"Lavenza!" said Ren, stepping from his cell.
She laughed lightly, like wind-chimes. "You remember my name? I thought you might call me Caroline or Justine."
"Why am I here? What's happened?"
"You won the game! That's what happened. That hasn't changed."
"Oh," Ren relaxed slightly. "I thought the Velvet Room was gone already."
"It was. Now, It's been recreated- but only briefly. Just long enough for this conversation."
"Igor?"
"He may only appear when he is needed, and his mission is ended. I, however, was allowed to return, as a show of favor... of the gratitude felt towards you by That which made Igor, and through Igor, myself."
"What is That?"
"I was sent to give you a final message..." Lavenza continued, pointedly ignoring Ren's question. "A reminder."
Ren opened his mouth to speak, but Lavenza put a finger over her lips. Ren stopped.
"Time is short. There will be a brief moment for questions. I won't be able to answer any of them. But you may ask. Before that: here is your reminder:'
Lavenza's eyes glowed with greater intensity. She said:
"The game is over. The world is remade and the people are free. Yet, Fate still weaves, but it knows not where. All that can be, shall be the result of your cognition."
"That's it?" Ren gaped at her. "What does that mean?"
Lavenza giggled. "I knew that would be your first question. But you have to figure it out for yourself. Worry not. You won't forget the message. You can't."
"Are we supposed to use our powers?"
"That is for you to decide."
"Can we still trigger a change of heart without the Metaverse?"
"That is for you to discover."
"What am I- are we, supposed to do?"
"Whatever you desire."
Suddenly the room, the desk, the carpet, and Lavenza herself shone with bright light and turned rainbow chromatic.
"It appears we are out of time," she said sadly. "We will never see each other again."
She was dissolving into rainbow streams like the rest of the Velvet Room. She gazed up at him with warm affection.
"Wait!" said Ren, "Is Goro Akechi alive? Is he still the avatar of Yaldabaoth?"
Lavenza didn't answer, instead she bowed deeply, the dissolving floor of the Velvet Room clearly visible through her fading torso. She straightened. Her expression was that of a worried mother saying goodbye to her child.
"Goodbye, Trickster. I hope your existence is a bright one."
And she was gone.
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Ren jolted awake. The bright sun of a young morning was flowing in from the window. Makoto had rolled in the night. She was on her back next to him, her head turned away from him. Even the shape of her turned neck was beautiful, as was the attached shoulder.
As if feeling his eyes on her, she stirred in her sleep and awoke. Her eyes opened, collected information from the room, and then her head turned to look at him. She smiled. "Morning," she said.
"I was in the Velvet Room again last night."
She sat up. "What? I thought it was gone."
"Me too. Listen. This is what I was told." He advised Makoto of the message he received from Lavenza.
"Yet, Fate still weaves, but it knows not where," Makoto said to herself. "All that can be, shall be the result of your cognition…. It sounds almost like a riddle about the remade world."
"Yeah, but I've never been given a riddle before- its always just been cryptic warnings. I don't think the pattern would suddenly change."
"But a warning of wh- wha- what?..." Makoto's face broke into a wide yawn. She stretched both her arms and legs. One of her knees pushed out and knocked into Ren's raging morning erection. He flinched, she flinched.
"Again?" she said, and blushed. 'And you're sure that also happens on mornings when I'm not with you?"
"Very sure, yes, but not every morning. Just- a lot of mornings."
"And it's normal?"
"As far as I know."
"The male body is so weird."
"Weird?"
"Yes. Weird." she looked at her phone. "It's almost eight. Go cool off in the shower and let's get ready to meet everyone for breakfast."
That wasn't exactly what Ren had hoped to do this morning, but Makoto clearly was not in the romantic mood. And then Ren remembered it was training day today, and he leapt from the bed and headed towards the shower, his engorged organ pointing the way.
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The Phantom Thieves met for breakfast in the pizza restaurant, which apparently also featured all-purpose dining for breakfast and lunch and non-pizza options for dinner. Western and Japanese breakfast items were in plentiful supply, so everyone ordered up something to their fancy- yogurt and granola for Ann ("I have a shoot tomorrow, after all."), and then she spent half the meal staring longingly at Haru's fruit crepes. Makoto, Ren, and Yusuke went with a traditional set- grilled fish, rice, soup, and pickled veggie sides. Ryuji devoured a bacon omelette, while Futaba buried a plate of french toast under an avalanche of powdered sugar.
During a lull in conversation, Ren stood from his seat- his movement gathering the attention of the team. "I want us all to train today. We will hike to some secluded spot and get to work. Any objections?"
No one spoke up. "Then it seems unanimous, unless Morgana objects. Let's leave in 30 minutes."
"Where is Morgana, anyway?" asked Futaba, her shirt powdered with sugar.
"He spent last night in the woods," said Ren, "Which reminds me, I need to get him breakfast and let him know the plan. Excuse me."
