Enjoy your stay

The leader of the Phantom Thieves was acute to feelings of being watched. As a formerly national fugitive, it was a necessary skill to have. But despite the fact that the Thieves were currently back in business, changing hearts and helping society, it was still summer vacation. Ren really hated when his sixth sense activated during this time of year.

It happened in Osaka. The group had just beaten Konoe; he had just confessed tearfully, indicative of their victory. Joker was on his way to hang out with Ryuji and Yusuke—that was when he felt a chill shoot up his spine like a bufu skill. He froze on the spot, paranoia paralyzing him.

Sophia chirped from his phone. "Ren? Why are you stopping?" Unfortunately for the AI in his pocket, Joker wasn't one to break focus like that. Max Proficiency did that to you.

Behind me, to my right. Ren flipped around, quick as a thief, and he caught a flash of a school uniform he recognized, but couldn't quite place. Adjusting his glasses, he started heading in the direction of the flash, deciding that Yusuke and Ryuji could wait. Morgana popped his head out of the bag. "Joker?" he asked.

"Shh! I'm trying to tail someone," Ren muttered back, flattening himself against a building.

Morgana rolled his eyes. "Well let me out, would you? I'm not about to be jostled around after the fight yesterday. Besides, I have something to do."

Ren turned to look at him. "Huh? Are you going somewhere?"

Morgana puffed out his chest proudly. "Indeed I am. I'm going to be spending my night with Lady Ann and the other lovely ladies of the Phantom Thieves."

Ren's debonair charm was the only thing keeping him from chuckling in disbelief. "Oh? And you can make it to Tenboto Tower by yourself, then?" Yup. straight-faced and serious.

Morgana grinned. "Who do you think taught you your sneaky ways? I'll be perfectly fine, thank you very much." and with that, he leapt out of Ren's bag before the master thief had a chance to protest, guantily strolling into the night. Ren shrugged.

"Good luck, Meowgana!" Sophia cheered. Ren finally chuckled with Morgana out of earshot. Knowing Ann and the others, the not-cat was going to need it.

With the whistle of the wind, the school uniform flashed again from the corner of his eye. Just like that and Joker was suddenly very attentive to his surroundings. "It's showtime," he muttered to himself.

"It's showtime." Sophia whispered back, mimicking Joker's deep declaration. Ren ignored her, beginning to slink through the city.

He closed his two, real-world eyes and opened his third. The city muted to grays and blacks, and a blue trail lit up before him. Wasting no time, he started following the trail into the city, determined to catch the treasure that escaped him.

Kotone was always jealous of the fifth Wild card's third eye ability. It was a cheat he used to find solutions to puzzles that nobody else could, even in the real world. It wasn't something natural, as it was given to him by a false god.

And now, it was giving away her position and ruining the surprise. But still, she smiled. "Darn it, Mr Thief." He was too good at this. All she could do was stay a few steps ahead of him, so she continued to weave between buildings and parked cars. She could be sneaky too.

The buzz from his phone happened at the worst time. The target was right there. He could practically reach out and grab it. But still, he wasn't one to leave his friends waiting; with a heavy, reluctant heart, he paused his chase and answered Ryuji's impatient where you at that glowed against the dark of the night. Frowning, he turned down the brightness.

Gonna have to bail tonight. Something urgent came up.

Ryuji's reply came a second later, concern leaking through the message.

Dude, really? You need help or somethin?

I have to do this alone was the succinct, almost robotic reply. Immediately after, Sophia popped up in his messaging app, sitting on one of the text boxes with her legs dangling as she eyed him inquisitively. "You look like you want to fight a shadow, Joker. Are we heading back into the Jail?"

Ren shook his head. "No, sorry for making you worried. I just, I feel like whatever I'm trying to catch is very...important, is all. That was the truth. Ren couldn't explain it, but the treasure he was searching for gave a weird twist in his stomach.

"Hmm...humans are strange, aren't they?" Sophia remarked as the Phantom Thief started slinking through the darkness once more, following the blue trail deeper into the city.

Kotone watched as the other Wild Card gracefully kept on her tail. "Crap, he's good." She knew this from their last excursion, but it was inconvenient when she wanted to surprise him. Digging her heel, she came to a stop in an alley between two buildings. She caught her breath, then slipped into a crack between them. Ren was right behind her.

He made a mistake in his approach, one Kotone was quick to take advantage of. He ran too far forward, just missing the crack she was hiding in. before he doubled back, though, she leapt out and grabbed him from the back in a hug. "Show me your true form!" She let out in a giggle.

Ren froze. A beat went by before anything else happened.

