This story is a work of fiction.

Any relation to persons, living or dead, as well as events, are purely coincidental.

The author owns none of the characters, or events, that take place here.

The world is not as it should be.

It's filled with distortion, and "ruin" will soon descend.

However...there are those who would challenge fate, in desire for change.

Now, one such group of Tricksters has emerged, in order to rise up against this ruin.

They are known simply as…

"The Phantom Thieves of Hearts."

Persona 5: Hoshi to Bokura to

18th Heist: Regicide, Part 1: The Setup

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In the following days after Ann awakening to her Persona and joining the group in their efforts to take down Kamoshida, Akira and Makoto had arrived at Shujin to find some strange circumstances. More specifically, the stares the former had been receiving all day as classes went on. And it wasn't just the students, either. When Ushimaru passed by him in the hall on his way to second period, the man wrinkled his nose and gave him a mild glare, worse than the one he usually gave, while Kawakami gave him this disappointed, pitying look.

It hadn't been until lunch break when Makoto had gathered the group in the Student Council Room that he understood why.

"Wait, we're getting suspended?!" Ryuji cried in outrage, the news coming completely out of left field. "W-why?!"

"Who else would it be?" Morgana scoffed, shaking his head before his blue eyes narrowed sharply. "You two challenged Kamoshida directly. Joker even managed to spook him pretty badly, which put his Shadow on high alert."

"And given this is Kamoshida we're talking about, two defiant pieces of garbage walking around in his castle doesn't sit well with him." Makoto said, arms folded over her chest with a glare in her eyes. "I also overheard him arguing with Principal Kobayakawa about removing me from my position as Student Council President. He's clearly fed up with us at this point."

Akira grimaced. This was bad. Bad in so many different ways. A teacher angry at him was nothing new. He experienced it quite a few times, but this time was different. His life was literally hanging on by a tiny strand of thread. A screw up and his life was over. With expulsion now hanging over his head like some damn guillotine, he was on borrowed time.

Has Niijima-san heard the news? If she had, then he was already screwed over. The woman made it blatantly clear what would happen if he so much as fumbled even once while on his probationary period. She hasn't said anything, so I'm in the clear. But for how long?

Whatever the case was, they had to act. Now.

"When will me and Ryuji be kicked out?"

"My best guess is on May 2nd. It's the next teacher's meeting."

Ann bit her lip. "That's in less than two weeks. Can we really pull this off?"

"We don't have a choice." Makoto said. "It's almost time for lunch to be over. Let's meet after school in the alley. Ryuji-kun, about that thing you were talking about the other day..."

TakeYourTime

Akira examined the knife in his hand. It was light and fairly long, but little smaller than a butcher's blade. It was quite sharp, despite it being little more than a toy. At first, he doubted its capability until he had used it against one of the wooden crates. The result was a long, sizable cut that was etched deep into the wood. It was yet another thing about the Metaverse that amazed him. If it recognized a toy knife as the real thing, he could hardly wait to see how it would see a gun.

"Hm, not bad..." Makoto gave the serrated knuckle dusters on her hands a try, throwing a few punches at the empty air. "They're quite light."

"We sure they'll work?" Ann asked with some skepticism, looking at the whip in her hands. It looked like an ordinary toy you'd see in a shop, maybe for cattle and whatnot. "I mean, the guns look real enough, but..."

Morgana chuckled, waving a paw. "Don't worry, Ann-dono. In the Metaverse, even something as meager as a toy knife will be real. That being said, I would advise you treat your weapon with caution. Last thing we need is for you to hurt yourself."

"R-right..."

Ryuji gave the lead pipe in his hands a swing, as if he were aiming for a home run. "A bit on the heavy side, but it'll work." he grinned, hoisting it on his shoulder before he looked over at Ann. "By the way, Ann… I'm surprised you haven't complained about your outfit yet."

The girl made a pitiful sound that sounded almost like a whine. "Please don't remind me. I'm trying to ignore the fact that I'm dressed up like some Catwoman wannabe." It also didn't help the fact that the suit also really exposed a fair amount of her cleavage. She had tried to cover it up, only to find that the zipper only went up to that amount of space. The clip-on tail she could live with, and maybe the risque feel her outfit had, but really, it was in horrible taste. Not to mention it was a little too tight around her chest. "So, just to refresh, this mask is my Persona? When it isn't fighting for me, I mean?"

"Indeed! And while on the subject, we need to give you a code-name!"

"A code-name?"

