.” Haru commented.
“So the first targets will be those Heroes! The six Elements of Harmony, then Four Generals, then Princess Cadence, Princess Luna and finally, Celestia.” Futaba answered with a scrunched nose.
“And those Generals?”
“They are not actually Generals, but simply highly influential ponies: Shining Armour for the ‘Soldiers’, Blueblood for the ‘Nobles’, Spitfire (and her Wonderbolts) for the ‘Common People’ and then Cadence herself overseeing them, or PrincessMi Amore Cadenza, if we have to be technical.” Akira answered.
“Shit, dude. I got diabetes just by reading her name. Is it Spanish?” Ryuji said with an exaggerated gagging noise.
“It looks more Italian than Spanish.” Yusuke answered.
“Oh!”
“Let’s go in order. First we should focus on those six mares.” Morgana said unsure while looking at the screen of Akira’s phone.
“Igor-san suggest we start from this Fluttershy, her conviction seems to be the weakest of them all, so it will also act as a starting training for us to recover our edge.” Yusuke said.
“The Element of Kindness, so she should be kindness personified?” Haru asked.
“Imponified.” Futaba corrected her, smirking.
“Not now, Futaba. But yes, surprising as it is, an adorable pony with the gift of Super Kindness is our first Target...I can’t help but feel a bit bad about this.” Ann admitted sighing.
“Just focus on the fact that she too helped turning all those innocent people into demented ponies against their will.” Ryuji answered unfazed.
“Truth be told, even Kindness can be harmful if used in excessive quantity, the wish to protect and take care of somebody to an extreme degree can push people (or ponies) into doing very dark things under the banner of worry or friendship.” Yusuke said.
“The road to Hell is paved in good intentions.” Akira commented.
“Precisely, good analogy.” the artist commented with a small, pleased smile.
“So first we steal this mare’s Treasure, watch her have a change of heart in front of everybody, and from there decide how to tackle the other targets?” Makoto asked.
“Yes, it will be just like the Palaces last time. First visit is recognition and mapping, with us trying to get as deep as possible and even locate the shapeless form of the Treasure.” Morgana explained.
“Then we will secure an escape route and send the Target our Calling Card as soon as we return to the Real World so to make the Treasure take a definite shape for us to steal in our next visit.” Ann finished saying.
“Exactly! I knew you would still remember everything, Lady Ann!” the cat answered, gushing over the girl.
“If we are lucky we should be able to do all this in just two visits...IF we feel up to it, contrary to last time, our deadline is not as demanding as it was in the past.” Makoto said with a thoughtful expression.
“That may be true, but while the deadline is only a generic one, we actually may not have a lot of time before the Barrier grows too big for Celestia to maintain, thing that will make that mare enact who-knows what strategy to speed-up Conversion before her lies are uncovered. So wasting time is a big no-no,” Morgana admitted.
“Then we will be ultra efficient and serious!” Futaba declared proud.
“Says the one that pretended us to buy a dozen box of instant ramen for her.” Ryuji commented, rolling his eyes.
“Exactly! Efficient! It’s food ready in three minutes, so there won’t be wasting time in eating.” she answered huffing annoyed.
“There is still a bit of shut-in inside her, be gentle.” Akira commented while patting the young girl’s head, making her giggle and lean on his touch with a happy smile.
“Okay, Team. First we’ll need to see where to find this Fluttershy mare, if they stay closed in Equestria we won’t have a chance.” Morgana said.
“Unlikely, if they are acting as part of Celestia’s propaganda for the Conversion of Humanity, at least once in a while they must come here, even just to make the soldiers believe they are doing the right thing.” Ann answered.
“Your modeling career made you an expert in this, now?” Ryuji asked with a raised eyebrow.
“It’s business! A perfect PR Strategy! In order to boast morale I would do this if I were Celestia!” the girl answered with a greatly annoyed tone.
