A few days later…
After Keiko, Mallory, Morgana and their 2 new friends and classmates defeated shadow Kamoshida and got rid of his Palace, Keiko spend the next few days walking around Shibuya (where she found the other entrance into the Velvet Room in the alleyway near the airsoft shop) and Yongen-Jaya (with Morgana staying inside her bag the whole time while both she and Mallory worked as baristas and waitresses in Leblanc with Sojiro), the clinic (where Keiko reluctantly agreed to be a guinea pig for testing Takemi-sensei experimental medicines and establish Death social link with Takemi-sensei, which doesn't amused Mallory after Keiko tell her about it) and go to school and level up her Chariot social link with Ryuji up until the night before the dreaded board meeting tomorrow.
"Tomorrow's the board meeting… Don't worry, I'm sure the change of heart worked, Madame Keiko and Miss Mallory." said Morgana reassuringly to both Keiko and Mallory before they felt their phones vibrating and they pull them out to see the messages of their friends.
AT: The board meeting's tomorrow, right?
RS: We're gonna get expelled and Amamiya and Caelum will be forced to join the volleyball team if Kamoshida doesn't have a change of heart by then…
MC: I'm sure he did and that won't happen to us, Sakamoto.
KA: We did all we could, everyone.
AT: Keiko and Mallory's right, Ryuji. He'll definitely change. It would be a real problem for us if he didn't.
RS: Yeah, you're right. It's a little too early to be giving up now. Guess we're gonna find out one way or another tomorrow. We just gotta brace ourselves for all the possibilities.
KA: Yeah, we know, Ryuji-kun.
"I'm sorry I can't offer more reassurance, but he should have a change of heart. Let's just believe in that while we wait for tomorrow." said Morgana sadly to both Keiko and Mallory after they're done in messaging with both Ryuji and Ann.
"Yeah, we know, Morgana." said Keiko as she and Mallory nodded at Morgana before they fell asleep.
XXXX
The next day…
As both Keiko and Mallory (and Morgana inside Keiko's bag) walk down the street toward Shujin, they heard 2 male students walking in front of them start talking.
"Mondays are such a drag… Why couldn't they give us today off, too? We have the rest of the week off starting tomorrow…" complained a sleepy-looking male student to his friend walking beside him.
"Yeah, it's ridiculous. Speaking of, what's up with that calling card? The one sent to Kamoshida. Didn't it say something about "stealing his distorted desires" or something weird like that?" asked the serious looking student to his friend.
"Yeah, something like that… I'm sure it's just a prank. No one's taking it seriously." said the sleepy-looking student to his friend before they (and both Keiko and Mallory walking behind them) went into Shujin Academy.
XXXX
A few minutes later, inside the gym…
After Keiko, Mallory, Ryuji and Ann entered their classrooms and put their bags down, they then followed the other students and teachers into the auditorium for the assembly and Keiko and her friends began hearing the other students talking about the assembly, Shiho Suzui and the calling card.
"What's with the sudden morning assembly…?" said a brown-haired female student.
"I bet it's about that girl that jumped the other day." said a flashy female student.
"They don't have to tell us not to commit suicide." said the brown-haired female student.
"There was that weird calling card too, so I guess the teachers are freaking out?" said the flashy female student.
"…" sighed Ann as she furrowed her brow slightly when she heard the callous comments spoken from the other students, which Keiko noticed before she put her hand on Ann's shoulder and give her a consoling smile. Ann glance and nodded slightly gratefully to Keiko for consoling her while Mallory look at the gossiping students standing around them with a disapproving look on her face before they stood at attention when they saw Principal Kobayakawa walked onto the stage and stand in front of the podium (while the students fell silent).
"Let's begin this school-wide morning assembly." Principal Kobayakawa begin speaking into the microphone to the students. "As you all know, a tragic event took place the other day. Thankfully, we've been informed that she has pulled through, but it will take time until she recovers. Everyone here has a bright future ahead. I implore that each of you to rethink the importance of life and-" Principal Kobayakawa continue telling them before the sound of the auditorium doors slamming open and close next to the students cut off his speech and causing Keiko, Mallory, Ryuji, Ann and all the students and teachers to see who is it and they saw with surprised looks on their faces that it's Kamoshida-sensei (who's now looking exhausted and skinny and had guilty, self-loathing and despair looks on his face).
