I'm perfectly comfortable being on my own.

A gust of wind burst from the tip of Zorro's sword, dispersing a flock, for lack of a better word, of Lilim and giving Ann a clear line of sight to set the Belphegor in the center ablaze. As planned, the combination knocked the shadows out of the sky, allowing the team to make short work of them. Makoto had spent the last several days doing extra reading about the mythical creatures that inhabited Okumura's palace as well as refining the formations the team used to battle them, Ren's words in Sis's cognition playing on repeat in her mind.

Makoto doubted the others could tell anything was different. The division of duties between Ren and herself remained unchanged. Professionally, their interactions were also unchanged. However, to Makoto, something about Ren seemed distant. He seemed to always be talking to someone else. When she saw him in the train station or even when they were at rest in the palace, he was never looking her way. He didn't even notice her. Makoto wondered if it was all just coincidence, just machinations of her own fears. Not knowing for sure, she thought it best to be low key, to address Ren only when necessary.

The team approached another terminal. Futaba's hacker skills were coming in handy as she was able to re-program internal systems in their favor, confusing the robots' schedules and even overdriving large pieces of equipment to failure. At this latest terminal, Futaba quieted the large stampers nearby, forming a makeshift bridge that would allow them to proceed.

The Phantom Thieves dashed across the factory floor, needing to clear the bridge before the stamper came back online. Even in rest position it was a bit of a jump. Makoto got atop the stamper and turned, reaching her arm out to help just as Ren was doing the same. They shouted in unison. "Oracle!"

Ren and Makoto each grabbed hold of one of Futaba's forearms, aiding her onto the machine. As her feet touched the top of the makeshift bridge, Ren pulled harder, yanking Futaba to him. He raised his other arm over her protectively, shooting Makoto a challenging look. Makoto parted her lips and took a step back. Ren's expression softened. He awkwardly looked away.

"Um, guys...?" Futaba glanced between her two teammates.

"Joker! Queen! Hurry!" Morgana called. The three of them ran across the bridge, barely making it over before the pistons resumed.

There was little time to regroup as a regiment of robot workers were waiting for them. Ren dropped Futaba's hand and raced forward, streams of black, grey, and red coming forth to attack the front row of enemies. Not getting the desired response, he quickly switched strategies, iterating through families of skills. Seeing that the others were fully engaged, Makoto stayed back to survey and support. She brought forth Johanna to cast a defensive charm on her comrades.

It was Yusuke's field of ice that eventually brought the robots to their knees, freezing and cracking their joints. The Phantom Thieves easily vanquished them in their immobile state.

After a short elevator ride, the team was fortunate enough to find a safe room. None of their altercations that afternoon had been particularly difficult. The problem was that there were so many of them. As the team made themselves comfortable, Makoto began to take inventory of the situation. They had been leaning heavily on Ann and Morgana, both who were looking winded. Their ammunition was over half depleted. Ren looked fine, but he had been once again covering every type of need the team might have in battle.

Makoto walked over to Ren and Morgana who were standing around a side table. They appeared to be examining the facility map they had picked up. "How much more is there?"

"Hmmm," Morgana took a few moments. "I think we're getting close... maybe another stretch like that last one?"

"We may want to fall back. We've been asking a lot of you and Panther and our supplies are starting to thin. Even if we find the treasure, we still have to make it back to the entrance."

"I'll take care of the agi and garu skills so Mona and Panther can rest," said Ren.

"You've already done twice as much as everyone else Joker. I rather not take the risk."

Ren looked directly into Makoto's eyes. There was a hint of an edge to his voice. "I wish you'd be half as cautious with yourself as you are with everyone else."

Makoto frowned, unsure how to respond. She sensed the matter wasn't up for discussion.

"Let's break for a little while and then at least take a look at what's ahead," Ren continued. "If it's bad, we'll head back."

"Okay." It was a reasonable plan. "Mona, why don't you encourage everyone to have a snack? Don't forget Oracle, she has to eat something other than instant noodles."

Morgana regarded Makoto for a moment and then looked to Ren who gave a short nod. He turned and made a bee line for Ann. From where they were standing, Makoto could see all of her teammates. She continued to scan for signs of trouble. Though Futaba didn't fight, she tired easily. Ryuji was normally fine but some days his leg would act up. Haru was still relatively new, but seemed in good shape, perhaps due to her gardening efforts.

Makoto turned to Ren. He also appeared to be watching their teammates carefully. His arms were crossed, red gloves resting above the crooks of his elbows. Though she could sense he was still displeased with her, Makoto took the opportunity to address some lingering questions she had. "Joker... what's your original persona like?"

"His name is Arsene," Ren responded, his eyes still fixed over the room. "He's some sort of devil and specializes in curse skills. He encouraged me to trust my own justice and do whatever it takes to see it through."

"Why don't you fight with him?"

"He left..." Ren's tone softened somewhat. "He told me he would return when I reached the end of my fate. I... I think he wants me to learn something by interacting with all of these other personae."

"Oh." Makoto found it curious, but wanted to think more before bothering Ren about it. After all, there was something else she wanted to know first. "What does he look like?"

