The Cold Hearted Rouge part 1

The phantom thief: Day or reckoning 06.

Police station: Interrogation room

Sae Niijima fidgeted in her chair.

She glares at the phantom thieves' leader after hearing something she wasn't expecting.

"A strange woman who was occupying the Student Guidance role?"

She finally said.

"…"

After all the strange events this boy had unfolded to her…

"Nonsense. I know Shujin Academy's School-guide personally, he's been in that position for years now… there was no woman in that role."

This was the first time the woman was one hundred percent sure he was lying.

"…"

The boy remains silent.

There was no need for him to try to convince her.

She only needed to know about her existence. To him, that was enough.

"This is not the first inconsistency in your story. But why would you bother making such a pointless lie now? "

Her response was adamant.

Every time she wills herself to hear the rest of his tale, somehow he seems to find a way to test her tolerance.

"…"

She leans closer before raising her voice.

"Answer me! Are you trying to divert the story before I ask you about your next target?"

"… Did that really surprised you more than the cat bus part?"

"…"

"…"

Niijima takes a small breath before returning to her seat.

Takashi Kido wasn't sure if it was the effects of the drugs that made him say such a thing.

But apparently it made the prosecutor hesitate.

Whatever if she actually believed that part of his story or not will remain a mystery he won't dare to peer upon… not in his current state at least.

"… This mementos place you mentioned. How does it work?"

"I'm not sure."

The detainee answers.

"You don't? You mentioned that the palaces you invaded in order to convert people came from that place."

"I've never witnessed the birth of a palace."

His voice was still aloof.

"But someone you know must've seen it then, why would you be so sure otherwise?"

"…"

"Something it's been bothering me about this encounter mentioned."

She goes back to her tame position on her chair. She needed to stay calm so she can expose this kid's deceit.

"Your behavior seems to hint you're hiding many things."

The boy closes his eyes.

She's aware of his attempt to jump through names and specific locations.

But there was something that made him look as an "adept" on holding vital information.

"You seem to have knowledge of the common interrogation methods. You do your best to not reveal names, only locations or dates."

But now she wants to face the reason behind this sudden show of dishonesty.

"Speaking of which, you must've help finding your targets. And a natural conviction that makes you believe you can still get out of this somehow." She closes her eyes "So this is your true nature… If that's the case…"

She never bothered to trying to know this boy better until now.

But there's a reason now.

"It seems I have no choice but to inquire you about your past before coming to this city."

The fact that nobody cared about who he was until now doesn't take away the fact that there could be even more clues about his methods hidden within his past, before arriving to this city.

"…"

Hearing that, Takashi Kido looks besides the table, averting his eyes from the prosecutor once more.

"Hm, it seems you have many sore subjects you are not willing to share. But unlike our previous talks, you don't have that luxury anymore."

This was what she wanted.

All this time, this boy acted as a mysterious teenage kid with a premature case of abnegation.

But now that he's facing the consequences, he'll have to show her his true colors.

"It seems so."

But he doesn't flinch.

Maybe he doesn't care, or maybe he was telling the true about everything started as soon as he got into that school.

"Then tell me, who are you? Takashi Kido. How did you found so easy to manipulate so many people for your own gain."

She won't hold her punches. Those topics had been brought to him in the past.

And every time he managed to avoid answering it.

But now she knows his "real name", and she uses it to summon an equally real answer.

"That's a rough thing to say, Niijima-san."

He says in a low voice.

"I don't care."

She couldn't, she shouldn't care anymore.

"Manslaughter…"

"…"

"That's just one of the charges against you… do you understand what that means?"

Her tone tore through his calmed expression.

She sounded so... discouraged.

"It doesn't matter if I do."

Kido quietly claims.

"…"

She can see it in his distant eyes. His defeated spirit made him spit his reality to her with brutal honesty. And although that answer disconcerted her even more, he was right.

There was nothing she could do about it and this boy was aware of it.

Continuing to pressure him towards his past would only make him close himself away from giving her the 'right' answers.

"Alright then."

This was getting more and more complicated for the Prosecutor. Time was of the escence, and she couldn't give to her avidity of getting all the answers she wanted at once.

She took a deep breath again before continuing.

"We'll continue with the same pace then... tell me. Why did you target Ichiryusai Madarame? How did you got involved on his affairs?"

She lets him continue once more.

"Who helped you through it?"

But as always…

"Nobody important."

The kid speaks only a half truth.

The Aeon: She that brings forth… (part 2)

Everyone stands still in the entrance of to the underground darkness.

The band of thieves was intercepted by a strange woman who gave them a cryptic greet.

"W-who's that woman?"

Asks the small cat creature.

"My you haven't told your friends about me? How cold"

The mysterious lady says mocking the white masked boy.

"Dude?"

"Joker?"

Both Skull and Panther shoot expectant looks at him.

Of course he knows her, this woman was a mystery he didn't ask for… like everything else that has been happening to him.

But he never thought that she would contact with everyone else besides him, until now.

"She's Jun Soseki, our School Guidance Counselor... She appeared before me first in a dream soon after I woke my Persona. Then she showed up at school when we were threatened by Kamoshida."

"Wait, she works in our school?"

Panther asks.

"Now that you mention it she looks familiar."

Skull says while taking a good look at the woman's face.

"And she... knows what the meta-verse navigation app is and how to use it... She said she gave it to us."

The woman elegantly shoves her silver hair back as she chuckles to herself because of the scene in front of her.

"She does…? And you knew this!?"

Mona looks at his roommate in disbelief.

"What the eff, man!?"

"I'm sorry, I was going to tell you guys... I just-"

"Didn't think it was worth it?"

Panther chimed in his sentence dryly.

"…"

"Dude, I know you're quiet but this is ridiculous!"

"You even kept me in the dark! And I'm teaching you all these stuff!"

Mona wasn't happy.

Their trust has been insulted.

"I-..."

"My, there's no reason to be so aggressive. It was me who put this child into such a position to begin with."

The whole time the woman was folding her arms while enjoying the show.

"Who are you?"

Panther asks intensely.

"I...? I am a shadow. The true self."

And the woman answers with a lady bow putting her right hand over her chest.

"Soseki-san's shadow?"

Joker says.

"Where does that hesitation came from? Didn't you realize what's going on in this place?"

"This place?"

Panther asks.