"Finally you showed yourself and don't you just look terrible, Kamoshida." thought Mallory coldly and smugly in her mind at the sorry state of Kamoshida.
"Kamoshida-sensei, what the-" said Principal Kobayakawa hesitantly to Kamoshida-sensei before he got cut off by him again.
"I… have been reborn. That is why I will confess everything to you all…" said Kamoshida-sensei to all the students and teachers before he turned, make his way up toward the middle of the stage and turned to glance down at them.
"Huh…?" said Ann as she glance in surprise at Kamoshida-sensei sudden change of heart and about to confess what he did to them.
"I have repeatedly done things that were… unbecoming of a teacher. Verbally abusing students… physically abusing my team, and… sexually harassing female students. I am the reason why Shiho Suzui tried to kill herself!" said Kamoshida-sensei guiltily to them before he fell to his knees and start sobbing after he confessed his crimes to the students.
"Sexual harassment…?"
"Verbal and physical abuse?"
"No way!"
"What!?"
"The rumors are true!?"
"Ugh, he is the worst!"
"I thought of this school as my own castle…" sobbed Kamoshida-sensei as he slowly look up at them. "There were even students that I sentenced to expulsion, simply because I didn't like them for pissing me off and for daring to stand up to me… I will, of course, rescind those… I am truly sorry for putting innocent youths through such horrible acts…" added Kamoshida-sensei as he bowed his head in more guilt and sorrow. "I am an arrogant, shallow… and shameful person. No, I'm worse than that… I will take responsibility and kill myself for it…!" finished Kamoshida-sensei before he lowered and pressed his forehead on the stage floor.
"What!?"
"Did he just say that…!?"
"He's going to kill himself!?"
"What a disgusting teacher!"
"Kamoshida-sensei! Please get off the stage for now!" pleaded Principal Kobayakawa after he rushed from the podium toward him while the other teachers began to approach, told and ushered the students to leave the auditorium.
"Everyone, return to your classes!" yell one of the teachers to the talking students.
"I-" sobbed Kamoshida-sensei.
"Don't run, you bastard!" yell Ann quite loudly and angrily to Kamoshida-sensei as she glared at him, which make him raised his head to glance at her while the other students glance in shocked silence at her, except for Keiko, Mallory and Ryuji, who glance at her with small, proud smiles on their faces. "Shiho still alive even after all the things that made her want to die! You have no right to run from this!" added Ann even more angrily to him.
"You're right… You're absolutely right…" sobbed Kamoshida-sensei as he slowly lifted himself up from the floor. "I should be punished under the law and atone for my crimes… I did horrible things to Takamaki-san, Amamiya-san and Caelum-san, as well. In return for giving Suzui-san a position on the team… I tried to force Takamaki-san into having relation with me. As for Amamiya-san and Caelum-san, I was the one who threaten Mishima-kun to leaked their records to the school's internet when it should have been kept under wraps so that I'll have something to blackmail them to joined the volleyball team and later on have relations with me like I did with Takamaki-san." admitted Kamoshida-sensei.
"Disgusting!"
"What a horrible man!"
"He did that to Takamaki-san and the 2 transfer students!?"
"Ugh!"
"So the rumors are true."
"As of today, I'll resign from my position as an instructor and turn myself in. Someone, Anyone! Please call the police!" pleaded Kamoshida-sensei frantically to the students and teachers (who stood with uncomfortable and disgusted looks on their faces, not knowing what to do) while Keiko discreetly pull out her phone to call and explain the situation to the police.
"Wow…" said Ryuji as he stared in surprise at Kamoshida-sensei's complete change of heart and attitude.
"Wow indeed, Sakamoto. Not only that, his change of heart actually worked and you won't be expelled now and both Keiko and Ann are alright now and Suzui-san's have been avenged!" thought Mallory in joy and relief in her mind.
"This morning's assembly is over! All of you return to your classrooms at once!" yell the same teacher to the students as he walked past Keiko, Mallory and Ryuji (who began hearing what some of the students were saying).
"Isn't this just like what the calling card said…?" said a concerned male student.
"Does this mean the Phantom Thieves thing was for real!?" said a casually-dressed male student.