“It is not too far-fetched, problem is, if it is just about short appearances, then we will need to learn beforehand when they are going to make their public appearance and attack them then.” Yusuke answered.
“And that would also make finding the place their Distortion changes into their Palace harder.” Akira added, equally worried.
“That too.”
“Then the first part will be looking for clues about the Elements involvement in this war, and this means spying both outside and here, inside the Barrier.” Morgana said.
“Outside is not a problem...Here though...They will attack us on sight if we are not careful.” Haru answered unease.
“Hehehehe! We do not need to go out. I remember you that I am a ‘Deus Ex Machina’-level Hacker! Now that there is nobody manning the system, I can hack everything I want this side of the Barrier. Traffic cameras and ATM cameras comprised.” Futaba declared in smug pride.
“...Ah, yes. We got a Hacker. No issues then.” Ryuji admitted chuckling.
“Good, we can focus on looking for clues outside the Barrier then.” Morgana decided with a more relaxed tone.
“Remember the plan, we will use this place as our Base, if we are discovered we will run to the secret passage and then inside the Mementos, even if they somehow manage to follow us there, we are more experienced than them in navigating there, especially since The Reaper is probably still stalking the place.” Akira said, making the others nod.
“Tae-san? Can you hear me?” Ann asked to the radio in her hand.
“Loud and clear, girl. What do you need?” the punk doctor at the other side answered.
“Help in spying on the ponies, we can’t easily come and go since they are starting to fix everything to move here, so we need somebody able to at least eavesdrop a few pony invaders.”
“About what?” this time the one talking was Iwai, the owner of the shop.
“We need to know if our Targets are around Tokyo somewhere or hiding in Equestria, because otherwise we won’t have an easy time in finding what place has become their Palace.” Ann asked.
“I am pretty sure a couple of those mares have actually moved here since AT LEAST that Twilight-whatever and Rainbow-stuff always appear on TV, the others I am not certain, but I know who to ask for help.” the man answered.
“Is there a pink one in your list? Like, completely pink?” Sojiro asked in the background.
“Pinkie Pie, you mean? No wings nor horns.” Futaba answered.
“That one. An old customer of mine said she saw her skipping around near the Akihabara as if she owned the place.” the barman answered.
“NUUUUOOOOOOO! MY MANGAAAAAAAAAAAAAS!” Futaba cried in horror.
“Please check if they are here to stay or were just making short appearances for Propaganda, the longer they stay, the easier will be for their Hearts to subconsciously choose a place to turn into their Palace.” Yusuke asked.
“Sure thing, kiddo. We will ask around and tell you if and who of them are trying to become residents here.” Iwai answered with a grunt.
“If we are lucky, if we have enough of them have a Change of Heart, the others too will come here to discover what happened. Their Friends suddenly changing idea should attract their attention, especially if the Phantom Thieves are forcing said change.” Morgana added.
“We have a plan then, we will contact you again in a few days, in the meantime we will help Futaba monitor this side of the Barrier to see if we discover something.” Akira said.
“Good, we will do the same here, be careful, kids.” Sojiro answered.
“You too, Boss. You others too please take care.” the Leader of the Phantom Thieves begged before closing the call.
A week later -
It was a long, boring week.
The group had been closed inside that shop without leaving, taking turns with Futaba to look at the monitor of her laptop that had been divided in four to show the live footage of four different cameras that were changed regularly to check as much different places at once as possible, especially when they saw group of ponies regroup there to talk.
At the same time, outside the Barrier things were not easy either, even with the appearance of Pro-Conversion Groups, it seemed like the ponies were smart enough to not let slip much, but both Sojiro and Iwai were unwavering in their conviction that the ‘Nosy Gossipers’ they knew would discover something, even just fragments caught by chance.
“Nothing on your side, onee-san?” Makoto asked while rubbing her eyes, she had been up for three hours checking the monitors and was starting to get tired.