"You just fought one, an aimless scoundrel's shadow. And you succeeded in changing his heart."

She theatrically gesticulates a heart signal with her fingers.

"That was truly poetic. A tale of a bunch of bandits willing to change the world! But to do so, they must adventure into the darkness of the human hearts and get soiled by their sins."

"What's mementos...? Why does this place even exist!?"

Mona abruptly interrupts her monologue.

"My, what an adorable little kitten... How I wish you weren't already taken."

"Please, answer me."

"Mona."

Kido could notice the severity on his companion's features.

"The mysteries of this place origin, are to be revealed by discovering what lies on the depths of this darkness. I am unable to help you with that."

"So you don't know."

Mona sighs with disappointment

"..."

"Dude, what is she?"

Skull asks in a lower voice.

"I don't know."

Kido answers.

"What am I? Why do you keep asking such odd questions?"

"Because you're not like the Jun I know."

Says Kido while facing her.

"That is because she is my incomplete half... A whilom of the true woman she was supposed to be."

"A what?"

The blonde rebel boy pried again.

"She's incomplete. She's not herself truly, therefore, neither am I."

She waves her hand upside down as if trying to make the topic look irrelevant.

"But..."

For someone who's shrouded in so much mystery, she sure didn't like the attention towards her unexplainable nature.

But Kido had had enough of her inadequate ramblings.

"Just tell us what you want you half-assed therapist!"

His voice didn't sound angry or impatient, just derisive, like only he can do.

"Wow!"

"Joker!"

Both Skull and Panther weren't in favor of this approach.

But the shadow woman only smiles at the boy before continuing.

"As I told you before, I am a shadow. Between meeting the rest of you youngsters here and operating this piece of technology, I welcomed this aspect of myself you see now."

"You mean..."

Morgana seems to have grasped the meaning of her presence here first.

"As long as I enter this world, I embody the true self of Jun Soseki... In the flesh. And she knew this before adventuring in here, such bravery."

Shadow Soseki smiles wryly.

"To praise yourself like that... I suppose you are actually her."

Joker asserts.

"Doubting me still? How whimsical of you."

"I don't get any of this, but why are you here, and why did you gave us these apps?"

"And how?"

Panther and Skull look for more answers themselves.

"It was easy you see? To help him."

The shadow points at the boy with the white mask.

"Him?"

Morgana eyes open wide.

"It was him the first to acquire the persona power of you three, no? "

"Persona... she knows... Joker how much does she know?"

The cat thief inquires.

"... Everything, I guess."

Joker clarifies.

"This not fair... how?"

Morgana hops in frustration.

"There's no need to be so alarmed. I'm going to help you all to achieve your goals, as long as you don't stop halfway, of course."

"Stop halfway?"

Panther dreaded the meaning behind those last words.

"As this woman subconscious, I am the incarnation not only of her darkest side, but also of the hidden knowledge she doesn't dares to face."

She puts her hand over her chest, as if taking an oath.

"If you help her... me, to become whole again, I'll help you all to find the means to truly become the tricksters you're supposed to be..."

"Help us? What are you planning?"

Joker questions.

"We made a deal."

Shadow Soseki says with a grin on her face.

"Huh?"

But the thieves' confusion is cut by the sound of the shadow woman hands clapping together.

"Wonderful... now all parts are informed..."

Her honest smile made them sweat uncomfortably.

"You came here to tell them?"

The feeling of embarrassment of being lectured by your parents in front of your friends didn't really came close to this for Takashi Kido.

"This is what you wanted, no?"

Shadow Soseki says with a wicked smile.

"..."

"Very well... Phantom thieves of hearts. I will warn you first... this dark underworld may be a little more undeniable than the world you usually live in. Tread carefully, or all of you will be torn apart from your own hearts again, sooner than later."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

They couldn't comprehend the meaning behind those words.

Yet for some reason the air around them felt as cold as a snowing night.

"Well it's about time. Please come closer…"

She says while walking towards the group of teenagers herself.

"Oh, and on your way out... please take care of me."

She takes the tablet out of her coat and presses the app's button.

Everything distorts.

-···

The people walked past the group of teenagers who gathered around an unconscious woman. She was lying her back over the wall on the Shibuya station square.

The passers-by mumblings made the teens sweat nervously as the black cat got closer to the woman in the white coat.

Suddenly the woman let a hiccup sound in surprise as if waking up from a bad dream.

"Oh my, I must've fallen asleep on the train again!"

Her tone was completely different.

"… Again?"

Kido asks to the woman sitting on her knees.

"Ah. Lotus-boy!"*

"Lotus?"

The blonde girl looks at their leader with inquisitive eyes.

"Don't ask."

Kido answers wearily.

"Sorry ma'am. But you don't remember anythin' you just said to us down there?"

Sakamoto gets into the slav squat position to speak to the woman face to face.

"Down there?"

The woman realizes her position and decides to stand up.

"Mementos."

But then her sight goes back to the floor to find the source of the boyish voice.

"Oh my! What an adorable little kitten!"

She reaches to grab the feline.

"What's her name?"

She asks anxiously.

"I'm not a her! I'm Morgana, and I'm a boy!"

The cat says angrily while waving his body around to escape her grip.

"Really?"

She says while lurking below the cat's waist.

"HEY! DON'T DO THAT!"

The creature waves more aggressively.

"She understands him!?"

An astonished Sakamoto asks.

"She heard me in the meta-verse, so she became aware of my voice. At least that's what it looks like."

Morgana explains as the woman had brought him to her chest area with a hug.

"He's such a little cutie!"

She raises him up again as some would do to their babies.

"He's actually a car."

Kido says with a serious face.

"I'm NOT!"

"He can turn into a car? That's amazing!"

The woman sounded even more ecstatic.

"She's not impressed it's talking!?"

Sakamoto seems frustrated for some reason.

"Either that or she's really gullible."

Ann guesses.

"She's a weirdo."

Kido broadcasts his thoughts out loud.

"How rude Lotus-kun! I'm just a normal young lady with a PHD."

"That talks to cats."

Takashi ironically says while looking around the people giving short glances towards the group from time to time.

"He's not actually a cat, right boy?"

She says after finally putting Morgana down before petting his head one last time.

"I think I may like her."

An unconvinced Morgana said before scratching the back of his ear with his paw.

