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Strange But True

Monday—June 15, 2021

A|N: I've come to the sound conclusion that this will be a War and Peace (Leo Tolstoy) sized novel seeing as I already reached over 100k+ words.

"What….how?"

Ryuji's question was one everyone was silently asking in their heads as Sophia sat in the middle of their living room, legs crossed as she felt the rug underneath her fingers, humming to herself.

"No idea," Ren said earnestly, unable to hide the curiosity or surprise from his tone. He turned to the cat and frowned. "Morgana, have you seen this before?"

"Nothing," he meowed back, stepping up close to take a whiff of her. "She definitely smells human….you said there's a heartbeat?"

"This is even crazier than Ryuji ordering a gold bar," Ann muttered under her breath and put her hand to her forehead. "I can't believe I'm getting a headache over this…."

Sophia felt up and down her body with a frown. "It feels real. I feel real. What happened?"

"You're asking the wrong people," Ryuji said and threw his hands up. He leaned against the wall behind him and grumbled. "Can't we all... like….figure this shit out later? I'm effin tired and I wanna sleep."

"This is important, Ryuji," Ann scolded sternly, putting her hands on her hips and leaning forward with narrowed eyes. "This is kinda a big deal."

"Yeah, but he's right, Tak—Ann," Goro said and waved a hand of acknowledgement at the blonde boy. "We most likely won't solve the mystery within the next hour or so, especially not when our minds are addled from fatigue."

Ann sighed and looked at her wristwatch, yanking her hair from its ties and letting it fall messily. She merely looked at the detective instead.

"I'm too tired to go back. Can't we just stay here till morning?"

"We have no room left," Ryuji snorted.

"Can't you two share a room for tonight? Please? I really don't want to walk back. Not at this time…."

"It's fine," Ren said, a bit more welcoming and gestured to the hallway. "One of you can take my room."

"I will offer my abode," Yusuke said with a bow of his head. "Although, one will have to share with Sophia."

"That's fine! She can be with me."

.oOo.

Goro was nursing a small but deep wound on his cheek, biting down hard as he cleaned the laceration from the dry blood, soaking the cloth with new as it seeped angrily. He gave up and tossed the cloth in the trash, deciding it was not worth the fight right now.

Whatever he was preoccupied with came to an abrupt stop when there was a series of sharp, short knocks on his door. Goro had a feeling and was not surprised when he found Ren at his door with his phone in his hand, wearing a lopsided grin on his face that was looking a bit battered and bruised (worse than his own).

The brunette stepped to the side and let Ren in, closing the door behind him.

"That took longer than usual," Ren said snarkily as he slid past him.

"Do you think we did it?" Goro asked the moment his friend found his customary seat at the desk.

Ren flipped the chair and sat on it backward so he could rest his arms and chin against the backrest. "We just have to wait and see."

Goro sighed and crossed the room, taking residence on his bedside, right at the footboard so he could talk. "Waiting may just be the hardest part."

Ren hummed in agreement. "Probably….we usually end up finding a—"

There was another knock on the door and since Ren was sitting beside him, Goro could not imagine who it would be. Yusuke would verbally announce his arrival while Ryuji would just walk in….announcement be damned. He exchanged a questioning glance with the bespectacled teen.

He hissed in irritation, wanting to be left alone tonight—Ren was the exception—and tilted his head to the ceiling as if searching for some patience above.

"Are you going to get it?" Ren snorted.

"I don't want to," Goro muttered but heaved himself off his comfortable bed, strode across the room, and opened it with a bit more vigor than usual. He tried not to let the scowl on his face become too apparent, but when he spotted a redhead at his door, he let it melt away. "Sumire?"

"I-I can't sleep," she admitted softly and tied her hair back, looking at her wristwatch. "Not after what happened."

Goro looked over his shoulder although he knew she could not see who he was looking at. She twirled her fingers through her hair before throwing out a frustrated sigh and stepped closer to Goro.

"Can we take a walk?" she asked all in one breath.

