I've been tossing, I've been turning
In my bed and in my head
Just for a picture
Just to remember that silly old phrase that you used to say
The muffled thump of the pitching machine precipitated a sharp crack that sounded like it might split the sky in two. With a practiced eye, Ren sent the red and white stitched ball hurtling towards the bullseye, eliciting tinny, circus-like fanfare from the speakers.
"WINNER!" They declared, with flashing lights and aplomb just short of fireworks.
Sadayo sat on a nearby bench and clapped excitedly, as much for the display of athleticism as the growing menagerie of plush toy prizes sitting beside her. Panting, Ren wasn't too proud to turn back to gauge her reaction, suitably impressed as he ran his fingers through his hair and walked over to join her.
"See? Training's not so bad." The boy sat next to her on the bench, enjoying the breeze that ran through the rooftop batting cages.
"This is your idea of training?" Sadayo raised an eyebrow, taking a chunk of her cotton candy and popping it into his mouth.
"You said not to call it a date." He shrugged.
"Oh, is that why Ann and Ryuji were so conveniently busy this evening?"
"They take their schoolwork seriously."
"Shouldn't you be leading by example?"
"I'm with my tutor, aren't I?" He took a sip of his soda, not so subtly stretching his arm around the bench behind her.
Daring today, aren't we?
"Technically, I'm supposed to be cleaning your room." Sadayo scooted further away. "And really Ren, it looks dustier every time."
"I don't think the maid service minds a little white lie, so long as they get their money."
"You have no idea." Sadayo chuckled, though her eyes remained wide. "Look Ren, you're a nice kid..."
Big emphasis on "kid".
"But honestly, you should be doing something like this with a girl your own age. I'm too-"
Old?
"We're too close. Teacher and student, it's not right. You know it, I know it, that's not something we can just brush aside because of what happened in the Palace."
"Why can't we hang out like this, as friends?"
Sadayo looked at his outstretched arm and back to his eyes, always inscrutable, always thinking of a backup plan or a way out.
"Ren. You know why." She sighed, wanting to put her face into her palms or find a void to yell into.
"Whatever this is that we've got going on, it's gone far enough." She drew a circle in the air as if to illustrate the barrier between them. "It's not just for my sake but yours too."
"Well, if that's how you really feel."
She'd never seen him so defeated before, even when Kamoshida chewed him out in front of the entire school, his spittle flying into the boy's cheek. It only emboldened him, gave him more ammunition for the fight. Now though, he looked like a puppy that had just been scolded.
No, stop thinking of pet names.
"It is Ren, I'm sorry. I just don't want you to get the wrong idea, or God forbid, give the school any reason to suspect me once this whole Kamoshida thing blows up."
"You're right." He conceded, retracting his arm, fingers tapping thoughtfully on a glass bottle of Coke. "Everyone's safety comes first, and I wouldn't want to jeopardize yours."
"Thank you."
There was a certain relief to letting someone down easy, but she knew she would regret it if she let this snowball roll any further downhill. Part of her wondered if it wasn't already too late, but he seemed to be taking it pretty well.
"Does this mean I shouldn't call you over to clean anymore?"
The sound of her straw hitting rock bottom and drawing bubbles combined with her tired eyes said all he needed to know.
"Honestly, where do you even get the money for these things?"
"Internet."
"I'm serious, Ren. The phone, the maid service, this stuff isn't cheap. Please tell me you aren't swiping Sojiro's credit card."
"It's from the Metaverse." Came the stifled meow from the young man's bag.
"What? Bullshit." Sadayo narrowed her eyes.
"It's the truth." Ren nodded along. "The Shadows are full of yen. You kill them, and they bust open like a pinata. More or less."
"I thought you couldn't bring stuff from that place back here. Like the clothes and weapons, everything just… dissolves."
"You would think so, but the money's good." He pointed out. "I've been putting it into a savings account under an assumed name. Not too much at a time, mind you, as to not arouse suspicion."
"Oh great, here I thought we were just brainwashing folks, now I find out we're part of a money laundering operation too. Phantom Thieves, Wanted For Tax Evasion!"
Sadayo visualized the headline in front of them.
"Ya hate to see it." The woman chuckled, not quite believing what she was hearing, but she'd have to take his word for it. "Oh, what am I gonna do with you kids?"
"Not turn us in, hopefully."
"Trust me, I am well past the point of plausible deniability." Kawakami clarified. "If one of us gets pinched, we're all going down together."
They clinked their bottles together.
"Only if we snitch."
"You trust your friends that much? You think some kid, with their whole life ahead of them, college, a future, et cetera, is gonna look at a ten year bid in jail and not think twice about throwing it all away for the sake of ideals?"
The fire in his eyes told her he might not.
"Please, get a hobby."
"I do have one." He tapped the baseball bat by his feet. "Speaking of, I haven't seen you hit a single ball all night."