He went slack against her hug, which Kotone released a moment later. He didn't move when she circled around to face him, and his eyes were wide with disbelief when she looked into them. Smiling slightly, she pushed up his glasses, which were slipping steadily down the bridge of his nose.

"Hey, Ren. How's it going?" her smile was blinding.

No response. Another beat passed, and the night was still.

"Joker? Do you know this person?" a voice spoke up from his pocket. Kotone blinked. If she remembered correctly, that was probably his phone, a device that had completely changed from what she remembered it to be back when she was alive. But even from her experience with this era, the phones never talked to you.

The voice seemed to shake him from his stance, however. Still not responding to it, he held a pointed finger, and reached out to touch her forehead. When skin came in contact with skin, he stumbled back a few steps in surprise.

"Holy shit." he gasped, eyes looking at her up and down repeatedly.

She laughed at his confusion, and his cheeks colored. "Surprise?" She asked, leaning towards him.

"You—here? What the hell?" He leaned away from her, eyes continuing to widen.

The voice in his pocket was getting impatient by now. "Joker? Who is this person?" it insisted. Ren flinched, finally deciding to pull out his phone, pointing it so the screen faced Kotone. There appeared to be a girl on the screen who looked rather young. She had red hair, but that wasn't the strangest part—that would be that the hair was a pair of long pigtails made out of floating hearts. Rather cute, Kotone decided.

"Um. Sophia? This is…wait, you can see her, right?" He was still unsure! Kotone couldn't blame him—she was in disbelief herself yet—but this was Joker, a suave transfer student and the masked member of SEES who didn't need an evoker. Surely he could get himself together.

The girl in his phone—Sophia, was it?—was getting impatient too. "Yes, Joker, I can. Who is she?" she looked frustrated from not being listened to, crossing her arms and tapping her feet in the tiny display.

"Oh my god. Kotone—you...you're here! Alive! How?" Joker stuttered, still completely flabbergasted. Some part of the Messiah loved that she was able to elicit such broken speech in her old teammate. She reached out and grabbed his hand.

"It's a bit of a long story. Now, are you going to introduce me to your friend there, Ren? She's waiting." her touch seemed to make him more nervous, but he managed to start talking again.

.

"Oh—sorry, Sophia. This...this is Kotone. She's an old teammate of mine. Um. Kotone? This is Sophia. She's an AI? Kind of like, you know…" Ren began, but Kotone had already connected the dots.

"Aigis? She reminded me of her. Nice to meet you, Sophia!" Kotone greeted cheerily. When she let out a wave, the girl seemed to relax.

"Nice to meet you, Kotone! Are you a member of the Phantom Thieves?" The girl inquired, tilting her head and bouncing up and down. Kotone couldn't help the aww that escaped her for a moment, but then she remembered that she was being asked a question.

"Uh, no. I'm actually the leader of a different group of persona users. We had to take down a bad guy, just like you guys did! Although my group wasn't nearly as cool as the Phantom Thieves…" she remarked, smirking.

Ren protested quickly. "You summon your persona by shooting yourself in the head! If that's not cool, then—wait. You still haven't answered my question. How the hell are you here right now?"

Kotone sighed through a smile. "Like I said. Long story. Do you know any restaurants nearby? I'm really hungry." not exactly the truth, but it would be nice to eat with Ren like that again.

Ren got his treasure alright. He was still completely stymied by what his treasure was, and how she got here, but he was by no means upset. After all, it was Kotone. And now, in the dimly lit restaurant, he would hopefully get some answers. Looking at her on the other side of the table, with the way she smiled back at him, he remembered more about his time with SEES, and his stomach flipped with feelings he never thought he could act on.

He still probably couldn't. "What are you going to order?" he asked to break his thoughts before they spiraled further.

"Oh, they've got some chicken sukiyaki here...gonna see how it compares with Shinji's cooking." she sounded rather confident that it couldn't stand a chance. Remembering the beanie-headed 3rd year, Ren knew that that assumption was probably correct.

"What about you?" she asked right back. Ren gulped, shifting in his seat. He hadn't really thought about that.

"Same thing. Betcha it won't even stand a chance at his cooking." he tried to sound smug like she did in order to mask his continued nerves.

Kotone rolled her eyes. "You have no idea, do you?" she accused. Like back then, her sharp eyes pierced into his greys, ripping off the masquerade mask he wore day-to-day. Ren sighed, defeated. Looking up at the menu, however, only made him more lost.

Luckily for him, Sophia came to his rescue. "The reviews for this restaurant strongly recommend the beef yakisoba...one review particularly emphasizes how mouth-watering it is. Five Stars." She spoke cheerfully from her spot propped up on the table. A moment passed before Ren registered that Sophia spoke.

