Left with few options, the Phantom Thieves decided to take Zenkichi's deal. In order to properly level with him, he needed to understand what it was they did and how they did it. So while they made their way to the Accessway, they explained the Metaverse and the Jail. Zenkichi nodded slowly as if he understood what they were saying. "I see…a Jail full of Shadows. With a Monarch seizing Desires, was it? All right…" His expression fell. "How about we go get you all tested for drugs now? If you're gonna cook up a fantasy story to sell me, at least try to use a little less spice next time."
"I had a feeling he was going to react exactly like that." Hifumi let out a small sigh. She couldn't blame him for his reaction. The shock she had when she first stepped foot into the Metaverse was unparalleled. She wouldn't have believed it without seeing it.
"Oh, just save it for now." Makoto said, not planning to humor Zenkichi's statement. "We're about to take you into the cognitive world."
"Cognitive World…?" Zenkichi tilted his head.
"Follow us." Makoto said and the others began to walk off.
"Huh!? Where to, exactly!?" Zenkichi had no answer. He just followed behind, clueless.
.
The surroundings changed instantly. Everyone's attire changed aside from Zenkichi's, but he didn't notice that first. "So are you gonna answer me, or….." He trailed off, his eyes noticing the Shibuya Jail and how…unrealistic it was. "Wh…What!? What is…!? This…isn't real…" His voice was beginning to crack from the sheer amount of disbelief hitting him all at once.
"This is all very real, Zenkichi-san." Violet said with a polite tone. "Everything you can see."
Hearing Violet's voice, Zenkichi turned around, now noticing the Phantom Thief attire. "Wha-!? What's with those clothes!"
"Yup. This is about what I expected." Skull was enjoying Zenkichi's reactions. That was the silver lining of this situation.
"This is our Phantom Thief attire." Panther explained.
"Ha! Hahaha!" Zenkichi let out a delirious laugh. He just simply refused to believe what was in front of him. It completely shattered his perception of reality as he knew it. "What even IS this? Where AM I!?"
Sophie walked up to him, all too eager to answer his frantic questions. "Questions! This is a Jail. You are currently located within a Jail."
"Who're YOU!?" Zenkichi saw Sophie and took a step back. Where did she come from!? He would've noticed if there was another person with the Phantom Thieves, and until they entered, she was not there at all!
"I am Sophie, humanity's companion." Sophie responded automatically. "Nice to meet you!"
"Nice to – what?!" Zenkichi shook his head. That didn't explain anything at all!
Mona stepped forward next. "Chill out, Zenkichi! You gotta keep it together!"
Zenkichi closed his eyes, turning towards the mysterious voice. "Yeah, you're right. I can't keep losin' my shit like…" And then his eyes opened. "MONSTER CAT!?"
"I am NOT a Monster Cat! I am Morgana!" Mona huffed. He would begrudgingly accept being called a cat, but not a monster cat! There was a big difference.
"Do you finally believe we're telling the truth?" Queen asked.
"The hell?" Zenkichi was still in disbelief. It was clearly a dream of some kind. "How much did I drink last night? This just has to be a dream! I'm still passed out."
"This is like the five stages of grief, but he's just stuck on denial." Joker said.
"You holdin' up there, Gramps?" Skull asked.
"No need to worry." Sophie said. "He is only having a meltdown."
"That's still a reason to worry…" Noir sighed.
"Mwehehe…looks like we blew his mind!" Oracle was taking great joy in this.
"I…think we should start heading back now. Maybe it will be easier for him to accept when he's back in reality." Dragon suggested. She got behind Zenkichi, and along with Panther, they had to push the stunned man out of the Metaverse and into reality.
.
Even back in reality, Zenkichi was struggling to understand what he just went through. "How did this…what's happened to me…? Did I drive myself crazy trying to crack this case?"
"It's pretty fun watching him lose it over this." Ryuji snickered.
"His brain probably overloaded and he can't catch up." Futaba said.
"Ugh, why'd we even bother explaining it all beforehand?" Ann groaned, feeling like this was a waste of time.
"I believe we've all had such reactions upon stepping into the Metaverse the first time. Ah, memories." Yusuke said fondly. Watching someone experience their first Metaverse trip never got old.
