The next day…
Keiko, Mallory and Morgana met up with both Ann and Ryuji as they stand outside Shibuya Station precisely at noon before Ann began guiding and taking them past the people toward the center of Shibuya. After a few minutes, they arrived and stopped in front of a tall and large building named "Wilton Hotel" before they went into the building, took the elevator up to a certain floor near the top, left the elevator and went into a large and extravagant-looking room filled with dozens of wealthy-looking adults wearing expensive suits and dresses as they stand and talk near the rectangular tables that had dozens of different plate of foods on it (which caused surprise and awed looks to appear on their faces as they look around the room and the foods on the tables). They then split up to grab some empty plates and glasses to take a bit of each foods, drinks and desserts that they wanted to eat and drink from the tables before they regroup and sat down on some empty couches around a table and began eating.
"So good…!" moaned Ryuji with a very pleased look on his face as he ate his plate of beef soaked with black pepper and gravy.
"Ugh, that's a lot of plate of meats you brought back with you, Sakamoto. And Takamaki is just as bad as him, taking back a lot of cakes to eat." thought Mallory with a disgust look on her face as she glance at the plates of meats and cakes on the table in front of both Ann and Ryuji before she sighed and resumed eating her bowl of salad with small pieces of hams and carrots on it.
"No wonder Lady Ann choose this place…! She has good taste, isn't it, Madame Keiko?" said Morgana as he glance and smiled at Keiko.
"Yeah. I agreed that she have good taste and this place that Ann choose for our celebration is a great place. Even though it is also an expensive one." said Keiko as she ate her plate of Bolognese spaghetti. "What about you, Maly? What do you think?" asked Keiko as she glance at Mallory.
"… It's great, Keiko." replied Mallory as she smiled and nodded at Keiko.
"Of course it's good, you two. This is a famous hotel, after all." said Ann as she smiled happily to both Keiko and Mallory before a scowl look appear on her face. "Oh yeah, I heard that the police are coming to interview some people at school."
"That's troublesome." said Morgana sullenly to Ann.
"Troublesome indeed." said Keiko in agreement with Morgana.
"Our names are gonna come up for sure. People're spreadin' all sorts of rumors about us and Kamoshida…" said Ryuji with a frown look on his face before he started smiling at them. "But we got 'em pumped up! I keep hearin' stuff like "The Phantom Thieves really stole his heart!" I think most people don't believe it, but some of them actually seem grateful. Take a look at this, girls." added Ryuji before he pull out and held out his phone to show Keiko, Mallory, Ann and Morgana something on it.
"The Phantom Aficionado Website…?" said Ann in a slightly surprised then confused tone of voice at the website on Ryuji's phone.
"Well done, Phantom Thieves"… "Now I can keep going to"… "Thank you for giving us hope"…" said Mallory out loud at some of the positive comments on it.
"Pretty cool, huh?" said Ryuji with a wide grin on his face.
"Cool? More like amazing and I like it, Ryuji-kun!" said Keiko happily to Ryuji.
"I knew and glad to see that you like it, Amamiya!" said Ryuji happily back to Keiko.
"I was just desperate to deal with my own problems, but seeing people saying all this feels… strange." said Ann as she started smiling as well.
"Yeah… Hey… what do we do now?" said Ryuji before he glance at Keiko.
"How about we finish all these first, you guys?" said Mallory coolly to Ryuji as she finish her salad and began eating her next plate of ham, chicken and cheese panini.
"Huh…?" said Ryuji in confusion at Mallory before a look of shock realization appear on his face and he suddenly stood up from his chair. "Oh crap! You're totally right! We only got an hour to eat!"
"Just fifty minutes left!" gasped Ann as she stood up as well.
"I'm not gonna finish all the beef dishes at this pace!" said Ryuji as he furiously scratch his head.
"I need to eat my way through the entire dessert menu…!" said Ann.
"…Are you two serious? You two haven't yet finish all these meats and cakes dishes that you two bring back with you two and you two still want to get more?" said Mallory as she stop eating and scowled at both Ann and Ryuji while she gestured with her hand at the other unfinished plates of meats and cakes on the table. "At least finish all these first before you two leave to get some more!" added Mallory disapprovingly to them.