"What side are you on?"

The betrayed Kido asked sullenly.

"I see, you are Takamaki-chan and Sakamoto-kun… Weird you don't remember me. I called you two to my office back when Kamoshida threatened to expel those two."

"Wait, you two knew her?"

A startled Kido asks.

"Yeah that's right, but it was only once."

Ann said nonchalantly.

"I didn't really paid much attention back then."

Says the typically carefree Ryuji.

'Are these two for real?'

Kido wonders.

"Hmmm, let's see, if you're all gathered here, and I was unconscious. That must mean I've already made the deal with you."

Meanwhile the woman stated musing to herself.

"What's she talkin' about now?"

"No idea."

Kido shrugs at Sakamoto.

"Wait, I didn't? Then how are you supposed to help me now? Aww this is such a huge mess!"

The woman starts to panic.

"You did talk to us. You really don't remember?"

Ann asks.

"I did…? Well, I don't remember it. I can't exactly enter the meta-verse as myself like you guys do."

Jun explains while taking the pad out of her coat again.

"So you truly know about the meta-verse."

Morgana melancholically says.

"I do… Because I was thrown and trapped in there since two years ago."

Jun casually says.

"""Two years!?"""

Sakamoto's and Takamaki's voices attracted the indifferent view of the passersby once again.

Interlude / The most important bet

While leaving the District Prosecutors Office, the young adult with the shaggy brown hair continued reading his handbook on his way to the elevator.

He could hear the mumbling of the young assistants in the corridors. The boy's used to be the source of rumors and misunderstandings giving his young age and "part-time" profession.

But no matter how used he got to the attention. He still couldn't manage to properly avoid unwanted confrontations. Not without hurting susceptibilities that could led to even greater misunderstandings.

That's why reading while walking was a strategically wise tactic for him. It helped to prevent any sort of encounter unless it was absolutely necessary.

He has the halls memorized by now, walking blindly was no trouble for him.

Whoever decided to interrupt his reading must be someone who's unavoidably in need to speak with him.

That or some ridiculously rude person.

Either way, he had taken advantage of social norms enough to remain as polite and keep a safe distance from people.

For someone like him, It was a necessity.

As soon as he reaches the elevators, the boy thought he was safe for the day.

"Goro Akechi."

But once the doors open he finds an unexpected but familiar face.

It was a stern looking man in a suit holding a briefcase.

"Good afternoon… Detective Kurosawa-san?"

He says in a pleasant and intrigued tone.

"…"

The man remains silent while the boy steps inside the elevator to accompany him to the lower levels.

"How strange seeing you around Tokyo again. Are you perhaps in the middle of an errand of some sort?"

Akechi tries to start a casual conversation topic without taking his sight away from his small book.

"I haven't seen you in two years. You really became famous all around the country."

But the man avoids his question by bringing another casual topic.

"… Well, I'm just following the steps of a senpai that counseled me long time ago."

"Is that so? "The second coming of the detective prince" is quite a title to live up to."

"Yes, it is. But looking at it from a practical standpoint; fame is just a good tool to get results in our world. Sadly some people seem to overlook the end to justify their own disadvantages."

"… Our world, huh?"

The man's face darkens as he brings his sight back to the floor signal in the elevator.

"…"

"Well, whatever they say about fame, it doesn't last forever… so enjoy it while you can."

Finally the veteran officer breaks the awkward silence with an advice of his own.

"Kurosawa-san. Perhaps you…"

The door opens, but this wasn't Akechi's stop yet.

"Sorry but this is my floo-"

Before the man can leave, a distracted figure gets on his way.

"Kurosawa-san!?"

The stern man remains fixed between the door while looking down at the woman in front of him.

Straight to her startled eyes.

"Niijima… please excuse me."

He saves no words for her as he walks past her.

"O-of course."

She enters the elevator walking backwards trying to get a glimpse of the man's destination.

"Hello Sae-san."

Her eyes open wide again as she notice the presence standing beside her as the doors close.

"I'm sorry Akechi-kun, I didn't notice you were there."

"Don't worry… you seem to be familiar with Detective Kurosawa."

"Yes, just a little."

The woman looks up at the floor numbers just as the previous passenger.

The idea of that man showing his face here bemuses her for some reason.

"… Perhaps he was a friend of your fath-"

"Akechi-kun."

She interrupts Akechi's awkward topic.

"Yes?"

"I would like to ask for your help once again. If it won't be a problem."

"… Not at all. You can count on me."

Once in the ground floor, the woman takes a seat near the small table in the big central hall close to the entrance.

The same place this boy and her were having their last encounter almost a month ago.

"I'm honored you decided to ask for my help again, Sae-san."

"Is that so? I'm going to be completely honest with you Akechi-kun, I'm not a fan of your… youthful pomposity most of the time. But I do respect the results you carry with you."

"I see. Allow me to say that hearing that it's even a greater honor since it's coming from you, Sae-san."

"I'll go straight to the point. Are you under Kamiya's surveillance?"

"… Not that I'm aware of. May I ask why that should be the case?"

"I'm pretty sure you can guess…"

"… Because I helped you tracking the case of Wakaba Ishiki."

"So far I got no more clues about that woman's research, other than it references some strange events leading to her death."

"If you don't mind me asking, what led you to believe that woman was actually a victim of a mental shutdown in the first place?"

"… Her autopsy."

A sudden onset of skepticism swell Akechi's thoughts.

"But the coroner did alluded "suicide" as her reason of death. Was that not the case?"

"Indeed, but there was never an autopsy to begin with."

"… You mean-"

Akechi stops his words to muse at her obvious conjecture.

"The incident happened during a Thursday night during off duty ours. There was no registry of an autopsy taking place at all on the hospital she was taken to. Not since the day of her death to her cremation."

"…"

"Which makes me believe the coroner could've neglected the report."

Akechi ponders for a little while before inquire through her deductions.

She wanted a second opinion. An unbiased opinion of someone equally thorough as her.

"That's a risky assumption, why would someone risk their job that way?"

Niijima looked at the boy to make sure he wasn't trying to mess with her.

"Many reasons come to mind. One being that the coroner already had a reputation back then. He had shown signs of not keeping a track of his certifications. It wouldn't be the first time someone in that position neglected his duty. All in addition to the haste with which the case was closed."

