Farewell Party

by Pentop5

Akira Kurusu lived in Tokyo for one year. In that year, he's forged bonds that can't be broken by distance or time. With his time In Tokyo coming to a close, Akira wanted to throw a party to celebrate his time with his friends. All of the Confidants under one roof. What could go wrong...

9. Epilogue

THIS STORY TAKES PLACE AFTER THE EVENTS OF PERSONA 5 ROYAL. SPOILERS AHEAD. YOU'VE BEEN WARNED.

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.

This was it. A year full of adventure, heroism and theatrics was coming to an end. Sunlight poured in from the window and woke Akira from his slumber. It took only a moment for him to remember what day it was, the eve of his departure for home. Tomorrow he would leave the city behind.

As he looked over to the clock on his phone, he saw that it was getting into the early afternoon. He had been packing the previous nights to make sure nothing of value was left behind and the exhaustion hit him just as he finished packing. Now, the only thing left for him to take was the bag on his shoulder.

"About time you woke up." Shuffling the sheets around Akira saw his feline companion sitting on the edge of the bed. "Me and Boss were wondering if you were just going to sleep all day?"

"Cut me some slack mom," he puffed. "We just finished packing last night. Can't blame me for sleeping in a little."

"More like sleeping in a lot, it's noon." Morgana hopped up on the bed and stomped his paw on Akira's face. "Now get up. It's your last day before you leave. Don't you want to say goodbye to everyone."

A lazier part of Akira would have liked to stay in bed, but that part was small and he knew not to waste anymore time. Quickly going through his routine, he got dressed into his favorite jacket and jeans to head out for the day. Morgana hopped into his bag and the two went down stairs.

"There you are. I honestly was starting to worry whether you would sleep all day." Not to his surprise, Sojiro was behind the counter preparing a cup of coffee.

What did surprise him was the two customers seated at the bar. "Sae. Yoshida."

The prosecutor smiled, "Hello Akira. You look like you're doing well."

"It's good to see you Akira. Sleeping in I see," Yoshida chuckled.

"What are you two doing here," Akira cocked an eyebrow.

"I decided to stop by after work to grab some of Boss's coffee," Sae answered. "I happened to bump into Yoshida-san at the station and he was heading here as well."

"I had met with an old colleague of mine nearby for some lunch. I figured since I was in the neighborhood might as well swing by." The older man laughed quite a bit, "Ever since the party, I've found myself craving the coffee here. If it wasn't for the lunch I just had, I would also be enjoying some of your curry as well."

"There's always next time," Sojiro smiled then turned back to Akira. "So, you all packed up?"

"Sure am."

Sae nodded her head, "That's right… tomorrow is the day you head home right?"

Akira nodded, "yeah. I leave tomorrow morning. Still going to try and catch me?"

"Right- I'm taking you in," Her tone was playful, quite the contrast to her usual self. It managed to get a chuckle out of Yoshida and Sojiro. "But in all seriousness, On the record, you've been cleared of all the crimes you were accused of. Unfortunately, the stigmas that came with them are a little harder to wipe away."

"No need to worry Sae," He assured. "It's not like those stigmas mean anything to me. I'll just do things the way I want to. Even if it will get me in trouble."

"Well, if you ever manage to find yourself in trouble, use this." Sae dug into her purse and opened her business card holder to pass a card to him. "I gave everyone at the party my card, but it slipped my mind to give you one. Whenever you need help, I'll be on your side. Remember that."

"Thank you, Sae," Akira said, slipping the card into his wallet.

"Quite miraculous," Yoshida looked up to the ceiling. "You expect farewells to be so sad, but here we are, beaming."

"It feels like forever ago that I was helping you with your speeches in Shibuya," Akira crossed his arms and reminisced.

Yoshida smiled widely, "Yes, I feel the same… but now, we have more important things to do than reminisce. Both of us are taking our first steps on a new path. It's time we looked forward, not back."

"To the bright future ahead."

"Indeed. From now on, your life is your own to live. I suppose I'd better send you off with a parting gift." Yoshida reached into his jacket pocket. "This fountain pen is something I bought back when I strayed from the right path. Despite it being incredibly expensive, I hardly used it. I hope you'll put it to better use than I did."

"I promise I will," Akira opened his bag to slip the pen inside and something caught his eye just before he closed his bag. "Hey Boss, I got something for you as well."

The cafe owner eyed the teen curiously as he walked behind the counter. Akira pulled out a black book with a blank cover and handed it over to Sojiro. "Oh yeah, I forgot about this thing."

"Made sure to fill it out too. Everyday since I got it."

"What's that?" Sae asked curiously.

"My probation diary."

"The diary of the Phantom Thieves' leader, huh?" Sojiro cocked a smile. "Probably gonna be worth a lot someday… Thanks, though. I'll keep it safe."

"Could be an interesting read," Yoshida smiled.

All of them chuckled at that and Sojrio placed the book on the counter. "Well, we've all been through a lot… but it seems like everything's changed for the better. Try to behave yourself back home, would ya? Ah, not like you ever listen to me."

"Hey, I listened to you when you taught me how to make curry and coffee."

Sojiro shook his head with a smile on his face, "Doesn't really count kid. Speaking of which, I want you to have these." He handed Akira several index cards with recipes on them. "Don't worry, I've got'em memorized already. With those you can make the same…" Sojrio paused before shaking his head. "Well, no, that'd be a waste. Put your own spin on the flavor. Develop it. Make it yours."

"Will do. I'll let you try it once it's good."

"I'll hold you to that." He nodded towards the door. "Now get going. Still got things to do, right."

Akira nodded and tucked the cards into his bag, "yeah. I'll see you later."

Morgana popped his head out of the bag and waved goodbye with his tail. "Bye Niijima-san, Yoshida-san."

Sae waved to him as he walked off, "See you two."

"Take care of yourself as well Morgana," Yoshida waved.

Closing the cafe door behind them, Akira and Morgana walked down the street. "It's kind of weird being able to talk to not just the group." Morgana perched up on Akira's shoulder.

"It's nice though, right?"

"Yeah. It's just weird that I knew so much about them and never really got to meet."

"I get that. Honestly, I'm really glad they can understand you."

Morgana smiled, "Yeah, me too. So… are we heading over to Takemi's clinic?"

"Yeah, Might as well see her since she's nearby."

Morgana nodded his head. It was a quick walk down the street to the clinic and to their surprise, it was closed. The door inside was locked and a sign was placed reading 'out to lunch'. "I guess she isn't home. Think something with work came up?"

Akira shrugged, "Not sure. Might just be best to come back later."

"Alright, where to then?"

"Shibuya I guess" Akira answered as the pair stepped into the station. "Honestly, I'm not sure where everyone is right now. I half expected Futaba to be at Leblanc. At the very least we can go see Iwai at Untouchable."

"Fine by me. Let's not waste anymore time." Morgana dived back into the bag as Akira stepped into the station. Thanks to a little luck, the two were able to catch the train just as it arrived. The trip to Shibuya took no time at all and they were quickly into the square heading towards Central street.

"Yo Akira!"

As Akira headed towards Central Street, a wavy arm could be seen from the edge of the crowd. When he walked over in the direction, he realised that the person waving to him was Ryuji. The runner was standing by the book store alongside Makoto. "What's up man?" Ryuji threw his arm around Akira's shoulder like he always did.

