12/24/17 – Saturday

That… son of a bitch…! Goddammit…!

This can't be real… Right?

What is happening to us…?

No… no…!

My body's… disappearing…

Don't tell me…!

Is this really it…? Augh!

I'm sorry… The mission's… a failure…

One by one, they had all disappeared right before his very eyes. Dissolved into shadow, then faded completely. Wiped clean from the earth like a stain. And not a single person around them even took notice. It was the single most terrifying experience of his young life. To be so close to victory, to declare to the world that he and Ann were an item. And they were dying. Even as he struggled and tried to fight the will of the Holy Grail, it all felt for naught as Mementos completely eclipsed the real world. Or so he had thought.

The Velvet Room – once a prison – had now become his salvation. And the window to the truth. Igor had actually been nothing more than an imposter the Holy Grail entity had placed inside the Velvet Room, locking away the real one and splitting his assistant into Caroline and Justine. By sheer will or force of luck, Akira had managed to reunite them back into Lavenza and cast the imposter Igor out. Even greater was that they still had a chance to save the world. And that his friends still lived. Igor and Lavenza had tasked him with finding the others somewhere in this prison. It was hard to appreciate his newfound range to roam around as he was sprinting through the halls to find the others. Though one in particular took center stage.

He had to find her. As he was fading, his only thought had been of her. Of where had he gone wrong and how he couldn't save her. Not even a goodbye. His heart raced a million miles a second with every empty cell. They had told him she was alive down here. He held on to that driving force with all his might.

And there she was. In a little cell all by herself, sitting on the floor. Sparks nearly kicked up from his heels as he skidded to a halt before her.

"Ann!" He gripped the bars of her cell, arms absolutely trembling. Akira still had difficulty processing she was there. Everything felt like some fever dream, bouncing him back and forth. He felt such relief surging through him but also immense excitement at seeing her alive and well.

"Oh, Joker…" He blinked in surprise at the utter stillness in her voice. She barely even looked up at him, her head limply tilted to the side. And to address him by his codename so aloofly. Something was incredibly wrong. "Thank goodness you're safe…"

"Are you okay, Ann? When I saw you fade away, I…" He gulped, feeling himself clam up at revealing his weaknesses. Despite having done it before, it never came easy. Damn his feeble pride. "I was so scared. I'm so glad you're okay."

"Oh, yeah…" That pep in her step, zest in her voice, fire in her eyes. All were strangely missing. She just sounded so utterly defeated as she sat upon the floor. The blonde turned away from him and curled herself up against the wall. "Huh… So I'm not in heaven after all. That means the hell that Shibuya turned into was all real."

"Not if we can help it." His grip tightened around the bars while he tried to tug them open. But they wouldn't budge. "We're inside the Velvet Room. None of us are dead yet, which means this fight isn't over. Everyone is being kept in here, and I gotta get us all out." He leaned his head against the bar and delivered a quiet sigh. Then a small amused laugh managed to slip out. "How did it come to this, huh? Was supposed to be about busting Shido and we found a secret god hiding underneath the city. Hell of a day, right?" His jest was met with cold silence. Ann still remained reserved and staring down at the floor. Not that he could blame her. They had almost died, after all. Or maybe they did die and they had been saved in the Velvet Room. He still had so many questions for Igor. Maybe now he could finally have them answered without any cryptic nonsense. "Come on, Ann. Where's my smiling sweet girl?" Still nothing. Even refusing to look at him. He leaned his arm against the bars in order to rest his head on it. "We need your help. I need your help."

"I can't help." She felt the strain leave her body with an immense sigh. Such guilt in her declaration, her words striking Akira in the chest. He stared at her with eyes widened in utter shock. "…I'm so weak. When I thought I was gonna die, I… started trembling. I was just so scared. At that moment, nothing mattered. The justice of our actions was the last thing on my mind."

"You're allowed to be scared, Ann. I was scared too. My last thoughts before I faded away were all about you. I thought I let you down." She couldn't help herself but smile. Humble even until the end. Her twintails jostled as she shook her head.

"Joker… you kept going even through a plan that might have ended up killing you. Yet look at me. I've always said I'm doing this for other people, but that didn't get me far…" A sad laugh of contempt escaped the young girl. "It's no wonder we lost."

"You know that's not true."

"Isn't it?" The blonde reflected on all six months of her life that had passed since meeting him. How much had changed. All they had seen. So much changing so fast had now started to hit her full force. And the cozy little cell she was stuck inside was starting to make her see things from the shadows' point of view. "Maybe I should've just behaved myself and stayed out of all this. Just been quiet and let things pass me by." Sure, Kamoshida would still be sexually harassing her daily. Perhaps even getting what he wanted and taking her body. But the world would at least be safe. Free from the nightmare outside.

"Ann… how can you say that?" Her words knocked the wind clean out of him. "You've grown so much, and you'd just be content to curl up in here alone? What about the others? Ryuji, Morgana, all of them? They're trapped inside here just like you. Scared and alone. We should just lay down and give up?"

"…Maybe." Akira looked at her as though she had just slapped him. He couldn't believe his ears. Was this another one of the Holy Grail's tricks? "The world's gone to hell outside. Those shadows were right. It's safe in here. How could we even come up with a plan?" Akira pursed his lips while languishing in silence. This was a harder conversation than anything he had before. His back had been up against the wall a couple times by her before. But not like this. Not when they were so close. And not when she was on the cusp of giving up.

"…I don't have a plan." The hardest thing he had to confess. To be the leader with no knowledge of what to do. They were staring down a literal god. Or rather, it was staring them down. No amount of training could ever have prepared them for this. Them versus the corrupted will of the people. Never had the odds been so thoroughly stacked against them. But that had never stopped him before. And never would. "But we have to try. If we don't, then everything we've done meant nothing. Even if the Holy Grail was right, who cares? We do what we do for the greater good! Always have. Think about all the people we saved. Not just you guys but everyone else too. Mishima, Takemi, Iwai and his kid, Oda, Toranosuke, Ms. Kawakami, Sae, Ohya, Sojiro. All those students at Shujin and Shiho too. You're telling me we should give up on them? On Shiho? We have to do this together."

Ann languished in silence. His words really knew how to cut through the fog to reveal what needed to be seen. The Phantom Thieves had done so much for so many. Acting as the change in the world they had all wanted. So much good had come from what they had done. And she would never have met Akira. But this was something else entirely. Facing against a literal manifestation of the peoples' desires from beneath the earth that had wiped them away in an instant. What could they do, if anything?

"And if we can't beat him?"

"Then we fail together. Just like I promised."