"Now now, calm down, Maly…" said Keiko calmly to Mallory.
"Look after our stuff, Amamiya, Caelum! We'll snag some more foods for you girls too, don't worry!" said Ryuji as he and Ann completely ignored Mallory's words before they turned and quickly head toward the buffet tables.
"I can't believe them both for not restraining themselves. Don't we have enough foods and drinks to eat and drink already?" sighed Mallory as she shake her head.
"Yeah, I know you meant well, Maly. But we won't get another chance to come here and enjoy the foods and drinks here again. So we might as well enjoy them while we're here." said Keiko as she finish her spaghetti and began eating a plate of beef stroganoff.
"…I suppose so, Keiko." said Mallory as she nodded at Keiko before she resumed eating the ham and cheese panini just as both Ann and Ryuji came back with more plates of meats and cakes, put them down before they sat down and began eating them.
"Aw man, it melts in my mouth!" said Ryuji happily.
"Seriously? Only meat?" said Morgana incredulously to Ryuji.
"Now, which one should I start first?" said Ann as she look at all of the cakes in front of her before she made up her mind, take and ate the square marble cake.
"And she's all about the cakes…" said Morgana as he glance at Ann with a cringe look on his face.
"You two are really terrible and have no restraints at all." thought Mallory in more disgust and exasperation in her mind at both Ryuji and Ann.
"So happy…" moaned Ann with a dreamy look on her face.
"Hey. Calories." teased Ryuji.
"Shuddup!" snapped Ann as she glared at Ryuji.
"That's rude of you to say that to her, Ryuji-kun." said Keiko as she scowled at Ryuji.
"Keiko's right! How much do you think one of these costs!? I'll never get the chance to do this again! Mmm, the Wilton Hotel cake buffet… I'd heard rumors, but I never thought it'd be so amazing!" added Ann happily to herself as she kept on eating the square marble cake.
"And… where's our share?" asked Morgana.
"I didn't really know what you'd want… So I just grabbed you some beans." said Ryuji as he pushed a plate of huge greenish-yellow slop in Morgana's direction (which make him widened his eyes in shock and disgust) with a huge grin on his face.
"B-Beans?" stuttered Morgana in horror at Ryuji.
"There were some pretty bizarre things there too, so we got you a variety of those. Like fried bananas, preserved eggs and… some kind of beans." said Ann as she nodded to them.
"M-More beans…?" stuttered Morgana even more in horror at Ann.
"We put so much on the plate that it got all mixed up, but it should probably still taste good." said Ann as she finish her square marble cake and began eating the plate of tiramisu cake.
"Ryuji-kun, Ann-chan, whatever this plate of huge pile of slop is now, it doesn't look edible and it looks disgusting and gross as hell." said Keiko in a horrified tone of voice to them both.
"I agreed." said Mallory in agreement with Keiko.
"Madame Keiko's right, this is just plain grotesque…" said Morgana with a cringe look on his face before he glance up at Keiko. "Let's go, Madame Keiko. These two just don't know what fine dining means! We'll show them both!" said Morgana sternly to Keiko.
"Alright, leave it to me, Morgana." said Keiko confidently to Morgana.
"That's reassuring!" said Morgana as he smiled at Keiko.
"I'll go with you two. I'm sure I can helped you two out in choosing which to eat and which not to eat." said Mallory.
"Really? Okay then, Miss Mallory!" said Morgana excitedly to Mallory before he glance at both Ryuji and Ann. "You guys watch our things while we're gone! Wait patiently for our return!" added Morgana sternly to them both.
"Ahhh, it's like a meaty explosion in my mouth…!" moaned Ryuji dreamily.
"Ooh, this part's cream cheese!" moaned Ann in a joyful tone of voice.
"It's useless talking to them, Morgana. They're both in their own world right now." said Keiko as she shake her head.
"True, they're not even listening to us… Come on, let's go, Madame Keiko, Miss Mallory." sighed Morgana before he, Keiko and Mallory stood up, turned and head toward the buffet tables.
