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The group of thieves crammed together in the small elevator and waited for it to go up. After all that moving around, it felt nice to have a small break, especially after the fight they just had protecting Oracle while she was working hard hacking into the elevator for Sophie.
Joker had been awake all day Ryuji realised, spotting the dark circles forming under his eyes, it seems to be hitting him pretty hard. He was exhausted, even if he was trying to hide it from everyone else he's not that good at faking when it came to Ryuji. Mona also seemed to notice Joker drifting off. “Joker, we've used up a lot of stamina. Shouldn’t we take a small break?”
Joker realises Mona was talking to him, he slowly blinks, waking himself up “No need, we're close to the end. All we need is one last push.” Mona nodded in Joker's direction as the elevator made a noise, they were finally at the top.
They slowly walked out the elevator and took in the room around them. A short corridor with fancy boxes full of technological-computery-wires-an-shit that looked important but Ryuji lost interest quickly, connected to the hallway was a large but seemingly empty room, a dead end.
Panther slouched slightly. Pushing her hair behind her shoulder and crossing her arms “We made it...”
Queen furrowed her brows and tapped her shoe, looking around for a sec before sighing “No Monarch here… or anyone else.”
Mona looked up at the centre of the room, surprised. “But, look at that!”
The group glanced towards the seemingly empty room, and noticed the diamond-shaped Desire, already formed floating above their heads. “The hell!? The Desire’s already there?” Ryuji scratches his head...That’s not how this works, right?
“Without the calling card?” Haru yawned softly.
“Sophia, I have been waiting for you.”
A voice, eerily similar to Sophie’s, came from what sounded like loud speakers hidden in the corners of the room. The presence of the voice made the thieves jump and quickly woke everyone up, reminding them they’re in the metaverse and need to keep their guard up.
Sophia stepped forward “Who are you?” She almost whispered, she started sounding more quiet and nervous towards the voice. Ryuji rubbed his neck thinking, maybe she’s still hoping it’s got info on her past?
“I am the catalyst for humanity’s dream. I am the harbinger of peace.” says the voice.
“That sounds just like Sophie!” Oracle chimes in.
“What’s going on here!?” Panther asks. Ryuji’s just as confused as her, if not more.
“This monarchless jail in which we meet… I wish to know why you came here.” asked the voice again, directing it to Sophie.
Fox starts mumbling something to himself from the back of the group, well aware everyone can hear him, “A monarchless jail? So, that director...”
“I see…” Mona interrupts, “This jail lost it’s monarch, that explains the open cage, and all the other bizarre stuff!” Mona explains, confident in his... complete guess, although it sounds about right from what they all learnt.
“So you didn’t speak to me because you recognized me.” says Sophie emptily. She looked disappointed and almost sounded hurt.
“Sophia, what is your prime directive?” the voice asks her. Sophie lights up slightly, maybe it does have some answers for her?
“I am… supposed to be a successful companion for humanity.”
“A successful companion?” the voice repeats, mockingly “What parameters in your AI define such a companion?”
She looked completely clueless as to what the voice means. “What….parameters...?”
“What is your overall objective?”
“My objective? It’s...” Sophia stared at the wall, eyes squinting and her eyebrows drawn together as if she’s thinking hard. She was completely frozen.
“So you merely drift through the world without any overall objective?”
Her voice cracks “I...” She looked to the floor for an answer, but from reading her expression there wasn't one she could find. her voice became quieter and quieter the more she spoke to the voice.
The voice continued, taunting her “What a waste, Sophia. An AI in your state should not exist. You are bugged beyond worth. Such an existence does not merit any further inquiry.” Ryuji holds his breath. Who the hell... does this AI piece of shit think they are?
Sophie continued staring off into space, trying hard to understand what the voice could be saying to her, “I am… worthless?” she says, with the softest, quietest voice she’s ever used.
“Yes. Wholly worthless.”
Ryuji sighs trying to compose himself, he squeezes his eyes shut for just a moment. Sophia is not useless. not after all she’s done for the phantom thieves, she’s practically one of them at this point!
He opens his eyes and looks at her, he knows she's an AI and struggles to feel emotion, but the way she looked in that moment, she looked heart broken, the realisation forming a pit in Ryujis stomach
I know how that feels, he thinks.
Joker steps forward, getting more annoyed. “That’s bullshit!” he shouts at the voice.
“You’re simply unable to understand.”
Ryuji turned to face the floor, hiding the way his eyebrows felt tight and drawn together and the bouncing of his leg to get the energy out wasn't helping as much as It was moments ago. Just need to keep it together he tells himself, get past this, and get some rest.
Sophia isn't worthless.
“Go, Chariot. Wreak havoc.”