"Me?" Goro asked, then cleared his throat, eyebrows drawing together in genuine confusion. "Why?"

"I….I just….you feel like someone I can talk to right now," Sumire confessed slowly but her head shot up as she threw up her hands. "But if you're busy, that's okay! I-er….forget I asked."

"No," Goro said with some resignation and rubbed the corners of his eyes tiredly, figuring this would be an opportunity to get to know the redhead that he had spent months with under very different circumstances. After all, he did want to know more about these people….

"Really?" Sumire asked, blinking up at him with gratitude shining in her eyes.

Goro could not bring himself to be annoyed at her innocence. "Sure, let me grab my jacket."

Sumire paused when Goro did. "What is it?"

"I've….well, I….Ren's with me," Goro stuttered a bit awkwardly and pushed the door open more to reveal the black-haired teen sitting in his room.

Ren lifted a hand in greeting.

"That's okay!" Sumire said and beckoned Ren with a bright smile. "I'd love it if all three of us can spend some time together. It feels like it's been ages since we just got to talk."

Ren heaved a sigh in a similar manner to Goro's and nodded, a small smile of his own playing at his lips. "Sure."

The three headed out in silence, hitting the streets of New York City like they were back in Tokyo. Goro was hit with a strong sense of nostalgia as he walked alongside Ren and Sumire, stuck in the middle of the two. Still, he felt okay being back with her after everything they had faced as a trio.

"Did you want to go somewhere?" Ren asked Sumire.

She hummed and put a hand on his arm. "I saw this little 24-hour cafe down the street. Would you be willing to get coffee in the middle of summer?"

"Why not?" Goro mumbled and frowned as he wrapped his jacket around himself tighter. "Why the hell is it cold?"

"The AC is blasting from every store, silly," Sumire replied then frowned when she caught sight of his unhappy expression. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Goro replied a bit shortly, although there were plenty of things keeping him from being in a good mood—the first being the anticipation. He could feel Ren staring at him, but he stubbornly kept his gaze locked forward—or rather anywhere but him.

"I missed this," Sumire said and put a hand on Goro's to draw his attention to her. "I wanted to thank you for agreeing to come out tonight. I know you didn't really want to."

Goro wondered if it was really that obvious.

Ren held the door of the cafe open for them and the two slid inside; Goro felt like he was whisked right into an overcrowded library with a thousand tomes crammed onto shelves that threatened to topple over with the weight. The pipes were exposed and running and two of the four walls were red bricked.

"Hey, you," the individual behind the counter said and waved them over. "It's not often we get customers at this hour."

Goro worked hard to keep his expression indifferent.

"Three oolong teas," Sumire said cheerfully, pulling out her wallet and some American cash, setting it on the counter and sliding it over. "Keep the change, please."

"Thank you," the barista said pleasantly as Sumire gave her a small bow.

"You didn't have to," Goro said a bit curtly; after all, he did have plenty of money….more than he needed from public appearances alone.

However, Sumire flapped a hand at him. "Nonsense, senpai! It is the least I can do for dragging you out here."

Ren murmured his thanks as they all took a seat at the back of the cafe, taking the booth. Goro sat next to Sumire as Ren perched himself across from them, playing with a strand of hair in front of his eyes.

"Anyway," Sumire said slowly and played with the napkin holder; she had gotten more comfortable with others, but was still slightly nervous. It was not the kind of self-consciousness he saw from Ann or Makoto….just her and Futaba. "I know I have been busy going to the gym, but I was hoping we would be able to do this more often."

"What? Cafe hop at midnight?" Goro snorted, earning himself a bit of a reproachful look from the ravenette. He sighed apologetically, letting his sharp tongue go without thinking first. "It would be nice to see more of you."

"Mhm!" Sumire said, a bit relieved Goro was more willing now. She leaned forward with her arms on the table. "I'm glad you think so! It'll be just like—"

Goro felt his heart seize for a moment because he knew she was going to mention Maruki, which would then, in turn, spark an argument between him and Ren like it always did.