“Very little, I managed to get in contact with some of my old colleagues of back when I was a detective, they are already overworked in combing-out the Pro Conversion nuts they have in their Staff, but there seem to be few sporadic appearances of two of your targets, but they can’t tell if it was a one-time-deal, or is in fact a habit. Yet.” the girl’s older sister answered sighing.
“Who are they?”
“By the screen-shot of your App you gave me, they should be Applejack and Rarity. Number 2 and number 5 of your target list.”
“Oh! What were they doing?”
“Applejack seem to be interested in the soldiers and their food, so MAYBE she is part of the ponies taking care of feeding the front-lines, but it is still a theory nobody feels able to fully confirm. As for Rarity...Nothing, it was a glimpse an agent happened to catch while helping few people escape, so we don’t even know where she was heading or why.” she answered.
“It’s still something. Just be careful.” Makoto said, thankful.
“You too, you all are in pony territory, use extra caution. I’ll call you if I discover something else.”
“Okay, onee-san.” the girl answered, closing the conversation and returning to the screen just in time to change the four cameras shown.
“...That Fluttershy mare...Freaks me...” a faint male voice weakly came from one of the screens, catching the girl’s attention immediately.
“Uh? Futaba?...Futaba!”
“AH! Who!? Where?!” the girl, still sleeping sprayed on the same table of the laptop, jerked awake.
“Where is this?” Makoto asked pointing at one of the screens.
“Uuh...An internet cafe...Wait, I should be able to use the microphone of the webcam in there.” the girl, once adjusted her slanted glasses, answered still sleepy while fumbling with the computer a little.
“Guys, we may have something!” Makoto called out, making the rest of the group join them in front of the screen.
“Some audio, finally?” Ryuji asked hopeful.
“Shh! Be quiet! I can’t hear a thing!” Morgana hissed with a low voice while the Phantom Thieves squished their face over each other as they got closer to the screen to better listen the faint voices coming from the speakers.
At the other side of the screen - “Happy Internet Cafe” -
The hastily abandoned internet cafe had still most of the computers on and running (a couple of them had been instead stolen by daring humans mid-escape from ponies), some of which still showing the screens of either MMOs or chat groups and forums; Futaba had in fact took control of several of those computers and their inbuilt webcams to look outside in the hope of catching a glimpse of one of their targets, but this looked like being the next best thing: somebody talking about them.
And what they luckily stumbled upon were two Unicorn stallions dressed in golden armour that had been walking in front of the broken windows used by the thieves to enter.
“So she took over the Zoo?” the broad, brown-furred one asked, curious.
“Yeah, until the after-effect of Conversion disappear, somepony has to look over them, so Miss Fluttershy offered her help. That place has been filled with New-Foals once the animals have been set free, now she is there 24/7 to look after them with few guards and medics helping her.” the other, a cream-coloured and thin stallion, answered sighing.
“Sounds complicated.”
“You would think that! But as of late that mare has been invaluable to keep everything in check...But...Between us...” he said while looking around to be sure nobody was listening.
“Yes?”
“She is starting to scare me, she is...Too Kind? I think? She takes way too much care of them, and now the guards with her are starting to do the same. The change is subtle, but I happened to know her before and...I don’t know, something feels off about how she acts. But to be honest, I am afraid to look deeper.” the thin pony explained with a small shudder.
“Afraid?” the other asked, snorting amused.
“I saw a familiar glint in her eyes. Remember what happened during the Grand Galoping Gala? Between her and the animals in the royal garden?”
“Yeah? Worse than that time?” the other asked shivering at the memories.
“I don’t know, it felt similar...But different, but not that bad...Yet. It’s hard to explain, but I am starting to feel nervous whenever I have to go check there if everything is alright.”
“Do you want me to accompany you, next time?” the stallion’s friend asked in concern.
“Do you mind? I would feel more at ease.” he asked with a weak smile.
“Don’t worry, I’ll watch your back and you will watch mine.”
“Thank you.” he said, and at that both stallions bumped hooves in clear camaraderie.