"Is he going to be okay?" Sumire was carefully looking Zenkichi over. He seemed extremely out of it.
"Get ahold of yourself, Gramps." Sophia said.
"Sheesh…" Morgana popped up from Ren's bag. He was tired of Zenkichi's delayed responses. "How long do you need to get it together? C'mon, Earth to Zenkichi."
"Huh, oh right…right, right, get it together…" Zenkichi turned to face Morgana, only… "THIS CAT SAID MY NAME! IS THIS THE CAT FROM THAT PLACE?! IT'S THE MONSTER CAT!"
"I'm NOT a monster cat! I told you, I am Morgana!" Morgana huffed.
"Um, Zenkichi-san, don't you think you might want to temper your voice a little?" Hifumi said. "Otherwise, it might be you that gets tested for drugs…"
"Since you're cognizant of Morgana speaking in the Metaverse, you can understand him here now, too." Makoto explained.
"Don't worry, it surprised all of us when we first met him." Ren added.
"Cats can talk if I'm cognizant of it? Ahahaha…that's really something…hahaha…" Zenkichi seemed like he was slowly accepting this. Very slowly.
"I think he's going to need a little more time to process all of this." Haru had an amused smile.
Zenkichi did need some time to cool off. Eventually, he was able to get himself together. "Okay, first off, I'm sorry for losing my cool like that. "I think I get what's going on, though."
"No you don't." Hifumi could pick up that lie right away, and she couldn't help but point it out.
"No I don't." Zenkichi said. "None of what you showed me makes any sense to me. But I'm going to strive to understand."
"If we're going to make a deal, then that will make us conspirators." Makoto pointed out. "Conspirators have to vow never to betray one another's trust."
"So, you already know how all this works." Zenkichi was impressed with Makoto. "All right, all right. Your trust is repaid with mine. Help me figure out this nationwide change of heart business and I'll make sure you're all protected. As long as you cooperate, I won't allow the police to lay a finger on you. That's my vow."
"Alright, then it's a deal." Ren nodded. "Make sure to get along with the talking cat."
"Oh, man…." Zenkichi's eyes widened. "So he's really real, huh?"
"Hmph!" Morgana growled.
"Innnnn that case…." Zenkichi was trying to move on. "I'm going to ask for your help on a similar change of heart incident. PubSec has their eyes on Sapporo right now because of all the Change of Heart cases there. I need you in Sapporo Central by the 8th."
"Sapporo…?" Haru tilted her head. Something about that city…
"Why does it have to be the 8th?" Hifumi asked.
"Because our suspect is out of the country on a business trip until then." Zenkichi replied. "We're kicking off our investigation within the hour of her arrival back home."
"That makes sense." Makoto said. "Very well."
"So it's likely this suspect in Sapporo is another Monarch like Alice…" Yusuke surmised.
"Does this mean we're going on a road trip?" Sumire questioned. "Hokkaido is a long way away…."
"Uh, word of caution?" Zenkichi interjected. "You're definitely wanna avoid any sort of public transporation. You're gonnna want to either drive or hoof it."
"Hoof it!? That's so far away…!" Ann shook her head. Absolutely not. Walking was not an option.
"But why?" Ryuji asked.
"Is this because we stirred the pot?" Hifumi closed her eyes.
"Exactly." Zenkichi was glad some of these Thieves were quick on the uptake. "Any potential Monarch will have heard about it. The way they see it, you're a real problem. Especially if you're going after their own desires."
"They're probably going to try and get rid of us if that's the case." Futaba frowned.
"There's no way to know who's brainwashed until after they act." Zenkichi said. "What if one of 'em was the pilot of your plane? Safest bet is to find a car you can use."
"You're not gonna give us one?" Ryuji furrowed his brows.
"Sorry, but I've got to keep this investigation top secret. Any aid would just leave a trail back to this deal of ours." Zenkichi shook his head. "Oh, and one more thing: don't worry about the Alice thing. I'll fill you in once I'm done grilling her. Here's to a solved case."