Akira hadn't forgotten his word. And neither had she. His steely gaze as he looked down upon her burned with the most intensity she had ever witnessed. Even more than when facing Shido. With or without them, he would face the Holy Grail. For it was the right thing to do. His heart and courage had time and again proven itself. If she had a Palace, Akira would definitely be her Treasure.

"…Yeah. You're right." The fear and apathy she felt her heart withering to had been supplanted by frustration with herself. "Shiho would get mad if she saw me whining like this. And most of all, I'd be betraying myself if I just sat here and did nothing!" Ann forced herself to her feet and turned to face Akira, her blue eyes now mirroring his fiery resolve. "To be treated just like some toy by others and seeing your best friend nearly die because of him. I could never forget how I felt that day. I… I never want anyone to have to go through what I did!" The fact that she had even for a second considered defeat and doubted themselves only furthered her anger. What a fool had she been. "I've made up my mind. I'm going to keep looking forward. Things like dying or losing aren't important now. All that matters is that I don't return to my old self." If she had to face the world and pretend everything was fine ever again, it could be a cold day in hell for everyone. Never again would she languish in silence and just accept the unfair state of things. "And that I can stand with you again."

"That's my girl…" Akira sported the biggest grin on his face as he saw her come back to life right before his very eyes. Like a phoenix reborn from the ashes, never to be extinguished. There wasn't a single moment he had doubted her. And never would be. Her body washed over with a bright blinding light and faded, revealing her in her Phantom Thief outfit. Ann clenched her fist and felt the power coursing through her body. Hecate had regained her strength. It was as though the blonde had awakened all over again. As the bars to her cell faded, she leaped into his arms to embrace him. Akira spun her around in his grip and held her close, not daring to let go even for an instant.

"Thanks, Joker. I mean… Akira." Instinct had trained her to refer to him by codename. But she was just too swept up in her emotions to maintain composure. "You helped me remember what's really important. I'll never make a mistake like that again. I swear it! I seriously treasure being able to be a part of your team! And part of your life. I… I love you so much!" The blonde manically gripped his coat, pulling him into a deep kiss. He ran his fingers through her blonde locks and breathed in her sweet strawberry scent. And she tasted even sweeter than ever. It took all of his strength to finally break the kiss, his chest rising and falling heavily. There would be plenty of time for romance and pillow talk later. After they had dethroned a god.

"Breaktime's over," he teased with a wink. Ann bit down on her bottom lip and smiled bashfully at him. "We gotta kick that giant cup's ass."

"Gotcha, Joker. It would be a disgrace to our team's name if we didn't take such a big Treasure!" The Holy Grail – whatever it truly was – would pay dearly for everything it had put them through. Even if she had to tear through heaven above to make it so. "We're going to put an end to this, aren't we? Let's go! Gotta grab the others too. I'm not the only one here, am I?"

"Can't be a Phantom Thief team with just two people, right? The others are here somewhere as well. Probably in the same state you were in." The blonde administered a nod.

"Okay. I'll wait here. Please go save everyone else. It's something only you can do. I don't really have a way with words that you do."

"Nonsense. You've talked more sense into me than I ever have." He gently took her hand in his, caressing the latex with his thumb. Her touch felt so warm in his palm, and he wasn't sure he could go without it. Even for just a little while longer. "Come with me. Stay by my side while I gather everyone else. I… I don't wanna be alone again." She closed her eyes and merely smiled, taking his hand in both of her's. The blonde could sense the warmth and longing radiating through him. It represented the very best of not only the Phantom Thieves but the entire world they were trying to save. No matter how much happened, Ann always found herself finding new ways to fall in love with him again.

"…Let's go, then."

And the both of them raced off through the halls of the Velvet Room to gather their companions one by one. Newly found courage in their hearts and springs in their steps. This would be their greatest triumph yet. One for the ages.


The orange skies darkened with the coming. Fading to blue as the upper hand changed from god to man. Yaldabaoth – the God of Control and the true mastermind behind the manipulation of man, their distorted desires made physical – was to meet his reckoning. In their hour of need had the masses risen up and cast away their despair and apathy in favor of the Phantom Thieves. And with that did Akira's ultimate Persona awaken.

Satanael.

Once an angel servant of Yaldabaoth now turned rebel to liberate humanity from its shackles. His wingspan spread across the entire city, blanketing it in its warm shadow to blot out the blinding light of the malevolent god. The halos atop their head rotated in opposite directions, the god's of angelic wings with the angel's of demonic bat wings. Regal coating and a horned golden mask. How could it be anyone else's Persona but Akira's?

"Man, it's huge!" Ryuji said in utter amazement. Nothing in all his life had inspired such awe within him. Satanael stared Yaldabaoth right into its nonexistent eyes, its own red orbs burning with immense power. Akira stood before the others, fists clenched and staring up at the god with more confidence and energy than he had ever felt before. He felt so strong that he might not even need the Persona to defeat this god.

"Fools…!" The distorted voice of the cornered god boomed over them. But it no longer shook them to their core. The will of rebellion empowered them. Each and every one of them had stared death in the face and had thrown it head over heels, falling flat onto its face. "This is why man is doomed…" A mighty black beam of energy shot right for the lot of them. But Akira faced it head on without even batting an eyelash. The god's energy withered to dust as it came within a hair's breadth of them, Akira brushing it off like it was mere dust. "Impossible!" Akira bowed his head and delivered a taunting chuckle through his wicked Cheshire cat grin.

"Impossible? And here I thought you were a god. Gods aren't limited by possibilities." The cheers and celebratory praises of the masses far below echoed in his ears. He felt positively drunk off it, reveling in the opportunity to crush this god and free them once and for all.

"I see…" Morgana folded his arms and stared up in wonder at the demon Persona. "If a god plays naughty, then it's a demon lord's duty to punish him! What better way is there for a finale as a Trickster!"

"And I've got the paddle right fucking here." The cracking of Akira's knuckles rang out across the darkened skies like fireworks. They had been through so much to get this far. Both he and Akechi being used as pawns in the god's game, Igor imprisoned, Lavenza split in two, and humanity enslaved. No more. Not one more bit of suffering would be at the hands of Yaldabaoth.

"Joker, we're entrusting our strength and the people's hopes to you! Put an end to this!"

"Gladly…" The strength of his newly awakened power flowed through his veins like it was a drug. "Pillage him, Satanael!" In synchronization, did they both draw weapons of incredible power. From beneath his coat did Akira retrieve his desert eagle. Satanael bore a weapon all his own, a long-barreled pistol forged for the sole purpose of killing a god. Only one bullet necessary: the Sinful Shell. "No more of your games, Yaldabaoth! No more doubts, no more tricks! And no more of you!"

