Sae's brow furrows. Her arms are tightly crossed against her chest.

"It's one thing to take a favourable deal with a grain of salt, but it's another thing to consider ignoring it. It could be because of Makoto, but I doubt that."

Her confusion is expected, but the trickster remains confident. The game isn't over yet.

"Most people would take a solution if it solved their problem, but not you. Why is that?"

Their eyes meet. There is no anger visible in her stare. "Why aren't you satisfied?"

Everything is finally falling into place.

"Let me explain."

Since everyone knew what they had to do, I decided to call it a day. There wasn't anything else keeping me at the hideout: no pressing concerns, no lingering worries from the others. It was best if we rested up for tomorrow's meeting.

Once my friends left, I set off towards Shibuya, hands in my pockets. Now that I was on my own, I was free to use my time however I wanted. I had a lot of options, and no matter what I did, I'd gain something from the experience and have fun, too.

Problem was, I didn't feel like doing anything.

I didn't feel like hanging out with my friends with the meeting hanging over our heads. I didn't feel like spending time with a confidant; with the way I was now, I wouldn't be able to give them the help they needed. I didn't feel like improving myself, either. What was the point in doing so when Makoto would benefit from it?

I couldn't make the most of my time, and I didn't want to go back to Leblanc, so I kept on walking, caught in the hustle and bustle of Shibuya after school.

How many people weren't able to choose because of some fear or insecurity? How many of them were left with guilt because they couldn't commit? I took heart in knowing that whatever decision I made was one that I chose, consequences be damned.

That meant no regrets, no what-ifs. Even if I made the wrong choice, I'd take responsibility for it and learn from my mistakes, because I'd rather be free to choose than be paralyzed by indecision.

Yet here I stood, grappling with the thing I feared most.

It wasn't a coincidence that I found myself standing in front of the Velvet Room. I pressed my hand against the bright blue door, trying to find some comfort in its inviting glow. I was still at that crossroad, but even if the fog was gone, I didn't know which path would lead me to salvation.

There was one thing I could do... but it would force me to betray my oath. If I didn't do anything, I'd betray everything I stood for. There had to be another way.

Makoto got this far by snooping around and using our own words against us. It gave her an advantage over us, but it wasn't unassailable. If I could find a way to level the playing field, then I could go into that meeting without a worry in the world. I'd be the one in control.

There was just one problem. I knew how to get the information I wanted, but I sure as hell couldn't do it if Morgana was with me.

I walked deeper into the alley and took a good look around, made sure nobody was watching. Then I let the cat out of the bag.

"What's up?" Morgana asked, finding a perch on my shoulder.

"I need some time alone," I said. "Why don't you go for a walk?"

"You planning to go somewhere?"

I rolled my head a bit. Untouchable was nearby. "I want to visit Iwai. Get some work done."

"That's all?"

I took a moment to consider my next words. Lying wasn't my style, especially to a good friend. "What do you think?"

"What do I think? I think you're hiding something."

"Why's that?"

"You said you'd hear Makoto out, but when Ryuji asked you about changing Makoto's heart, you gave him a pretty vague answer. Not only that, you've been on edge ever since Makoto left."

I closed my eyes, willing myself to remain calm. "So what? I'm worried about the meeting."

"Yeah, and if it was just that, then why do you want to get rid of me?"

I took in a deep breath... and let it out. It was time to choose. I didn't know what Morgana would do if I told him about this idea of mine, but I had to do something, and if I had to hurt someone's feelings, then so be it.

"I need answers."

"What answers?" he asked, frustration creeping into his voice. "I got you answers, didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did, and I appreciate that. But it isn't enough."

Morgana dug his paws into my shoulder. "Why?"

"There's no way that Makoto would go this far just for a university recommendation. It can't be as simple as that." I set my hand against the wall, leaning on it. "And... even though it seems like she wants to give us a chance, it also feels like nothing's changed, and this is just another ploy to get us under her thumb."