"Was something done to Kamoshida!?" asked the concerned male student.
"C'mon, there's no way you could steal someone's heart!" replied the casually-dressed male student.
"But why else would he start saying things like he'll kill himself or turn himself in?" asked the brown-haired female student.
"Maybe because it almost got leaked? Don't they go easier on you if you turn yourself in?" replied the gaudy female student.
"I wonder what happened…" said the concerned male student.
"Who knows? But man, Kamoshida turned out to be one sick bastard." said the casually-dressed male student.
"Return to your classrooms at once!" yell the teacher once again to the talking students before he and the other teachers began to ushered the reluctant students out of the auditorium and back to their classrooms except for Keiko, Mallory, Ryuji and Ann, who decided to stay behind together in the empty auditorium.
"His heart really did change…" said Ann in a surprise then relief tone of voice to them.
"Seems like it." said Ryuji as he fidget a little before he glance at both Keiko and Mallory. "But, was this really for the best?" asked Ryuji hesitantly to them.
"I'm sure it is, Ryuji-kun." replied Keiko as she nodded to him.
"He deserves it." said Mallory.
"Yeah… It's gotta be. But things're happenin' way too fast…" said Ryuji.
"Yeah, no kidding, Sakamoto." said Mallory as she nodded to Ryuji before she, Ryuji, Keiko and Ann saw Mishima and 2 female students approaching them with surprise looks on their faces.
"Huh…? What the…?" said Ryuji as he glance in surprise at Mishima and the 2 female students.
"Takamaki-san… I'm sorry!" said Mishima as he bowed his head in apology to Ann.
"Huh…?" said Ann as she turned around to glance in more surprise at Mishima.
"We all knew… but we pretended we didn't." said Mishima sadly to her.
"Takamaki-san, I had you all wrong… I'm sorry that I spread false rumors about you!" said the tall female student apologetically to Ann.
"I didn't know at all…" said the black-haired female student as she shook her head in apology to Ann as well. "Kamoshida was forcefully pushing himself on you… It must've been so hard for you…!"
"I'm sure there's a ton of people who want to apologize to you. We're truly sorry…!" said the tall female student.
"No, it's OK. The same goes for me too… Besides, that's all in the past now." said Ann as she solemnly shook her head before she gave them a small smile.
"Hey, all of you! Return to class at once!" yell the teacher as he approach and frown at them all.
"W-Well, see you later then…" said the tall female student hesitantly to Ann before she and the black-haired student turned and walked away, same goes for the teacher while Mishima turned and bowed his head in apology to Keiko, Mallory and Ryuji.
"Amamiya-san, I'm so sorry for what I did to you and Caelum-san and so glad that you 2 didn't join the volleyball team!" said Mishima apologetically then happily and relief at Keiko.
"Yeah, I'm glad too and I forgive you so there's no need for you to be sorry about it anymore, Mishima-kun." said Keiko gently to Mishima.
"Thank you for your kindness and for forgiving me, Amamiya-san." said Mishima in a relief tone of voice to Keiko for forgiving him before he glance at Mallory. "Caelum-san, I…"
"Save your breath because I don't want to hear it. Keiko and I were looking forward to have a new start in Shujin Academy where we don't have to hear people staring and talking about us like we're unwanted criminals and you ruined it because you're too much of a scared coward and you let Kamoshida ordered you to spread and let students know about our records. Keiko may forgive you because that's how nice she is but I'm not like her so don't expect any apology from me, I'll never forget and never forgive you for it, Mishima." said Mallory very coldly at Mishima (who flinch in fear and guilt from Mallory's harsh words and look away from her).
"Maly…" thought Keiko as she glance at Mallory with sad and disapproving looks on her face.
"Damn, she quite the harsh one to Mishima." thought Ryuji in nervousness and fear at Mallory.
"I see and I understand, Caelum-san… I know I can't apologize enough for what I did but I swear that I'll make it up to you all someday." said Mishima determinedly to them before he turned and walked away too.
"Looks like Kamoshida ain't the only one that had a change of heart." said Ryuji as he and Ann glance at the 2 female students and Mishima leaving with surprise looks on their faces.
"Well, I'm glad for all of us especially for you since those rumors about you will go away, at least." said Keiko in joy and relief at Ann.
