"Oh man, I shot Akechi in the face," Joker said, still processing what the heck just happened.

"WHY THE FUCK DID YOU DO THAT?!" Ryuji screamed.

"Well, I didn't mean to do it; it was an accident!"

"S-Samarecarm!" Morgana's Persona pointed his rapier towards Akechi's corpse, and he slowly lifted himself up, alive. If you saw this coming, congratulations, and if you really expected the protagonist of this story to die in the middle of an arc like that, I've got a bridge to sell ya.

"Urgh…" he groaned, clutching his head. "The killshot was promptly followed by a resurrection spell. I expected nothing less." That, in turn, was followed up with a slap across the face from Makoto. "Relatively light, compared to what you're capable of, Niijima. Merely an expression of disapproval as opposed to-"

"Hey, here's an idea:" Ryuji spoke up, "how about we continue this discussion outside the murder room?"

"We all skipped dinner, didn't we?" Ann added. "Let's get back to Leblanc and order takeaway for everyone."

"Great idea, Lady Ann!" Morgana grinned awkwardly. "Food and deescalation are two of my favourite things!"

"Go ahead," Makoto pointed at the weapon on the table. "I'm just going to unload this thing and join up with you."

The original four left the room. Akechi wiggled his fingers around. "For your consideration: I won't leave any prints."

"Just give me the gloves."

The detective took off the white gloves and tossed them to the president. She put them on and picked the firearm up.

"Don't point the gun towards anything you don't want to destroy," he said, dryly.

"Oh, sorry," she pointed it to the side and removed the magazine.

"…I didn't expect you to take that seriously."

"I watched exactly one internet tutorial on handgun maintenance, I'm deferring to your superior hands-on experience," she said, pulling the slide back and getting the chambered bullet out. "Out of morbid curiosity, how many times have you shot yourself with that thing?"

"Six on accident and once deliberately."

She put the bullet back in the magazine. "I kind of want to hear the 'deliberate' story."

"I kind of don't want to tell it." He handed over the sports bag. "Do you need something to store the gun in?"

The president packed up, the detective grabbed his cane, and the two left the room, the station, and then the Metaverse. Makoto handed the gloves back to their owner, and they walked over to Joker standing by her car, with Ryuji and Morgana by his side, and Ann standing a bit further away, talking on the phone with someone.

"…resolved amicably," she said. "Yes, she can stop worrying, we'll need to talk things through, but nobody was hurt too much. Order some food for everyone, Joker will pay for it when we come back… Good. See ya soon." She hung up, put her phone away and pulled out a pack of wet wipes. "Here, wipe the blood off."

The brunette looked at Akechi rubbing his face and opened his mouth, and then said nothing for a few seconds. Finally, he blurted out "…there's a lot to unpack."

"Personally," the detective threw the used wipe in a nearby bin, "I'm in favour of throwing away the whole suitcase."

"That would've been convenient, wouldn't it?" He started pacing around, glancing in random directions to see if there's anyone within hearing range. "Let's just… pretend that I didn't put a gun to your head, didn't mishandle it the same way Haru did yesterday, and that I didn't tell you to your face that letting you live was a mistake."

Akechi shrugged. "I didn't stay dead, you fixed that almost immediately. And as for the things you said… return to me when you say something I don't keep telling myself."

"I'm aiming higher than your guilty conscience."

The detective cracked a smile. "Well, you went for the head."

The group collectively failed to stifle a giggle. Joker shot them a glare, displeased. "Glad to see you're amused."

"I mean," Ann spoke up, "Akechi has enough issues to shrug this thing off, you're very obviously regretful and will do your best to avoid stuff like this in the future. Let's not dwell on this any more than necessary."

"Say sorry to Detective Prick… original enough for ya?" Ryuji turned to the detective, who waved his palm in a 'maybe' gesture. "Say sorry to him and let's get ready to rescue the one alive non-garbage parent out of… two? Three?"

Joker took a breath to ease his nerves and faced Akechi. "I'm… I'm sorry for claiming you should have died and for accidentally shooting you. How can I make up for that?"

Akechi rubbed his chin. "Hmmm… off the top of my head, you could pay for everyone's dinner tonight." He pulled out the brunette's wallet and handed it over. "You might need this back."