“Of course, if she starts talking about putting us in cages, the deal is off!” the broad stallion added smirking.
“Buck you, dude! She is still mopping about the plaque for that ‘Ping Ping’ Panda she saw near the entrance, I don’t want her to start thinking about a replacement!” thin pony answered huffing while marching away.
“Come on! I was joking! Hey! Come back here!” broad pony yelled while chasing his companion.
Back with the Phantom Thieves – Soft-Air Shop -
“So, we know for certain that Fluttershy has a base, in a zoo...But which one?” Morgana asked, confused.
“She is using a Zoo to house Converted people...It’s inhuman!” Ann gasped in shock.
“Those guys can’t look after themselves, I saw a few...You know? Lights on but nobody home. At least like that they won’t wander away and get hurt.” Ryuji answered.
“Even if half-catatonic and half zombie, being confined in a cage is just terrible, no matter how you put it.” Yusuke added with a pained expression.
“We’ll find a solution to that too, there must be one.” Haru answered, trying to console her boyfriend.
“Uhm...They talked about a Panda named Ping Ping...” Futaba in the meantime started a rapid internet search.
“Wasn’t it the star of Ueno Park?” Akira asked making the others turn to look at him.
“What? I like animals.” he answered shrugging.
“Here! After the death of Ping Ping (nephew of the even more famous Ling Ling) Ueno Zoo has issued a free-entrance day to commemorate the passing of the beloved hero of kids...It must be Ueno Zoo in Ueno Park! That Mare has moved there!” Futaba confirmed once red aloud the article in the Zoo’s web page.
“It’s our best guess at the moment...But how to reach that place? Shibuya may be starting now to have ponies hanging around, but there? It will be swarming in them.” Yusuke said, thoughtful.
“I say we go there through Mementos! They are the ‘Quasi-Palace’ of the entire Pony Race, right? Maybe we can use that labyrinth stuff to move around and get to where we need unseen! Let’s ask the App for an entrance near the zoo!” Ryuji said smirking.
“Yes, Mementos are the fusion of the Ponies’ Collective Subconscious, but using it as a shortcut?! Nonsense! Seriously, you can’t keep saying such stupid-”
“Mementos entrance located. Do you wish to use the fastest path or the shortest to reach your destination?” Ryuji’s phone answered with a metallic voice, silencing Morgana mid-rant.
“I take it back.” the cat conceded with a defeated expression.
“The shortest, thank you!” the blond boy asked smugly.
“Programming...” the App answered.
“By the map, it should be in the train station...From there, ten to twenty minutes for us to reach the Zoo. Depending on how much we can run without being discovered.” Makoto said once spied the map on Ryuji’s phone.
“Leave it to me! I will monitor the ares and alert you if guards are close to you!” Futaba said immediately.
“Okay, just remember to run into the secret passage if you hear somebody try to enter through the barricade we left behind the door.” Akira answered.
“Of course! If that happens I will be in the Mementos waiting for you in a flash!”
“Good. Now, let’s get ready.” Ann answered nodding.
The next day – Entrance of the Ueno Park Zoo -
Hiding in the numerous cherry trees adorning the park, the Phantom Thieves took out their binoculars to have a first look-out to the area.
“Lotsa guards.” Ryuji muttered grimacing.
“Yep.” Akira answered nodding.
“How are things on your side?” Ann asked to her radio.
“Me, Queen (Makoto) and Noir (Haru) are hiding by the boats in the artificial pond, here too is full of guards.” Yusuke answered.
“What are they doing?” Akira asked.
“Fixing, mostly. I can’t see our Target though.”
“I see. Navi (Futaba)?” Ann asked.
“Surveillance cameras are in a closed circuit so I can’t enter from here, but the free webcams they installed are still usable, Fluttershy is in the innermost area, the cages.” the Hacker answered.
“Then we have no other choice, we need to get closer, can you guide us?”