Ren brought a grilled fish out of the restaurant and walked into the parking lot. Near where they met last night, a black cat was lounging in the morning sun. Its ears radar-dished in Ren's direction as he approached and the cat yawned awake. "Morning."
Morgana wolfed down the offered fish.
"Did you find any open but secluded areas we could use for training?"
"Mmm, most of it is pretty thick, but near the top of the mountain there is a sort of grassy clearing that would work perfectly for that."
In short order, the Phantom Thieves were following a cat up the side of the mountain from the resort. It was not exactly a strenuous hike, but was looking to take some time.
"By the way, Futaba," Ren said, when she drew near him on the hike. "How is the Akechi thing progressing?"
"I have the core data from NTT and KDDI. I remoted into my PC last night and set those running. It's doing Softbank right now. The minor networks all use the infrastructure from one of those three, so he should be in there somewhere. Once the last data library is mine. Then I need to write the script which will search those records for the locations and times we want. I should be done in two days."
"And they won't detect your information download?"
"No. I could explain how. But would you even understand it?"
"No. But even without hearing it, I know you're amazing, Alibaba."
"Duh."
They hiked in silence for a time. Then Ren remembered he needed to tell them all about the Velvet Room. He shared everything that Lavenza said, and he delivered the warning to them as it was delivered to him. The faces of the Phantom Thieves became pensive as they walked still upwards.
"All that can be, shall be the result of your cognition…" Haru said to herself. "That sounds like it's talking about the remaking. But Makoto already figured that out."
"What's the point in telling us what we already know?" said Ryuji.
"I don't think they would," said Ann, "It's cryptic. It's just like in stories when the hero gets help from a magical force, but it can't act directly, and the advice is always kind of a mystery."
"You're talking about the latin term 'Dues ex machina'," said Makoto, "or in English, and then to Japanese, 'god from the machine'."
"Oh man," said Ryuji, "She never passes up an opportunity."
Makoto would not be deterred this time. "However, the more informative way of saying it, in my opinion, would be 'the machinery of god.' A god's way of influencing its world. Mostly, it's used in fictional stories to alter or drive the plotline. However, I suppose the Velvet Room qualifies as an example of it in the real world. Our own Deus ex machina."
"Or at least it used to," said Ren. "One thing that Lavenza said was clear and direct: she said I would never see her again. So, whatever the Velvet Room was, it's safe to assume it's over for good. All of it. We're on our own now. There's no one to save us, but us."
The Phantom Thieves mulled that over as they continued their climb under an empty sky.
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The sun was getting high when they finally arrived at a mostly open clearing near the very apex of the mountain. The hike had taken a little less than an hour. It was certainly remote. The mountain on the side of the resort was sheer, but a little back away from the resort, it was a smooth climb, like the mountain was a giant ramp of rock going up into the sky. One just had to snake up a bit to get on the main part of the ramp. The lower areas of the mountain were clogged with vegetation and trees, but the higher points were a bit more rocky and grassy, likely due to years and years of wind scraping away topsoil near the top.
The group moved towards the cliff face and looked down at the roof of the resort, about 100 meters below them. Most of the north side of the clearing was pretty steep, too. You wouldn't free fall like you would right over the resort, but you would certainly roll very fast and have a hard time stopping. The rest of the compass rose varied between easy walking and strenuous hiking in terms of steepness. The clearing itself was about 50 meters in all directions. A perfect amount of space.
Ren turned towards the gathered team. "I'm sure you all knew what I was talking about in the restaurant. We need to learn how to use our personas. With Akechi in the wind, the ability to use our powers as we did before may become a matter of life or death at any time. "
The group was quiet and serious.
"Yusuke, why don't you try what you did at the beach again," suggested Ren.
"Very well," said Yusuke.
The tall, lanky young man stepped to the fore of them, stared intently at the clearing.
"Susano-O! Bufulu!" he yelled.
Nothing happened.
"Try envisioning the drowning kid?" Suggested Ann.
Yusuke shouted again. Again nothing happened.
"What about that ninja kids anime where they make weird hand gestures to cast spells," suggested Ryuji.
"Don't be stupid," said Morganna, "We don't live in a cartoon."
"Says the talking cat!" countered Ryuji.
"Ryuji has a point," said Ren, "We should try everything we can think of. Our own ideas, things from movies, cartoons, manga, whatever. Remember, all of this is oriented around cognition, and the stereotypes of fantasy do affect how people cognitize their own worlds."
"Let's split up a bit and all do whatever we can think of," suggested Makoto, "that might be the best way to try lots of different things, and then we can compare notes,"
They all agreed and walked to different parts of the mountain clearing.
Ren staked his territory and turned away from his friends. If he accidently got it right, he didn't want to blast one of them with whatever he ended up doing. First he tried the mask-removing move that had worked in the Metaverse. "Arsene!" he shouted.