"To prevent Kamoshida from recognizing you." Makoto explained. "Apparently, so long as we have our Personas, his Shadow has a hard time recognizing us, so it makes him less suspicious of us in reality. While we're here, we use codenames."

"Oooh… So we're like vigilantes?" The thought brought to mind the anti-hero of a cartoon she used to watch, where the heroine used her feminine wiles and skills to achieve her goals. Even if they were somewhere within the morally gray area. She always dreamed of growing up to be like that cartoon heroine, even if she wasn't the best role model. Thus, their current situation greatly reminded her of her childhood dream, as well as the fact that she was actively living it as we speak. "That sounds awesome!"

Morgana huffed. "Correction. Phantom thieves. Unseen, in the shadows, and stealing from the truly despicable."

"So, basically, Sly Cooper." Ryuji snickered. "Sure, we don't have a hippo or turtle with us, but I think Kamoshida's the closest we got to a master criminal." Akira tilted his head. Hippo? Turtle? What did any of that have to do with this? "Anyway, for Ann's code-name… How about Sexy Kitty?"

Makoto promptly glared at him, causing him to shrink. "...do you want to get smacked?" she asked in a cold voice, fist clenched and taking a step forward in a threatening manner.

Ann showed equal disapproval to the name. "Hell no!"

"How about Cougar?" Morgana offered. "You're wearing a cat-mask, and they're one of the most powerful wild cats around!"

"Maybe, but… Doesn't Cougar also refer to..." Ann trailed off, best leaving the sentence unfinished for her own sake. "W-why not Panther?"

Akira cocked his head. "Why Panther?"

"I, uh, kind of life Panthers. They're big, powerful, and they're known for their loyalty."

"That settles that, then." Makoto nodded. "Welcome to the team, Panther." Ann smiled widely, giving the group a V for victory sign with her hand. "Now then… Joker, do you still have the map for the castle?" The frizzy-haired teen nodded as he walked over, producing a piece of parchment from his pocket. Handing it over to Makoto, she set it down on a nearby wooden crate, unfolding it to reveal the full schematic to everyone. "Assuming they haven't figured out that we used the aqueducts to get into the upper levels of the castle, we should still be able to make our way back. If I'm reading this right, the quickest route to the Treasure would be through the central area here. The tower's right next to some place called the Sanctuary. If we can get there, we should be able to sneak right into the tower."

"Okay, sounds simple enough." Ann hummed. "But, on the off chance the aqueduct is being guarded, what do we do?"

"Then we take the long way around, I guess." Ryuji scratched his cheek. "Look here. It's gonna be a hell of a detour, but the Left Wing wraps all the way around the castle, up to the back. There's also apparently an elevator somewhere there, if I'm reading this right."

Morgana smiled. "Very impressive, Skull! As a matter of fact, Joker and I discovered it while we tried to secure a route to the Treasure. Unfortunately, it's locked down. From what we overheard, there are three guard captains who have the keys. They're quite powerful, so if you decide to go after them, you better be prepared for it. It would make our way into the upper levels easier, though. The decision rests with Joker in the end."

"What about this part here?" Ann asked, pointing to the faded out part of the map. "It doesn't look like it's mapped out, or as detailed."

Makoto scanned the section intently, leaning back as she put a hand to her chin. "It looks like an underground level. It looks like it connects to the dungeons, though. Unless we have to go there, I think we should stick with the main paths."

"Alright, guess we've got a plan of attack." Ryuji said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "So, we got ourselves some weapons. We good to go?"

"I think we are." Morgana nodded. "Look alive, you lot! From this point forward, there's no more going back. Either we win, or we all die."

"A bit morbid, don't you think?"

Ann giggled. "He isn't wrong. Let's go!"

Akira nodded and followed behind them, only to stop ten steps into the grounds when he noticed something...off. The rightmost area next to the drawbridge looked strange. Well, more so than it should be. It felt like there was something there. He could also feel something pulsating inside him, as if reacting to something.

It felt like...something was calling out to him?

Blue light shimmered into his field of vision. A door appeared, standing in the open space. It was shimmering, almost as if it were some sort of mirage. It resembled a cell door, as it only consisted of a frame and metal bars.

"What the..."

His back pocket suddenly felt warm. Looking over his shoulder, he found a faint glow emanating from the pocket before he dug inside and pulled something out. To his surprise, it was the aquamarine key that Igor had given to him. I remember leaving this on my nightstand back in the apartment! He thought in shock. How in the hell…?

"Yo, Joker!" Ryuji called, walking over to him. "You doing okay? You look confused."

