"Are you still sleeping? C'mon, get up! Your friends are already here." A warming voice echoed in my ears at the start of a new day, and gentle morning sunlight graced my body through my lone window. The old, creaky steps wined as my caretaker descended. Thrusting bed sheets aside, I came to my feet with a rush of energy.

Morgana greeted me with a confident smirk. His tail flicked from side to side like a metronome. "Everyone's gathered downstairs."

I donned the appropriate day clothes before heading down with the cat. The delightful aroma of finely brewed coffee matched the tranquil scene before me. "Ah, there you are." Makoto smiled pleasantly at me from the booth.

"Sleeping in, as usual," Haru added with an endearing giggle.

"Yo." Ryuji greeted me nonchalantly from his lax seat at the bar. He had a flashy magazine scrunched in his hands.

"Makes me kinda jealous…" Ann said, pouting.

"Ann, you should have some coffee." Yusuke sat next to Ryuji, drinking some hot beverage of his own. "I feel that even the most rushed mornings can be transformed into a serene experience with just a sip of Boss' rejuvenating liquid perfection."

Ann glanced quizzically at him. "Uh… I think I'm good."

Morgana pounced onto the table. "Alright, listen up everyone! We've got some business to take care of."

Ryuji tossed his magazine down amid the group, his face turning grim. "I'm sure everyone's seen the article by now. Some reporter's accusing the Phantom Thieves of bein' responsible for the recent crime surge."

Futaba, who was slouched over the back of the booth, added, "They're even suggesting that the Phantom Thieves "incite people to do evil deeds"."

Makoto's gaze hardened. "How can the media say such things when the people know we stand for justice?"

Haru frowned. "This is unacceptable. We have to do something about this."

"Is this really what we get…" Ann asked, "after everything we've done to make life better for them?"

Yusuke crossed his arms. "We must put an end to this corruption where it stands."

"Whoever this reporter is…" Ryuji continued, "He's dishing up total bullshit! I think he needs a change of heart!"

Morgana nodded. "His heart and everyone in the whole damn publishing company if needs be."

Ryuji turned to me. "So? Whatdya say, leader?"

I looked around me, noting faces filled with malice and pride. I plucked the magazine from the table, but instead of words, I saw vile corruption: a sevenfold crime deserving punishment. The willful arrogance of these people incited retribution, and I felt a power within me rising to meet this rebellion. I opened my mouth to speak, and sound escaped my lips, yet I knew not the source of my words. "Rebels who dare defy our rule... You shall perish."

Air flooded into my lungs with a wailing gasp. The warmth of a family I abandoned still lingered on my skin, but the cold taste of despicable words left an enduring bitterness. Staring at a blank, unremarkable ceiling, I touched a finger to my tongue. The salty sensation indicated that my oral appendage was still intact. "Just a dream…" I murmured to myself. The hollow words did nothing to ease my racing heart. That god, I dare not speak his name, he was real, and I ended him. There is nothing to fear from dead gods.

My chest heaved a breath of relief, and I turned my attention to my surroundings. A cold, sterile cube made my current chamber. One metal chair sat against the wall, and a single metal slab provided a door. The cot I woke upon had no additional coverings, but I now noticed my leg had been cuffed to the bed. I took a deep breath of the odorless air and reflected on the circumstances that brought me here.

I had clearly been goaded into a trap by Zimmerman. It was foolhardy to follow the data he had left behind, perhaps more so to believe he would share any. Nevertheless, I was alive. Though I feared for my friends, I could only assume they were being held under similar circumstances. Answers would not be born from speculation, so I waited.

Moments of stilted breathing turned to minutes; minutes turned to tens of minutes. 20, 30, 40 minutes might have passed, but I could not tell. The adrenaline in my veins stretched each second to the infinite degree, yet counting time seemed to accumulate hours. Just when my mind was slipping into madness, I grasped muffled voices outside of my cell.

"What the hell were you thinking!?" a decidedly irritable voice shouted.

"I aimed to bring them here, and I did just that," another voice replied.

"You said you were just going to talk to them!"

"I did… things just escalated a little."

"A little!? I read the report; you tried to kill them!"

"They seemed to handle it fine."

"That is unacceptable!"

"It's over now. They're here."

"Listen, you put them in danger again, and I'll walk out of here."

The other voice was quiet.

"If this is just some game to you, we don't need to be a part of it."

"Hmph, one hour."

The noise in the hall faded, and I sat up to monitor the steel door. An electronic buzz echoed through the thick metal followed by a mechanical whir. The door opened slowly with apparent reluctance. I had some inkling of my visitor's identity, but my capture had left me in an unreliable state. A pair of sturdy combat boots tramped into my room. The camouflaged slacks provided cause to reexamine the thin, shapely frame in front of me.

"Heh, this is quite the reversal." Makoto laughed as she averted her eyes from my subjugated person.

A friendly smiled crossed my face. "Maybe when I start following you around Shibuya."

Makoto shot a surprised glance at me before adopting a pleasant smile of her own. "Your nerves are as strong as ever I see." She cleared her throat. "I suppose you'll be wanting an explanation for all this…"

"How are the others?"

