Today, Akira was going to see an old friend, and possibly confront some old demons. He walked downstairs to find Futaba and Sojiro.
"All right, I'll see you guys later."
"Where're you headed off to today?" Sojiro asked.
"I have an appointment with Doctor Maruki."
"… Who?"
"He was the counselor at Shujin during my year there."
"He came in here once, remember?" Futaba began. "You almost kicked him out when you found out he was researching cognitive psience like Mom used to." Akira's eyes went wide. This was news to him.
"You did what?" Akira turned to Sojiro.
"Oh, yeah, now I remember him. Kinda of a geek, right?"
"Well, I… yeah." Akira didn't mean to mock Maruki, but it couldn't be denied that he was a bit oddball at times. "Anyway, he's got his own therapy practice now."
"How do you feel about going to therapy?" Futaba asked.
"I don't see it that way, I see it as going to talk to a friend. Which isn't completely wrong, I consider Maruki a friend."
"Right…" Futaba trailed off. She was worried about Akira starting therapy. She and the others only knew bits and pieces of his past before Tokyo, and unfortunately too much about his time in Tokyo, between being tortured by the police and turning himself in. With that said, she was a bit hurt that Akira was choosing to talk to someone else rather than to his closest friends, but it only made her wonder what else he kept to himself. "Well, hope it goes well," she said.
"Take care, kid," Sojiro added. Akira nodded and exited Leblanc.
He made his way to the station, feeling all right. This was his second consecutive day off. College life had been a lot smoother and free flowing for Akira than in high school. His schedule was different from what he was used to in high school. Though Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays were brutally long, he did manage to have Fridays and Saturdays off from classes. Ryuji jokingly referred to his Friday off as "Fuck Off Fridays." Usually, he would hang out with his friends or girlfriend or find time to study, being the star student that he was. However, this was not the case on this Saturday. While on the train, Akira started getting excited at the prospect of seeing Maruki again. The two of them had really clicked during their time at Shujin together. On the other hand, he was also getting anxious. Akira knew he wouldn't be going just to catch up and swap war stories. He was going because he had a lot weighing on his mind, a lot of trauma, pain, and misery. None of which he wanted to think about, let alone speak about with anyone.
While sitting on the train, Akira received a cell phone call from Makoto.
"Hey, Makoto. What's up?" he casually answered.
"Akira, hi! Are you busy at the moment?"
"I'm on my way to see Doctor Maruki. Why? Everything all right?"
"Oh yes. Everything's fine. I just wanted to get together and talk. Would you be available to meet up later on?"
"Sure, why don't we meet up at Leblanc in, say, two hours?"
"That works for me. See you then, and please give my regards to Doctor Maruki for me."
"Will do. See you then, Makoto," Akira said before hanging up. That was odd to him. The Phantom Thieves rarely if ever called him. He wondered what Makoto wanted to talk to him about.
*Shinjuku. The Next Stop Is Shinjuku.*
Akira got off the train and made his way to the streets of Tokyo's red-light district. It seemed a bit livelier than he remembered it being. Music could be heard being performed by street musicians. Ironically, they were playing The Police's "Roxanne."
"Subtle," Akira thought as he smirked. While walking through the streets of Shinjuku, he had to check to see if the "Maiden" was still at her usual spot. As he rounded the corner, there she was, standing, obviously waiting for him.
"Akira-kun! It's been a while!" Chihaya exclaimed, diving for a hug.
"You knew I was coming, weren't you, Chihaya?" Akira chuckled, hugging his friend, and another one of many outsiders who helped the Phantom Thieves two years ago.
"I may have done a reading, yes," she winked and smirked. "How've you been?"
"Shouldn't you know that too?" he quipped.
"What? Do you think I spend all day and all night reading your fortune?" she cutely shrugged.
"Haha, I guess not. That would be kinda weird," Akira rubbed the back of his head. "I've been doing… okay." Chihaya noticed the pause.
"Just okay? Is something wrong?"
"Well, I've had a rough past couple of weeks. I don't have a lot of time to go into it right now, but-"
"AKIRA!" Another female voice interrupted the two. "YOOHOO!" The two turned around to see the Phantom Thieves' exclusive reporter, Ichiko Ohya.
"Ohya!" Akira welcomed her in with a hug as well. "What are you doing here? Isn't it a little early to start drinking?" he joked. Ohya did not find humor in it, though. She slapped him on the arm.
"Hey! For your information, I am six months sober. I was just coming by to see Lala-chan when I happened to bump into you." Akira felt guilty about the fact that he spoke without thinking.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Ohya couldn't hold her fake pouty face any longer and burst out laughing.
"Ah! I'm just messing with you, kid. Don't worry. You didn't hurt my feelings," she slapped him on the arm again.
"Oh… so you're…?" Akira was confused.
"I still drink. Less than when you met me, but I'm known to have an evening drink every now and then," Ohya giggled.
"But it's only noon…" Chihaya said, checking her watch.
"Not by my screwed-up sleep schedule. It's evening for me," Ohya laughed; Akira and Chihaya looked at each other, slightly wincing. "Anyway, enough about me. What about you? How've you been, kid?"
"Well, like I was telling Chihaya here, I haven't been great. I'm actually going to see an old friend who's a therapist to talk about some things."
"Oh! You mean that Maruki guy?"
"You know him?"
"Yeah, he stops by Crossroads every night after he's done working for the day. I've talked to him quite a bit. He's kinda cute, but the guy's too much of a Boy Scout. All he drinks is TaP soda, for God's sake." Everyone had a slight chuckle.
"Yeah, sounds like him, all right."
"How do you know him, Akira-kun?" Chihaya asked.
"He was a counselor at Shujin Academy during my time there. We talked and got along pretty well."
"Oh? Was he a dork then as well?" Ohya asked; Akira laughed.
"I wouldn't call him that, personally…"
"But…" Ohya leaned in.
"Definitely a dork," Akira nodded and chuckled, "but he really is a good person."
"Man, that guy's probably never even had a sip. I might have to bribe Lala-chan to spike his soda with whiskey or something," Akira and Chihaya both shot her a look. "…what? I'm just joking, jeez." Akira rolled his eyes.
"Well, listen, ladies, it's been fun catching up, but I have to go. Can you point me in his direction?"