"…" Hifumi quietly furrowed her brows, doing her best to keep a neutral expression. Something just didn't feel right with Zenkichi's words and she was the only one who could feel it. Zenkichi did glance her way, presumably sensing the way she looked at him. So she glanced elsewhere.
"Same here, Zenkichi." Morgana said in response to Zenkichi.
"Ah, right…sorry I called you a monster cat." Zenkichi said.
"Oh, you'll BE sorry!" The angry cat replied.
Zenkichi just started to walk off, trying to accept what he saw. "Okay, you didn't go crazy…this is real, Zenkichi…"
"I think that went about as well as it could…" Hifumi let out a sigh.
.
.
It was late in the evening now, and the group returned to the Hideout in Ren's room to discuss their situation. "What an effin' buzzkill…" Ryuji groaned. This completely dashed their summer plans.
"I mean, Hokkaido? Really?" Ann sighed. "There goes our vacation, down the drain."
"Ain't this happenin' all over Japan anyways?" Ryuji said. "Even if we do solve this one, we're just gonna get sent off to some other city."
"A traveling venture in cooperation with Public Security…" Yusuke mumbled. "I admit, it doesn't sound all bad. We should stop by Kyoto as well."
"You aren't going to let it go, are you?" Hifumi turned to Yusuke. He was very, very desperate to make it to Kyoto somehow. She had to at least respect his efforts to will the visit into existence.
"Find that silver lining, Inari…" Futaba was aware of this too.
"This trip isn't for our enjoyment." Makoto had to bring all expectations down to reality. "The case will still be our primary objective."
"But, it's summer vacation, right?" Ann said. "Can't we have just a little fun?"
"I agree. I think we can afford to spend a little time having fun." Sumire nodded in agreement. "It's not as if we'll be working while we're on the road or anything."
"Ooh, I'd like to experience some regional cuisines!" Haru perked up.
"Me too! Sushi for me!" Morgana also perked up.
"Phantom Road Trip!" Ren exclaimed.
Makoto pressed her finger to her forehead and sighed heavily. "We can lose focus after the mission…."
"Erm, before that…" Hifumi spoke up. "Should we not talk about EMMA?"
"Yeah." Morgana snapped back to attention. The sushi could wait. "It seems like an ordinary App at first, but now we know that it has a hidden function that can access Jails."
"It's like the Meta-Nav, and that makes it dangerous." Ren said while leaning back in his seat. "Before, the Meta-Nav was given to us by that God of Control to make us play his game. The guy that was pretending to be Igor?"
"That long nosed dude with that Lavenza chick?" Ryuji almost forgot about him.
"Yeah." Ren nodded. "That's how Akechi got his too. And…if this is something that can be accessed by literally anyone at any time, that's a problem." He did want to talk about Akechi, but there currently wasn't anything to talk about aside from the fact that he was…alive. The rest depended on Akechi…
"To think something like that is being used nationwide…it sends a chill down my spine." Makoto admitted.
"The app itself is fine though, right?" Futaba said. "You could just delete it. Plus, all the keyword and friend list function work fine. If the App just let everybody into Jails, wouldn't it just lead to some mass panic or something?"
"We've all registered as friends on it, but that didn't do anything strange in and of itself…" Haru brought up a good point.
"Where did this app come from anyway?" Ann asked.
"It's run by a Japanese company called Madicce." Futaba told the others, answering Ann's question in the process. "They're an international IT firm – we're talking tens of thousands of employees.
"That's quite the large scale operation." Haru said. "With those numbers, they'd have to be a top tier international enterprise."
"So is this some evil-mega cooperation trying to makin' Jails or somethin'?" Ryuji did raise a good question.
"Well, considering everything we've been exposed to thus far, it's easy to suspect them." Hifumi stared at her phone. "But I doubt that everything we've been exposed to is even close to the tip of the iceberg."
"But we can't use EMMA the same way Alice did…" Makoto said.
"Maybe cuz we got pure hearts' or somethin'?" Ryuji suggested.
"Moron." Ann immediately shot him down with that.