"Old times," Ren said softly, speaking up for the first time since he got into the cafe. Gray eyes rose up to meet brown, settling once in place. "When it was the three of us…."

"Yeah," Sumire said a bit cautiously, but once she was certain Ren was not upset about the topic, she continued with a little more confidence. "I really miss our times together. But, I'm excited to make new memories here! I think….well, I know Kasumi would have loved to be here."

Both Ren and Goro looked at her.

"This was her dream as much as it is mine," Sumire explained as she placed a hand on her chest, over a necklace she wore that held a picture of her sister. "And I am honored that I can continue our dream for the both of us. It's what she wanted and I can honestly say I am proud of myself."

"You should be," Ren said graciously and dipped his head. "You have worked hard to get where you are. It's all been you."

"Thank you, Ren-senpai!" Sumire said cheerfully, producing quite a bedazzling smile. "I promise I won't let Kasumi or any of you down. I will work to my fullest potential!"

"I expected nothing less," Goro said, deciding he should contribute something to the conversation before he would be silently reprimanded. "As I said once before, what you have done is truly impressive."

Sumire turned to give Goro a hug but it was awkward given that they were sitting side-by-side. He freed his arm and patted her a bit awkwardly, arm hovering over her shoulders for he was unsure how much physical contact was acceptable and what was too much.

"How has your training gone?" Ren asked curiously, folding his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his seat.

"Excellent," Sumire said and her eyes widened as a metaphorical lightbulb went off in her head. "Why don't you stop by sometime and watch for a bit?"

Ren nodded.

"You, too, Goro-senpai," Sumire said to him, flashing him another one of those award-winning smiles.

It was becoming too hard to say no to her; Goro nodded, deciding there was no other way to ignore the answer without giving one. Sumire beamed at the both of them as the waitress came up and provided them their orders; Goro had to admit, he was mildly surprised she had remembered his preferred hot beverage from all the way back.

"This reminds me of the time I told you I was club representative," Sumire said as if she was reading his mind. She finished a small sip and set it down to add a few bags of sugar to her tea. "You said you didn't really have a sweet-tooth."

Goro's mind flashed back to that time as well. It was before he was familiar with the Phantom Thieves on such a personal level….when he considered them adversaries rather than allies. He and Ren's relationship was still new and they were both still testing the waters, seeing where the other belonged in the hierarchy. When he couldn't be who he was. What a different atmosphere in comparison to the present.

"No," Goro replied with a shake of his head. "It was more an appearance than anything and before you say anything, Amamiya, it was not a lie—just a marketing strategy."

"I wasn't going to say anything," Ren replied with a bit of a grin, something that made Goro stare a moment too long (it always did).

Sumire giggled and rested her elbows comfortably on the surface, no longer fidgeting nervously. "You asked me about my opinion on the Phantom Thieves….wouldn't you like to hear it now?"

Goro looked at her, nonplussed.

"I still stand with my original opinion," Sumire said with a wave of her hand, looking at Ren more than Goro. After all, she was addressing the leader. "I think what they do is good. But, people need to solve their own problems."

"But you've also proven me wrong," Sumire said before either of them could inquire. She adjusted her skirt and smoothed out the wrinkles as she spoke. "You showed me that people won't get lazy….the Phantom Thieves give them hope….and that's something that must feel more valuable than all the treasure in the world."

Goro and Ren looked at one another before the ravenette blinked gently at her and hummed.

"It's more complicated than that," Ren said as his mind reached for the right words. "I would have thought by now you would see there is much more to it than that. But….before we get into another debate, let's just….hold off when we're not trying to enjoy each other's company."

Sumire looked a bit hurt, but she brightened at the suggestion and nodded. Goro could understand her defensiveness; Ren was relentless when it came to debates, and the Detective knew he was holding back, but it was still strange to be on the receiving end of Ren's sharp tongue if they were not used to it. Goro, on the other hand, lived for Ren's bluntness.

"It is quite something," Sumire said to fill in the momentary silence. "Time has gone by so quickly. It feels like we're racing against the clock."