“I’ll do my best! In the meantime, I downloaded a small map of the zoo, I am sending it to you, is not much, but better than nothing.” the girl answered, soon making every phone of the thieves vibrate slightly from her message.
The plan was simple, break into two groups to enter the zoo from two different sides, communicating through radio and using their old code names as Phantom Thieves as an extra precaution.
“Thank you, Navi (Futaba).”
“Your best option seems to be pass by the area of the bison and the japanese birds and hide behind the pagoda, or even inside of it...If there are not guards in there too, it should be closed for restoration, but wit those ponies you can’t ever know.” Futaba instructed them.
“It’s okay, we’ll manage.” Akira answered.
“I miss my all seeing eyes in the Metaverse...” the girl muttered whining.
“Okay, we have a plan. we’ll meet behind the pagoda.” Makoto said.
“Be careful.”
“You too.”
Having finally decided on a path to follow, Akira, Ryuji and Ann dashed forward, keeping their eyes open for possible patrolling guards, and diving inside a temporary stall when they saw a lonely earth pony guard pass by.
“Good Celestia, it’s hot today...” they heard the mare moan in annoyance.
“Hoy! Gleamy!” another mare was heard as she descended from the sky like a bullet, and making the hiding trio of teens start sweating at the possibility of being caught.
“What’s wrong, Sparkling?” the first guard asked.
“Miss Fluttershy was looking for you, it’s almost bath time.” ‘Sparkling’ said excited.
“Oooh! They are so cute when they see the bubble bath! I am coming!” ‘Gleamy’ squealed happily as she hurried to follow her friend away, and both barely noticed the lonely stray black cat (Morgana) looking at the lazily from under a tree.
“...Coast is clear, let’s go.” the cat said once dropped the lazy attitude and checked nobody else was around, either in the sky or on the ground.
“Shit, I forgot those guys can fly too!” Ryuji admitted in panic.
“Me too...And were you touching my ass?!” Ann asked growling.
“No, thank you. I choose Life!” the blond boy answered immediately.
“That was me.” Akira admitted nonplussed.
“Even now?” she asked, shocked.
“I missed you.” he answered shrugging.
“I missed you too, idiot.” the girl answered swatting his arm while the group hurried forward in the same direction took by the two guards.
“Pantheeeeeeer (Ann)…” Morgana said whining in despair.
Twenty minutes later – Behind a giant Five Story Tall Pagoda -
The group finally met while hiding behind the tall antique construction to see every cage once used by the zoo to hold in their animals, been used to house New-Foals (Converted Humans) once re-fitted to be filled in cushions and other amenities to make them feel ‘comfortable’.
And right now the New-Foals were being corralled into ordinate rows so that the soldiers present, guided by a light-coloured Pegasus with pink mane, could help them wash into big bathtubs filled to the brim in fluffy foam.
“That must be Fluttershy.” Yusuke whispered while pointing at the Pegasus mare directing the whole operation.
“What are they doing?” Ryuji asked.
“Giving them a bath, it seems.” Morgana answered.
In the middle of the park -
“Come here, dears! That’s right! It’s bath time, and we want you all clean, so then we all will be having dinner together. isn’t it nice?” Fluttershy was heard saying sweetly to the waiting New-Foals, and getting dumb smiles in exchange.
“We brought new bibs for the babies! Aren’t they adorable?” a near stallion said happily as he showed the various crates floating behind him thanks to his magic.
“Oooh!” the assembled group cooed as one.
With the Phantom Thieves -
“...It’s kinda creepy.” Ann admitted.
“Look! One is trying to walk away!” Haru said pointing at an old-looking Mare New-Foal taking few steps out of line.
Fluttershy Group -
And as soon as Fluttershy herself noticed that, the air around the whole group froze as a sinister light appeared in her eyes.
“Where are you going, dear? Out there is dangerous! You may get hurt! Or worse, kidnapped!” the mare hissed with a motherly tone twisted by her manic glint.