He scoffed. "What are you going to do if it is? Are you gonna go to Mementos and change her heart anyway, just so you can be safe? Is that what you wanna do?"

"No, that's not –"

"Stop. Please. Don't say something you can't take back."

I slumped against the wall and fell. Morgana leaped off my shoulder and when I hit the floor, he was facing me, blue eyes filled with concern.

"Can you tell me why you still want to change Makoto's heart? I know how stressful this has been for you, but I want to understand why."

I sighed. I never imagined it'd get to this point, but I couldn't be caged again. I just couldn't.

"I don't want to change her heart," I said, tired beyond belief. "I just want to meet her Shadow. I need to know why she'd go to these lengths to stop us."

"Why? Do you want to get leverage on her?"

"Yeah, but that's not the only reason. It's hard to explain."

"Then take your time. We have all day."

"Take your time." I smiled at the memory. I really did have more time than I realized, and with that time came a world of possibilities.

"Call it a hunch, but it feels like I've been missing something since this whole thing began, something important."

"And you think you can find this thing in Mementos?"

I nodded. "It's the only thing I haven't tried."

"So why don't you want me to come along?" Morgana averted his gaze, head drooping. "We've been through everything together."

"I have to know if I was on the right track. I can't do that if you're there because you might become a target. I can't let anything interfere. That's why I have to do this alone."

Morgana gazed at me with his inhumanly blue eyes. He held his stare for so long that every part of me was begging to turn away. But there was a small part – tiny enough that I wouldn't normally notice it – that told me there was nothing to worry about, that Morgana was on my side.

"Five minutes," Morgana said. "That's all you get." He held out his paw. "You'd better not make me regret this."

I seized it, and the paralyzing fear disappeared. I smiled at him. "You won't."

Feeling the familiar weight of my black coat and white mask was a small comfort. The people's unconscious screams reverberated across Mementos, the walls and rails pulsating bloody red and stretching into a bottomless abyss. It was hard to ignore when my team was with me, but now, I was all alone. If I wasn't careful, I'd be overwhelmed, lost in the oppressive atmosphere.

There was one reprieve: thanks to Morgana, I knew where the target was. It was time to get to work.

I ran down escalators and through winding tunnels, darting past Shadows and treasure. I kept on running because my path was clear, now more than ever, and nothing could keep me from reaching the truth.

Before I knew it, I stood in front of the portal to Makoto's domain, a swirling vortex of black and red. While I didn't plan on fighting Makoto's Shadow, forewarned was forearmed, and I'd made sure I had the right collection of masks.

When I stepped through the looking glass, I saw her standing in the middle of the square room, wreathed in a malevolent aura of black shadows.

"I do everything they ask, bust my ass to succeed, and I'm the useless one?"

She had the same brown hair, same pale skin, same school uniform.

"How dare they? Who do they think they are, treating me like some pushover?"

We made eye contact. There was just one difference between Makoto and her Shadow. Her eyes weren't red. They were gold.

"You." The malice in her voice was palpable. "What do you want?"

"I came for answers."

"Answers?" She snorted, breaking into a fit of howling laughter. Her mouth twisted into a vile sneer. "That's rich, coming from you. But you're not getting anything from me. If I apologized, you'd take my kindness and stomp on it."

I placed my hands at my sides, ignoring the urge to shove them into my pockets. The Shadow was a lot more aggressive than Makoto usually was, but it was nothing that I couldn't handle if I played my cards right.

"I wasn't thinking straight," I said, "but I'm the type of guy who learns from my mistakes. Even someone as smart as you would noti –"

"Shut. Up." She took a step forward. "You're all the same: when I put up with your bullshit, you think you can get away with it and ask for more, but when I want something, then suddenly you have a problem."

"Can you blame me?"

She scoffed. "Of course I can. If you listened to me, I would have let you go, but now..."

She trailed off, but the implications were clear: she was going to make us work for our freedom. I was right not to trust her. It was an easy assumption to make when suffering from tunnel vision.