"You play with power you know nothing of, boy!" Yaldabaoth's words rolled off Akira's back harmlessly. His attempts to reason and discourage him only served to make ending him all the more tantalizing. Just letting him marinate. "Humanity will consume itself with avarice and apathy! You will wear your world away to nothing! Nothing you do will change that! How have you seen so much, come so far only to understand so little?"

"Oh, I understand, alright," he taunted, narrowing his eyes at the god. "I understand that you will never understand. You say we'll never learn, and yet here we are! Standing against you in your own shadow, forcing you to stare down the barrel of a weapon forged by the very people you tried to rule! Our powers come from love! Love of each other, of our friends and family, of the world and what we've been given by it! And what we want to give back in return! Your power only comes from hate, apathy, and all the negative parts that burn us alive! That flame will always burn out when there's nothing left to fuel it! But ours is a gift that keeps on giving! And that's why you'll never win! Even after we're gone and if you come back, another one will rise to put you down! And if we do burn ourselves out, then that's a choice we get to make!" He spat upon the ground and ground it beneath his boot. "Yaldabaoth, for the crimes of exploiting the innocent, unlawful imprisonment, disrupting the natural order, and just being a pain in my big fat fucking ass, I sentence you to death!"

"Preposterous! You dare rob the people's wishes!?"

"Yaldabaoth… BEGONE!"

BANG!

The headpiece of Yaldabaoth shattered like glass as the Sinful Shell penetrated it. In the dim light of the moon did the glass pieces shine like stars as they fell to earth and burned up in the atmosphere. Church bells rang through the air in triumph over their victory. Ironic as it was a demon killing a god. The hole punched right through its headpiece was perfectly clean, smoke wafting off the edges from where the bullet had seared clean through. Its mechanical limbs began to buckle and slacken, and the light that shined through the grooves in its armor slowly dimmed.

"What power…" Its voice. Yaldabaoth sounded so weakened. The joints creaking and cracking as the limbs drifted down. Slowly its form began to burn away at the edges, falling to ashes. "It surpasses mine own… a god born from the wishes of the masses. So this… is the true Trickster…"

"Ironic, isn't it?" Akira taunted smugly as he holstered his pistol. "A manifestation of the masses killed by another. The very same thing you put me and Akechi through. And now it's come full circle."

"Damn that Igor… It seems he wasn't spouting nonsense…" As Yaldabaoth's form began to burn away, the ashes shifted to glow with pure light. Drifting through the air and fading away, blown out like a match. His enormous form withering away and descending down to earth until it was nothing. And just like that, Yaldabaoth was no more. A god killed by a child of man. Akira bowed his head and closed his eyes to deliver a sigh of relief. It was finally over. The conspiracies, the shadows, the secrets. Life would, at last, become normal once more. Though before he could turn to face the others, they had all pounced on him with cheers of joy.

"That was awesome!" Ryuji declared, locking his waist with his arm. "You shot the hell out of that guy!"

"Your Persona was so huge! With both of you standing there, it was like a kaiju battle!" Futaba was jumping for joy as the rush took over her body. Only on her sugar highs had Akira seen her this hyped. "Or like one of my Japanese animes!"

"A battle of biblical proportions," Yusuke noted, finger to his chin. He had a calm contemplative look on his face. Akira recognized it well; the artist was clearly planning his next piece. "As overused as I find the word to be, that display truly was… epic." As Akira turned to make a joke, he found his words lost as he took sight of Ann. The blonde clutched her heart and stared at him with such longing eyes, tears of joy and relief having formed. The others took a step back and smiled at him for they knew what would be next. Without missing a beat, Akira swept her up in his arms and kissed her. She held onto his jacket for dear life while he cradled her close against his taut body. His trenchcoat flowed in the breeze, and their forms were framed by the sun emerging through the clouds. Its warm glow kissing their skin was the cherry on the proverbial sundae.

"You did it…" Ann managed after they broke the kiss. Her chest rose and fell heavily, having her breach completely stolen from her. Were they alone, Akira would have made love to her then and there. "Just like you always do." It didn't seem real. All their troubles were finally over. With each passing second did Ann expect to wake up and them be waiting around for Shido's punishment. But here they were. This was real.

"We did it." Slowly did he look over to the others, who stood by in silence with warm smiles on their faces. Bathing in the radiance of their love for each other. "All of us. Together." A shadow passing over them drew their attention elsewhere. Satanael had bowed down, lowering his head to meet Hecate. The female Persona offered her hand to the demon lord who planted a kiss upon it with his soft supple lips. The others turned back to Akira and Ann with grins and ooh's, swiftly kicking up bashful blushes upon their faces.

"I-I didn't tell her to do that!" Truth is, Ann wasn't sure how Hecate had emerged. Guess the call of love really did transcend barriers. Hecate held her hand out to her departing lover as she faded, Satanael extending a hand while he drifted up into the clouds to disappear. The sun parted the clouds and cast the blue away, returning the world to its vibrant bright visage. Though within the rays did something drift down towards them. Something made of gold. "Look!"

It was a cup. A giant chalice the size of themselves.

"Ain't that a Treasure?" Ryuji asked in wonder.

"I'll be damned." Akira led the others over to expect it. Its golden surface shimmered in the sunlight, sparkling like wine. "It's the Holy Grail. The real one." They all looked with excitement and wonder among themselves at the prospect. Akira couldn't help but laugh. "Truly amazing. We defeated a god, saved the world, avenged our friends, and I got the girl. All before Christmas too." Ann giggled as he wrapped his arm around her waist, cuddling against his shoulder for support.

"We're rich!" Ryuji hoisted the chalice in both hands right over his head. How they would sell a literal holy religious artifact without getting caught would take planning the likes of which put their con with Akechi to shame. But the blond wasn't worried about that now. Dollar signs took center space in his eyes. "Think of all the things we can buy!"

"Expensive Japanese figures!"

"Exotic organic paints from overseas!"

"Rich and healthy manure for growing plants!"

"College tuition for all of us, even able to study abroad! And a motorcycle!"

"No! You guys are thinkin' too small! I'm talkin' weekly visits to the Wilton Hotel! Maybe we could buy the Wilton! We can travel anywhere in the world, eat whatever we want, go wherever we want! The sky's the limit! Don't you see? We made it to the big leagues! The Phantom Thieves are finally superstars! Right, Mona?"