Akira looked at Ryuji, then at the door. Did he not see it? Was he the only one who could see it? He stared down at the key in his hand, then remembered Igor's words. That he would enter the Velvet Room of his own accord.

Perhaps now was the time to get some answers.

"Could you give me a second? I just need to clear my head for a bit." he offered a lame excuse. Ryuji seemed to buy it, no doubt believing he was still panicking over the fact that he was in deep water more than anyone else here. The blonde delinquent nodded and walked back over to the others, who had looked curious as to what he was doing. Sighing, he walked over to the door and slipped the key inside the keyhole.

The door opened with a loud creak. Not a single person besides Akira himself heard it. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Morgana's ears twitch, looking around as if having heard something. Strange. Perhaps Morgana was the only person to hear it? Regardless, he looked at the door, noting how there was a blue void inside waiting for him.

Without further ado, he stepped forward, allowing his body to be swallowed by the light. To the others, it looked like he was just standing there. But to Akira, he was traversing through a hall lined with chains, all curving around him and moving of their own accord. There was seemingly no end in sight before a blue butterfly passed him by, hovering around him before moving up ahead. A light awaited him, almost like a beacon.

Then, when he approached, he found himself once again in the Velvet Room, with Igor sitting behind his desk and Lavenza beside him.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room." the old man greeted. "It has been quite some time." Akira nodded in acknowledgment. "It seems you've found yourself in quite the bind, no? Perhaps a sign that the ruin is already descending upon you."

"What is this ruin?" Akira asked. "You keep mentioning it. What is it, exactly?"

"You've already seen a glimpse of it, in the form of the Metaverse." Lavenza answered in her master's stead. "The unruly hearts of men, such as the one who now holds your life in chains."

"Indeed…" Igor's permanent smile seemed to twitch, as if wanting to grow in size. "The catastrophe that is heading your way has attempted to claim one life. And it will surely try to take more in an attempt to shackle you. But never fear, young man, for you already have the power to stand against it."

Persona. Akira realized. Or maybe something more.

The old man continued. "As you have no doubt come to realize, your power is very special when compared to your allies." The thought of Orpheus emerging in his time of need, and Morgana's words that a person could only have one Persona, echoed back to Akira, who nodded back and listened intently. "Think of this power to be like that of the number zero. Empty, but holding infinite possibilities within itself."

"The power to wield multiple Personas, and use them accordingly..." Lavenza continued, a smile touching upon her face. "That is your power. The power of the wild card."

"The wild card is not like that of others. It is a power that is strengthened through camaraderie. By forging relations with those who share a similar aesthetic with you, your "Confidants", your Persona ability will gradually develop!" Igor explained with delight. "In order to stand against the ruin, it will be necessary to forge bonds with those you can trust. Our duty is to help guide you whenever you require our aid, to ensure that you do not fall pray to the ruin. We only ask that you abide by the contract, and assume responsibility for any and all choices you make."

Akira soaked all this in. Forming bonds with people would help make him grow stronger? Wouldn't that be the same as using people for his own personal gain? He wasn't going to lie, the idea brought a bitter aftertaste in his mouth.

However, if using others meant he could take down Kamoshida, then so be it.

"As to our role..." Igor continued on. "We provide assistance through the art of fusion. Bring Personas here, and we shall use them to give rise to an even greater power. The stronger your Social Links, the more powerful the Persona will become." He nodded in understanding. Igor smiled in content. "Very good. Before you go, allow me to give you a gift. I believe you'll come to appreciate its worth, as you've chosen to pursue the path to becoming a most magnificent thief." The old man raised his hand. Akira felt his head spin for only a brief moment. The world shifted slightly, almost as if it was unraveling before everything changed back to normal. "Now then... Best you be off! You have a Treasure to steal, no?"

Akira nodded, still somewhat stunned by whatever Igor had done to him. "Thank you." With his gratitude expressed, he turned on his heel and walked back into his cell. The door slammed shut behind him before he found himself once again lost in the long dark corridor. Looking over his shoulder, he found the light that led him into that room diminishing.

Before long, Akira once again stood in the courtyard in front of the castle.

TakeYourTime

Unfortunately for the newly formed phantom thieves, Kamoshida had discovered their previous point of entry in the aqueducts, leading them into the Left Wing of the castle. Thankfully, the Shadows were few in number, though much to their disappointment and dread, they had all discarded their armors, revealing them in their full splendor.

"Ugh, great..." Ryuji groaned. "I guess we really must've pissed Kamoshida off if he's got his guards already out of their fancy suits."