Nothing.
He'd expected that, since Ann had tried something similar in the hotel room yesterday morning. Then Ren tried filling his mind with the image of Arsene. Nothing. Next he thought about shooting dark energy from his hands. Nothing. What about visualising a movement of energy through his body and out of his hands? Nothing. Maybe a movement of energy from him, to Arsene? Nothing. Energy from him, to Arsene, and then into an attack. Nothing. He tried as many other variations and ideas and he could think of. Meanwhile, the sun rose higher into the sky.
Frustrated, he sighed and looked around the clearing. Ryuji was trying the hand symbols idea, tangling his fingers in weird positions and shouting nonsense words. Haru seemed to be meditating. Yusuke was moving his arms about kind of like he was doing Tai Chi. Makoto was intermittently standing still and then pantomiming getting on a motorcycle. Morgana was waving his tail in weird patterns and jumping. He then scratched his neck with a rear leg, but Ren doubted that was related to trying to use a persona. Futaba was cupping her hands together and yelling in gradually increasing volume and pitch. Ann was holding her arms out and twirling, head back, eyes closed- Ren suspected she was envisioning that parts of her clothing were transforming piece by piece on a celestial background.
"Anyone felt anything at all?" shouted Ren.
All negative shouts came back.
Makoto's phone rang. "Oh, its sis." She took the call, wandering off across the field to talk.
The sun was starting its descent, and it seemed none of them were any closer to figuring out how to command their persona at will. Ren returned to trying various things, but after a little while, he realized he was retrying stuff that had already failed. He was out of ideas.
"Guys!" shouted Makoto, "Sae has good news!"
Everyone gathered around her in the center of the field.
"Shido finally going down the tubes?" asked Ryuji, sarcasm plain on his voice.
"Yes!" said Makoto.
Everyone perked up.
"What changed?" asked Ann.
"The Diet moved against Shido! A faction led by Toranosuke Yoshida forced through an action to formally order the SIU to investigate Shido and all those linked with him. Sae didn't go into specifics, but apparently Yoshida's faction played it so that there isn't any way to stop it. AND The Diet is attacking the corrupt members of the judiciary! The legislative schedule already has some pro-Shido judges being set up for formal inquiries."
"What about the Prime Minister and the executive?" asked Yusuke.
Makoto looked towards him. "Shido was the man gearing up to replace him! So the Prime Minister is taking advantage of this moment by paving the way for the Yoshida faction to tear Shido's group apart! To top it all off, since the current acting SIU-director is suspected of being with Shido, he's been removed. Since Sae was the only one previously maintaining pressure to investigate Shido's shadow group: the Diet specifically appointed my sister to the acting post!"
The group cheered. Even Ryuji, Ann, and Morganna, who probably didn't fully understand the way the government worked, but they could recognize the victory of having Niijima Sae, their firm ally, at the head of the special investigations unit. It was an unexpected and most welcome windfall.
"I thought your sister was a defense attorney now," said Ren, "She left the prosecutor's office and the SIU."
"Yoshida made her the offer directly and she accepted. She -is- the SIU now."
"Isn't Yoshida the man you met while working at the beef bowl shop?" Ryuji asked Ren.
"Yes. The man who always gave speeches in Shibuya Station Square. He was elected into the legislature at the same time as Shido."
"Sae says we still need to keep quiet, but she already tossed out everyone in SIU that she knows is dirty, and is filling her team with good people. Tomorrow or the day after, she will begin handing out the orders that start hooking people in. It ending! It's finally ending!"
Everyone except Ren cheered.
Ren felt conflicted emotions. It was a huge change in their favor, but when his mind tried to think about whether Akechi is really gone, he didn't feel that weight lift from his shoulders. If anything, this development had made that weight heavier. He felt even stronger that this training of theirs was imperative.
"That's excellent news, Makoto- but let's not lose focus on our task now- we need to learn how to use our powers as soon as we can."
Faces fell. They were all discouraged from an entire morning of failure. None of them had managed to push out even the hint of a persona or its powers.
"But with Shido finally going down, aren't we permanently safe?" asked Haru.
"There's still Akechi." said Ren.
Everyone else shared looks. A lot of those looks then traveling to Makoto. Ren realized that was because they viewed her as an influence over him. Ren started to feel anger burn inside him. They didn't believe him. He could understand why, but how could he convince them he was right? He was right! He knew he was right.
"This feels like victory," he said, "It feels like the adults are finally cleaning their attic of the filth of Shido, but cleaning time is when all the roaches come out. Alechi is a mukade. He's out there, and he is going to crawl out with the rest of them."
"Ren…" Makoto started.
"He's alive!" Ren shouted. Makoto's eyes went wide, everyone else flinched slightly, staring at him. Angry shouting was not in their cognition of Ren Amamiya. "It doesn't matter what you all think, or what you want to believe! I'm telling you, Goro Akechi is out there, and he wants us dead! If we are not ready for him, we are all going to die!"