"...um. Yeah, I'll get that." Ren nodded stiffly. Kotone eyed the AI, mildly impressed. So Sophia can do that? That's fun.

"Where'd you meet Sophia, anyways?" she asked. Now was as good a time as any.

Ren leaned against his chair. "The metaverse. We found her in a box and I touched it, and that was that. Now the Phantom Thieves have an AI on our team, too. We're still trying to figure out who made her, and she's trying to 'understand the human heart.'"

That was...remarkably similar to Aigis, save for the mysterious origin. Kotone hmm'd to herself. "I ought to introduce you to a friend of mine, Sophia. I think you would like to meet her."

Sophia bounced up and down. "I would like that, Kotone!" she grinned, a small smile peaking through the screen. Kotone smiled back.

"Now it's your turn." Ren said to change the subject, sounding terribly serious, obviously wanting answers. Kotone sobered up as well, and looked sad for the first time that night.

"You want to know why I'm here, right?" she looked him right in the eye. Ren nodded, looking a little apprehensive.

The Messiah sighed, taking a moment to look around for a second. "Humanity isn't...currently desiring death right now. But not for the right reason, Ren. It's more like, they're desiring something else...something to do with what you're doing. I think."

Ren seemed to understand almost instantly. "So if the Jails are anything like the Palaces...which they are, then that means...wait! That means you'll go away again if we get rid of the metaverse!" He looked positively distressed, making Kotone feel worse than she already did.

"Yeah, that's what'll happen." Kotone nodded. She glanced at him sadly, watching as his eyes lost their light. Quick. Say something. Get him out of that funk before the date's ruined!

"Hey! Ren, look at me?" Kotone asked, voice light and coaxing. He did, but his eyes were still dead.

She leaned forward, trying to get a better look at him. She was so brave as to cup his cheek. "It's okay, Ren. You don't have to be happy about it. I suppose it's cruel, me showing up like this?"

He didn't nod or shake his head. "No, no, I'm happy, I am. I just...you know."

"Joker's happy? And he's sad? Kotone...please explain." Sophia demanded. Kotone laughed, and leaned away from the Trickster.

"It's not something you can explain, Sophia. You're...trying to learn about humanity's heart, right? It has to do with that." Kotone hoped that would satisfy her.

Sophia looked unconvinced. "I don't know...why are you going away, Kotone?" another tough to answer question the Messiah was faced with. Her life was just full of those, wasn't it?

Beat.

"I...have a job I need to do. I'm sure Joker can tell you about it someday. But for now! This is a happy reunion between teammates! Sophia, are there any appetizers Ren and I can share?" One thing Kotone prided herself on was her ability to be positive in the face of any adversity, and this time was no different.

"Um! Yes! The harumaki have been extremely well liked by the customers here! One review in particular described it as a delicious dish they shared with their romantic interest...apparently, they confessed that same night and started dating. Five Stars." Sophia reported, having been turned around inside of Ren's phone and reading the website like a young child reading an advertisement.

Ren shot straight up in his chair. "That's a good idea. We're getting those." I don't want this opportunity to go to waste. Ren thought, determined.

Kotone was surprised at his sudden insistence, and as he waved over a waiter to take the order, she tried not to think about what that particular insistence meant. Her cheeks went hot when she did, after all.

For the rest of the night, it was mostly idle chatter and small talk about Ren's life—after all, Kotone's has been on pause for a while now—but she did explain that she was staying with Mitsuru again, just like last time.

Not that Ren's life was anything special, no. as he picked at his food, all he really talked about was the Phantom Thief stuff going on...in a quiet voice, mind you. But Kotone was still fascinated by the whole process anyways.

"Do you guys really send out flashy cards like the last one all the time?" She demanded, bright eyed and curious. Ren blinked, evidently confused at her inquiry. She didn't elaborate, instead leading forward in trepidation.

But then he got it, and his face flared up like a Pyro Jack. "Shit...you saw that?" when Kotone nodded in affirmation, he grimaced. "That's...shit, I don't even know. Embarrassing." So many things could have gone better with that card that didn't. And she saw it? Where was his evoker already?

But she didn't seem like she wanted to make fun of him, rather, she seemed generally enthralled about the whole ordeal. "The one that I saw before now was boring and small. This one was like bam and bang and there were cards everywhere! You're so extra, you know that?"

Despite himself, Ren felt really happy at the praise—but then he stopped. "But Ryuji messed up, it was lame. Trust me that's not—not our best work." Running a hand through his dark hair, he tried to reel in the embarrassment before it got out of hand.

She tilted her head, confused. "I thought it was charming, y'know? Why didn't you speak? You always sounded so cool back in SEES."