That was the kind of thinking that got me to this point, and it didn't get me to where I wanted to be. I had to dig deeper, cut through the lies and bias to find the truth that lay beneath.

"What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" she asked, smiling. It was as condescending as usual, baiting me to react. I took in a quick breath, dousing the embers before they could ignite. "Don't try and blame me for your misdeeds." Her brow furrowed, creasing the edges of her bulging golden eyes. "If you idiots knew who you were dealing with when you tried to get in my way, you wouldn't dream of stepping out of line!"

Shoulders hunched, chest heaving, she was more monster than human. Then her smile returned, she corrected her posture, and it was like she'd never been on the verge of snapping.

"What if I did know?"

"Then you'd know your place."

And there it was. This was what I was looking for. Now I just had to take the next step and regain control before time ran out.

"Where's that?" I asked. My face was smooth as porcelain, devoid of any emotion. She couldn't suspect a thing.

She smirked. "Where do you think? Out of sight, where you can't cause any trouble."

"I tried that. Then you came along. Why? What do you have to gain from following us?"

"Isn't it obvious? I can't have criminals running around in my school without bringing them to heel."

"So stalking and blackmail is fine as long as you're targeting a criminal?"

There was no response, not at first. Seconds seemed to stretch into irreplaceable minutes before she finally opened her mouth.

"Whatever it takes," she said, in a quieter voice than I expected.

A frown slipped past my façade. Distorted or not, the Shadow reflected the true self, unrestrained and unfiltered. They had an honesty to them that made them eager to reveal their deepest, darkest secrets. But something was off here. It was almost like she was doubting herself.

If she was, then I had to know why.

"What do you gain from trying to catch us? You'll be gone next year."

She scowled. "That is none of your business."

"Maybe, but it'd be a waste if you were doing it just to curry favour with the adults. There are other ways to get a university recommendation."

She flinched. "How did you – it doesn't matter. The fact that you think I'm doing this to get into university is embarrassing."

"Then why are you doing it? I wouldn't help someone who calls me useless."

A scowl split her face, but there was a calculating look in her eyes that bothered me. "You know what? I'm done talking."

She clutched the sides of her head as amorphous black slime devoured her body, writhing erratically. The mutation had begun, and it was only a matter of time before the Shadow's true form was unveiled. With a blood-curdling scream, she emerged from the muck.

Gone was the school uniform and in its place were white, flowing garments covering her from shoulder to foot. Atop her head sat a golden crown, bent and broken.

"When I'm through with you," she said, "you'll be begging for mercy."

The Shadow was in my guard before I could blink, slamming her fist into my gut. I coughed, doubling over from the sudden pain. It was enough to knock me down, and she kicked my face with her shin, making my head crash onto the floor with impunity.

I climbed onto one knee, and when I looked up at her, I saw mirth dancing in her golden eyes, the only part of her face that wasn't shrouded in darkness.

With her choice of attire, I assumed she was trying to dress like a pope, but the impression she gave was that of a queen. A ruler: one without a Palace, but a ruler all the same.

"That's more like it," she said. "Now bow to your queen!"

I stood up, ethereal energy gathering at the corners of my vision. Without my team, I had to be on top of my game if I wanted to get out of here alive. Losing focus was not an option. I'd prepared my collection of masks before coming here just in case anything happened, and my paranoia proved worthwhile.

"Persona!" I ripped off my mask and unleashed the power of my soul. High Pixie answered the call, blasting the Shadow with searing fire. All for naught, as she rushed through the flames with singed robes. Now that I was ready to react, I was more than able to avoid her punch. She overstepped and I lunged, knife flashing into my hand to slice her exposed stomach.

The stab rung true, and I used my momentum to avoid her oncoming knee and run out of striking range. Fire and steel couldn't knock her down, but she had a weakness, and I was going to find it.