"Down that street." Chihaya pointed out the directions. "Head down the alley on the right. His door will be on the left. You'll see his nameplate beside it."
"Thanks. I'll see you two around," Akira said as he took off, waving goodbye as they waved back.
After a two-minute walk, he found himself outside Doctor Maruki's door. He entered the building and found himself in an empty waiting room. It was a lot smaller than Doctor Kimura's. This one didn't even have enough room for a receptionist's desk. He hit the buzzer beside Maruki's office door, letting the good doctor know that he had a patient in the waiting room. Before Akira could even sit down, the door to the office opened, and Maruki walked out to greet him.
"Akira Kurusu! As I live and breathe," Maruki exclaimed. "Nice beard!"
"Hey, Doc! Thanks, haha. It's been a while," Akira replied as the two shook hands.
"Please, come on in." Maruki guided Akira towards his office. It wasn't much. A desk in the corner, two chairs were facing each other with a coffee table separating them—a potted plant in the other corner, a bookshelf, and a tall lamp. It made Akira's room at Leblanc look like Nagata's lecture hall. "Please, have a seat…argh, ngh…" Maruki sounded in pain as he sat down. Akira was confused and concerned.
"Are you okay, Doc?" he asked.
"Oh, uh, don't worry about it," Maruki smiled. He was gripping his lower abdomen and had a hand on his left leg. He directed Akira to sit in the second chair, closer to the bookshelf. Maruki sat down, but not before grabbing a journal and opening it. "So, tell me. How are you doing?"
"Well, if I'm being honest, I haven't been feeling that great lately." Maruki shifted an eyebrow.
"I see. Would you care to elaborate?" Akira was not feeling very comfortable. Even though Maruki was easy to talk to, he preferred not to talk about what was on his mind. He could feel another migraine coming on.
"Doc, would you mind if we made a bit of small talk first?" Maruki noticed Akira's discomfort.
"Of course, we can talk about anything you want. Heck, you could take a snack and leave, haha." Maruki pointed out a bowl of snacks on the coffee table next to a box of tissues. Considering the size of the bowl, it looked half-empty.
"Hehe, still carrying those snacks around, huh?" Akira chuckled.
"Haha, you'd be surprised how many snacks get taken out of that bowl during the day."
"What, do you take a lot of breaks?" Akira jokingly asked. Maruki chuckled.
"Haha, no. Many of my patients tend to get emotional, and a snack always seems to help them cheer up a bit. That and some of my patients have diabetes so, they help stave off low blood sugar as well."
"Thanks, Doc, but I don't think I can just walk out with a snack and not say anything this time. I mean, I am paying you after all."
"Oh, don't worry about that. You'll get a family and friends discount."
"Didn't know you could do that," Akira said, surprised.
"Perks of being my own boss. I could make this consultation free if you so desired." Akira quickly shot that idea down.
"No, I couldn't ask you to do that. I have no problem paying."
"All right, it's up to you. Now, is there anything you'd like to discuss? Anything you want. You don't have to talk to me as your therapist; you can pretend I'm one of your friends if you want."
"So… like at Shujin?"
"If we must, haha."
"Right. Well… I started college, for one."
"Congratulations. How's that been going so far?"
"Fine. Nothing special has happened yet."
"What are you studying?"
"Business and Restaurant Management. I want to open my own restaurant or café later on down the road."
"Impressive, Akira-kun. I hope you'll invite me to the grand opening, haha."
"Why don't I start by inviting you to my graduation?" the two laughed.
Akira was getting more comfortable. The two talked quite extensively about college, the group's cross-country trip the previous summer, and various other topics. Maruki did try to coax Akira into talking about his time in Inaba, but Akira knew what that would lead to, and was not ready to open that can of worms yet. Maruki didn't pressure him.
"Well, then, what about Yoshizawa-san? How's she doing? You know she was the one who got us in contact?"
"Yeah, I know. She's doing great."
"Did she also told you what happened on that day?"
"What do you mean?" Akira was confused.
"Well, we ran into each other at a coffee shop, a bit too literally," Maruki chuckled, "and she spilled her coffee on me." Akira went wide-eyed before laughing profusely.
"Hahaha. Really? She didn't tell me that part, haha."
"That's understandable. She was pretty embarrassed," Maruki admitted.
"Is that why you sat down so awkwardly?" Maruki embarrassingly nodded. "Wow…" Akira was stunned, still laughing. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh at your pain."
"Haha, it's all right. It was just an accident. There were a lot of people in that coffee shop." Akira managed to regain his composure.
"Okay. Phew. Sorry about that. To be honest, I needed a good laugh."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"Like I said, I haven't been feeling great as of late." Akira's cheery mood was slowly fading.
"Would you like to give me the headlines?"
"Well, I've been having some problems lately."
"Well, in my domain, that's not a headline, Akira-kun. That's the name of the paper." The two shared a chuckle. Akira did forget that Maruki had a good sense of humor as well. "I'm sorry. What kind of problems?"
"I've… started having seizures…" Maruki was stunned.
"Oh no… I'm sorry to hear that. Is it epilepsy?"
"No. That's what stresses me out. Sumi and I went to a neurologist, and she found nothing wrong with my brain. I even went and got an MRI done at the hospital and the results also came back clean. The doctor there said it might just be because of overwhelming stress, but…"
"You're not sure, are you?" Akira silently shook his head. "…well, then, what do you think it might be?"
"… I don't know, but I have a feeling that, if I ever find out, it's not going to be anything pretty."
"Well, at the very least, you have people you can trust and rely on for support."
Akira paused for a minute. "Do I, though?" he muttered.
"Hmm?" Unlike with Morgana, Akira didn't want to brush it off.
"That's another thing. I-I feel like I've been growing detached from my friends."
"How so?"
"Well, not too long ago, I said some things to some of them, intentionally trying to hurt their feelings." Maruki was once again stunned. "I even pushed one of them to the ground out of anger." Akira's migraine was really starting to hurt by this point.
"I'm… quite shocked. True, I probably don't know you as well as your friends might, but you never struck me as the irritable type."
"I wasn't before, but…" Akira paused.
"…but what?"
"…"
"…"
"Sorry, that's something I'd rather not get into right now," Akira said, reaching out for a snack.
"I understand, Akira-kun. Don't worry. So, are you perhaps feeling lonely?" Akira started eating his snack; he stopped to answer the question.