Makoto's tense demeanor eased a bit. "Well, I haven't visited them yet, but they're alive at the very least."

"I knew that much. I'm pretty sure Ryuji is immortal."

"Ha, right, on that note…" Makoto gave me an uncertain look. "You guys have been getting into quite a bit of trouble from what I've heard: sneaking onto private property, hacking phones, even some fighting in the Metaverse. Congratulations, by the way. I haven't actually managed to reawaken my Persona yet. That aside, I must apologize for not advising you regarding Samuel Zimmerman. Had I any knowledge of his insane plans I would've immediately warned you." She closed her eyes and bowed her head.

Makoto's somber apologetics strained my fatigued mind. "What's going on, Makoto?"

Makoto grimaced. "I… I work for Sam. He's personally overseeing the Metaverse research operation here at…" She laughed suddenly. "I guess I'm not allowed to tell you where we are." She sighed heavily as she attempted to conceal her embarrassment. "Anyways, Samuel recruited me from my school, and he's been trying to contact the other Thieves since. As for why he attacked and kidnapped you, he still has a lot to explain in that regard." She frowned.

"Seems like quite the character."

"He's actually a very relaxed person when he isn't using his Persona. That's why I joined. There are some very dangerous things happening in the Metaverse, and this seemed like the best chance to stop them." Makoto's pleading voice caused me to wince in pain. I stroked my head tenderly. "Oh, I didn't mean to overwhelm you," she continued, "Here, let's get you something to eat, and then you can see the others."

"Sure," I replied, exhaling, "Just take off my cuff first." I raised my chained leg.

Makoto's face filled with fierce bewilderment. "They chained you to the bed!? In a locked cell!?" She clasped her hands on her face. "What the hell is wrong with these idiots? It's not like you're a danger."

I smirked. "Tell that to Sam when you ask about our fight."

Makoto presented a new room to me, one with a long black table. At the back beyond the table, dim lighting barely illuminated an intriguing console. The oversized computer supported an oblong structure spanning the width of the room with a dark red ocular marking its center. I stepped into the shady meeting room, and Makoto left me to gather our friends.

Glancing around, my eyes glazed over the perfectly smooth stone walls to a colorful insignia hanging over a conjoined corridor. The English letters "USEI" arced over a depiction of a bald eagle, half of which was painted with negative coloring. I squinted at the foreign regalia and then heard a strange hum from the back of the room.

I turned my head to the peculiar machine stowed at the end of the large table. A gleam in the red light of its bulbous "head" caught my attention. Either nutritional deprivation had taken a toll on my psyche, or that menacing red light was watching me. I sighed, shaking my head. Every little detail of this bizarre place seemed to hide overwhelming nightmares. I decided to accept whatever madness was creeping around in my head for now.

I placed my fingers on the dark granite table and traced the edge as I walked along its side. The surface was absurdly clean, polished even. The alien nature of this facility towered over me once I had reached the end of the table. Looking up, the crimson eye stared directly at me. My brow lowered, but I didn't have time to question it.

The main door of the room opened again, and Ann came screaming in. "Oh my God! You're alright!" she shouted. Despite my quiet disposition, she swiftly wrapped me in a warm hug. "I was so worried." I felt her cold tears dampen my shoulder.

I gently returned the embrace. "Glad you're okay."

Ryuji strolled up to us, his hands lazily tucked into his pockets. "Pfft! Ya gonna cry for him but not for me?"

Ann released me, glancing back at our bullish friend as she wiped a tear from her quivering eyes. "Sh-shut up." She grabbed Ryuji's collar and yanked him closer.

"Woah!" Ryuji cried.

Ann locked the two of us in her arms. "Never scare me like that again, okay?"

Ryuji frowned at his predicament. "It wasn't that bad," he insisted.

Ann giggled. "Aw, c'mon. You were super panicked a minute ago."

"I- I was not!" Ryuji struggled to suppress his growing joy.

"Liar!"

Ryuji glanced at me. "Alright, so I might've been a little worried."

I snickered. "Good to see you too."

A suppressed chuckle called our attention to Makoto, who was smiling at our group huddle.

"Ah! C'mon, get over here, Makoto!" Ryuji shouted, "We know you want in on this!"

Makoto waved her hand at us. "Oh, that's quite alright. I don't think it'd…"

"C'mon, Makoto!" Ann squealed, "Join us."

With a smile, I added, "This is a mandatory team huddle."

Makoto sighed. "Oh, alright." Reluctantly, she inserted herself into the fray, and Ann squeezed us all together.

I was uncertain of our present goal, but I was happy to participate. A subverted chuckle crept through my crooked lips. Ryuji returned an excited grin, seeing my whimsy as a challenge. He pressed his arms around Makoto and Ann, tightening our group further.

Ann squealed, and Makoto shot him an unamused glare. "Hey. You better watch your hands." Ryuji's eyes opened wide as his face paled. He made to apologize but not before Makoto could return a malicious smile. I felt the air erupt from my lungs as Makoto applied lethal force into our group.