“What should we do?” one of the guards asked worried once restrained the New-Foal.
“We must keep them safe until the after effect of Conversion fade away, the poor dears need our assistance! let’s just pretend nothing happened, so they won’t get scared.” Fluttershy answered, soon returning being all smiles and fixing an unruly strand on the mane of the old New-Foal.
“And what about once they get better? Will we really let them go?” a near mare asked, looking distraught.
“We...We will see what happens when the time comes, but until then, we have Bath Time to finish and then dinner to have all together. Who wants to read them a fairy-tale tonight?”
“ME!”
“NO! ME!”
“I’LL DO IT!”
One after the other, the guards there walked over each other with a zealous expression on their face.
With the Phantom Thieves -
“What the fuck?!” Ryuji asked shocked.
“So she is pretty much holding them prisoners here with the excuse of keeping them safe?” Ann asked.
“Apparently, she seems convinced that everything outside this Zoo (her Domain) will soon hurt them, so for their protection she is holding them here to feed and clean them, like they were her kids.” Makoto answered.
“And by the looks of it, should they ever recover their minds, she may not want to part from them all the same.” Akira added, shivering.
“So this must be the result of her Wicked Desires, the Distortion of her Heart is turning her caring personality in this possessive psycho.” Morgana concluded.
“So it turned her Kindness into Mollycoddling?” Yusuke asked.
“Molly-what?” the cat asked.
“Treating someone with more kindness and attention than is appropriate, treating them too nicely or gently to be considered mentally healthy.” Makoto supplied.
“Yes...Let’s go with that...” Morgana conceded unsure.
“Okay, so we have a Target and a Place. We now need the keywords for the App to bring us in her Palace.” Akira said taking out his phone.
“So...Let’s try with...Babies?” Makoto tried saying.
“No match found.” the App answered.
“Dammit.”
“Treasures.” Yusuke tried.
“No Match Found.”
“Family.”
“No Match Found.”
“What about Dears?” Ann proposed.
“Match Found!” the App answered with an affirmative chime.
“Okay! Now we only lack the ‘What’ Fluttershy mistakes this Zoo for, to enter her Palace.” Morgana said happily.
“So...Fluttershy...Dears...What can possibly be the Palace of somebody deadly afraid of her little dears to get hurt should they leave?” Haru asked unsure.
“A Nest?” Yusuke said.
“A Nursery.” Akira corrected him, making his phone vibrate slightly.
“Match Found! Beginning Navigation!” the App answered as Reality started melting all around them.
“Holy Shit! You did it!” Ryuji said amazed as he watched his clothes and the ones of his friends turn into their Phantom Thieves uniforms along Morgana become her alternate, cartoonish self.
“It was a lucky guess,” the young man answered as the entire zoo twisted on itself and the sky got dark and moonless.
“I...I don’t think that a nursery should look like that.” Makoto admitted while looking a bit unnerved.
They were now standing in front of an absurdly tall iron gate covered in thorns, leading to a path of gravel surrounded at both sides in withered bushes of half-dead roses leading to a giant Heart-shaped building painted bright pink and surrounded by a tall grey wall, the building though had thick bars at the windows and barbed wire everywhere on top of every wall.
There were even tall towers around it guarded by beings made of shadows dressed like guards that were using giant projectors to keep in check whatever happened outside the tall walls surrounding the Heart-shaped construction with their giant cones of light.
“Of course, high security so that nothing dangerous from outside can enter and hurt the ‘Poor Defenceless New-Foals.’. Distorted ideals alright!” Ryuji commented.
“But just like nothing can get in to hurt them, they too can’t get out.” Ann added with a sad expression.
“Exactly.” Akira confirmed while gently patting her back.
“How are we supposed to get in?” Makoto asked.
“From the Guard Towers of course!” Futaba’s voice came triumphant from their phones.
“Navi!?”
“Heheheee! As soon as you got in, I got pulled along!”
“Good to know, now...Joker? You okay?” Morgana asked.