"His body is a shell formed of cauldron-like metal that houses flames. He has large feathery black wings and wears a red suit and a tall black top hat. I think that's where Ryuji got inspiration for our logo."

The description was unfamiliar. "Is he bigger than normal?"

"No, not particularly." Ren's focus shifted from the room to Makoto, regarding her from the corners of his eyes.

"Then what was that persona you used the other night against Johanna?"

Ren's jaw tightened. The edge returned to his voice. "Jatayu."

"No, the one after Jatayu."

"I didn't use another after Jatayu."

"But..." Makoto started to argue but then decided it was best not to push Ren further. Perhaps that thing she saw wasn't a persona at all. But then what was it? It truly seemed to be connected to Ren in some way.

––––– ––––– –––––

From the privacy of the student council room, Makoto checked on Sis's palace once more. The mysterious Meta-Nav app confirmed it was still there. Though Makoto would often go more than a week between visits to Sis's palace without giving it a second thought, she couldn't stop thinking about it with its now forbidden status. She rarely saw Sis anymore. There had been something comforting about having another way to be with Sis... and now it was off limits.

Who made Ren lord of the Metaverse anyway? Makoto frowned. She didn't want him to steal Sis's heart. She didn't even like the idea of him entering Sis's cognition in the first place. Furthermore, why hadn't he come to talk to her, like he said he would?

Makoto checked on Sis's palace once more. Still there. She told herself to focus. She should be figuring out a plan, not wasting time. In a sense, things had just gone back to the way they were before she met Ren. She had gotten along just fine back then. Not being able to visit Sis, not spending time with Ren... everything was back to normal.

A jostling of the door caught Makoto's attention. She looked up, her eyes wide. Maybe Re-

"Look who I finally caught!" Hasegawa nearly sang as she entered the room, holding Morgana by the torso. "This little guy has been skulking around all week."

"Eh?" Makoto watched as Morgana struggled in Hasegawa's grasp.

"Let me go!" Morgana exclaimed.

"What a talkative kitty!" Hasegawa smiled broadly as she put Morgana down on the table. "What are you doing here kitty?"

"Yes... what are you doing?" Makoto repeated slowly, keeping her eyes fixed on the cat. "Where is your master?"

"Hmph, I'm the master," Morgana said in a huff. Makoto continued to look at him, not saying anything. He eventually answered her question. "Ren is hanging out with Futaba. When he's with friends, sometimes I go exploring rather than tag along."

"So cute! It's almost like he's really talking to you." Hasegawa started scratching Morgana right under his jaw line. "Who's a cute kitty?"

"I am not a caaaaa-" Morgana began to protest but his words left him. Instead he started to lean into Hasegawa's fingers, tilting further and further.

"I heard rumors last term there was a cat hanging around our school," Hasegawa explained. She smiled triumphantly, continuing to tease Morgana's jaw. "He was tough to catch, but I have three at home. It was only a matter of time."

Just as Morgana was about to fall over, Hasegawa stopped. She stood up. "I'm going to get some milk. Don't let him escape."

"R-right," said Makoto. After Hasegawa was safely out of the room, she spoke. "Go. I'll come up with an excuse."

"It's okay. I wanted to talk about the other day, in your sister's palace..."

"I see..." Makoto pressed her lips together and looked away. The notoriety the Phantom Thieves could gain from stealing the heart of someone like Sis would likely open up more of Mementos. Makoto was sympathetic to Morgana's quest to discover his origins, but not at the cost of Sis. This put them at odds. Morgana's suggestions about Sis's palace thus had an undercurrent to them that made Makoto uncomfortable.

"It's not what you think! ...well, it's not only what you think. As I said before, I think we should explore your sister's palace... but until Okumura has his change of heart and we find out who is behind the mental shutdowns, I want to help you decide what to do—whether it be steal your sister's treasure or find another way. I don't think I'd be satisfied if I didn't at least do that."

Makoto regarded Morgana, her skin folding between her brows and her lips parting slightly. She supposed she might feel the same if the situations were reversed. However, she couldn't bring herself to smile. "T-thank you."

"But I also wanted to talk about Ren-"

"I'm back!" Hasegawa re-entered the student council room with a small carton of milk. "Oh is he still whining at you?"

Hasegawa pulled her empty bento out of her bag and poured in the milk.

"Is that really okay for a cat?" asked Makoto.

"I am not a cat," grumbled Morgana. He turned his head up at the bento of milk.

"It will probably be fine for today," said Hasegawa. "I'll bring in something more appropriate next time."

Morgana's eyes shifted back to the bento several times. He continued to avoid it.

Makoto considered objecting. The student council really shouldn't be keeping a cat. What kind of precedent would it set? However, Hasegawa's excitement provided an excellent cover if Morgana was going to be helping Makoto.

Morgana turned to the bento, giving it a few test-licks before he started lapping up the milk with gusto.

"Aww, there he goes," Hasegawa smiled, her cheeks balling up under her eyes. She put her elbows on the table and rested her chin in both hands, watching Morgana. "No need to be wary kitty!"