"Oomf!" Ryuji's face gained a bluish hue. Though we were uncomfortably close, Ann couldn't help snickering at Ryuji's discomfort. Makoto's crazed exterior broke also, and she laughed. Her iron grip loosened, Ryuji broke from the group and drank a lung full.

I shook the light-headed sensation from my brain as my breathing returned to normal. Ann and Makoto continued their snickering, and I quickly caught the humorous air. Despite being the target of abuse, Ryuji also joined our laughter once he had regained his awareness. Our clamorous amusement echoed through the room. It was then I noticed another figure enter.

Sam was holding a cup of coffee and stirring it nonchalantly. He glanced bittersweetly to our group as he said, "Well, isn't this lovely."

Ryuji's expression rapidly dried. "Of course, you're the one who kidnapped us." He gave Sam a confrontational stare.

Samuel glanced to Ryuji before rolling his eyes. "I prefer the phrase "provided with an involuntary change of scenery"." He took a seat on the opposing side of the table, placing his cup on the dark granite.

Ann's ire could not be hidden. "How gracious of you." The biting snap in her voice was painful for me as a bystander.

Sam sighed as he stirred his coffee. "Have a seat, would you?" He gestured idly to the chairs near us.

"Eff that! No way I'm gonna sit down with you!" Ryuji shouted, pounding a fist on the table.

Makoto raised her hands defensively. "Guys, calm down," she pleaded. She walked to the table's end and pointed to Sam. "At least listen to what he has to say. It's important." Her soft, uncertain gaze gave the others pause for thought.

While Ryuji and Ann glanced around questioningly, I was prepared to act. "I'm listening." I pulled out the chair in front of me and took a seat.

"What!?" Ryuji cried, "You can't be serious!"

I glanced at my friend. "Does it look like I'm serious?"

"I dunno," Ryuji responded, "I can never tell with you."

Ann sighed. "Fine. I'll listen." She pulled out her own seat.

Ryuji quietly glared at both of us. He growled. "Dammit! Fine! I'll listen, but I won't sit!" He pointed at Sam. "And you better start givin' us some damn answers!" Seeing the three of us were open and listening, Makoto also took her seat at the table's head.

"Yes, of course," Sam replied, waving Ryuji off. "But first some coffee." He raised the cup to his mouth and took a small sip. I stared in bewilderment as Samuel smacked his lips together repeatedly in disgust. "Oh, God, that's bitter." Sam set the cup aside and reached into his jacket, retrieving a silver flask. Ryuji glanced carelessly at me during the awkward delay. Unscrewing the cap of the flask, Sam poured a brown, viscous fluid into his mug. The palpable silence was cut momentarily by the sloshing liquid dripping into Samuel's cup. Once he had finished, Sam took another sip of the coffee. Satisfied, he now turned to us with meek formality.

"My apologies. My manners seem to have left me in recent days. Nevertheless…" He sighed. "There is a reason for all of this." He glanced between the three of us, searching for signs of receptiveness. "I suppose I should start with some official introductions. My name is Samuel Zimmerman, and I am the director of Metaverse research for USEI, that is United States Extradimensional Intelligence. We are currently located in one of USEI's research facilities, the location of which I shall not divulge. Furthermore, you three are members of the Phantom Thieves, codenames: Panther, Skull, and Joker." Sam folded his hands neatly, showing no pleasure in his speech; however, I noted Ann and Ryuji fidgeting uncomfortably.

"Now," Sam continued, "Let's discuss something of more importance." He opened his jacket and withdrew a small case. Setting the furnished container on the table, Sam flipped the lid open with one finger. "This is Excalibur." The white lights of the room gleamed over the blade's silken surface, and we were quickly entranced by the weapon.

Ryuji leaned over the table. "Woah…" he mumbled.

"You will remember that Excalibur is the Persona I used in our prior engagement. However, the first thing you will notice about Excalibur is that it is indeed a physical object. This is not a circumstantial quirk but by design. You see, Excalibur is an artificial Persona. USEI has been working on harnessing the power of the Metaverse for several years, but we only recently uncovered the means to tease out these Personifications, if you will, without the need for a natural Persona user."

Ann tilted her head sideways. "Wait, so anybody can use Excalibur?"

Sam nodded. "Theoretically, though I have yet to test it on the whole of humanity."

"Tch, that doesn't make any sense," Ryuji said, crossing his arms.

Makoto looked disappointed. "Ryuji…"

Sam laughed to himself. "No, no… he's right. Excalibur exists; this you know. But no one knows how to control Excalibur. It is indeed an entity of the Metaverse, yet it is not the true self of any person involved in its creation."

I scratched my chin as I stared at the ornate and well-maintained blade. "You ordered Excalibur to attack me." Sam looked at me, but there was no adversity in his eyes.

"Yes, and that's quite… unprecedented," he replied, "Being in direct contact with Excalibur has caused significant fluctuations in my mental state. I did intend to confront you in the Metaverse, but my aggression was merely a product of this artificial Persona."

Ryuji laughed haughtily. "This guy's feeding us a bunch of bullshit. He's just tryin' to cover his ass cause he kidnapped us!" Ryuji's fists tightened as he sent a heated glare to our unsettled host.