"Ever since I came back to Tokyo, I admit, I've had those feelings, but I don't understand them, to be honest."
"Perhaps the sudden emergence of your seizures may have triggered some feelings of isolation. You might have felt equal to everyone in your group, but your new medical condition makes you think that you are now no longer on the same level as them," Maruki theorized.
"It's possible. The thing is, when I was in Tokyo during my probation year, they all looked up to me. I was always there for them. I helped them out a lot, and I never asked for anything in return. I wanted to help them."
"I see, and because of that, you felt as though you had to be strong for them and, as a result, you were afraid to show any sort of weakness."
"Maybe? But I didn't feel that way then. I started feeling that way only recently, but like I said, I'm not quite ready to talk about certain things yet."
"Of course, take your time. It's not like this has to be our one and only session."
"Sometimes I…" Akira paused for a moment. "…forget it; you'll think it's ridiculous."
"Try me," Maruki said, shooting straight from the hip.
"Well, sometimes I feel like I'm deliberately pushing them away." Akira picked up on Maruki's stunned expression. "I know. Crazy, right?"
"I-I'm just, once again, surprised. Why would you feel that way?" Akira thought for a moment before answering.
"Before I was sent to Tokyo for my probation, I never had friends back home. Thing is, it wasn't a random thing or like I had trouble making friends; it was a personal choice. I preferred being alone. I was used to it. Don't get me wrong, the people I met in Tokyo are amazing. I love and cherish the bond I have with my friends, and I love Sumire with all my heart…" There was hesitation in Akira's voice.
"…yes?"
"…but lately… I've kinda felt as if going back to being alone would be better."
"Because of your seizures? Or, are you feeling that way because of the way you've acted recently? Pushing your friends down, trying to hurt their feelings. Do you feel guilty about what you did and said, or do you truly wish to be alone?"
Akira once again paused. The pain in his head was worse than ever. He pulled out aspirin from his bag and took two capsules before answering.
"Honestly… I don't know…"
"I see," Maruki nodded. "Akira-kun, do you think you might be depressed?" Akira surprisingly answered honestly.
"If you would've asked me that back at Shujin, I would've laughed in your face, Doc. Now? I want to say, 'no,' but I'm not so sure anymore."
"I never saw this side of you at Shujin. Either you were perfect at hiding it, and I'm a terrible therapist, or this is a new, more recent development."
"For the past week or so, I've put on this fake happy face that I've hidden behind. Kind of like a mask."
"Why is that?"
"Because, I'm not feeling quite right, and I don't want them to know."
"Why not?"
"I just don't."
"Do you not want them to worry about you?"
"Pretty much…" Akira sighed. "I figure, if they don't know anything, and everything stays the way it is now, it's fine."
"Akira-kun, it's not healthy to bury certain feelings, especially keeping them from loved ones."
"Yeah, I know…"
"So, why do you do it?"
"Honestly, I have no clue, but I really don't want to talk about certain stuff. I feel like it's a 'don't ask, don't tell' kind of thing. If they don't ask, I don't have to talk about it. Besides, it's like I said, I kinda like being alone sometimes…"
"I see."
"Look, I love my friends, and I'd take a bullet for any one of them, but I feel like my heart is telling me to leave them, and I don't know why."
"Is it what you want?"
"Again, I want to say, 'no,' but the first answer that came to mind was 'yes.' Why do you think that is?"
"I wish I could give you a solid answer, Akira-kun," Maruki said somberly. "I'm sure we'll figure it out as we go along."
"Right. Sorry, I was hoping this reunion wouldn't turn out to be such a downer," Akira weakly chuckled.
"You have nothing to apologize for, Akira-kun." Maruki saw sadness in Akira's eyes. "If you feel like you need to cry, go right ahead." Again, Akira felt like crying, but once again, no tears were flowing.
"I can't… I want to, I'm trying to, but I can't," Akira sighed before letting out a slight chuckle. "You remember Ann Takamaki, right? Blond, pigtails, aspiring model?" Maruki silently nodded. "She's got major waterworks up there in her eyes. She cries a ton. Whether she's happy, sad, or whatever, haha." Akira smiled a bit. It wasn't a big smile, but it wasn't a fake one either. "Even Ryuji, he always tries to act tough, but he's a softie deep down, haha."
"Ryuji Sakamoto?"
"Yeah. Speaking of Ryuji and Ann, they finally got together."
"What do you mean? They're a couple?"
"Yep, it's about time. I had a feeling those two liked each other ever since my probation year."
"So, there was someone he was interested in after all…" Maruki muttered.
"What was that, Doc?"
"Oh! It's nothing, haha. I just remembered something from a session I had with Sakamoto-kun back at Shujin."
"Ah. Oh, and it's not just them, either. Makoto Niijima and Haru Okumura are together, as well as Yusuke Kitagawa and Futaba Sakura. Although, I'm not sure if you remember those last two; they weren't Shujin students."
"No, no. I do. Kitagawa-kun had blue hair, right?" Akira nodded. "And Sakura-san had orange hair?" Akira nodded once more. "I remember them, indeed. I met Sakura-san and her father when I went to Leblanc one time." Maruki breathed a sigh. "It seems the younger generation is falling in love at a much faster rate, haha."
"Jeez, Doc, you're not that old." The pair chuckled. "But you could say that. The only ones who were together when I came back two weeks ago were Makoto and Haru. The other two couples pretty much happened within twenty-four hours, haha." Akira chuckled. "Oh, and Makoto sends her regards by the way. I talked to her shortly before coming here."
"Why don't you tell me a bit about you and Yoshizawa-san? It seems like you two have gotten a lot more serious since we last met, what with you saying you love her with all your heart."
Akira nodded. "Indeed I do, she's absolutely amazing. We've been together for about a year and a half now, two in July."
"That's great!" Maruki beamed. "If I remember correctly you told me you two met on the train just days after you arrived at Shujin, right?" Akira nodded.
"Second day of school. We became good friends after that. At first, she mostly called me 'Senpai.' I didn't really like it that much; it felt too weird to me for some reason, haha," Akira chuckled. "I got to know her over the next couple of months. I also learned of her twin-sister's passing. She said you helped her out a lot."