I called upon High Pixie once again, hitting the Shadow with ice, lightning, and wind in quick succession. Chaotic as she was versatile, High Pixie was my go-to Persona, yet nothing in her arsenal had been able to knock the Shadow down, and I had to bob and weave past rapid punches and whip-like kicks to get a clear shot.

I had to be careful not to burn through my stamina. I was used to plugging in the gaps, allowing me to maximise my teammates' strengths and adapt to any situation. Going solo complicated things dramatically.

Fortunately, this wasn't a Palace run or a fight to the death. All I had to do was knock the Shadow down. I couldn't afford to drag this fight out, because she hit hard, and her attacks were getting harder to avoid.

"Shiisaa!" I shouted. The guardian beast formed in front of me and roared, engulfing the Shadow in a thermonuclear explosion. However, good fortune did not smile upon me because the attack barely fazed her.

"My turn." That was my only warning before I was consumed by electric blue energy, culminating in an explosion that dwarfed mine. It hurt, and I was lucky that I was still on my feet, or else she'd get another hit in.

I drank some medicine and felt the relief, considering my next move. Her garments made it hard to read her movements, but I could predict the gist of her attack and react accordingly. That was one advantage that came from fighting alone: no formations to worry about, no teammates to watch out for.

What was I even doing here? I wasn't naïve enough to think that I'd get out unscathed, but this was getting bad really fast. It was like I was back in the student council room, watching my chances of freedom slip from my fingers, except I had no one to blame but myself for my misfortune.

"What's wrong? Don't tell me you're giving up already?"

She was taunting me, just like before, just like she always had. But I wouldn't fall into her trap.

"Never," I replied.

"Your funeral," she said, and unleashed another nuclear explosion. I was ready and rolled out of the way, grabbing my mask once more.

"Leanan Sidhe!" The Irish fae appeared, hovering languidly just behind me. Hypnotic orbs drenched in psychedelic cyan and magenta surrounded the Shadow. With a snap of Leanan Sidhe's fingers, the Shadow was bombarded with psychokinetic energy. She screamed in anguish and pain, but I ignored it all the same.

Finally, she was down.

After ensuring I was just outside of striking range, I drew my gun and pointed it at her.

"What are you going to do, ask some more questions?" the Shadow asked. "Don't waste your breath."

"You don't have a choice," I said. "You will co-operate."

She laughed. "You're a real comedian, aren't you? You think that if you run around in a stupid costume and lead a bunch of fools, you have the right to do whatever you want? Sorry, but life doesn't work that way. There are rules, and if you break those rules, you pay the price."

I paid that price on behalf of the real criminal, but she didn't need to know that. Trying to get a Shadow's validation was an idiot's game.

"And where did your rules get you?" I smirked. "I can't imagine you have many friends with how much of a hardass you are."

"I'd worry about your friends before worrying about mine. Once you bend the knee, they'll be next. Then again, I'm not sure you care about your friends at all. For all your talk about how much friendship matters, you've never really thought about your friends might be affected, have you?"

"This has nothing to do with them," I said, keeping my pistol steady, trying my hardest not to catch her bait. "This is between you and me."

"Of course it is. Otherwise, your friends would be here." Her eyes gleamed. "Honestly, I feel sorry for them. Their leader is a reckless criminal who cares more about saving his own hide than compromising his pride, and they can't stop you."

My fist tightened against the gun's handle. "Is that right?"

"When push comes to shove, you'd be willing to do whatever it takes to win, to crush your enemies under your heel."

"Like you?"

There was a brief, but distinct pause.

"Yes, like me."

When she put it that way... I couldn't disagree. She let the pressure of the real world corrupt her and skew her priorities. I knew all too well what that was like. Of course, there was no way we'd reveal ourselves, so maybe we did force her hand and make her believe that winning was the only option, consequences be damned.

It still didn't change the fact that she'd be a threat if something didn't give, no matter what we did. Then again, there was one thing that stuck out like a sore thumb, something that bothered me.

"Why are you giving us a chance to prove ourselves?"