"Can we consider the matter of the accidental discharge resolved?" Makoto opened the car boot and gently placed the bag inside.

"One last word with Joker in private, if I may?"

The brunette nodded. The detective pulled out his phone, put his arm on his shoulder, and activated the Metaverse app. Joker watched as Akechi's clothes switched to the toy soldier outfit and a mask appeared on his face. He took it off.

"That private, huh?"

"One… thing you've said keeps echoing in my head. 'And in this room, of all places'." he repeated, avoiding eye contact. "I've… messed you up a bit, didn't I?"

Joker sighed. "A bit."

"I…" The detective outstretched his hand, unsure. "I'm sorry for… for deliberately shooting you. For what little it is worth."

"Didn't you say sorry for that already? Back when you tried to get Futaba to stab you?"

"That… that one was for what ha-had happened beforehand." Exhale. "The, um, the police brutality and drugging. I-I-I mean, it wasn't my initiative, but…" He pinched the bridge of his nose with his other hand. "Bugger me, I've messed you up a lot."

"I want to disagree, but…" he looked elsewhere, "well…" After a moment of awkward silence and avoiding eye contact, the brunette grabbed the detective's hand and pulled him in for a quick hug and a pat on the back. "Forgiven. Let's get back before they start to get worried."

The two left the Metaverse. The others were already waiting in the car - a dark-blue subcompact, relatively large by the local standards. It appeared used, though not extensively; that and the fact it was a five-seat car for a two-woman family hinted that it had been bought by the late Mr Niijima. Joker called shotgun, and Akechi took the free spot in the backseat. For a few minutes after they took off nobody said anything, before Akechi spoke up, "So, when will I get dressed down for trying to get my hands on a firearm behind your back?"

"What would be the point of that?" the brunette responded. "You already know you did something wrong, and we're going to hide that thing somewhere you won't be able to guess, so nobody, you included, will get shot." He stared blankly through the windshield at the road in front of him. "What was your plan, Goro? What did you even hope to achieve?"

"Rather than try and coax the names out of the kidnappers, I shoot everyone in the face and get Mr Sakura out." He got an irritated groan in response. "Please don't give me your killing-is-bad spiel now."

Cue finger-quotes. "The 'killing-is-bad spiel' aside, the best case scenario for your idea is having to dispose of an unknown amount of dead bodies, and the police cracking down hard on us once they realize the Thieves now kill people."

"I'm not a Thief and never was."

"They've sent a message through the Phansite and would've gotten The Homicidal Detective in response," Ryuji spoke up. "They won't stop to ask ya about your precise affiliation."

"And that's still the best case," Joker raised his voice a tiny bit. "The worst case is, you blow the element of surprise and get yourself or Sojiro killed or arrested and suicided, having accomplished nothing."

"You might be fine with dying for no purpose, but we aren't letting you," Ann added, scratching the cat sitting on her lap behind the ear.

"And doesn't your gun fire some special ammo?" Makoto weighed in. "You mentioned it in that anecdote you didn't finish yesterday."

"Subsonic, yes. Smaller powder load and heavier bullets."

"Guns aren't common in Japan to begin with. If the police would've found such an unusual bullet on a crime scene, they could connect it to you, and to the Thieves by proxy."

Akechi rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "Fine, I concede, this was a stupid plan that could get other people in trouble," he growled, ashamed and angry at himself. "I didn't think it through, It's a bit of a theme of mine, apparently."

"And we could've reached that conclusion without a resurrection spell if you just talked to us, Goro," Joker sighed.

"Look, Ace Defective," Ryuji took the eye roll as 'stop this nonsense', "we've already seen your worst side, whatever depraved murder-y thoughts cross your mind won't faze us. You can open up, really."

After a moment, the detective turned to Ann. "Every time you fire an SMG with one hand, I die a little inside."

She smirked. "That would suggest you aren't completely dead inside already."

"I'm as shocked as you are, but really," he tried to demonstrate the proper way with his empty hands, "that handguard is there for a reason."

The car took a turn into a side road in Yongen-Jaya and Makoto parked it. The five plus the cat got off and marched to Leblanc. After paying (and handsomely tipping) an annoyed delivery girl waiting outside, they brought in three large pizzas and a few large bottles of fizzy drinks.