"I remember that, yes." Maruki remembered the sessions he had with Sumire after the death of her sister, Kasumi. She felt guilty and responsible. It took a long time, but after more than a year of counseling with Maruki and spending time with Akira, she managed to forgive herself and move on.
"We would talk, she would make lunch for us, or more specifically, a lunch for me and a buffet for her, haha. She would teach me some gymnastics. Things like that taught me a lot about her. But it was around June of that year that I realized I was falling for her. I later found out that she was also falling for me."
**June 29th, 2016 - Metaverse**
Akira didn't know where he would find his soulmate, but he didn't expect it would be in the Metaverse. In June 2016, during Akira's probation year, the Phantom Thieves, which at the time only consisted of Akira, Ryuji, Ann, Morgana, Yusuke, and newest member, Makoto, were busy with their third target, Shibuya mob-boss, Junya Kaneshiro. They were taking a break within one of the many safe rooms Palaces offered due to low cognition and a lack of shadows. By now, they had successfully infiltrated the Palace and secured the route to Kaneshiro's treasure. All that was left was to send the calling card.
"Man, I'm exhausted…" Ryuji complained. He removed his gloves and cracked his knuckles. "My arms are sore; my hands especially."
"I've seen your grades, you might want to get used to it," Morgana cackled.
"Shuddup, Mona!"
"I must agree, that was a rather long excursion," Yusuke added.
"Sorry, guys. After we cut it kinda close with Kamoshida and Madarame, I figured we should try and get this done sooner rather than later," Akira said.
"No worries, Joker. I think you made the right call," Morgana praised the group's leader.
"So, you really had no plan when you first started out?" Makoto asked.
"Not really, we just kinda winged it and hoped for the best," Ann replied; Makoto scoffed.
"Thank goodness, I came along. This team seriously needs a strategist and proper advising."
"We were doing fine under my tutelage…" Morgana said, trying not to sound to hurt.
"Still, we appreciate your help, Queen," Akira said with a smile that made Makoto blush.
"Hey, when's the deadline again?" Ryuji asked.
"Uhm, July 9th," Makoto responded.
"For real!? Sweet! We got plenty of time! We could send the calling card tomorrow and be done with it by the weekend! Maybe I'll be able to finally play some more of that video game I got last month!"
"May I remind you that we have exams coming up soon?" Makoto folded her arms. Even through his mask, the group caught the dejected look on his face.
"It seems he would've preferred you hadn't," Yusuke said.
"Not now, Fox…" Ryuji dejectedly said. Makoto clicked her tongue.
"I saw you last exam results, Skull. I won't have you fail on my watch," she said.
"Hahaha, with her by our side, you have no excuse not to study, Skull," Ann chuckled.
"I've seen yours as well, Panther," Makoto glared, causing Ann to go slightly pale.
"Well, now that we're done here, why don't we head back to the-" Akira began before getting cut off by a speaker turning on. The voice of Kaneshiro's shadow came over it.
*This is a message for the Phantom Thieves. I do hope you're all still here because if not, that would be a damn shame…" The Thieves all looked at each other, confused.
"The hell's he talkin' about?" Ryuji asked. Kaneshiro continued delivering his message.
*Come find me soon, or her blood will be on your hands.* The speaker switched off.
"What could he mean by 'blood will be on our hands?'" Yusuke asked.
"It's gotta be a trap," Ryuji said.
"Definitely, but if someone's in danger, we have to help them!" Ann vehemently said. Next thing, a computer monitor switched on. It showed a red-haired girl in a black and yellow track uniform tied to a chair surrounded by shadows.
"Wait a second, isn't that…?" Makoto pondered at the sight of the familiar girl.
"That's… Yoshizawa-san!" Morgana recognized. "What is she doing here!?"
"Joker, what do we-" Before Yusuke could finish asking what the plan was, Akira was already rushing out the door. He recognized the location; it was a conference room where they first encountered Kaneshiro's shadow their first time within the Palace.
"JOKER!" Makoto yelled out before the rest of the group followed him out.
The Thieves kept calling out, trying desperately to reach him, but Akira didn't stop running. He forwent discretion in favor of running until his legs failed him and his veins pumped battery acid. He was fuming and had fire in his eyes. Akira literally ran through shadows, taking them out with one slash of his blade. The trick in this situation was that there was no trick. There were no rules in the Metaverse; Akira didn't have a certain mantra or road map. Even with planning and advising from Makoto, in the Metaverse, it didn't matter how good or smart the group was. It was mostly dumb luck amongst a parade of chaos. All they could do is hope and pray for the best possible outcome.
Akira tried to take the smarter approach. He usually did, but this was the exception. Akira had to get the girl out of there. The one he was in love with. His lack of a solid plan, however, inevitably led to his downfall, and the Thieves swallowed the bait hook, line, and sinker. As soon as he and the others entered the room, a group of shadows ambushed them. They were all down on the floor with the shadows holding them down. They were unable to use their weapons or summon their Personas; they were powerless. Kaneshiro's shadow was smiling.
*Well now, you all sure rushed in here in a hurry,* The mob-boss began. *From that fact, am I right to assume that you know this girl?*
"LET HER GO, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Akira yelled out. Seeing Sumire in danger made an old, familiar feeling rise within him. It was one he hated, one that brought back painful memories, but one that, at this moment, he also welcomed.
"S-Senpai…?" Sumire whispered.
*I'll take that as a yes,* Kaneshiro grinned. *Now, on the topic of your debt, I may be willing to afford you a few extra days, so long as this one over here puts in the work, hehehe.*
"If you lay one finger on her, you sick bastard, I swear to God, I will kill you!"
*Are you threatening me?* Kaneshiro chuckled. *You don't look like you have the guts.*
"Try me, you fucking lard-ass!" Even through their partially knocked-out conditions, the Thieves were surprised to hear Akira talk this way. Akira was usually pretty quiet and reserved, but here, he sounded deadly serious.
*Ehehehe… I have to admit, I like your fire. But, you're still a problem to me. Such a shame… Now then, concerning the matter of the girl, do we have a deal?* Kaneshiro asked. Akira stared at him with furious anger and murderous intent.
"GAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
He was about to open his mouth when he heard Sumire shrieking in pain. Everybody looked to see the red-haired girl on her knees, clutching her temple as she looked like she was losing control of herself. The chair she was in was broken, nobody knew how. When she lifted her head, a mask had appeared over her face. Sumire put her hands on it and pulled it off, blood gushing around the contours of her eyes. She wailed, seemingly in agony as she was suddenly engulfed by a blue fire. When she re-emerged, she looked different. Her clothes had changed, the blood on her face was gone, and she was equipped with weapons. Behind her stood a ghostly woman dressed like a ballroom dancer.
"No way! Yoshizawa is a Persona user too!?" Morgana stared in awe. Akira cracked a smirk of a pride.
"I've lost… so much… but, I can't… be weak anymore…" Sumire softly began, a blue fire raging on behind her as the ghostly woman seemed ready for combat. "No matter what… I will not lose! I will fight to the very end! For Kasumi! And for Myself!" She twirled her newly acquired rapier and looked directly at Kaneshiro's shadow. "AND I WON'T LET YOU HURT HIM!"
The rest was a bit of a blur for Sumire. She remembered fighting the shadows alongside this mysterious group of individuals, but afterward, everything went dark for her. She opened her eyes and found herself looking up at the same dark-green sky she had seen earlier. Furthermore, she was able to discern that she was in somebody's arms.
"Hey, are you okay?" a familiar voice asked. Sumire tilted her head toward the voice and saw a man with messy dark hair, wearing a white and black, birdlike domino mask, looking at her. She looked around to see four other masked individuals and a weird creature staring at her with a mix of concern and relief.
"S-Senpai? I-Is that you?" she softly spoke. The man shook his head.
"The name's Joker," he smirked.
From then on, the Phantom Thieves brought her back to Leblanc so she could rest. Sumire was exhausted; the minute she was brought up to the attic and took a seat on the couch, she fell asleep. She woke up an hour later as the sun was beginning to go down. When Sumire opened her eyes, she found herself in the same position as earlier; five people and a creature had their eyes on her. Only this time, she clearly identified the creature as a cat.
"Hey, how're you feeling?'" Ryuji asked.
"Um… I'm okay…" Sumire replied as she sat up straight. "What happened?"
"What do you remember?" Yusuke asked.
"I remember walking through Station Square, I was knocked down by a running passerby, when I looked back up, the sky was dark… a-and then, there was a floating… building…?" She went on to explain how she was caught while trying to avoid shadows. Kaneshiro's shadow recognized Sumire as the twin-sister of a girl who had died in an accident four months earlier. He knew everything that went on in and around Shibuya, including the recent death of a fifteen-year-old girl in a traffic accident. While Sumire would get over Kasumi's death eventually, in June, the wound was still too fresh, and the trauma and feelings of survivor's guilt soon took over her once more. Kaneshiro decided to use her as bait to lure the Phantom Thieves into a trap.
"Jeez… that's rough. I'm sorry about your sister," Ryuji sighed.
"Thank you, Sakamoto-senpai."
"Still, I can't believe she was pulled into the Metaverse like that," Yusuke said.
"She must've been nearby when we activated the MetaNav," Morgana theorized.
"We got lucky. She almost died because of our carelessness. We need to be more careful, from now on," Makoto said; the group agreed.
"M-MetaNav? Metaverse? What do you mean?" Sumire asked. The group all glanced at each other.
"Well, I guess we should tell her, right?" Ann asked.
"Please. I need to know what just happened to me," Sumire demanded.
"What do you think, Akira?" Morgana asked. He thought for a moment and gave a silent head nod. "Okay, we'll tell you everything."
"The short story is," Akira began with a smirk, "we're the Phantom Thieves." Sumire softly gasped and went wide-eyed. They then went on to explain everything; the Metaverse, Personas, Palaces, everything. She took it mostly well.
"I think I understand…"
"You do?" Ryuji said. Everyone turned to him. "I still don't get half of that crap."
"Don't mind him, he's kind of slow," Morgana said.
"Can it, cat!"
"I get it. I'm sure it's not easy to wrap your head around all of that," Makoto said.
"Normally, I wouldn't believe a word of what you just told me… but, after seeing it for myself…"
"Your eyes don't lie, do they?" Morgana chuckled. Sumire smiled.
"You're very good at explaining everything, Mr. Kitty!" she exclaimed. The group snickered, except for Morgana.
"I'll let that last part slide this time…" Morgana grumbled.
"Wait, ain't there somethin' else you should be asking' about?" Ryuji pondered.
"Huh… wait, A CAT'S TALKING!?" Sumire yelled out. Thankfully, Sojiro wasn't around, but there was a probably a certain other someone who heard.
"You've only now just realized that fact?" Yusuke raised an eyebrow.
"Took you long enough…" Ann added.
"I am NOT a cat, I am Morgana!"
"O-Oh, I'm sorry! I-uhm…" Sumire stammered. "Well, since you know so much about all of this, maybe I should call you 'Morgana-senpai'?"
"Fine by me, just don't call me a cat."
"Okay, okay, I think she gets the picture, Morgana," Akira chuckled.
"Wait, something else I just realized," Sumire began. "That one time we had lunch on the roof, Akira-senp—I mean, Akira, I told you that I didn't agree with the Phantom Thieves' methods."
"Yep, sounds about right," Akira smirked, knowing where she was going with this.
"So, that means that I said that to the Phantom Thieves themselves…" Sumire's cheeks went red with embarrassment.
"Haha, don't worry about it," Akira waved it off. Hearing an explanation from the group, directly, Sumire felt a bit different and began to understand more clearly. While she still believed that if a person was faced with an obstacle to overcome, they should do it themselves, Sumire also believed that it was acceptable to ask for help. Hearing from Ryuji and Ann what they and others had gone through with Kamoshida; what Yusuke and others had suffered at the hands of Madarame, and what was being done to Makoto and other Shujin students, she understood that some obstacles are just too big for one person to overcome by themselves. "Well, now that that's all done with, I think the time has come to ask you…" Akira trailed off, smiling.
"Ask me what?" Sumire looked confused as all eyes were silently fixated on her. "W-Wait, y-you want me to join the Phantom Thieves?" With a fresh point of view and a newfound acceptance of the Phantom Thieves, the group decided to offer her a spot on the team. One by one, the members tried to persuade her.
"You've awakened to your Persona," Makoto began.
"You're aware of the existence of Palaces," Yusuke continued.
"You're pretty badass in a fight," Ryuji added.
"You've got quite the potential," Morgana said.
