Yu was in the middle of class when his phone began to buzz. Discreetly pulling it out, he saw that the message was from Haru.
Haru: Naru-chan, I think I have an idea on how to get father to break off the engagement.
Yu: Really? Let's hear it.
Haru: Meet me on the rooftop with Shiho and Mako-chan.
Yu: Got it
The bell rang, and Yu didn't waste much time tracking down Shiho and Makoto, bringing the two back up to the roof. Waiting for them was Haru, tending to her plants. Upon the three entering, the fluffy-haired girl stood up with a bright smile.
"Ah, there you are Naru-chan. And you brought Suzu-chan and Mako-chan with you, wonderful!"
"Suzu-chan?" Shiho asked.
"She gives out nicknames to people. So, shall we get them up to speed?"
"Yup."
"Up to speed on what?" Makoto asked.
"Do you know Big Bang Burger?" Yu asked.
"Yea. Ann, Ryuji and I used to go there all the time. What about it?" Shiho questioned.
"Well Haru here is the heiress of Okumura Foods, the company responsible for it."
"Really? And how'd the two of you meet?" Shiho asked, turning to Yu.
"The first time Naru-chan and I met was when I needed help getting fertilizer up, and the next major event was when he saved me from some thugs."
"Really? First it was me up on the roof, then it was Hifumi at the church, and now it's Haru with some thugs. With your record of saving damsels in distress, I wouldn't be surprised if you rescued a princess from a castle." Shiho replied with a coy grin on her face.
"Hifumi as in Hifumi Togo?" Makoto asked.
"That's not important right now. But to get back on track, the company's future isn't looking all that good, so Haru's dad is trying to save it." Yu stated, trying to get back to what they were originally here for.
"By any means necessary?"
"No. There are a few lines he won't cross. In the end, he decided that marriage might be the best option, and I gave my consent, but…" Haru started.
"Her fiance's an absolute asshole." Yu finished.
"Um… that's one way to put it." Haru exclaimed, taken aback.
"What'd he do?" Makoto questioned.
"The night he and Haru met, the man got drunk and almost raped her."
"HE TRIED TO DO WHAT?!" Shiho exploded, now fully invested.
"He didn't go through, thankfully, but-"
"Haru, where is this guy? I'm going to strangle the bastard." Shiho growled, cracking her knuckles.
"Count me in." Makoto added, rolling her shoulder.
"W-wait! I already have an idea on how to deal with him!" Haru reasoned.
"Does it involve cracking his skull open? Because if not, I'm not interested." Shiho replied, cold fury in her voice.
"We can't solve this problem with murder! Even if we somehow got rid of Sugimura and managed to get away with it, father would just find me someone else, someone who could be potentially worse than Sugimura."
"Then we'll kill him too, and the one after that, and the one after that, until your father either finds you someone who treats you right or gives up."
Haru was left with stunned silence before Yu voiced his own thoughts.
"We're not going to kill the man you two. We're better than that. Haru, what exactly was your idea?"
As if broken from a trance, Haru suddenly blinked a number of times before snapping towards Yu.
"O-oh, right. See, the problem is that father cannot break off the engagement or else there will be a significant scandal in the business world. But father loves me more than his company. So my plan is this; Yu will pretend to be my boyfriend."
"I'm sorry, what?" Yu asked.
"If I present you to father, and we manage to convince him that I'm in love with you, it should be enough to convince him to break off the engagement."
"Are you sure about that?"
"As I said, it'll take a lot for Father to break this off because of the scandal, but he also deeply cares for my well-being."
"There might be an alternative; have you heard of the Phantom Team?" Yu asked, getting out his phone.
"Of course, I was here when their strange card was plastered everywhere. That, and they're all over the news, but almost everyone at the company thinks it's a load of hogwash."
"What about you?"
"Well, both calling cards said the person in question would confess, and that's just what they did. It's difficult to argue with evidence you've seen with your own eyes. And before you ask, yes, I did put his name on the site. But there's a chance that they won't do it, and I can't really afford to wait. Which is why I wanted to talk to the three of you. I didn't want my plan to put a strain on your relationships."