As both Keiko and Mallory approach the buffet tables, they take two plates, picked and put some fishes, meats, vegetables, rice and desserts on it (which both Mallory and Morgana helped pointing out to Keiko which to take and not take) while at the same time eavesdropping in silence on the wealthy-looking and insensitive adults gossiping uncaringly about Kamoshida crimes of shame, the unsolved cases of psychotic breakdowns, the students of Shujin Academy and about the change of heart that Keiko and her teammates did on Kamoshida (which mentally annoyed Keiko, Mallory and Morgana).
After both Keiko and Mallory had taken and put enough foods on their plates, they then went back and sat down with Ryuji and Ann before all of them try their best to finish all of the foods on the table (while Keiko discreetly put a bit of everything into a large container she brought with her inside her bag for her to bring back for Sojiro to have and eat) together and barely managed to finish all of it barely within the one hour time limit. Once they're done with their huge meal, they stood up and make their way out of the room and try to find the restrooms of the hotel.
XXXX
A few minutes later…
"Ughh, I'm stuffed…" groaned Morgana quietly after he, Keiko and Mallory left the restrooms, headed and stopped in front of the elevators.
"That's what'll happened to you if you eat past what your stomach can hold, Morgana." said Keiko in a light reprimanding tone of voice to Morgana.
"Yeah, I know, Madame Keiko." retorted Morgana weakly to Keiko.
"Good, you better remember that so that next time you don't eat past your stomach limit, Morgana." said Mallory sternly to Morgana.
"Now, now, you two. Stop this bickering between you two now." said Keiko in a placating tone of voice to them both and they ceased their bickering while several adults approach and waited for the elevator behind them too. "Anyway, what floor where that restaurant is again?" asked Keiko.
"We came up to get here, so it has to be on the lower floor, right?" replied Morgana to Keiko (who nodded to him) before he pressed the down button of the elevator and they waited for the elevator to come, unaware that the adults standing behind them had quickly move aside to let some dark brown suited men and a bald-headed, black suited distinguished man wearing amber-coloured glasses on his face walked past them and one of the dark brown suited men rudely pushed both Keiko and Morgana aside.
"Gah!" gasped both Keiko and Morgana in surprise at being pushed aside by one of the dark brown suited men.
"Keiko!" said Mallory as she noticed and quickly grabbed hold of Keiko before she fell. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, Maly. Thanks for grabbing me before I fall." said Keiko gratefully to Mallory (who nodded to her before she glared at the brown-suited man that rudely pushed Keiko aside).
"There's still no update on the case?" asked the bald-headed distinguished man as he glance coldly at one of his subordinates.
"N-Not yet…" replied the subordinate apologetically to him. "Excuse me, but why are you so involved? It's not something you should be concerned with…"
"I don't care about your opinion, you incompetent buffoon! When I say pick up the pace, you do it!" snapped the distinguished man as he turned to glared at the subordinate who speak out.
"Excuse me! You're all cutting in line and you just rudely pushed my best friend aside!" snapped Mallory angrily at them.
"…What do you want?" said another subordinate as he turned to glared at Mallory.
"An apology, of course. For cutting in line and pushing a girl aside, you rude asshole." demanded Mallory coldly to the glaring subordinate.
"We're in a hurry, you mouthy wench." sneered the subordinate.
"You all are in a hurry, so what? Come earlier next time then! All we wanted is an apology!" snapped Mallory even more coldly to them as well.
"It seems the customer base has changed since I was here last. Have they started a day care?" said the distinguished man uncaringly to them.
"What was that?" said Ryuji as he narrowed his eyes at the distinguished man.
"Sir, we don't have time for this." said the subordinate as he glance back at the distinguished man.
"I know." said the distinguished man to the subordinate just as the elevator door opened with a ding sound. Ryuji took a step forward but the one of the subordinates turned and rudely pushed him away.
"Ryuji-kun!" said Keiko worriedly to Ryuji.
"Hey!" yell Mallory as she glared at the subordinate that pushed Ryuji away.
"Don't bother with them! And shut your mouth and mind your own business next time, girl." said the distinguished man coldly to Mallory (who glared at him and didn't noticed Keiko suddenly felt that his voice sounds familiar before her head started throbbing a little with images that flashed swiftly through her head and she shake her head a little) before he and his subordinates went into the elevator and the door closed up.