"Just making the rounds. What are you two doing?" Akira looked to the bag in Ryuji's hand, "Shopping for books?"

Morgana popped out of the bag, "Ryuji shopping for books. These must be the end times."

Ryuji was about to open his mouth, but Akira noticed he stopped himself before saying anything. Makoto looked glad she didn't have to break up a shouting match. "They're not just regular books Morgana. They're cookbooks."

Akira cocked his brow, "Cookbooks?"

"Yeah." Ryuji rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Since I'm moving pretty soon, I wanted to be able to help my mom around the house more. So I asked Makoto to help me look for cookbooks for beginners. Ya know, so she doesn't have to do all the cooking at home. After hearing everyone talk at the party, I just thought there's more I could be doing, ya know?"

"That's really nice of you Ryuji." Akira could feel Morgana retreat back into the bag, ashamed of taunting Ryuji for such a selfless reason.

"It is, isn't it," Makoto smiled at her friend as he rubbed the underside of his nose. "So, are you packed up and ready to head home."

Akira nodded, "Sure am."

"Man," Ryuji kicked the ground. "Spring break's supposed to be the most fun part of the year, but instead you're just moving away. Then again, so am I."

Makoto crossed her arms, "All of us are heading towards greener pastures. Soon enough, I'll be on my own too. New beginnings for all of us, I suppose."

Ryuji crossed his arms, "I guess this is probably the last time we'll be meeting up here, huh."

Akira flashed a cheeky grin, "I'll never forget you, Ryuji."

Makoto chuckled while Ryuji stared at him. "Dude, don't say it like that! You make it sound like I'm gonna die or somethin'! Look, this isn't gonna be the last time all of us see each other, yeah."

"Once things calm down, we can all meet up again," She added.

"Definitely," Ryuji smiled then scratched the back of his head. "Honestly, even with the rehab, I dunno if my leg's ever gonna be how it was before. But when I think about how much I wanna run, well… I figure there's no point in lyin to myself. Nothing's guaranteed, but you could say that about any goal, right?"

Makoto nodded, "I agree. A year ago, all this, me moving into my own place or even just having a conversation with my sister, would have been unthinkable for me. But nobody told me to do this. It's a path I chose for myself. If I'd never met you, and stayed a simple honor student, I'd never have realized I had that much choice."

Akira scratched his head, "Come on, I did not that much."

Ryuji nodded his head, "She's totally right man. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have realised I don't want to live stuck on regrets, or shame. I'd rather just run… and keep runnin'. I owe you a lot man, so I got you this." Ryuji pulled out a sports watch from his pocket and handed it to Akira who put in on his arm. "You'll be able to practice with this. See, if we share our times, we can even compete from far away."

Akira smiled as he set the watch to the correct time, "Don't worry Ryuji. No way am I going to fall behind. Not even for a second."

"I've got something for you as well Akira," She reached her hand out to him and gave him a calculator that looked like a panda. "I want you to have this. It really helped me learn to love studying. One day, I'll be a police commissioner. I know it won't be easy… but I also know I'll never give up. I want you to know that you're an irreplaceable comrade to me. Always have been… always will be."

"Thanks Makoto. Don't worry, I'll make sure to study hard too," He grind."Goin' throw everyone back home for a loop when they see my test scores."

"For real man. I remember when the Mid term results came. Everyone looked totally shocked." Ryuji grinned like he usually did and rumbling came from his stomach. "Man, all this shopping made me hungry. What's say we grab a bite to eat? You in Akira?"

"Going to have to pass Ryuji. I still got to go see everyone before tomorrow."

"I got you. See you later man." Ryuji turned to start walking away. "Come on Makoto. I know this killer ramen place nearby."

The girl sighed as she began to walk in time with him, "You always eat ramen, but sure, I'm getting hungry too."

"Alright. Order whatever you want. Gotta thank you for helping me."

The two engaged in more idle chatter as they disappeared into the crowd. "I honestly didn't expect Ryuji to do something like that for his mom," Morgana said perching up on Akira's shoulder.

"He's been trying to improve himself." Akira turned around to walk into the direction of Untouchables. "From what Makoto's told me, he's even asked her and Hifumi for study tips so he can do better at his new school. You jealous?"

"Of course not!" Morgana's tone was not enough to hide his genuine jealousy and Akira did want not to push it.

"Well, in any case. Let's go see Iwai." Not too far from where they were, it was a quick walk to the alley where the shop was located. But as Akira tugged on the door handle, the door did not budge. He looked at the door and saw that the sign showed CLOSED.

Morgana looked at the sign, "Iwai's not here either. The shop's not closed on Sunday's is it?"

"No. It should be open. Maybe he stepped out for a bit. Might just check back later before we head to Shinjuku."

The cat shrugged, "It's your call Joker. Where to now then?"

"I guess the underground mall. Odds are we'll run into Ann there." Morgana let out a delighted purr from hearing her name and the duo began to walk to the stairs that would lead to the walkway that led to the underground mall. However, just before entering the mall area a blue head of hair caught his attention in the crowd. "Hey, Yusuke."

The artist turned around from where he was standing, "Ah Akira. It's good to see you. Can I assume Morgana is with you too?"

The cat popped out of the bag, "What up, Yusuke?"

From behind Yusuke's slender frame, another person appeared and it was none other than Hifumi. "Akira, Morgana, how are you today?"

"I'm good. What are you too doing here?"

"We are engaging in a bit of people watching," Yusuke answered. "Due to it being spring break, a larger number of people are passing through. I simply could not waste such an opportunity to search for inspiration."

"Yusuke asked if I wanted to join him and I saw no reason not too." The shogi player placed her fingers on her chin. "I thought it might be beneficial in improving my skills in shogi, expanding my horizons so to speak. Observing the small details of a person and predicting their next action. It's been quite fun."

"Good to know you two are enjoying yourselves." Akira scanned his two friends and spotted a familiar cup in both of their hands. "Are those smoothies from the stand over there?"

Yusuke frowned and nodded, "Indeed. We purchased them in order to enjoy ourselves while we watch the passers by. Unfortunately, they are rather putrid."

"For the price listed, I expected something with more flavor." Hifumi took a sip of the colored liquid and her expression upon tasting it spoke volumes. "At the very least, they are quite good for you."

Akira shook his head, "Don't know if that really makes up for it. It's really hard for me to drink those when I get one." A statement that was no exaggeration.

"The sheer fact you can stomach this speaks volumes of your constitution Akira. But enough about that," Yusuke turned his attention to him. "You'll be departing tomorrow. It's sad to see this a season of farewells, but I didn't expect we'd all go our separate ways."

"It was one hell of a year," grinned Akira.

"Yes. But I suppose that in itself is a bizarre thought. After all… this time last year, we were but strangers."

"It's quite strange how the world flows sometimes," added Hifumi. "To tell you the truth, I have an important shogi tournament tomorrow as well."

"I'll be cheering you on," smiled Akira.

Pink colored her cheeks as she smiled, "Thank you."

"I will be providing my support as well." Yusuke nodded with Akira's sentiment. "I believe you said this could be your tenth win in a row."

"Yes. I'll work so I can give you a good report."