"When did you put it up?" Yu asked.
"This morning."
"And how long can you stave off this marriage?"
"A few months. We do need proper planning, after all."
"Then I suggest we wait. If the Team doesn't change his heart in a few days, then we can enact your plan."
Haru took a deep breath and looked at the ground like it was the most interesting thing in the world. It didn't take long before she looked back at Yu.
"Very well. We'll wait for three days, and if nothing comes of it, we'll do it my way."
The bell's ringing could be heard from the roof, and it prompted the teenagers to start moving. Before they left to return to their mundane school day, Yu pulled up the Phansite, and sure enough, there was a request for a man named Ozai Sugimura.
"We're gonna steal his heart today aren't we?" Shiho whispered, looking over his shoulder.
"You bet. By the way you were pretty intense back there." Yu pointed out.
"Yea, what of it?" Shiho asked in an accusatory tone.
"You know you can't just tell people you're going to kill someone right? Even someone like Sugimura."
"That man tried to rape Haru! You said so yourself!"
"I know, but you need to keep your temper under control."
"You can't seriously expect me to stay calm when it comes to monsters like him! Especially after what I've gone through!" Shiho yelled.
"I know, and I'm not asking you to. Just save your fury for the Shadow's alright?"
"… fine." Shiho grumbled, making her way to class, clearly not happy about the lack of support. The rest of the school day went by, same as always, but the heavy atmosphere quickly changed to excitement when Kawakami quickly rolled in a TV and began hooking it up. The murmurs of the other students confirmed what Yu was thinking. But he felt his curiosity get the better of him. Tapping Ann on the shoulder, he asked what was on his mind.
"Does the school always do this when Akechi's going to make an appearance?"
"Yea, ever since Kamoshida was taken down. They do it to show the students what they can achieve, and it happens few and far in between, so it doesn't disrupt school all that much."
The TV let out a cackle as electricity flowed and brought the screen to life. The student's whispers only intensified as the Detective Prince himself stepped up, and it was the women especially that were excited by his appearance.
"Looks like the show's going to start! I can't wait to listen to his silky voice!"
"I still can't believe Akechi-senpai's still single… Do you think he'd be interested in me?"
"How could a man so handsome hang around trash like the transfer student?"
"Maybe Akechi-senpai's using him. You know, underworld contacts and all that."
Yu felt his skin bristle as the harpies continued to prattle on about how Yu couldn't stack up to the man on TV. If only they knew their oh-so-precious Akechi-senpai actually took orders from the 'trash'. But their whispers were quickly drowned out once Sae also joined. Then it was the boy's turn to run their mouths.
"Hot damn, look at that bod!"
"That's Akechi-senpai's boss? She doesn't look that tough."
"Maybe, but she's hot as fuck! Give me five minutes with that hottie, and she'll be begging for me to ram her non-stop."
Yu couldn't help but form a sadistic smirk at their remarks.
I wanna see you fools try, just so I can see her eat you alive and throw your bones to the hounds.
The rumor mill started to die down as the news anchor began to speak.
"Hello hello Tokyo! Welcome back! Today, we have not one, but TWO exciting guests on the show! You know both of them already, but we'll introduce them anyway for formality's sake. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the best and brightest of the Special Investigations Unit; the Detective Prince Goro Akechi, and the Incorruptible Justicar Sae Niijima!"
Incorruptible Justicar? Not a bad title
The audience in the studio let out a sizable applause as the two entered. Akechi gave a wave and blew kisses to the crowd in the most overblown manner possible. The girls in the class let out 'oooos' and 'aaaaaaah's, and Yu could swear he saw one swoon. All the while Sae fast-walked to the couch in a rather unceremonious manner.
"Now, today we ask them for their opinion on the latest trend sweeping the nation."
"I take it you mean the Phantom Team?"
By now, the whole class had quieted down so they could hear the pair better.
"As observant as always Niijima-san! There are some among the general public that believe this to be some kind of stunt, that something else entirely was responsible for the so-called 'changes of heart'. Won't you please let us know your thoughts? The whole nation is dying to know what the two greatest law enforcers in Tokyo think about the ones who allegedly 'stole' the hearts of Kobayakawa and Togo."