The buzz of a phone vibrating brought Hasegawa's attention to her bag. She pulled out her phone and looked at the screen. She started speaking at a rapid pace. "Ah! I have to go pick up my brother now! I'll come back for the bento tomorrow! Oh, and Niijima-senpai, I didn't get to the faculty sign-offs, so you could you do it? Sorry!"

Before Makoto could respond, or even blink, Hasegawa was out the door. Makoto sighed and pulled out a binder from one of the bookshelves. She flipped through it, taking out the forms that still needed signatures. She then turned to Morgana, who was just about finishing the milk. "I need to take care of this before the teachers go home."

"I can come with you," said Morgana. "I'm curious to see what you do."

"It's not very interesting."

Morgana wasn't deterred by Makoto's warning. He made his way over to her bag and hopped in. Makoto picked up the small stack of forms and her bag. It would be a quick walk to the faculty office.

"Um, by the way Makoto," Morgana's voice likely didn't stand out due to the background chatter in the halls and the muffling effect of Makoto's bag. Still, Makoto hoped there was no one around with an ear attuned to meows. It was hard for her to gauge how Morgana might sound those who couldn't interpret his voice. "I was the one who urged Ren to use hamaon the other day. He was against it but-"

"I understand," Makoto tried to speak softly and covertly. "Your advice was sound. It doesn't bother me."

"Oh? But ever since then... you sometimes look scared when you see Ren."

"Eh?" Makoto looked up. She briefly thought back to their confrontation, remembering the immense pressure put out by the cloud of mist around Ren. She pushed the memory out of her mind. That was something else. "I guess I just don't know where I stand..."

Makoto grasped the knob of the faculty office door and stepped inside. The office was mostly empty. Makoto wished Hasegawa had done her student council assignment first and her stalking of cats second. Ms. Usami and Mr. Ushimaru were already gone. Mr. Ushimaru's class was proposing a target range that seemed particularly problematic. Fortunately, Ms. Kawakami was still in, but she appeared to be packing her things to leave.

"Good afternoon Ms. Kawakami," Makoto began. "Can I speak to you for a moment about the maid costumes?"

Ms. Kawakami's eyes went wide. "M-maid costumes? I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh?" Makoto felt her neck and face getting hot. She wondered just how many mistakes there were in the festival forms. She mentally kicked herself for not having personally handled all of the festival organization. "I'm terribly sorry. I thought your class was doing a 'Maid Takoyaki' stand for the school festival. There must be some mistake."

"Oooh," Ms. Kawakami said, looking up as if she was thinking. She sighed and frowned. "No, that's right. What's the problem?"

"I just need your signature verifying that you've reviewed the designs and that they're appropriate for school." Makoto offered Ms. Kawakami a form. "Last year we had an issue with another class."

"Just that?" Ms. Kawakami took the form and put it on her desk. She picked out a pen from a cylindrical container of writing implements and signed the form before returning it. As she handed Makoto the sheet of paper, she briefly glanced at the opening of Makoto's bag. "That ca—nevermind. Now if you would please leave... I need to lock up."

"Right. Thank you Ms. Kawakami." Makoto stepped out of the office, relieved. For a moment, she thought Ms. Kawakami had noticed Morgana. She would have to be more careful.

Makoto made her way back to the student council room. She started to once again consider Sis's palace, ready to take advantage of Morgana's expertise. "Morgana... stealing a person's treasure only steals their distortion, right? Why is that?"

"That's my understanding, but I don't know why. Maybe if we explore Mementos further, I'll remember more."

"Hmm," Makoto tried to sound noncommittal. She considered another line of reasoning. "So far, they've always confessed as publicly as possible, with the exception of Kaneshiro who turned himself in. Is the confession really part of the process?"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm asking if stealing the treasure leads to a confession or if it's more indirect. Is it really that stealing the treasure leads a person to atone for their actions? Kamoshida could have confessed to the press like Madarame did, but instead he confessed to the school—his victims. Madarame couldn't easily reach all of his victims and thus to do so would need to go public. Kaneshiro, being a criminal, instead sought to turn himself in."

"I suppose that's more or less accurate."

Makoto wondered what form Sis's atonement might take. Sis would certainly seek some form of justice. If anyone could come up with a just solution, it would be Sis. However, Makoto was beginning to doubt her own ability to do. She balled her hand into a fist and brought it in front of her, regarding it curiously.

At the very least, the Phantom Thieves were preventing further harm, but that was only one facet of the outcome. Whatever came after they had been leaving to the palace owners themselves and if her own struggles with Sis's palace had taught her anything, it was difficult to be just when it was personal.

––––– ––––– –––––

Makoto walked through the hallways of one of Kosei High School's practice buildings, carefully following the instructions Yusuke had given her. Kosei had a much more expansive set of resources for arts students than Shujin Academy did. It would be easy to get lost.

The late afternoon sun cast a warm glow through the windows, enhancing the wood aesthetic of the building. Though some time had passed since classes finished for the day, there were still many students milling about. Makoto must have arrived before club activities ended. Several students were regarding her curiously, probably due to her Shujin uniform.