The cat merely chuckled to himself, content to stand back and watch his dear friend revel in their youth idyllic fantasies. They had all come so far together. He thought he had been helping them, but they had just as equally been there for him. His family. Something that made him feel… human.

"Thanks for everything, gang." His tone was so soft and subdued. Tired with a somewhat melancholic smile on his furry little face.

"Mona-chan?" Haru asked with a little worry.

"Mona?" Futaba inquired as Morgana pressed a paw against the surface of the grail.

"Humans have the power to change the world. They just forgot about that a bit…"

"Hey…" Yusuke wondered aloud. None of them were sure what to make of what Morgana was getting at. Why he sounded so distant and tired all of a sudden.

"Thanks to you guys, I was able to complete my duty…"

"It's not over yet, little buddy." Akira wasn't worried. He didn't seem to share the sense of unease about Morgana's tone that they did. Nothing could derail the high he was on from their victory. "We still gotta make you human. Might take a while with no more Metaverse, but a deal's a deal. Even if Igor created you just to help me, I keep my word." The cat bowed his head in reverence to his dear friend. His comrade-in-arms. His brother. "You're amazing. Thank you. Now it's time we return the favor."

"Everything was thanks to you, wasn't it, Morgana?" Makoto couldn't help but get a little emotional. Being so high up above the clouds, bathed in the warmth of the sun, the wind softly whipping around them, and conquering their tormentor. It was all catching up to her so fast, the girl couldn't help but wipe away a few tears that had sprung up by surprise.

"I got to be useful for humans that I admired so much. Nothing could make me happier."

"Thumbs might." Morgana chuckled at Akira's jest, his blue eyes turning back towards the chalice. Ordinarily, he would've jumped upon such a shiny piece of loot in a heartbeat. But that spark had faded, now replaced by something else. A sense of finality.

"…This place will soon disappear too. Time to go home." The chalice began to glow a bright gold before enveloping them completely. The platform they stood upon faded away, and the sound of the wind faded away. Rivers of blood raining from the sky evaporated, the gnarled roots twisting through the streets and buildings now gone. Even the red ominous sky had now been replaced by the blue backdrop that brought them all comfort. The people and buildings began to evaporate into glowing starlight as everything fell back into place little by little. "The whole world is a product of cognition. Not just the Metaverse. It can be freely re-made. The same goes for you, and everyone else."

"Our focus now will be on remaking you. Helping you become hu-" As Akira turned to face his feline friend, he felt his heart seize up in his chest. All the air vanished from within in one fell swoop. They all stared in shock as his form began to glow, stardust drifting off the edges. "Morgana, wh-what's happening?"

"Isn't it obvious?" When he received no answer, the cat chuckled and shook his head. "I was made to help you, and now my job is over." He closed his eyes and tilted his head towards the sky. "It's time for me to go."

"…Go?" Akira couldn't believe the words he was hearing. The boy forced himself to scoff, laugh it off like some sort of prank. "Quit playing around, Morgana." But the punchline never came. The cat remained quiet while they watched him in disbelief. "…No, that… that's not how we… we stay together. I am not leaving you behind. I'm not losing another member of this team. Not now! Not after everything we've been through."

"It's already done."

"Dude, Mona!" Ryuji exclaimed.

"Mona-chan!" Haru whined through her hands, fighting back the tears.

"This can't be happening!" They all quickly fell in line behind Ann as she raced towards the cat. But the street was torn open before them, white light radiating from the cracks. The world seemed to be forcibly separating them away from their little furry friend, who was content to put on a smile and watch them. They all scrambled to find some way to bring him back to no avail.

"Futaba! Summon him back!" But try as she might, Prometheus just wouldn't activate. None of their Personas would. Ann couldn't even summon her whip to pull him back. Akira's heart raced a million miles a second alongside his mind for some sort of solution. Morgana was slipping right through their fingers like dust. "Satanael!" The winged demon could scoop him up in his mighty hands and return him. But he didn't show. Akira's clenched fist bore no power. "Jack Frost! Mara!" He went through his entire list, but not one shred of help was delivered to him. Truly helpless in the face of his friend fading away. "No! This can't be happening! Igor! Lavenza! Stop this!"

"Soon a new world will come," Morgana calmly explained. "One where mankind isn't held captive. The world will shine brightly as long as you hold hope in your hearts." Morgana began to rise over them and drift up towards the sky. Like an angel being called back for heaven.

"But what's gonna happen to you!?" Makoto yelled.

"Morgana, I'm ordering you to come back here!" Akira's voice was frantic. "Your mission's not done yet! I made a promise to help you! How can we hold on if our best friend isn't here to enjoy it with us?!" No answer. He just wore that smile on his face as though it was supposed to calm them. It just twisted the knife in his heart further. With a growl, Akira threw his jacket to the ground and prepared to jump the gap. If Morgana wouldn't come back, he'd drag him back himself. But as he tried to vault for it, he was dragged back by the others. It took all of them holding his arms and legs to keep him in place. "Let go of me! Let me go! I gotta get him!"

"Dammit, Joker! He's gone! There's nothin' we can do for him now!" Ryuji's words did little to stave off the fight in his heart. The boy reached out towards the cat, fingers gnarled as though he was trying to pluck him from the sky. They all shared his pain, but it was actively tearing him apart. To be so helpless and watch someone else disappear before his very eyes that he could've saved.

"Remember… there's no such thing as the "real" world. What each person sees and feels – those are what shape reality. This is what gives the world infinite potential. Even if you feel that only darkness lies ahead, as long as you hold hands together, see it through as one… the world will never end! The world exists within all of you!"

"Morgana! COME BACK! PLEASE!"

The light grew blinding all around them, and they were completely enveloped by it. Once the warmth it generated was a source of comfort, but it now taunted them with the disappearance of their good friend. It slowly began to fade, and the lot of them found themselves standing in the middle of Shibuya. Donning their civilian clothes now that they were back in the real world. They all stared up towards the cloudy sky for some trace of the cat. But nothing was to be found. He truly was gone this time. Akira felt all the energy sapped from his body in a split second and fell to his knees, leaning on his elbows in agony.

"Morgana…" Ann could hardly believe it.

"Mona…" Futaba missed the little cat she would cradle in her arms, the tears obscuring her vision to where even the glasses refused to help.

"The Meta-Nav…" Haru clutched her phone, staring at it solemnly. "It's gone. Mementos must have disappeared too." Just as he said. Had he known about this all along? Sacrificing himself for the greater good just like Akira would've done? The boy couldn't stomach the thought of it.

