I don't own Persona or any title related to it. All of that belongs to Atlus and you should go and support the official release.

The hustle and bustle of the station was hardly on Sadayo's mind as she sat idly waiting for her train. Sitting on one of the benches on the waiting platform and sipping on a can of coffee while crunching numbers on an old notepad. Looks like I'll need to take from my living expenses again, She thought while letting a sigh. The next payment date was approaching and Sadayo once again found herself short on money, due in no small part to two of her jobs sending her home early because of her declining health. I need to find some better jobs, ones that pay better for a small amount of hours. Maybe something commissioned based like Victoria. I wonder if Kurusu-kun knows any jobs that pay well. As her thoughts turned to her master,Sadayo realized it was Saturday and a smile grew on her face. She quickly put away the notepad and pen she was using and dug out her phone to send Akira a message.

S: ~Oh master. Becky is available today.

S: Request me if you need some help with anything. :)

Sadayo chuckled to herself, not even noticing the smile present on her face as she sent the text to her master. The time she and Akira spent the night before had been beyond anything she could have dreamed. I can't remember the last time I chatted with someone, just the two of us talking about random things. A blush unknowingly krept onto her face, It was really nice. The buzzing of her phone alerted her that she had a message.

A: Sure, I'll be happy to request you. Come over as soon as you can.

Sadayo beammed at the message and heard the metallic noise of her train pulling into the station. She tossed the empty can into the trash can next to her and quickly came to her feet, determined to get home quickly so she could change and meet with her master.

However, once she took her first step towards the train, before she sent a reply back to Akira, Sadayo felt the exhaustion and fatigue her all at once. Time slowed down as she fell and the noise of the train faded into a soft ringing. The thud of her hitting the concrete was nothing to her dull senses. Screams and cries of other commuters were heard, but they two were nothing more than a gentle ring. As her vision faded, Sadayo's mind went to the only person she felt like she could ask for help.

"Ak…ira…."

-Later-

"Something the matter kid," Sojiro placed down the freshly cleaned cup onto the shelf and turned to Akira, who stood at the other end of the bar near the yellow payphone.

"It's nothing, just thinking about some stuff." Placing his fingers on his chin.

Unconvinced, Sojiro continued his thoughts, "Must be important, The last time I saw you with an expression like that was when asked about your friend."

"Don't worry about it Boss. I just got a weird feeling in my gut," Akira responded as casually as he could. He had received a text from Sadayo about him requesting her, to which he happily accepted. Nothing unusual about that, but Sadayo hadn't responded to his message. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't normally be so concerned, but with Sadayo's diminishing health, a feeling of unease krept into his stomach.

"Alright," Sojiro said with a shrug, taking off his apron. "Just don't get into any trouble."

Akira nodded, "Don't worry Boss, I won't."

"Good. Anyway I'm heading out. Flip the sign and lock the door for me will you." With a nod from Akira, Sojiro left for home.

After locking the door and flipping the sign as instructed, Akira turned his attention back to the yellow payphone. "Something on your mind Joker?"

Akira turned to the black cat emerging from the top of the stairs, "She never responded back. It's not like her to do that and it's honestly got me a little worried."

"You should probably just call her. You're just wasting time staring at the phone like that."

Knowing the cat was right, Akira let out a defeated sign and called the know familiar number. After a few seconds of silence, a female voice answered from the other end, "Hello?"

That's not Kawakami. Whoever it was, it definitely wasn't Sadayo. This caused the feeling in Akira's gut to grow larger, "I… Who is this?"

"This is the head nurse at Aoyama Hospital, speaking on behalf of Kawakami-san."

"Hospital? What happened? Is she alright?" Akira asked frantically. He turned to look at Morgana, the cat sharing his concern.

"She is doing fine. She fainted and is currently hospitalized and recovering at our facility."

Akira quickly took out a piece of paper out of his bag, "Can you give me the address? Can I see her?"

"Certainly. The address and her room number is…"

Akira wrote down the address and room number before hanging up the phone. "Mona. Bag. Now."

"Roger," Morgana swiftly made his way into Akira's bag that was resting on the bar. Once he was in, Akira grabbed him and made his way to the door. After locking the door to Leblanc, Akira sprinted. Paying little mind to the other people watching him run down the street to the station.

-Later at the hospital-

Sadayo shifted around in the bed as eyes slowly began to open. Blinking a few times to dispel the haziness. When her eyes began to focus, she saw that she was in a strange room. The walls were plain white and one side had a set of blue curtains masking a window. Sadayo sat up and looked towards the end of the bed and saw a slindable wooden tray with an empty glass on it. Aside from the cabinet in the corner, the room was relatively featureless. Leaving Sadayo to wonder where she was. The sound of a sliding door caught her attention and she saw a brunette man in a lab coat, glasses and a clipboard tucked under his arm step through the door.

"Ah. I see your awake Kawakami-san. How are you feeling," asked the man closing the door behind him.

She blinked for a second, not fully understanding the question, "I… I'm fine. Um, where am I exactly?"

The man made his way next to her bed, "You're at Aoyama Hospital. You passed out at the station and were rushed here. You've been out for quite a while."

Sadayo's eyes widened, "Hospital." She sank down in her bed as the words left her mouth.