"Ah, you have returned," Yusuke greeted them. "Did you resolve the issues on the way?"

"Yup," Joker put the food and drinks on the counter. "It was just a misunderstanding. Akechi had an… alternative plan, but we talked him out of it."

Mishima glanced at the detective. "And what was it, 'grab a gun and shoot everyone'?"

"Yes."

Cold sweat went down the Phanboy's back. "…wh-when all you have is a hammer, huh?"

"Anyway," Haru spoke up, grabbing a slice of mushroom pizza, "while you were out, we've realized that since we don't need to do the spy stuff behind Akechi's back anymore, Futaba can prepare some proper equipment."

The geek typed something with a blank expression. "Well, proper equipment made out of the scrap I had in the house," the text-to-speech software on her laptop read out. "A discrete camera and microphone we can connect to Rootkit's phone. No earpiece though, sorry."

The detective inspected the electronics lying on her table and smiled. "I'm nevertheless grateful, and a little bit in awe of your versatility."

Type type type. "Colon three. I need to keep myself busy to stop my Sanity meter from dropping to zero. Pass me a slice."

Akechi grabbed the box and brought it closer to the girl. Then, since he was already up, he walked up to people, offering them a slice. Ryuji stuffed one in his mouth with a "Thuhks", Ann politely nodded and then took a massive bite out of another, and Joker just stared at him with a tired expression, and sighed.

"Is something bothering you?"

"Eh."

"Come on," he put the box on the counter in front of him, "if I'm supposed to be opening up, so are you."

Another sigh followed, and he reached a slice of pizza. "For all my reservations about your approach, nom, our idea still puts you at risk."

The detective shrugged and took a slice of his own. "I don't get why you're worried about me."

"As a peer and a Persona user from a troubled background, you're inherently relatable to us," Yusuke cut his pizza with a knife and fork.

Futaba put her slice in her mouth to free her hands and typed something. "You're trying to get Sojiro out of a pickle," the TTS software read out.

"You're working towards becoming a better person," Haru poured herself a glass of diet coke.

Ryuji swallowed. "We have basic friggin' empathy."

Akechi took another bite, put off-kilter by the outpouring of support. "You… you all are absurdly soft on me, considering, uh, considering even my actions this evening."

"Going hard on you got us where we are right now," Joker countered. "We might as well try the other thing." He took a swig from a two-liter bottle next to him. "Suggestion: you'll have a camera, a mike, and a GPS tracker on you. That means someone can stay close, but not too close to be spotted, and step in with a taser or something if things go south. I volunteer."

"Counter-suggestion:" Makoto spoke up, "you're too versatile in the Metaverse, and I have martial arts training."

"I don't have any," the athlete added, "but I can run fast and swing a baseball bat. Can I tag along?"

"Yeah, but the rest-"

The detective slammed the counter with an open palm, startling people (and a cat). "Do you really expect me to just… let you get endangered over my fuck-ups?!"

Joker didn't reply to it at first, both to allow Akechi to calm down a bit and to formulate a well-put sentence. "First, this isn't just about you, it's also about a man close to everyone in this room, so don't be surprised people are volunteering to take a risk. And second… you're a teammate." He put his hand on the detective's shoulder. "You had nowhere else to go, and we couldn't just leave you out to dry, but that doesn't change the fact that you're helping us out. Let us help you out in return." After a beat, he glanced at the team. "Am I speaking for everyone here? I mean, we're 30k words into this mess, he has proven himself, hasn't he?"

Nobody protested. Futaba closed her laptop, walked up to Akechi and quietly embraced him, staring him in the eyes.

"Um, I-I-I…" he very carefully pried both her hands off, "I need air. I need… to process this all, okay?" He grabbed his cane and inched towards the exit. "I need to leave the room before I say or do something and lose this again, alright?" His back hit the door. "I'll sleep in Ōta tonight, see y'all."

And with that said, he ran out, towards the subway station. Joker sighed, pulled out his phone, and wrote Be back tomorrow at 9:30, there'll be breakfast.

"What is his problem?" Mishima asked.

"He thinks being a villain means he doesn't get to be treated like a human being," Morgana replied. "It's kinda tragic, really."

The Phanboy stared at him, confused. "…can I get a translation?"