Glass fell from the sky as two lone figures stood on one of the few remaining platforms. Joker, the leader of the Phantom Thieves and Dr. Maruki, the palace ruler of Mementos. The two men faced each other as the world around them crumbled.

"Dr. Maruki, it's over!"

"...I'm well aware of that." Dr. Maruki said. "But my convictions won't let me concede. Not yet."

Joker gritted his teeth as the doctor pointed at him.

"I could start this entire battle from the garden. Yet I know with your friends by your side, I won't be a match no matter how many times I try." Maruki said. "My last chance is going through you and you alone!"

Joker pulled out his knife. "Bring it."

Maruki gave a resigned sigh as he pointed his staff at Joker. The remaining bits of energy between their personas clashed.

The glass shattered one last time and Lavenza appeared holding her hand out towards him.

"Trickster!"

Akira woke up. The bumps on the train grew a bit as he found himself closer to his destination.

"You ok?" Akira peeked down. Morgana, the Phantom Thief cat was looking right at him.

"Fine. I'm fine. Just had a strange dream." Akira said as he stretched his arms. "Palaces."

"Really? Ah, you must've been thinking about our glory days." Morgana said.

"I guess you could say that." Akira got up. "Well actually I wasn't-"

-Now approaching Yongen-Jaya Station-

"Ooh boy, I can't wait for our summer trip now that you all graduated. Lady Ann, Haru, Futaba, everyone! This is going to be the best!" Morgana shifted in his bag. Akira petted his head as he looked forward.

His little dream talk could come later.

It's been a full year now since his tenure in Tokyo and six months since the Phantom Thieves last appeared around the country. The entirety of this trip is a celebration of the original group now graduating. Futaba was behind, but that didn't matter since she was already college level before.

In that time only a few things changed. Akira no longer wore his fake glasses. It was about time he embraced his perfect sight and worried less about the life of a four eyes. That didn't mean much in the long run, but it was a change nonetheless for everyone else.

And his friends were just as ready to reunite with their leader.

"You got an idea of what's gonna do? Talk to confidants again?"

"Hm, not a bad idea. It'd be good to see how Kawakami's doing or Oda." Akira pondered.

The train finally stopped and soon the two found themselves in a familiar alleyway neighborhood.

"It never gets old coming here."

"You're right on that part."

"Hold it." A voice behind them said. It was deep and commanding. "Where are you coming from, young man?"

"The hell!" Morgana squeaked.

Akira didn't openly flinch, but he did smirk. "Your voice has gotten pretty commanding, gramps."

"Dad, I told you he wouldn't buy it." Another voice chimed in. Akira turned around and saw Investigator Zenkichi Hasegawa and his daughter Akane. "What's up Akira?"

"Really? I thought it was pretty good." Zenkichi said before looking at Akira. "Hey brat."

"Akane? Zenkichi? What're you two doing here?"

The investigator tsked. "Well, you'd be surprised. There's plenty of reasons for a Pubsec-"

"We're here for vacation and Makoto texted us about you guys graduating. So dad thought it'd be a good chance for us to come over and visit." Zenkichi began sputtering as Akane led the conversation.

"Oh come on Akane, I have other reasons."

"Ooh, is my dear father working again? Something he'd make openly clear with his lovely daughter?" Akane batted her eyes as Zenkichi grew more perplexed.

Akira chuckled. "You've taken Ann's lessons to heart."

"Yup."

"I regret letting those girls give you lessons on femininity." Zenkichi grumbled.

Morgana's head popped out of the bag. "You can't go wrong with Lady Ann's lessons. Don't feel too bad Zenkichi, a woman's charm is most men's weakness."

"Of course you'd say that, you damn cat!" Zenkichi said.

"Why're you talking to the cat dad?" Akane asked.

Zenkichi calmed himself down and smoothed out his hair. "No reason sweetie. Look why don't we go get some Boss's curry. I've been hyping you up on it ever since those kids taught you had to make a Kyoto version."

Akira's stomach grumbled. "That's a good idea. Let's go."

"Wow dad, he's got authority behind that voice. Unlike you."

"Why am I being attacked today?" Zenkichi asked as the two walked ahead. "No seriously. I spent all this money to visit and I've been...stop walking and hear me!"

Standing near the grocery store, a hooded man was holding a few fruits when he watched the group turn to LeBlanc. "So, he's already here."

The group walked to LeBlanc Cafe. Akira opened the door to poppers. "Welcome home!"

Futaba hopped in front of him as everyone else popped out. "Akira, you're back and you met Gramps and Akane before we did!"