"I understand that you must be tired, but now that you're awake, do you mind answering some questions for us?"

She nodded, "Ok."

The man smiled and took the clipboard out from underneath his arm. Looking over whatever was written on it. "Looking over everything we do know, the reason you passed out was most likely due to exhaustion. Can you tell me anything that would explain this?"

As if by reflex, Sadayo tightened her grip on the bed sheets. "I guess maybe my work as a teacher has been building up as of late. Exams are coming up so maybe that has something to do with it."

"I see," the man nodded, but turned his attention back to the charts. "That does explain some of it, but given what I see here that hardly accounts for everything. Are you sure there isn't anything else?"

Sadayo shook her head almost immediately, "No."

"Alright. Well the good news is that you didn't injure yourself when you fell. After a day or two of rest, you should be fine."

Sadayo let out a relieved sigh. I don't need to spend a lot of time here. What am I going to do about the payment?

"That should be everything. Sorry to take up so much of your time." said the man. "Just try to get some rest Kawakami-san."

"Oh thank you Dr…" she stopped as she never learned the doctor's name.

"Ah. my apologies I was so concerned about my patient I never introduced myself." the man turned to Sadayo and gave a small bow. "My name is Doctor Keisuke Hiraga. If you feel strange or anything do not hesitate to call me. I'll leave you to rest before your guest shows up."

Sadayo gave the doctor an inquisitive look. "Guest? What do you mean?"

"Just before you woke up, we received a call from a young man asking about you. From the way he sounded, he was pretty distressed to hear about your situation."

A young man calling about me. Who could he be talking about? As if on queue, the noise of fast footsteps could be heard coming from the hall. The door slide open to reveal a tired and exhausted looking Akira Kurusu, his bag lazily thrown over his shoulder. Despite the obvious exhaustion on his face, seeing Sadayo awake and OK did cause him to breathe a sigh of relief. "S-sorry I couldn't get here sooner. The timing of the t-trains weren't really o-on my side," He said trying to catch his breath.

"Young man." Doctor Hiraga turned his attention to the new arrival. "I understand that you are concerned about your friend, but do keep in mind that this is a hospital and that there are other patients in the other rooms." He gave Akria a little tap on the head with his clipboard.

"I-I'm sorry. I regret my rash decision,"Akira bowed in apology to Doctor Hiraga.

Sadayo watched the scene of the doctor scolding Akira with utter disbelief. Why is he here? Why does he look so exhausted? He looks like he could fall over any minute. Did he run all the way here? Did he come all the way here… just to see me? Just to make sure I was alright. Sadayo's heart was sent into a spiral. A joyful smile crossed her face as she watched her student be scolded by the doctor. Although her health was still an issue and the payment still went unpaid, Sadayo couldn't help but smile. Smile at how fortunate she was to have someone care about as much as he did.

After a minute of scolding Akira, Doctor Hiraga made his way to the door, "Alright, I don't want to overstay my welcome so I'll leave you two alone. Try to get some rest Kawakami-san." He walked out the door and left Akira and Sadayo alone.

Now alone with him, Sadayo let out an amused laugh, "I was right about you. You're always causing trouble wherever you go."

Having caught his breath, Akira took a seat next to Sadayo's bed, setting his bag down next to him. "It's part of my charm. Just don't tell Boss about it though. He'll have a fit if you tell him how much of a trouble maker I really am."

"Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me," she said, placing a finger over her mouth.

The two laughed at their playful banter before a ruffing noise could be heard coming from Akira's bag. He leaned down to unzip the bag a little revealing Morgana's head.

Sadayo's eyes widened as the cat emerged from the bag. "What! You brought Morgana with did you do that? You could get in trouble."

"Wouldn't be the first time," joked Akira. "Besides, he was worried about you too."

"Oh was he," Sadayo leaned down to scratch the cat's chin. Resulting in the cat giving off a soft purr. She let out a sigh,"I guess I won't tell the doctor. I'll add it to your tab."

Akira couldn't hold back the smirk, "Oh so I have a tab now. You're really going to put me through the wringer."

"Yup." The two laughed again, leaving all their troubles behind in a fit of amusement. Sadayo was absolutely beaming, showing no signs of exhaustion or tiredness. Instead, she was smiling. Smiling and laughing like she hadn't done in years. Akira's smile was one of satisfaction. There was no fear or worry in his face, not like when he had come through the door moments ago. The worry had long since left and was replaced by amusement. To anyone who didn't know them, Sadayo and Akira seemed like good friends... True friends.

However, the laughter died down and shifted into silence. "Are you ok," asked Akira with a concerned tone. "I called you since you didn't respond to my text and then a nurse picked up for you. I came here as fast as I could."

Sadayo did her best to sound reassuring. "I'm fine. I'm just a little overworked. No need to make a big deal about it." She let out a half-hearted chuckle. Which did little to convince Akira.

"I'm sorry. If I had requested you earlier, maybe…"

"Kurusu-kun, it's fine. I went down just after I texted you so there was nothing you could do besides." She fidgeted with the sheets of the bed.. "It means a lot to me that rushed here to visit me. Thank you." Turning to give him a warm smile, all while trying to prevent some pink from coming onto her cheeks.

Akira gave her a smile as well. "I'm glad to hear that."