"My thing doesn't really matter. We made Kamoshida apologize about Shiho… That's more than enough for me." said Ann as she shook her head a little.
"You should hurry and tell her the good news then." said Ryuji as he smirked and crossed his arms.
"…Yeah." said Ann as she nodded to Ryuji before they leave the auditorium and head back to their classrooms.
XXXX
A few hours later, on the rooftop…
After the class end for the day, Keiko, Mallory, Ryuji and Morgana (who's inside Keiko's bag) make their way up to the rooftop and sat themselves down on the chairs there while Ann had already left the school to head to the hospital to see Shiho and told her of the news of Kamoshida confessing his crimes and taken away by the police.
"I totally freaked out… He really did have a change of heart… And we were lucky that his mind didn't get messed up either! This was an A+ job!" said Ryuji quite loudly and happily to Keiko, Mallory and Morgana.
"How many times do I have to tell you to keep your voice down, Sakamoto! What if some other students or teachers heard what you just said to us?" snapped Mallory as she scowled at Ryuji.
"Maly's right, Ryuji. Can you please try to speak not so loudly next time?" sighed Keiko as she shake her head at Ryuji.
"Eh, it's fine, girls." said Ryuji as he briefly wave his hand to dismiss their words (which make them both sighed and shake their heads at him).
"Does this means that they won't have a mental shutdown even if their Palace disappears…?" said Morgana with a small nod of his head. "I see… So we need to persuade the Shadow without killing it, and then sent it back to it's real self. Our targets won't undergo a cognitive collapse if we do that."
"So we can get'em to confess with no bad stuff? Hey! That works for me!" said Ryuji excitedly to Morgana before the door to the roof opened and Ann approach them.
"Do you have to be so loud?" said Ann as she scowled at Ryuji.
"That's what we told him a few minutes ago, Ann-san." said Keiko.
"Don't worry about it." said Ryuji before he asked Ann a question. "So… how'd it go? With Shiho, I mean…?"
"Yeah, how is she now, Ann-san? And did you tell her about what happened?" asked Keiko concernly to Ann.
"She's alright now, Keiko. Thanks for asking about it. But more than that, she's regained consciousness…!" said Ann in joy and relief to them (which surprises them).
"For real!?" said Ryuji.
"She's regained consciousness!?" said Mallory.
"That's great, Ann-san!" said Keiko as she smiled at Ann (who smiled back at Keiko before tears started to glisten in her eyes, which make her quickly raised her hand to wipe it away before she crouch down, lowered and hide her face in her arms).
"It was only for a little bit, but I got to talk to her…! I was able to tell her that Kamoshida admitted to what he did…!" sobbed Ann in relief to them (who exchange silent and relief looks to each other) before she stood up from her crouching position. "Shiho, she… she told me she was sorry… Looks like she found out that I was flirting with Kamoshida for her sake… And here I was, wanting to apologize to her." added Ann to them.
"Don't blame yourself so much, Ann-san." said Keiko consolingly to Ann.
"Madame Keiko's right, Lady Ann. Kamoshida's at fault for all this." added Morgana firmly to Ann.
"I know…" said Ann as she wipe away the last traces of tears from her eyes. "Shiho's mom is thinking of transferring her to another school after she recovers. The whole sexual harassment and attempted suicide… people will label her after that. Sounded like Shiho had the same idea too." added Ann sullenly to them.
"It's gonna get lonely…" said Ryuji as he leaned back in his chair.
"Yeah. But I think it's for the best… I'm sure it'll be hard if she stays here." said Ann solemnly to them.
"She's alive. You can see her anytime." said Ryuji.
"That's right, Takamaki." said Mallory in agreement with Ryuji.
"… I need to change too." said Ann as she clasped her hands together behind her back.
"That aside, I was surprised you could hold yourself back against Kamoshida's shadow." said Ryuji.
"It wasn't like that… I just wanted Kamoshida to apologize himself." said Ann as she shook her head at Ryuji.
"You're so kind, Lady Ann." said Morgana as he glance dreamily up at Ann.
"No matter how much of a shit bag he was, finishing him off woulda left a bad aftertaste, huh?" said Ryuji with a grimace look on his face.