Akira was inclined to agree. He scanned the mess hall, looking for any point where they could escape. Sadly, it seemed that wouldn't be possible. They would have to fight. They could make it into a short affair if they struck fast, though.

Looking at the Shadows, he noted that one of them looked like some kind of horse, only it lacked a lower half, which was more or less twisted vines that faded away as it went down. The other two were that damned black horse that impaled Arsene with its horn on his first visit here, and the last one being the pumpkin headed creature. Dealing with that one should be relatively easy. The Bicorn would be a bit of trouble, though. As for the first Shadow, though… He didn't have any information on it. It could be weak, or it could be strong.

Perhaps it would be better to avoid it somehow?

"Almost nowhere to hide in here, though..." he muttered. The mess hall had few hiding places that would let them sneak around. What little it did have would be nowhere near enough to get around undetected. Combat it was, then. Holding his knife tightly, calling out for his Persona, Akira was about to move when Morgana tugged on his coat. "Hm?"

"Hold on." the not-cat creature advised. He dug around in the utility belt strapped to his waist, as if searching for something, before taking out what looked like a small black pellet. "Here. This should make things a bit easier."

"What's that?" Ryuji asked quietly. "A distraction?"

Morgana smirked. "Of sorts."

Akira tossed it in his hand. If his knowledge of thievery would be of any help to him, then he had a pretty good idea what this thing could do. Thus, he threw it at the center of the room.

In the next second, smoke filled the area.

"What in the?!" a Shadow coughed, startled by the sudden plume. "What is this?!"

"Come on!"

Morgana was surprisingly quick on his feet, not to mention very keen of his surroundings, in that he was able to move through the smoke like it wasn't there. The others had significant trouble. The not-cat creature jumped and brandished his scimitar when the outline of the horse-like creature came into view, blocking their path to the hallway. The first strike cut straight into its side, causing the Shadow to cry out in pain and alerting its comrades before Ryuji and Akira silenced it with a well-timed strike; one for the neck and another to the head.

Before the other Shadows could get their bearings, the phantom thieves quickly fled the mess hall, vanishing into the hall. Ann gently closed the door behind them, no doubt to hide their tracks.

"A smoke bomb..." Makoto hummed. "Old fashion, but it works wonders."

Morgana chuckled. "Always best to come prepared, Queen." he said, pushing his chest with pride. "Let's move on. The Shadows will probably be looking for us after that. We shouldn't be too far from the elevator."

"But didn't you say it was locked down?"

"True. But that isn't why we're going there. You'll see." he promised. Akira raised an eyebrow, but Morgana didn't seem keen on answering right now.

The group then moved on. They made sure to keep their steps light and their bodies hunched close to the floor. In the event they needed a quick escape, they'd be ready to spring to their feet and get out of there. Their Personas were also primed and ready for use, though when compared to physical exhaustion, expending mental energy was far more difficult.

And after Ann's recklessness in the use of her Persona, Makoto made sure to remind everyone, and in her best threatening manner, not to exert themselves past their limit.

A knight had rounded the corner, but it was a relatively quick affair. Makoto practically dealt with it all on her own, ending its life with three strikes: a blow to the abdomen to cripple it, followed by an uppercut and then a straight that pounded it right into a wall. The helmet practically crumpled beneath the weight and was promptly reduced to goo.

"...you know. I'm really glad she's not using that on us." Ryuji whispered to Akira. The latter nodded in the utmost seriousness.

He briefly wondered if Sae also practiced a form of martial arts. If so, then it was all the more reason not to get on her bad side.

Akira quickly looked around to see if they were still in the clear before he gestured for everyone to follow. The further they went into Kamoshida's territory, the more anxious he started to feel. How far would they be able to make it into his Palace? How much time did they really have before he was expelled? The more he thought about it, the more he felt the need to push himself forward. His life was already put in a rock and a hard place, and if he got expelled…

Think about that later! He thought to himself as they turned around the corner. A "pulse" ran through him, calming him down immediately. Strangely, it wasn't the soothing pulsations from Orpheus or the more bold and angry ones from Arsene. Rather, it was from something else. What, he couldn't say for sure. Perhaps a new Persona? One he hadn't accessed yet? When did he get it?

Whatever the case was, he needed to remain cool. If he lost it for even a moment…

The group came to a stop in front of a decorated set of doors. Unlike the others, it was engraved in gold markings, and the handles looked like they were made straight from diamonds. Ryuji whistled. "Pretty fancy looking, ain't it?" he asked. He went to open it...only to find that the handle wouldn't budge. "Huh?"