Sam nodded. "Of course, I doubted you would believe me. Nevertheless, you still illegally tapped my phone, giving me free reign to apprehend you."

"Bullshit!" Ryuji shouted, "You tried to kill us!"

Ann sighed. "It's not like we have evidence."

Ryuji abruptly turned to her. "Huh?"

Sam smiled. "At least she understands the situation."

Ryuji bore his teeth. "Fuck you, man! I don't care what excuses you've got! There's no goddamn way I'm gonna let you get away with attempted murder on my friends!"

Makoto pushed up from the table. "No one's letting him get away with anything, Ryuji!" Her steady gaze caused Ryuji to waver. "Just listen, and then you can say your piece." Makoto's eyes were like lasers trained on Ryuji.

Ryuji couldn't return her gaze. "Tch, let him talk then…"

Sam sighed. "Look. I'm not interested in justifying my actions to you all. We have far more important matters to discuss. There are evil people out there right now looking to abuse the Metaverse, and we need your help to stop them. If the Metaverse can be used to change one heart, imagine what would happen if someone could take control of them all."

I could feel a knot forming in my gut. "We'd all be enslaved…"

Sam nodded. "That's a very possible outcome. And I think we've recently discovered a lead on one such scheme." He briefly glanced at the computer at the end of the room. "Did you want to explain this?"

I turned to the giant computer. The red ocular was clearly shifting between Samuel and the rest of us. I cocked my head, thinking to ask Sam about the strange machine, but I was interrupted.

"I'd be glad to," a hauntingly familiar voice emanated from the computer, "Greetings, Phantom Thieves."

Silence ensued as Ryuji, Ann, and I stared aghast at the talking computer. Its red eye met my gaze with startling readiness. I glanced at Sam, but he remained completely unenthused. Turning to Makoto, she only shrugged. I noted Ryuji's amazed expression while Ann had turned completely pale.

"Wh-what?" Ann started.

"Dude," Ryuji added, "No effin' way!"

I gazed up at the bulky hardware. "Akechi?"

The machine mustered a calming laugh. "Yes, it is I. It's been some time since last we met." Ann, Ryuji, and I glanced hesitantly at each other.

"That irritating voice…" Ryuji continued, "It's gotta be Akechi!"

Ann shook her head. "Well, obviously, you moron."

Ryuji flailed his arms. "But I thought he was dead!"

"In all honesty," the computer added, "That's not an incorrect interpretation. I am but a shadow of my former self, retaining only fragments of my identity and being constrained entirely to this machine I inhabit."

A moment passed while I processed this lathering of new information. I looked to Samuel. "Ok, explain this to me. How is Akechi here?"

Sam returned a proud smile. "Well, USEI had known about the Phantom Thieves for some time. The Thieves' accolades had garnered them international attention, after all. Following the supposed suicide of the leader of the Phantom Thieves, USEI took it upon themselves to open a top-secret investigation into the matter. One of the first facts we uncovered was that a Goro Akechi had participated in the crimes of the Phantom Thieves to obtain evidence on behalf of the police. That alone was a ludicrous statement to us, but it also implied that Akechi had some knowledge of the Metaverse. So, we began a closer examination. Eventually, the trail led us to Masayoshi Shido, the clear mastermind of the various mental shutdown cases." Sam glanced warily across the table as he cautiously scratched the back of his head. "I will spare you the details for the sake of brevity, but Shido became very concerned with his mental health thereafter. I suppose we have you Thieves to thank for that. During an extensive series of medical examinations, one of our operatives obtained a complete imprint of Shido's cognition. The Akechi you can speak with here is an extrapolation of that cognitive data."

Ryuji stared blankly at Sam. "Man, how am I supposed to take this guy seriously if I can't understand a word he's sayin'?"

Makoto sighed. "Just think of it as an Akechi from Shido's brain."

"But," Ann stuttered, "If Akechi is just a cognition from Shido, then how does he know us?"

"Heh," Sam scratched his cheek, "I was hoping to avoid the details. It's not so simple. The real Akechi visited Shido's cognition on several occasions, and with the trace elements he left combined with the structural data from Shido's cognition, we were able to produce this replication. It is something akin to the Akechi shortly before his disappearance, and of course, he's been a critical asset to us."

"Quite shortly, I might add," Akechi spoke up suddenly, "I even remember our battle in the belly of Shido's Palace."

"Welp," Sam continued, "There ya go."

Ryuji shook his head. "So, it's basically Akechi… but he lived." He sighed. "Guys, this is bullshit."

Ann gripped her forehead. "Ugh, I'm so confused."

"Huh, I'm surprised," Akechi remarked. His single red eye glanced to Samuel. "I thought this would be a more emotional reunion, given our adversarial history."

Ryuji scoffed. "Yeah, cause we were such great friends before…"

"Oh, I see. So, not only do you lack trust in the director and me, but you also have no interest in rectifying our estranged relationship." The computer buzzed as its red eye panned over the three of us. "Well, perhaps you'll listen to the information we have regarding the recent disappearance of your Kamoshida."