Yu held his breath, ready and eager to hear Sae's opinion.
"If I'm being perfectly honest, I do believe the Phantom Team exists." Sae started.
"How interesting! To be frank, I would've thought that you would be the first to claim there was something else behind this." The host remarked.
"And I did, at first, and so would anyone else with a brain. The ability to steal desires? Force people to have a complete change in personality within a matter of hours? It's ridiculous. But, the evidence cannot be denied. Brain scans, psychiatric tests, and health history all show that the victims are not only perfectly fine, but sane. It can't be hypnosis, because that only works if you want it to, and it can't be blackmail, because the crimes they had to confess to would ruin their lives forever. Ergo, the only logical solution is that they exist. I can't say how it's done, but there's no denying the simple truth; the Phantom Team is very much real."
There were murmurs among the students.
"I knew it!"
"Is she for real? Something had to have gone wrong with the tests."
"Unbelievable, they even got the police fooled."
The show hosts looked stunned. It was clear that he wanted to call foul on her assumptions, but bit his tongue. Apparently her reputation as a no-nonsense officer of the law had reached even the media. Well, that and she probably made what kind of person she was clear with previous public appearances.
"I see. What about you Akechi-kun? Do you agree with your partner?"
Akechi gave a cocky smirk.
"As a matter of fact, I do. Not only that, but I believe that there's a supernatural element involved."
"Oh really? Can you elaborate further?"
"I cannot, at this moment. But if someone were to look at this case with the mindset that there's something going on that can't be explained with just science, many aspects suddenly seem possible. Of course, this is all just speculation and theory. I, and my partner, need more time for investigating."
"I see. If you believe that, then surely you must have an opinion on the Team itself?"
"I do indeed. Personally, I believe they are allies of justice. If it wasn't for them, Kobayakawa and Mistusyo would still be ruining who knows how many lives."
"So you're saying that you support them? Even though they did your job for you?"
"I am. Mitsuyo and Kobayakawa both were able to get away with what they'd done for years now, slipping under the radar. How many people are taking advantage of others that the police can't stop?"
"I see. I didn't know that the police were spread so thin."
"Well, as powerful and massive as the department is, it can't handle everything, and as talented as Sae-san and I are, we cannot be everywhere. So the Phantom Team giving us a hand every now and then is appreciated."
"Ah, so you're saying that they're a part of the police?"
"No, but our goals are aligned; the protection of innocent people and the removal of criminals."
"You're completely wrong Akechi."
All eyes focused on Sae, who spoke for the first time without being spoken to. The prosecutor narrowed her eyes at her partner, a silent signal to stay quiet. The host picked up.
"My my! You think otherwise Niijima-san?"
"You'll have to forgive my partner. He's young, and because of that, he's also a bit naive. Make no mistake; no matter what Akechi may say, the Phantom Team is a danger to society."
There was a gasp throughout the class at her words. Yu felt a shiver go down his spine as she looked at the camera, as if to let him know her next words were intended for him.
"Oh my! Why do you believe that even after Akechi-kun just defended them so vehemently?" The hostess asked.
"Because they are operating like they are above the law, acting as judge, jury, and executioner, running rampant in any way they please. No one, even one with the most noble of intentions, is above the law. True, they may be on the side of justice for now, but for how long? How long until they inevitably begin to abuse their power? I want the viewers to think of someone precious, someone important to you."
Yu could see that people around him began to relax, and even heard Ann mutter 'Shiho'. After a few seconds, Sae continued.
"Now, I want you to envision that one day, you meet them, and they don't seem like themselves. The rest of the day, they keep acting strange, almost the complete opposite of how they were before. You discover that they had their hearts stolen, and they'll never be the same again. The person you care about is now lost, changed forever, and the ones responsible are free to do it again to someone else. And again, and again, and again. Such power should not go unchecked."
"I don't think that could be so bad. After all, some people could use a change of heart." One student muttered, shooting a glare at Yu.
Screw you too, jackass.
"The Phantom Team isn't like that." Akechi countered.
The camera turned to the detective prince, who stared down Yu's guardian. Sae turned to Akechi, less than pleased about the public defiance.