"We can't see Mona anymore… can we?" A rhetorical question. Futaba knew good and well the answer but didn't want to face it. None of them did. Ryuji wiped his eye with the back of his hand.

"I'm gonna miss that little furball," he admitted. Never once had he harbored ill will for the cat. Even when miffed with him, it was always friendly banter. Ryuji had always held respect for Morgana even when he didn't put his best foot forward. "…What're you all so gloomy for? Mona would laugh at us for it…" At least he hoped. The cat always did want to add some levity to things. A soft sob drew their attention to a disheveled Akira, still remaining on the ground.

"He was… my friend…" From the day they had united, Morgana had only ever wanted to be human. Akira had made that obligation to him as a friend. And now he was gone. He had failed. "H-he was… like my brother…" Akira had been an only child. Never had it been an issue for him, but the idea of having someone else to share a life with always did interest him. Morgana had been the closest thing. Roommates who shared nearly everything, who bonded together and helped one another, who put with one another and called out their flaws in trying to fix them. But never again.

"That reminds me," Yusuke said, clearing his throat. "What about the public? Were we able to change their hearts?" Akira caught his breath in his throat, gulping down a sob in order to glare daggers at the artist.

"Who gives a shit about them?!" Slowly did he force himself to his feet. "Our friend is gone, and you only care about all these faceless strangers?!" The artist shared his pain but kept himself composed for their sake. He preferred to express his pain through his art. Nevertheless, he held his ground.

"This is what we had set out for in the first place," he stated sternly. "Morgana would have wanted us to focus on what was right. I miss him just as much as you do, but no good will come from groveling now and expecting it to change." Akira clenched his fist and bared his teeth at the artist, whose composed look now seemed to mock him. He was far too angry to see the sense in his decision, too broken up.

"Akira, just calm down…" Ann reached out to touch his shoulder, but Akira swiftly withdrew from her touch.

"Don't touch me!" His words cut her, the blonde pursing her lips in pain and clenching her fist as though it had been burnt. "Are we supposed to just pretend everything's okay now?! We're just gonna get over Morgana like it's nothing?! Just put him out of our minds and go focus on something else?! Just slap a band-aid on this and say it's all fine?! Well, it's not fine, okay?! It's NOT!" He could barely see through the pained glare he was administering on account of all the tears. His heart felt as though it had been shattered into millions of little pieces. Them trying to hide their pain and stay composed only made it worse. Before he could let them respond, the boy ran off through the crowd. No idea where he was headed, but he needed to be alone. To be away from them.

"Akira! Wait!" Ann attempted to give chase after him, but Ryuji took hold of her arm.

"Ann, wait. Just let him go, alright?" She attempted to shake him off, but the blond boy kept his grip firm and steadfast. "He needs time. Just let him hurt for a bit, okay? Get the pain out." The blonde looked out through the crowd of people in the hope of trying to spot him. But Akira had completely vanished. With that, Ann let her arm slacken, and Ryuji released his grip.

"I didn't wish to upset him, but I merely wanted to maintain our composure-"

"It's okay, Inari." The artist took comfort in the understanding gaze Futaba administered. "You didn't do anything wrong. Akira's just… really hurting right now." It wasn't too big a surprise. Both he and Morgana had a closer connection than all of them. Well, besides Ann. It only made sense to see him so torn up. Though it didn't make it any easier to deal with. All while the rest of the world seemed blissfully unaware of their strife. Of the struggles they had undergone to come this far and of the brave sacrifice Morgana had given to make it happen. Instead, they were just lost in their discussions of their ordinary lives and the future.

"He's gonna blame himself for this," Makoto said sadly. "Beat himself up over it no matter what we say. I suppose I'd be the same way."

"I'll talk to him later," Ann said. There was nothing more she wanted than to run to him, scoop him up in her arms, and soothe her man with her voice to tell him everything will be okay. But Ryuji was right. He needed to be by himself now and let the toxin out of his system. Not let his anger and heartache get the better of him. "There's just… so much to unpack here…"

"I wonder how things will go," Haru wondered. Here and there were snippets of Shido. Nothing flattering. It seemed the crowd had finally seen the truth and shaken off its apathy. A small victory. "I hope they go well…"

"Let's believe in the adults." The student council president wore her most confident smile, even if her heart fought against it. They all needed someone to believe in right now. "Sis promised us, after all."

"From here on out's the prosecutor's job, huh…" The words brought some semblance of comfort to Ryuji. It felt good for once to relinquish control. To be teenagers again.

"If we can't enter the Metaverse, that means we've been relieved of being Phantom Thieves." Yusuke had great respect for the power they had obtained and wielded on the other side. But everything had its time and place. Now was just the time it had to be to hang it up.

"It feels a bit sad…" Haru didn't quite share Yusuke's nonchalance. As grateful as she was to live a normal life again, she would miss those powers and being able to help so many with them. All around them did the snow begin to fall. A white Christmas it was expected to be this year. Perhaps a parting gift from Morgana, a thank you reward for their service, or compensation for their pain. No one was quite sure what to make of it. Though it certainly didn't feel like Christmas was coming. So wrapped up in Shido and saving the world that they had forgotten all about the holidays. The lot of them decided to dismiss early and go their separate ways. Spend Christmas Eve with their families and take comfort in their victory, even if Morgana wouldn't be there. Just wait to see Shido be given the justice he deserved. Then tomorrow, they would have a Christmas party at Leblanc to celebrate their victory over Yaldabaoth.

Though as they separated, they all couldn't get Akira out of his mind. Cold and alone out in the city, licking his wounds in Morgana's absence. But they all knew he would bounce back. He always did. Their leader just needed time to heal, time to let himself hurt and be human. Even if it pained them to have to handle.


Christmas Eve.

What a miserable holiday. Akira had completely forgotten about the holidays. It now only served as a cruel reminder that Morgana would never get to have his first Christmas. His first New Years'. Akira truly felt like the biggest scrooge in the world as he sat on the park bench all by himself. The snow was falling at a steady pace with no sign of slowing. It collected on his shoulders and back, but he didn't care. It wasn't as cold as the emptiness he felt inside with Morgana's absence. His friend and brother was gone. Dead.

"I didn't expect to find the world's savior alone on Christmas Eve." Akira mustered the strength to look up and found a concerned looking Sae standing before him. He glanced back down onto the ground and scoffed. By a stroke of luck had she managed to find him. It certainly beat showing up at Leblanc, that was for sure. "…Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Can I stop you?" His rebuke was rather cold and aloof. The prosecutor knew something was amiss right from the get-go. But she merely continued.

"First off, thank you for taking my request. With your actions, I can only hope that public opinion changes. It will change, won't it?"