Joker shook his head. "We're not done, I can feel it. I only really talk when the card's extra important."

"Ooh...so you might talk at the next one? I can't wait!" She clapped her hands together and smiled brightly, and Ren's stomach started doing flip-flops again.

I can't keep doing this.

"Food's on its way!" Sophia interrupted his thoughts abruptly, bringing attention to the waiter that was balancing the meals for the two of them.

The rest of the time happened way too quickly for Ren's liking. Before too long, the plates were empty, and he was getting impatient calls from every member of the Phantom Thieves, wondering where the hell he was.

"Can't you travel with us?" He asked her outside the restaurant. It wasn't like he didn't have time with her yet—they still had no idea how to destroy the metaverse yet again, and as long as the Jails were around, so was she. As selfish as that was, Joker liked to think that the universe owed him a little selfishness at this point.

But she only shook her head. "I'm sorry, Ren." the night was still as beautiful and clear as when they were first reunited, but it seemed to dull around Kotone. "I've only just come back—Mitsuru's trying to fly us back to Port Island to meet back with the rest of SEES—I'm a busy girl."

"Oh." was all he said for a moment. "Will I...see you again?" Ever?" He didn't mean to say it like that.

She gripped his hand tightly and didn't say anything. Ren wasn't an idiot, he knew what that meant. Rather than feel down about it, he tried to memorize every detail of her; her ruby eyes, her auburn hair, the 22 hair clip, the old clip-on headphones, the way she smiled— he knew he would never forget any of it, and he never has.

"Hey, kid. You got a visitor." Sojiro's voice thundered up to the attic a few days after the Thieves defeated the Demiurge. He rubbed his eyes tiredly and slipped on his glasses, wondering who it could be. As he slunk downstairs, still feeling the aches from the fight where he put yet another god in its place.

And then the world froze. Morgana had quietly left him alone, and Sojiro knew when he had to mind his own business, so he ducked out of the shop, not before throwing a smirk at Ren on his way out. Ren didn't even know why, at this point, he was surprised at the girl in front of him.

"Hi." Kotone grinned. It wasn't as eager as her other smiles, this one looking exhausted. Her eyelids were droopy, but she still held herself strong. "How...how are you?"

Any other circumstance, and Ren would have laughed at how goofy this situation was. Here, in quiet Leblanc in the early morning, his former leader and teammate had shown up in what looked like a drunken stupor.

But he knew what this really was. Moving to catch her, he asked, "How long?"

"Woooow….Ren. Our faces are so c-close." she remarked. And they were—she as leaning into his chest rather awkwardly, head tilted up to see him. His cheeks colored, but he couldn't make a move without her falling onto the floor.

"Kotone." he insisted.

"Don't worry...only a few days. Last time was...it was way longer, remember? Happened a little after your calling card. Nobody on SEES had EMMA, so we had to swipe some poor sap's phone in the tree-thingy." Ah, so she saw that one as well.

"You were...I loved it, Ren. You were all like The Phantom Thieves will take back the desires and it was soooo good!" ignoring her, he moved to sit her down on one of the bar stools.

"I'm glad...Kotone. What...what are you doing here?" He knew the answer already, but he didn't want to speak it out loud, lest it become real.

"All of the team agreed that...that you should be the last person I see before I go." She spoke softly, and Ren's fears were confirmed.

"Did I do this?" he asked, unsure if he was talking to her or himself.

"Did you save the world yet again? Yeah, yeah you did." Kotone leaned into him, breathing deeply.

"That's not—" but she hugged him tighter, cutting off his sentence. Ren's glasses fell off, clattering onto the ground. When they clattered a second time, he realized that time was always going to march on. He was always kicking himself for not manning up back at Osaka, but he wasn't backing down now.

"Kotone, I've been meaning to say this for a while, but can I tell you now? I really, really—"

She cut him off again. This time, it was her soft lips on his. The feeling was wonderful, and Ren wished for nothing but time to stop then and there.

And then it was gone. Kotone was gone. The universe wasn't about to let him get too selfish, it seemed. All that was left of her was a few dandelion petals floating away and her clip-on headphones, sitting idly on the counter.

Ren sighed, and bent over to grab his glasses. He reached again, this time towards the headphones. They dangled in his hand like a mobile, and he smirked. I got the treasure all right.

The door chimed, and Morgana walked in. "Was that—?"

"Yeah."

"What are you gonna do, Joker?"

Tossing the headphones around his neck, Ren fished out his phone and dialed a number.

"I know a cab driver that owes me a favor."

If that confused you, then welcome to my new pegohamu, renham, joker/femc fanfic. I hope you enjoy your stay, guys!

DFTBA

Nate