The hilltop was silent. Everyone was averting their gazes from him. Ren felt his anger dissipate, and be replaced by shame.
"I'm sorry, everyone. I need a moment." He left them and walked uphill from the clearing, aimlessly, but subconsciously desiring a vantage point- his feet taking him to the cliff's edge at the top of the hill.
Ren gazed out off the edge, the shining silver roofs of the resort a hundred meters directly below, and the town and the sea spread further down and away. The distant coast of the other side of the bay was a shadow on the horizon. He was ashamed of himself for blowing up like that. He'd never done that before. He turned to look back at his friends, they were still sitting in their circle, looking at him with worried expressions, then Ren realized they were not looking at him, but watching Makoto. She was striding up the small hill towards him- shoulders slightly forward, fists clenched, long angry strides causing her skirt to bounce in a steady rhythm over her black leggings.
Uh-oh, thought Ren.
"I'm sorry, Makoto." said Ren, as she approached. She stopped before him, fists still clenched. Her jaw was tight, teeth together, slightly bared over a snarl, her eyes narrow under scrunched brows. Ren said: "I shouldn't ha-"
"Shut up." said Queen, eyes blazing.
Ren shut up.
"You didn't even wait to hear what I had to say. You just assumed I was going to disagree with you, and acted like a moron in front of everyone. I believe you! Of course I believe you! Why wouldn't I?! We've been through so much! But when you cut me off like that, I felt like I was in front of Principal Kobayakawa again, being told off like the perfect little schoolgirl I used to be! I never wanted to feel that way again, and you should be the last fucking person to make me feel that way!" Her rage burned into him. Ren stared right back into it with regret written on his face. If he looked away, he was lost. Finally, after what felt like an eternity to Ren, she closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.
"I'm sorry." Ren said again. It was all he could do.
She opened her eyes again, they were still angry, but much less so. "I know you are, Ren. I'm just realizing now our friends are watching us have this… whatever this is. Fight? I guess? So now I'm also a little angry and embarrassed at myself, too. This wasn't the result I imagined when I marched over here."
Something in Ren's mind clicked. "The result you imagined…." he said, half to himself. The message from Lavenza played in his mind. Ren said: "All that can be, shall be the result of your cognition."
"The message from the Velvet Room?" said Makoto.
"I think you just figured it out."
"Eh?"
Ren turned and looked for a small plant. He didn't know what persona he could summon, but he figured he should try Arsene first. Arsene cursed things. He needed a target. He sighted a small weedy bush.
"It's not talking about the world being remade from cognition. We, rather you, figured that out already, before I went to the Velvet Room again. The message is saying -what's possible to do- is from the result of our cognition."
Makoto still had a confused look on her face.
"I'm not explaining it well. Here. Watch."
Ren looked back at the unlucky plant. And rather than imagine himself shooting dark energy from his hands, or summoning some spirit, he filled his mind with the image of that same bush, but decayed and dying. Then he said: "Arsene! Eiha!"
He felt the familiar surge of energy bubble through his body. Makoto gasped, her eyes looking above and behind Ren, and in front of Ren, the plant decayed and died before his eyes.
"Yes!" said Makoto. "Arsene was there!
"You try."
"I don't want to use mine. What if I give us cancer?"
It was a scary thing to consider.
"Doesn't your persona have some non-nuclear options? But what about just the bike then? I suppose that's a good start."
"Ok…what do I do?"
"Don't think about making a bike appear. Imagine yourself already on a bike, riding, the wind in your hair, the vibration of its engine. Fill your mind with the result you want, not the steps to get there- and then call it."
Makoto closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then said, "Johanna!"
Ren watched a ghostly, blue gunmetal motorcycle flicker into existence next to Makoto's legs. Instinctually, Makoto leapt onto the seat, and the motorcycle solidified into existence. Makoto revved the engine. The resulting roar had their friends leaping to their feet, their faces full of surprised and excited smiles.
Makoto looked at Ren and smiled. "I thought I'd never get to ride her again." Then her smile turned a bit wicked. In a smooth motion, she popped up the kickstand, manipulated the clutch and the hand brake, and revved Johanna up hard. The front tire held firm while the back tire spun rapidly in a stationary skid, which Makoto then shoved sidewise so that the spinning tire blasted Ren with mud, dirt, stones, and grass. He put up his arms to protect his face as Makoto released the brake and shot off down the clearing to the cheers of the rest of the Phantom Thieves.
Ren watched her ride around the clearing while wiping off as much mud from his clothing as he could. Fair enough.
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The sun was well on its way back down towards the sea, but the Phantom Thieves were still hard at work atop the mountain. It was Ren's turn to start the rock toss. He hefted a palm-sized stone, and underhand threw it towards Morgana the cat.
