AN: This is just a little what if story I thought up and figured you guys might enjoy. This is like the first thing I've posted in years so yeah. Also sorry in advance about any grammar/spelling mistakes, it's been a while :P
Makoto internally smirked as the transfer student, Akira Kurusu, entered the student council room. For weeks she had been following him and his little group of misfits dedicated to catching them in the act of being criminal. Makoto was relentless. There was no way that these students weren't the Phantom Thieves' of Hearts. There were too many coincidences for her to just ignore them.
Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki, Yusuke Kitigawa. All of these admittedly notable individuals shared similar circumstances. They all had an adult misuse power against them in some way, then when all seemed to be lost for them, a calling card would appear out of the blue one day condemning the unjust adult into question. Two calling cards, two changes of heart. Both accredited to the Phantom Thieves. And if that wasn't enough, all the victims began seeing each other outside of school on a regular basis.
Most people had a funny bone. Well, not Makoto, she had a suspect bone. It tickled whenever something suspicious was afoot and when around that particular group it tickled like nothing else. So she decided to go undercover and spy on the most mysterious character in the entire plot, Akira Kurusu. She never knew that she was such a super spy until these past few weeks. For hours she would follow behind Akira observing, and not once did he notice! He looked back toward her a few times but she simply hid behind a non-suspect manga. Then he would cock a brow in total confusion and would start smiling to himself for some reason before moving on. Her stealth skills were unmatched. It was all for naught however, as the only thing she learned in her stalki- observation, was that he had a cat with him at all times and seemed to talk to it. Surprisingly, having a cat on your persons at all time is not against a single rule at Shujin.
Makoto was running thin, but her hard work finally paid off. She had him right where she wanted him.
"This is the student council room." Akira gave a small nod to the cat in his bag and stood at attention in front of the door. He was slightly nervous to approach the person who had been basically stalking him for the last two weeks. It was odd at first and Akira often looked at her in confusion before just accepting his new follower and move on. He was very good at adapting to new situations. Morgana told him that was one of the reasons they made him their leader.
"Well? What are you waiting for Joker, get in there!" Resisting the urge to make a that's what she said joke, Akira slid open the door and entered the room.
Giving a small smile and a short wave, the criminal greeted his would-be prosecutor.
"Have a seat."
It seemed as if pleasantries were not going to be exchanged in this conversation. With great reluctance Akira slowly placed the Mona bag™ on the chair next to him and sat down for what surely was going to be an uncomfortable and unpleasant experience.
Pulling her bangs out of her eyes Makoto spoke firmly and clearly, "I'll get straight to the point then. Mr. Kamoshida and Madarame. Won't you tell me the truth behind the Phantom Thieves' incidents?"
Surprise showed very lightly on Akira's face and he did his best to remain as calm as possible and not let anything slip. Morgana had no such mask and audibly gasped at the blatant accusation. Nervousness settled deep in Akira's stomach as he now realised the true purpose behind his invitation here. She was trying to figure them out. Well, he would allow no such thing. He wasn't the leader of the Phantom Thieves for nothing. Masking his discomfort with defiance, he silently regarded the girl seated across from him.
"Can't answer that? Ah, of course. There's no way you would admit to such things," For a slight moment, Akira noticed a predatory glint in the student council president's eyes, and for the first time since he first awakened his persona, Akira felt frightened. This girl was dangerous.
She gave him a soft smile and pulled her phone out of her skirt pocket, "Have a listen," she pressed a button on the phone and turned the volume up.
Of all the things he expected to hear on the phone, his best friend's voice was not one of them. In retrospect, allowing Ryuji and Ann to talk loudly and openly about their night job was a mark of failure on himself as a leader. He should have been more cautious.
"What could all this mean, I wonder?" Resting her head in her hand, her red eyes bore into Akira's.
"We've really gone and done it this time! What are we gonna do Joker?!" Morgana was in panic mode and in all honesty Akira was too. So he needed to not panic, to not be Akira. He needed to act as Joker.
Crossing his legs, Joker smirked devilishly, "What could all this mean indeed, Ms. President? Are you attempting to insinuate something?"
"Yes." Blunt. Cold. Her answer was expected. Joker now had the upper hand.
"Do I look like the kind of student who would be involved in unsavory happenings?" The faux look of innocence on his face would fool noone but that was all part of his plan.
Makoto leveled a glare at him and spoke harshly, "Without a doubt."