Sadayo turned her gaze back to the end of the bed before letting out a groan . "How could I collapse at a time like this? I really need to make some money for today's payment."

"You should rest for now," he said trying to keep his anger in check. How can she think about those stupid payments? She just collapsed and she stills worried about those stupid payments.

"I know. But…" The sound of a sliding door cut off her sentence.

"Tch, there you are!"

Akira and Sadayo turned to see a middle-aged man in a purple shirt emerge from the door. Following behind him was a woman who looked about the same age, dressed in a brightly colored shirt. The two made their way to the opposite side of the Akira was sitting at.

The man scowled at Sadayo, "what's going Ms. Kawakami!? I called the school but no one answered," shouted the man.

Sadayo's eyes widened. Undoubtedly surprised by the two visitors, "You contacted the school!?"

"Well, you weren't answering your phone! And when I thought you finally answered, it was a nurse who told us where you were." The man scowled at her, "It's really an inconvenience for us when you miss a payment, you know."

"Now now honey," said the woman. "It's not like she wanted to collapse. But our credit card payment is coming up soon." She flashed Sadayo a twisted smile,"so we'll need you to transfer the money."

Sadayo looked down towards the floor, her eyes glazed and numb. All she did was let out a defeated whimper, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be an inconvenience."

"Who are they?"

The voice cut the atmosphere like a knife. Both the couple and Sadayo turned to the source. Sadayo had completely forgotten that Akira was there. Turning to him, she saw something fierce in his eye. Something she had never seen in him before. "These are Takase-kun's guardians, the ones I mentioned the other day. They took care of him…"

"Did they now," Akira growled in a low tone.

Mr. Takase stopped his foot in anger, "Watch it you brat. Who are you anyway?"

"He's one of my students," Sadayo answered. "He came to visit me."

"Messing around with another student, huh?" The man laughed maniacally. "You never learn, do you?" He waved his finger as if scolding a dog, clicking his teeth, "And after all you did to him."

Sadayo once again looked to the floor, unable to fight back the two's demands. "I'm sorry."

"So? When are you going to transfer our apology money?" Asked Mrs. Takase.

"I should be able to send it out tomorrow." Sadayo wanted nothing more than to run away. To run away from all the horrible emotions the couple made her feel. To run away from all the stress and fatigue. To run and just be a normal teacher.

"Don't pay them."

Sadayo turned to see Akira rising from his chair. Placing his hands in his pockets to hide his curled fist. "Kurusu-kun." Her heart was sent into a flutter. Once again, Akira was there to step up for her. Despite everything she had done to him. Despite all that has happened between the two. He still stood tall and rebellious. His eyes revealing something fierce inside. And he was doing it for her.

Mr. Takase and Mrs. Takase took a step back. Clearly surprised that their harsh tone did little to scare the young teen. "W-what did you say," asked the man.

"I said, she doesn't have to pay you a single Yen." Akira's tone was low and defiant. Not wanting to give any ground to the Takases.

Mrs. Takase just stomped her foot, "Stay out of this."

"Don't act so tough, kid." Mr. Takase did his best to sound sympathetic. "Our precious adoptive son, Taiki, died because of this woman. Honestly, she should've been fired."

"That's not… I…" Sadayos' voice was getting close to breaking.

"Oh, so you don't know your place." Mr. Takase continued his assault at Sadayo. "Our poor Taiki died because of all the extra work you gave him. He should have been working, instead he put more work on him by you. And look where that got him. It's like you murdered him."

Sadayo's entire body clenched up as she drew in her arms. Barely able to keep herself in one piece. "I'm sorry." Her voice was almost inaudible.

"Leave."

A chill ran through the spines of everyone in the room as eyes turned to Akira. The young teen had removed his glasses, revealing his silver stormy eyes. There was truly a storm brewing underneath them and this caused the couple to take a step back. Meanwhile, Sadayo just watched in awe. Since she had known Akira, even before their meeting in that empty apartment, he had always seemed very easy-going. Never once displaying anything that would resemble anger or hatred even as he heard people talk behind his back. Now. Now, she was witnessing something far more fierce than anger or hatred. This was Akira's rage. The aura around him was that of an inferno, intense and ferocious. However, Sadayo found the flames to be comforting. Warming her whole body with the heat like a soft blanket. They weren't flames of blind rage or ones of malicious intent. No… these were flames of rebellion. Flames destined to protect others and everything that was pure, standing up for those who could not. Reducing everything else to ash. As she looked to her students, Sadayo once again found herself staring at him while emotions boiled in her heart. Why? Why is he so willing to protect me?

Mr. Takase did his best to sound as calm as possible, but even he couldn't fully withstand the heat being directed at him. " W-what did you say you b-brat?"

"I said leave."

"B-be quiet," said Mrs. Takase, also visibly shaking.

"You said not to act. This is no act. Leave."

"Oh, I have an idea," Mr. Takase smiled, pleased with his sudden idea. "If you're one of her students, perhaps we should have a talk with your school. I'm sure the school would love to hear about one of their students acting like such a delinquent."

His words rang in Sadayo's ears. Echoing a few times before they sunk in. No. No. No. If they do that, then he'll be arrested. That… I… I won't let that happen. Not to him. Her stomach formed a knot at the thought of him being taken away. Being taken away because he tried to defend her. Before anyone else said anything else, Sadayo mustered all the strength she could and shouted, "Stop."