"Zorro!" yelled Morgana, "Garu!
A sudden burst of wind caught the stone and sent it shooting into the sky.
"Kidd! Zio!"
"Carmen! Agi!"
"Goemon! Bufu!"
"Milady! Triple Down!"
"Johanna! Vajra Blast!"
A lightning bolt, a fireball, an ice ball, three bullets, and a shimmer of kinetic force shot out at the flying stone- and all missed completely. Their aim still left a lot to be desired, but it had been hours since any one of them had failed to produce their desired effect. They'd also learned they can freely choose between their two persona forms (except Ren, who appeared to only control Arsene), and that, just like in the Metaverse, casting a lot of abilities made them all uniquely tired. Having neglected bringing lunch and water was also likely a factor in their fatigue.
Ren stood and looked at his friends- all of them were breathing a bit heavily after that round of spells. All were starting to develop rings under their eyes. Whatever reserves of power they required to cast these abilities, it appeared to be just about spent. Ren was pleased to his core. They were Phantom Thieves again, and more than just in name- their personas were available just as they used to be.
"Let's head back to the resort and hit the onsen," he told them.
Ann's head fell. "I forgot that we have to hike all the way back down again."
"Could we ride down on Futaba's spaceship?" wondered Yusuke.
"Ohh, sure!" said Futaba with a croaky voice. She's been chanting augment spells for hours.
"I like that idea," said Haru.
"Or Makoto's bike," said Morgana.
"I couldn't balance well enough," said Makoto.
"No, let's walk," said Ren. "The last thing we need is to have Futaba start some UFO conspiracies with her persona."
"You suck, Amamiya," said Ryuji.
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The hike down sapped the last bit of stamina the team had, but the promise of an onsen revived them- and there was some spring in their steps as they hurried to their rooms for the extra clothing they needed for the bathe.
The standard rooms of the resort shared a communal onsen on the first level. It was on the northern side of the floor, where hot water from the spring, wherever that actually was, was funnelled into communal baths. Ren doubted a legitimate hot spring existed here, but hot water from a tank felt just as good as far as he was concerned. The complex was gender seperated, so they split as was required.
A thorough scrub in the washing area felt good on its own, and with an eye to really up the impact of the first onsen dip, Ren performed his final rinse with ice cold water. Shivering, he headed for the main onsen and stepped onto the entrance step. Already the fuzzy tingling burn of the hot water promised an exhilarating experience. He was the only person in this section of the onsen, so he treated himself to noisy and sudden dip up to his neck. The tingling heat broiled over his body and he sighed in pleasure, the fatigue seeming to melt away in the hot water. He settled against the wall and stretched out, eyes closed.
He heard the door open.
"Yusuke," said Ryuji, "Ren's down in this one."
"Ah."
They splashed into the pool and settled in with sighs of pleasure.
"Man," sighed Ryuji, "This feels great. I haven't felt so tired in months. Feels like the aftermath of an infiltration."
Ren heard some water move near him. He opened his eyes. Yusuke's face was very close and looking directly at him. They stared at one another for a silent moment.
"Something on your mind, Yusuke?"
"Yes. Tell me about the act of sex."
Ren stared at him without reacting. He turned his head. Ryuji had heard the question and moved over, his face a mask of curiosity, too.
Ren closed his eyes and retreated under the water. He'd known this conversation was coming at some point, as he was aware he was the leader of new frontiers amongst his friends. A battle of emotions raged in him briefly- on one side, embarrassment and a culturally trained tendency towards privacy and modesty; on the other side, a responsibility to his teammates and friends, both whom had saved his life on multiple occasions. Would it not be weakness to avoid this subject and not answer his friends to the best of his ability? A basic fear of simple embarrassment? That was right, Ren decided, to run away would be a cowardly betrayal. He would stay and speak. So be it.
He came back to the surface. Settled against the edge of the onsen with a sigh. His two friends still staring at him.
"Okay. What do you want to know?"
"How does it feel?" asked Ryuji.
"Amazing. Soft, and wet, and warm. It's a bit overwhelming for a while, to be honest. But you get used to it, and it always feels just as good."
"How does one do it well?" asked Yusuke.
Right to the heart of the issue with a tactlessly genuine question. Ren thought about the mistakes and missteps he'd made with Makoto as they'd learned the art.
"It's something you get better at, definitely. So don't expect the first time to be amazing. It wasn't for us. Neither of us really knew what we were doing. If I could go back and do the first time again, I would spend a ton more time... playing around before actually trying to, you know, go inside. I think that would have made it better for her, and maybe some lubricant, too. She said it didn't hurt, but I could tell she wasn't enjoying it at all. The extra lubrication might still have been helpful. It really didn't go well for us, that first time. She was really uncomfortable. We stopped before really getting anywhere."
"Lubrication?"