Going as far about investigating those involved on the case, being officials or not.

That's how thorough Sae Niijima is.

Yet, this was something she wasn't supposed to be doing.

It was not usual for a prosecutor to do so much legwork.

Goro Akechi knew this, but he couldn't force himself to judge her methods. There's a certain respect owned for her need to finish what she started.

"But that is not enough evidence to-"

But he realized she called him here today to second guess her.

"There was only one report of the events that led to her death in that day. The only witness besides the driver according to the case file."

For a moment Sae thought she noticed him wincing.

"…"

"She described the moments before that woman's death with gruesome detail, the black liquid pouring of her eyes and ears. The loss of speech followed by a total collapse on the middle of the street… right in front of the police station."

Niijima continued her narration of the events with a detached and serious expression.

"Sae-san."

Akechi's voice carried concern.

"But for some reason that testimony was archived and discarded because of the witness shock and mental instability."

She ignored his concern while bringing her hand to hold her chin.

The professionalism displayed by the young prosecutor pushed Akechi back to his usual gleaning self.

"I see."

"Nonetheless, for the symptoms to be identical to the ones we hear about almost every week now… It can't be a coincidence."

Akechi chuckles at the sight of Niijima submerging herself into a deep guesswork.

"I feel humbled by your researching capabilities, Sae-san."

She closes her eyes trying to let Akechi's amusement sly before moving on.

"All this time, Kamiya knew about the connection between that man and her research… It's way too odd."

"You mean…"

Akechi's not that surprised by the mention of that familiar name.

"My only deduction could be that he was trying to protect him, and that girl. For some reason."

"… That does make sense. Kamiya-san is the attaching type at times."

"No, he's not…"

She knew that man longer than this boy.

Sae Niijima knew how callous he could be when it came to his job.

"Oh?"

"He wouldn't risk his career for a friend or for a friend's family. He could've had more reasons than that."

Niijima says assertively.

"… Perhaps his own involvement? He did sound like he didn't want anyone involved on that case. He went as far as to warn me to stay away from such affairs."

That comment made her remember something.

"He did hint to be under the gun during a previous conversation we had…"

Says Niijima while raising her chin.

"Kamiya-san? Someone threatening a police detective? That's-"

"Just a supposition. But if that were to be the case…"

'Kurosawa'

That name resounded on her mind, the stern veteran detective.

"If that were to be the case, Wakaba Isshiki previous employers could be the first major suspects."

Niijima quickly asserts.

"I see, but their company was shut down after the whole embezzlement scandal with the government funds, isn't that right?"

Akechi inquires.

"Yes… but the people involved on the research remain missing or ignore the whole deal."

"Then you think that it could've been a case of tying up loose ends."

"Maybe…"

Niijima closes her eyes thinking.

"But that still leaves a bigger question unanswered."

Akechi points his index finger up.

"Yes, the reason I started this investigation. How do these mental shutdowns occur in the first place…"

They both remain silent for a brief moment.

Both Akechi and Niijima aren't aware of the seconds passing by then as they continue their introspection.

"Maybe…"

Finally Akechi breaks the silence.

"…"

Niijima brings her full attention to the boy. He was about to give one of his famous deductions, the ones that made him so famous.

"Maybe it was magic?"

The rigid calm in Niijima's expression did great to hide the veins pouring more blood to her head than usual.

"…"

"Heh. I jest of course."

Akechi says with a mild smile, probably after feeling the quiet menace coming from the young prosecutor.

"Please don't taste my patience like that again, Akechi-kun."

"I apologize. I let myself go because of the thrill of this cogitation."

"…"

Niijima sighs before lowering her hand back to her purse.

'Why am I working with a child?'

"Regardless, I can't help but to be surprised you decided to investigate a "paranormal" research."

"…"

Someone as skeptic as Sae Niijima investigating a paranormal case did trigger some unpleasant rumors about her between her colleagues.

Yet, being the center of gossiping was something she's used by now.

"Yes. Wakaba Ishiki's research was the main reason I decided to read through her file. But it is true that more than the paranormal nature her research itself. What bothered me the most was the strange circumstances behind her death."

"I thought as much. But given you've reached a dead end, I'm curious of what are your current hunches about the circumstances behind the mental shutdowns."

Akechi meekly asks.

It was ingenious of him, to hear her theories first before coming with his own.

But if it'll help her to see something she hasn't so far, so be it.

"So far I can only suspect of a bio-hazardous epidemic of some sort. But none of the following mental shutdowns or psychotic breakdown cases revealed any trait of external infection. Only self-induced states of mental stress."

A mental breakdown.

All the cases where officially explained as the "victims" suffering a time-limited mental disorder that manifested primarily as severe stress-induced depression, anxiety, or even dissociation of reality in a previously fully functional individual.

Japan is the country with the most holidays in the whole world. A measure taken by the government because of the high stress levels present in the general public.

Discipline and expectation are high no matter who you are in this country… no, some have it easier and some have it worst.

It's been that way for a long, long time.

Even with all the measurements the government and health ministry take to prevent such an outbreak. Having an epidemic of stress inducing breakdown cases was a strange occurrence.

No one else seems to think so that way though. As Niijima was constantly recriminated by her colleagues for wasting efforts on such a pointless crusade.

But she knew there was nothing natural about the symptoms and more importantly, the timing of the cases she's been following.

"That's why my instincts tell me that she must've found out something unprecedented. Even by modern science standards."

"That's quite the hypothesis. Do you have any evidence of that being the case?"

Niijima fists twitches at the question.

"Not yet…"

"…"

"No matter how I look at it, the only relievable track I have left, it's the victim's family."

She closes her eyes, contemplating hypothetical consequences.

'But if involving them could really lead to something awful because of my actions…'

"I understand how you feel Sae-san. Involving innocents into such a tangled issue could lead to some regrettable consequences. But…"

Startled by Akechi's words resonating with her thoughts so much, she raises her sight towards the boy.

"If it'll give you a chance to solve a case that could save even more lives… wouldn't it be worth it?"

"…"

Sometimes, this boy sounded like a typical naïve teenager who just likes to spread a lot of wishful thinking.

Although he was being overly optimistic, she couldn't help but to sympathize with his dutiful judgment. No matter how ironically irresponsible it sounded.

"It's admirable how far you've come for this. I cannot express how much I wish to see you go through it to the very end, Sae-san."