The Phantom Thieves had recently stolen Okumura's treasure and were waiting for his change of heart. Haru's father had not been behind the mental shutdowns himself, but had made requests that led to them. There hadn't been time for more details. Now it was a waiting game until he was ready to talk. Makoto could sense the worry coming from Haru, her normally sweet and cheerful nature seemed replaced with uncertainty. Makoto wondered if anyone truly understood the consequences of their decisions during their first palace.

At the very least, Haru did not have to directly fight her father's shadow. Instead, the team had faced countless robots. Makoto could not imagine Sis doing the same. She had sparred with Sis many times over the years, but didn't like the idea of having to truly harm her, even if it was just a shadow.

"I'm sorry, but my mother would never allow it." It was a familiar voice. Makoto looked up to see Togo Hifumi bowing to an open door and then rushing off down the hall. She didn't realize Togo-san was a Kosei student as well. Makoto wished she had time to catch up, but didn't want to be late to meet Yusuke. To her surprise, Yusuke appeared in that same doorway.

"Ah, Makoto," Yusuke said in a detached voice.

"Was that Togo Hifumi just now? Do you know her?"

"We just met the other day. She's not in my class." Yusuke sighed. "I was hoping she would pose for me. She's an ideal beauty, perfect for my next piece. Perhaps even better than Ann—certainly with a much better personality."

"There's nothing wrong with Ann's personality," Makoto said flatly.

"Yeah! Don't go disparaging Lady Ann!" Morgana popped out of Makoto's bag.

"Oh, you're here too?" Yusuke asked, looking at the cat.

"I wanted to see what Yusuke's school was like."

"I see," Yusuke said. He sighed again and grabbed Makoto by the upper arm. "I suppose you'll have to do. I can at least get some studies done."

"What?" Makoto exclaimed as Yusuke began dragging her inside the studio.

"You can disrobe behind that curtain in the corner," Yusuke said, using his free hand to point out the small changing area.

"Absolutely not."

"No?" Yusuke seemed genuinely perplexed at her refusal.

"I swear... it's like your brain leaves when the artist takes over," Makoto grumbled.

"Hmmm, what to do then?" Yusuke asked. There was an airy, melancholic quality to his voice as he started to stare into space.

"Makoto could pose with her clothes on, like Ann did," Morgana suggested. Makoto shot him an angry look. Morgana whispered back to her. "You're not getting his attention until this is settled."

"If that's the best you can do..." Yusuke looked at Makoto.

"It is," Makoto forced out, still feeling cross at Morgana. He had already hopped out of her bag and was exploring the studio.

"Then find a position you can stay in over there," Yusuke pointed to a raised area. Before it stood an easel, a thick pad of paper clamped in place. Makoto sat on the edge of the platform, her back straight and her hands on her knees. "A little more interesting than that please."

Makoto paused, unsure what to do, especially in a skirt. Everything 'interesting' seemed so unnatural to her. She got up on her knees, like she might sit at tea ceremony, but was unsure how long she could hold the position. She relaxed a bit, resting more on her thighs, letting her calves out to one side and balancing with her opposite hand on the platform, her other hand resting over her skirt. She gave Yusuke a questioning look.

"Very well." Yusuke had since sat down behind the easel. His drawing hand started moving quickly but lightly. Before Makoto knew it, he had already flipped one page of his pad of paper. "So what was it you wanted to see me about?"

"I-"

"Golden Chariot Triad Formation!" A woman's voice pierced through the hallways.

"Tch," Yusuke stood up and closed the door. As he returned to his seat, he spoke. "Sorry about that. I wish the student council would put a stop to whoever that is. Such a vulgar girl..."

Makoto wondered if Kosei High School was just full of weirdos. She began again. "Um, I wanted to ask you about Madarame... what it was like to fight his shadow. If that's okay..."

"Hmm," Yusuke continued to sketch. "Looking back I suppose he was easier than the palace owners we've faced lately. I wonder what that means."

"Well yes," Makoto also found the rising difficulty of their opponents curious. "I meant for you, personally, since he raised you."

"The man who raised me never existed. He was a work of fiction composed by Madarame and my own desires." The movements of Yusuke's drawing arm had become harsh. Makoto could hear the sounds of graphite on paper. With great flourish, Yusuke flipped another sheet over the easel. "The shadow I fought in the palace bore no resemblance to that fiction."

"It didn't bother you at all to slash at him?"

"No. No... we were fighting for our lives anyway," Yusuke's drawing arm paused. "I suppose I may have had some pent up resentment to work through."

"And now...?"

"I don't know."

Makoto looked down, forgetting she was supposed to be holding a pose.

"I don't know if I would be who I am today or where I am without Madarame-sensei," Yusuke continued after a pause. He had started drawing again. His movements seemed slower and more delicate. "It wasn't all bad. I don't know how to reconcile that with what he did."

"Have you visited him since...?"

"The authorities won't let me, at least until his after his trial. They're concerned he still has sway over me."

"Mmm." It made sense. Makoto wondered if the same thing would happen with Sis, but hesitated to probe Yusuke further about the experience. She already felt she was asking a lot from Yusuke emotionally without a sense of how it was affecting him. Yusuke was hard to read. Also, the situations weren't exactly the same. Sis wasn't abusing her like Madarame was with Yusuke or Okumura-san was with Haru.