"Yes. It's essential. The woman uh- makes it, but buying some stuff from the store can really take the guesswork out if you're unsure. Either way, I would say the most important thing is to always start slow. Take your time. Speed can always be increased. But going too fast too soon can be disastrous."
"So you got better?"
"Yes. I learned her signals. That's probably the next most important thing- pay attention to your partner. She will give signals on what works, and it won't always be so obvious as a sound- watch her face, her body movements, and if something is making her feel good, don't do something different just to look for a better reaction- just keep doing the good thing and you'll get to where both of you want to go."
Both Yusukle and Ryuji were staring at him intensely. They seemed a little surprised at the direct answer.
"Do you use condoms with Makoto?" asked Ryuji.
Ren blushed. Hearing Makoto's name made the conversation a bit more personal. But there was no reason not to speak honestly to a genuine question.
"We did. But now... No. Though, we remain protected," Ren subconsciously rubbed his bangs with the fingers on his right hand, but his wet hair was not as satisfying and he stopped. "Look, this kind of thing is really private and I can't talk about it. But I can say that we used condoms and then switched to something else for pregnancy, and our monogamy is protection against disease. Since we've only ever been with each other."
"Does Makoto like the sex that you do to her?" asked Yusuke.
Ren stared at Yusuke as his mind played him a brief fantasy of what Makoto would do to him if she found out he answered a question like that.
"Are you trying to get me killed?"
They sat in a thoughtful silence as Ren battled with himself. His social instinct as a man was rumbling and rebelling. He should not say anything, it was private, he didn't need to say anything. A man of class would say nothing. But the idea that his sexual prowess could be doubted was, in the end, too much for him to handle.
"But yes, Yusuke. She loves it."
...Meanwhile… in the female side of the onsen...
Haru, Ann, and Makoto remained lounging in the hot water. Futaba having recently declared she was bored and left for her own room. The young girl was doing better, but she still didn't have the social instinct to try and link with the other three young women. However, tonight everyone was tired enough that the absence of Futaba was a guilty sort of relief.
"Ahh, this feels so good," sighed Haru, "I haven't felt this tired since the last time we were in a Palace."
"Yeah," said Ann, "Ren kept us practicing so long. I've never seen him like that before."
Makoto sensed a question coming. She may as well head it off at the pass. "It's the Akechi thing. It's really bothering him."
"Does he know something?" asked Ann.
"Yes and no," said Makoto, "He tells you all everything he tells me. But… well you know how Ren is. He seems to perceive on a different level, you know?"
"Yeah," Haru and Ann said simultaneously.
Makoto felt a complexity of satisfaction and anger. Upon dating Ren, she'd become aware that other women desired him- that both made her proud- and irrationally territorial. She had to be careful not to lash out unreasonably. It was an almost instinctual reaction she hadn't quite figured out, and she actively tried to avoid thinking about it. Makoto searched for a way to change the subject.
"What about that Kioko girl of Ryuji's?" said Makoto.
"She's pretty," said Ann, "And I can see why they get along."
"She's loud and obnoxious," said Haru with that firm voice she'd been using more and more often.
Ann and Makoto shared a surprised look. Their eyes saying to each other: That was interesting.
Haru seemed to realize she'd just let something slip. It was her turn to seek a change of topic. "What about Yusuke's date? Did either of you talk to her? I don't even know her name."
"When we were finding votes to stay here at the resort, I found him with her on the deck," said Ann, "I think Yusuke was talking about the different emotions of the moon. I don't think the girl quite knew what to make of him."
"Intense and unabashedly genuine," said Makoto, "He's a man out of time."
Ann smiled and laid her head back on the edge of the onsen. "That is him, isn't it?"
Now Makoto and Haru shared a look.
But instead of noticing them, Ann continued to stare at the ceiling. Then she said, "What's sex like, Makoto?'
Blazing embarrassment shot through Makoto, her cheeks feeling hotter than the water they were bathing in. "What? That's such a direct question."
Ann straightened again, looking at Makoto intently. "But you know the answer. Who else can we ask?"
Haru's eyes were focused on Makoto, too.
Makoto realized not only was she the only one of them who was currently dating someone, but was the only to have had sex, and she was also older than them. In a strange epiphany, she realized she was like Sae to them. She was the older sister in this group. That was a responsibility, wasn't it? If not her, who would tell Ann and Haru these things? Makoto felt every social instinct in her body screaming for her to keep her mouth shut and change the subject- But. But these young women had fought alongside her, saved her life, helped her save Ren. She couldn't be a coward and run away out of silly schoolgirl embarrassment. Sex was a normal human thing. She had to answer the question. It was her duty.
"I've not been with anyone else of course, but with Ren, it's… it's… really amazing. I can't really describe it. But it can feel so good, it's like my body moves on its own and I'm along for the ride."