Everyone turned to look at her, surprised by the sudden outburst from the frail teacher. "Please, I'll pay you. So please just stop."

Satisfied, the man smiled. "Good. so you do know your place."

"Anyway, we have more important things to do so well be going." The woman said as she made her way to the door.

Akira stood motionless staring at the door to the room. He was still angry. Not just at the Takases, but at himself. If he had had a bit more control, he may have been able to do more. Instead, he let anger slip, which gave the couple just enough room to walk away. But when they accused Sadayo of murdering Takase-kun, all control went out the door. Leaving his anger and rage to go uncontrolled. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down before taking his seat and putting his glasses back on.

Sadayo let out a tired sigh, exhausted emotionally and physically. "I have to figure out a way to make more money."

"Kawakami. Listen to me, you shouldn't pay them anymore." Akira moved his chair to be closer to her. "You just passed out. If you keep going like this, It'll just keep getting worse and worse until…" Akira couldn't get the rest of the words out. The knot in his throat wouldn't allow it.

"What other choice is there," Sadayo gaze was locked to the end of the bed. Not looking at anything in particular. The whole interaction was nothing but a reminder of how much she had to lose. "If I don't pay them, I'll lose my job at Shujin and now they are threatening you… if I don't pay them… they may…"

Now desperate, Akira dealt the last card he could hope to play. "Why don't we ask the Phantom Thieves for help."

She turned to look at him, "What do you mean?"

"If you tell me their names, the Takase's names, I can ask the Phantom Thieves for help." A few quiet meows could be heard from inside his bag, but he ignored them. There was no more time to be indirect. Akira had to do something. However, he didn't expect Sadayo to chuckle at his proposition.

"There's no point in doing that. I mean why would they help me?"

"What?", Akira felt the weight of a building collapse on top of him.

Sadayo simply shook her head, "I'm a horrible person. I've abandoned my students before. Leaving them to face their own problems alone. And for what? So I can focus on making money." She now turned to face Akira, meeting his gaze. "I used you at the beginning to make money. Even before that, I treated you like the plague. And when Suzui-chan tried to kill herself, I did nothing. When Kamoshida was hurting other students, I did nothing." Sadayo brought her legs to her chest, wrapping her arms around them for any sense of comfort. "Why? Why would the Phantom Thieves help someone as horrible as me? I sound like just the kind of person they would target. I'm not worth it."

"T-that's not true," Akira shouted, standing up from his chair.

Sadayo winced at his shout but continued her thoughts, "What makes you so sure of that?"

Akira opened his mouth to respond but no words came out. He wanted nothing more than to reveal his identity to her. To promise to save her. He wanted to… but he just couldn't bring himself to say it. Before he could pull the words out of his by force, Sadayo started to laugh.

"You know what? I'm gonna stop worrying about it!" She smiled at Akira with the fakest smile possible. "The Money? I'll pay it. I'll do everything Master tells me to do-." Her sentence was cut off a set of arms wrapping around her. Pulling her in for a tight embrace. Her head resting on Akira's shoulder. "K-kurusu-kun?"

"Your acting is really bad," Akira said, tightening his embrace. "We'll figure something out. It's like you said right, we're in this together."

"Meow…" Hearing his words, Sadayo felt the last barrier break. The floodgates opened and let out the wave of emotion that had been bottling up for some time. She buried her head into his shoulder, gripping him tightly with her shaking arms. And she cried. Cried and sobbed like there nothing holding her back. Letting every ounce of emotion come out in a flow of tears. Despite the pain in her heart, despite the uncertainty of the future, Sadayo held her master tight. Staining his shirt with her tears. It didn't matter that they were teacher and student or master and maid. Sadayo felt truly safe in his arms.

After a minute of her crying into his shoulder, Sadayo had cried all the tears she could. She let go of Akira and he let go of her as well. Wiping her eyes, Sadayo let out a tired breath, "...I'm so tired. You should get home soon. Visiting hours are almost over."

Akira nodded and grabbed his bag with Morgana in it, "Just get some rest."

"I will. Get home safe Kurusu-kun." Sadayo waved him goodbye as he walked out the door. Turning over in her bed as the weight of the day hit her all at once. Causing her to drift into a deep sleep almost instantly.

After walking down the moonlit streets for a few minutes, Morgana poked his head out of the bag. "So, what are we going to do now Joker?"

Akira stopped and moved to lean against a street light. Placing his face into his hand, shaking his head, "I don't know."

"It's ok Joker. We'll figure something out." Morgana did his best to comfort his friend.

The cat understanding tone caused Akira to relax a bit, "I'm surprised you not going to scold me more for almost revealing my identity." He chuckled to himself, "Who are you and what have you done with Mona."

"Normally I would, but I think it should be saved for later. For now, let's get home. It's been a long day."

Akira nodded and the two made their way to the station. To get some rest, so that they can face whatever they need to face tomorrow.

"And that's what happened," Sadayo finished another part of the story, before looking over the group. They all had sour expressions on their faces, undoubtedly annoyed by how the Takase's treated her and Akira.