"We think it'd be awesome to have you on the team," Ann cheered.
"Uh…uhm…" Sumire didn't know what to say.
"You don't have to give us an answer right now, but we'd like you to give it some thought. But I have to say, from the way you handled Kaneshiro and his guards, being standoffish suits you pretty well," Akira finished with a wink and a smile. "Just take some time to think on it, there's no pressure." Not only did Sumire give it some thought, she already had her answer primed and ready to be given by the time Akira finished talking.
"Thank you, but I think I'm going to pass on your offer."
"All right!" Morgana exclaimed. "Now that we've got—wait… WHAT!?" The group was just as surprised as he was.
"When I awakened to my… uhm…"
"… Persona," Akira filled in the blank.
"Yes, thank you, uhm, I realized something. I can't keep obsessing over my shortcomings in gymnastics like this."
"What do you mean?" Yusuke asked her.
"I… had a meet today. I got third place. I'm not happy with it, but the school was even less pleased. They warned me that if my results didn't improve, they would revoke my honors status."
"That seems kinda harsh," Ryuji sympathized.
"It would be due to my own inability to succeed in gymnastics, so I have to say, it's not an unfair consequence… but I also overheard the vice principal talking about how I'm a useless waste of effort." The Thieves all scoffed and looked displeased.
"What a dick!" Ann yelled. "They're really putting that much pressure on you, even after you've just lost your sister?"
"That's pretty mean-spirited. I'm deeply sorry, Yoshizawa-san," Makoto added.
"I-It's all right, Niijima-senpai. I also ended up dragging Doctor Maruki into this, as he was with me when I got the news. That's what really got to me," Sumire sighed; today had been a lot for her. "But whatever happened to me in that place gave me a renewed sense of motivation. I'm going to make my dream, and Kasumi's, a reality. That's why I can't join you, right now."
"I understand completely," Akira nodded his head.
"I'm truly sorry. I hate to turn you down like this, especially after all you've done for me."
"Don't worry about it. If you ever change your mind, the invite stands," Akira smiled at her, causing her to blush like Makoto did earlier. At that moment, Sumire's phone went off. She pulled it out and checked it.
"Oh, it's my dad. He's wondering where I am. I-I'm sorry, I have to go right now. U-Uhm, see you all at school!" she said before rushing down the stairs and out of Leblanc.
"Huh, she didn't even thank us for savin' her," Ryuji pointed out.
"Ryuji, we do this because it's right, who cares if we get thanked?" Morgana asked.
"Well, I do!"
"Ryuji, drop it. If anything, she saved us. I think we owe her a 'thank you,'" Akira said.
"I agree. Although, I have to admit, it is a shame that she didn't join us…" Makoto lamented.
"Give it time. I'm sure she'll come around." Akira was confident in Sumire. There was just something about her. Akira couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he felt something. Little did he know, it was love.
The group discussed their plans for the next infiltration before making their way home. Ann, Ryuji, Yusuke, and Makoto all walked to the station together, exhausted from their time in the Metaverse.
"Phew, what a day..." Ann said as she yawned.
"Tell me about it. And I've still got homework to do," Ryuji whined. "I think I'm just gonna skip it."
"No, you are not. I won't let your grades drop any lower, Ryuji," Makoto sternly said.
"Ugh, can you help me then? Pleeeeease?" Makoto rolled her eyes.
"If I may interrupt for a moment" Yusuke began, "can we talk about what happened in Kaneshiro's Palace?"
"What do you mean?" Ann asked.
"I mean, Akira. Did he seem...different to any of you?" Ryuji, Ann, and Makoto thought for a moment.
"Y'know, now that you mention it..." Ryuji scratched his head.
"He did seem more aggressive once he found out Yoshizawa was being held captive by Kaneshiro's shadow," Makoto pointed out.
"I don't think I've ever heard him swear before, either," Ann added. "He's usually so quiet and doesn't say a whole lot."
"Yeah, but that's when he's in the real world with us. When he saw that Yoshizawa was in trouble, he was tearing through the shadows like they were nothing. He even threatened to kill Kaneshiro... You guys don't think he'd really-" Ryuji began before getting cut off.
"No, of course not!" Makoto assuredly said. "I'm sure it was just a 'heat of the moment' type of situation."
"I agree. I don't know him very well yet, but Akira doesn't strike me as someone who would hurt another person, let alone kill them," Yusuke said.
"Definitely not, but still...he did seem like a different person there for a bit..." Ryuji trailed off as they continued to walk to the station.
**November 21st, 2016 — Shibuya Station**
Though Sumire declined to join the group, she wasn't against occasionally joining them for a trip to Mementos to deepen her skills should she ever decide to officially join them in the future. This continued until November 21st. Sumire was standing at the station, waiting for the train to take her home, when she heard people idly chatting next to her.
"Did you hear about the leader of the Phantom Thieves?" That got Sumire's attention right away.
"No, what happened?"
"Apparently, he's dead." And that mortified her.
"No way! Really?"
"Yeah, they say he committed suicide while in police custody."
"Wait, they had caught him? They had him IN custody?"
"Well, from the sound of it, they don't have him anymore…"
Sumire was horrified. By now, her relationship with Akira had progressed beyond friendship. She loved him, and he loved her. She tried calling Akira, but there was no answer. She wasn't a part of the Phantom Thieves group chat and didn't have the other members' phone numbers. She had to know for sure. Sumire ran off the current platform and rushed to another, quickly hopping on a train heading for Yongen-Jaya. She sprinted to Leblanc and ran in through the front door. Futaba was there, and so was Sojiro, but no Akira. Futaba turned to her and casually waved at her.
"Where is he? Please, tell me he's okay!" Sumire pleaded on the verge of tears.
"Sumire, calm down. Akira's fine… well, for the most part…" Futaba replied.
"Where is he?"
"He's upstairs, sleeping. You can go check up on him. Just a heads-up, though, he's in pretty bad shape…" Sojiro replied.
Sumire thanked them both and headed upstairs. Akira was lying in bed, under the covers, when he turned his head toward the stairs and opened his eyes. Even from across the room, Sumire could see the bruises on his face. Nevertheless, to her eternal relief, the boy she loved was alive, if not exactly well.
"Hey…" Akira shot her a weak smile. "What's the story, morning glory?"