Both Ann and Haru were looking at her intensely. Blushing slightly. Makoto's own face still felt really hot.
"What about the first time?" asked Haru.
Makoto's mind went back to that night.
"Well, the first time, actually- wasn't exactly amazing. Not even close."
"Did it hurt?"
"Not really… but I know my sister's first time did quite a bit. I was worried about that a little, but it didn't happen to me. I guess it can be different for different women. So, for me, it wasn't painful, but really uncomfortable because it was new... I don't know how to explain it. It's… it was like…. a pressure... but from lots of angles at once: downward pressure, inward pressure, and also an expanding sort of pressure- and it's all a brand new feeling. Surprising and intense. That's what it's kind of like the first time. But lots of it, all at once, and.. inside you. So it's really kind of alarming."
"And I was a little embarrassed to be naked and doing it at all. Like it was somehow wrong to do. Not with Ren I mean, but in general. Like as a good girl, I wasn't supposed to be doing this thing? You know?"
The other girls nodded. They obviously hoped she would continue.
Makoto shook her head. The number of emotions she'd felt that night had been hard to process, and it was even harder to remember now. She stumbled forward.
"Anyway, he went all the way inside me, it was uncomfortable because of that pressure I was talking about- but at the same time I kinda wanted it, too? If that makes sense? My body wanted it. But Ren was watching me and he saw that I wasn't liking it, so he went back out and we stopped. I think it bothered him that I didn't like it. It was his first time, too. And I could tell he really liked it. But he was not interested in doing things that I didn't like."
"We didn't try again for a few days. We were both a little timid about touching each other, too. It almost seemed like our relationship was going to end, it felt so awkward. But he stayed Ren, and wanted to see me and talk to me.. and so, a few days later we were in his room and were kissing, and then hands were exploring, and then clothing was coming off, but we were both avoiding taking that final step, so we- um- played around for a long time. When we finally did try it again. It was much, much better. I knew what to expect, and looking back on it, I was.. Umm.. wetter... Anyway, I didn't want him to stop. I could feel that thing building, like um.. You know when you do it yourself? But more intense and I desperately wanted to get there- but- um.. Ren finished and had to stop. He still needed to learn how to control, whatever it is that men control. But then a little bit later we started again and he kept going and...it was amazing. Like in actions films, when a sequence of explosions goes off in a line? That, running all through your body."
Haru and Ann were still looking at her, silent and bit a flushed. Makoto ducked her head. Cheeks getting hot again. "Anyway, and it's gotten even better since then as we learn."
"I'm surprised you answered that question," said Ann. "I would have let you escape, you know."
Makoto sighed in dismay, putting her hands on her cheeks in the hopeless effort to cool them off. Her hands were just as hot from the water. She'd much rather have escaped, but she accomplished her duty.
"What's the most important thing you learned since then?" asked Haru.
Makoto knew the answer to this one immediately. "That telling him what to do, what was good, what was bad, was really helpful. It seems silly now, but I didn't realize at the time that he knew as little about the whole thing as I did- so being comfortable and talking to each other really started making things amazing."
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Makoto returned to the room only shortly after Ren, and they both sluggishly changed into clothing for dinner. The fatigue of the day was serious, but the onsen had certainly helped. Ren's appetite was up, and he was eager for something hearty. His stomach growled as he watched Makoto get dressed. She heard the noise and looked over, catching him staring at her.
"Pervert," she said with mock severity.
When it was the arranged time for everyone to meet for dinner, they left their room and walked through the halls of the resort towards the long windowed walkway which connected to the restaurant. They were halfway along its length when Makoto stopped and stared out the glass. Ren followed her gaze. Red lights of emergency vehicles were clearly visible down near the ocean. On inspection, it appeared they were right where Ms. Otohime's seafood restaurant was.
Ren remembered the tense standoff between Mr. Ito and Ms. Otohime the night before. Could something have happened? She'd said Mr. Ito was dangerous. Perhaps that confrontation had triggered an attack. A final solution to the troublesome Ms. Otohime? Ren's mind was tossing around fantasies. He wanted some real info. And it seemed likely whatever happened was sure to related to the growing mystery of the seaside strip.
"I want to go down there," said Ren, "Are you up for driving?"
Makoto's eyes were sharpened. She remembered what Ren had told her about Otohime's conversation. "Yes, I want to go, too. But maybe it should be only a small group to go- we don't want to bring a huge party to a scene of a police investigation. Maybe just us?"
Ren agreed. They continued to the restaurant and the found the others already gathered at a table near the glass wall. They'd been speculating over the lights down on the beach, too. Ren advised them of his and Makoto's plan to go down without them. There were some relieved faces and no objections.
'Leave that pay card," said Ryuji, "I'm eating big tonight."
Ren left them the card and exited the restaurant with Makoto. Here they would pick up their final member. Morgana bounded over to them out of the dark as they neared the van.