"It's possible Alice was using a special version of EMMA." Futaba suggested, but that's all it was. "I'd be able to know for sure if I got a hold of her phone…"
"Moving on…" Ren was taking charge of the conversation a bit. They did need to iron out these topics before anything else. "The Jails. We know what they are. They are similar to Palaces, but people can be dragged into them, and things happen to them in the real world."
"Don't they sound even worse than Palaces?" Ryuji knew how bad Palaces could be, but something about the nature of Jails just made it seem worse.
"If things are happening all over the country, this could mean there are more Jails around. But how do we even go about finding them all? I feel like this would take forever." Sumire was a little deflated just thinking about it.
"Yeah, but…even if we're working with the police to clear our name, I don't think that's enough." Ann's voice had a bit of determination to it. "I mean, if the Jails are as dangerous as we've seen, then wouldn't it be bad to just leave them alone? Isn't it our job to deal with them? Aren't we the only ones who can stop this?"
"…Yes, Ann-senpai." Sumire nodded. "I'm sorry if it sounded like I was complaining."
"Don't worry about it." Ann smiled at Sumire. "I know this isn't how we planned to spend our summer together, but I know we all wouldn't like to sit and do nothing."
"Hehe…" Hifumi smiled at Ann's words.
"This is where I can help!" Sophia pipped up. "I can detect a Jail by its scent."
"…With your nose?" Ren blinked.
"Yes." Sophia said with a cute smile.
"…That's some nose you've got." Ryuji wasn't going to question it.
"Praise accepted." Sophia hummed.
"What about Akechi?" Futaba was the one to bring this up, much to everyone's surprise. "I mean…he just kinda showed up and left. He seems to know what's going on, but…"
"That depends on him…" Ren said. "I have no idea what goes through his head. Is he going to stay on the sidelines? I have no clue."
"…." Haru was silent to this. She didn't know either…
"Before we think about him, we should think about a method of transportation." Yusuke said. "There are quite a lot of us here, after all."
"I completely forgot about that." Ann threw her head back, hands dragging along her face. "Where in the world are we going to find a car that can hold all of us?"
"Never fear!" Yusuke then spoke up triumphantly. "Renting a car is of no problem. The funds from my recent art competition have just arrived!"
"Why are you always so eager to spend your money as soon as you get a hand on some?" Hifumi poked Yusuke in the shoulder. His spending habits were awful!
"Um…" Haru could probably afford what they needed.
"Hold your tongue, Haru!" Futaba said, as if she was struck by a bolt of inspiration. "I recall Sojiro saying he knows a guy! I think he may have just what we need, for free!"
.
.
July 31st.
Sojiro indeed knew a guy with a camper the Thieves could use. He was briefed on the situation and did what he could to lend them a hand. It took until morning, so they just had to wait for Zenkichi to arrive. They were close to being on the road. In exchange for getting everything ready for them, Sojiro asked that Ren take care of the store in his place. Once it was morning and everyone gathered in Leblanc while waiting for Zenkichi. The door did open, and….
"Ah, so everyone's here." It was Akechi again, two days in a row.
"…Well, that sure didn't take long." Haru mumbled.
"I was wondering if you were going to show up." Ren said. "Coffee?"
"I can't tell if you're serious or sarcastic about it." Akechi did take a seat but shook his head. "I'm not in the mood for coffee."
"So what are you in the mood for?" Ann was the one who asked. She knew that Akechi wasn't the type to beat around the bush. They already decided that whatever happened with Akechi was solely up to him.
"I'm going to assume you've all been briefed on the situation by Officer Hasegawa?" Akechi asked.
"That's right." Makoto nodded. "Why are you asking? Are you taking part in this investigation as well?"
"What do you think?" Akechi's dry tone was still present. The pleasant tone he upheld for casual conversation was gone. There was no need to hide it from the people who already saw him for who he was. "Granted, considering this is a matter of Public Security, and I'm just working with the police, they haven't let me in on every single detail. But as one of the few people who knows about the Metaverse…I intend to seek the truth of this matter as well."
"…Zenkichi-san knows about the Metaverse now too." Sumire spoke up. "We showed him yesterday."
"…Is that right?" Akechi found this fact amusing to be honest. "So I suppose this means you've decided to work alongside him?"