Sumire broke down and rushed over to him, hugging him softly, crying due to her being worried about his safety. He had bruises and marks on his face from the torture he had suffered at the hands of corrupt police officers the previous night. Some marks on his body were fresh and others weren't. Sumire felt uneasy as she looked him over. She spent most of the evening with Akira; taking care of him and nursing him as best she could. It was technically their first night sleeping at one another's house. Akira explained everything that had happened in Sae Niijima's Palace, Goro Akechi's plan to betray them and kill him, and the plan they had hatched to trick him.
Sumire was angry that Akira had done all of this without telling her, especially since the two's relationship was getting more serious as the months rolled on. It was then that she reconsidered the offer she had received five months earlier. She knew the dangers, but she vowed never to let anything else like this happen to Akira. With the awakening of her Persona, Cendrillon, her renewed sense of motivation, and her desire to always be there for the one she loved, Sumire Yoshizawa decided she wasn't going to be chained to the rhythms of society. She would march to the beat of her own drum. As Cendrillon. As Sumire Yoshizawa. As Violet.
**Maruki's Office — Present Day**
Of course, with Maruki not being aware of Akira's involvement with the Phantom Thieves, Akira chose to leave those parts out when discussing his relationship with Sumire.
"I'm happy for the two of you," Maruki said.
"Thanks. What about you, Doc? Anyone on your radar?" Akira asked.
"Uh… no, not really, haha. I'm way too occupied with my job to be concerned with dating right now," Akira was doubtful of Maruki's response.
"Sorry, but do you mind if I ask you something a bit personal, Doc?" Maruki nodded. "Are you still… grieving over Rumi?"
"… You're very perceptive, Akira-kun." Maruki maintained a neutral expression, but Akira could tell his question had touched on something sensitive.
"Well, these glasses aren't just for show." Akira pointed to his glasses. "Well, actually, they are, haha," he joked, trying to bring the mood back up. "Sorry… I probably shouldn't have asked." Maruki waved him off.
"Oh no, it's fine, Akira-kun," Maruki sighed. "I wouldn't say I'm still grieving, but I don't feel ready to jump back in the sea."
"I get it. How long has it been now? Two-three years?"
"Three years this past February."
"You never told me how she passed away. From that fact, I assume it was something horrible?" Maruki nodded once again. "You don't have to tell me about it, but do you think talking about it would make you feel better?"
"You stole my line, Akira-kun, haha," Maruki chuckled. "I thought I was the counselor here." Akira chuckled as well. "I appreciate the gesture. Maybe someday, but I don't quite feel like it now. Besides, we're supposed to be helping you, not me."
"I understand," Akira said, nodding his head. "I'm sorry I brought her up."
"No worries, Akira-kun. To be honest, I feel comfortable talking with you."
"Same here, Doc."
"Well then. Is there anything else you would like to talk to me about? We still have a few minutes left before our session is up."
"Already?" Akira was stunned. He looked at his phone and saw that almost an hour had passed. Akira thought that he had once again blacked out. "Wow, that was fast."
"Well, time does tend to fly by when you are talking, haha. Our sessions at Shujin must have felt like no more than a few minutes to you, haha."
"You know? You're not entirely wrong, haha," Akira laughed. "But I think I've said all I wanted to say for today," he said as he stood up from his seat.
"All right then." Maruki stood up as well and shook Akira's hand. "Same time next Saturday then?"
"Sounds good. Let's do it!" Akira nodded. He felt enthusiastic; therapy wasn't as bad as he'd thought it would be. It was akin to getting a needle in the arm; unpleasant, but over before he knew it. Of course, most people only get shots once or twice year. Akira was going to get one every week. He figured, eventually, one of them would leave a mark or draw some unwanted blood.
"Great!" Maruki said, escorting Akira out of his office. "I'm glad I got to see you again, Akira-kun."
"Me too, Doc." Akira was about to head outside when he turned back. "Oh! One more thing."
"Hmm?"
"You might want to watch out tonight at Crossroads. Your soda might be spiked. Just a heads-up; that reporter really likes you," Akira winked. "See you next week, Doc," he said as he exited the building.
"… Maybe I'll just go straight home tonight…" Maruki thought aloud before going back into his office.
Akira texted Makoto, letting her know that he was on his way back to Leblanc. She responded by saying that she was on her way there as well. He put his phone down for two seconds, only for it to start ringing. It was his cousin, Rise.
"Hey, Rise. What's shakin'?" Akira answered the phone.
"Hey yourself, kiddo! How's college so far?"
"Same as high school, for the most part."
"Well, it's only been a week. Give it time. It'll feel a whoooole lot more different soon."
"How would you know? You never went to college, haha."
"Touché, heehee. It's just what I've heard from Yu."
"Right, hehe. So, what else is up?"
"Well, the reason I'm calling is that I wanted to let you know that Yu and I are going to be coming to Tokyo for Golden Week."
"Really? That's awesome! That's from the 29th until the 5th, right?"
"Yep, and we'll be there from the 28th until the 5th."
"Any special reason why?"
"Not really, just want to get out of Inaba for a bit before the wedding. Plus, we get to see you and perhaps meet your girlfriend~."
"Sounds good. I hope you're not expecting to get out of Risette's skin for the week because I have a couple of friends who would kill me if I didn't introduce them to you."
"No worries! I'd love to meet your friends, Akira!"
"Great! Well, I'll see you then. You have a place to stay, right?"
"Our hotel's already booked, no worries."
"Awesome! I gotta go. Talk to you later, Rise!" Akira said as he stepped on the train back to Yongen-Jaya.
"Love you, cuz! BYEEEE~!" Rise hung up.
"Hoo-boy, Ryuji's gonna freak out when he hears about this…" Akira thought.
Back at Leblanc, Makoto walked in and greeted Sojiro and Morgana. The place was empty save for the owner and feline.
"Hello, Boss, Morgana," she greeted them.
"Hey, Makoto," Morgana greeted.
"What brings you in?" Sojiro asked her.
"I just needed to talk to Akira about something."
"Well, he said he went out to see a therapist of some kind?" Sojiro said.
"Doctor Maruki, yes. I called Akira earlier. He texted me saying he was on his way back."
"Well, you're welcome to sit here and wait for him. You want something? Coffee, perhaps?"
"If you don't mind. Thank you, Boss." Makoto nodded.