"Oh? And what evidence do you have to support that?" Sae demanded.
"They've only gone after criminals."
"So far. And it won't stay that way forever."
"What if you're wrong? What if perhaps the Phantom Team are people that are just trying to help?" Akechi countered.
"If that's the case, then perhaps they should work with the police. After all, you yourself said that law enforcement can use all the help they can get."
Akechi's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, caught completely off guard by Sae's argument. But before he could find the right words, Sae turned the camera.
"As such, I'd like to send a message to the Phantom Team. If you truly are servants of justice, then get in contact with me, and lend your strength to the law's."
Considering all the good the law's done me?
"If you don't, I'll take your refusal as confirmation that my concerns are justified. And make no mistake, if that happens, the SIU will hunt you down and destroy you, and I will lead the charge. You have one week." Sae declared, her signature glare only making every word all the more menacing.
"I-I believe that's all the time we have! Thank you so much for joining us Niijima-san and Akechi-kun. We'll be right back after these messages."
With that, the TV began to play the ads and Kawakami quickly turned it off. The final bell rang, and the rumor mill started up again with a vengeance. First up was the boys.
"I want that Sae to step on me."
"Careful who hears you dude. That's the sister of the Student Council President you're talking about."
"She was scary as hell. If I was in the Phantom Team, I'd be shitting myself."
"Tell me about it. I swore the room temperature dropped a few degrees when she hit us with the glare. I can't believe someone so hot could look so dangerous. Rawr."
As the boys filed out, the next set of voices was the girls.
"I'm surprised by how hard Akechi-senpai supported the Phantom Team. You'd think he'd be against vigilantes that try to do his job."
"They took down Kobayakawa, of course he's on their side. I just hope he doesn't get in trouble for it."
"Oh he'll be fine. But I wonder if the Phantom Team will join her."
"To be honest, I thought that they were just a big hoax, but if the SIU is sending the Prosecutor Queen and the Detective Prince after them, they have to be bad news."
The last of his class made their way out the door, and Yu couldn't help but let himself slump in his chair. The moment didn't last long as his phone vibrated in his pocket. Whipping it out, he saw Morgana shoot the whole group a text.
Morgana: WHO IN ALL THE NINE HELLS DOES THAT BITCH THINK SHE IS?!
Hifumi: Wha-?
Morgana: "THEY'LL ABUSE THEIR POWER"?! LADY, OPEN YOUR EYES! EVERYONE IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY IS ABUSING THEIR POWER!
Hifumi: What happened?
Morgana: MAYBE IF THE PEOPLE RUNNING SOCIETY WERE ACTUALLY DECENT HUMAN BEINGS, THE PHANTOM TEAM WOULDN'T BE NECESSARY!
Hifumi: Should I come back later?
Shiho: Didn't you see the news?
Hifumi: No. In fact, classes just got out. Why? Did something happen to Akechi during his interview?
Shiho: Something happened all right. The Special Investigations Unit just declared war on us.
Hifumi: Oh dear. That's not good at all.
Morgana: AND THAT'S NOT ALL! THERE WAS THIS BITCH NAMED SAE NIIJIMA ON THAT TOLD COMPLETE AND TOTAL LIES ABOUT US!
Hifumi: Like what?
Morgana: SHE SAID WE'D ABUSE OUR POWER! WE SHOULD TAKE HER HEART NEXT!
Yu: Morgana, turn off caps lock. And if we did take her heart just because she said bad things about us, we'd just be proving her right.
Morgana: Well, how about stealing her heart because she's going to fight us?
Shiho: If we did that, then they'd just replace her with someone else.
Hifumi: We should wait until Akechi gets here before we decide what to do. The SIU is not an opponent we can afford to underestimate.
Yu: Agreed. Let's just keep a calm head before going forward.
Akechi found himself alone with a very irritated Sae Niijima. In fact, he was pretty sure that if they were at the SIU HQ, she'd order him downstairs for some "CQC training". But as luck would have it, the best she could do was a broom closet.
"What in the world were you thinking? Do you know what you just declaired with that stupid outburst of yours?" The prosecutor growled.