"You're the major league slugger, I'm just here to cheer from the sidelines."
Don't give him any ideas, next he'll be asking for Becky to show up with her pom poms.
"How come you never tried out for the baseball team?" Something told her it might have something to do with his beef regarding authority. Maybe Kamoshida wasn't the only one with a strong masculine desire to be at the top.
"Forgive me if I don't have the highest opinion of Shujin's sports clubs at the moment."
"Fair."
"Also, this is just something I do for fun. If I turned it into work, then it wouldn't be a release where I could just let my mind wander." Ren stood up, placing the bat on his shoulder and looking to the stars above. "Now c'mon, I said today was a training day, and this is good exercise if you plan on swinging that sword again."
He held his hand outstretched, inviting her into his world.
"Fine. But only because no one else is up here to watch me totally whiff."
"Hey, you said it, not me. I'll teach you the basics."
Sadayo didn't remember asking, but sure enough, she found herself looking down the barrel of the pitching machine, Ren's gentle hands giving her instruction.
"You're too tense." His palms pressed into her shoulder blades, a comforting presence that was gone too soon as he critiqued the other parts of her form.
"You want to be like a spring, unwinding and releasing all this energy. Then all you have to do is keep your eye on the ball and swing."
He pressed the button on the wall and the machine began spinning up, its motor whirring.
"Shouldn't I be wearing a helmet?" Kawakami asked, palms sweaty around the wooden bat.
"I believe in you!" Ren assured her as he took a step back. "Just swing the bat, Sadayo!"
The whirring reached a fever pitch now, the red lights on the far wall building to a green that informed her the ball was on its way.
"Nothing happens until you swing-"
She closed her eyes.
"The bat!"
CRACK.
Kawakami had done her best to not play favorites at Shujin, largely as an effort to not repeat the mistakes of the past. However, she didn't count on this semester opening her up to another dimension, inextricably tied to one young man in particular. Try as she might to push him out of her head, Ren had lived with her thoughts rent free since their trip into the Metaverse. He was her guide and mentor, in an ironic twist of events, but her picture of the Phantom Thieves as a whole was limited to her stumbling into Kamoshida's Palace that one evening. She wanted to believe that Ren truly had their best interests at heart, but hopefully the other two had their own feelings and input on the matter instead of just following him around like the cat.
Thus, she found herself face to face with Ryuji Sakamoto, who spun the offered chair around to rest his chin on the back, despite her disapproval.
"Hey, Miss K, so what's up?" He addressed her as casually as if they'd ran into each other at the supermarket. "I ain't in trouble, am I?"
"Not this time."
It wasn't fair that he only got called into the office over such infractions, and now vis a vis his proximity to the school's latest delinquent, but perhaps this could be an opportunity to get to know one of her homeroom students better.
"For real?" He looked surprised. "Okay, what's this about then?"
"Just wanted to chat, see how you're holding up. Think of it as a wellness check." She paused. "How's your mom these days?"
"She's good. Tired, works a lot, ya know?" His replies were clipped and noncommittal. "So what are you, like a guidance counselor now?"
"Not exactly." Sadayo's eyebrow twitched. "Why don't we start with how you're feeling? I know you started a new after school club recently."
"What? Nah, the track team doesn't want me back-" The light bulb went off over his head. "Oh, you mean chess club."
The wink he gave her could be heard round the world.
"Yes, the chess club." She sighed. "I have to say, I didn't expect this from you or Takamaki."
"Aw, don't give me that, Teach. I know everyone else in this place already wrote me off, I'm just trying to coast my way out of here and make it a year without ruffling any feathers."
"Your choice of extracurriculars would say otherwise."
Ryuji wordlessly pulled up the leg of his pants to show a pale line cutting across his shin.
"That's where the bone broke through when Kamoshida trampled on my chances of a track scholarship. I don't have nothin' to say to you or anybody about how I live my life. And those are just the scars you can see, don't even get me started on the girls..."
The boy shook his head, already put off by what he saw was another adult who didn't understand.
"Ryuji, I know-"
"Do ya? Cause it don't look that way to me. Shit, I dunno about you, but I sure as hell wouldn't be comfortable making small talk at the water cooler with that asshole."
"Ryuji, please, just calm down. You're not the only one around here who feels silenced."
"Then you know why we do what we do." He nodded. "Why we didn't go to you or the cops or the news or whoever else is 'supposed' to take care of shit like this. Where's the accountability? Way I see it, we're just making the hard choices no one else is prepared to make."
"And is that your choice or Ren's?"
"It's everyone's." Ryuji grunted. "We all joined up voluntarily. No one put a gun to our heads and said hey kid, go change some hearts. But you can't keep kicking a dog and pushing it back into a corner and not expect it to bite."
"And you don't have any qualms about doing this to another person? Changing them from the inside out?"