"Coming right up. Take a seat."
Makoto set her bag down and took a seat in one of the booths. Sojiro served her some coffee, and she chatted with Morgana while waiting for Akira. About twenty minutes later, Akira walked in through the door. He felt peppy after his chat with Maruki.
"Ah, you're back," Sojiro greeted him. That was the way Sojiro greeted Akira pretty much every time he walked into the café during his probation year.
"Woah, more déjà vu, hehe. Hey, Morgana. Hey, Makoto," Akira said, walking into Leblanc. Makoto got up from her seat and gave him a friendly hug.
"How was your session with Doctor Maruki?" she asked.
"It was pretty great, to be honest." Akira broke the hug. "It felt good to see him again and to talk with him. I'll be going back next week."
"That's great to hear," Makoto smiled.
"So, what did you want to talk about?"
"Let's talk upstairs, if that's all right?"
"Sure, let's go." Akira waved to Sojiro and Morgana as he and Makoto went up to Leblanc's attic/bedroom. They sat down on the couch. "So, what's up?" Akira asked.
"I-I just wanted to check up on you."
"Well, I'm doing fine," Akira smiled.
"What about your head?"
"It's all right, I still get migraines here and there, but they're pretty minuscule. Otherwise, I haven't had a seizure in a while."
"Hmm…" Makoto looked away; she was a bit hesitant.
"… is something wrong?" Akira raised an eyebrow.
"I-I just want to know if you're telling me the truth," she said, looking into his eyes; Akira didn't know what to think.
"…what do you mean? Of course, I am. When have I not told you the truth?" Akira felt like a hypocrite saying that. He had been telling lies pretty much since he returned to Tokyo. To him, though, they were just white lies.
"Well, for one. Why didn't you tell us about your seizures until you had one right in front of us?"
"…"
"…well?"
Akira sighed. So much for them not asking. "I just didn't want to. I thought it was an isolated incident. I didn't want you to worry." Was that really it? Was he lying to himself now, too?
"And what about at the river? The phone call you said you had to take. You told me Boss had called to ask you what time we would be arriving home, but when we were all at Leblanc later on, Boss said that he didn't know what time he'd be expecting us." Makoto spoke calmly.
"…and?" Akira was growing frustrated as he remembered the true phone call.
"You said you told him seven o'clock."
"I told him we'd be back around seven-ish. I don't know what you're trying to get at, Makoto." Akira grew even more aggravated; the migraine was creeping back in.
"Akira, did Boss really call you?" Akira looked away.
"Makoto, what the hell does it matter now? That was weeks ago."
"Akira, look me in the eye and tell me that Boss was the one who called you." Akira got up from the couch and walked over to the window, facing away from her.
"…the person who called me is none of your damn business, Makoto. Do you understand me?" Akira was angry but still speaking softly.
"Akira…"
"I lied and told you it was Boss because it was a personal matter. You're not the student council president anymore, and you're not a cop yet, either. You don't get to police me around and interrogate me like your sister did."
"I-I'm not interrogating you. I just want to make sure you're okay."
"Honestly? No, I'm not okay. Your questions are giving me a fucking headache. It seems like I only get these migraines when I'm stressed about something, and right now, that's you."
"L-Look, I just want to-"
"Makoto, just get out!"
"Akira, I-"
"I said FUCK OFF!"
The room went quiet. Akira was angry; his yell was loud enough for Sojiro and Morgana to hear from downstairs. Makoto was speechless; she was angry and hurt by what her best friend had said to her. She silently grabbed her bag and made her way downstairs. Sojiro and Morgana watched as Makoto quickly exited Leblanc, clearly trying not to cry before she left. The peppiness Akira felt after his session with Maruki had vanished entirely. Unlike his previous outbursts, he didn't feel remorse like he had before. He felt that she was out of line, that she had no right to question him. He sat on his bed and thought for a while. Morgana eventually came up. Akira stopped him before he could say anything.
"What was that about?" Morgana asked.
"I know what you're going to say, so do yourself a favor and save your breath," Akira said.
"I don't know what you two were arguing about, but you didn't have to be that harsh."
"She was prying into my business."
"Is that really your excuse?" Morgana scoffed; Akira sighed.
"I didn't say it was a good one."
"Look, I don't know what's been going on with you lately, but I hope these sessions with Doctor Maruki help you figure it out."
"…are you done?"
"You need to apologize to Makoto."
"I will when she does."
Morgana scoffed. "What does she have to apologize for? Being concerned about you?"
"For sticking her nose into things that were none of her business."
"Like what?"
"None of your business either, cat!"
"Is this about what happened with your mom?" Akira flinched and looked at Morgana with an angry look. "Ah! Judging by that look, I'd say I'm right." Akira looked back down.
"Shut up. Shut up," he quietly said before looking down and grabbing his head.
"I wish I knew what that was about too. I hope you tell Maruki about it soon. Sorry to say this, but you've acting nuttier than a cashew factory these past couple of weeks. Maybe if you get stuff off your chest, you'll stop being so bitter and angry for seemingly no reason." Morgana turned around and began heading back downstairs. Before he took the first step, he felt something land next to him and jumped. "GYAAHH!" He saw that it was a notebook. He looked behind him and immediately jumped to dodge another one. Akira was chucking things at him. "What the heck are you-"
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" Akira was yelling as he blindly hurled his notebooks at Morgana.
Before he could throw another, he froze up. He felt his muscles tense up. His body was feeling tingly. He dropped the notebook and began rubbing his hands. It felt like electricity was running throughout his body.
"Akira?" Morgana watched as his partner twitched.
Akira suddenly got jelly legs. He tried to catch himself on the shelf to his left, but ended up falling, knocking a few of his friends' souvenirs for him to the ground. His body started violently jerking on the floor. Morgana panicked. Sojiro, having heard crashes and yelling from upstairs, ran up to see Akira on the floor, having another seizure. Panicking and confused, he tried to clear the surrounding items. He then heard a gasp behind him. Futaba came up and saw what was going on; she covered her mouth in shock and tried desperately to hold back tears.
"Go get the doctor, right now!" Sojiro ordered Futaba to go get Doctor Takemi. She ran out as fast as she could. Akira stopped spasming and simply passed out. Sojiro decided to move him to his bed, where he waited for him to wake up.