"Locked." Makoto assumed. She took out the map in her hands. "This leads straight into the back of the castle, and where the elevator should be."

"So, what do we do?" Ann asked. "Break it down?"

Morgana shook his head. "Don't bother. Even if you used your Persona, this thing is reinforced. Instead, we do it the old fashion way!"

"Old fashion way?" Akira asked. The not-cat dug through his utility belt again and produced another item. To everyone's amusement, it was a lockpick. "Of course." He stepped aside, letting Morgana work his magic. In the meantime, everyone stood alert as they kept a close eye out for any nearby Shadows.

"Man, I'm so anxious..." the blonde delinquent grimaced. "On the off chance Kamoshida kicks the bucket here, what's gonna happen?"

Makoto bit her lip, shifting in her spot. In truth, she had been doing her best not to think about that. She didn't want anyone to die. Not even Kamoshida, despite everything he did. Yet what they were going to do had some serious risks. "I don't know." she confessed. "Joker said he would take responsibility, didn't he?"

"Wait, what?" Ann gasped. "W-why? Isn't he on probation?"

"He is. And that's what I'm most worried about right now." the Student Council President said. "If Kamoshida does die from a mental shutdown and Joker turns himself in… That's it for him. There won't be any second chances."

"It won't happen." Ryuji cut in with a frown. "We just gotta make sure Kamoshida doesn't die. B-besides, Mona said it himself, right? It's only an off-chance."

"Still..."

Akira, of course, had heard none of it. Instead, he was busy watching Morgana work his magic on the door, as the not-cat had requested. "At first, it may look simple," he explained. "But it's quite complicated, depending on both the lock and the quality of the lock pick your using. The one I'm using right now was something of a rush-job. Flimsy materials and all that. One careless mistake, and it'll snap."

"Hm..." Akira leaned in, interested. "And the lock?"

The not-cat scoffed. "A lousy excuse of one. Kamoshida seems to rely more on his manpower than anything else. Back to the point, though. The key is to listen closely for little clicks, like the pieces inside the lock and whatnot. You need to be extra careful, though, when using them. One wrong move, and you might end up making things worse."

Morgana continued to fiddle with the lock for a moment before he twisted the thin piece of metal in his hands. In the next second, a click was heard. Joker twisted the knob and pushed the door open. "Nicely done." he praised Morgana, who smirked.

"You'll be able to do this too, you know." he told Akira. "After all, you four are under my tutelage. Besides, I've got a personal investment with you, Joker." The frizzy-haired teen tilted his head, confused. "You're unique. You pick up things faster than most, and you have the ability to use multiple Personas. It's quite rare. If you ask me, you have all the qualities of a fine Phantom Thief!"

"Don't get too excited, fur bucket." Akira replied. "This is a one-time thing. After Kamoshida's dealt with, it's back to living normally." Or, well, as normally as possible, anyway.

Morgana seemed unconvinced. "Regardless, for the duration of this little heist of ours, I will be teaching you everything I know." he said with a wide-grin. "I'll make a thief out of you yet, Akira Kurusu. Count on it!"

TakeYourTime

The phantom thieves had eventually arrived in a spacious room, mostly empty save for the wooden benches and little decorations. To the far side of the room was the elevator, which immediately garnered disgust from the others, save for Morgana and Akira who had both seen it. The reason why was partially due to the fact that the four corners of the elevator, which connected the ceiling to the floor of the platform, were composed of busts that consisted of nothing more than a female torso, clad in a shirt and gym shorts, and emphasized the posterior and chest greatly.

"Ugh..." Ryuji gagged. "Now that is just disgusting."

"So this is what we need to reach the upper levels, huh?" Ann said. "But we need a few keys to get it working, right?"

Morgana nodded. "That's correct. Each is held by a Captain. There are three. The problem here is where they should be."

"One of the Captains is in the dungeon." Akira said. "We learned that by eavesdropping on one of the Shadows' conversations. The second supposedly does routine patrols in the Main Hall. We don't know where the third one is."

"So, we have two out of three..." Makoto hummed, folding her arms. "But what about the third…?"

"More importantly, do we even got enough time to do that?" Ryuji asked skeptically.

"We do if we split up." Morgana said, causing everyone to blink. "It will be quicker if we act independently. We'll split into two teams. One team will go after the Captain in the Main Hall, and the other will go for the Captain in the dungeon."