"Are you for real? Jail's too good for the bastard, you ask me, he's getting off light. Hand me a shovel and I'll put him six feet under myself."
"Strong words for a teenager. What if you get caught?"
"Then I get caught, not like my future's all that bright at the moment anyway. Long as Kamoshida gets what's coming to him for what he did to Ann and Shiho."
She saw the same fire reflected in him as when Ren talked up his ideals.
"That doesn't really help them if Ann gets picked up too."
"I won't talk. Ren wouldn't either. And I've known Ann since we were in the sandbox together, she's solid."
The way Ryuji's eyes locked onto her told Sadayo she'd touched a nerve.
"I know you trust Ann, but you see how this could end poorly for her, right? You don't have to martyr yourself to protect someone."
"I won't have to cause we ain't done nothing wrong." He crossed his arms. "And since there ain't no crime, that means we don't get caught, and nobody talks."
He leaned, tipping the chair forward.
"That only leaves you, Miss K."
"Ryuji, I already told you to calm down. This isn't an interrogation."
"Sure feels like one, the way you're trying to get me to incriminate myself. Thought you came in here to ask me about my hopes and dreams, but you know better than anyone that Shujin is where they go to die."
Well, this was a great first start.
"Just… be careful." As if telling him that would do anything. "I don't want to see you get hurt."
"It ain't us you have to watch out for, Teach. But by the looks of things, I'm not the only person in here who's been playing chess. Ren giving you private lessons now?"
The grin returned to his features, wild and blonde, a relatively new look but one that suited him well.
"Watch it, Ryuji. I'm not encouraging this behavior."
"Just calling it like I see it, Miss K. I mean, I figured there was a reason he wasn't interested in all those love letters from the chicks in our class but hey, you do you."
"It's funny to you, is that it?" Her expression soured.
"Nah it's just- Well yeah, kinda, ain't none of my business though, that's between you two. Guy's been through some shit, you know? If he wants to date his teacher, why not, right?"
"That doesn't seem weird to you, given the circumstances?"
"Like I said: none of my business. Unless he's like, forcing himself on you, then me and him are gonna have a few words."
"It's not like that."
"Cool, then we don't got much else to talk about. Good luck, I guess."
"We're not dating, Ryuji."
"Awesome. Look, can I go now?"
Sadayo looked down at her notepad, on which she had traced over the same circle over and over until it left a deep black ring on the front page and the ones after.
"You can go, Ryuji."
"Bet."
He clapped and slid the chair back into place at her desk.
"Lemme know if you wanna chess with the rest of us sometime, we meet Thursdays on the rooftop after school."
"I've noticed." And so had damn near everyone else.
"Yeah, I'll tell Ren to put you in the group chat, it's mostly memes and stuff we send each other but we got some official shit coming soon, so stay tuned."
"You betcha." She spoke through tight lips. "And can you do me a favor?"
"What?"
"Please don't tell him we had this conversation."
"Say no more, Miss K." He brought a finger to his lips. "Honor among Thieves."
Good lord, what did I get myself into?
His departure signaled a good time for a lunch break, as she tried to pick up whatever pieces could be gleaned from their meeting.
Not one but two true believers. I hoped he'd be the one keeping Ren in check, but he's more of a loose cannon than their dear leader.
In a twisted sort of way, it confirmed the worst beliefs of those who saw them become friends on the first day of school, two delinquents out to wreak exponential amounts of havoc together. Kawakami had hoped the two boys would bring out the best in each other, and they had, in their own way, but for all their noble intentions, she didn't see the continued existence of their vigilantism as sustainable. Ryuji appeared to be genuinely motivated by his grudge against Kamoshida and a desire to protect his fellow students, or one fellow blonde in particular, but without proper guidance, that path would only lead to self destruction.
Is that me? Am I going to be the one to show them the light, or am I just making things worse?
Sadayo thought of their distaste for authority, a unifying trait in the male Thieves, even the furry one, which seemed at odds with her sudden inclusion to the fold. For all their talk of this being an egalitarian, voluntary undertaking, it sure felt like Joker's word was law, but there was still one person left to talk to before she confirmed that theory.
It would be different this time, however. For one, Takamaki was not her student, and there was no telling how receptive she would be to this meeting. She had to know that there was at least one voice in the Thieves that was willing to temper Ren, or if she'd have to do it herself. Chasing the last vestiges of salad around her bowl with a fork, Kawakami marshaled her resolve once more.
Where the other two Thieves enjoyed an outsider status that allowed them to slip by unnoticed, Ann Takamaki was anything but. A tall, blue eyed, platinum blonde, she couldn't have stood out more from the masses of dark hair that surrounded her if she tried. The attention she attracted was no secret either, every rumor generated sticking to her like toilet paper to her shoe. One couldn't tell from the way she carried herself so confidently, both here and in the Metaverse.