"So you did know something about Kamoshida!" Ann cried.

"It's about time," Ryuji concurred.

Nodding, I added, "Tell us what you know."

"You've heard that Kamoshida escaped prison," Akechi started, "Well, this is only half true. Kamoshida was assisted by Metaverse users, much like yourselves."

"Damn! Nobody could find him cause he kept disappearing!" Ryuji shouted.

"That is a correct assumption although Kamoshida could never have entered the Metaverse of his own will. It is highly likely that the true culprits have discovered a way to enter the Metaverse without the need for a Palace."

"That reminds me," Ann said, "When Sam pulled us into the Metaverse, we weren't in a Palace, were we?"

"No," Sam replied, "Our Metaverse traversal tech does not require a Palace to be present though we can target such places directly."

"Ya know," Ryuji mindfully added, "We ended up in a closet when we came outta the Metaverse. If we weren't in a Palace, how'd that big room get there?"

"The Metaverse is a terrifyingly chaotic place," Akechi said, "It seems we have not even begun to tap the surface of its potential."

"That's just riveting," I remarked, applying my most flattering smile, "But please tell us what happened to Kamoshida first."

Akechi laughed pleasantly. "I see you are as singularly minded as ever." He cleared his non-existent throat. "Very well. There are a very limited number of nation-states with the resources to carry out this operation, a number of which are directly involved with USEI. Thus, we have a prime suspect."

Sam tossed a file across the table. "This man is Nikolai Androvsky, a kingpin amongst pro-Russian militants in the Ukraine and more recently the mastermind of the Russian Metaverse program."

Ryuji scratched his head. "Say that again but without all the confusing words."

Sam sighed. "This is Nikolai. He probably took Kamoshida. He works for Russia. Don't you kids study the Russo-Japanese War?"

"The what now?" Ryuji started.

Makoto snorted. "You'll have to excuse Ryuji. He's got some catching up to do."

Sam rubbed his eyes tenuously before continuing. "Nikolai has been running the Metaverse operation for several years. It is highly likely that he has access to tech comparable to our own."

While Samuel spoke, I opened the file in front of me. A photograph of Nikolai was present along with various wordy documents. The dark-haired man had a sullen face, but a spiteful gaze kept his appearance intimidating.

"To all Metaverse researchers, the Phantom Thieves' exploits provide a key pillar," Akechi continued, "The link between the Thieves and Kamoshida is undeniable at this point, so Nikolai is aware of Kamoshida's true nature, and he likely intends to exploit this fact."

"What is he going to do with him?" Ann asked.

"We don't know," Sam interjected, "And we don't want to find out. That's where the Phantom Thieves come in."

"What do you want with us?" I asked.

"It's simple," Sam went on, "Nikolai has a Palace. Since interrogating the real man is out of the question, his cognition is the only place we can safely gather intel. Our limited tools still struggle to combat cognitive beings, but the Phantom Thieves could easily infiltrate such a place."

"So," Ryuji interrupted, "You want us to do your job for ya, is that it?"

Samuel swallowed. "Essentially."

I stared directly at our host. "And if we refuse?"

A minor sigh could barely be heard from Sam's mouth. "Then…" He glanced uncomfortably to the side. "Then you all go home, and I will shortly tender my resignation as director of Metaverse operations."

"What?" Makoto suddenly spoke up, "You're quitting?"

Sam slumped in his seat as attention focus on him. "I'm out of options at this point. And the Metaverse business isn't exactly good for my health."

Ryuji shook his head. "You tryin' to make us feel bad? That ain't gonna work."

Akechi responded. "Samuel is correct. Unfortunately, USEI operatives have no experience using the few artificial Personas we have. The Phantom Thieves are the only skilled Persona users we know of."

"So that's it?" My fingers steadily drummed on the table. "You're just going to let this guy have Kamoshida?"

Samuel scoffed, a snide grin breaking his composure. "You think I give a shit what Nikolai does to some rapist from Japan? I don't, and I know none of you do." He scowled at us, but I remained steadfast. "No, the problem is that Nikolai is a madman and a Metaverse expert!" Sam's voice rapidly escalated until it reverbed off the walls behind me. "He wouldn't just break a piece of trash like Kamoshida out of prison for no reason! He's planning something, and I'll be damned if I stand by while that happens!"

Sam struggled to his feet, a sheen of sweat suddenly appearing on his face. He shakily wiped the sweat away as he glanced warily at each of us. After wetting his lips, Sam spoke to Makoto though his eyes drifted elsewhere. "Miss Niijima," his words were interspersed with heavy breathing, "You may set your friends in a hotel for today. They have a little time to make their decision." He snapped Excalibur's case shut, tucking it into his jacket, and then he parted from the table. Sam paused briefly at the door, thinking better of his rapid departure. He turned solemn eyes toward us and said, "I apologize for the suddenness of my request, but we really do need you." He inhaled as his gaze faltered. "Please consider my offer." And with those words, Sam was gone.

Ryuji turned to me. "Am I missing something here? I thought he woulda threatened us or something."

Makoto sighed. "I'm sorry about that. He's been acting more unstable lately."