"Why are ya askin'?" Ryuji questioned. "You're not gonna try 'n rat us out a second time, are you?"
"What good would that do me?" Akechi rolled his eyes at Ryuji's words. "The last thing needed right now is all of you getting tossed into the slammer. If that were to happen, the truth would be lost for good."
"The truth?" Hifumi tilted her head. "So you wish to solve this case as well?"
"Just as before, the police have no real means of apprehending a true culprit or discerning the means of these changes of heart." Akechi said. "That's why, as I'm sure you're very well aware by now, the police are more than content just pointing the finger at the Phantom Thieves and being done with it. We know that absolutely nothing will change if that is the outcome. That is…not something I can allow to happen."
"Not allow?" Ann blinked. Akechi wasn't one to beat around the bush, but she could tell that he was hesitating for some reason. It was very unlike him. Even in the false reality created by Maruki, he was unflinching and never hesitated a single time. "…Is there something you're trying to say?"
"I know full well that all of you are more than likely capable of handling this situation on your own, however, be that as it may…" Akechi paused for a moment, but he continued on. "I…would like to lend my aid to you."
"You wish to help us?" Yusuke was taken aback by this, as were the others. Akechi was asking to help? Before, their cooperation was born out of circumstance. So hearing this as a request felt…off.
"That is correct." Akechi replied with a nod. Asking was the hard part. Whether or not they accepted was a completely different story. "From what I've been able to gather, Jails appear to be far worse than Palaces ever could be. The self-absorbed nature of a Palace only manifested in one's personality in reality. Jails are capable of doing far more damage…and for the sake of my justice, I don't intend on sitting idly by as another person sits upon their perch to throw this country into turmoil."
"Your justice, huh?" Haru said.
"Were you on this case before Alice?" Makoto asked.
"Of course." Akechi replied. "Granted, it only truly became apparent to me after I was pulled into the Metaverse. Once I realized that the cognitive world was in play, I knew what had to be done. I had a feeling that it already was, but with the Meta Nav out of the question, I hadn't the slightest clue how to access the Metaverse once again."
"…What do you guys think?" Morgana asked. "Are we all okay with Akechi helping us? We do have Zenkichi on our side for the police…"
"It doesn't help having another helping hand." Yusuke admitted. It didn't sound like he had any qualms. "Who knows what sort of enemy we're up against in the end?"
"I think the decision shouldn't be up to us, exactly." Ren said.
"Yeah," Ryuji agreed, looking towards Haru and Futaba. "What do you guys want?" As far as he was concerned, their opinion about Akechi working with them was the most important.
Futaba and Haru looked at each other for a moment. They didn't say words, but traded thoughts via reading the other's expression. There were some conflicting emotions, naturally speaking… "Is solving the case the only reason you want to help us?" Futaba asked.
"…" Akechi closed his eyes. "…Perhaps helping you solve this case may make this road to 'atonement' easier. I haven't the slightest clue where to start on that path, but I assumed this would be a decent first step. Considering what happened on Shido's ship, I still believe I owe you, Futaba, and Haru, that much." There was no point in hiding it. While there was clearly something Akechi was keeping close to his chest, that overall sentiment was important to get out. "I want to do better, somehow, someway. Of course, whether that begins with this or not…it's out of my hands."
"Akechi…" Ren was a little shocked. Akechi felt like a completely different person now. But it seemed like he was genuinely attempting to turn over a new leaf where he could not before.
"I can't say I'm very thrilled about the idea of you tagging along during our summer vacation." Haru started. "…But given what you've already said, I can tell that you're going to stick your nose into this case regardless if we accept your help or not. And knowing that you're actually here, I'd much prefer keeping my eyes on you."
"Are ya sure?" Ryuji asked Haru, and she gave him a nod of affirmation.
"…I'm fine with it." Futaba said after Haru spoke. "If you're trying to start over, and this could be the turning point…then sure."
"But." Haru raised her finger. "Sakura-san is procuring an RV for us at the moment. You are not allowed in it during the road trip."
"That's fine. I have my own car to drive." Akechi merely shrugged at the stipulation. "Wait…you're all occupying an RV together?"