"I intend to do the same." Yusuke closed his eyes, "As for me, my canvas is still blank. It's not for lack of inspiration. There's so much I want to express- I can barely contain my passion." The artist sounded giddy with excitement. "But my heart has not led me astray yet. I'll paint as it guides me. Even should I scar my work with doubt, hesitation, chaos… certainly, that's a beauty all its own. Your life is no worse for its own scars."

Akira nodded as a smile crossed his face. "Yeah. I'd say I'm better for them."

"Even after all the trials you have faced, you are smiling." Hifumi's eyes held genuine happiness in them. "That's quite a smile. Like a knight standing victorious at the end of a grand siege. But I suppose a knight can't remain idle for too long… His presence is still needed elsewhere. If my shogi skills have truly helped such a dauntless champion, then it has been an honor and a pleasure." Hifumi dug into the bag on her shoulder, "From one player to another, I have a parting gift for you…"

She placed a wooden shogi piece with lance on it in his hand. "The lance piece moves exclusively forward. Until it is promoted, it can only move onward, never back. So let us continue on our own paths. Even if we have to part ways for now, one day, when the two of us Lances have been promoted, we will retrace our steps and meet again."

Akira clenched the wooden piece, "I'm looking forward to it. When that happens, let's have a match."

"Of course."

"I have a parting gift for you as well Akira. Do you remember the painting I submitted to that competition? 'Desire and Hope', it was." Akira nodded his head and Yusuke continued closing his eyes to reminisce about the painting. "That painting is a symbol of the things you helped me realise. The chaos and beauty of the human heart. Well, I would like to bestow it upon you as a parting gift. The painting is rather large, so giving it to you now would inconvenience you. As such, I have asked Boss for assistance in shipping it to your house back in your hometown. I believe it should arrive today or tomorrow."

"That's really nice of you Yusuke," Akira smiled, making a mental note to thank Boss for helping the artist. The idea of the artist trying to ship something that far without assistance, things might not go well.

"Think nothing of it, you have done far more for me than I can ever hope to repay." Yusuke checked the time on his watch. "Now, the mention of Boss has whetted my appetite for some of his curry. Perhaps I should swing by Leblanc for some. Any interest in Joining me Akira?"

"Sorry I can't," he answered with the shake of his head. "I still have things to do before I leave."

"I see. Well, take care of yourself Akira, you as well Morgana. Care to join me Hifumi?"

The shogi player nodded, "Boss's curry and coffee does sound good right now. The two of you have a safe trip home."

The two Kosei students walked off in the direction of the station as Yusuke began to preach about the curry and coffee's flavors. "Honestly I'm kind of surprised those two have hit it off," Morgana added.

"I'm just glad they get along well," Akira smiled as he watched the pair disappear around the corner. "I do feel bad for Yusuke since all of us are leaving and he was the only one sticking around. Of course, Futaba will still be here, but…"

"I get you. And since they both go to Kosei, they can spend time together in school." Morgana tapped his paw on the teen's shoulder. "Now come on, let's go find Lady Ann."

Akira rolled his eyes but obliged the cat's demand. From where he was in the underground walkway, it was a quick walk over to the mall that he had visited so many times. He was half expecting to have to have a hard time looking for Ann, but it turned out to be relatively easy as he could see the model stuffing her face with a crepe alongside Haru.

The fluffy heiress was the first of the two to notice his arrival, "Akira. It's good to see you."

Ann quickly swallowed the last crepe in her mouth and crumbled the wrapper. "Hey, Akira. What are you doing here?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," Akira pointed to the corner of his lips and Ann whipped the remaining cream present on her face away, blushing in embarrassment.

Haru chuckled, "we were just grabbing something to eat at the crepe stand before we went shopping."

"Yeah. We're looking for decorations for Haru's new place and stuff to help me while I'm abroad. I just couldn't help getting a crepe, it's going to be forever before I get to have one again. By the way, is Morgana with you?"

"Hello Lady Ann," The cat said, quickly poking his head out of the bag. "Hello Haru."

"Hi Mona-chan," Haru waved. "What are you two doing Today?"

"We're just going around saying goodbye," Morgana answered.

"That's right," Ann looked down, saddened by the thought. "Honestly, it's not really hitting me yet… But we're all splitting off to do our own things."

"Don't be sad Ann-chan. It's not like we're saying goodbye," Haru said with a smile.

Akira nodded, "She's right. We'll see each other again. No doubt about that."

"Yeah, Totally! It's not like we're all leaving forever! I mean, we still have the group chat- I'll still be messaging you all. And you gotta respond!"

"Don't worry Lady Ann. I'll make sure this guy doesn't miss a single message for you," Morgana declared proudly.

"Ann-chan, tell them about the little girl," Haru added, in a rather excited tone.

Akira raised his eyebrow and Ann explained. "Well, while me and Haru were looking around in Shibuya, a little girl stopped me. She said she saw me in magazines and thought I was pretty… She said she wants to be just like me when she grows up." Ann smiled as she blushed, "It felt amazing. Oh right," she quickly rummaged into her shoulder bag. "Vague did a special piece on me in this month's issue. Ohya-san helped me score it since she knows a few people who work there."

"That was nice of her," Akira said as he made another note to thank Ohya next time he saw her.

"Yeah. I said it all in the interview, but… I'm gonna work hard. One day, I'll be modeling across the world." Ann handed Akira the magazine. "Here, make sure you read my interview. I've gotta reach people. I wanna give someone hope- like you did for me."

Haru spoke up now, "I have some news as well, the new coffee shop venture is progressing towards opening its first location. Actually, I'll be involved with its launch even while attending college."

Akira turned to the heiress, "Once they're open, I'd love to enjoy a cup."

"We do have plans to expand into other regions! Perhaps one may pop up in your town, Akira," she said with a chuckle. "From now on, I'll have to balance my studies and the company."

"You'll be fine Haru," Ann smiled at her friend. "You're such a hard worker. You'll find a way."

"Yes. It will be no easy task… But it's all for the sake of making my dream come true. I swear I'll make this work. I want to live up to my grandfather's reputation, after all… and my father's legacy. Once it opens, we should all meet up there. Just like our days at Leblanc. You can invite everyone over again Akira."

Her eyes and smile were full of determination. "Looking forward to it," he smiled.

"Me too Haru," Ann added in.

"I'll do my best." She began to rummage around in her purse. "Before I forget, I want you to have this Akira." Haru placed a dyed hankerchief into his hand. "I'd like to sell handcrafted goods at my café as well… so this is the first step in my practice. I want you to have it, as a token of my thanks. It's because of you Akira that I was able to get this far. You mean the world to me."

Ann nodded with Haru's words. "It's the same for me too. Thank you for all you've done. The days I spent with you were some of the brightest in my life."

Akira smiled at his two friends, "I'm glad I was able to help."

"Alright, there's this super good sweet shop just around the corner," Ann pointed with her finger down the mall's hallway. "How about we grab something?"

Morgana was about to eagerly agree to the idea, but Akira said, "I can't. Still got to say bye to everyone. Also didn't you just have a crepe?"

"I have a sweet tooth alright," Ann pouted. "But yeah, I guess I'll see you later Akira. You too Morgana."

Ann began to walk off and Haru followed after her, but not before waving goodbye. "Get home safe you too."

Akira and Morgana waved as the two disappeared into the crowd. Once they were gone, the cat melted into the bag, "Lady Ann is so sweet."

The teen flashed a sarcastic smile, "Pretty sure that's from all the sugar she's eating."