“Uh? Yes, it’s just...Have you ever found our clothes here in the Metaverse to be...A bit too much edgy?” Joker (Akira) asked unsure while looking at his long coat, and Ryuji’s metallic skull mask, at Ann’s skin-tight leather suit and at the others’ clothes.
“Blame your heart, Joker (Akira). Those are the manifestation of your rebellious hearts, it is nobody’s fault if deep down you all are still ‘Edgy Cool Kids’ , I find them rather fitting for our group of dashing Thieves.” Morgana answered while crossing his tiny arms.
“Yeah, buddy! Speak for yourself, I love my uniform!” Ryuji said smirking as he started walking towards the right-most Guard Tower.
“This one?” he asked.
“Yup! There are vines on its walls, try using them to climb up to the top and then jump down from there, then you’ll be inside the inner perimeter and will be able to look for an entrance.” Futaba answered.
“Got it! You others comin’?” the skull-masked blond answered.
“Yeah, yeah.” Ann answered shrugging.
“...Would you look at that, last time the Shadows looked humanoid. Now they are featureless and pony-shaped.” Haru commented, fascinated.
“Maybe because the Palace belongs to a pony?” Yusuke suggested.
“It’s possible.” Morgana answered as the group started climbing the guard tower one at a time.
“Uh? Someone there?” the black mass of shadows shaped like a pony asked aloud as soon as it heard something scraping against the wall under the Tower it was guarding.
“Just me! Now show me your true form!” Akira answered as his hand darted forward to grab the mask acting as the Shadow’s face to tear it away, making its body swell like a balloon until it popped into a gooey mass of tar-like substance then re-compacting into a deathly-pale woman with long green hair and wearing a rich red dress.
“Ooh! A Silky! I always loved her dress!” Ann admitted as she and the other climbed up to help Akira fight the thing.
“Are you trying to hurt the beloved Dears of Momma Fluttershy?! You monsters!” the creature cried-out in a strange mixture of fear and anger.
“Momma Fluttershy? Give ma a break!” Ryuji answered annoyed while brandishing a sledge-hammer as his melee weapon.
“Persona!” next to him, Akira moved a hand in front of his face to tear away the white mask he was wearing to summon the towering form of a demon with giant black wings and dressed in formal red attire worthy of nobility.
“Welcome back, Partner.” the Persona said in pride.
“They are back into their starting form...Maaan, we have a lot of way to go to get back in shape.” Ryuji said dispirited as he summoned his own Persona: a Pirate-dressed skeleton riding a tiny galleon like a skateboard.
“I am sorry, but we are in a hurry, so either step aside or perish under our assault.” Yusuke asked kindly as he too, along the others, summoned his Persona.
“Ehm...Ehmmm...EEEEEK!” the poor Shadow babbled meekly, unsure what to do, until the others grew tired of waiting and jumped her all at once.
Meanwhile – Inside the Heart-shaped Nursery - Inner most Sanctum "The Children Room" -
“My little Dears, my precious children.” Fluttershy said with a distorted, almost demonic, voice as she neared the colourful cage holding several featureless humanoid shadows in it that had been dressed with diapers and had pacifiers sewed into their mouths.
The Pegasus mare herself was clearly a Distorted mockery of the real one, dressed with a pink apron with ‘Momma’ written on it with a sharp, uneven calligraphy and with curlers filled in sharp needles in her mane.
She kept showing a maniacal grin as her only expression and even her eyes were unnatural: black sclera and golden irises showing sick possessiveness whenever she looked inside the Cages/Baby-Pens holding her little dears.
“Momma Fluttershy?” A pony-shaped Shadow dressed like a nurse asked.
“WHAT?! I am spending time with my beautiful children! WHAT DO YOU WANT?!” Shadow Fluttershy bellowed with a crazed roar, showing that sharp fangs filled her mouth as soon as she dropped her mad, “motherly” grin.