Flustered, Ann added. "He seemed like he really wanted our help."

"Yes, he's…" Makoto sighed again though I sensed some pity behind her ashamed tone, "He's worked up some mad theory that Nikolai is going to use the Metaverse to brainwash the entire world."

Ryuji spun around. "Woah! For real? That's super serious!" Ann covered her face with her palm.

Makoto didn't flinch, instead adopting an educative voice. "Ryuji, you're not supposed to take it seriously. Sam's just become obsessed with his Metaverse research, and well… Nikolai is dangerous."

"Indeed. He needs your help," Akechi added.

"Oh, God!" Ann cried, "I keep forgetting that Akechi is here."

I thought I heard the computer sigh. "Everyone does, heh," Akechi replied, "After all, I'm just a tool to these government agents."

I turned to Akechi. "Still a tool even in death I see."

"Damn," Ryuji whispered.

Akechi chuckled. "I do hope you'll decide to join us. I think it'd be an enlightening experience for the both of us."

"Hey, Akechi," Ryuji interjected, "You know what kind of food they serve in a secret base like this?"

The gleaming red eye shifted to Ryuji, and I also peeked at my friend. "Hmm, Samuel often brings snacks into the labs, but I can't say I'm familiar with the menu. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, no reason." Ryuji shrugged. "Just wonderin' if they serve pancakes."

"Ugh." Ann buried her face in her hands.

"Huh, interesting," Akechi replied, "Sam has been maintaining a high carbohydrate diet lately, so I wouldn't be surprised to find such fine delicacies on the menu."

I shook my head. "He's messing with you."

Ryuji smiled. "Hey, I was just…" Makoto's hand slapped onto Ryuji's face before he could continue.

"Not another word out of you," she insisted, "Not until we leave the base."

"So, Sam mentioned a hotel," Ann inquired, "Do you have somewhere for us to stay?"

Makoto gradually released Ryuji's bewildered face. "This is short notice, but we should be able to find something nearby. I could use the time outside anyways."

Ann nodded. "Yeah, I need some time to register all this information."

Feeling adequately bombarded with revelations, I also had a desire for a break. "Lead the way, Makoto."

With a calming smile, she said, "Alright, follow me."

The three of us trailed after Makoto, exiting the lonely conference room one by one. Being the last to leave the room, I glanced at the dimly lit table. The chairs were unceremoniously displaced, but the bulky computer was still fixed at the table's end. Akechi's red ocular vaguely traced my motions, and as I left the room, I heard a quiet, "See you soon, Joker."

I sat in complete darkness, sensing the trembling reverbs in the vehicle underneath me. The bizarre tension of our silent drive cemented my displaced mentality. I awaited a sudden rush of air to jerk me back to my French hotel room, only to vaguely remember the details of the previous hour. However, that rushing realization never came. Instead, I heard Ryuji impatiently picking at his teeth, and the repeated clicking as Makoto signaled a turn.

Accompanied by a jolt of acceleration in our car, Makoto said, "Alright, you can remove your blindfolds."

I peeled the black fabric from my face. Apart from the beige interior of the SUV, I noticed the sparse, brown landscape with tall, rocky hills covering the horizon.

Rather than admire our new surroundings, Ryuji began to interrogate the latest member of our party. "Hey, how come you don't have to wear a blindfold?" He addressed Makoto.

I could no longer distinguish Makoto's laugh from her abrasive scoff. "Because I already work for Samuel," she said.

"Man, how can you work for that guy anyways? He seems crazy."

"Well, the way I see it," Makoto replied, "The Metaverse will exist with or without us, so it's our duty as Persona users to protect it from those who would use it to fulfill their dark desires. Besides, Sam might be a bit unhinged, but at least he can keep a secret."

Ryuji frowned. "Was that supposed to hurt my feelings? Cause I don't care how many good traits your boss has, I haven't tried to kill anyone."

Makoto paused, clearly bothered by Ryuji's harsh words. "It was just an accident. Excalibur is an unstable Persona."

Ann, who was sitting beside Makoto, sighed heavily. "He didn't exactly apologize."

Ryuji shook his head, tempering his irritation while Makoto winced uncomfortably. We all sat in cumbersome silence for a moment. Exhaling, Makoto's posture sagged. "I'm sorry."

As he slumped into his seat, Ryuji crossed his arms. "Nah, it's not your fault… forget it."

Following the minor spat, we quieted. I took the opportunity to examine the passing cars backdropped by a cool blue skyline. The others also gradually noticed the vast open fields, and Ann soon brought a pressing question into the conversation. "Hey, Makoto," she began, "Where exactly are we?"

"This is Nevada," Makoto replied, "Southwest United States."

Ryuji looked up to the clear skies. "Uh, anyone else wondering how the hell we got here?"

"Honestly," Ann added, "I hadn't even thought about it."

"Yeah, this whole day's been a huge information overload." Ryuji slumped his head against the back of the driver's seat. "I could really use Morgana's help to explain all this shit."

Hearing Ryuji's words, a haphazard chuckle emerged from my mouth. I said, "We left the cat in France," and everybody released some apprehensive laughter.