The boy who had a similar road as hers smiles gently.

That's right. The only reason Sae Niijima bothered hearing Goro Akechi's thoughts wasn't because he was a young protegee detective celebrity, or to help a young promising prospect. It was only because he was so similar to her.

He wasn't handled his success. He fought for it, he struggled to get the prestige he has now. All because of who he was. Just a kid…

'A kid… dammit.'

She lowered her head, remaining speechlessness for a short while.

"I'm sorry Akechi-kun."

It was all she could say now.

For a moment, she dared to look down on him for who he was.

She should be embarrassed.

"Huh?"

Yet the young detective couldn't guess was she was meaning to say by that at all.

She took a brief deep breath before continuing.

"You're right. I have to see it through. No matter what."

'I sacrificed so much already… This is my most important bet to the date.'

The resolve in her crimson eyes was as strong as the day he first meet this woman.

But something was different.

Her cold expression enunciated that she severed her emotions away from her commitment to her cause.

She wasn't going to second guess herself anymore.

"I believe in you, Sae-san."

Akechi smiles with his eyes closed.

"It was good to see you, Akechi-kun. Have a good evening."

Despite her polite farewell, she didn't return his smile.

But before she could leave, the boy reaches to her again.

"Before you leave, there was something I was wishing to show you for a while now."

He says while lurking through his phone.

"What is it?"

Her eyes widen after looking at his screen.

The phantom aficionado website.

Such a pointless demonstration.

"The phantom thieves… I already heard about that."

She says before handling his phone back to Akechi.

"Do you believe in such tales Akechi-kun?"

She asks while grabbing her bag.

"Heh, I'm not sure. I was only curious of what your thoughts would be, given you're familiar with that place."

"… I have nothing to say about that. For now."

"I see… "

He smiles to himself.

"Personally… I hope they're real."

He says with an enthusiastic smile.

Interlude / Out

A wandering effort

She told them her story.

Kido had mentioned both Sakamoto and Takamaki the strange dreams he had before.

But Takashi never bothered to go in depth into details about what and where he was during those dreams.

It was a dream after all, how could he explain something he didn't fully understood to them?

His guesses it was the same for that woman.

She avoided mentioning the velvet room the whole time too.

Only going to the extent of explaining she was trapped in a place inside the cognitive world.

"So… you met him in a dream, and that allowed you to come back to this world?"

Ann asks to the tired looking woman sitting in the same booth as them.

"To tell the truth, I'm not sure how that worked either. All I have are just wild guesses… The app must've evolved on its own, and a new option appeared that allowed me to exit that place."

She explained while taking a drink of her soda.

The place was a familiar one for both Takamaki and Kido. But for some reason the one who was most familiar with the Big Bang Burger menu was the mid-twenties woman.

She immediately asked for a specific combo before the rest of the teens could decide their order.

"By the time I came back, I was standing in the middle of Shibuya. It felt like I woke up from a short dream, but… nothing was like I remembered."

Yet she didn't eat that much since they arrived.

Her mood has declined more and more as they continued through their conversation.

"Two years…"

Sakamoto mopes.

"You were a test subject?"

Ann asks.

"That's effed up."

Sakamoto shared the same empathetic expression as the rest of the team.

"What about those people you think created this app? How did they do it? And Why?"

Morgana pops from besides Kido's side asking a bunch of questions at once.

"…"

Jun remains silent, taking a quick glance towards Kido for a moment.

"Please tell us."

The small creature insists.

"I'm not sure about their motives or how they did it. And they don't seem to be around anymore. I'm not even sure they ever were real to begin with."

The woman says lowering her head as if trying to bear the weight of her own uncertainty.

"What?"

The cat tracks back in the booth away from the table in confusion.

"I…- Ever since I came back, my memories of how this world was and how it is now… they didn't match at all. Things were so different. Now everything feels like a dream, my memories drift away every time I try to remember something. Whatever happened, whoever I was back then… doesn't feel real anymore."

With a clear soreness in the throat, the woman explains her own lack of understanding over her current situation.

Coming back to a world you abandoned for a short period to find out two years have passed. "A dream" was a fair description of her current condition.

Kido understood her implication.

"…"

But he couldn't imagine how painful such a state of being could be.

Until…

"Your memories are disappearing?"

Morgana asks with a worried voice.

"I'm not sure… I recall things like places and familiar faces, the knowledge I got from studying, it's all there. But names, and dates, my childhood. Nothing … feels real."

She looks at the distance. Outside the window, a place she stood a few weeks ago looking for answers.

She walked aimlessly around Central Street during the day, hearing the students pass by her.

It was then she saw a familiar face through that same window she was looking from now. The black hair kid talking to the blonde girl sitting beside her now.

"That's…"

"Soseki-san."

She looks back at the middle of the table.

Jun Soseki felt she owed these kids a better explanation.

They were the only ones with enough personal experience to believe anything of what she just said.

"All I remember is that I was handled this tablet as part of a cognitive experiment. Then I fell asleep. When I woke up, I was inside that place. Everything is foggy ever since… but it wasn't at first."

She brings her index finger to her temple as if trying to force a memory out.

"Every day that passes, the details about that time seem to fade away… Like if it's been even longer than two years. I think it's just like when you wake up from a dream and you start doing something. The actions you make after waking up start to overwrite the recollections of the dream you woke up from."

Takamaki and Sakamoto looked at each other with concern while Morgana remained reflecting inside Kido's bag.

They felt the same way about her situation.

Her distressful circumstances made them worry about the mental health of the woman sitting in front of them.

All the questions momentarily vanished because of that.

The mystery of the knowledge she hides and the strange behavior of her shadow-self became inconsequential.

She meekly smiles after looking at the teenagers expressions. Soseki couldn't help but to feel guilty.

They all had such noble souls.

"Please don't look at me like that… this is why I needed your help."

"That's…"

Morgana finds himself out of words.

"Have you looked for help? Professional help I mean."

Ann asks.

"The only person who could've helped me doesn't exist anymore."

But her blunt answer took everyone by surprise.

"What?"

"What do you mean?"

"…"

She smiles at their concern.

"It doesn't matter, there's nothing that can be done about that… All I wish is to find a way that would help me to become whole again."

"Whole…?"

Morgana asks.

"That's what she said down there."