Yusuke flipped another page on his sketch pad. He started making framing motions with his fingers.

"What was it like after you stole his treasure, but before he confessed?" Makoto asked after several minutes. "Did he act like Kaneshiro or Okumura?"

"Closer to Okumura, from what Haru has told us."

Makoto wondered why there was such a delay. Kaneshiro had reacted near instantaneously, but apparently it was a fluke. Did it take time for the mind to come to terms with all that had happened and formulate a response, even if it generally led to a confession? Was it difficult on the body, even though the others did not awaken to a persona or have health problems like Futaba? "Were you worried?"

"A little. He kept to himself, but I was used to him disappearing for long periods of time, so it wasn't very different." Yusuke was moving his pencil methodically.

"Oh." Makoto wondered how Haru was doing.

The trio didn't speak for some time. Makoto wasn't sure if Morgana was even still in the room. The only sounds were that of Yusuke's pencils against paper and faint music being practiced elsewhere in the building.

"Yusuke..." Makoto began. "Do you ever regret changing Madarame's heart?"

Yusuke looked up at Makoto from his easel. "Never."

Moments later the sound of a cell phone alarm could be heard coming from Yusuke's pocket.

"Ah. I need to start packing up. Another student has the room next." Yusuke began placing his supplies into a moderately-sized case.

Makoto got up from the platform, curious to see what Yusuke had drawn. She was greeted by a page full of sketches of her as a mouse. Of course. She clenched one of her fists.

"I think they would have been better had you been willing to pose nude," Yusuke said. The worst part was that he was being serious.

"We'll never know." Makoto smiled in a way that would probably scare small children. She took a deep breath, reminding herself that Yusuke had been kind enough to indulge her sensitive questions. She took out a bento from her bag. Yusuke never seemed to get enough to eat. At least he would have one healthy meal. "This is for you, as thanks."

Yusuke's eyes shined as he accepted the bento. He lifted the lid briefly. "Hmm."

"Come on Morgana." The cat appeared from seemingly out of no where to hop back in Makoto's bag before she picked it up. "Goodnight Yusuke. Thanks again."

"Bye Yusuke!" Morgana added.

Makoto walked out into the hallway, heading towards the building's exit. Speaking with Yusuke had done little to reassure her, but at least she knew the truth now rather than having to stew in her own suspicions. She hadn't even seen Sis since the incident, much less gotten a chance to try to heal her heart without the Metaverse. All she could do was verify that Sis's palace still existed.

"Come to any conclusions?" Morgana poked his nose out of Makoto's bag.

"No," Makoto hung her head. "Yusuke, Haru... they both needed to oppose their family. Sis is kind..."

"Could it be you're deluding yourself, like Yusuke?"

"Maybe... but I also recognize that lately her investigations have been... aggressive. I think that must be it."

"How bad is it?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe it isn't that bad."

"Huh?" Makoto raised her head, looking at the cat.

"It's like Isshiki Wakaba's research said... the distortion starts affecting the person's actions in the real world. You said your sister has a strong sense of justice, so maybe the distortion hasn't had too much effect yet. Removing it now may prevent her from doing something serious."

Makoto came to a sudden stop. Her heart was racing. She hadn't considered things from that point of view before. She fought a strong desire to enter Sis's palace right then and remove the distortion.

No. Based on what Sis had already said, she would likely lose her job anyway. The people around her were just waiting for any little slip up so they could get rid of the upstart woman. Acting meant destroying Sis's career, but not acting could mean something worse. The path forward was becoming clear, but what could be done to mitigate the consequences?

––––– ––––– –––––

"Is Rumi-chan coming today?" Morgana lightly padded into the student council office and hopped on the table in front of Makoto. The door was propped open for the day with the expectation that many classes and clubs would be dropping by, scrambling to meet the new deadlines for the school festival. While the development gave the cat easy access, it unfortunately gave Makoto little time to research alternative careers for Sis.

"Rumi-chan is it? Should Ann be jealous?" Makoto teased. Morgana had quickly warmed to Hasegawa. It might have had something to do with her bringing in treats like canned tuna.

"Rumi-chan is no Lady Ann buuuuut... she has her charms," Morgana smiled broadly. "So."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but she's out today."

"Ooh," Morgana made his disappointment clear. "Well, I'm going to go for a walk then."

As Morgana hopped off the table and scampered away, Wada entered. He looked pale. "Wasn't that Amamiya's service animal?! He doesn't have it with him? This is bad."

"Service... animal?"

"You know, to keep his violent tendencies at bay."

The rumors seemed to only be getting more ridiculous with time. "Amamiya-kun isn't like-"

"Principal Kobayakawa is gone Niijima-senpai," Wada firmly placed his hand on the table for emphasis. Makoto wondered what had gotten into him. He was usually a better listener, one of the reasons she liked having him on the student council. "You don't have to be saddled with reforming him anymore."