Morgana paced frantically around the cramped apartment. A fearful panic had set upon him, increasing exponentially with every hour of isolation. Though he glanced at the door hopefully, their extended absence indicated extreme peril for his friends. Morgana knew he would be utterly useless whatever danger they found themselves. As a mere feline, he had little power against an armed attacker, and furthermore, he had yet to find his Metaverse form. Morgana had many skills, but a soldier he was not.

Morgana suddenly held his head to the floor. He pawed at his scalp helplessly. The burden of inaction tormented him without end, yet he still required a plan. With the voice of his inner rebel screaming inside him, Morgana scraped the recesses of his mind for any trace of hope. He could not suffer a failure here.

He imagined the hideous wails of his friends: Panther crying in pain; Skull's breath failing; Joker stark, raving mad. Mona's mind bucked, filling with pain until a soft, quiet noise slinked into her ears. "Morgana…" Morgana opened his eyes and glanced around the still room. "Morgana," a distance voice called to him from somewhere far, far away.

Abruptly, the electronic lock on the door buzzed, and Morgana shot into an upright position. The agitated voice of Phillip miraculously calmed his nerves. "How did you get to Nevada?" Phil trudged into the apartment, glancing only once at the downtrodden cat. He opened the closet to immediately retrieve a suitcase. Morgana also noted he was talking over his phone. "Ann, that doesn't make any sense. What's going on?" Hearing his friend's name, Mona ran to Phillip's side. "What do you mean you were kidnapped!?"

Morgana contemplated what he was hearing while Phillip listened. Mona mumbled, "What happened?"

"Uhuh," Phillip sighed as he looked down at Morgana, "Why did they bring the cat anyways?" Ann replied, and he shook his head. "Yes, I'm sure many cat owners are friends with their cats, but that doesn't mean you bring them on an international trip."

Mona sighed. "Why did I have to be left with this guy?"

Phil continued mumbling agreements until he said, "I told you they would be trouble." He flinched. "Don't hiss at me! They're the ones who got you into this mess." Phillip tucked his phone between his shoulder and ear as he perused the various dresser drawers. "Um, no, I'm not going to be nicer to them. Being mean is my best quality."

Mona sat in amazement. "Wow, this guy's sassier than…"

"Really, Ann?" Phil continued, "Ugh, fine." He tilted his head toward Morgana and began speaking in a belittling tone. "Ann says, they're fine, and you are coming with Phillip to Nevada."

Mona stared bitterly at his newfound caretaker. He shouted back, "Ann, your agent's a moron!"

Phil returned his attention to his phone. "Yeah, he says, he can't wait to hit the casinos and to get some fatty tuna ready for him."

Mona sighed, resting his dizzied head on the soft carpet. "This is gonna be a long flight."

I leaned into the wooden bench as Ryuji plopped down next to me, stretching his own arms and legs like a beetle on its back. We took a moment's rest just outside the motel Makoto had selected for our lodging. The waning sun cast deep shadows over the nearly vacant parking lot, yet the warm hues blended the grassy yard with the smooth asphalt. Despite the pleasant scenery and my fatigued mind, the unyielding heat of this alien country prevented me from nodding off.

Ryuji, however, had fortunate apathy for the distressing environment, fully committed to his peculiar thinking. "Today's been one hell of a day," he remarked.

I glanced wearily at him while I wiped some newfound sweat from my brow. "It's been insane."

My friend aimlessly examined the lot, only pausing to address me. "What do you think? Can we trust Sam?"

I shook my head. "No, not yet…"

"Hmm, so you think he might be tellin' the truth?"

I thought for a moment as I watched a large bird pass overhead. "Probably, but I don't trust him enough to work with him."

Ryuji nodded. "Hmm, it's too much for me. I mean, this guy's just makin' Personas, plus he's got robo-Akechi, then he needs our help for some reason. Ugh, it doesn't make any sense; it's hurtin' my brain!" He raked his fingers across his dumbfounded face.

"Pff," I let out a dry laugh, "Well, don't think about it so much."

Ryuji settled into his seat with a forceful grunt. "You're right," he replied somberly, "We should talk about something else." He cocked his head sideways before finding a new baffling topic to distract himself. "So, are you and Ann, like, a thing now?"

"What?" I was uncertain I had heard him correctly.

"Or!" Ryuji continued, "Or… are you gonna get in with Makoto now that we're here?"

"What are you…?"

"Wait! Don't tell me you've been dating Haru the whole time!" Ryuji shoved a finger at me, his crazed face causing me to pull back.

I glared sternly at him as I pushed his hand away. "Ryuji, you better shut up before I give you another broken leg."

Ryuji chuckled. "Aw, you're no fun," he insisted with a smile, "I'd play along if you asked me who I was dating."

I stared flatly at my brash friend. "That's because you're single."

"Heh, that's what you think," the haughty Ryuji said, "I've got girls eyeing me all the time. I'm hot merchandise."

I pressed my glasses inward, uninterested by Ryuji's bragging. "Mhm."

His smile faded as he turned to me. "You don't believe me, do you?"