"Hey, Miss Kawakami." Ann took the same seat that Ryuji sat in earlier, turning it around right this time and crossing her legs. "Mr. Uchimaru said you wanted to talk to me?"
"Hi Ann. Thanks for coming, I won't take up too much of your time."
"I hope so, I've got a photo shoot after school so the sooner we wrap this up, the better."
Her uniform violations were almost as numerous as her fellow blonde's, with loud red leggings and a hoodie under her blazer, the sense of style she emanated was something to be admired. Truthfully, it made her a bit self conscious about wearing the same thing to work every day, wondering which one of them looked like the teenager and which looked like the grown adult to the casual observer.
"You got it."
This day just keeps getting better and better.
"So, photo shoot, that's exciting. What's it for, school paper?"
"Teen Vogue, their Japan branch is scouting for their next covergirl."
"Wow, best of luck. Seriously, that's great."
"Thaaanks." She reached for her phone. "So what's this about again?"
"Just wanted to sit down and have a chat, you know? Catch up."
"We've literally never talked to each other before."
"Oh that's not true, I've called on you in class plenty of times. You're an intelligent girl, and you've got the grades to prove it."
"I cheat. Everybody cheats, it's about how well you hide it."
"Be that as it may, I've seen your writing. It's hard to believe every word of that could be plagiarized."
"It's not, mostly, but I don't think you called me here to talk about my grades, or how my parents are doing. They're fine, by the way. Not around too often, but in good health, and really, what more can you ask for?"
God, grant me patience.
"Sounds like the three of you have something in common."
"Besides the abuse, you mean? Yeah, totally, us latchkey kids have to stick together."
"Didn't expect you to bring that up so… nonchalantly."
"Just trying to make it easy for you. I mean, that's why you called me up, right? That's the only thing that gets anyone's attention: rumors about who I'm sleeping with or something else dragging my name through the mud. It's exhausting, like you all can't even pretend to be invested in my future."
"I realize that I maybe haven't been the best teacher as of late. And you're right, even the so-called grown ups in the room have a tough time getting past your looks." She grit her teeth. "But I'm trying to change that for the better, and that has to start with us talking face to face. My eyes are open now, thanks to Ren."
Sadayo paused for a moment, searching her blue eyes for a response.
"What's your read of him, anyway?"
"I see your angle. You couldn't get anywhere with Ryuji, so now you're trying to suss out who's the weak link in the crew."
"Okay, what's with the hostility?" Sadayo threw her hands up. "I only want to help, but every time it's like I'm talking to a brick wall. You have to meet me halfway here."
The woman composed herself with a sigh.
"I guess expecting him to keep his mouth shut was too much to ask, huh?"
"Ryuji's a sweetheart, but he also once gave his address to some guy on Call of Duty so they could fight it out offline."
"Sounds like he could be a liability."
"He is my friend, and I won't sell him out just because you called me over here to pretend like you care."
"You know, I remember you helping me out in the Palace when all this was new to me and I was freaking out. What changed?"
"I thought we were just rescuing you from a bad night, I didn't know Ren was just gonna go ahead and make you one of us."
"You don't agree." Clearly. "I thought the Thieves were more democratic than that."
"We are. Ren's just got, what do you call it, a blind spot when it comes to you. Not that you seem to mind."
"I don't know what perception you have of my relationship with him, but it isn't like that at all."
"Then explain it to me, because you two look pretty cozy to me."
Sadayo wasn't sure when the spotlight of interrogation had turned its gaze to her, but she was in the hot seat now.
"I am his teacher, he is my student. That's it."
"Uh huh, and what's with the maid outfit?"
"Part time job, I clean houses."
"Girls don't usually get their hair and nails done to go scrub floors."
"What are you implying? That I made all this up just to get closer to him?"
"I'm just saying it's a little convenient how you've gotten yourself mixed in with our business all of a sudden."
"Believe me, I'd take back that whole nightmare if I could, but we're here now."
"So why didn't you? You chose to be here, to fight this fight with us, what I wanna know is why you didn't do anything sooner."
"That… That is something I ask myself every day." Sadayo's shoulders slumped, feeling as if her stomach fell out from underneath her. "It's not just my failure, but one of every adult in this school. Shujin is supposed to be a safe place, your parents trust us to keep it that way, and you assume it will be too. We betrayed that trust, through negligence… or worse. I didn't speak up because I felt as powerless as you did, maybe even more. That might sound pretty pathetic coming from a grown woman, but believe me when I say that there's no one in this school who wants to get Kamoshida the fuck out of here more than I do."
She took a moment to breathe.
"That's why I said yes. Because I want to fight back too, and I know that you kids are driven enough and strong enough that if anyone could do it, it's you."
Ann wasn't sure what to say, the woman's honesty plain to see, but doubt lingered in the air like fog after a rain.
"Thank you." She had never thought much of the mild mannered teacher, but if they were going to be in the same boat, she may as well lend a hand. "And welcome aboard."
