A bit of a transition chapter, but a lot happens too: some funny stuff, some action and even some fluff here and there. However, as Ryuji would so elegantly put it: "Shit is about to get real!"
BTW! For all of you who haven't checked these out yet, PLEEEASE: go to youtube and search for "The Average Phantom Thieves Meeting 2: Handling the SIU" and "persona 5 goro dancing all night". You will be taken to a whole new world... and if you really want to make your guts explode with laughter, just search for "persona 5 MMD". You're welcome :*
Enjoy!
"…Why, Goro? Why did you do it?"
The disappointment in Akira's voice was the worst part. He told them everything: how his thirst for revenge had led him straight to Shido, how he had turned into the monster he was because of him, his plan, their plan. Everything. And he had believed it would be hard but, once started, he managed to spill it all out without a second thought. However, what hurt him more than anything was watching their faces: they weren't angry at him, as he had expected. Maybe that would have been better than the look of betrayal and pity they were wearing…
"You killed all those people…" Makoto shook her head "Because you wanted Shido to trust you enough?"
Akechi realized he could no longer look at them. He felt unworthy of standing in front of them. "I… I didn't know…"
"What? What exactly didn't you know, Goro?" Akira questioned him, raising his voice in frustration.
"I…" Akechi pursed his lips and turned the other way, an intense pain spreading through his chest. He had never felt this bad –this guilty- before…
"You didn't know you could change their hearts without killing them, did you?"
Makoto's soft words took him by surprise, and he actually gasped upon hearing them.
"That is why you asked me how we trigger a change of heart, correct?"
"…yes" he nodded in a broken voice. "But that doesn't change anything. I am still responsible for all those victims… all those lives…"
"That is true" Akira said severely. "Including Futaba's mother. She was an innocent person, working hard to support her daughter. Why did you kill her, Goro?"
"I didn't… I didn't know!" their words were like sharp blades piercing through his already bleeding heart, and he could barely contain the tears. "He said… he told me she was close to discovering the truth about the Metaverse, and that she wanted me dead. He said if I didn't eliminate her, I would be arrested and executed!"
"Lies" Akira replied sharply. "He's been lying to you all along…"
"He's been using you, Akechi-kun. Playing with your head and tricking you from the very beginning" Makoto continued, though in a much sweeter tone.
"I KNOW!"
Akechi's voice resonated all around them in the silence of the night, Akira and Makoto falling quiet instantly. The brown-haired boy fell on his knees and punched the floor with both hands, and they were quite sure he was sobbing. They decided to remain silent for a while to let him calm down and see what he would do next. Makoto felt Akira getting closer to her, gently taking her hand in his and squeezing it slightly before he whispered in her ear, almost imperceptibly "If things get bad, run." She nodded.
"…Goro?"
Akira took a step forward, carefully approaching the other boy still crouched in the dark.
"…I don't have much time, Akira" he said, voice suddenly calm and controlled. "He has found me. He knows."
"What're you talking about?" the dark-haired boy asked again, studying his every movement. Akechi finally stood, his back to them. "I… have to kill you."
"What?!" Makoto and Akira were now alarmed, and the girl instinctively ran forward to grab Akira's arm and drag him away from the other boy.
"Don't you understand?" Akechi continued, his voice sounding totally different. "If I kill you, he won't suspect a thing!"
"Do you really want to kill me, Goro?" Akira said without a trace of fear in his voice. "Do you really want to kill your friend?"
Akechi finally turned to look at them both, for once showing all of his emotions: anger, fear, sadness, resolve…
"Of course not" he replied. "But that's what he has to believe."
He was now sitting on his bed, watching in silence as Makoto packed the last things in her suitcase and zipped it up. He understood why she had insisted on sleeping somewhere else for the night: even though he had revealed all the truth as well as his plan to save Akira and the others, he had indeed assailed her. Twice. She was still scared to be alone with him in a small room.
"Could you… pass me the phone charger… please?" she asked in a small voice, her eyes locked onto her shoes.
"Oh, of course" he answered quickly, as he strode to her bed and collected the item. "Thank you."
When he passed it to her, their fingers brushed against each other and she flinched slightly.
He diverted his eyes, desperately wanting to tell her how sorry he was, how he'd give anything to fix what he had done. That he'd gladly sacrifice his life to bring back the ones of those he had killed, to bring back Wakaba Isshiki so that Futaba wouldn't need to grow up without a mother like he had been forced to do. That he'd go through the hell he had lived as a child a million times if that meant he could meet them all a couple of years earlier and change his fate. But he knew he couldn't. It was too late to apologize, too late to repair the damage.
"I guess… I'll be seeing you tomorrow at the reception" she said, standing by the door with her luggage.
"Yes… Sleep well, Makoto-chan."
Her eyes widened slightly when he used her first name, but quickly regained her composure. "Goodnight, Akechi-kun."