Ann points.

"Right, so you really saw her… my shadow."

Soseki says.

"She mentioned something about that."

Finally Kido adds to the conversation.

"Shadows are the manifestation of the darkest side of our psyche. They could be our deepest fears and even the monstrosities we don't allow ourselves to become."

Soseki explains.

"… Our inner demons…"

She adds with a wry chuckle.

The giggle made the thieves nervously look at each other for a moment.

"You guys had tamed that side of yourselves and became Persona users. It is truly an admirable deed."

Her now honest smile takes the band aback. They haven't been doing what they did in the look for praise, but to inspire those who suffer this world's unfair reality like them.

But to be recognized this way, felt gratifying.

"Jun-san."

She cleans her mouth with a napkin before standing up.

"Please, do not worry about me. I can't really help you that much besides keeping an eye on the app and the new possibilities it may appear in time."

Everyone starts following her outside the fast food restaurant.

The conversation is kept to a minimum given such a bunch could eventually gather some unnecessary attention again.

Once they reach the interception that lead to the train station she takes a brief moment to continue her delivery.

"If I keep finding out how this app works, I may be able to help you even further."

"What do you mean?"

The cat inside Kido's bag asks.

"The app can help you obtain new skills inside the meta-verse, it works as a cognitive stimulant. I found it emits all kinds of subliminal emission that change and shape the user's cognition to work as a navigational app for that other world."

She explains while raising her index finger again.

Showing great enthusiasm by doing so, to the surprise of everyone except Kido.

"That sounds complicated."

Sakamoto laments.

"And dangerous"

Takamaki adds.

"You don't need to worry. The app is harmless in the real world. Only those with the potential are able to use it like you guys do."

"Wait."

Morgana interrupts.

"You understand and use the app, but why do you not enter that world like the rest of us? Why is your shadow the one talking to us?"

"…"

"You don't know?"

"Yes, it seems I'm not that capable of just using it at its fullest potential for some reason I ignore. That's part of the reason of why I want to help you guys."

She gets serious while she folding her arms.

"Wait, you're using us to experiment with it?"

Ann asked worriedly.

"Now that sounds dangerous."

Sakamoto mewled again.

"I wouldn't dare to endanger you all with my experiments. As I said, the app is harmless in this world… I think."

"That sounds oddly familiar."

Kido says drily while looking down at his bag below his arm.

"That's why I want to depend on you children. You are doing a great thing. Besides, I trust that helping you will allow me to reach my goal as well."

She said before relaxing once again.

"And that's also why I said not to worry about me."

Her smile was truly dignified this time.

A sight not even Kido expected to see from her.

"You can't be serious. The shit you been through is not normal!"

But Sakamoto couldn't tolerate the way this woman handled her own hardships.

"It's so sweet you're worried about me Sakamoto-kun. But I keep myself busy by investigating this app most of the time, I came to terms with my circumstances by now... Also, I have a lot of reading to do. Two years of light novels are a lot to catch up!"

This time, her smile was as simplistic as it could be.

"Maybe you are right, she's a weirdo."

Ann whispered to Takashi.

"M-hm, m-hm."

To what he nodded affirmatively, twice.

"I'll help you!"

Morgana jumped down of Kido's bag to stand in front of the woman's feet.

"Morgana?"

Ann notices the cat unfamiliar purposefulness.

"…"

Same goes for Kido.

He knew Morgana could be a little imprudent at times. But the whole purpose behind their alliance lied on finding out about his mysterious origin.

"Kitten."

Jun looked down at the feline thief with awed eyes.

Morgana turns back to face his companions.

"She's just like me… She's slowly losing her memories while I've already lost mine. I don't even know who I am… that's why… that's why I need to find out what lies in the depths of that place."

"Hey…"

Even Ryuji couldn't hide his concern.

"This was the deal I asked you guys back then…"

It was true that Morgana took them to Mementos, so they could help him understand the nature of that place. With their help he hoped they could reach the truth behind his own existence, his nature… his humanity.

"Maybe it was destiny that we met down there…"

The cat says while looking up at the woman.

"Destiny, huh?"

Kido whispers to himself while looking away.

'Why am I pulling up with her games?'

He wonders to himself.

Takashi Kido knew she wasn't telling them all she knew, it was the same back when she explained the app to him.

She used half-truths to earn herself points and credibility. But she must still have something hidden under her sleeve.

Suddenly entering the meta-verse by herself seems to be a bet she was willing to take to gain their trust.

'But why go so far?'

"Wonderful. It seems our goals align!"

Jun claps her hands together in joy.

"How about it then?"

She reaches closer to the group again, looking directly at their leader.

"Those two really seem to need our help."

Ryuji says while facing his other two partners.

"If we can do something to help them… we should."

A thoughtful Ann voices her reasoning.

No matter what Kido's instincts told him now, three of the four phantom thieves had unanimously reached a conclusion.

Of course he could refuse and end the sketchy discussion for today. But that way he wouldn't be able to find out the reasons and the hidden knowledge this woman wasn't willing to share yet.

"I've already promised Morgana that I'll help him…"

The boy reaches down with his bag open for Morgana to enter again.

The cat does so as he reaches over Kido's shoulder immediately to witness his decision.

Kido closed his eyes in resignation before turning to the woman again.

"If that'll help you too, then so be it."

"Yes!"

Soseki tights her fist up in joy.

The blonde highschoolers share unconvinced smiles. Wondering what they have got into for the third time today.

As the rest get ready to cross the interception Ann turns her attention back to Central Street.

"Hey, don't you feel like somebody is watching us?"

She asks while looking around the area.

"All the time actually. But I don't see any red eyes around here now…"

Says Takashi with a hint of disappointment.

"Huh?"

Ann tilts her head at his answer.

"She's prolly just bein' all too self-conscious again. She did the same when we were buying stuff back before stealin' Kamoshida's heart."

Sakamoto says relaxing his arms behind the back of his head.

"That's not It-"

"Excuse me."

But before Takamaki could clarify the situation, she's interrupted by an unfamiliar voice.

"My, what a hansome boy."

Jun was the first to turn around to face the strange dark blue haired boy standing behind them.

The pale teenager who was wearing an unique white and black school uniform stands there with a serious expression. Not taking his attention away from Ann Takamaki for a second.