"Don't be mean! Or I'll tell her you said that."

"Alright alright," he said, waving his hands. "Come on, let's head to the school. We may be able to catch Kawakami before she leaves for the day."

"Lead the way Joker." The trip to the school was routine enough that Akira acted almost entirely on autopilot as he got back to the station to transfer lines. The ride to Aoyama Itchome was as quick as it's always been. Much to Akira's delight, there appeared to be very few students heading to the school aside from a few possible heading to club activities. Walking towards the entrance, the yellow sweater of his teacher could be seen standing by the entrance.

Kawakami looked up from her phone and noticed his arrival. "Oh, Kurusu-kun," she said, maintaining her professionalism. "What a coincidence. Did you… come to see the campus?"

"No," he answered with the shake of the head. "Just making the rounds."

Morgana popped his head out of the bag, "We're saying bye to everyone before we head home. Did you just finish work?"

Now it was Kawakami's turn to shake her head. "No, the staff had a faculty meeting about the new school year. I was also giving one of our future students a tour of the school."

"Future student," Akira cocked his brow.

"Kurusu-san!"

The loud call of Akira's name almost made him jump while Morgana retreated into the bag quickly. A quick turn revealed two figures descending the stairs that served as the entrance to the school. One with a familiar pair of yellow ear-defenders. "Iwai. Kaoru-san."

The gruff man nodded his head as he and his son reached round level, "Hey kid. You always show up at the right time. Tell him the good news Kaoru."

Akira cocked his brow yet again, "Good news?"

"My dad said this was your last day here, so I really needed to talk to you. Starting this spring, I'll be a Shujin student!"

Trying not to let the surprise show on his face, Akira smiled at the fellow teen, "congrats."

"I'm really glad I was able to tell you in person. I know I said I admired the Phantom Thieves, but I think you're amazing too, Kurusu-san. Man, I got so much to tell you about."

"Easy Kaoru," Iwai added to stop the teen from ranting too much. "Hate to break up the reunion, but aren't you in charge of dinner tonight. I know our fridge isn't stocked enough."

Kaoru's eyes widened, "Oh, shoot! I forgot. Sorry Kurusu-san, I've gotta catch the sale before it ends. Have a safe trip home."

With that the young teen left Akira alone with Iwai and Kawakami, "I had no idea he wanted to go to Shujin," said Morgana emerging from the bag.

"He says… he wants to be just like you," Iwai smiled at Akira, not showing that usual gruffness the man was known for.

Akira chuckled and asked in a half-joking tone, "And you're okay with that?"

"Better you than me…"

The two shared a good laugh before it died back down. "In all seriousness though, He'll be in good hands," Akira looked over at Kawakami.

"I know. Thanks for giving us a tour of the school, Kawakami."

The teacher didn't flinch at Iwai's omission of an honorific. "It was no trouble Iwai-san."

"I was wondering where you were. Me and Morgana stopped by your shop earlier and were wondering where you." Akira shrugged, "Didn't expect you to be here."

"Like I said, Kawakami hooked us up with a tour of the school. The three of us were also going to grab lunch since we had the time."

"Three?"

"He means me too."

Akira turned once again and was surprised to see another person he had tried to see earlier. "Takemi."

"Hey Akira," waved the doctor casually. "Are you doing well?"

"As good as ever," nodded the bespectacled teen. "I tried to go by your clinic earlier too and you weren't there either."

Morgana popped out of the bag now that Kaoru was gone, "Did the hospital call you in?"

"Don't worry, I was at the hospital but it was just to see Miwa-chan. Which reminds me, since you leave tomorrow, let me give you an update. Miwa-chan's symptoms started fading pretty soon after administering the new medicine. It will be a while before she heals completely, but it's a start."

Akira let out a small breath of relief, "Glad to hear that."

Takemi closed her eyes and smiled, "Yeah, I'm relieved too- and it's all thanks to you. Same goes for that situation with Oyamada… you did everything you could to help me with it, you and your friends. I don't know where all that devotion comes from. Maybe I should take a cue from you."

"You sure that's a good idea? Some people say I'm a bit of a troublemaker," he made sure to look Kawakami's way as he said that, a smirk present on his lips.

She just rolled her eyes, "Always with the sarcasm. But in all seriousness, Make sure to keep up with your studies, okay?"

"Don't worry, I will," A smile still present on his face.

"This is the last time we'll see each other for a while. You can at least look a little sad about it. I'm kidding," Kawakami smiled. "Honestly, seeing you so happy gives me peace of mind. Here, not that you're heading out into the world, I've got a present for you."

The teacher handed him a pink card with the words 'unlimited service' written on it. "It sounds like the setup to a joke. A student bumps into his teacher in a full French maid outfit. But somehow, that opened up all kinds of new paths in my life. You taught me so much. Now I can make up for all the time I distance myself from my students. I'll help anyone who needs it. I'll put in the work. I learned a lot from you, and I won't let that go to waste."

"Look forward to seeing the fruits of your labor," Akira smiled, pleased to see determination in the teacher's eye.

"I got something for you too." Now it was Takmei's turn and she dug through the pocket of her lab coat. She handed him a dog tag with his name printed on it. "You saved Miwa-chan. It's only fair that you get to meet her someday. How about once Miwa-chan's all better, maybe the both of us could take a trip to visit you. Keep your health in check. I want you there to welcome us with a smile, ok?"

He rescinded with a nod, "Will do."

"I guess since we're all handing out presents, I got this too. It's the Iwai-family gecko. Take good care of it." Iwai reached into his coat pocket and gave Akira a gecko pin, similar to Iwai's tattoo. "Since your Kaoru's bro, means someone will be followin' your footsteps. But I can't leave everything to you. I'm the parent here, So I gotta do my job." Iwai scratched the back of his head, "honestly kid, having you around the place helped me realize, times sure have changed… But I'm not goin' obsolete just yet. I still got more to learn- just like you. Take care, alright. You've got plenty of guys followin' your lead now. I'm really glad we met."

"No worries there," Akira smiled. "Tell Kaoru I said good luck."

"Sure," Iwai looked to Takemi and Kawakami. "So, where are we heading to lunch?"

Kawakami pointed in the direction away from the station, "There's a good diner not too far from here. Sound good?"

"Fine with me." Takemi began to walk towards the road. "Take care of yourself Akira. You too Morgana."

Iwai and Kawakmai stepped in time with the doctor, waving goodbye to the teen as they rounded the corner. "Those three seeme to get along rather well," asked Morgana.

"They did talk a lot back at the party," shrugged Akira. "I suspected Takemi and Kawakami would hit it off, didn't expect Iwai."

"Even after a year, you still have a lot to learn about them, huh."

"Guess so." Akira adjusted his bag and began to walk towards the station. "Well, let's head to Akihabara now. Best guess is we'll find Futaba there."

"Maybe Mishima and Shinya too."

Akira nodded and the duo quickly arrived as the train bound for Akihabara arrived. This ride took a lot longer than the one's from before but he was still able to make a good time. As he wandered the streets of the electronic paradise, Akira noticed that Mishima and Futaba were nowhere to be found. "What did you expect," Morgana added. "Akihabara is a big place. We should just head to the arcade and see if Shinya's there. At the very least we can say goodbye to him."