"Is there a problem?" Hifumi blinked. The expression she wore wasn't innocent curiosity either. The girls were pretty set and unconcerned about the implications for good reason.
"…None at all." Akechi adjusted his tie. That's when Hifumi extended her hand out to him. "…?"
"Shake." Hifumi said.
"I'm not a dog." Akechi spat.
"…That's not what I meant." Hifumi let out a small sigh. "Handshake, Akechi. It'll be the start of our partnership on honest terms this time. No conditions, no stipulations or ulterior motives. Jut…a good partnership. Besides…you never took my hand back on the ship. We have some unfinished business, don't you agree?"
"Hmph." Akechi extended his left hand to Hifumi to shake hers. "Very well." It was a firm shake. When he looked over, he saw Ren do the same. "…Seriously?"
"C'mon, you didn't think I wouldn't notice?" Ren said with a cheeky grin. Akechi let out a mildly annoyed before shaking Ren's hand.
"Looks like we're getting along for real this time." Sumire had a faint smile on her lips.
"Are we getting a new member?" Sophia piped up from Sumire's phone.
"…Right, so…what is that?" Akechi asked, pointing at Sophia. It was at this moment that Akechi was given the rundown about Sophia, and how they were planning to tackle the Jails. Something like this was a little out of his area of knowledge, so the best he could do was just nod in understanding.
Eventually, Zenkichi made his way to Leblanc and sat down. He was informed of the method of transportation that the Thieves were planning to use, and…. "A camper!?" He was shocked at this news. "This is turnin' into some kind of coming-of-age flick!" There was another realization. "Wait, are you guys and girls gonna sleep in that thing…together?"
"I'm not a part of that equation." Akechi shrugged his shoulders.
"So you're taggin' along?" Zenkichi hardly knew the details. Akechi said he wasn't a Phantom Thief just yesterday, but here he is now?
"I can actually go into the Metaverse of my own accord, unlike the rest of the police." Akechi said.
"Oh…so you have those weird powers too…?" Zenkichi decided, for the sake of his sanity, he wasn't going to question that right now. He was coming to terms that the Metaverse was a place that actually existed, on top of monster cats that could talk. So he was just going to accept Akechi's word and move on.
"No worries about us girls!" Futaba beamed. "The boys are all sleeping on the roof."
"And we've got Makoto and her fists of justice if someone tries anything funny." Ann said.
"Oh! And I'm really handy with an axe!" Haru said with a bright smile.
"I think we'll be just fine!" Sumire had an innocent smile to top it all off.
"Uh – yeah…" Ryuji gave a shaky thumbs up, sweating profusely. It was times like this he was reminded how outnumbered the boys really were.
"See? We're fine." Ren's voice cracked as he spoke. The girls were scary and they all knew it.
Zenkichi was admittedly impressed by the girls. "These sisters are really doing it for themselves…alright, do what you gotta do."
"What about that thing I asked for?" Makoto asked Zenkichi.
"Ah, right." Zenkichi pulled out a phone from his pocket. But not just any phone: it was Alice's phone. "I got it right here."
Futaba immediately sprang up and snatched it from Zenkichi's hands. "Nice score, Zenkichi!"
"Hey, that's important evidence!" Zenkichi said quickly. "So no breaking it…!"
"Yeah, yeah!" Futaba hurried over to the table where her laptop was and began to get to work.
"So, uh…how was Alice anyway?" Ann asked Zenkichi. She was so curious about Alice's condition, she had to ask.
"She was pretty upfront about the whole changing heart situation." Zenkichi explained. "When people registered her as a friend on EMMA, she noticed they'd suddenly grow obedient to her. At first, she was just curious what was going on…but she said she got such a thrill from people doing her bidding, she couldn't stop herself."
"It began with the friend registration, hm?" Yusuke furrowed his brows.
"After that, the only thing she did was apologize." Zenkichi went on. "That's all we got, but it does seem like she was telling the truth."
"So she didn't actually know anything about the Jails or the Desires." Morgana was a little disappointed, but it would be too easy if they actually got a lead out of all this.