Before he could divert the conversation anymore, Makoto slammed her hands on the desk. "Was it blackmail? Hypnosis? How do you corner someone into making them confess? Won't you tell me how you did it?"
His options were limited so he decided to play clueless, "Not sure what you mean."
"...You want to say that this doesn't prove anything don't you?" She folded her arms and stared at him. "Well it may not prove anything, but it'll at least cast suspicion on you for the time being."
Joker's smirk expanded to his whole face now. "That's too bad Ms. President. It would seem that my voice is not on the recording and while people may believe you without evidence seeing as you are an A student and student council president, it wouldn't be too difficult for me to dissuade them either."
"What do you mean?" Makoto asked, eyes narrowed.
"Well I've been getting a bit popular myself. The criminal becomes reformed, he does well in class, gets a high grade on the test. Hangs out with poor Mishima. While it may not seem like it, I have slight sway in the general public. And you, Ms. President, are currently losing much sway especially with how the principal has been acting."
The shock on her face was almost comical and Joker almost felt bad about his blatant exaggeration. Almost. He needed to get out of this. For the team.
"I-It doesn't matter. I can at least get police to watch your behaviour, because I believe that you three are phantom thieves." Her shocked expression was quickly covered in defiance and rebellion. "Now what would the police think if they heard my recording?"
Morgana, after being unusually silent, chipped in, "It'd be bad if we were put under police surveillance. There's no telling what would happen to you, too!"
"If you confess the truth, I don't mind just leaving this between the two of us. You'll tell me, won't you?" Makoto's question was posed as a statement.
"Hmmmmm," Joker comically tapped his chin with his finger, "You'll have to let me think about it prez."
She huffed in frustration, "I believe that time would just be wasted."
Joker's phone rang out loudly in the small room.
Quickly checking the caller ID he saw that it was Ryuji, calling at the worst possible moment. He looked up at his interrogator and saw her motion for him to answer. Against his better judgement, he answered.
"Hey man where ya at? Me and the gang are here at our PHANTOM THIEVES HIDEOUT ready to hang out and be awesome PHANTOM THIEVES. Hurry up and finish taking a leak, we're all waitin' on you to start our PHANTOM THIEVES MEETING."
"That stupid Ryuji!" For once Joker agreed with Morgana's assessment of his best friend.
While Joker was trying to think up damage control, Makoto looked like the cat who caught the canary. " As loud as always...but his timing is perfect."
Her victorious smirk seemed to radiate triumphance, "I'd like everyone else to hear this too, won't you take me to your friends?"
Joker need a new tactic fast. He couldn't keep antagonizing her, he needed a new approach. He needed to be Akira again and try and seize the situation.
Looking as downcast as possible, Akira started to confess, "You were right about everything Niijima-san, it was all us. I'm sorry I verbally assaulted you I just didn't want to be found out…"
Smiling, Makoto put her hand out and placed it atop his, "It's okay Akira-kun, just start from the beginning and explain everything."
"Well, it didn't start until after Kamoshida," perplexion shot across Makoto's face, "That's when me and the other's started really getting together and doing this thing…" Akira sniffled and wiped at his eyes a bit.
"W-w-we…" he trailed off.
"It's alright Akira-kun, you can tell me," she gave him a comforting look.
"W-we run the phansite with Mishima!" he screamed out. "We thought the phantom thieves' were super cool and we wanted to support them in our own way! Please don't tell! It's really embarrassing and I don't wanna get into trouble with my guardian!" Tears ran down his face in a light trail as Makoto tried to come to terms with what he just told her.
It had to be a lie. But he was so emotional that it couldn't possibly be fake. She did not expect this to be the outcome of today's meeting at all.
"Listen, just tell me a few more details and you can go, and I won't tell on you, I promise."
After telling the tale of how he and the others got roped into creating the phansite with Mishima, Makoto let him leave. It seems she would need to find a different lead.
Akira meanwhile smirked to himself as he left the school. He had already gone ahead and texted Mishima the cover story, just in case and was tying up any loose ends that his story may have. Overall not his best acting work, but it was enough to get the job done. Surprisingly, he had fun, Ms. President kept him on his toes, got his blood pumping. Maybe he would match wits with her again. Akira's excuse would be practice at hiding information, but his true motivation would be to spend time living the thrill of a phantom thief with someone who made his heart beat like no one else.