"Finally! I'm starving! What's for dinner this time? And can I sleep in your room tonight?"
"No food yet, and we need you for a mission."
"A mission? Aren't you tired? We should really get some sleep, Ren."
"Something happened down on the seaside strip. We need to perform an impromptu investigation. A cat might be able to go where we can't."
Morgana's tail flicked back and forth angrily.
"We'll get sushi after," said Makoto.
"Done!"
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Makoto parked the van in the same spot as when they first arrived in town. She and Ren got out to walk the rest of the way to Ms. Otohime's seafood restaurant, Morgana stalking their heels. The empty, dark street was made eery by the flashing red lights of the police vehicles parked near the end of the strip. Only when they reached the end was the silence of their walk finally marred by the murmuring of many voices and footsteps in the sand. Three police cars, a police van, and a silent, dark ambulance were parked on the last vestiges of pavement.
Of the three shops the faced the seaside, Otohime's was the farthest from the main strip, and tonight, the police were gathered around the nearest. It was an ice cream shoppe during the day, but tonight, it was a crime scene of some sort. A few clusters of officers stood idle nearby, while the flash of photography erupted sporadically from inside the store. On the far side of the police perimeter, an officer appeared to be interviewing Ms. Otohime herself.
"I would guess this is a murder scene," said Makoto. "They have forensics inside, and an ambulance ready to cart away the body when they are done."
"Hey! You two!" A female officer approached them. Ren had a brief glimpse of a woman with drawn back hair and rounded features before a flashlight blazed into Makoto and Ren's faces. They both instinctively winced away from the bright light, "Ms. Niijima?" said the officer.
"Officer Takeda!" said Makoto with recognition and surprise.
"Who are you?" she asked Ren.
"Amamiya Ren," he said.
"What are you two doing here?"
"We saw the lights from the resort and drove down to see what happened."
Officer Takeda switched off her flashlight, her face dark in the night. "I understand your curoristy about police work, Ms. Niijima, but coming down here to gawk and get in our way is a bit much."
Ren could feel rather than see the force of Makoto's blushing face.
"You misunderstand," said Ren, "She came down here because of me. I'm an acquaintance of Ms. Otohime, and I was worried she might be hurt."
"Oh," said Office Takeda, a bit of shame in her voice. "Well, feel free to wait for her interview to be finished. Just stay away from the permeter."
She walked away from them, and they moved around the police line at a respectful distance.
"The officer from last night, I take it," said Ren.
"Yes, and thank you for covering for me, but it seems I did annoy her after all." said Makoto.
"What the hell!" shouted a voice from inside the ice cream shoppe.
"It's a cat!"
"Get it out of here!"
There was an enraged feline yowl and the dark shape of a black cat sprinted from the store and out of the police perimeter. Morgana. Maybe he learned something interesting.
But for the moment, Ms. Otohime's interview was ending. The investigating officer put away his notepad, bowed, and walked away. Her face was a mask of worry and noted their approach, face freezing briefly in surprise, and then returning to worry and apprehension.
"Mr. Mackerel, this is a surprise. Still in town?" said Ms. Otohime as a greeting. "And this is the connoisseur of your group, I take it?"
"Sorry?" said Makoto.
"An inside joke," said Ren. "Ms. Otohime, this is Niijima Makoto."
They exchanged bows.
"We came down when we saw the lights from the resort," said Ren, "I was worried for you."
"For me?" said Ms. Otohime. "Rushing all the way down from Ito's silver zit to check up on me? I start to understand your appeal, Mr. Mackerel. But as you can see, I'm the same as ever. It's poor Mr. Yokoyama, I fear. I think that ambulance over there would not be sleeping on the beach if he was still a member of this world."
"Did you know him well?"
"He's run that ice cream shop for years. A kind man. Sweet... Dull. He was a real scoop of vanilla, if you know what I mean. I can't imagine who would want to choke the life out of him."
"Have you heard of anyone from the seaside strip being threatened? Have you been threatened?"
"Threatened? Don't be absurd. Where did that question come from?"
"We're curious about the fake review online," said Makoto, "And your claims that Mr. Ito may be behind them. Did Mr. Yokoyama have any direct dealings with Mr. Ito?"
Ms. Otohime was taken aback. He stance shifted. Her face flickered slightly from confusion to irritation. "He may have. Mr. Ito tried to break apart the organization of businesses a few times with side deals and the like. We held firm, though. But why are you both so interested?"
"We wanted to see if we could help," said Ren.
"Well, you can't!" Her tone was sharp and annoyed, "You're on vacation. Don't bother yourself with this town's problems and an old woman's fears. Just get back in your car and enjoy yourselves. That's what children are supposed to do." She turned from them. "Goodnight, I need to get to sleep or I'll be too exhausted to collect tomorrow's catch."
Ren and Makoto watched the old woman walk away.