"We sure that's safe?" Makoto asked with a worried frown. "We do have our Personas, in case things get dicey, but..."

"Have ye a little faith, Queen." Morgana said reassuringly. "I'll be sneaking around, seeing if I can figure out where the third Captain is. I'm the stealthiest of the bunch, so it shouldn't be too hard sneaking around."

Ryuji raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you get caught?" he brought up.

Morgana hissed. "That doesn't count! Anyway, Team A will be Queen and Skull. Team B is Joker and Panther."

"Makes sense." Makoto hummed, understanding the logic. "I can back up Skull if things get too heated with Johanna, and Captain Kidd is powerful up close and personal. Ann has a lot of reserves when it comes to using her Persona, and Joker's Persona ability makes him quite diverse. In that case, we'll take the dungeon. The cramped space should force the Shadows to fight up close."

"Alright, then." Morgana smirked. "Let's get to it! See you guys back here!"

With a bounce, Morgana was off, running towards a random a direction. Makoto and Ryuji both bid their friends good luck before returning to the hall. Akira shared a glance with Ann, who seemed a bit surprised, but nonetheless pleased with current events. "Guess I'll be in your care." she said, smiling. "Let's do our best, Aki-er, Joker."

"Same to you." Joker replied with a bow. "Shall we get going, milady?"

She giggled. "Oh, you're such a charmer~!" The two then set off, making their way to the Main Hall.

TakeYourTime

While the teens were out traversing a parallel world in order to save themselves from Kamoshida, other events were occurring in the real world. Sae Niijima sat with Goro Akechi, the famed teenage detective, at a small table at a local restaurant in Shibuya. It had been relatively close to work, and Sae was somewhat partial to their food, so she decided to go here to focus on her work. Akechi had been more than happy to come with, if only because Sae offered to pay and they had a chance to discuss work.

[-in other recent news, Tohru Adachi, a former law enforcement officer from the Inaba Police Department, was released from prison this month.] the TV commented while Sae typed away at her laptop, going through documents and reports for her latest case. [Adachi-san was confirmed to have killed two people during his time in the quiet suburban town, including former local television announcer Mayumi Yamano, who had been involved in a scandal with former Council Secretary Taro Namatame, who is now mayor of Inaba, and Saki Konishi, a second-year at Yasogami High who discovered Yamano-san's body. Many people were shocked to learn that Adachi-san, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, was declared a free man a month prior to his release. The officer in charge of the murder case involving Adachi-san, his former partner Ryotaro Dojima, has offered no comments on the matter.]

Sae paused briefly, looking up at the TV with a narrowed glare. "Unbelievable..." she muttered in disgust. "They allowed a man like that to walk free?"

"I have to agree with you on that." Akechi said, showing some interest on the news report. "I've read up on that particular case. Not only did he kill two people, simply because he was bored out of his mind, but he even caused the emergence of a copy-cat killer. Namatame-san received a lightened sentence for his crimes of kidnapping high school students he believed were being targeted, and the copy-cat killer was eventually caught, partially thanks to evidence." The brunette detective put on a thoughtful face as he leaned in his seat, a hand on his chin. "You know, it really is quite strange. The only actual evidence they had on Tohru Adachi being the culprit behind the serial murder case was his own testimony. Though his statements matched up with facts about the case, most of the things he claimed were somewhat far-fetched, as if he were embellishing details."

Sae looked up from her laptop, staring at Akechi in surprise. "...you seem to know a lot about a case that was out in the countryside." she remarked. "Especially one that took place five or six years ago."

"I must confess, the only reason I know so much was because it was the case my predecessor was involved in." Akechi replied bashfully, scratching his pink-tinged cheek. "And it's perhaps my personal favorite case to study on. Did you know that, unofficially, the ones who caught Tohru Adachi were actually high school students? Including Shirogane-senpai, one of them was Rise Kujikawa-san during the time she went on a year-long hiatus."

"That explains a lot..." Sae rolled her eyes. "Now, back to the matter at hand."

"Ah, yes..." Akechi nodded, his face turning serious in spite of the smile that appeared shortly after. "The Mental Shutdown cases, wasn't it?"

TO BE CONTINUED…

The Confidants

Morgana – the MAGICIAN: [A bizarre creature. He knows much about the Metaverse, but lacks any memories of his own. The most experienced among the group.]

Persona Compendium

Kelpie – Strength Arcana: [A horse-like fairy of Celtic folklore that lives by the water. It drowns those who ride on it, but is a valuable mount if you can tame it.]