"T-That's him! The guy who's been stalking me for a month now!"

Astonished, the boy looks down at Takamaki's pointing finger with a sincere incredulity.

"Stalking you? That's outrageous."

Says the very slim looking boy while fixing his hair.

The tone of his voice was calm and sophisticated.

"I know you've been following me for a while!"

"That's because I was trying to contact you. But every time I try reach you to properly introduce myself, someone seems to hinder my efforts."

The boy sadly says, while dramatically raising his right arm to the sky.

"Do you know him?"

"Never seen him before."

Jun shrugs at Takashi's odd question.

"Every time?"

"Yes. The truth is I couldn't help myself from chasing after you after I've seen you again today. There is something I must request of you."

"Request?"

"You're the woman I've been searching for all this time! Please, won't you-…"

"Searching?"

Ann takes a step back after every question she voices.

"Is this some sort of-"

Ryuji tries to whisper something at his friend.

"Shh, let's hear it."

"You mor-"

Takamaki takes her attention away from the tall blue hair boy to fume to her two school-mates for a moment.

"-Be the model for my next piece!?"

The unforeseen boy waves his right hand away theatrically like cutting through the group's counterfeit expectations.

"… wait, model!?"

An almost disappointed Takamaki asked.

"What's with that reaction!?"

Sakamoto fumes.

"All I've drawn till now has been lacking, but I feel a passion from you unlike anyone else!"

"This man is highly suspicious!"

Kido's bag shakes uncontrollably.

"Will you cooperate with me? What do you say?"

The look on the boy's face shapes into a somewhat menacingly expectation.

"He's either a creeper or a very tactless boy."

"You have no right to call anyone tactless."

Kido answers to Jun's whisper with his usual calm boldness.

"Ho-hold your horses! Who are you anyways?"

Sakamoto gets in between Takamaki's and the unforeseen boy's line of sight.

The boy momentarily steps back, not taking his sight away from the model in front of him.

"Oh, where are my manners? I'm a second-year at Kosei High's fine-arts division."

The boy then bows not before holding his hand on his chest in a very butler-esque manner.

"My name is Yusuke Kitagawa."

The dazzle in the face of the Shujin students because of the boy's manners quickly fades away as soon as Kitagawa shoves Ryuji out of his way.

"I'm Madarame-sensei's pupil, and I'm being allowed residence at his place. I'm striving to become an artist."

"Huh!? Madarame? Why does that name sound familiar?"

Finally Ann's shock fades away as the name they heard before is mentioned.

Kido looks at Ann's face trying to whisper something.

"Mementos"

"Oh!"

She says.

"It must be because he was on TV recently. He was on a show named "Good Morning Japan", just the other day."

"I see… wait, I remember seeing that! He's a celebrity."

Ann expression changes to shock again.

"Something of the sort."

Yusuke says.

"Y'know who that is?"

Ryuji asks to Ann.

"He was introduced as a super-famous Japanese-style artist who's been recognized all over the world!"

Ann explains.

"Oh, how fascinating."

Jun enthusiastic voice reaches behind the teenagers.

"And you didn't say anything about it down there because…"

Kido tries to probe for an answer but he only gets an angry frown from his classmate.

"Oh don't you start that of all people!"

"… Fair."

Sensing an imminent karma emergency, probably thanks to his third eye, Kido drops the issue.

"Yusuke!"

Suddenly a mature sounding voice interrupts the students exchange.

Their surprise wasn't lessened once they noticed the source of the calling came from inside a Limo.

"Well, Well. So this is where your passion took you. You really stepped over the pedal… hahahaha"

The mysterious looking old man started laughing to himself.

"Did that old man really just parked his limo to make a pun?"

Ryuji wonders with dubiety.

"He saw me from the car and followed me?"

The blue haired boy asks to himself.

"I'm sorry, I didn't noticed the calls from Sensei… but thanks to that I was able to finally contact you!"

He continued now looking back at the blonde girl.

"How's this not what I think, but it still feels like it is!?"

The blushing girl says while looking down.

"You kinda are a creep magnet, ain'tcha."

"Shut up!"

"Can we go now?"

A bored Takashi tries to get the attention of his two blonde friends.

"That's right Yusuke, it's getting late."

The man from the limo says.

"Is that Madarame?"

Ryuji asks.

"Yes he is."

Ann answers.

"I'm sorry sensei, I'll be right there!"

The Kosei student obediently says before turning back to the group once again.

"Madarame-sensei's exhibition will begin at the department store near the station tomorrow."

The boy says after taking a step forward almost invading Ann's personal space by doing so.

"I'll be there to help him out on the opening day. Please come by."

Yet his educated mannerisms never hinted any sort of ill intention while handling her a bunch of tickets.

"It'll be great if you could give me your answer in regard to being a model then…"

He says with a confident smile.

But then his expression changes to a frown towards Sakamoto.

"I bet you have no interest on such an activity, but I'll give you tickets too."

He condescendingly said to the male duo.

Ann indecisively grabbed the tickets.

Kitagawa then turns his attention to the mid-twenties woman standing behind them.

"You should come too, young lady. I can say just by looking that you hold some esteem for the fine arts."

After finally being noticed again, Jun can't help but to smile.

"That does sound fun."

"Did he just said young lady?"

The cat from the bag asks.

"Even if he seems to be around the same age as ours."

Kido ratifies the cat's point.

"Is he pretendin' to be mature or somethin'?"

The blonde boy comments.

Without paying attention to their comments the artist apprentice joins his sensei inside the limo. Finally parting from the scene.

"Why do all the weirdos come at us today?"

Ryuji wonders to himself.

"Aw, he's not a weirdo. He just likes Takamaki-chan."

Jun says trying to justify the scene she just witnessed.

"How dare he go after Ann-dono! That damn Yosuke! I won't forget his face."

Morgana mewled inside the bag.

"Hitting on Ann out of the blue like that is why he's a weirdo in the first place."

Sakamoto says with a mocking smirk.

"He wasn't hitting on me…! Maybe."

"Our femme fatale got outclassed."

Kido adds with a serious and disappointed tone.

He was deprived of witnessing one of the famous Ann Takamaki's heartbreaking rejections after all.

"Will you stop that!?"

"Wait, maybe? That guy was as easy to read as a book…"

Sakamoto says fully assured of his perspective.