"I wasn't-"

"Surely you've read the leaked files. He suddenly, randomly attacked that couple. The lady said she was worried she would die. Amamiya is a threat-"

"I think there's more to the story-"

"This is serious. You should keep clear of Amamiya. He's violent and dangerous. He could kill you."

"That's-"

Wada gasped. Makoto followed his line of sight, looking up to see Ren staring at them from the hallway, a copy of Woman in the Dark in one of his hands. His lips were parted and his brow was knit, the corners of his eyebrows cast downward. When their eyes met, he quickly turned, breaking into a brisk walk.

"He's going to kill us now," Wada's eyes were wide. "He is so going to kill us."

"Ren!" Makoto called after him, standing up and rushing past Wada into the hallway. Ren had already disappeared. Makoto swore it was like the boy could teleport sometimes. Where could he have gone?

Ren had once described Tokyo like a prison due to its walls and concrete. Surely he would have gone somewhere open. Where in the school...?

Makoto raced towards the roof, ignoring the curious glances of the other students in the hallway. She burst through the door, letting it swing wide. She first looked towards the planters. No one. Shifting her gaze right, she saw Ren, facing away from her. He was stretching his arms wide and appeared to be taking a deep breath, his face pointed towards the sky. He then sat in one of the haphazardly placed folding chairs and put his head in his hands. His motions looked tired. Makoto stood just past the door, watching him, unsure what to do.

The sound of the door slamming shut, its old springs finally bringing it back to its rest position, caused Ren to look up and broke Makoto's hesitation. He looked at her as he had back in the student council room before casting his eyes downward again. She rushed over to him, dropping to her knees so that she might see his face beneath his thick tangle of hair.

"Nononono..." The words spilled from Makoto's lips. "Not even for an instant, don't start believing them-"

"But he's right. I did kill you." Ren continued to look down.

"It's not the same. It was a calculated move. You are not a killer," Makoto put her hands on Ren's knees. She was briefly distracted by the thought that it had been so long since they were that close. She pushed it aside. "Morgana and I both agree it was a sound strategy: You needed to stop the threat and get a better look-"

"That expression you made, in that pillar of light..." Ren tilted his head to face Makoto. "I held your lifeless-"

"Stop. When we fight shadows-"

"It was different this time. I..."

"You would never have agreed to use hamaon had you not known human targets can be revived," Makoto shook her head, her voice firm. "The Phantom Thieves do not kill. It's been part of the Phantom Thieves longer than I have."

"We fight our way through those palaces. We destroy shadows..."

"I don't have the same communion with shadows that you do, but..." Makoto spoke slowly, choosing her words carefully. "Those shadows are manifestations of an idea, twisted by the distortion of the palace. An idea doesn't die so easily. Not only that, but you take each one inside of you, so it can never truly be destroyed. We're trying to fix the distortion. We only fight shadows because we have to."

"But I enjoy it... when I'm in there, I like taking down enemies." Ren's breaths were heavy. "What if I am really just a violent-"

"I wouldn't follow you if I thought you were violent. None of us would," Makoto cut off the thought as fast as possible. Ren probably faced the accusation, in whispers, every day. Only the dangerously obstinate would never reflect upon the possibility. She wondered how many times he had let it get to him, how many times he had struggled with it alone. She took Ren's face in her hands. "It's the ability to rebel against what's wrong that you like, isn't it?"

"I-"

"You're so giving of yourself. You help people here, in the real world, all the time. You're not violent at all. You're kind and gentle and reassuring and warm and caring... I lo-"

Makoto caught herself, her eyes widening for a moment. She let go of Ren's face, rose to her feet, and took a step back.

Ren broke her gaze, looking instead at some spot on the floor before closing his eyes. He grimaced.

Makoto forced herself to focus. Ren needed a friend. She took a deep breath and stepped in again, as close as the chair would allow her. She embraced Ren, bringing his head to her chest and wrapping her other arm around his upper back.

"It's good you reflect upon your actions and on their claims, but they're wrong," Makoto stated. She squeezed tighter. "I'll tell you that over and over until I'm sure you believe it. If someone calls you violent, I'll refute it ten times over. You've done the right thing, even though it's been hard, and even though it cost you. You've saved-"

"I didn't save her. She went off with him." Makoto could feel the frames of Ren's glasses digging into her. "And I don't know how to save..."

The statement lingered. Ren lifted his arms, encircling Makoto's waist. His grip was tight. A strong gust of October wind caused the fences surrounding them to rattle.

"All we can do is try our best," Makoto said softly. "Don't take the entire weight of the world by yourself. You're doing what you can. It's enough."

"It's not enough."

"It's more than enough." Makoto frowned, thankful Ren couldn't see her face. It wasn't only in the Metaverse that he had been covering for everyone. He had been shouldering the burdens of so many others in the real world too. It was too much to ask. He had taken on immense responsibilities. She had not been doing enough to support him. It was her fault he was doubting himself now. She had done this to him. A sickening feeling was forming in Makoto's chest. "I'm so sorry. Back then... I was thinking so selfishly. I have a bad habit of acting in the moment... all I could think about was Sis. I should have realized..."