"No, that would be too easy for a filthy scum like him, Sakamoto. Making him repent for his crimes is a far better revenge for him." said Mallory quite sweetly to Ryuji.
"Yeah, Caelum's right. Realizing what he's done, he'll grovel for forgiveness for the rest of his life, you know? Keiko and I believe that there are fates worse than death." said Ann with a look of dark satisfaction on her face.
"Holy shit…" said Ryuji as he and Keiko glance and exchange shock and fearful looks to each other.
"These two are quite the scary girls, Ryuji-kun." said Keiko.
"Aw, thank you for the compliment, Keiko." said Mallory sarcastically at Keiko.
"A-Anyways, that's all settled… But you know, there was one more thing I was wonderin' about that castle." said Ryuji before he glance at Morgana. "Why was Kamoshida the only one who had that Metaverse thing?" asked Ryuji.
"It isn't necessarily limited to him. It's something anyone could have if their hearts become warped from their desires." replied Morgana.
"Anyone…" said Ann as she furrowed her brow.
"Wanna check it out?" asked Morgana.
"N-Not right now. We better lay low for a while. People are still gonna be talkin' about Kamoshida." replied Ryuji to Morgana as he shake his head and crossed his leg nervously. "Then again, it's totally impossible for someone to find out what we did at his Palace."
"Yeah, about that… Weird rumors about you guys are already going around." said Ann.
"What kind of weird rumors now, Ann-san?" asked Keiko.
"Stuff like, you 3 got together and threatened Kamoshida with something close to physical violence…" replied Ann.
"The hell!?" said Ryuji in surprise to Ann.
"People aren't going to easily believe that Phantom Thieves really exist." said Ann as she rolled her eyes at Ryuji. "The calling card's being treated like it was a prank by someone who knew what Kamoshida was doing."
"Makes sense… We are the ones who did it, and I still don't completely believe in myself." said Ryuji before he slumped in a dejected manner in his chair.
"Aw, too bad for you, Sakamoto." thought Mallory sarcastically in her mind at Ryuji.
"Let's wait for things to settle down for the time being." suggested Ann to them and they nodded in unison to her.
"Anyways, let's see how much the medal we took from Kamoshida can be sold for. It'd be better if we pawned it off ASAP." said Ryuji with a grin on his face as he pull out his phone and tapped the screen to search online for auction prices and found one. "Ooh, got a hit!" said Ryuji as he got excited before he shake his head and groaned in disappointment. "… Wait, thirty thousand yen!? That's all a gold medal's worth!?"
"Never pegged you for the type of person who likes money, Ryuji-kun." said Keiko as she shake her head at Ryuji.
"Remember that time back in middle school, Ryuji? I lend you some money." said Ann as she smiled a fake smile at him.
"There's no way I borrowed thirty thousand yen from you!" yell Ryuji as he stood up and scowled darkly at Ann.
"Wouldn't it be around that much with compounded interest?" said Ann as she smirked at Ryuji now.
"Ha! She totally got you good, Sakamoto!" chuckled Mallory while Keiko smirked at him.
"S-Shut up, Caelum! Interest, my ass!" snapped Ryuji as he scowled even more darkly at both Ann and Mallory.
"I'm not saying that I'm taking all of it. I mean, it's your fault for not paying me back the past few years! It's just common sense!" said Ann as she rolled her eyes at Ryuji.
"Dammit…" swored Ryuji as he slumped his shoulders in resignation.
"I agreed on laying low and keeping an eye on the situation. However, you dragged me into this. It would be nonsense not to celebrate a successful mission." said Morgana.
"I guess we could blow this dirty money on something fun." said Ryuji as he grinned and rolled his shoulders a little.
"Discussions among phantom thieves are to take place over luxurious food. How about it?" suggested Morgana as he smiled merrily to them.
"Hmm… That doesn't sound bad at all, Morgana." said Keiko as she nodded in agreement to Morgana.
"Hey, wait-" Ann started protesting before she fell into silence and reluctantly agreed with Morgana. "…Nah, I guess it's fine. There's somewhere I want to go then."
"Where's that?" asked Ryuji.
"It's a place Shiho and I have been wanting to go for a while." replied Ann.
"I own you money, so I can't complain…" said Ryuji sullenly to Ann before he glance at both Keiko and Mallory. "What about you two? You two good with that?" asked Ryuji.