"You're not planning on goin', are you?"

Takamaki frowns at the boy for a second before looking down at the tickets with hesitation.

"… I-I think I will."

Sakamoto's jaw drops.

Kido already knows how this girl spends most of her afternoons aimlessly lurking around the underground mall every day. If he had to trail her modus operandi, he wouldn't have to go further than to the school, the mall, and her house.

Not counting her modeling jobs taking her to different locations out of her usual interests of course…or her visits to the hospital.

Such an activity that could lead to an improvement to her career, would pick her interest.

Regardless she looked understandably preoccupied about it. If not just trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Oh I will go as well. This seems to be an interesting way to pass the time."

Jun walks forward taking one of the tickets from Ann's hand.

"Don't you think so, Lotus-boy?"

She looks at Kido with a teasing smile.

Kido stares at her blankly.

"… You're still here?"

"Rude!"

They all parted ways soon after that.

The woman promised to be at school every Friday after classes. She also proposed to aid them with any uncertainty they could have. But both Takamaki and Sakamoto didn't felt like they were brave enough to go on their own.

Morgana insisted Kido to take him whenever he happens to go to that guidance room from now on.

Once Kido arrived to Leblanc and prepared to sleep quite early after such an active day.

He changed and got to bed earlier than usual. Even if he wasn't that tired he didn't felt like tempting his rotten luck anymore for today.

He lies on his bed and takes his glasses off. But then he notices that his phone started buzzing.

He taps the screen to see his phantom thief chat group, much to his relief.

Ann: I don't want to sound rude, but can we really trust Soseki-san?

Ryuji: Why would you say that? Did she said something weird?

Ann: Hello. Do you forget the creepy shadow "welcome ceremony"?

Ann: Also what was all that about her shadow turning on and off after she woke up?

Kido takes a look at Morgana who was reading his chat right beside him on the bed.

The cat shakes his head in silence.

Takashi: I have no idea.

Ryuji: Yeah that was weird. But wasn't the same for us?

Ryuji: I mean, I guess we all heard ours when we awakened our personas.

"No, it seems to be different for her, we all confronted our shadows and so they became our Personas. Apparently she can't confront her own shadow like we do… we really should ask her what was that all about."

Morgana says to a thoughtful Kido.

"… How did you awakened your persona?"

"Me? I-I'm special."

"You don't remember."

"…"

Morgana grunts.

"Well, we'll find out more about that sooner than later, right?"

Kido says trying sink his roommate moral even more while typing on his phone.

Takashi: We'll have to ask her more about it another time.

Ann: Also. I didn't felt like speaking about what we were doing on mementos in front of her.

Takashi: Why?

Ann: Because… I don't know.

Ryuji: You're being paranoid.

Ann: I'm not. It was just all out of the blue.

Takashi: She probably knows what we're doing anyway.

Ann: OH! And the whole deal of you knowing about her and not telling us!

Ryuji: Yeah dude, the hell was that all about?

Kido cringes on his bed.

"Heh. You have to take this like a man."

Morgana says while snuggling besides his roommate pillow.

The cat was ready to enjoy the protest session, adding his bits every time he could.

Kido does his best to stay awake during the whole scolding session to properly apologize before being able to sleep.

"It seems we'll head to the museum tomorrow then…"

Kido comments, he was already covered on his sheets. But Morgana had ceased watching him type for a while now, and instead started watching his roommate face very closely.

"Erm…"

"I didn't notice before."

"Notice what?"

Kido asks.

"Your face, you have a very intense look now that I see you without your glasses."

"…"

"No wonder you're a delinquent."

"I'm not…"

He puts back his glasses trying to look away.

"It's just a hereditary defect."

He mumbles.

"Is that how it works- meowh!"

But in an abrupt attempt to turn around, Takashi takes the sheets on where Morgana was sitting up with him. Making the cat fall of the bed on the process.

"This is the first time I see a cat falling on his back."

He says after noticing the whereabouts.

"Be more careful!"

"Sorry."

Morgana sits but his attention is quickly shifted towards a classic cards deck lying bellow Kido's bed.

"Hey those are your cards."

"…"

The boy doesn't answer.

"Do you know any other tricks?"

"… A few."

"And how did you learn those?"

"…"

How? It is quite easy if you have a proper teacher.

Someone patient enough to share their knowledge to the blank state of a mind little kids have.

No teacher is as good and comprehensive as a good parent willing to show their children things that could keep their minds sharp and put…

A family is supposed to teach their children the values of a decent life hood.

But instead he got to learn magic tricks, how to cook his own meals and… the dilettante expertise of the many different knife types.

'No, that's not fair.'

Not at all. Takashi is sure that at some point of his life his parents embedded the same values they had on him. What's right and what's wrong. What's evil and what's good. He wasn't contrived into believing something against his will. In fact, Takashi Kido feels he's left all too much on his own to make his own decisions.

("No son of mine runs away from his problems!")

("Well thankfully I'm not your son anymore, right?")

He winced at a remembrance he didn't want to relive.

The whole time Kido was musing to his own he couldn't notice Morgana jumping up and down from bed.

The cat's goal was to bring every card lying on the floor up to Kido's reach. It wasn't an easy job, since the little feline had to bring one card at the time with his mouth.

Kido stares at the cat that was wiggling his tail in expectation.

"Let's just go to sleep."

But he turns to the side facing the wall as he ready himself to get some rest.

"Huh? Really? But you don't look tired…. Hey!"

He ignores the cat's protest.

Why would he remember those things now?

There was no point, what's done is done.

No matter how much he wished things to be different, he had accepted the reality as soon as he stepped into this new life.

The sole purpose to take this new lifestyle, was to change his future, not his past.

'How foolish.'

He mumbles to himself before falling asleep.

They'll go to the museum after classes tomorrow.

Notes:

The kanji: 蓮 represents the Lotus flower. Amamiya Ren reads: 雨宮蓮

So, yeah few scenes today. But I had to cut a lot of things so I can keep my 10.000 words limit per chapter personal rule. But I just moved some things for the next chapter, so all is good.

How do you feel about Kurosawa being in the story? I have plans for him, but nothing major at the time.

More Mishima and Makoto for the next chapter. I hope I can finish it this week… or the next.

Also, "NO NECRO, NO MORE FORCED DADDY ISSUES!"

I make no promises.