"Tch. Adults these days, look down and don't even care about us, the younger generations." said Mallory as she glared at the closed door of the elevator.
"Totally, Caelum. What bossy assholes they are." said Ryuji in agreement with Mallory.
"Shouldn't we all head back down now?" asked Morgana.
"Yeah, I know, Morgana. But that man and his subordinates are just beyond rough and rude to us!" replied Ryuji angrily to Morgana as he pressed the down button of the elevator again.
"Don't lose your temper over this, Ryuji. You too, Miss Mallory." said Morgana calmly and sympathetically to both Mallory and Ryuji.
"… Fine, Morgana." said Mallory reluctantly to Morgana.
"But even so…!" said Ryuji as he turned and glance frustratedly at Morgana.
"That man's voice…" thought Keiko to herself as she think back to the bad time when she and Mallory got incriminated by the drunken, bald-headed man for helping the woman. "His voice sounded almost like the one from back then…"
"Hey, what's wrong, Keiko?" asked Mallory concernly to Keiko.
"It's nothing, Maly." replied Keiko reassuringly to Mallory.
"Are you sure? Because you don't look fine to me." said Mallory.
"Must be because of the food she just ate." said Morgana.
"Really, Keiko?" asked Mallory concernly to her.
"Yeah, that must be it, Maly." replied Keiko as she nodded at Mallory.
"…If you say so, Keiko. Ugh, adults these days…" said Mallory just as the elevator door opened again and she, Keiko, Morgana, Ryuji and the other adults went into the elevator.
When Keiko, Mallory, Morgana and Ryuji got back to where Ann is in the buffet room, she instantly complain about her own bad encounter with other rude adults in different floors before Ryuji began asking and talking to Morgana about whether anyone have Palaces due to strong, distorted desires and Morgana answer yes. Ryuji then told them that he wanted to continue the Phantom Thieves business to help more people, make them believe that the Phantom Thieves do exist and thanked them for it.
Keiko, Mallory, Morgana and Ann ponder about Ryuji's words and they unanimously agreed with him to continue the Phantom Thieves business for the sake of helping people and changing the hearts of corrupted adults before Morgana, Mallory, Ann and Ryuji nominated Keiko as their leader, which surprises her and she think about it and also nominate Mallory as the vice-leader (which surprised Mallory) before she agreed with them and their Phantom Thieves business is officially formed.
XXXX
Back in the interrogation room…
Keiko stopped talking as she look away, groaned a little from a headache due to trying to remember back before the headache went away and she slowly glance back at Sae-san.
"Another world in which people's distorted cognitions take shape? Stealing treasures to change hearts? And on top of that, a talking cat told you all this?" said Sae in a disbelief tone of voice to Keiko.
"It's all true. But it's up to you on whether you believe it or not, Sae-san." said Keiko.
"Honestly speaking, that all sounds absurd. It's hard to believe that this is even worth listening to. Still, it can't be considered nonsense when parts of it align with Kamoshida's confession. The same goes for the testimonies of the officers who arrested you." said Sae coolly to Keiko. "…But so be it. At any rate, you mention something more important. These 3 other accomplices, besides this talking cat thing that appeared in your story… From what you've been telling me, they're students at the same school, aren't they?" asked Sae.
"…"
"Not gonna tell me, huh, Amamiya-san? Very well, I'll leave it at that. Let's continue on. There are many more events that I must inquire on. Lies and false accounts are eventually exposed." said Sae before she opened a thick-looking black book to a certain page, turned it around and show Keiko the picture of an elderly man. "The next to received a calling card was this individual… A master of Japanese arts. Ichiryusai Madarame."
"Vain old geezer…" snapped Keiko as she glared coldly at the picture of the elderly man (which Sae ignored).
"It's even more incomprehensible than Kamoshida as to why this man was targeted." said Sae as Keiko glance up at her. "Where did you come to know him? And how did you learn of his crimes when you weren't a victim of them? Start by telling me what you all schemed…" asked Sae to Keiko (who nodded as she resumed in trying to think back).