"Who cares?" Sae blinked in surprise at his detached state of being. It really struck her across the chest to come from someone as passionate and altruistic as Akira.

"I thought you'd be happier…" she managed while trying to figure him out. "Shido being brought to justice so no one else will ever have to suffer." Akira scoffed once more before spitting onto the snow.

"Is that what it's all about?" he attempted to sneer. Despite the palpable ire on his tongue, his heart just wasn't in it. "Bring Shido to justice so he can sit in some warm jail cell all nice and safe? While his victims have to clean up the pieces of their broken lives and pretend that's somehow fair? Tck! There's some fucking justice for you."

"What's gotten into you?" she asked with concern. This was quite the far cry from the boy she had met in the interrogation room. The one so full of spirit now had dead eyes. Akira looked up at her with a sneer.

"Morgana and Akechi are dead." With that reveal did he explain everything with Akechi. The truth about his relationship with Shido and how he had sacrificed himself to save them. "Shido had him gunned down like a dog! And Morgana is gone after helping save the world. Where's the justice for them?" The older woman blinked in surprise, holding a hand to her mouth. She could hardly believe what had just been spoken. Even Shido had neglected to inform her of Akechi's death. Something else they could nail him with to ensure his punishment. But at the cost of a fellow ally, even if he had planned to betray her. That camaraderie still remained. Something she could see in Akira. Or used to be able to.

"Akira, I'm so sorry about Akechi. And the cat-"

"He was not a cat!" Akira slammed his fist into the bench, catching Sae by surprise. "He was a person! He was my friend! And I… I couldn't save him…" Akira doubled over and held his head in his hands, feeling the pain begin to slip out in more tears. Sae delivered a heavy sigh and took a seat next to him. His words really struck close to home for her. She could see a lot of herself in him, such as that early youthful bitterness that had plagued her since her father's death. The same bitterness that ate away and dissolved her to apathy, something he and the others had saved her from.

"I can't… apologize enough. You are kind and brave, and it's okay to let yourself hurt. But you can't lose sight of what's important. Of what you both believed in. You taught me that." Akira said nothing, remaining quiet as she placed a gentle hand upon his back. He didn't turn away the tender touch this time. Mostly because he lacked the strength to do so. Being angry and in pain was just so tiring. It had consumed him since Akechi's betrayal. He just wanted it to stop, but life just wouldn't let him have anything. "Morgana and Akechi would want us to keep going forward. Shido confessed to a variety of crimes. We can arrest him on these charges. The problem lies in proving him guilty. It'd be difficult unless the correlation between the Metaverse and the mental shutdowns is made. Akechi, who perpetrated these crimes, has gone missing…" It would be tough to explain Akechi's death to the force even with Shido's confession.

"So we have nothing," Akira bitterly replied. "We've come so far, lost so much, and it all was for nothing?" Sae shook her head, remaining sympathetic to the teenage boy's pain despite his irrationality.

"We're not out just yet. You're the only ones left who can testify. But to make this happen, we'll need to do something…" That was the easy part. Now came the part she had been looking forward to the least. A necessary step for the greater good but not one so simple to take. "I'll be blunt. I want you to turn yourself in to the police." Akira jolted up, newly awakened by her words. It was like being dumped with cold water. "Your testimony will be necessary in order to prove Shido guilty. However… that will mean placing you on center stage. You'll be treated as a hero who saved this country. But there's no way that the police or the public prosecutors will let that slide. They'll lose face to you and the Phantom Thieves. If that happens, there's no telling what they'll do to you or your teammates. There's even the possibility that they'll fabricate a crime and move to arrest you all."

It just kept getting worse and worse. Two teammates down and the only way to bring Shido to justice would be to give himself up. Throw himself to the wolves. They'd never had a shred of privacy again if they went public. And Akira had firsthand seen the police's methods. He could never forgive himself if he put the others through what he had experienced himself. Futaba was so frail that she might not even survive, and no doubt Sojiro would blame himself even though it would be his fault. And Ann. His precious Ann. No way could he restrain himself if they harmed even a single hair on her head, Metaverse or not be damned.

"So that's it then. Everything we've done come to this. We sacrificed, bled, and suffered, and this is how we're repaid?" He had been perfectly willing to give himself up before for the greater good. But things had changed a lot since his Medjed plan. He had a promise to uphold that they would all go down together, hand in hand and arm in arm. But to take away everything they had, everything they had come so far to achieve. All while he had really nothing to lose. It just wasn't fair. "Is there even a guarantee that this'll be worth it?"

"I can't say," Sae admitted. "I don't like this any more than you do, but this is our only shot. I know you'd want to protect your teammates so all we'd need is you. No one else would have to come. But if you turn yourself in to the police, you'll definitely be arrested. And there's your past record. The police and prosecution will strike there. They'll treat your arrest as "grave misconduct" and revoke your probation. You'll most likely be sent to juvenile hall… and placed in solitary confinement." And now jail time too. The whole reason he had been sent here was to live with a clean bill of health until March. Only three months away and it was to go up in smoke. With no guarantee of success either. "They'll be content as long as they get a testimony without the Phantom Thieves being hailed as heroes. That should guarantee the safety of your teammates. Or rather, I'll make sure it's guaranteed." Akira couldn't help but scoff at her words. It was hard to see the justice in anything anymore. The wicked get protected while the good die off. "I'll close all the cases surrounding Shido. I intend to expose them all."

"And what if I say no?" Sae found herself lost for words. She had anticipated such a response. Someone so gung-ho in reforming society and protecting the innocent – saving her from herself – now willing to just brush that aside. Shocking but not unreasonable. At the end of the day, he was still just a teenage boy who had been caught up in things much greater than himself. Now being expected to potentially throw his life away.

"I won't force you. If you decided to refuse, I'd let you walk away. But there's no guarantee that Shido could be convicted without your testimony. It's to prevent society from becoming distorted again. That's what you want too, isn't it?" So much of their lives had led to this moment. All the people stepped on and lost. Wakaba, Akechi, Okumura, and now Morgana. Gone, swept to the winds. The rest of their accomplishments wouldn't be much farther behind if he refused. "This is almost like… a final deal between the two of us. I'll ask you once more: I'd like for you to turn yourself in to the police, of your own accord."

By far the hardest decision he ever had to make. How would he even pull this off? They had already been through so much, and to spring this on them now would start a wildfire. Akira wouldn't be able to convince them to let this happen no matter what. They'd go down with the ship even if they had to fight him to make it happen. It would definitely guarantee Shido's conviction. But it would cost all of them so much, and they had already given everything they had.