He heard the door lock behind the girl and everything was quiet. The silence was so thick it was almost deafening. He remained seated on his bed, his eyes slowly scanning every single piece of furniture all around him: the window he used to close every night so that she wouldn't freeze, the mirror she always used to make sure she was presentable before going out, the closet now looking so empty without her clothes and shoes and make-up and perfumes and accessories, the bed, neatly made, and still smelling like her…
Everything in that room reminded him of the days he'd spent with her, from the very first night –when he'd almost decided to kill her- to his epic battle against a tiny spider, to the events of a few hours before, when the way she had started looking at him changed completely. The sparkle in her eyes had disappeared, replaced by fear, raw and pure…
He lowered his head and clenched his fists, the sleeve of his shirt lifting slightly in the process and he realized he was still wearing it: the indigo and black bracelet he had bought from that man at the beach.
He brushed his fingers against the material, feeling somewhat smooth at his touch, studying the indigo and black colors that absorbed the light from the lamp. He didn't know whether the meaning of those colors was real or not. What he knew, though, was that he would save Akira's life and that of the others.
Even if that meant sacrificing his.
The others knew something wasn't quite right as soon as they saw Makoto waiting alone at the reception, a concerned expression on her young face.
"What happened, Makoto?" Ryuji asked worriedly. "Did Akechi do something to you?"
"Uh? N-no, not at all!" Makoto lied quickly, but Mishima gave her a hard look.
"Then why did you sleep in our room, tonight? I did wake up when Kurusu-kun let you in, you know. And then leaving like that at the first light of dawn… Something must have happened, right?"
"Really?!" Ann widened her eyes and looked at her. "You slept in their room tonight?"
"I… yes" she admitted, and then looked over at Akira, hoping he could help her somehow.
"I didn't want to wake you, Mishima-kun" Akira intervened, his voice kind and soft. "You see, Goro was feeling really bad tonight, and Makoto asked me if it was possible for her to sleep somewhere else. You know how contagious some things may be."
"Just like when Mishima drank tap water and was forced to stay behind in his room for the rest of the night?" Ryuji half-laughed. "Did Akechi-kun make the same stupid mistake?"
"Hey!" Mishima exclaimed offended. "It was not stupid!"
"Oh yes, it was!"
"I didn't know, OK?!"
"Good morning" Akechi walked up to the counter and returned his keycard to the receptionist, before joining the others.
"How are you feeling now, Goro?" Akira asked him, and Akechi could swear the boy had winked at him. He instantly understood what was going on and put on a pained face.
"Much better now. But I do believe there was something wrong with that steak…"
"Now that you mention it…" Yusuke frowned and rubbed his chin "…I did have some troubles falling asleep tonight."
"No, that's because you gulped down three fifth of the meat we bought" Ryuji pouted at him, and Yusuke gave him a look of pure hatred.
As the others discussed about the quantity of meat Yusuke had managed to swallow, Akechi turned to study Makoto's face. She was slightly pale and still looked concerned, but she was trying her best not to show it.
"Are you alright?" he whispered to her.
"Mhm" she hummed, avoiding eye-contact.
"What are you doing tonight?" he tried again.
"Sleeping in a proper bed" she replied courtly. Pause. Then she added. "…you?"
"I'm meeting Shido."
Those few words were enough for her to lift her chin and glance at him. "What? Why?"
"I thought you'd read the message yesterday…"
"But what… what if it's a trap?"
"It most likely is."
"Goro Akechi, are you bloody out of your mind?!"
"You should know by now" he said, unable to contain a smirk after sensing her worry. Maybe there was still hope after all… "And yet, this is a necessary step. I did promise you I would save you all, be it the last thing I do…"
She had no response to that. She simply stared at him, a determination she had never seen in him before mirrored in his eyes.
"Welcome back!"
Shido greeted him with open arms as soon as a tired-looking Akechi stepped inside his office. "Did you have fun on your holidays?"
Akechi remained silent, eying the man in front of him with disgust.
"What? Cat got your tongue?" Shido laughed loudly and then gestured for him to take a seat. Akechi remained standing.
"Aw, I guess coming back to boring Japan is not as fun as leaving on vacation with your best friends, am I right? But don't worry, you only need to get back to your daily routines."
Akechi sighed impatiently and resolved to look at a painting hung on the wall on his right.
"Speaking of routines…" Shido continued, putting his hands in a praying-like position "…how's your quest to discovering the identities of the Phantom Thieves and befriending them going?"
Akechi shrugged and replied lazily. "Still no clues, I am afraid."
"Is that so?" Shido said in a soft and yet dangerous voice.
"I am doing my best, but they can literally be anyone…"
"Silence!"
Akechi frowned at Shido raising his voice at him, but decided to remain quiet.
"Now, let's see…" Shido opened a drawer and scattered some pictures on the desk in front of him. Akechi's eyes widened with fear when he saw the subjects of said pictures.
"Yusuke Kitagawa, 16 years old…" Shido took the first picture portraying the blue-haired boy in the act of kicking a ball on a pearly white beach.
"Ann Takamaki and Ryuji Sakamoto, both 16 years old" Shido continued, putting down the picture with Yusuke and taking another one, this time of Ann and Ryuji who seemed to be in the middle of a fight.
"…now the most interesting ones. Makoto Niijima, 17 years old" he took a picture of a dark-haired girl with red eyes in a swimsuit while sitting under a palm tree with…
"…and you. My boy, you've got good tastes in women I must say. Aaand…"
Shido took one last picture, and Akechi knew perfectly well who it would portray…
"Akira Kurusu, 16 years old. You two seem to be very close."