"Much appreciated. You know, you're the first person to tell me that."
"If it makes you feel any better, I didn't really get a choice either. I kinda just wandered in-"
"By accident." Kawakami finished for her. "Sorry, bit of a running theme I've noticed."
"So how much do you know, really?" Ann inquired. "I know Ren said he told you everything..."
"About as much as the rest of you. I'm still learning. For example, I only recently found out that these Shadow things are walking money pinatas, but I try to take it one day at a time."
"Having a private tutor helps."
"That it does." Sadayo caught that barb before it went right in her eye. "Honestly, he's not the first one to harbor a crush, but he is persistent, I'll give him that."
"They're all like that." Ann sighed in commiseration. "I thought Ren was different since he didn't start drooling as soon as we started talking, but I guess every guy has his weakness."
She looked at the teacher up and down, raising her eyebrows.
"Even if it is wildly inappropriate."
At least she doesn't have any problems speaking her mind.
"I'm glad we're in agreement, then." Sadayo nodded, glad for any inch of common ground gained. "I don't want this to go any further than it has already."
"Good, then that should be the end of that."
Their phones buzzed simultaneously, screens showing the same picture of Ryuji taking a bathroom selfie and biting his lip.
What's good? Need it or keep it? Read the caption.
"Good Lord, is this what goes on in the group chat?" Sadayo had half a mind to toss hers at the wall.
"Oh yeah, they hype each other up all the time. Just watch."
No sooner had Ann spoken than the thumbs up rolled in, followed by Joker sending a surreptitious snap of himself looking out the window in class.
Nah you look good, king.
Nah I'm tryna be like YOU.
And so forth. It was a stark reminder that despite the thoroughly adult venture they had chosen to embark upon, that they had plenty of growing up to do. Now that she had the knowledge and the power, it would be even more negligent of her to pretend that the Metaverse didn't exist, and to not try and put these kids on the right path. Maybe, for all his bravado and self assured posturing, Ren still needed a mentor, someone to guide him along the way. And if not her, then who?
"I keep it muted most of the time, personally." Ann remarked, scrolling through the other parts of her timeline and interrupting Sadayo's thoughts.
"Yeah, that's probably for the best." At least now she knew what they were doing on their phones all the time. "So what's the next step of our master plan?"
"You'll see, we're meeting up after school."
"I thought you said you had a photo shoot."
"I can stay out late." Ann shrugged. "It helps when no one's really waiting for you at home."
"That makes two of us." Sadayo murmured. "Got any advice for me?"
"Leave the cosplay at home, just bring whatever you're wearing." Ann touched a finger to her lips. "Also don't go on an empty stomach."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Sadayo had sat through stints in jury duty that were less exhausting, finally slumping back into her chair after catching up on the paperwork that she had set aside to talk to her students. Though her job was ostensibly to talk to them, she often felt like she spent more time catching up on the drudgery than the time that class afforded before they were shuffled off to the next period. The day thrummed along, and before she knew it, her colleagues were saying goodbye as she stayed behind to finish up.
Come sundown, her other duties made themselves known, landing in her mind with the click of a heel. Kawakami took the buzzing phone off her desk, tucking it between her ear and her shoulder while she worked.
"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me when I'm at my day job?"
"There you are. School's out, sunshine." The disinterested company rep blew on their nails. "What, you got a parent-teacher conference or something?"
"No, just working overtime." Kawakami lowered her voice. Shujin was quite empty at this hour, save for the janitors, but one could never be sure. "What's this about?"
"You have another request, hun. Looks like you're a hot ticket item as of late."
"Don't tell me, is it The Joker again?" Last night was fun and all, but the boy really had to learn how to take no for an answer.
"Nope, someone else. Seems he's got some rich friends with money to spend, try not to sound too excited."
"Because I'm not, and I'm not going." Sadayo circled a C- on a student's paper and kept it moving. "Sorry, I have other commitments tonight."
"Are you sure? I don't think you can afford to kiss this gravy train goodbye, but if you say so. I will have to report this to the boss man, though. And he will tell the Takases."
The pen in Sadayo's hand froze for a moment.
"Go ahead." She confirmed. "I've made good money this month. They'll get their cut, that's what they care about, right?"
"Just letting you know what time it is. Remember, you work for us, not the other way around."
"Thanks for the heads up. Do they give you commission for threatening me or is that just part of your excellent customer service?"
"No, I do this for fun. Bye now, Becky, and pick up the phone next time."
Sadayo ended the call with a defiant thumb press of disgust. How they ever got comfortable enough talking like that to her was another sign that things had gone too far. Her red pen hovered above Amamiya's paper, another perfect pop quiz.
Everybody cheats, it's about how well you hide it.