Goro, once again, instinctively looked at Ren, who gave him a knowing look. However, the brunette refused to let himself feel low tonight when he was enjoying a wonderfully made cup of oolong tea.

"Then enjoy right now," Ren advised wisely.

After they enjoyed chatting at the cafe, they departed and headed back out onto the streets, walking slower than they were coming to. Ren looked at Sumire then dug a hand into his pocket.

"You don't mind?"

Sumire shook her head.

Ren pulled out a pack of cigarettes then tossed it to Goro, flicking out a flame to light his end. Goro slowed his pace, walked behind Sumire to approach the other, and lit his own from the end. The pair now walked shoulder-to-shoulder, saying nothing but Goro found his presence and their proximity comforting enough. However, the security and silence did not last long.

Sumire tilted her head curiously to the side as Goro's entire posture relaxed as he took the first drag. She looked between both boys before clearing her throat.

"If it's okay, can I ask why you started smoking?"

"Who? Me or him?" Goro snorted and turned his head away to blow the smoke out.

"Both," Sumire said earnestly, frowning. "Since I'm sure you know how bad it is for your health."

Goro chuckled, but fell silent. He knew he was not going to give her a genuine answer, so he sat back and thought about his made-up excuse.

"I want to perfect my bad boy image," Ren said, evidently having the same idea. "I might as well embrace the label."

Sumire tipped her head up to look at him in the eye, putting her hand on his forearm since his hand was hiding in his pocket. "Oh, Ren. I'm sorry you're having trouble with it. I—"

"I'm joking," Ren said even though Goro knew he wasn't. The messy-haired boy gently pulled back just enough to get her hand off his arm.

"Oh," Sumire said slowly, still looking at him. "So….well, I really hope you aren't bothered by those rumors. They're stupid."

Ren just gave her an empty but convincing smile and flicked the ashes with practiced ease. Goro watched the smoke burn away the tobacco before he took another long drag to avoid the question, knowing exactly when she turned to him next without even having to see her do so.

"I had my first with Sae Niijima," Goro said, deciding there was no point in hiding at least that part. She did, after all, smoke like a chimney, and he ended up getting caught sharing a smoke or two with her every so often. "Although, she could outsmoke me anyday."

"Really?" Ren asked, speaking up with more emotion in his tone that he had that night. "Does Makoto know?"

"No," Goro said, shaking his head once. "She made sure her sister didn't see….or know. I recommend we keep it that way. We do not want to meddle."

"I couldn't care less," Ren stated plainly but nodded all the same.

They stopped outside the townhouse to finish their cigarettes. Sumire leaned against the wall and folded her arms over her chest as Ren and Goro stood beside each other, a comfortable silence settling over them until—

"Aren't you worried—"

The muscle in Ren's jaw jumped visibly and Goro was about to say something to appease him, but the Leader tipped his chin to take a meaningful drag, letting it spill from his lips. "It's not a habit."

"I'm sorry," Sumire said apologetically and hung her head seemingly in shame. "I don't mean to pry."

"It's fine," he said a bit shortly, bowing his head to inhale and blowing it from his nose, smoking billowing out. His hand reached for something near his shoulder, but it dropped before it became too noticeable.

"What're your plans this week?" Sumire asked curiously, deciding to change the subject entirely, then nudged Ren in excitement. "Oh, you start your internship this week, don't you?"

Ren sniffed and rubbed his nose hastily. "Yeah."

Goro stared at him with both eyebrows rising; he hadn't a clue Ren was doing an internship let alone so soon. "What?"

"You didn't tell him?" Sumire gasped and clapped a hand over her mouth. "Was I supposed to keep it a secret?"

"No," Ren said earnestly, holding up a calming hand. "It's okay. The announcement just slipped my mind with everything that's been happening."

"Sorry!" Sumire squeaked, still looking guilty as she pulled the collar of her jacket over her mouth and tucked her face in it. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"What is it?" Goro asked, his curiosity admittedly piqued.