"What do you want?" Akechi inquired, knowing fully well he had been cornered. It would even be useless to play dumb and tell him square in the face he didn't have evidence, because he knew Shido: he always had evidence.
Shido examined him for a few seconds, as if he had never really seen his face before, and then spoke. "My dear boy, I am sure I have been quite clear with you. If I am not mistaken, I did warn you to be careful unless you wished for me to spy on you. And, well… let's just say, this is the consequence of you not listening to my gentle warning…"
"I said…" Akechi's tone sounded much more impatient and threatening now. "What do you want?"
Shido chuckled and stood up from his leather chair, turning to face the large window that overlooked Tokyo. "Let's just forget about this little incident, shall we? After all, I have complete trust in you. I want to believe you have accepted to go on holiday with the Phantom Thieves to befriend them and get to know them better, before taking them down, correct?"
Akechi swallowed hard but chose to keep quiet once again.
"Because, if those were not your true intentions…" Shido's torso partly turned so that he could glance at the boy out of the corner of his eye "…I'd be forced to personally take action."
At Akechi's quizzical look, Shido continued. "I have their names, all of them. One more false move and they're all dead. Oh, and don't even try to kill my Shadow. If something should happen to me, my men have already gotten the order to proceed to eliminate your precious friends. Am I clear?"
Akechi couldn't bring himself to say anything. All he wanted in that moment was tear every single part of the hateful man's body apart, make him suffer, make him beg for mercy…
"AM I CLEAR?"
"…Crystal."
"Very well" Shido proceeded more calmly and actually smiled. "Your next target."
He grabbed an envelope and tossed it at him, Akechi catching it mid-air. When he read the content, he frowned.
"Kunikazu Okumura"
"Oh, one last thing" Shido continued. "You will want to keep quiet about this with your dear friends. After all, you never know who might be listening…"
When Akechi left his office a few minutes later, he felt possibly more discouraged and hopeless than before. He had been cornered and was running out of ideas.
He had had enough. Enough of losing sleep because of the million thoughts that haunted him. Enough of pretending. Enough of killing. He didn't want to do this anymore, and wished he never awoke to his powers.
Why was life being so unjust to him? His sole fault was being born in the first place…
He had always been a cursed child, unloved by whomever surrounded him no matter how hard he tried. Until they came and changed it all. The Phantom Thieves.
But things had gotten out of hand now, what with Shido discovering how he was becoming closer to them and not just for show. He knew he was changing…
His plan to save them was completely ruined thanks to the fact that Shido probably had someone spying on him, which meant the chances of letting them know what the bastard was planning were below zero.
He needed to think this thoroughly. One mistake could prove fatal for him, but especially for his friends.
Buzz. Buzz.
A new message. Akechi was actually scared to check his phone, in case Shido had sent him another text… He was therefore pleasantly surprised when he saw Makoto's name on the screen.
"Can you talk?"
A small smile suddenly appeared on his face as he read her message. Even if he was staring at a phone, he could still sense her worry.
"Yes."
"Good. Mhm… I don't even know why I am texting you in the first place, but… Can't sleep thinking that you are with Shido…"
"I am not. I am back home now."
"How did it go?!"
At this point, Akechi couldn't risk telling the truth: he was pretty sure Shido could filter his messages and phone calls, so he had no other choice but lie to her.
"It went well. He doesn't suspect a thing."
"Good :)"
"You should sleep, Niijima-chan. You've got school tomorrow."
"So do you. By the way, you can call me Makoto…"
Akechi had to re-read the message a couple of times just to make sure he had understood it correctly.
"*Errata corrige* You should sleep, Makoto. You've got school tomorrow ;)"
"Wow, of course you can speak Latin!"
"Well, saying I can speak it would be an overstatement…"
"You know? It's the first time I see you say something humble about yourself…"
"Ouch! ;P"
"…what are you doing after school tomorrow?"
Akechi was just about to type a goodnight message but quickly deleted it when Makoto sent him a new one. Was she meaning to ask if he wanted to meet up? And if so, what should he do? If he wanted to follow his feelings, he would type a yes straight away. But at the same time, he wasn't sure he should strengthen their bond further considering what he was being forced to do…
"I do not have any plans. What about you?"
"No plans. Unless Akira decides to organize an emergency meeting with everyone. I heard him and Ryuji talking about president Okumura, and I am afraid he could be a potential target…"
"How about we meet up after school tomorrow for a coffee, and discuss the situation?"
"Oh… sure! See you tomorrow then!"
"Goodnight, Makoto-chan"
There. He had done it again. Lost control of his actions to follow what his heart wanted. All he needed to do now was be extremely careful.
The first day of school after spending a few days in paradise was always the worst: he had a lot of homework to catch up on, tons of college applications to send and listen to his fangirls over and over again.
"You got a tan, Akechi-kun!"
"You look even more handsome now, Akechi-kun!"
"Wish we could have a school trip together again, Akechi-kun!"