“W-W-We may have intruders!” the poor Shadow stuttered out.
“NO! NOT INTRUDERS! THEY WANT TO HURT MY CHILDREN! KILL THEM! DESTROY THEM! STOP THEEEEEM!” the Distorted version of the Element of Kindness bellowed furious, making the baby-dressed humanoid shadows around her agitate.
“No! Nonononononononononononononono! Mommy is not angry at you, please don’t cry! Nobody will take you or me away! We will stay together forever! I will protect you!” the mare immediately said with an even crazier expression on her face as she hugged the closer ‘child’ tightly no matter how much it tried to fight her off.
“See what you made me do?! Now they are scared!” she hissed furious.
“S-S-Sorry, Momma F-Fluttershy! W-We will stop the intruders at once!” the nurse-dressed Shadow answered while hurrying away in a mad trot.
“You better! Nopony will take my children away...Nopony...” Shadow Fluttershy whispered dangerously.
“My children are mine. Mine and Mine alone...Forever.” She muttered hugging one of her ‘dears’ even tighter, the madness in her eyes growing deeper at each passing moment.
So much that it started leaking into the Heart of the Real Fluttershy, slowly turning it blacker and blacker, so to one day match the putrid one of her Distorted Version.
Extra Scene (to lighten a bit the mood) – The ones trying to force their way into the Velvet Room show their face -
It was just another day inside the Velvet Room, Akira and the others had just left once asked to Igor for help in refining their Persona, and Lavenza had once again had the occasion of getting closer to her beloved ‘Trickster’all for Ann’s ire.
And now, the big nosed old man was sitting behind his desk drinking the tea Lavenza prepared for him as he observed how the Phantom Thieves tackled Mementos and Palaces to save the world.
“Indeed asking them for help has been the right choice.” Igor muttered pleased to himself as he elegantly sipped his tea.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Once again heavy noises filled the blue studio that was the Velvet Room, making Igor spill a little of his tea, something that apparently unnerved him as while his toothy grin remained unchanged, his eyes got just a bit more cold and sharp.
“This matter has become ridiculous, is time for the perpetrator of this travesty to show themselves.” Igor ordered making his Attendant snap close her book to join his side.
“At once, Master Igor.” Lavenza answered obediently.
As if actively listening to his words, the Velvet Room itself shifted and a bright pink door appeared on one of the walls, and somehow just by looking at it Igor and Lavenza felt strangely irked, almost personally offended.
“Finally you deigned to show yourself, you pale imitation!” the voice coming from beyond that door was high-pitched and patronizing...And a bit too flamboyant.
“Who are you?” Igor asked, and his tone seemed a bit too angry to Lavenza’s ears.
“I am Long Snout.” the pony on the other side said with a grandiose tone as he opened the door to show a pastel-pink copy of the Velvet room, and his being a pony with an overly long snout and wearing a flamboyant pink feather boa and bejeweled top hat.
“And this, is the Chiffon Room.” he then said in unbearable pride.
Crunch!
That Lavenza heard clearly, her Master Igor’s clenching his teeth hard enough to lightly crack them, along the more subtle noise of something snapping coming from inside his head.
“I am aware of Humanity’s concept of Comedy. But I am not amused.” Igor said while calmly walking towards the pink door, and once pushed inside the exaggerated pony version of himself, the old man closed the door behind them both and locked it.
What followed then was barely a minute of loud noises of things breaking followed by screams of pain and anguish that made Lavenza cringe and look away from the door.
Then Igor came out looking not even winded while cleaning his gloves with a handkerchief he then threw inside the now devastated pink room.
“I believe they won’t come anymore to bother us.” the long-nosed man declared once gently closed the door so to watch it melt away.
And true to his words, that door or the banging sounds never reappeared, and Igor even had a new gadget to keep on the top of his desk as a trophy for his victory, one made in small white marbles scarily similar to horse teeth.
The End.
A bit silly, I know, but I liked the idea.