"I don't mind, Sakamoto." replied Mallory.
"Fine by me, Ryuji-kun." replied Keiko.
"I'll leave it to your discretion as well, Lady Ann." said Morgana as he glance at Ann.
"I'll call and check the prices later then." said Ann confidently to them.
"When should we go? Wanna do it soon, like tomorrow?" said Ryuji with an excited grin on his face.
"Why don't we go on the last day of the holidays? It'll help energize us when school life starts up again the day after." said Ann.
"That means we'll go and celebrate on the 5th, which is Children's Day." said Mallory.
"That's right." said Ann as she nodded at Mallory. "So, who among us is going to sell this medal?" asked Ann as she and the others glance down at the medal lying on the table.
"Leave that to me and Madame Keiko, Lady Ann. We know a store that'll buy anything. Don't we, Madame Keiko?" said Morgana as he glance at Keiko.
"Yeah, sure." said Keiko.
"That store, huh?" thought Mallory to herself.
"OK. I'll leave that to you guys then." said Ann as she grinned at Keiko and Morgana (who also grinned back to her before Keiko stood up, take the medal and she, Mallory, Morgana, Ryuji and Ann left the rooftop and as both Keiko and Mallory went to the subway station, they bumped into a girl holding some books titled "The Call of Cthulhu", "Nyarlathotep", "Dagon", "Polaris" and "The Other Gods" by H. P. Lovecraft and both Keiko and Mallory apologize to the girl for bumping into her before they left and didn't noticed the girl watching Mallory with a curious and wicked look on her face).
XXXX
An hour later, inside their attice bedroom in Leblanc…
After both Keiko and Mallory got back home with Morgana, clean themselves up, change into their pajamas in their room, they felt their phones vibrated with their friends messages and they pull it out to read the messages.
AT: Is that gold medal real? When did it get inside his Palace…?
"No, that one is a fake. It's just a by-product of his cognition. The real medal should still be in his possession." said Morgana.
"What? Are you saying that the medal we stole from Kamoshida Palace is a fake all this time? That would explain on how it's inside his Palace." said Keiko.
KA: The medal we had is a fake. The real one is still with Kamoshida.
RS: What…? You're telling me that Kamoshida's still got the medal?
MC: Does it really matter now, Ryuji? What matters is that we changed his heart.
AT: Caelum's right, Ryuji! And anyway, if we had taken the real thing, that'd be stealing! I don't think he'll be proud of that medal anymore regardless.
RS: You let go of stuff pretty easy, huh? Wanna forget about my debt?
AT: That's different. Five hundred yen is a lot of money for a middle schooler, you know. Do you even still have that dolphin anyway?
KA: Dolphin? What are you two talking about?
RS: Stop digging that up to Amamiya!
MC: A little too late for that, Sakamoto. We knows now.
AT: Back in middle school, we went on a field trip to the aquarium. But Ryuji had to spend all his money on a souvenir, so I lend him some for the train fare.
RS: I said I was sorry… That was for my mom.
KA: Oh really? Then does your mom like it, Ryuji-kun?
RS: Yeah, she does.
MC: That's good.
AT: Well, I guess I can call it even after all we've been through.
RS:… Thank you. Anyways, we don't gotta worry about selling that medal off if it's a fake! End of story!
"Kamoshida will never be proud of that once-in-a-lifetime gold medal ever again." said Morgana slightly sternly and firmly to both Keiko and Mallory (who turned off and put their phones away). "Depending on how you 2 look at it, that punishment might be even worse than death for him."
"Yeah, you're right, Morgana." said Keiko in an agreeing tone of voice to Morgana before she and Mallory take out and spread their futons before she picked Morgana up and they fell asleep.
XXXX
Meanwhile, in a dark space…
"To think that I'd bumped into the human girl who's a host strong enough to contain one of the colossal Deep One/Great Old One named "Mother Hydra", one of the dark and terrible godly beings that H.P. Lovecraft wrote in one of his books before he passed away. And it seems that the human girl had no idea that she's an unlucky host to such a dark and terrible godly being but she will know soon enough once I get close to awaken "Mother Hydra" inside her." thought the girl wickedly in her mind before she began planning about it.