"That's the million-yen question, isn't it?"

In spite of her bravado, she was still helpless. Her once immaculate robes were torn and burnt, and her body twitched from involuntary spasms. She was ripe for a takedown. Now that I knew her weakness, all I had to do was go all-out and she'd be done. One less problem for the Phantom Thieves.

They'd understand why I did it. Making sure she wouldn't bother us after taking care of her target was a guarantee too appealing to pass up. We'd have an ally on the inside, too, and best of all, I wouldn't be compelled to abuse my powers again. I knew who I was, I knew how to control myself.

What did I have to lose?

"So you're not going to answer, huh?"

"You're finally catching on."

I looked Makoto in the eye and decided to finish what I started.

"Then we're done here."

I couldn't do it.

For one thing, I'd disappoint my teammates. I'd lose Morgana's trust, after he supported me through everything. I'd lose Ann's respect, because I fell to temptation that she overcame. I'd prove Ryuji's worst fears right and break the first real friendship I had. I'd show Yusuke that I wasn't a leader worth following.

And most of all, by fulfilling my selfish desires, I'd tarnish the Phantom Thieves' manifesto. I wanted freedom, and I wanted control, but this wasn't the way to do it. I'd been so busy trying to save myself that I forgot to take a step back and look at the big picture.

Makoto wasn't the enemy. Changing her heart wouldn't stop the adults from trying to take us down, Kobayakawa would just find another pawn to do his dirty work. She was just as much of a victim as we were, and while it didn't excuse her behaviour, fighting her was getting me nowhere.

I holstered my pistol. It was time to go.

"No," Makoto's Shadow said, before I could turn my back on her. "You don't get to leave. Not this time."

I stared into her eyes, and for an instant, I saw red. A wave of pure hatred engulfed me. I was drowning, heart pounding in my ears and throat, couldn't breathe. But when I opened my eyes, I was fine, completely unharmed. The Shadow's eyes were still gold, not red.

The Shadow lunged, aiming for my face. I tilted my head to the side, revealed my knife, and the next thing I knew, I was seeing stars, back aching from hitting the floor so suddenly. I jumped to my feet and called upon Leanan Sidhe, but the Shadow dodged every single psychokinetic orb like they were frozen in time.

She shot a smaller nuclear blast, one that was child's play to avoid. I prepared to unleash another psychokinetic salvo, but the Shadow slammed her shoulder into my stomach just as I tore off my mask, and I flew. I got a hand under me just before I could crash and flipped backwards.

"Eligor!" Lance held high, the armoured knight charged, black horse galloping towards the Shadow at a frantic pace. The first strike grazed her shoulder, but she slipped past the second thrust with contemptuous ease.

I landed on my feet and immediately felt the scorching heat bursting from the Shadow's nuke. She was rushing towards me and in desperation, I pulled out my gun and fired as fast as possible, but my shots went wide and I saw her knock my hand go skyward, the last bullet bouncing off her crown and knocking it off.

She punched me in the face, then the sternum, leaving me gasping for air. It didn't end there. Her arms were a maelstrom, blending together from sheer speed as she pummeled me. It felt like an eternity before the onslaught ended, and when it did, I collapsed.

"How..." I asked, mystified. She wasn't just able to dodge my attacks, she was predicting my movements before they happened, from her counter throw to dodging the bullets with minute movements. It was more than enough to rip me apart.

"I studied you during our fight, watching your every move." Her hands crackled with blue energy. "Now I know everything about you."

I switched to Makami, hoping beyond hope that it could soften the blow and give me another chance. I was powerless to stop her, but it couldn't end here.

I refused to fall.

"Zorro! Show your might!"

Her eyes widened as a disembodied fist slugged her in the jaw, knocking her off her feet. A gust of wind blew her away.

Morgana had arrived, and immediately transformed into a minivan. A pair of strong hands pulled me inside.

Then we escaped.