With no better plan, they made the walk to the arcade he and Shinya visited so often. It was a quick walk and when Akira reached the arcade, a large crowd seemed to be gathered by the Gun About machine. "Woah," Morgana said. "What's with all these people? Is something going on?"

"No clue," the teen shrugged. He looked over to one of the crowd members. "Hey, What's with the crowd?"

"Someone's taking on the King," answered the man. "And it's close too. She's only down five thousand points."

What the man said was definitely interesting. With the way Shinya played, keeping pace with him was no small feat. He was barely able to do it after months of practice, and a little bit of Metaverse training. "Wonder who this person is?"

"We won't find out standing here," said the cat from inside the bag. "Get closer."

Akira did just that, slipping in between the crowd of people watching the intense match. He was careful in order to make sure Morgana didn't get crushed by the swarm of people. After a little pushing and maneuvering, he reached the front to see the game. Of course, Shinya had his eyes trained on the screen. Displaying skill that earned him the title of King. He looks really into this match, thought Akira. He looked over to the challenger and was genuinely shocked to see who it was. "Futaba!"

"What!?" Morgana popped out of the bag, throwing all discretion out the window to see the scene in front of them.

Futaba was there next to Shinya, blasting away at the screen with an accuracy close to Shinya's. "You're not winning today Shinya," She declared proudly with a confident smile. "I've been practicing and you're going down."

Shinya smiled in response, not taking his eyes off the screen,"Sorry Futaba. I'm not going down without a fight."

"Come on Futaba." Akira looked over to the other voice and noticed Mishima cheering on the orange haired hacker. "You're closing the gap. Four thousand to go."

Akira watched with disbelief and it was Morgana who seemed to be thinking the same thing. "I had no idea Futaba could shoot like that."

"Me neither," nodded the teen. "Must be a recent thing. Let's keep quiet and let them focus."

Morgana nodded in agreement and they watched the last minutes of the match unfold. Futaba continued to close the gap in score she had, getting it as small as three thousand points. The last seconds of the timer ticked away and the Game Over screen displayed that Shinya had won. The arcade erupted into applause, a mixture of cheers for Shinya and comforting words Futaba. The crowd quickly dispersed after the match ended and Akira remained hidden until the moment was right.

"Ah," Futaba colassped to the floor, sweating from the intensity of the match. "Man, and I was so close too."

Shinya slotted the controller back into it's port. "You were really close too Futaba. You really put up a good fight. Had me on my A game the whole time."

Mishima nodded his head, "He's right. Even if you didn't beat him. You got second on the leaderboard. And the gaps only by three thousand."

"Mishima's right, Futaba. It took me a long time to get as good as that."

The sound of a familiar voice quickly snapped the three's attention to the teen standing before them. "Akira," they shouted.

Futaba quickly rose to her feet, "Were you watching us?"

Akira nodded and Morgana said, "That was amazing Futaba. When did you learn to shoot like that?"

"Last week," she answered dryly. "I bumped into Shinya while I was in Akihabara the day after the party and he showed me this game. Figured I'd tried it since you two played it so much. Now, I'm crazy addicted to it."

"And she got this good in only a week," Mishima sighed in defeat. "I'm getting left behind."

"Don't worry about it Mishima." Shinya comforted the teen, "You've definitely gotten better. With practice, you'll be on the leaderboards in no time."

The blue haired teen smiled at his friend and teacher while pumping his fist, "You're right. I gotta keep practicing. I'll get better." Mishima turned now to Akira and Morgana, "Anyway, what are you two doing here?

"I leave for home tomorrow morning," Akira answered. "I'm just saying bye to everyone before we leave."

Shinya smiled, "Don't forget to practice at home! Gun About has online leaderboards so we can meet again on the battlefield. Don't expect me to hold back just 'cause it's you."

Akira returned a smile to his friend, "Didn't expect you too. It's gonna get pretty lonely after I'm gone."

"I'll be fine," the kid waved dismissively. " I've got these two and remember that kid from before. Well, I returned the money and he forgave me. We're friends now, and he's even playing Gun About with me! He's still a total newbie, so I'm teaching him all the pro strats. But don't stress. It's not all boot camp this time. I'm going easier on him."

Futaba waved her hand in the air, "I've got some news too. Kana-chan passed her highschool entrance exam! She sent me a message this morning. I told her I was getting into high school too, and she says we can make our student debuts together!"

"Congrats," Akira smiled. "I guess that means that promise from the list is complete."

"Yessss! Mission complete! Well, mission started, anyway. I still hafta actually graduate," she finished with a nervous chuckle. "Honestly, though… The idea of not having Sojiro or everyone else around is the scariest part. But I know I can't stay in my room forever. And that's way more important."

"Don't worry Futaba, you won't be completely alone," Mishima smiled at the hacker. "Me and Shinya got your back. And I'm sure Hifumi and Yusuke will help out too."

"You're right!" Futaba stood proud and saluted her fellow gamer. "I will be counting on your help Mishima-senpai."

The teen blushed, nervously chuckling before turning his attention to Akira. "I guess if we're all saying good news, my documentary script is going well. It's not really close to done, but it's coming along. Ohya-san has helped me tidy up my notes and other stuff. She's been a big help, despite who she can be.."

"You got a lot of work ahead of you," Akira added.

Mishima goraned, "There's still so much to do… I don't wanna think about that right now. But just because I don't have a time limit doesn't mean I'm slacking off. I want to do this right. Makes me wonder how many people I can reach with my work… It's exciting, but kind of scary, too. It might be a bestseller… or it might just fade into obscurity."

"Show some backbone Mishima," Futaba slapped the teen on the back causing him to stumble. "Your movies goin' be great. You're writing about us, the great Phantom Thieves. You got this."

"I think a lot of people will really get what you're trying to say," Shinya added.

"Yeah. It's a message from the old me to everyone in the world... Even if I'm scared of failing, I'll face this head-on! Just like you all did with that first calling card." Mishima slipped into the bag he had with him and pulled out some paper. "These are a copy of the notes for my documentary. It'd mean a lot if you could read it sometime. I could really use your feedback."

Akira did a quick flip through the notes before smiling to his friend, "I'll let you know as soon as I'm done reading it."

"Sweet. You guys probably had tons of crazy fights I don't even know about, right? We should sit down and talk about them sometime. The more of it I get on record, the better." Mishima clenched his fist with determination. "I'll make sure the story of The Phantom Thieves goes down in history!"

"My turn! My turn." Futaba pulled a familiar notebook out of her jacket. "I want you to have this, as proof of me moving on! Cause I only change this much thanks to the notebook. And you, course. If you ever feel lonely, just look at this notebook and remember that I've got your back. Okay?"

Akira smiled at the orange hacker, "I will."

"I want to give you something too. It's my secret weapon." Now Shinya opened his backpack and pulled out a gun shaped controller, similar to ones used for Gun About. "See, that's my strategy. I used this to practice at home. But these days I'm kinda too busy helping Mom, or playing with my friends." He scratched the back of his head nervously, "At first, I thought you were kind of weird, but… Now, uh… you seem pretty cool. I'm still your teacher when it comes to games, but you're my teacher in real life, Akira. Thank you for everything."

"I'm glad I was able to help," Akira said, placing the controller into his bag.

"You are kind of weird though," chuckled Futaba, to which Akira responded with a roll of the eyes. "Alright, now we had our sappy talk, let's hit the shops."

He put his hands up, "Sorry Futaba, but I still got to see the others."