Akechi-kun. Akechi-kun. Akechi-kun. He had heard his name so many times that day it started losing its meaning to him. Ever since spending time with some real friends, he got tired of the others. His schoolmates that followed him wherever he went just because of his looks and popularity, not because of his actual qualities. Akira and the others, however, seemed to accept him for who he really was. Well, at least Akira and Makoto did. The others didn't yet know about his other self. And none of them knew that he was going to break his promise…
When he finally got rid of the adoring girls, he hopped onto the first train and went straight to Aoyama-Itchome. Since he finished school before Makoto, he thought he could be a gentleman and wait for her outside the school gates. Besides, he was hoping to see Akira…
"…is that Akechi-kun?"
"Yeah, it's him! What's he doing here?"
"Ah, leave him be. He is nothing compared to the Phantom Thieves!"
Akechi ignored the boys' comments and leaned against a wall, crossing his arms over his chest. Some girls passed by him and, upon recognizing him, widened their eyes and giggled dumbly. A couple of them, dressed in Shujin uniforms, approached him and greeted him in what he guessed was supposed to be a seductive voice.
"Akechi-kun, what a surprise! Are you here to investigate?"
"No, I-"
"I bet you are, Akechi-kun! If you want, you can search me. I've been a bad girl!"
His jaws dropped: did some girls have no shame at all?
"…is everything alright, Goro?"
Never before had Akechi been happier to see his friend approaching, giving him a large smile and a knowing look.
"Oh! Akechi-kun, do you know Kurusu-kun?!"
"As a matter of fact, I do" Akechi replied, smiling back at the dark-haired boy. "He is my best friend."
Something like pride sparkled in Akira's eyes for a moment as his lips curled into a large smile, as the girls flinched in horror.
"WHAT?!"
"Let's go, Matsui-chan. He might be handsome, but as a detective he's worthless." The girls stomped away, leaving the two boys alone.
"That was quite harsh" Akira commented amused, and Akechi chuckled. "I am too polite to say what I'm thinking out loud."
"Heh, it would be fun to hear you swear for once."
"By all means!" Akechi pretended to be shocked, and they both laughed.
"By the way" Akira turned serious as he prepared to ask him a question. "You said your biological father is a politician called Masayoshi Shido, right?"
Akechi's expression hardened when he heard the name, but nodded nonetheless.
"Uhm, why have I got a feeling I've heard of him before…?"
"Akira, Akechi-kun! You're both here!"
Makoto came running towards them as she held her schoolbag tightly against her chest. It looked heavy…
"Heya" Akira waved at his senior as she joined the group.
"Akira, are you joining us?" Makoto asked him with a broad smile.
"Oh, was this planned?" Akira said surprised. "In that case, I think I'll pass."
Akira then proceeded to give the brown-haired boy a knowing look and a smirk that had a much deeper meaning, and Akechi's cheeks turned a deep shade of pink.
They all took the train together to Shibuya, with Makoto and Akechi saying goodbye to Akira, who was continuing on to Yongen-Jaya, and they proceeded outside until they found themselves on Central Street.
Makoto was still clutching onto her bag, the straps digging deeper into the clothes around her shoulders.
"Give me that" he said gently as he gestured for her to pass him her bag. She glanced at him for a moment before nodding with a smile and complying. "Thank you…"
He carried her bag over his shoulder, and actually had to grit his teeth for how heavy it was, though he would never admit it and so he bravely pretended it was no issue for him.
When they walked past the alleyway he had once dragged her in, Makoto's face darkened a bit but the girl kept marching on without complaining. Akechi would never understand how she still trusted him after all the things he had put her through, after learning the truth about him… Maybe that bracelet vendor back in Hawaii had been right about her…
"Here we are" he announced when they finally reached the bar he used to order coffee whenever he couldn't stop by LeBlanc. It was not as cozy as Akira's temporary home, but enough for him to sip a cup without being assailed with questions from his fans.
"It's nice here" she said as she looked around and chose a seat at one of the many tables available. With most people being at work and no students ever visiting the place, the bar was absolutely empty with the exception of the two of them.
"Akechi-kun! Long time no see!" the barista exclaimed when he spotted him.
"Yes, I have been away for a while" Akechi replied and approached the counter to collect a menu.
"Oh, on holiday with your girlfriend?" he asked, lowering his voice as he nodded at Makoto's back.
"On holiday. With no girlfriend" he specified, and the man snickered.
"So she's just a temporary one? After all, I expect someone like you to get a new one every week or so" he winked at him, trying to sound smart.
"Not at all" Akechi replied coolly. "I'm not that kind of person."
"Nah, of course not" the barista smirked. "Anyway, she's very cute. Nice choice indeed!"
"Can we get two ice coffees, please?" he decided to cut him off by ordering something, so that the barista could be busy at doing something else than talking to him.
He returned to Makoto and sat across of her and observed as the girl rummaged in her bag, stopping when she felt his gaze on her.
"Oh, you're back!" she said, sitting straight in her chair.
"I'm back…"
"So" she continued, intertwining the fingers of her hands "How was your first day of school after the holidays?"
"The usual" he shrugged. "Too much homework and too many girls who want me to themselves."
When she shot him a look, he clarified. "Just kidding… Kinda…"
"Anyway" she changed topic entirely without even waiting for him to ask her how her day had been "About Okumura…"
"Well, I don't know much about him either" Akechi explained. "I just know what the newspapers and TV say: that he is mistreating his employees with exhausting working hours and low wages, as well as exploiting his connections to win the elections this year."