"You're still calling me that?" Zenkichi said as everyone rushed over to Akira.

Ryuji, Yusuke, and Futaba pulled him into a group hug while the three women of the Phantom Thieves waited. "Dude, I can't believe it! We finally graduated and we get to spend a legitimate summer together again!"

"It's moments like these that we're grateful for everything leading up."

"What Inari said. Though does that mean you made it into the school here? You're gonna stay in Tokyo for college and live here!"

"Well-"

Footsteps approached them. "Alright, alright I think he gets the point. Let him go so the rest could greet him."

Sojiro Sakura led the ladies of the Phantom Thieves in. "It's been awhile."

"Boss. You haven't changed at all."

"I hope you mean that in a good way." Sojiro said.

Ann and Haru ran up to him. "Akira, you're finally here! It's been so long since we've met up. We gotta catch you up on what's been going on here."

Makoto was patting Akane's head when she approached Akira. "I hope you've kept out of trouble and had an eye on your studies closer than Ryuji or Ann."

"Oh Makoto, you know me." Akira said. Makoto smiled back as Ann and Ryuji ran up.

"Hey, don't go throwing us under a bus like that! We've done way better than you'd expect. I only had to scrape by three tests."

"And me, two." Ann said. Akira laughed as Morgana hopped out and landed in Haru's arms.

"Aw Mona, it's been awhile too. We've missed you as well."

"I was never worried about that."

Futaba walked up to Akira. "Hey, Akira. We got one more surprise for you since you were spoiled by Gramps arrival over there."

"When was I supposed to know I was a surprise!" Zenkichi said before Akane put a spoonful of curry in the detective's mouth. He calmed down somewhat.

"Wait, when did you get my phone?" Futaba sneered and pushed up her glasses in superiority. "You've gotten sneakier. Alright, what's my next surprise."

Everyone else was a bit intrigued by it so Akira knew this was a Futaba only surprise. He took back his phone and unlocked. The screen was blank for a second before it lit up with a bright blue shine.

"Yo, everyone!" Akira's and everyone else's eyes widened at the appearance of Sophia. The AI smiled brightly as everyone gathered around Akira. "Been awhile."

"You freakin' telling me." Ryuji said. "Futaba, when did you plan this?"

"We planned this a little while back." Everyone looked at Futaba as she held up her phone. Kuon Ichinose was sitting at her desk on a video call. "Futaba reached out to me and told me the event. And of course, Sophia wanted to make an appearance."

"Wait, Futaba why didn't you tell us about this."

"I wanted to, but everyone got busy. Makoto off handley mentioned Zenkichi coming around to see you guys and knew we had to have a full crew."

"That's so cool. Dad, you didn't tell me that the Phantom Thieves had their own AI companion!"

Over the past year with Zenkichi growing close to his daughter, he got the blessing of revealing his involvement with the Phantom Thieves. Akane was able to put the pieces together of the group he was traveling with and the timing so she quickly found out who the Phantom Thieves were. Though the cognitive world and Personas weren't to her knowledge, she still took the news in stride...after taking some time recovering from the embarrassment of revealing her fan merch to the actual people she admired.

"Hello Akane, I believe this is the first time we've met and talked in person."

"You're telling me."

Akira let Sophia do her introductions and questions as he sat down at the bar. Everyone was talking as Sojiro poured him a cup of coffee.

"You look tired. Your friends drain you that much."

"Eh, not really. Just happy and tired from the trip." The scent wafted around Akira as he let the warm aroma draw him in. "I'm looking forward to spending time with them."

"Well I hope so too. Also I hope you remember how to work the counter." Sojiro said. "I'm feeling even more generous by giving you some spending money when you do."

Akira narrowed his eyes. "Are you really Sojiro Sakura?"

The old man laughed as Zenkichi came for a plate of seconds. "Akane loves this stuff. Glad you can serve this to me again, Boss."

"Eh, a friend of Akira's special group gets a special discount."

Akira watched the men trade banter as he looked back at his friends. He smiled as he watched the group enjoy one another's company. Yet something was off. It was subtle but it seemed like-

Ann ran up to him and grabbed his hand. "Hey, Akira we need your opinion on this. Come on."

"Uh sure." He gripped her hand a bit tighter than he usual would as she pulled him into a discussion between Yusuke and Makoto. Akira sat between his friends as they resumed their conversation.

Outside of LeBlanc, a hooded man stared at the building before walking down the alleyway. He pushed up his glasses as he stared ahead at the city.