Ryuji slammed his fist down onto his leg, "Those stupid guardian. All they cared about was their money."

"I must agree," Yusuke nodded. "They truly sound like wretched people."

"I feel bad for Takase-kun." Ann wrapped her arms around herself. "Being forced to live with such horrible people. Since his parents died, he had nowhere else to go. That must have been horrible."

Futaba nodded, "He sounded like a really good guy. He wanted a better future for himself. To be better than the people raising him. But other people got in the way of his dream." She ruffled her hair and let out a groan of frustration. "It really pisses me off."

"I'm just glad we were able to deal with those guardians," said Makoto. "But yes, I wish we could have done something for Takase-kun."

Sadayo couldn't help but feel happy at how they wished to help Takase-kun. "You guys shouldn't feel bad about not being able to help him. This was years ago, way before you guys ever meet."

Still disappointed, Ann lowered her head, "Still…"

"I think you all have done a lot for Takase-kun. More than you realize." Everyone looked to Sadayo, slightly confused at her comforting statement.

"What do you mean," Yusuke asked.

"You guys have a lot to help people. People who couldn't help themselves. You've prevented people from ending up like him. Not just that, the Takases' have been using their free time to work to not only pay back all the money I've given over the year, but to donate to charity as well. They've really turned around." Sadayo looked at everyone in the group, giving them a grateful smile. "I'm sure he would be happy to see all the work you guys have done to protect people."

Sadayo's reassurance caused everyone to smile. While they couldn't do anything for Takese-kun now, they could at least try to honor his memory by sticking to their aesthetics. Despite all the bad that had come their way recently, doing what was right was all they could do.

"Yeah, all we can do is keep going forward. And make sure nobody else ends up like him." Akira smiled two. Smiles and nods of determination from almost everyone else told him that they all agreed with him. Noticing that Haru still had her head down, he turned to her, "Haru are you OK?"

The sound of her name, caused her to jump out of whatever she was thinking about, "Oh. Sorry. I… it's nothing." She did her best to smile, but it wasn't very convincing.

"You have been rather quiet Haru," Yusuke moved his seat a little to face her a little better. "Is something the matter?"

Haru shook her head. "No… It's just. Hearing about how Takase-kun's guardians thought more about money than him." She grabbed the end of her skirt tightly. "It just reminded me of my father."

The mention of Haru's father caused the room to go silent.

"Oh." Yusuke looked away from her. "I apologize… I didn't mean to bring up unpleasant memories Haru."

She smiled and quickly shook her head, " It's fine Yusuke. You were just trying to be considerate."

"I know you must be going through a lot right now Haru." Sadayo did her best to comfort the student. She had watched the press conference about Mr. Okumura and the horror that followed. She watched her father die right in front of her. I can't even imagine what that must have been like. "Are you doing alright?"

"I'm fine Kawakami." Haru gently petted Morgana while looking around the table. "Everyone's helped me get through this all. Akira especially has been willing to lend an ear to me whenever I need it."

"I haven't really done as much as you think Haru. Everything you've been doing has been all you.," said Akira.

She chuckled, "I can assure you have done quite a lot for me Akira, but thank you. Anyway… hearing about how much the Takases' valued money. It just reminded me of my father and how he used to be."

"Used to be?" asked Sadayo.

"Oh sorry," Haru looked at her with a look of realization. "I forgot that you don't know about my father's past. I assume Akira hasn't told you anything." Sadayo shook her head and Haru continued, petting Morgana slowly as she did. "You see, Okumura Foods wasn't always the big company it is now. It started out as a small cafe."

Sadayo tiled, "A small cafe. You mean like Leblanc."

"Right. It was a small cafe in a small town. My grandfather wanted to make a place where everyone could have a place to feel comfortable." Haru smiled at the memory of the comfortable little place.

I guess it's kind of like Leblanc in that way. Sadayo couldn't deny that the old cafe had become a place full of fond memories. Many due in large part to Akira. "It sounds like a nice place."

"It was." Her smile quickly faded. "Unfortunately, grandfather wasn't the best businessman. Money was always a necessity so my father didn't have many of the luxuries he has given me. The treasure inside father's palace was an old toy he wanted as a kid, but due to money issues, he was never able to have it. That's what started his obsession with money."

"I'm sorry Haru." Sadayo didn't know what to say to her student. Her father wasn't bad, he was just a victim of circumstance. A child caught up in the things he couldn't have.

"It's alright Kawakami. When father grew up, he worked hard to make Okumura foods what it is today. Going to university. Making business connections. All of it to get the thing he was never able to have. Along the way, he met my mother and had me." Haru paused for a second to take a deep breath before collecting herself again. "I'm lucky to have had all the things I had growing up. I realize that, it's just, at some point, my father's attitude really changed."

Sadayo asked, "What do you mean?"

"It wasn't just about money anymore. It was about power. I'm sure you remember hearing about him running for election."

The memory of news articles and videos came to mind as Sadayo nodded. "I do."

"He became desperate for any sort of power. He was already in charge of Okumura Foods, but he just wanted more." Wincing at the memory, "He even arranged a marriage for me just to gain favor with his father."

"What! Are you serious? That's just… Wow." Sadayo just looked down at the for. Trying to process what she had heard. Arranged marriages weren't exactly something she had never heard of. Just hearing that this girl's father arranged for her to marry when she wasn't even an adult yet.