When I came to, the first thing I did was sit up against the closest wall and search for injuries. I found nothing, not a bloodied nose, cracked ribs, bruises or lumps.

"How are you doing?" Morgana asked. He was standing on two feet, large blue eyes boring into mine. We must have been at Mementos' entrance, away from any Shadows that could do us harm.

"Better," I said. "Thanks for bailing me out. And thanks for healing me, too."

"You're welcome, but I wasn't alone."

I looked up and saw Ryuji standing behind Morgana. Ann and Yusuke were with him, too, and all of them were clad in their costumes.

"When did you all get here?" I asked.

Ryuji smirked. "Who do you think pulled you into the van?"

"Good to know." I clutched the bridge of my nose. "What am I saying? I'm glad you guys are here."

"Thank Morgana. We'd be clueless if he didn't come looking for us."

"How?" Since we had privacy, there wasn't any need to enforce the use of our code names.

"Morgana found me at the mall," Ann said, hands clasped in front of her. "He told me to call Ryuji and Yusuke, said it was urgent."

"Ann called me while I was searching for artistic inspiration at the station," Yusuke said.

"And I was at the arcade," Ryuji said. "Good thing we were still in the area, huh?"

I nodded, stiffly. "Did Morgana..."

"He filled us in on the way," Ann said, though her expression gave nothing away.

"It was quite fortuitous," Yusuke said.

Ryuji shrugged. "I dunno about that."

There was an edge to Ryuji's words that set me off, but after dealing with an irascible Shadow, I wasn't willing to jump into another fight.

I took another look at Morgana. He must have figured that something would go wrong and decided to get help in spite of our agreement, but I wasn't mad. I was grateful. "It's almost scary how good you are."

Morgana grinned. "And don't you forget it!"

"That monster was Makoto's Shadow, wasn't it?" Morgana asked. His grin had disappeared, and since he wasn't a cat right now, I could see the concern etched on his face.

"It was."

"Then why were you fighting her? I thought you only wanted answers."

"I tried talking to her, but she was stubborn and impossible to work with." I cracked a smile. "Sounds like someone I know."

A smile slipped onto Morgana's face. "I'd say." But it was gone in an instant. "Was that why were you fighting her?"

"She decided to fight me. I didn't run away 'cause I thought I could force the answers out of her. It didn't go as planned."

Morgana scowled. "So you risked your life for nothing?"

I shook my head, and told my friends what went down between me and Makoto's Shadow. Recounting the fight helped me process how close I was to pulling the trigger, how close I was to losing everything... and the triumph that I felt from embracing the truth.

"Finding out that we weren't so different was the real kicker. I knew Makoto wasn't our enemy, I could feel it in my gut, but I was too focused on beating her to realize that. I couldn't stand that she made me feel powerless every single time we spoke, and I got desperate."

"That's why you were worried about the meeting?"

"Yeah. I was worried that if I didn't do something, we'd lose what little freedom we had left. I knew it wasn't right, but I was afraid, and I couldn't let things be. I wanted to protect you guys, but at some point it became an excuse. It made me do things I wasn't proud of doing and I dragged you all down with me."

I stole a glance at the Velvet Room's glowing door and caught Justine's eye. She gave me a nod, but didn't say anything.

"And he finally admits it," Ryuji said.

I really didn't want to fight, but I was at the end of my rope.

"You got something to say, Ryuji?"

Ryuji's frown split his face. "You told me no changing hearts, but then you go and pick a fight with Makoto's Shadow! And for what, so you can get answers Morgana already gave you?"

I clenched a fist. "Didn't you hear what I just said?"

Ryuji gritted his teeth. "I did, but what does it matter? You'll just keep on making excuses because you'll never learn."

"That's where you're wrong."

"You sure about that? 'Cause you said something real similar before."

"That was then, and this is now."

Ryuji clicked his tongue. "I knew it."

I shot to my feet. Ryuji stomped up to my face, brushing past Morgana and glaring at me through his Skull mask. Enough was enough.

