Sailor Moon X Persona 5: Web of Shadows

Part 1 SAILOR MOON X PERSONA 5: Web of Shadows 

ACT I: AXE TO GRIND  

Prelude: 

Professor Tsyuchia scanned her keycard and descended a winding stairwell to reach the forbidden chamber. She reached into her designer handbag and switched on a flashlight, illuminating the dark recesses of the Mugen Academy's basement. Her heels clicked on the tile, echoing throughout the eerie hallway with each wobbly step she took. How some women walked in these things boggled her mind. The tiny hairs on the back of her head stood on end when she could have sworn she saw something race across the poorly lit path. No, that was not possible. A lot of time had passed since she, or anybody else, had come down here. Access to the basement remained strictly prohibited ever since the tragic incident that befell her mentor, Professor Tomoe, over three years ago. Nobody should be down here apart from her and maybe a few mice. Ghosts and demons did not exist, according to modern science. All these rumors surrounding the famous professor were slander and lies exaggerated by his rivals, meant to discredit his line of work. Pure fantasy.

Despite her admiration for Tomoe, she hoped his sudden retirement would give a jolt to her career at the Academy, propelling her through the ranks in the science and technology department in his absence. But she had hit a frustrating plateau, struggling to get noticed by her peers and colleagues at the Academy, even getting passed up for a recent promotion to director of her department. She couldn't find a date, and when she did, they went nowhere. Her life felt trapped in a monotonous cycle of work with no hope for the future, and she wasn't getting any younger. The sheer concept of turning forty soon fueled her anxiety even further.

Now was time to move on to greener pastures and create a new name for herself. Tsyuchia flipped the script, ditching her plain and boring old self for a persona a bit more exciting. After spending a full day at the salon, her stylist had dyed her hair red, offered much needed makeup lesson, and helped pick out a wardrobe with the most expensive brand names and these uncomfortable shoes she struggled to walk in. Her new look garnished much attention, but her time at Mugen was over. She had recently returned from a successful interview, accepting a position as the director of a top-ranked university in Osaka, Japan. This was the next step in her career that she strived for. An opportunity to prove that all those who had ignored her at Mugen were wrong.

Although she was highly confident in her abilities to excel in her fresh role, a bit of doubt had crept into her after taking the job. A nagging insecurity that had led her into the forbidden basement on her last day employed at Mugen Academy. She placed the flashlight down on the tiled floor after spotting what she was after: the remains of Professor Tomoe's controversial research from his doomed laboratory. What better way to begin in her career than presenting something extraordinary to her new associates in Osaka? Perhaps she could use her mentor's old work. A forgotten development that she could expand upon, bringing her more fame and renown within the scientific field.

She tore open the first dusty box she found, but it contained nothing but old paperwork and scribbled notations she couldn't even decipher. Her flashlight rolled away as she dug into the next bin. This one was more to her liking, full of gadgets and gizmos that hadn't seen the light of day in quite some time. She reached for the flashlight to get a closer look at the contents, but accidentally kicked it with her fancy shoe. The flashlight rolled away, casting a shadow of an ugly behemoth against the far wall.

"Just a spider." Tsyuchia grimaced in disgust after spotting the critter scurry across the floor. Her eyes must have been playing tricks on her. She squished the tiny arachnid with the ball of her foot and retrieved the flashlight to calm her apprehension.