Makoto let herself trail off, leaving the rest unspoken. Instead, she just continued to hold Ren. She wasn't sure how long they stayed like that. The warm colors of the nearly set autumn sun gave way to the bluer cast of dusk. Eventually, Ren took a deep breath and released her. She took the cue to do the same, stepping back as he stood up. Ren spoke, not looking at her. "I'm going home."

"Mm," Makoto mumbled affirmatively. She watched Ren's back, his bag slung over his shoulder, as he disappeared through the door. She wondered if she had helped at all. Hopefully he would meet up with his girlfriend or someone who could do more for him than she could. Makoto felt a twinge of unease. She would have acted the same for any one of her friends and teammates, but it wasn't only actions that mattered. It felt wrong, like she had been taking advantage of the situation.

Makoto thought back to what she had almost said. Why did it have to be him? She was just setting herself up for heartache. There was no way, especially after everything she had done. Makoto wrapped her hands around her upper arms, realizing without Ren just how cold it was.

––––– ––––– –––––

Makoto ascended the staircase at the back of Cafe LeBlanc. Ren had summoned the team in preparation of a Mementos excursion. Apparently there were several new requests to consider. Makoto hadn't seen Ren since they parted on the roof of Shujin Academy. She reminded herself to act normal, act professionally. Functionally, nothing had changed and nothing should change. She couldn't let anyone find out.

To Makoto's surprise, she was the first one to arrive. She mentally kicked herself for rushing over instead of carefully adding a delay. How was it that Futaba wasn't there already? Ren was adjusting the position of the table used for their meetings. He looked equally surprised to see her. Though the chairs were already in place, Morgana was sitting atop the table.

"Are you feeling better?" Makoto asked. Ren looked well, but how much had she missed all the other times he seemed okay?

"Yeah," Ren tilted his head down and ran one of his hands through his hair. Makoto couldn't make out Ren's eyes through the glare of his glasses.

"I'm glad," Makoto said quietly.

"You're blocking the stairs," Yusuke said from right behind Makoto. She jumped. She hadn't heard him come up.

"S-sorry," Makoto stood up straighter than normal then nearly jogged the distance to her usual seat on the couch.

Yusuke sat on the bench, his back turned, giving his long legs room to spread out. He put his bag down beside him and took out the bento Makoto had given him earlier in the week. He turned to her and slid it across the table. "Thank you. You are skilled."

"I'm relieved to hear you say that." Makoto lifted the bento. It had been well cleaned. She put it in her bag.

Ren glanced from Makoto to Yusuke and back again, looking confused. He spoke to Makoto, a hint of playfulness in his otherwise serious expression. "You've never made me a bento."

"You live in a restaurant," Makoto responded. She wasn't sure what to make of Ren's tone.

"I wouldn't mind something other than curry," Ren remarked. He offered an inviting smile. "You wouldn't have to catch me at the station either."

"Actually she delivered it when she came to pose for me the other day." Yusuke corrected without turning his head, giving him an air of boredom.

Ren's smile dropped. He looked at Morgana questioningly. Whatever expression the cat made back, Makoto couldn't see. Ren turned away, seeming to examine the collection of knick knacks on his bookshelf. He sounded rather disinterested when he spoke next. "I didn't know you were working together."

"Not very well. All he drew were mice," Makoto remembered.

"That was just the last page. To the contrary it turned out better than I expected," said Yusuke, crossing his arms. "When put in an uncomfortable situation, your body evokes a certain... fragility... I wonder if I can capture that softness under my brush-"

Ren stood up suddenly. He grabbed Morgana by the torso with both hands, lifting him off the table. His head was down and his face red. "Morgana and I have to have a little chat."

Makoto watched as the pair took off down the stairs. Did he think... no, it wouldn't matter to him.

"Anyway, I wonder if I can communicate your dual nature in a painting," Yusuke continued. "Idiosyncratic gentility from a post-apocalyptic raider. It might work as one of set of pieces with a common theme."

Makoto forced a smile. Yusuke could be so terribly backhanded.

While Ren and Morgana were away, Ann and Ryuji arrived with a plastic bag full of convenience store snacks, much to Yusuke's delight. Haru arrived shortly thereafter, having had to change out of the gym uniform she wore while gardening. When Ren and Morgana returned, Futaba was with them, sheepishly claiming something about a 'raid.'

With all of the Phantom Thieves gathered, Morgana went over the requests and as usual, everyone was in agreement. The group was soon on their way to Shibuya, the entrance to Mementos.

––––– ––––– –––––

Makoto sat in driver's seat of Morgana, watching Ren and the others fight a group of shadows blocking their path. At the last rest area, Ren had insisted she and Morgana stay back and be prepared if the team had to make a quick escape and needed serious healing. Makoto didn't quite follow the logic. It wasn't like they hadn't been there before. Furthermore, she thought it would be better if at least one of them were in the midst of things. With the Anzu-type shadows being common, Makoto felt her nuclear skills would come in handy. However, Ren was their leader and had final say.

Mementos had only become more creepy the deeper they went. An eerie purple cast permeated the current floor. The train tracks were made of bones. The whispers... voices... that Makoto had told herself were her imagination on the earlier floors could no longer be ignored. Makoto hoped she wasn't letting her fear show. Perhaps that's why Ren had been adamant she not fight. She thought she had hid it well and fought equally well, but perhaps she was been wrong. She frowned and contemplated how she might become more reliable.