"Outburst?"
"That talk about how not even the police could take down Mitsuyo and Kobayakawa. Do you have any idea what you just did? You just told the whole nation that the police department couldn't do it's damn job! Not only that, but you also threw support behind the Phantom Team!"
"That's because I believe that they are righteous."
Sae's hand collided with her face.
"I can't believe I actually have to spell it out for you, but the Phantom Team are not the heroes in those Western comics you're obsessed with."
"I know they're not. But I still believe that they're good."
"Based on the smallest shreds of evidence?"
"Some of our biggest wins came from the smallest shreds of evidence." Akechi reminded.
"You're right on that front. But you haven't bothered to consider alternatives."
"I don't believe the Team is composed of evil people."
"And do you also believe they have no connection to the mental shutdowns?"
The question caught the teenage detective off-guard.
"W-what? Where'd this come from?"
"For the past five years, people have been experiencing strange phenomenon that causes them to-"
"To stop functioning. It's called the 'case from hell' because there's virtually no way to find a pattern or evidence. I've read the reports Sae-san."
"And the case of the Phantom Team has some parallels, don't you agree?"
"I'll admit that much, but that doesn't mean that they're one in the same!"
"They're, at the very least, using similar methods."
Akechi bit back a groan at that.
"Alright, fine, I'll give you that."
"And only that?"
Akechi had to tread carefully here. If he pushed too hard in support for his friends, Sae would know something was up.
"The idea that they're using similar methods to the mental shutdowns also has other implications. For example, there might be a force behind the shutdowns. Perhaps the Team is a part of that force that went rogue? Or they could just be a group that's aware of it and is trying to fight back."
Sae pressed her thumb to her chin.
"What do you mean?"
"What if… what if Kobayakawa was just a test run?"
Sae raised her eyebrow, a subtle hint that she was both interested and wanted him to continue.
"We know that Mitsuyo Togo was a woman with immense clout, wealth, and power. She, as well as a few other people, benefited from a number of mental shutdowns. If, hypothetically speaking, there was a force responsible for those, she'd have to be a part of it. In comparison, Kobayakawa was just a simple teacher. Whoever or whatever is behind the shutdowns has some kind of power, and the Team acquired that very same power. Using Kobayakawa as a test subject, they now know how to use it, they're going after the force responsible for the mental shutdowns."
"Then why have Mitsuyo confess? Why not just kill her outright if they're trying to fight this hypothetical force?"
"Because having her turn herself in has the same effect as giving her a mental shutdown, but it leaves her alive. The Phantom Team have proven that they, at the very least, don't want to become what they're trying to destroy. They don't want to fight fire with fire. That's why I believe that they're righteous."
Sae took in a deep breath of air.
"I'll admit, your logic has some merit. But this is all just speculation. We're going to have to investigate further before we learn something concrete."
"Agreed. I could be completely wrong, and the Phantom Team are nothing more than just a bunch of hooligans that got this power by complete accident and are only now realizing just how potent it is."
"Precisely. Either way, they won't stop with Mitsuyo."
"That's something I can say with one hundred percent certainty. No matter who they are, or what they're motivated by, they're just getting started."
"And who knows when they'll stop. Or who they'll stop at." Sae muttered.
The prosecutor's watch beeped, and she turned to Akechi with a forlorn look in her eyes.
"I need to get back. You take the rest of the day off Akechi."
"R-really? Thank you Sae-san."
"Don't get used to it." Were the last words Akechi's boss said before she exited the janitor's closet they were in. Akechi's lips morphed into a frown. He knew that there was no way he could convince the prosecutor that the Phantoms were good unless either he confessed he was a part of it, or she met them herself. But he could worry about that later. Right now, he needed to check his phone, and see how his teammates had taken the news.
Akechi: Alright, I'm here.
Yu: Welcome back Akechi.
Akechi: So what did I miss?
Shiho: Morgana had a major meltdown.
Akechi: Oh really? Let me scroll through this chat.
.
.
.
Akechi: Oh dear Lord…
Hifumi: It's good that you're back. Now we can start planning our next move.