Ryuji chimed, scowling, "Yeah and the guy he was supposed to marry was a real creep too."

Yusuke nodded, "Yes. He was truly a wretched man. He only wanted Haru for her looks. Such a disgraceful man couldn't even see how amazing she is."

Yusuke failed to notice the large blush coming onto Haru's face. But everyone else did, causing everyone to snicker before Haru collected herself. "T-thank you Yusuke. And yes if it wasn't for Mr. Takakura, I probably would have had to deal with him myself."

"Mr. Takakura? Why does that name sound so familiar?" Sadayo placed her finger on her chin.

"He's the new president of Okumura Foods. I spoke with him on many occasions and he's the one who I have entrusted Okumura Foods too, along with the board of directors."

"Wait. Does that mean you are not going to take over the company," Sadayo asked, surprised to hear that she was letting go of her family's name.

Haru nodded, "Yes. After a lot of thought, I decided that Okumura Foods isn't where my future is. I know now what I want to do and it's thanks to you all." Like her friends before her, Sadayo saw a shine in Haru's eye. "I want to open a cafe just like the one my grandfather had. One where everything is homegrown, from the coffee to the salads. A place where everyone can come to relax. I know it's a pretty boring dream. But I want to make my own future."

Smiles and nods from everyone else signaled that they agreed with Haru's words. "It's not a boring dream Haru." Sadayo smiled at her student. "With your level of dedication, I'm sure you'll achieve it."

"Thank you, Kawakami." Haru pumped her fist and smiled. "I don't know when I'll open this cafe, but I would definitely like you all to be my first customers."

"That would be awesome Haru," Ann smiled. "I'm sure your coffee will be amazing."

"Indeed. If you would like, I could paint a piece to hang in your cafe," offered Yusuke.

Haru once again found herself blushing, but quickly replied, "That's very kind of you Yusuke. I would like that. I'm still far away from opening this cafe. I still haven't even asked Boss if I could work for him to gain experience."

Futaba leaned forward in her chair, "You should ask him soon. He'd love to have you."

Akira nodded, "She's right. He's going to need some help around here after I go back home."

Sadayo lingered on his words a bit more as the rest of the group still gave support to Haru. That's right. Eventually, he'll have to move back home and we won't be able to see each other like this. We've never talked about what we're going to do when that happens. I'm sure we'll still be together. But…

"Everything alright Sadayo?"

Akira's voice snapped her from her thoughts. Looking up she saw that everyone was staring at her."Oh, Don't worry it's nothing."

"Sadayo, I know you. And I know that expression on your face." He took her hand in his. "What's wrong?"

Observant as ever I see. She let out a sigh and straightened herself. "It's just… I've never really thought about what it's going to be like when you go back home."

Akira nodded but said nothing, letting her get all the emotions out on her own.

"I know we'll still be together. But a long-distance relationship can be hard sometimes and I'm just worried about-" Before she could finish her sentence, she found herself in a tight embrace. Her head resting comfortably against Akira's chest. "W-what are you-." She stuttered out, embarrassed at the sudden display of affection in front of everyone.

"I understand. You're worried about us and what the distance between us will do right." Akira said in a quiet and comforting voice.

Sadayo's eyes widened. She nodded to signal to him that he hit the nail on the head.

Akira pulled Sadayo away so he could look at her face. Resting her hands in his lap with his. "I understand your concerns and I won't lie and say that the thought hasn't crossed my mind." He gave her hand a squeeze. "But I know that no matter what, I still love you." His words caused Sadayo to blush. "Besides, I'll only be back home for a year. Once I graduate, I plan on coming back to Tokyo for University, so I won't be gone long. Sure we won't be able to see each other aside from the occasional trip I take to visit," Akria smiled at her. Trying to show her a comforting smile. "But it just means we'll have to enjoy the time we spend together."

This guy, Sadayo thought. He always knows exactly what to say in order to calm me down. "Your right. We should just enjoy the time we have together. I feel like an idiot for worrying about nothing." She wrapped her arms around him one more time, an action which he mirrored. The two enjoyed each other's embrace before Sadayo remembered that they weren't alone. Blushing, she pulled away from Akira and placed her hands in her lap before giving the group a quick glance. Their smiles were the same as earlier, when they were told about how Akira caught her from her fall. This only caused her blush to grow as she turned her gaze to the floor.

Akira only chuckled at her embarrassment. Before bringing his hand to his mouth to clear his throat, "Now we should get back on topic."

Makoto nodded, "Yes, I believe it is time for your next question Kawakami."

The blush fading from her face, Sadayo took in a deep breath. "Okay. I guess the next major question is about these Personas you have mentioned before. You said you use them to fight shadows in the Metaverse."

Akira nodded, "Yes. This is a rather complicated subject and like Mementos, there is still a lot we don't know so just bear with me." With a nod from Sadayo, he began his explanation, "A Persona is a sort of like a manifestation of our will, our rebellious spirit, aspects of our minds. That's at least the explanation Morgana gave us."

"Can you elaborate a bit more," asked Sadayo, still visibly confused.

"An easier way of putting it is that they are like spirits we can call upon in battle," explained Haru.