"Not at all."

"I swear, dude. Just the other day, the receptionist girl in our hotel was givin' me the look."

I smiled. "Well, you had better thank Ann for buying all your clothes."

Ryuji suddenly looked disappointed with me. "God, I'm never talking to you again after this."

Thankfully, Ann exited the motel at that time to save our conversation. "Hey, guys. I just got off the phone with Phillip. He's going to bring Mona and all our stuff over tomorrow."

Ryuji sighed. "Was that really necessary? I mean, we don't know if we'll be around much longer."

Ann seated herself beside me. "Well, Makoto said we've got a couple days to make our final decision, so we might as well be prepared."

Ryuji shook his head in dismay. "Great, so, now I'm not only going to be dealing with psycho Sam but also that asshat Phillip."

I chuckled. "What is with you and not getting along with everybody?"

Ryuji glared at me. "I was getting along fine with you until just a minute ago."

Ann released a calm sigh before she asked, "What'd you do this time, Ryuji?"

Ryuji sat up straight. "I was just asking the important questions. Speaking of which, Ann, are you dating someone?"

Ann stretched out her pale legs in the golden sunlight. "Why? You lookin' for a pity date?"

Ryuji snorted. "No…" He shook his head. "It's been a while, so I'm just wondering if you've got a boyfriend."

"No…" Ann flashed a coy smile, "But there's someone I'm interested in."

Sensing a ploy, I neglected Ann's words; nevertheless, Ryuji's ears perked up. "Oh? Well, ya gotta tell us about the guy now."

Ann lightly pressed a finger to her lips. "Well," she began, "For starters, he's always got a fierce look of determination in his eyes."

Ryuji tilted his head. "Uh, okay…"

"And…" Blush appeared in Ann's cheeks as she gently caressed her face. "…he's always kind and gentle."

"Hmm, right…"

Ann pressed her hands against her legs and curled her fingers. "And he's got lush, black, matted hair."

"Uhuh…" Ryuji's eyes flicked towards me.

Ann squeezed her own sides as she stared longingly into the distance. "And I love the way he meows at me."

As I ineffectively held back my laughter, Ryuji stared blankly at Ann. "What!?" he shouted, "Is this some kinda sick joke?" His disgusted face was marred by his gaping mouth.

Ann beamed at him. "I dunno, but your face is pretty funny." She giggled, and I chucked too.

A grumbling noise resounded from our friend as Ryuji slumped back into the bench. "Why are you guys so lame?" A jingle then returned our attention to the motel entrance. Makoto appeared from the entryway with a dangling key in hand. Ryuji brightened considerably upon seeing her. "Hey Makoto, do you have a…?"

"Don't even ask." Makoto incapacitated the discussion before it could even begin.

Ann snickered. "I think we've all outgrown Ryuji's antics."

Ryuji huffed dismissively at her remark. "Yeah right. You guys are just a bunch of babies pretendin' to be all mature, but I've embraced my true nature."

"You should embrace some self-control," Makoto replied.

"No way!" Ryuji evaded all rebuttals with ease. "Besides, you guys would miss me if I started actin' all formal."

I shrugged. "I dunno. I think we might need to test that theory."

Ryuji attempted to conceal his smile with a flimsy frown. "You traitor!"

Makoto shook her head. "Anyway, here's your room key." She held out the lanyard.

Getting up from the bench, I took the small key in my palm. Ann also got up, saying, "Aw, you mean you're not staying with us?"

Makoto chuckled softly, her pleasant smile reminding me of her permanent connection with us. "No, I am still required for research on the base even though it looks like our operation will soon be ending."

I couldn't understand what those words meant literally, but I did understand that she had an obligation. A nostalgic smile lit my face. "You really believe in this cause, huh?"

Her face was blank yet stern as she contemplated a response. "We never stopped being Phantom Thieves, you know?" She stared at us with hopeful reminiscence. "Nobody forced us to quit. Our powers may have disappeared, but that was never what being a Phantom Thief was about." Her wistful talk suddenly turned to an impassioned appeal. "To allow people like Nikolai, or Samuel even, to exploit those same powers while we know it… Well, that would be worse than quitting."

I stared in silence at Makoto, but Ann shuffled her feet, visibly bothered by the tense situation. Abruptly, a burst of color entered Makoto's cheeks, and she glanced away from us in shame. "I- I'm sorry. That was too abrupt of me." I kept my eyes on her, but no one responded. "I…" she glanced warily at me, "I have to go." I nodded to her before Makoto swiveled from us.

As our friend departed to her vehicle, Ryuji finally got off the bench and stood beside me. "Why is it that when Makoto is around, I always end up feelin' like a shitty person?"

Downcast, Ann quietly added, "This isn't how I imagined us reuniting…"

I shook my head in amusement. "You guys should relax."

"Relax? Wait a minute…" Ryuji's eyes suddenly doubled in size. "Isn't Las Vegas in Nevada!?"

Ann glanced quizzically at him. "I'm surprised you knew that…"

"Aw, hell yeah!" Ryuji shouted, "This gonna be even better than Paris!"