"Man, you're no fun," She pouted. "Then it's just us boys." Futaba grabbed Shinya and Mishima by the hands and dragged them out of the shop.

"H-hold on a second Futaba," Mishima exclaimed, his face bright red from a girl holding his hand. Shinya was no different but he remained in stunned silence.

The automatic doors to the arcade closed and Akira smiled at the door. "Aren't you worried,"

Morgana asked from his shoulder. "Those two have gotten pretty close to Futaba since the party. Who knows what might happen."

The cat's tone at that last statement made Akira genuinely laugh, "I'd say I'm more worried about Shinya and Mishima. We know better than anyone that Futaba has always marched to the beat of her own drum. I'm more worried about those two being able to keep up."

"Can't argue that. Come on, it's getting late. We should head to Shinjuku."

The ride to Shinjuku was quick from Akihabara when compared to Shibuya to Akihabara. Having been moving around the whole day, Akira scarcely noticed that the sun began to set in the sky. The neon lights of the district flickered to life as Akira made his way to the table where Chihaya was set up.

Rounding the corner near the theater, the duo saw that the fortune teller was absent. "Chihaya isn't here. Wonder where she is," Morgana pondered.

Given the events of the day and the amount of coincidences, Akira said, "Actually, I have a guess at where she is."

"Really, Where?"

He said nothing and Morgana watched him curiously as he made his way to Crossroads. Opening the door to the small bar, Akira wasn't surprised to see Ohya chatting away with Lala-chan. As he expected, the blonde fortune teller was sitting next to the reporter and was the first of the three to notice his arrival. "Akira," she said, spinning in her stool.

"Hey," Ohya waved her drink at him. "You come to have a drink or something?"

The bartender's expression changed and she looked at the reporter, "What did I tell you, Ichiko-chan?"

"You know I'm just joking Lala-chan," she waved in mock defense. "But seriously, why are you here?"

"It's my last day. I came to say bye and thanks for all your help."

"That's my line," Ohya looked across the Bar. "Hey Lala-chan, can you give us a minute? Confidentiality and all that."

The bartender seemed to hesitate for a second before shrugging, "Alright, I'll let you have your moment. Make sure you keep an eye on her, Chi-chan."

"Will do," Chihaya nodded her head as the bartender disappeared into the back.

Ohya just groaned, "Come on you too. You guys think I'm some kind of devil or something." The reporter quickly raised her hand before Chihaya began to open her mouth. "Don't answer that."

"You and Lala-chan seem to get along," Morgana said, popping out of the bag.

"She's really nice. When I came here with Ichiko last week, Lala-chan was super nice to me." Akira cocked his brow but Chihaya continued. "Anyway, let's put that aside. You too are leaving for home tomorrow. In your current state, you should be fine."

"You will be too," Akira assured her.

She laughed, "Well, if you're the one saying that then it must be true."

"You got ESP or something," Ohya chuckled at her own joke. "Whatever, since you're here, let me tell you some good news. I'm close to being able to report on Kayo's case. Ever since all that stuff happened with Shido, the stories haven't stopped rolling in. But it looks like I can finally avenge her. And it's all thanks to your hard work."

Akira shooked his head, "I didn't do that much Ohya. You did the reporting."

"Don't downplay yourself Akira," Chihaya smiled. "I should be thanking you for your help as well. I've been receiving encouragement from my clients lately. Even though I should be the one encouraging them. Strange, isn't it? But I think that's the truest form of fortune telling there is… Mutually encouraging each other to find happiness, in a world full of tangled, painful fates." She reached into her purse and pulled out a card. "Here- this card represents your future. Please, take it as a good luck charm. Sorry it's not as nice as the one you gave to me."

He accepted the card with a smile, "This is great Chihaya. A good luck charm from you may actually change my fate."

"Maybe," laughed the fortune teller. "No matter what, I know you'll carry on with the same conviction you've always had, never fearing the future. That's how you managed to bring joy to any fate."

"I got something for you too. Here. It's a record of the struggles we shared." She opened one of the pockets of her camera bag and pulled out some notebook paper with some interview notes on them.

"Thanks Ohya."

"No worries. By the way, I heard the Phantom Thieves are disbanding? It's gonna be so boring around here… It's not every day you get to chase after a bunch of young revolutionaries like them. But… I bet you got more tricks up your sleeve. You're going home, not turning over a new leaf! I'll keep an ear out for your next adventure, okay? I promise, I'll tell your story to the world!"

"I'm sure we'll all meet again. Though… that's not based on any augury. Just a personal wish. Get home safe Akira. You as well Morgana."

"Take care getting home, you too," Ohya leaned over the bar. "Lala-chan. We're done. Can I get a refill? It's girls night out."

"It's always girls night out for you, honey." Lala-chan stepped back from the storage area with a cigarette in her hand. She looked at Akira and smiled. "I see a fire in your eyes now, boy. Have to say, it suits you. Make sure you come back when you become an adult. I'll break out some of my finest drinks for you."

"Will do. Take care of yourself, Lala-chan."

The three waved goodbye as Akira made his way out of the bar and back onto the streets of Shinjuku. Morgana came out of the bag, "So… What now? Should we head back to Leblanc?"

Akira shook his head and began walking towards the station, "Not yet. I want to stop by Kichijoji before we head back?"

"Any reason?"

"Just a feeling." He didn't elaborate any more and Morgana didn't push the topic. Deciding to let it slide since they had an ample amount of time before they should head home. A quick ride and transfer at Shibuya placed the two on a train bound for Kichijoji. With the day coming to a close, the shopping district's usually high foot traffic was cut down. As Akira walked the streets of the shopping district, a face he had met once before approached him from the crowd.

"Hey, you're… Kurusu-kun, right?"

The man was none other than Shibusawa, a colleague and friend of Maruki. "Yeah," Akira nodded to the man. "It was Shibusawa-san, right?"

"Yeah, I realize you may not be the best person to ask, but- have you seen Maruki lately?"

"Nope. Haven't heard anything from him," Akira said honestly. Since the party, he hadn't had a conversation with the man. Akira had messaged the man a few times but all he got was a few quick words.

"No problem," Shibusawa looked disappointed. "The thing is, he stopped by to see me the other day. He was acting kind of strange, talking about taking responsibility for the things he's done. I don't know what he was going on about, but he's always been a pretty intense guy." The man's expression lighted up and he reaminced, "Even back in school, he's always rushed into things without considering the trouble he could be getting into."

"Yeah," Akira chuckled. "That sounds like him. Did he seem to be doing well?"

"Yeah, He seemed to be doing well- hard to believe he hasn't kept in touch with others lately, though. What surprised me the most was-" Shibusawa stopped himself. "No, I probably shouldn't mention it. Anyway, he does seem to be doing all right- for Maruki, at least. Who knows, maybe he'll pop up again when you least expect it- he does crazy stuff like that all the time. Well, I should be going. Take care of yourself Kurusu-kun."

Shibusawa walked off in the direction of the station. "You think Doctor Maruki is alright," Morgana questioned, worry in his tone.

"I'm sure," he answered with confidence. "I think seeing and talking to everyone at the party just got him thinking."

"Whatever you say Joker."

Going back to their original purpose for being here, Akira and Morgana walked down to the end of the shopping district. After a quick walk, they came to the entrance of the Jazz Jin Bar. "This is why we came to Kichijoji?"