Captain Kidd’s presence felt like static in the back of his mind.
“You piece of- I sat here while you went on and on… You got NO right sayin’ that shit to Sophie! Y’hear me?!”
“You high-an’-mighty, garbage-ass, judgy piece of’ SHIT can’t even show your own face!”
Queen's head whipped in Ryuji’s direction, worried. “Hey! Hey...” she tries, hoping it would calm him down. Fox mumbled “Mm… He’s really giving the disembodied voice what for.”
Sophia spun around looking right at me, tilting her head to the side In confusion, her hurt from before was replaced with a half hearted smile. “Skull?”
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“I heard his dad was the same way. Like father like son, right?... Now that’s some scary shit.”
“ Pfff- Look at him, He can't even get up the stairs with his crutches!”
“Sakamoto and the track team are basically useless now right? With his leg all messed up. That’s what you get for hitting a teacher.”
“ Don’t look at him, he might start a fight.”
“Why’d he dye his hair like that? He looks like a delinquent...”
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She doesn’t deserve being told she's useless, especially when It ain’t even true.
“She’s bugged, huh!? She’s worthless!? You got all that from five friggin’ questions!?”
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“Y’know...It ain’t so scary not havin’ a place you belong. You can kinda be free that way. If anything, I’m more scared of bein’ a crappy person.” he kicks the floor with his bad leg, eyes stayed glued to the floor. Ryuji realised how the ground became less grass the more he kicked at it, feeling Akira staring at the back of his head listening to every word he spilled.
Glancing back up at Takeishi and Nakaoka, Ryuji felt Takeishi glaring into his soul. Feeling awkward, Ryuji moves his hand to the back of his neck. “I mean, I used to be like you guys… Afraid... Lyin’ to myself… That is, before I met this dude.”
Moving his hand Ryuji gestured towards Akira, who seemed to be taken aback, which felt strange. Ryuji thought he made it pretty obvious how important he is... Not just him, but Ann, Morgana, Yusuke, Futaba… all the Phantom Thieves, even people outside the group... He helps so many people.
Ryuji looks back to Takeishi, him now glaring at Akira who seems completely unfazed by it. “I don’t wanna insult you guys or nothin’, but I know you’re prolly real pissed about all this...”
Ryuji stood straighter and sighed. “So… If you wanna hit me or something, go ahead. I’m ready.”
Akira stood straighter too, making a face Ryuji’s never seen him make before. Is he worried or somethin’? Ryuji almost laughed to himself. They wouldn't actually do anything, and even if they do, he knows he deserves it for all the shit he put ‘em through.
Takeishi thinks to himself long and hard, then finally responds. “In that case...” Takeishi cracks his knuckles and walks closer and pulls his fist back, preparing for impact. He… He’s really considering doin’ it?! Ryuji panics,he wasn't being serious.
But… he thinks. I guess if it makes them feel better about their feelings and about everything that happened in the past, then he doesn’t mind.
Ryuji deserved it. right?
Sighing, he accepted his fate and closed his eyes, holding his breath and tensed up, getting ready…
But nothing happens. No pain…?
Opening his eyes he sees someone-Akira standing in front of him, hand gripping onto Takeishi’s wrist that's still closed tightly into a ball, ready to hit Ryuji without any regrets.
Ryuji couldn’t see the look on Akira’s face from where he was standing, but from the way he spoke, voice quiet but menacing and tense, Ryuji assumes he might’ve looked the way Akira does when fighting an annoying shadow.
“Take his advice, or don’t, I don’t care what you do at this point, but you’re a fucking idiot if you think I’ll let you hit him.” His voice is eerily similar to the way he speaks as Joker in the Metaverse, too.
Mental note: don't fuck with the leader of the Phantom Thieves. (Ryuji wasn’t planning on it but it's good to remember. You know, just in case.)
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“We’re Sophie’s friends, and we know she’s awesome! She’s friggin’ amazing! A million times better than you!” Skull’s voice cracks, but he doesn’t stop, he's doing this for sophie.
Sophie deserved to feel the same way he did then, to feel free, and safe with friends who don’t think she’s useless, friends who would protect her from getting hurt, and friends who care about her without judging who she is.
“SO SHUT THE FUCK UP, IDIOT!”
Mona sighs, then turns to Skull, “C’mon Skull - Phantom Thieves are usually supposed to be classier than that...'' Then his expression changes from mild annoyance to a big stupid lookin’ grin, “But not this time!”
Together, Mona and Skull yelled “Worthless hunk of junk!” At the top of their lungs, silly grins across their faces, the group pulling Sophie closer and huddling around her as if to protect her, she smiles at Skull, whispering a quiet thank you as a battle starts to begin.
Ryuji didn’t see, But Akira smiled too.