"Stop it!" Ann shouted, jumping in between us. "Let's take the time to cool off. Neither of you need to fight."

"He's learned his lesson, Ryuji," Morgana said.

Ryuji turned away, shaking his head. When we made eye contact, his glare had waned. "You're our leader, man. If I screw up or something goes wrong and we can't rely on you, we're fucked."

Those words snapped me out of the haze of rage. He was right. Something about what he said still bothered me, and if he was this serious, there had to be more to his fear than just my capability as leader.

"I know, but if you're talking about that call with Makoto, you didn't screw up. You couldn't have known she was on the other side."

"I could have." He looked at Morgana, Ann and Yusuke – who seemed content to let this all play out – before turning back to me. "You saved my ass back there, and it really made me think about what the hell I was trying to do with these powers. I was treating this like some game, running my mouth about the Phantom Thieves whenever I got the chance, and seeing you struggle with the pressure? It freaked me out.

"If someone like you could fail, what does that say about a dumbass like me? I know you've been going through a rough time, but I've always counted on you to have your shit together. I never thought I'd have to keep you from going off the deep end."

"I'd be lying if I said I never felt that way," Yusuke said, clutching his chin. "There is a visceral appeal in relying on the strong, but it isn't reasonable to assume they'll always be strong, or that they don't buckle under the weight of their burdens."

Ryuji frowned. "Yeah. I guess this whole thing was a wake-up-call."

"It was," I said. "But it needed to happen."

My hot head brought me closer to ruin than all the vile invective my naysayers could muster. I had to change, and I wanted to change and improve. When it came to gaining true freedom, it was the only choice worth making.

"I know I screwed up, and I'm done making excuses for myself," I said. "I don't expect you to trust me right now, but I'll show you I've learned from my mistakes."

"If you ask me, you're already learning," Ann said. She stepped back to give us some much needed breathing room. "Still, you shouldn't feel like you have to go behind our backs. I don't blame you for wanting to settle the score with Makoto, but you've always been honest with us. Why stop now?"

"You don't blame me?" I asked.

She nodded. "I'd want answers too if I was in your place. And I knew this was really bothering you, so I didn't want to pry. I just hoped you'd do the right thing... and you did."

"Thank you," I said. "Thank you all for the support you've given me. I wouldn't have gotten to this point without you."

Morgana smiled. "We're happy to oblige."

"As long as there aren't any repeat occurrences, of course," Yusuke said. He stared at me for a few seconds, before nodding to himself. "Thought I trust that won't be the case."

"He'd have to get through me before trying anything," Morgana said, setting a hand on his sabre's hilt.

I chuckled. "You heard him." Then I turned to Ryuji and looked him in the eye. "We'll get better together. No one gets left behind."

A smile crept back onto his face. "In that case, no more deception. You can't have trust if you lie, whether you're lying to your team or you're lying to yourself. Sound good?"

I smiled. "No more deception, and that's a promise."

Ryuji's smile grew into something real. "I'm holding you to that."

I gazed at each of my friends and felt my confidence start to return. "At any rate, we have a meeting tomorrow. We need to be on top of our game, so let's get some rest, yeah?"

"We'll walk you home and make sure you get some sleep," Ann said. She winked. "Right, guys?"

"Oh, yeah," Morgana said.

"Having some of the Boss's coffee does sound quite nice," Yusuke said.

After everything that happened, I was sure my dreams would be sweet.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ryuji asked.

With that settled, we left Mementos. Morgana hopped onto my shoulder, and we set off towards Leblanc. On the way there, Morgana nudged my ear with his paw.

"You sure you'll be fine for tomorrow?" he asked.

"Yeah. I don't know what'll happen, but I trust you guys. I'm positive we'll get through this."

"Sounds like you found what you were looking for."

I smiled. "I did. Thank you for giving me the chance."

"Hey, you needed it. I'll always have your back."

Trust wasn't easy to give, but trusting the right people paid off and gave me something I sorely needed...

Hope.