Technicolor bubbles briefly lit the tracks. Haru smiled sweetly as the pack of monkey-like shadows hit the floor. It wasn't long before the shadows were no more. Soon everyone was piling back into Morgana.

An impassable barrier with delicate glimmering designs in red awaited them on the next floor. They had trusted Futaba's initial assessment upon entering Mementos, but the barrier made a natural goal while training, especially when they needed to sweep for targets anyway. Makoto's stomach churned. Though the rest of the team was unaware, Makoto knew they were training to fight Sis next. Makoto ran her fingers along one of the threads of red in the door.

"Let's head back," Ren called to the team. "We'll handle the requests we missed on the way down."

Reaching floors where the train tracks were still made of metal, Morgana sensed a nearby target. It didn't take long to find a snarl in Mementos where the tracks spiraled into an ominous glow of red and black. It was unclear if these were seeds of palaces to come or momentary blips in the ever-shifting space of the collective cognition. Makoto drove Morgana and the rest of the team into the distorted pocket of space.

A man, a nondescript adult, stood at the center of the small enclosed area. The Phantom Thieves exited Morgana, allowing their teammate to return to his mascot-like form.

"So that Shadow's the boss of that journalist, Ohya," Morgana informed everyone. "Honjo Shinpei."

"He looks so suspicious," remarked Ryuji. Under the green cast of Mementos, the facsimile of a human looked especially unnerving.

"Well, he is obstructing a news investigation to keep some incident hidden under the rug," Yusuke reminded the team.

"People died in that incident," Makoto added. "He should be ashamed to call himself a journalist."

"We'll have to make him see the truth!" Ann took out her whip. With that, the group started advancing on Honjo's shadow. In turn, the shadow seemed to take notice of them.

"You..." the shadow started. "Are you that kid Ohya's fooling around with?"

All eyes turned to Ren. So this was about Ren's girlfriend. Makoto hadn't really thought about it before—if Ren was dating an adult, of course their relationship would be adult. She felt her face getting warm.

"Dude!" Ryuji grinned broadly. "With that hot reporter chick who was snoopin' around Madarame's place?! That's our leader for ya!"

"Skull!" Ann chastised him. Makoto just continued to look on, mouth hanging open.

"Joker, this relationship is unbecoming of-" Yusuke started.

"Fox." Ann interrupted. Her words followed by a sigh. She brought the bottom of her palm to the forehead of her cat mask and groaned.

"Guys..." Two red-gloved hands rose to shoulder height.

"Fufufu," Futaba made an exaggerated laugh and raised her index finger. "We've discovered your elicit affair Joker!"

"Does this mean Joker likes older women?" Haru giggled, lacing her fingers together behind her back.

"Noir, Oracle..." Ann shook her head into her already raised palm.

"Guys... we were just pretend-dating to hide Ohya-san's investigation from this-" Ren cut his sentence short and turned to Makoto who was simultaneously turning towards him. As their eyes met, both mouthed an 'Oh.'

"Hm hm... what's this?" Haru seemed to be amused.

Makoto hoped the relative darkness of Mementos was hiding her blush. She said the first related thing she could think of. "Uh, we... also had to pretend-date..."

"It was to catch a man scamming Shujin students," Ren quickly added. Makoto appreciated the time to compose herself.

"Oooh, so Joker was pretend-two-timing. I am so pretend-shocked and pretend-disappointed," Haru smiled sweetly. She broadened her smile further, lips parting to reveal her teeth. Her eyes opened. "Maybe Queen should pretend-pummel him."

Makoto seized upon the joke, hoping it was diffusing the awkwardness. She summoned her matter-of-fact student council president voice. "Now, now, I have pretend-moved on."

"Is that so?" Ren said, his voice just above a whisper. He leaned towards Makoto so only she could hear. She could feel the warmth of his breath. "Because you seemed real-jealous."

Makoto felt like all the blood vessels in her face were going to burst. Ren flashed her a confident, mischievous smile. He spun towards the shadow and raised his voice. "Come on everyone, let's do this."

Author's Note: Many thanks to those of you who have been leaving reviews. Knowing people out there are interested enough to reach out and having some sense of connectedness helps me push through malaise and self-doubt to put stuff down in text and maintain some sort of regular update schedule. I apologize for being a slow writer.

I was amused (and somewhat surprised) to see which characters got called out for chapter 9.

Shout out to whoever is posting consistently as 'Guest.' I can't respond through FFnet, but I find your reviews very encouraging. You're quite generous though—there are quite a few silly misunderstandings going on (e.g., Ohya) and lots of protecting one's own feelings rather than communicating, even Ren who gets to act with a bit more wisdom since he is our player character.

I know this fic has drifted from its first few chapters and while some prefer it, others do not. If anyone has any suggestions on what I can add to the summary or notes to help people decide if they want to invest reading time, please let me know.

Originally posted 2017/11/29, updated 2017/12/24 to change P5 protagonist name to Ren