"…I'll do it."

"…Thank you." The relief and hope that resonated on Sae's face pulled him out of his funk for just a brief moment. Made him remember what he had strived for. "I had a feeling you'd say that. Leave the rest to us." He still had no idea how this was going to work with the others. But he had an ultimatum and letting everything be for nothing wasn't an option. This had to happen one way or another. "All right, let's go." The sooner they could make this testimony happen, the better. Every second wasted was one where Shido slipped through their fingers. Sae led the long march back to her vehicle to escort Akira to the station. This would be the hardest case she had ever worked, but it would be absolutely worth it. Night and day would she push on to make Shido pay and bring justice back to Tokyo.

Akira felt nothing but gloom as he followed the older woman. What a horrible way to spend his Christmas. It would ruin everything for the others, but it needed to be done. Give the gift of justice to Tokyo as it so deserved. To make sure Shido would never haunt the country with his presence again. His moping was interrupted by the phone vibrating in his pocket. None other than Ann had texted him.

Ann: Akira, I know you're hurting over Morgana, and I'm so sorry. I miss him so much too. But you don't need to be alone out there. Let's meet up, just the two of us. We can keep it a secret from everyone else. How about dinner somewhere and then back to your room? Please just come back. I'm worried about you all alone…

"Is something wrong?" she asked. Akira looked up from his phone with a somber expression. This could be the very last time he might get to see Ann. He couldn't let her go with him no matter what. Doing this could potentially divide them for good.

"…I need more time. Just until tomorrow." Of course there'd be some sort of hiccup in her plan. Not wholly unexpected. As much as she itched to close this case for good, Shido wasn't going anywhere. And Akira was still a teenager. She owed him a little bit of levity for all he had done and would soon do.

"…Very well. You can turn yourself in tomorrow morning. I'll show up at Leblanc early so we can avoid the others." By some grace of luck had he been given a brief reprieve from the agony the world had thrust upon him. Just one last little bit of calm before the storm. He was owed that much. He was allowed to be somewhat selfish for a little while longer.

Akira: That sounds great.

Ann: Yay! I'll be waiting for you in front of Shibuya Station.

Even through text could he detect her delighted bubbly tone. A warm smile wormed its way onto his face in spite of the apprehension he felt. She always proved to be his light in the darkness, even before they had started dating. In a way, he had to owe it to Shido and Yaldabaoth. For without them, he'd have never met the love of his life. His muse, his partner-in-crime, his best friend.

Though for how much longer? No doubt she'd be furious at his decision to sacrifice himself, especially after that lecture of him trying too hard to be the hero at the detriment of his self. Guess he really hadn't learned his lesson after all.


"…No matter where you look, it's all couples." The both of them hurried inside the dimly lit Leblanc, its warm enveloping them from the outside. If there was one thing Akira had wanted now more than ever, it was a proper winter coat. His blazer and jeans barely offered any sort of warmth. Ann remained all nice and snuggly in her sports jacket. "Ugh, I really messed up. I thought we'd be able to eat somewhere without a reservation. And this was supposed to be our chance to spend Christmas Eve together…" Akira couldn't help but chuckle at her flustered status. She was always a very schedule-oriented girl, and watching her wince awkwardly at every filled restaurant through his peripheral was quite the treat. He had to stop himself from snickering plenty of times.

"You worry too much," he assured her with a kiss. "I don't need some fancy dinner or night on the town to make tonight special. You're all I need." His doting words kicked the butterflies up in her stomach and sparked up a furious blush. Even after dating him for four months, he never failed to render her into a blushing gooey mess. Just a testament to her love and adoration of him.

"Oh, you…" Despite his words, she was still wanting to make the night memorable for them both. "So what are we supposed to do for Christmas Eve? Go out? Eat dinner together? If we were both adults… get drunk together?" Akira ran a finger against his chin as he mulled her words over. He had been so caught up in what would happen tomorrow and spending time with her tonight that he had neglected thinking about himself. The boy was absolutely famished. "I just don't know."

"Well, the night's still young…" He let his voice trail off into a purr which kicked up a set of flustered giggles from within his blonde lover. No matter what, he always knew what words to say to touch her heart in all the right places.

"You sound like a sleazy old man!" she said with a laugh. "But seriously, I'm hungry. All the pizza places are probably slammed…" The streets had been utterly packed, with only Leblanc seeming to be empty. Sojiro had retired early for the evening to spend Christmas with Futaba. Leaving the shop all to them. What better way to make use of it than some cooking? "What are you hungry for?"

"Hmm… tacos." Ann couldn't help but snicker. Not exactly her first choice for a Christmas Eve dinner.

"Tacos?" she repeated, quirking her head to the side just to tease him. Akira chuckled and merely nodded in confirmation. It had been a long time since she had enjoyed Mexican food. And he could practically turn water into wine with how divine his cooking skills were. "I'll allow it. Just don't make it too spicy, okay?" Akira nodded and set right to work. Firing up the panini press, steaming the tortillas, frying and spicing up the ground beef in the pan. Practically second nature, all while Ann watched him work. He had such a meticulous way about him when it came to prepping and cooking. It had such grace and sophistication, almost like a ballet. Reminded her of how Yusuke would paint.

"You're such a lightweight," Akira teased as he minded the spice. He was an absolute spice fiend. Able to handle temperatures and consistencies that the rest of them couldn't match. He had wanted that takoyaki more than any one of them during the festival. Once the beef had been squared away, he drained the grease into a metal can and popped it in the freezer. Dicing up some onions, tomatoes, lettuce, and a three-blend cheese. An added bonus of pineapple slices too. At some point in the week had he been planning on cooking tacos so what better time than now? As a last meal. Once again, Akira had cooked an absolute knockout meal. The perfect amount of spice for her, complimented by the sweetness of the pineapple. Man, he really did love pineapple. Nearly every meal he made for her had pineapple in it. Ramen, garlic shrimp scampi, tacos. Not that she could blame him. Though she was utterly surprised at the sheer amount of hot sauce, pepper, and spice he put onto his portions. Her eyes would be positively watering if she had all that. Yet he barely flinched. Even going so far as to drink from the hot sauce bottle directly.

They laughed, carried on, and conversed late into the night. Eventually heading up into his room to snuggle up on the bed. She went on and on about the Christmas party tomorrow. Something they could have together as a kind of family and to remember Morgana and Akechi by. But he didn't have the heart to tell her.