Much as she would like to blame Ann's words on the bad influence of a particular delinquent, Sadayo knew well enough that such things were a fact of life at Shujin, survival, even. She took a long look at the other teacher's cubicles around her, barren save for the one yellow lamp turned on in front of her. She thought of her and Ren, turning the castle upside down in their daring escape, the adrenaline in her veins making her feel as though she could walk on the clouds they sailed through. As problematic as it made other aspects of her life, he'd treated her as an equal, like the strata separating them didn't exist. Not as someone older and wiser, or ignorant and afraid, but providing the woman the same respect he afforded to his peers.
If I am to be a Thief, what's to stop me from cheating the system too?
Kawakami stood on the edge of a precarious fall, and though she had vowed privately to hold Ren from throwing himself off the deep end in the name of idealism, she wondered who would be there for her when the time came. If the encounter with Kamoshida proved anything, there were some ledges she'd have to stand on herself.
Bzzt bzzt.
Her phone screen lit up with an image of Ren, holding a card in front of his eye with a spiral logo and the words Take Your Heart emblazoned on it like the letters on a ransom note. The caption "Look what Ryuji made" wasn't very illuminating, but if she had to guess, there was some kind of PR campaign underway. Still, he did look quite handsome, evoking her masked last minute savior from the other night, and she double tapped without thinking to leave a "heart".
Um, Miss K? You know we can see when you like someone's pic right?
Ann's made her actual heart want to drop.
Woah, Teach in the group chat!
Hello hello.
Ryuji and Ren's greetings followed, eagerly awaiting her introduction.
Hi. She typed tentatively. I'm new to this, as you can see.
It's cool, we'll show you the ropes.
Hey, you got the answers for Friday's quiz? A trio of prayer hands followed Ryuji's request.
Sadayo closed the app and shook her head, ready to go meet the saviors of Shujin in their arena of choice.
"It's a calling card." Ren spun the shiny black rectangle between his fingers, showing off the logo. "It's how we get our name out there."
He slid it down the table towards the rest of them: Ryuji, Ann, and Kawakami sitting slightly off to the side. The four of them took up residence in Ren's attic room, using the relative seclusion for privacy, even if it was a bit dusty.
"Are you sure this is absolutely necessary?" Sadayo picked it up, surprised by the amount of work that went into the laminated prototype. "Also, this is really nice. Well done, Ryuji!"
"Aw, thanks Miss K. I was just messing around in art class-"
"Ahem." Ann cleared her throat. "Morgana said that it's a crucial step in the process. We won't be able to change his heart otherwise."
"You're absolutely correct, Lady Ann!" The feline beamed, purring loudly by her legs. "We have to make the target aware that we're coming for them or the Treasure won't manifest!"
"Isn't there a more subtle way to do it?" Kawakami offered. "I could slip something on his desk and it'd have the same effect without doing all… this."
"True, but this isn't just about stopping Kamoshida." Ren put his hands on the table. "This is for every student of Shujin who felt like they couldn't speak up. This is us letting them know that we hear them loud and clear, and we're gonna do something about it. I want the Phantom Thieves to be something people can rally around, to know that they can expect us to help them when they've fallen, or hold them accountable when no one else will."
The other Thieves nodded enthusiastically, as Sadayo witnessed firsthand the fervor that won them over.
"Kamoshida and his crimes have flown under the radar for too long. Starting tomorrow, we go loud, and we go to work. Once he gets his wake up call, the whole Palace will be on high alert, so we only have one shot to snatch the Treasure right out from under him."
"What happens once we take it?" Kawakami looked over the dramatic mission statement printed on the back of the card.
"We GTFO." Ryuji imitated an explosion. "Right, Joker?"
"I figured we wouldn't stick around, but I meant what actually happens? Does he confess on the spot? What about the real world Kamoshida? And the Palace itself?"
"He won't spill the beans right then and there." Morgana interjected. "The change of heart isn't instantaneous, so his mind will take some time to adjust to the Desires leaving his body."
"Right, because we're overriding his personality."
"Just the shitty parts." Ryuji pointed out. "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet, Teach."
All eyes were on her now.
"I'm as fully on board as the rest of you. I just want to be sure that you understand the consequences of your actions. From the looks of it, we're dealing with some pretty serious magic or whatever this is, if it can rewrite a person entirely. What if something goes wrong?"
"We're only taking the Treasure, it's pretty simple." The cat began to explain. "It's either there or it isn't, and once it's been removed, he'll have to face his crimes. It's not like we'd be destroying the cognitive Kamoshida."
"I was wondering about that, killing the Shadow version of me in the Palace gave me my powers." Kawakami examined her hands, the same ones that had been prepared to drive a claymore through her coworker's chest. "What would killing someone's Shadow in their own head do?"
"Mental shutdown." Morgana's cheery demeanor took on a grave tone. "They would go into shock and enter a comatose state from which they would never recover, and possibly even die."