Akira looked up at the sign of the bar in quiet contemplation before nodding, "Yeah. I just wanted to see the place one last time before we left."

"Joker…"

Before Akira could deliver any words of assurance, a man in a black fedora emerged from the steps leading down. "Oh, so sorry, we're closed today-" The man stopped midsetence and took a closer look at Akira's face. "Wait, you're friends with Akechi-kun, right?"

Akira nervously scratched the back of his head, "I don't know about that."

"Really? But I remember when the two of you came here last. It was rare to see him with another person. I haven't seen Akechi-kun in a while. I'm getting kind of worried about him. Do me a favor. Next time you see him, tell him to come by again."

Akira opened his mouth, to tell the man that he would just for the sake to ease the man's mind. But when he placed his hands in his pocket and felt the familiar touch of leather. 'What's this?'

Grabbing the item it was revealed to be the glove Akechi had thrown to him, declaring he would face him in a duel. He promised me a rematch, he thought as the memory of their fight played in his mind. My fight with Akechi isn't over yet…

"Well, I won't insist," The hat wearing man broke Akira out of his ravelry. "But you and Akechi-kun can swing by anytime."

Grasping the glove in his pocket, Akira nodded to the man, "I'll let him know."

"Great. Come back with Akechi-kun again. You're welcome anytime."

The man walked back down the stairs to reenter the club. "What was that about," Morgana asked over his shoulder.

"Nothing." Akira turned his back to the bar and began walking towards the station for home.

Morgana seemed to want to push the topic a bit further, staying perched on Akira's shoulder as he walked back the way he came. But, he relented for now. "Alright… let's get home before it gets too late."

"Leaving so soon, my Trickster…"

That smooth voice was all too familiar to Akira and he quickly turned around to see Lavenza standing next to the door to the Velvet Room. "Lady Lavenza," Morgana was also shocked to see the small girl. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to wish the both of you farewell and to pass on some words of reflection for you in this time of parting."

It was a surprise to both of them to see Lavenza appear out of nowhere, but it was a welcome one. "This twisted, broken world sought to crush you. Yet you salvaged it, and with your ideals stitched it whole. You were a true Trickster of this modern age. A beloved champion of a burdened public. And a man of such great heights…" She smiled at him. "Well, where will his path take him next, I wonder?"

"Care to join me," he asked half jokingly, half serious.

"Now, I don't know about that. To accompany a Trickster on so twisting and Winding a path? I fear I'd soon be outpaced. But I also have more than mere words to give you today though. Allow me to grant you a parting gift, not as the one who leads you, but simply as Lavenza. This is my blessing to you, to carry on your journey."

Reaching into a pocket on her dress, Lavenza pulled out a velvet colored key styled after a set of classic jail cell keys. She looked downward to the ground, "You were confined to your cell for so long. Now, at last, it seems only right that you bear its key. In the past, guests of the Velvet Room have received their keys upon their first visits. However, I was unable to pass it on to you at that point. This is the least I can do for you now."

"Thank you Lavenza," He said examining the slight glow the key seemed to give off. "I'll treasure this gift forever."

"I am glad to hear that," she smiled. "With this key in hand, you will be able to break free of whatever trials may imprison you in the future. Though of course, you have already chosen the path of true freedom. By Inspiring others to take up arms, and fight for their own beliefs… you may change the world itself."

Lavenza smiled at him once again, her golden eyes full of emotions. "You walk the path of a true Trickster. May it lead you to fortune beyond imagining."

Akira clenched the key in his hand and nodded, "It already has."

"I suppose. Now, I must attend to my duties so I must be going. Be safe, my Trickster. Too you as well Morgana."

"Goodbye Lady Lavenza," Morgana waved with his paw. "Say bye to Master for me."

The small velvet girl nodded her head, doing a curtsy before entering the velvet door. As the door closed behind her, it began to turn to glitter. It's particles being carried by the wind off to who knows where. Akira and Morgana watched until the door was completely gone. "I'm going to miss her," Morgana said, wiping a tear from his eye with his paw.

"Me too." Akira placed the velvet key carefully into his pocket. "Come on. Let's go home."

With that, the duo made their way back to Leblanc. By the time the two had reached Yongen-jaya, night had already come and covered the streets in moonlight. "I'm glad we were able to see everyone before we headed home."

"Yeah," nodded Akira as he turned into the familiar back alleys. "I would have also liked to see Sumire too, but she's at a competition."

"Can't be helped. We should send her a message once we're inside." Akira nodded and the cafe came into view as they rounded the corner. "Hey, um…" Morgana spoke up again just before they entered the cafe. "I actually have a present for you too, Joker." the cat reached into the bag and pulled the old yellow scarf the cat had worn before. "Even when I was human, I kept holding onto this for some reason. Between a cat, a human, or some kind of vehicle… it's been hard to say for sure what I am. But whatever else I am, I can say without a doubt… I'm your partner."

Akira smiled at his feline friend as he tied the yellow scarf around his wrist. "Thanks Morgana."

"Well, come on… we should probably go and rest for tomorrow, huh?"

Akira opened the door to the cafe with a nod. To rest for the trip home tomorrow.

The Next Day

For once in his life, Akira was up bright and early of his own accord. Today was the day he would be taking his final steps in the city that had shaped his life. It made him nostalgic, but also contempt. He got dressed with no real difficulty and made his way down the stairs, the smell of coffee waking him. "Hey," Sojiro greeted from behind the bar. "You got everything?"

Akira nodded, "Yeah, I couldn't find Morgana though. Have you seen him?"

Sojrio shook his head, "Not since you came home last night. I haven't been able to find her since this morning either. They might be out together."

In the back of his mind, Akira wondered about that but left his thought behind for a moment. "Well, I'm sure I'll see the two of them. I gotta get going, don't want to miss my train."

"Yeah. If you end up back in the city, come on by. I'll at least treat you to a nice cup of coffee." The cafe owner blinked, like he realised something. "Wait, that means I can't go closing the store, huh…"

Akira shrugged playfully, "Guess not."

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and go."

With those words, Akira smiled and walked to the door of the cafe, but not before turning to face the man who had looked after him this year. "Thanks for everything Boss." The teen slipped out the door before the cafe owner could mouth a response.

Silently, Akira took his final steps towards the station. His body was on autopilot as his mind raced to remainice on the day he had arrived. When I first came here, I didn't expect to get so attached to this place. After everything that happened with Shido, I half expected to just wind up in juvenile hall. But, I guess life throws a few curveballs every now and again. By the time Akira broke free from his ravelry, he had made it to Shibuya. Looking out to the large crosswalk of people, two hands could be seen waving in the distance.

"Yo! You over there!"

"Hey, look this way."

He mentally laughed as Ann and Ryuji continued to wave at him. Making his way over to them, he saw Makoto in the driver's seat and Haru with Yusuke in the backseat. Ryuji leaned casually against the van's sliding door with Futaba in the seat behind him.

"After we said we'd disband…," Yusuke said looking out the window, a smile on his lips.

Haru chuckled as she looked to the artist, "We are all on break, after all."

Makoto looked over her shoulder, "No more entrance exams. I can drive you to the station."

"Thanks," Akira smiled. "Appreciate the lift."

"You really, really gotta go," Futaba asked in a sad tone.