Yu: Everyone head to Akechi's place. We'll do better if we can talk in person.
Shiho: See you there!
It didn't take too long for them to assemble at Akechi's small apartment. The teenage detective had at least attempted to make it presentable, stacking paperwork in different piles, taking out the trash, and doing the dishes. But the cork walls were plastered with all kinds of information, from news articles, photos, police reports, most of which pertained to Mitsuyo. At the center of the web was the silhouette of a man with a "?" in place of where his face would be. Hifumi was the last to arrive, and Akechi finished making some instant ramen for the group.
"Sorry it took awhile." Hifumi apologized as Akechi handed out the plastic bowls.
"It's no problem. In fact your timing couldn't be better. We were just about to eat." Akechi informed.
"Ah excellent."
Hifumi took a seat, and everyone turned to Yu before eating.
"So… what's our next move?" Morgana asked.
"That's the question, isn't it?" Yu responded as he contemplated his next words. After a precious few seconds that felt like centuries, he answered.
"The way I see it, we only have two real options; take Sae up on her offer, or keep doing our own thing. We can't really choose to stop being the Phantom Team anymore; Sae would still hunt us if we stopped."
"There's no way we're working with her!" Morgana cried out.
"Morgana, try to see things from her perspective. As far as she knows, we're a group that have the ability to do whatever we want and not be held accountable for it. She and I speak from experience; the moment you take away the ability to make someone accountable for their actions, sooner or later, they will abuse that power."
"But that won't happen to us… right?" Shiho asked.
"No. I wouldn't defend us if I thought otherwise."
"Akechi's right. We've all been on the receiving end. We all know what it's like to be the victim, and so long as we don't go too far, we'll never be like those we're fighting." Yu supported.
"But this Sae person has backed us into a corner. I can't help but feel that the so-called 'meeting' she wants to have is a trap. And if we don't go to her, she has an excuse to come after us with all her might." Hifumi declared.
"Your instincts would be correct Hifumi. Sae has made it clear that she is no supporter of us, and if we were to meet her, she would arrest us before we could finish greeting her." Yu backed up.
"I somehow doubt she could take down all five of us." Morgana scoffed.
"You haven't seen her in action. The only people who could give her even a lick of trouble are Akechi and me." Yu replied.
"And that's assuming we catch her without Makoto-san. Sae-san's younger sister is even more talented than her with martial arts, only held back by the fact that she isn't anywhere near as ruthless." Akechi added with a sullen look.
"Well, if we can't meet her, maybe she can meet us." Hifumi suggested.
"Uuuh… what? Isn't that the same thing?" Shiho asked.
"Let me explain. If we meet her in the real world, we're captured. If we don't, we gain a powerful enemy, one we can't afford to deal with while also trying to hunt down this Puppet Master. But what if we brought Sae into the Metaverse?" Hifumi explained.
"It wouldn't be much different. She'd recognize Yu and I, even with our masks and costumes, and after that, it would just be a matter of time before she found out about the rest of you with a little investigation." Akechi countered.
"But what if she met our Personas?" Yu asked.
"Oooh, that's a good idea. She'll be expecting regular people, not our inner selves." Shiho pointed out.
"Our Personas? That… that actually could work. We'd need to hammer out certain details, but the idea has merit." Akechi pondered.
"Hold on. Let's say we manage to pull this off, and we have meetings with Sae. What's to stop her from gathering information about us and betraying us later?" Morgana asked.
"I don't think she would. Sae-san is a woman with a staunch sense of justice. She wouldn't stoop to treachery, especially since she asked us to meet her."
"I'm not sure Akechi. I'm pretty sure that's your personal bias talking." Hifumi pointed out.
"No. Sae said she would at least hear us out, and say what you want about her, but I know from personal experience that she's a woman of her word." Yu countered.
"Still, trying to meet with Sae in the Metaverse with our Personas will prove tricky, at the very least." Morgana reminded.
"We can work on it before we head into Mementos. Is everyone done eating?" Yu asked with a burp.
The group stacked their plastic bowls on top, each and every one of them ready and willing to get this show on the road as Yu teleported them into the Metaverse. The next few days promised to be interesting.