News reels flashed through her mind, images of gruesome subway crashes and grisly pile-ups on the highway, all attributed to a mysterious ailment that rendered its victims unable to control their bodies, going by the very same name. Her throat closed up at the thought that Ren and his friends might have been involved, but those cases went back months and even years in some instances, with the boy only having been in town for the better part of a few months.
No. She calmed herself. It can't be him.
Whether or not it was someone else who also had access to this power remained to be seen.
"Are you all prepared to deal with that? Potential murder in the first degree?" Or manslaughter, at the very least. They would be drafting up some new laws to deal with what they were getting up to.
"If he dies, he dies." Ryuji grunted in affirmation, with Ann placing a hand on his shoulder, but looking no less determined herself. "Makes no difference to me."
"We're not murderers." Ren stood up, wrestling their attention back to the head of the table. "The Phantom Thieves are not some vigilante hit squad for hire. We have principles, and we don't kill."
Sadayo supposed there was an implicit "unless we have to" at the end, still reeling from hearing them discuss death so casually.
"I hope so." She looked directly at the other two. "It isn't some genie you can just put back in the bottle. It will change you and scar you and haunt you for life. You know nothing about what it's like being responsible for someone's life, let alone the knock on effect of having a murder investigation going on at our school."
Her voice was trembling, but her words were more sure than ever.
"You're not prepared to carry that kind of weight on your conscience, and I'm not about to let anyone here make that decision. So let's stop any talk about killing right here and now."
"Jeez, alright, Kawakami." Ryuji put his hands up, well and truly divested from the path of violence after seeing the woman's intensity firsthand. "Take it easy."
Indeed, it gave Ann pause as she kept her reply about coming to the defense of a fellow teacher tucked behind her tongue. They were here as a team, and truth be told, none of them were equipped to deal with those consequences, even the woman who seemingly shouldered them. Ren looked the most intrigued, but didn't pursue any further, instead choosing to defuse the situation.
"Good, then we're all on the same page." He commanded their attention once more. "If our goal is to make things right, then we can't get there by just killing anyone we don't like."
"Thank you." Sadayo telegraphed her relief rather pointedly.
And I thought Ren was the only one I'd have to straighten out.
Evidently, they needed a leader more than she realized, but it remained to be seen if this was to be a singular act of vigilante justice or if they shared the same revolutionary ideals as the young man at the helm. Only time would tell, and hopefully she would be able to answer that question from outside of a jail cell.
"Now, is there anything else I should be worried about going into this?"
"No, it's all pretty straightforward." Even the cat looked to be in agreement with Amamiya. "Ryuji's gonna head in early tomorrow and set up Kamoshida's surprise. We get in, get out, and lie low until this blows over."
"Fine by me, it's getting late anyhow." Kawakami checked her phone. "Shouldn't you two be getting home already?"
"Eh, my mom thinks I'm at the gym."
"Photo shoot running late." Were Ann chewing any gum, she would have popped a bubble in her teacher's face. "You think you could give us a ride though?"
"I don't have a car." The woman answered sheepishly.
"Ah, that's a shame." Ryuji put his hands in his jacket pockets, nodding towards the exit and escorting his fellow blonde out.
"Well, it's been a pleasure." Ann yawned, finally getting to stretch her legs.
"Yep, see you later, Teach. Ren, hop on the sticks later if you ain't doin' nothin'."
They gave the duo a wave, their conversation still audible as they made their way down the steps.
"Dumbass, we've got to go to the office supply store and cut up those cards you ordered."
"Aw man, that's gonna take foreverrr!"
"Don't whine, I'll be there to help-"
"Hey you think Miss K could help us out? She's a teacher, she's gotta be good at like, arts and crafts and shit like that."
"I'm sure she's got her own problems to worry about."
"Yeah you're probably right." They heard the ring of the front door bell. "Man, two jobs and you can't afford a car. What do you think she spends it on?"
Their loud rambling swept through the lower floorboards like a cool draft, leaving teacher and student in an awkward position.
"Jeez, you can hear a pin drop through these walls, can't you?"
"You don't know the half of it." He grinned. "But sometimes you can catch some juicy gossip depending on the patronage."
"Ugh, you sound like Chouno." Sadayo shook her head and pocketed her phone. "Good meeting, by the way, there's a real future in politics for you if you want it. Just saying."
"Thanks, but sometimes I think the brainwashing is more ethical."
"So you admit that's what it is?"
"Always on the attack, aren't you? Then again, I think part of you likes this."
"Part of me likes debating the merits of murder with a couple of kids who should be more concerned with senior prom?" She repeated with no small amount of disdain.
"I wouldn't let them do that. And you wouldn't either, now that you're a part of this team." Ren maintained his calm demeanor. "From where I'm sitting, you looked more passionate about this than any class at Shujin."
"So you're saying this is more important than what I teach at school."
"It's all knowledge, Sadayo. They have a lot to learn, and you have a lot to teach them. I wish I could say with some certainty how this will all turn out, but the truth is I'm not entirely sure what will happen either. What I can say is that I know what will happen if we don't do anything, and we've both been down that road before."