"But can we really trust what the journalists say? Most of them are controlled by Shido, after all…"
"Indeed. However, I have already been in Okumura's Palace, and ascertained that they are telling the truth: the way he sees his employees is despicable. So he is indeed guilty, I am afraid."
"Here we go, guys! Two refreshing ice coffees! Enjoy it!" The barista came with a tray with two tall glasses for each of them.
"So you've been there already" Makoto continued as soon as the barista had left. "Could you give me the coordinates?"
"I could, but wouldn't that ruin the fun?" he leaned back in his chair and smirked.
"I guess. But hey, I was actually wondering something…" Makoto looked suddenly unsure, but Akechi knew exactly what she wanted to ask him.
"I am afraid I can't" he said with a regretful smile. "At least, not yet. We need to deceive Shido and make him believe I am still following his orders and that I do not know your true identities yet. Of course, I could take the risk and join you guys, but I am afraid he may find out. Just like he found out I was in Hawaii with you. Besides, I am not sure I am ready for everyone to see my Persona…"
"I see…" Makoto said sadly, but then nodded more enthusiastically. "We can take care of Okumura ourselves then. You make sure to keep Shido away from us! After all, he is about to receive the biggest shock of his life when he learns you have spared the president's life! And with Okumura having a change of heart and running as Prime Minister, Shido will have nowhere else to hide. At that point, you will be able to join us, right?"
"…right" Akechi nodded, but deep down he was screaming for her to look out. That his plan to save Okumura and go tell Shido he was not going to follow any more of his dirty orders once infiltrated his own Palace, had gone straight out of the window. And he couldn't even tell her just in case someone was hiding somewhere, listening to every word he said…
"I must admit, your plan is quite genius, Akechi-kun. Pretending to be following Shido's orders until the last second, then saving Okumura only to infiltrate Shido's Palace and triggering a change of heart in him is mind-blowing!" Makoto praised him, as he was forced to smile at her, unable to tell her what was really going on.
"Well, we've only got one shot at this" he nodded. "We'd better be prepared."
"I agree" she said. "And you'd better not change your mind at the last second!"
Well, wasn't that just great?
"Can I ask you a question?" he said out of the blue as they walked side by side through a park, enjoying one of the last warm days of the season.
"Sure."
"Why are you giving me a chance? After all the things I've done, that is…"
Makoto glanced at him for a long while before answering. "I am not even sure myself. When I heard the story of your childhood, my heart broke… It is such a horrible thing to experience as a child, and then your own father manipulating you even now. Of course, I cannot overlook the fact that you have caused the deaths of other people with your power to turn them psychotic. Honestly, I don't even want to know how you do it… however, it is sad how lonely you've been up to recently. We were lucky, what with Morgana showing us how to make people confess without harming them. Had it not been for him, we wouldn't be that much different from you, I guess…"
Akechi listened to her with great interest and then shook his head with a bitter smile. "That still doesn't satisfy me, I am afraid…"
"What can I say?" she smiled back. "I may have a weakness for hopeless people. After all, the Phantom Thieves swore to fight for people like you, Akechi-kun. And I believe that even the worst of the worst shouldn't be left to rot alone because of what they did in the past. You are proving more than willing to repair the damage you did. And we must not forget that Shido put you up to this in the first place. He is the real culprit, here."
Akechi's eyes softened jut as his heart broke a little more: what was he going to do? That girl, Akira and the others were giving him a second chance to prove himself. How could he betray them once more? But at the same time, if he disobeyed Shido's orders, they would all die…
"You know Makoto-chan" he told her gently. "You are quite special. I am almost tempted to say I envy the man who will conquer your heart." And, chuckling at her shocked expression, he added. "Come, I will escort you to the subway."
School was making it more and more difficult for him to meet up with Akira, Makoto and the others. The teachers seemed to be going berserk as winter break approached, with students complaining how it was still over two months left before Christmas and how unnecessary it was to load them with an enormous amount of homework.
At least he was being requested less and less often on TV shows to discuss the recent popularity of the Phantom Thieves. Because he seriously didn't have time for that.
Shido had kept uncommonly quiet and the boy hadn't heard from him since their last meeting at his office. However, Akechi was pretty sure he was still being spied on and had grown the terrible habit of keeping looking behind himself wherever he went. He could barely even trust his fellow students and teachers, for they could be receiving a compensation from Shido himself just to report any suspicious movement.
On top of it all, he was still unsure whether he was supposed to follow his heart and spare Okumura, risking however the death of his friends, or follow Shido's orders and accepting the consequences of it.
His brain was being put to serious test lately and even his performance at school was being affected by his stress and paranoia, causing quite the shock in his teachers and classmates.
When he failed to answer a relatively easy question about the English poem Beowulf the teacher asked him during class, he realized he was required to take a decision before worry and doubt consumed him entirely.
When he returned home that afternoon after school and turned on the TV, he knew he didn't have much time left to make his choice. Okumura's headquarters had been seriously damaged by acts of vandalism during the night, however surveillance cameras didn't show any intruders with the sole exception of a black cat.
That was enough for him to understand the Phantom Thieves had finally targeted Okumura, as well as infiltrated his Palace. Now it was a matter of few days before he was required to make his own move…
He jerked slightly when his phone buzzed but he quickly relaxed when he saw it was Makoto.