"Journalist stuff," Ren said in a very anticlimactic manner, waving a hand as if he didn't want to talk about it. "The options were limited since I'm working on a student visa."

"That I understand," Goro said earnestly as he thought about his own current situation. While he was a popular detective in Japan, he would have to work a little harder to convince the law enforcement he was trustworthy enough to be an employee.

"That's right," Sumire said and began voicing the very thoughts Goro was just thinking. "Working in law in a different country isn't easy. What did you have to do?"

"My publicity helped me, but the school pulled strings to get me an internship at the New York City Police Department," Goro replied, shrugging a shoulder. He took the last drag of his cigarette before stamping it out and throwing it away. "But I cannot complain."

"Aren't you working there, too, Ren-senpai?" Sumire asked, biting her lip as if she was unsure whether she should have even said so.

Ren must have felt that she had, for he just shrugged a shoulder and quickened his pace. Sumire sighed and turned to Goro as they fell behind, putting a hand over his as it seemed to be a communicative habit of hers.

"I feel like I say all the wrong things with him," she said softly, shaking her head sadly.

"No," Goro said reassuringly and looked at Ren's back, shoulders hunched. "He's just….it just takes someone special to get to know him."

"Like you?" Sumire asked in such a blatant, innocent tone that Goro was taken aback. He looked at her with astonishment, eyes searching as if he could somehow read her mind and know what she meant by that. "Oh! It's not a bad thing!"

Sumire must have taken his expression as defense, but Goro didn't catch up quickly enough to correct her.

"Anyway," Sumire said as Ren disappeared inside their townhouse. "I just wanted to thank you again for coming out with me tonight. I really appreciated it and I do enjoy spending time with you."

"And I you," Goro said with some genuinity in his tone; he did not dread tonight as he thought he would. But, he wanted nothing more than to get off his feet.

The pair entered the townhouse shortly afterwards and split off to their respective rooms.

Goro was coming out of the bathroom when he nearly slammed into this Sophia individual he had never met before. He bristled when she just blinked up at him, not moving out of his way.

"Can I help you?" he asked with a hint of aggression.

Sophia just shook her head. "I was wondering why Joker left without me."

It took a few moments for him to finally realize what she meant. Goro heard, from stories of their summer road trip vacation, that Sophia had been a companion of the Phantom Thieves from inside Ren's phone.

"You're….human, I guess?" Goro said abrasively and rolled his eyes, unable nor trying to disguise his caustic tone. "You're not trapped in his phone. He can go places without you."

"I see," Sophia said, but this time, his harsh tone did not go unnoticed. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, thank you," Goro said, forcing his voice into feigned politeness. "I am tired, however, and would like to rest."

Sophia stepped off to the side and let him slide past, humming lightly to herself. Goro did not know what to make of this AI turned human; he had most definitely never heard anything like it, but things from the Metaverse seemed impossible at first. He learned not to question the logic behind the Metaverse. After all, Morgana was a talking cat. This was not the strangest thing he had seen in his life.

Goro slipped into his room, spotting Ren falling asleep at the desk, hunched over it. He rolled his eyes in fond exasperation and kicked Ren's chair with a foot, clearing his throat.

"We can share the bed," the detective said and gestured to it.

Ren lifted his head off the table and gave him a confused look.

"It's not like it'd be our first time," Goro said and waved a hand more impatiently. "Hurry before I change my mind. I'm exhausted."

Ren broke out into a grin and slowly got up, sauntering over to the bed and flopping on it. "Looks like we're stuck together….which is strange but true."

Goro grunted in response and pulled off the blanket, throwing it over the both of them. "Still have those headphones?"

"Course," Ren said gently and pulled out the neatly tied wire, holding out the left headphone for him and his phone next. "You choose the music this time. I'll even listen to that horrible classical music."

Goro huffed. "Incorrigible."

"And yet here we are," Ren snickered as he closed his eyes, flicking off the lamp and engulfing them both in darkness.

A snippet of the Royal Trio that most likely long overdue.