"Just don't let all that hot air go to your head." She collected her things, making her way to the stairs as well. "I better not find out you're skipping class for any Phantom Thief funny business, or so help me I will follow you in there and drag you out myself."
"I've never let my schooling interfere with my education. But if you insist." He rose from his chair to show her out. "Are you sure you don't want to stay for a cup of coffee?"
It was a long shot, from the three point line at least, the words soaring up and over the distance between them.
"Why do I feel like it's not the coffee I'd be staying for? But fine, whatever" Sadayo had no sooner paused at the counter then she found Ren behind it, brewing a fresh pot. "Mr. Sakura really taught you how to run this place by yourself, huh?"
"Just about. There isn't much foot traffic on nights like these anyhow." The green apron did seem to fit him, and it was rather cute how the steam fogged up his glasses. "It's a nice getaway from the stress of the world, like an island cove in the street. I can see why he chose to settle down here."
"Hmm, does he have children of his own?"
"He has a daughter, I believe. Don't know too much about her." He poured her coffee into a cup, the rich aroma delicately wrapping itself around her like a mug.
"Mm, this is high quality stuff!" Sadayo took whatever she could get during the morning and afternoon rush, and the coffee maker in the break room looked like it deserved a veteran's discount. "Did he teach you how to make it?"
"Sojiro showed me the ropes, yeah. He's still the maestro, but I've picked up a few things here and there, been experimenting with my own brews."
"My my, I approve." She breathed deep from the heavenly mug once more. "Stuff like this should have people lining up around the block. Have you ever thought about opening up your own shop someday?"
"Coffee's a hobby for me, not a career. I think we talked about how turning things into work can kill the joy it brings."
"Well I love teaching, and being around you brats hasn't deterred me from it."
"And for that, I raise my glass to the teachers of Shujin." He took a sip. "Or one teacher in particular, rather. May she find the peace she's looking for."
"All this flattery is getting you nowhere."
"That's what the coffee's for."
Kawakami laughed, looking down into her mug.
"Have you at least tried hitting on girls your own age?"
"Not interested."
"You or them?" He simply shrugged his shoulders in reply. "I can't with you. What about Takamaki? She's a nice girl, and she's one hundred percent on board with the Thieves."
"That would make things… complicated."
"And trying to date your teacher isn't?"
"I meant within the Thieves themselves. I'm sure you've noticed the two of them are like peas in a pod, and while it's true that Ann is a lovely young lady, I'd rather not step on the whole 'will they won't they' thing her and Ryuji have going on. It's cute."
"I see, we adults have a phrase for that: don't shit where you eat."
"I guess Kamoshida missed that day of sensitivity training."
"You do realize your little nickname doesn't give you license to make everything a joke, right?"
"Hey, you laughed."
All the scoffs and eyes rolled couldn't deny the warmth in her chest, her cup drained to the last drop.
"Thanks for the coffee, Ren. I'll see you at school." She slid back her mug, bracing herself for the cold outside. "Make sure to get some rest, okay? Big day tomorrow."
"Wouldn't miss it for the world. You sure you don't want me to walk you to the train station?"
"I made it around the corner once before, I think I can handle another block or two on my own."
The two of them stood at the threshold, the bright glow of the cafe inside an oasis on an otherwise dark street.
"Anything I should keep my eyes peeled for, when and where we'll make our move?"
That curious, infuriating smile was all she got.
"You'll know when it happens."
The night air tasted like freedom, given to her like fresh water to a woman adrift. On the backs of their newfound bonds, they would find the strength needed to take back control of their lives. As the Cafe LeBlanc got smaller and smaller in her rearview, swallowed up by the stacks of apartments, she asked herself why she missed it more than the bed that awaited her.
I fell in love with an idea
I fell in love with an illusion, of you
I fell in love with an attachment
I didn't know I had to let go, of you
Song Name: Professor Caveman - Toca La Guitrra
A/N: Another talky one, really just a series of conversations between the Thieves. I wanted to properly set up the Palace as it's an important moment both plot and character development wise and have all the dominoes properly set up for next time which is going to be pretty much a straight shot from the morning of to the fight itself. While this is a Sadayo and Joker centric fic, I do like the potential this AU gives her to bounce off of characters she wouldn't normally interact with. Truth be told, the debate they had in the attic was originally much longer, but I felt some things were better left until after the immediate threat was dealt with. I do apologize if it seems like I'm moving slowly with the relationship portion of things, but I like the idea of Kawakami struggling with how to approach both his and her feelings in such a tenuous situation, a conflict the game expressed in not so many words. I did originally have plans for much more instant gratification on that front, but who knows, maybe I'll make up for it by writing two straight chapters of them bringing the attic room down. Wow, this is going on long already. See ya next time.