"Like spirits," Sadayo repeated.

"I guess that makes sense. Remember our costumes and how we said they were a representation of what we thought a rebel looked like," asked Akira to which Sadayo nodded. "Our Personas are like those wills given physical form. To summon them, we have to pull off the masks we wear as part of our thieves outfits."

Sadayo thought hard about what Akira was saying and saw the irony in it all. "So you rip off the mask you guys were to summon these Personas so you can fight shadows with magic."

"That is correct," Yusuke nodded.

She placed her head in the palm of her head. "You were right, this does sound complicated."

"Seeing it would make it easier to understand, but that would require taking you into the Metaverse. So this will have to do," Futaba explained.

"I guess that makes sense. So how do you get a Persona? Do you get one when you go into the Metaverse?"

Akira shook his head, "As far as we know, you have to face your inner self and be willing to rebel."

Sadayo looked at her boyfriend quizzically, "Face your inner self?"

"Yeah. What I mean is that you have to face the trauma in your past." Akira looked over the table. Reminding himself of each of their awakenings. "Each one of has been forced into a label placed upon us by society. A label that we just accepted as part of our lives. In order to get a Persona, you have to realize that society has made you wear a mask and once you rip it off, you'll awaken to your true self. Your Persona."

Sadayo was silent at Akira's explanation. She found herself thinking back to the many stories she had heard from everyone. A label. Each one of them was tormented by those in power. Unable to fight against the system that labeled them. Despite all that's happened to them, they all still have such strong resolve. "You guys are all amazing. Even after all the pain, you guys have endured, you've kept your heads up. I'm honestly at a loss."

"I should say such a feat wouldn't have been possible alone," added Yusuke.

"Huh," Sadayo tilted her head.

Ryuji nodded, "Yusuke's right. There were a lot of times where things seemed hopeless. But thanks to us sticking together, we've been able to keep going."

"Yes," Haru smiled. "I've been a member of the least amount of time, but all of you have become such an important part of my life that I can't imagine things being different."

"Yeah. We've known each other not even a year but You guys are something far more than friends. You guys are like family." Ann smiled widely.

"Lady Ann." Morgana was practically in tears over being called family by Ann.

Sadayo watched the rest of the group nod and smile at each other, agreeing with the words of the model. "I'm glad you all have been able to move past the things in your past. And you guys do look like you have forged strong bonds with each other."

Akira playfully jabbed Sadayo in the side, "Hey you're part of this family now too."

"Akira's right," Futaba chuckled, "You're a member of this little group of misfits too. You're just like us."

"R-really," Sadayo looked over the group to see if they agreed with Futaba's words. Smiles from everyone told her that they did.

"She's right. You were labeled by the Takeses' and forced to do their bidding. However, despite the pain of that time, you've moved past it and strived to become a better person," Yusuke leaned forward in his chair. "You're not that different from us."

Sadayo was happy that they all thought of her as a member of their little group, but she was still conflicted. "But, that was only because Akira and you all helped me."

"And we wouldn't have been able to face ourselves like we did if it wasn't for Akira." Ryuji grinned like he always did, placing his hands behind his head. "It's only because of him coming to Shujin and getting rapped up in all that shit with Kamoshida that I was able to face reality. It's like we said, we've never done any of this alone."

"Ryuji's right," added Ann. "We've all gotten help from Akira. He really is the only reason we've been able to do what we do."

"I agree," said Yusuke.

Makoto smiled as well, "Yes. You are part of this group just as much as the rest of us Kawakami."

"Yeah," Futaba cheered while snickering. "You're stuck with us."

"We maybe your students, but we are also your friends." Haru smiled. "It is a rather strange turn of events."

Sadayo didn't know what to say. Years ago, she wouldn't have thought it would be possible to have friends at all. She had put so much distance between everyone in the past that it seemed like a fantasy. Despite that they were her students despite all the things that have happened between them, to hear them accept her for who she was.

It made her happy.

A few tears of joy came out of Sadayo's eyes, doing her best to remain composed in front of everyone. She whipped them away before giving the group a grateful, genuine smile, "Thank you. It… It makes me really happy to hear you all say that. Thank you."

Akira reached down and interlocked his fingers with Sadayo's. Pleased to see that everyone was willing to accept Sadayo. He couldn't describe how happy it made him to hear them say that to her.

Having successfully held back the waterworks, Sadayo wiped her eyes once more before continuing, "Alright. Can we continue the explanation of Persona? Is there anything else you did mention?"

"A little," Akira said getting back in gear. "I should explain how we fight with them too. When we fight shadows, we call our Personas in order to use spells, which vary in effect and affinity."

"Affinity," questioned Sadayo.

"Affinity means the type," Makoto explained. "For example, Ryuji's Persona has plenty of electric skills."

Sadayo nodded, more or less grasping the concept.

"Shadows sometimes have certain elemental weaknesses we can exploit. This allows us to get the upper hand in battle," continued Akira.

"I think I got it, but what's the catch.."

"Using our Personas repeatedly takes a lot of stamina," said Yusuke. "If we run out of energy we can't call upon them anymore. Which is why we use them alongside the weapons we mentioned earlier."