"Yeah." Akira noticed Ann glaring at the rearview mirror and she adjusted it to see a car parked on the side of the road. "Not very subtle are they?"

"Shit," Ryuji climbed into the car.

Yusuke looked back to the suspicious black car, "They even followed us here!?"

They could see the one in the driver's seat staring in their direction while the one in the passenger's seat spoke on a handheld radio. Makoto looked to their leader, "What should we do?"

Akira was about to make a suggestion when a familiar voice called from a taxi that pulled up. "Need a hand?"

They all looked back to see the cab driver raise his hat with a smile. "Dr. Maruki!" shouted Ryuji.

The cab driver popped the door open and Akira seemed to understand what he was suggesting. Makoto did as well and curiosity. "You're suggesting we split up?" Maruki nodded and the thieves looked to each other about what to do.

"Should we," Futaba asked.

The team seemed unsure for a second and Ryuji looked over to Akira. The smile on his face was all Ryuji needed to hear and the blonde gave a thumbs up. "Let's give these guys the slip."

With those words, Ryuji closed the door to the van as Akira carefully climbed into the cab. "Here we go," Makoto punched the gas as the light turned green and the van skeeted against the street. The group shouted taunts and insults as they drove away and the parked car chased them. Giving Akira and Maruki time to give them the slip.

"Shall we, then?"

Akira nodded to the doctor's words and they pulled away to head towards the station. The ride was done in silence, not the awkward kind, but rather in a comforting silence of two friends who had communicated without words. The teens mind went to the thing Shibusawa had said to him just yesterday. Popping up when you least expect him. He barely held back a laugh as the station came into view.

"There's no charge," Maruki said as Akira reached for his wallet. "Do you remember what I said at the party. If you find yourself struggling in life… you can start over, like me. Remember that." Maruki spun around in his chair and held up his fist to Akira. "So yeah, if that ends up saving you… then we're square."

The look on the former councilor's face made Akira smile. It was full of happiness, the genuine kind. "Yeah," he bumped his friend's fist with a smile on his face.

Akira got out of the car just as the screech of tires came closer to them. The van with everyone inside came towards them and Maruki said with the window down. "Good luck." He pulled away and the teen watched the cab merge into traffic. Good luck to you too Doc.

The van stopped on a dime as Akira stepped back in surprise. Ryuji slid open the door, "damn, man… those dudes just wouldn't give up!"

"Wish it went smoother, but… I guess this is it!" She waved her hand goodbye.

Yusuke smiled from the back seat, "be sure to eat well."

Haru smiled as well, getting up from her seat to go over to the window, "We'll see you soon right?"

"If you don't come back, we'll find you there," Ann treated playfully.

A mixture of emotions filled Akira's mind as he looked at his best friends. His teammates that had fought alongside for the good of the world. The reason he was able to make it as far as he did, the best part of his time in Tokyo. His family. He just couldn't help but smile as he waved, "Take care of yourselves, you guys."

Makoto checked her watch. "All right- it's time."

Futaba and Ryuji groaned as the group pulled away, but that didn't stop the two from waving goodbye from the open door and hatch on the roof. Akira made sure to watch until the van completely left his sight. Once it had, he finally turned to walk to his train. Without much issue, he was able to make it up to the train platform to leave. As he walked with his ticket in hand, a meow came from the inside of his bag. He reached over his shoulder to undo the zipper but he stumbled into another person.

To his surprise, the person he bumped into was a familiar redhead who smiled at him. "You taught me to keep my head up, didn't you," said Sumire in a chuckle.

The zipper on Akira's bag burst open and Morgana popped his head out of it. "Toldja I was comin' with you." Morgana's attention also went to the redhead and he let out a surprise 'oh' when he saw her.

Sumire didn't say anything to the cat. Instead, she bowed to the both of them, presumably in thanks. A train rushed behind her causing her hair to dance in the air as she smiled the warmest smile Akira had ever seen. "Take care." With those final words goodbye, She walked down the train platform.

Akira watched her walk for several seconds before Morgana nodded towards the train. The wordless statement was met with a nod and the pair walked the opposite direction. After showing his ticket and finding his seat, Akira looked out the window momentarily as Morgana fell asleep inside the bag at his feet. Thoughts filled the teens mind as he waited for the train to leave the station. Thoughts about what had happened to him this past year, what didn't happen, where he went and the things he's seen. Mostly, he thought of his friends. About the bonds that he had forged with each and every one for them, how they all tried with all their might to free him from a condemned fate, and how they had become the wings of freedom for his soul.

A buzzing snapped Akira's attention and the teen took a look at his phone. Messages from all his friends were coming in wishing him a safe trip home. From Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, Haru, Mishima, Hifumi, Shinya, Takemi, Kawakami, Iwai, Yoshida, Ohya, Chihaya, Sojrio and Sae.

He began to type out messages to them and as he did so, a figure, dressed in a brown suit jacket and black gloves, crossed the train platform. The figure disappeared just as Akira noticed it out of the corner of his eyes. It's familiarity caught his attention and the train pulled away as he looked. Now, the teen stared at his reflection in the window. It was the same, but as he continued to look, his persona of Joker appeared to stare back at him. Akira gasped in surprise as he saw his other self and stared at the reflection for several seconds before removing his glasses.

When he looked back, his reflection had returned to normal. The train inched into motion and the bright blue sky and cityscape came into view. Looking into the boundless sky, he wondered what was next for himself and his friends.

Was this year full of tragedy and adventure a once in a lifetime story? Or was it just the first chapter to a bigger one?

Well… It didn't matter that much. Because Akira Kurusu knew one thing to be certain no matter what. That no matter what came their way or how much the world tried to rip away his future. He knew that he and his friends, his Confidants, would take it on the same way.

Together.

FIN…

Author's notes:

It's finally done. My second story wrapped up all nice with a bow on top. I couldn't be happier. I originally tried to get these two chapters done by X-mas as a nice gift to everyone, but considering that both the Finale and the Epilogue were 12,000 words each, I was cutting it close. So, without further delay.

Lavenza's part was so much fun to write. She's pretty weird, when compared to the other Confidants. But that weirdness I think doesn't dirty the connection and bond they all make with her. I did have a bit of trouble since I had to dance around the Metaverse. It made it quite the challenge but I'm really happy with the results.

I also had to do a bit of dancing for Morgana's part as well, but having Lavenza there I think helped. Speaking of Morgana, I felt like having Morgana have a part to himself was important. After the emotional journey he had, he deserves a spotlight. That's why I wanted everyone to be able to understand him and not just the Thieves.

Alright, now let's talk about Akira's part, more specifically, him giving everyone their cards. That part was the first thing I thought of for this story. Akira gives everyone a gift that represents their own individual bond with him and the journey they went on because of him. I thought it was kind of nice and it was a great lead into everyone getting emotional when saying goodbye. It's also why I didn't have Lala-chan and Kaoru come to the party. Since the bonds weren't with them, I thought having them around would just muddy things a bit.

Finally, the epilogue. Originally, I didn't intend to write one. But as I was writing the last chapter I wanted to show that all the confidants are forming bonds with each other. Connecting with each other over their time with Akira. That's where it came from and I hope everyone liked it just as much as I did.

As for what's next, I have a few other story ideas, but they're going to be on the back burner for a while. School is starting back up and I'm building a new computer soon, so i'll be taking a break for a little while.

See you all next time :)