"Did you hear about the breach in Okumura's HQ?"
"Yes, good job at finding the coordinates!"
"…It wasn't us."
Now he was worried.
"What?"
"Ryuji and Morgana had a fight, and Mona got really offended and left, muttering something about infiltrating Okumura's Palace by himself and getting all the glory. We suspect it was Morgana, and I am afraid he's in trouble…"
"I see… maybe you should check up on him, then."
"Yes. If the rumors about Okumura and what you told me about his Palace are true, I am afraid he is a tough enemy. We are trying to infiltrate tomorrow."
"Good luck and… be careful"
He wished with all his heart he could convey the real meaning of his message to her. His warning to be careful didn't only regard their well-being in the Palace, but also and especially what would happen after taking down Okumura.
Somehow after the brief conversation with Makoto, Akechi had taken his decision. It was such an obvious one it almost made him laugh. After all, deep down he had always known what was required of him.
"How did it go?"
Akechi tapped the "Send" button and put away his phone. In all his years as a diligent student, this was the first time he secretly texted during class, hiding his smartphone under the desk and expertly typing with one hand. It had been a whole day and night since he last heard from Makoto, and he thought it was now safe to ask her about their progress.
He didn't expect her to reply straight away, and she didn't. When his phone finally buzzed, it was almost lunchtime.
"We're almost there. All we need is to find the last keyword. We're trying again after school"
Interesting. Now he needed to continue with Shido's plan and follow the Phantom Thieves inside.
They were all gathered there, outside Okumura's HQ. He quietly observed them trying different keywords until the Nav confirmed a hit, as he watched the world around him melt away and shift into Okumura's distorted one. He hated that place: it gave him headache but he had a mission to accomplish. His school uniform was gone, and he was now wearing the all too familiar dark garbs. Now he needed to be extremely careful and focused.
This time he made sure not to get distracted, and silently moved in the dark, keeping a safe distance from the Phantom Thieves. In all honesty, it didn't take long until they all got stuck: apparently Okumura didn't trust anyone, and many doors leading to the Palace's ruler were sealed. He was almost on his way out of the room when he heard a familiar voice speak: it was the same boyish voice he heard the first time he had met Akira and the others in the real world. It was that monster cat.
Akechi turned to observe the scene unfolding right in front of his eyes: the cat was with a girl who, despite the mask she was wearing, looked quite familiar. He could sense she was a Persona-user, though her powers were extremely weak. Both Morgana and the mysterious girl seemed to be arguing with the Phantom Thieves in a rather pathetic way. Crouching in a dark corner and relying on the mimetic qualities of his outfit, he kept listening. The Phantom Thieves were trying to make up with Morgana, but the cat seemed to be particularly stubborn. From where he was standing, he couldn't quite catch everything they were saying, but he did watch with great interest as the mysterious girl approached the door in the room and how it opened after scanning her.
If he had understood correctly, the door only opened to whomever carried the Okumura name. Did that mean that the mysterious girl was Okumura's daughter? After all, he did hear Shido mention a certain Haru Okumura once…
As soon as the door opened, a large group of Shadows attacked the Phantom Thieves, who quickly beat a retreat. Well, there was no point for him to stay there any longer if the others had left, and so he went for the exit too and escaped the Palace.
In order for Shido's plan to work, Akechi needed to be perfectly synchronized with the Phantom Thieves' movements. Every time they entered the Palace, he needed to follow them right after, going after them without being spotted either by the group of friends or Okumura's Shadows. To make sure he could time it correctly, he used to send Makoto a message to ask how they were proceeding. The girl would then inadvertently inform him about their progress and when they would be entering the Palace next. Interestingly enough, Makoto had reliably informed him that they had met a mysterious girl in Okumura's Palace who turned out to be the man's daughter. Just like he had predicted. The girl was apparently trying to change her father's heart, because he wanted to use her for a marriage of interest, so that his rise to power could be much easier. Furthermore, Haru Okumura couldn't stand the fact her father was treating innocent people like slaves, and had asked for the Phantom Thieves' help and joined their cause.
Well, just his luck. Now he had yet another problem.
The girl's Persona was extraordinary weak, but Akechi knew it was a matter of time before she would awake to her full potential. She just needed a little push.
And when it happened, he wasn't disappointed: the girl did have potential, and her fully awaken Persona was quite extraordinary.
Akira and the others grew immediately fond of the new party member, because she seemed to be a kind-hearted and patient person who gave her all to help others, and could be sympathetic even towards people who didn't deserve it. And when the girl joined the Phantom Thieves officially, Akechi observed that Morgana was now acting as normal around the others, so he guessed they had somehow made up. However, he did wonder what had happened in between the Phantom Thieves splitting up and meeting Morgana with the new girl, and them reunited and ready to punish Okumura. A few days had passed without them infiltrating the Palace, but he guessed they had simply been getting to know Haru better and convincing the cat to rejoin them.
Akechi kept following them without the others ever noticing, be it Phantom Thieves or Shadows, and he observed as the bond between them all grew stronger. He felt a pinch of jealousy every time he saw how easy it was for Haru to be accepted in the team, how much the others –his friends- seemed to like her…
But after all, hadn't he promised he'd sacrifice anything to save them? Not only his life, but his happiness too. He had to concentrate and pretend he couldn't feel a thing. No emotions.