"Oh yeah! I got you something…" From beneath her jacket did she retrieve a cute little gift wrapped with a big bow. Red and frilly. Fit her style perfectly. Akira opened it and was surprised to find a pair of earmuffs, even adorned with the Phantom Thief logo. He had to smile at that, something Ann was thankful for. The blonde worried he'd find it in poor taste or something but was glad to know she was just worried over nothing. "Surprise! You totally weren't expecting that, now were you?"

"Never saw it coming." He adorned them on his head and gave a content little smile at how softly they cushioned his ears. The perfect among of snugness, not constraining his hearing or hurting his head in any way. His adoration of her little gift had her in a fit of flustered giggles.

"Take good care of it," she teased. Akira placed them gently upon his shelf, making sure to clean whatever dust had dared lingered. Ann's present deserved only the cleanest spot.

"That reminds me, I got something for you as well…" From within his suitcase did he retrieve a perfectly wrapped present of his own. Also sporting a big bow. Red just like her. Ann clasped her hands together excitedly at being given gifts. She truly was a child at heart. The blonde gushed with adoration at his gift to her, nearly knocking him over with her pounce. A thousand praises did she sing for her love for him.

"It's not fair how sweet you are!" Then came the smothering of kisses as she laid atop him on the bed. Too swept up in her emotions to take off the shoes. Akira hated shoes on his bed, but he loved a happy amorous Ann better. They eventually calmed themselves down and cuddled on the bed, lingering in the silence. Once again, Ann's mind set to work thinking about the future. What they would do after all this. Valentines' Day, graduation. It would be amazing to see a world they helped make better after Shido was locked away. If he was. If. That word again. "…Hey, I know this is sudden… but the whole Shido incident has been on the news every day, right?" Not a day had gone by where it hadn't been touched upon, and they couldn't escape hearing about him on the city streets. All they could do now was let Sae handle it. They had reached the end of their rope, and the Phantom Thieves were no more. But they were stumbling in the dark now with no guarantee Shido would be convicted. "I'm a little worried. If the police find out about the Phantom Thieves…" She had seen what they were capable of through her poor Akira. The bruises had faded away completely, but there were times she could still visualize them on his face. He bore no ill side effects to the truth serum thankfully as well. Yet the notion that they had gone so far to get him to confess and could do so again. Such a thing shook the blonde to her very core. "It's not that I'm afraid of getting caught. I lie awake at night thinking about what I'd do if I couldn't see you anymore."

Akira felt his blood run cold and his heart slow. It had been too much to believe that the subject could slide right by for the rest of the night and wait until tomorrow. Even he had managed to bury it in the back of his mind when he started cooking for Ann.

If that happens, there's no telling what they'll do to you or your teammates. There's even the possibility that they'll fabricate a crime and move to arrest you all.

"…What's wrong?" As Akira glanced through his peripheral over to her, she could see his concern gaze. The worry he wore on his face was plain as day. The blonde had gotten too good on detecting his mannerisms, able to sense when and if something was amiss just by facial expression and body posture. Was he really that easy to read? It was getting harder to just bury it and sweep it under the rug. Everything was forcing him to have to confront this hard fact. That tomorrow would be the last time he might see them. See her. They wouldn't listen no matter how much sense he made. Ann had made that abundantly clear after Futaba had her heart changed. It wouldn't be any better to try, seeing her hurt because of him. So the choice was abundantly clear. He had to do the one thing he never wanted to do. Do the one thing in all seventeen years of his life he had managed to avoid and break his streak of character.

"It's nothing."

"If you're worried about Shido, you can tell me-"

"I said it's nothing."

Something was wrong. Dreadfully wrong. He couldn't even look her in the eyes. Her heart was all over the place in terms of motion as she stared at him. Akira could share anything with her. They made a promise to do so no matter what. Yet she could sense the wall he had erected between them, just how cold it was. It had to be something more than Morgana. Something he was keeping distant from her, and it killed her not to know. What had she done to earn such treatment after all they had been through?

"Sorry, I'm really ruining the mood…" It broke her heart to feel this. To know that he lied to her, a man who prided himself on never lying. And now he had broken the oath he held himself to. Akira had never lied about anything in all his life, something he had prided himself on. So why now? Why to her? She couldn't handle this. Not tonight on Christmas Eve and after Morgana. "…I think I'm just gonna go home."

Akira blinked in surprise at her desire to suddenly just up and leave. They had only been there for a couple of hours. It didn't take much effort for him to sense that she sensed something was wrong.

"If you're sure… then I'll walk you back-"

"No." It felt so cold to be denied. Cut off so preemptively. Their perfect night was unraveling right before his eyes, and he was stumbling to try and thread it back together. "I'll be okay…" The blonde withdrew from his touch and made her way to the stairs. His bed now felt so immensely lonely without her in it. Akira's heart told him to fight for her, and the boy rose up after her.

"Ann, hold on. It's cold outside. Why not just stay a little while lo-"

"You're hiding something from me… aren't you?" Her words stopped him dead in his tracks, rendering him utterly silent. Once again had she seen right through him. He really had lost his touch. But what could he say? The girl had left him completely tongue-tied, and as much as it pained for him to lie right to her face, it was something he had to do. If not, they'd all be arrested. Or worse, give themselves up and throw away their futures to go with him. It wasn't fair. The blonde looked over her shoulder at him through the tears that were starting to form. His refusal was absolutely killing her. He felt like a complete stranger, a far cry from the man she loved. "I wish you had just told me…"

"Wait… Come on, Ann. I-"

"Good night."

The girl hurried down the stairs and wiped at her eyes with her sleeves. Her quick pace maintained a sizable distance between the both of them even as he near tripped over himself to get to her. The cold air buffeted him back as she left through the door. Ann was thankful the gust of wind disguised the sniffles that started to break out. As he stood alone in the doorway, his gut fought for him to go after her. Grab her by the wrist and bring her back to explain. She'd fight with him until he confessed. It would just make a scene, and that would only make things even worse. His heart sank into the earth as she disappeared into the night.

It wasn't fair. To him, to her, to any of them. Why couldn't they just have it easy for once? A little fairy tale ending where they could live happily ever after without any more Shidos or Kamoshidas or gods. It tore his heart out to do this to Ann. But it was for the greater good. To make sure Morgana and Akechi hadn't died for nothing and to bring Shido to justice. That's what he had to tell himself. To keep telling himself. Still didn't make it any less easy to handle. The boy leaned against the counter and slammed his fist against it, the tears of frustration and anguish starting to leak out. The chance for one last perfect night, and he had blown it. He cursed himself as a terrible boyfriend and an even worse friend. Still his harshest critic even after so much.

But someone had to be. Why not himself?