"It's also why the coffee and curry you make us sometimes has been such a big help Kawakami," Haru turned her attention to her. "As Akira said earlier, It helps us keep our energy up. This way we can use our Personas when we need them."

Sadayo's nodded, "So it's kind of like a potion or something from a video game."

"Exactly," said Futaba. Pleased at Sadayo's little video game reference.

She smiled before turning to Akira, "Anything else?"

"The last thing would be the names of our Personas."

This caught Sadayo's attention. "They have names?"

"Yeah, Mine's called Captain Kidd and like Makoto said, electricity is his game. Along with some physical skills" Ryuji said proudly.

Futaba continued, "My Persona is called Necronomicon. Like I mentioned earlier, I don't do any fighting. Necronomicon is mainly for scanning and navigating."

"Goemon is my Persona. Ice skills are my specialty, along with some physical ones like Ryuji." Yusuke smiled.

Makoto waved her hand, "Johanna is my Persona's name. While we've called my skills nuclear. Energy is a better way to describe them. I also have a few healing skills " She said trying not to worry Sadayo.

"My Persona is called Milady. She uses quite a few gun skills, but her main specialty is Psychokinetic skills."

"Carmen has fire skills alongside some healing abilities," said Ann.

Akira pointed to Morgana, who sat up from Haru's lap. "Morgana's is called Zorro. He has wind attacks and plenty of healing skills."

"Ok,' Sadayo said before turning to him. "What about you?"

He rubbed the back of his head, "I'm kind of a special case. I can use a lot of different Personas."

"Really. Why?" She asked tilting her head.

"I have an ability called 'The Wild Card' which allows me to use multiple Personas."

"Wow… Wait is that why you're called Joker," she asked, now understanding his code name.

Akira nodded, "Yeah, though if you want to be specific, the Persona unique to me is called Arsene."

"Arsene," Sadayo repeated the name slowly, before chuckling to herself. "Your Persona is named after the legendary thief. That's a little on the nose."

Everyone laughed while Akira smiled. "Maybe a little," He said in amusement.

"All joking aside, let me see if I understand Persona." She said clearing her throat. "Persona is the manifestation of your will or rebellious spirit. You call your Persona by pulling away your mask and you get yours by facing the trauma of your past, deciding to rebel against society's label of you. In battle, you use Your Persona's to attack Shadows and hit a possible weakness. Finally, each Persona has unique skills and abilities. Everyone had a unique Persona except for Akira, who can use multiple because he has 'The Wild Card'. Oh, and they are all named after tricksters and troublemakers from different cultures and History."

Akira nodded, "Yep, that about covers it."

Having fully grasped the concept, Sadayo leaned back in her seat. "Wow, that sure is a lot to take in. But now I can't help but wonder. What would my Persona be if I had one?"

"I must admit I am curious as well," Yusuke said with a thinking expression.

Ryuji leaned back in his seat, his hands behind his head. "I bet it would be someone cool like Anne Bonny."

All eyes turned to Ryuji before Ann asked, "Who?"

"She was an Irish pirate," Answered Makoto. "She operated in the 1700s around the Caribbean. She is probably one of the most famous female pirates in history."

Ann nodded, "Oh I see. How the hell did you know that Ryuji?"

"We learned it in class a while ago." he said only to be met with silence and looks of amazement. "What?"

Futaba placed her hands on his shoulders before shaking him. "Who are you and what have you done with Ryuji?"

"Hey, Stop shaking me Futaba."

"Did I hear that right," Ann said in awe. "Ryuji actually learned something in class."

Morgana chuckled from his spot, "I guess miracles happen every day."

Ryuji broke free of Futaba's shaking to glare at Morgana, "I heard that you stupid cat."

"How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not a cat."

The two argued for a couple more minutes while Akira and Sadayo watched, "I'm glad to hear he paid attention in class," said Sadayo.

Akira let out a sigh. "As much as I want to give him credit. His Persona is Captain Kidd. He may have only been paying attention because he heard about pirates."

"It's a start," She said with a shrug.

Having had enough of the two's arguing Akira stepped in, "Alright you two calm down. It's time to get back to the story."

Makoto nodded, "Yes, what happened after the hospital visit."

Akira leaned forward, resting his elbows on his legs, "After Sadayo got out, I requested her as soon as I could."

Authors Notes:

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY.

I feel like I always release a chapter around a holiday of somesort, but what are you going to do?

First off, The 'Anne Bonny' thing is a reference to the Adult Confidant AU, by ScruffyTurtles so you should absolutely go check out his art on twitter.

Second, As we're coming up on the last leg of the story, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone for sticking with me through this story. This story has been a lot of fun to write and seeing other people like it too has made me want to keep going. So thank you for all your support.

Next, there are a lot of events that are going to happen in rapid succession to each other. There's the 8 event, the 8.5 (the school one), there is when Akira convinces the group to help Sadayo and then there is the fight. Rather than give each one of these their own chapter, I want all of these events to be in one chapter. That is why the next chapter is going to be so big. After that, it's just the 9 event, the 10 event, then the epilogue. So it's really the home stretch now.

Lastly, I want to set a date to try and get this story done by.

The goal I'm setting is to have it done by March 31. The english release date of Persona 5 Royal. I want this story to be done by then and I will try my hardest to get it there.

That's all I have for you guys. See you next time. :)