However, his heart did start beating faster when, as he observed the Phantom Thieves one afternoon as he had been doing for the past days in Okumura's Palace, he heard Morgana say that he could sense they were very close to the Treasure. All of them had discovered so many terrible things inside Okumura's heart that they were more determined than ever to trigger a change of heart, so they pushed onward despite feeling tired until they reached a spacious room with the same, floating substance Akechi had seen many times before in other Palaces, but never understood what it meant. According to what the others were saying, it was the Treasure itself, which would only materialize once a calling card had been sent. So that was how they did it…
Once finally back to the real world and hiding behind a giant billboard nearby, Akechi heard Haru say she would try and leave a calling card in her father's office. He was not sure whether the girl would have enough guts to do it during the night or if she would require some time to summon up the courage. But despite her shy personality, Okumura's daughter did seem determined, and by now he was pretty sure his friendship with Akira and the others was pretty doomed. After all, it had been dead on arrival from the very beginning, and he should be grateful for having had the opportunity to be part of that group, even for a short while…
Ignoring the ache in his chest at the very thought, he reminded himself once again of the promise he'd made, that this was necessary to save them all…
He was so deep in thought he didn't even notice the Phantom Thieves had already left and returned to their respective homes.
Since this was going to be his last chance, he might as well take advantage of it.
When Akechi arrived at LeBlanc one hour before closing, there was only an old Japanese couple sipping Boss' coffee and watching TV, which was currently broadcasting Shido's latest comments about the Phantom Thieves and the political situation in the country. The couple seemed to believe every word the man on TV was saying, and Akechi couldn't help but shake his head: children could see right through bastards like Shido, and yet elder adults –who were supposed to have much more experience and wisdom- were enthralled by them.
"Hi there, how may I he- oh, it's you."
Akechi glanced at the red-haired girl behind the counter, wearing an apron and staring back at him with suspicion. Well, he couldn't blame her: he had killed her mother after all, even if he doubted Akira or Makoto had told her. But the girl seemed to be wary of him regardless.
"Hello. You must be Futaba, Akira told me about you. Nice to meet you" he said politely, but the girl pouted. "AKIRA! COME DOWNSTAIRS. MR. DETECTIVE WANTS TO TALK TO YOU!"
Her shouting startled the old couple, who muttered something about the new generations knowing nothing about respect and politeness.
It didn't take long for Akira to run downstairs, stopping halfway and gesturing for him to follow him to the attic. With one last nod to Futaba –who promptly ignored him- the boy went upstairs and stepped into the all too familiar room. He almost jumped when he was met with a pair of deep blue eyes as Morgana the cat sat on top of the handrail, eying him just as suspiciously as Futaba. Well, now he needed to be careful…
"Hi Goro!" Akira greeted and went to clear the table he was using to create some sort of tools. At Akechi's quizzical look, the other boy smiled and replied "I was just practicing my proficiency skills, nothing to worry about!"
The dark-haired boy then glanced for a second at Morgana, then back at him and winked. Akechi understood he couldn't reveal him the truth, for Morgana didn't know Akira had told him everything back in Hawaii.
"So, what do I owe the pleasure of having you here, today?" Akira asked as he sat on his bed.
"What? Do friends need a reason to come visit?" Akechi mocked and took the liberty to sit on the sofa where he had once slept.
"Not at all!" Akira laughed, then proceeded to grab a bag of candies he had in a drawer and nonchalantly tossed it at him. Akechi caught it mid-air and opened it. "You spoil me."
"Sorry man, you look skinny. Eat up."
"I am not skinny!" Akechi whined and then glanced at his own body. "I am fit."
"Same same" Akira rolled his eyes amused. "Gotta gain some muscles, Goro."
"I've got plenty" Akechi replied and gulped down a handful of gummy teddy-bears. When Akira lifted a brow at him, Akechi continued. "Wanna challenge me to arm wrestling? Can beat you in a matter of seconds!"
"Haha! It'd be fun to try!"
"Bah! I'll go for a walk."
A boyish voice spoke next, and both Akira and Akechi turned to look at Morgana leave the room.
"It's gonna be tough to make Mona change his mind about you" Akira said after making sure the cat had left.
Akechi didn't reply. He knew it was going to be tough –if not impossible- to make all of them change their minds about him after what he was about to do.
He learned he sort of got along with Ann, Yusuke and Ryuji as well back when he was in Hawaii, but he knew he didn't have time to talk to all of them. After all, their bond was not as strong and he would look stupid showing up at their door out of the blue. However, there was one more person he wished to see for the last time as his friend.
He buzzed at the intercom reading the names "Niijima S., Niijima M." and waited until Makoto's familiar voice answered. "Niijima Makoto."
"Makoto-chan, it's me."
"Akechi-kun!" There was a short pause, then he heard her again. "Wanna come up?"
"…sure."
"Third floor. First door to the right."
The door buzzed open and he pushed it to enter the building and climbed the stairs all the way to the third floor. He guessed he could have used the elevator, but really didn't want to rush this.
The door Makoto had mentioned was slightly ajar, and he opened it with one hand as he uncertainly stepped inside. "May I come in?"
He didn't want to fully enter the apartment without being properly invited, and so he waited in the dimly-lit corridor, studying the paintings and pictures hung on the light grey walls, the shoes left by the entrance as well as different jackets. All the belongings seemed to be Sae-san's.
"Akechi-kun, please come in" Makoto finally appeared and brought him a pair of slippers he could use.
"Thank you" he smiled kindly as he accepted the slippers and took off his shoes. "Is your sister here?"
"What a question" she chuckled bitterly. "When is my sister ever at home?"
"I am sorry" he muttered but she waved a hand dismissively and went ahead to show him the rest of the apartment. Well, even though Sae-san was the only working adult in their small family, she must gain enough money to afford the relatively big apartment. The style was modern and yet cozy enough, with a predominance for black, white and grey colors. That is why he was pretty shocked when Makoto showed him her room, which was much more colorful and lively. What surprised him even more was seeing the collection of fluffy plush dolls she had on her bed as well as on many of the shelves around the room, some even placed between rows of complicated-looking books. A large desk was facing the window, where she kept all her school stuff as well as a cute panda-shaped pencil case. The explosion of pink, turquoise and white in the room almost hurt his eyes, such was the contrast with the rest of the apartment.
"May I offer you something to drink?"
Her question made him jerk slightly for he was deep in thought. "Oh, no thank you. I've just had tons of snacks and drinks at Akira's place."
"So uhm…" she shifted from one foot to another and clutched her hands behind her back. "Is there something you wanted to tell me? You could just send a text, you know…"
"I could" he nodded. "But I realized I had nothing to tell you."
"Oh?" she lifted an eyebrow and glanced at him. "So…?"
"I just wanted to see you" he said simply and shrugged his shoulders.
"I just wanted to see you."
His words took her by surprise, the simplicity with which he'd said it, and she felt her cheeks become warmer as a strange feeling spread through her body.
She realized she was staring at him with her mouth open and immediately knew she must be looking stupid judging by Akechi's amused expression.
"A-anyway" she forced herself to say something –anything- just to snap out of it. "Did I tell you we secured our route to the Treasure?"
"No, you didn't" Akechi replied, and went to sit on her bed, looking interested.
"Well, we did" she continued. "And Haru -you remember her right?- just sent a message saying her father received the calling card. She is extraordinarily brave going against her own father to save others' lives, not only hers…"
"True" Akechi nodded, but his expression suddenly turned more serious. "Well, that is good."
Makoto nodded. "Yes, and then you can join us, Akechi-kun! And we can change Shido's heart! We can clear your name…"
Akechi didn't answer, merely glanced sideways looking suddenly very sad.
"Is there… something wrong?" she asked worried and instinctively took a step forward.
"No" he shook his head gently and gave her one of those stunning smiles of his. "It's just… it's going to be a long journey."
"True" she smiled back "But we will make it together."
Akechi remained quiet for a few more seconds before standing up and staring at her, as if seeing her for the first time after a long while. Makoto blinked, unsure what he was doing or thinking, then the boy took a few steps towards her.
"Makoto-chan" he almost whispered, a mix of sadness and worry in his voice. "Will you promise me you will be careful? And look after Akira?"
Makoto was seriously starting to become concerned after listening to his words and gave him a quizzical look. "What does this all mean, Akechi-kun?"
"Nothing" he smiled reassuringly "But I just want to make sure you'll be alright. And the others too. Okumura is a tough guy, after all, and so is Shido."
"We will manage!" she beamed "And you make sure to stay in the shadows until we have dealt with Okumura and trick Shido. Your father is going to receive a big surprise once he finds out you spared Okumura-san's life and never carried out his plan!"
Akechi smiled, but she could tell it was not one of those genuine ones he only reserved to his friends and to her. Something was definitely going through his mind, but she couldn't tell what. After all, they did have a plan, one that Shido could never obstruct.
She was so concentrated on what Akechi may be thinking she didn't realize that the boy was standing right in front of her, and much closer than necessary in a normal conversation. Her heart skipped a beat when she noticed, before it starting hammering against her ribcage. She could feel the loud thumps right through her ears and in every blood vessel of her whole body. Was it because she was still scared of him after he had attacked her twice? But whatever she was feeling in that moment, it was definitely not fear or concern. So what was that?
"Makoto-chan" he spoke softly, looking straight in her red eyes. "You are one strange, brave young woman, you know that? I promise you I will repay you somehow."
He then lifted a hand to her face. The memory of the attacks came rushing to her mind and she flinched slightly. Akechi stopped mid-action, then tried again more slowly, studying her reaction. Makoto's heart was beating so fast now she was sure Akechi –as well as the rest of her neighborhood- could hear it. The brown-haired boy frowned and looked insecure and almost concerned for a moment, until his hand went to rest gently on her right cheek. He caressed her skin with his thumb for some minutes, his expression dead serious, before turning to leave without another word spoken and leaving her speechless and stunned in the middle of the room.
She would have given anything in that moment to be able to tell what the heck was going on in that mind of his.
And she would give even more to find out what was going on in hers.
Ah! Poor Makoto, slowly learning the sweet pains of love :)
Some more drama and an old friend showing up again in next chapter. Did you like this one? Then let me know your thoughts and help support this story! A big thank you for reading and showing some love!