"Well, I hafta say, I wouldn't have bought a bit of it if you hadn't shown me what you did." Zenkichi admitted, glancing off to the side. The story on its own was crazy, but now that he factored the Metaverse into this…it was still crazy, but at least there was a thread of logic to follow, as surreal as it was.
"The Metaverse tends to be home to all manner of crimes." Akechi spoke. He now had a cup of coffee since some time had passed. "Crimes that cannot be tracked by regular means."
"Hmmm? What in the hell?" Futaba's eyes narrowed. Everyone gathered around to see if she made some sort of discovery. "I thought I'd find some unique aspect to Alice's version of EMMa, but nope. This is just the standard commercial version;0 it hasn't even been tampered with."
"So we got nothin' outta this?" Ryuji slumped over, disappointed.
"I didn't say that." Futaba said, wiping away that disappointment. "I DID find some traces of snooping on her phone." Everyone's eyes widened.
"What do you mean?" Ann had to ask.
"Someone was monitoring Alice's activity – either her smartphone usage in general, or her EMMA usage specifically." Futaba said.
"So, like…" Ann trailed off.
"I doubt it was Public Security." Akechi was going to answer that question for Ann and the others.
"Oh, I wish." Zenkichi let out a low whistle. "I'm gonna teach 'em all about this kinda stuff."
"So if it wasn't Public Security, who was it?" Sumire asked. "I don't want to assume that there is a connection, but Alice was a Monarch, and there was someone peeking onto her phone usage…?"
"It is hard to deny that thread." Hifumi acknowledged Sumire's logic. "But at the moment, we do not have any concrete evidence to prove it…and evidence is something we desperately require."
"Any ideas as to their whereabouts?" Makoto asked, hopefully.
"Somewhere within the country. That's all I got." Futaba was a little bummed that she couldn't pinpoint an exact location. That would save them a lot of time and effort, but again, of course it wouldn't be that easy.
"Getting even that's quite the feat. You're real good, kid!" Zenkichi had to offer the praise where it was due. Futaba was at least able to narrow their search down to somewhere within Japan; PubSec wouldn't have even gotten that far.
"Never underestimate the techie of the Phantom Thieves." Futaba said smugly.
"But who could it be…" Makoto was stuck on that.
"Aw, one thing at a time." Zenkichi waved that aside for now. "There's no point stressing over information we don't have yet. Besides, more leads are bound to turn up the more we work on this case. So, I'll see ya August 8th in Sapporo Central. Don't be late, got it? I'll reach out to you that day with the meetup location. Now, I have to return this phone to its rightful owner…" And so, he made his exit.
"What a case this is turning out to be." Hifumi pinched the bridge of her nose. "I suppose the only way forward in this instance is to merely march onward."
"We've got our work cut out for us." Haru said. "But we can still make the most of it too." Or at least they can try to….
It was then that Ren's phone rang. So he answered it and it was Sojiro on the other side of the line. "Hey, are you guys still together? Come on outside and check out your wheels."
"Outside? Alright." Ren replied and hung up the phone, gesturing for everyone to follow him. They were outside and Sojiro did in fact manage to procure a camper for them to use.
"Well, here's your wheels." Sojiro said.
It was even bigger than Ann imagined. And…a little more retro as well. "This is the camper!?"
"Whoa, it's like three times more badass than I expected…" Ryuji totally loved this thing. Retro just hit his vibes for one reason or another.
"This retro design – so simple, yet so elegant!" Yusuke was also a fan of this.
"Thanks, Sojiro!" Futaba said with the biggest smile.
"It's awesome. We'll try not to wreck it." Ren said.
"Yeah, you better not." Sojiro said with a half smile. But he was half serious as well.
"I've found the make and model online." Sophia piped up from Sumire's phone. "This is a Volgen Retrolife. It has five beds and a rooftop tent. There are enough outlets for everyone, as well as cooking appliances for culinary needs."
"Seems a little on the nose. But it also sounds nice!" Sumire was looking forward to this a little more than she initially expected.
"Rooftop tent? I'd rather sleep in my car. I'm suddenly glad I'm not allowed." Akechi was not a fan of the camper's design at all. While he was complaining about this, the others went inside to scope out the interior. Makoto, Ren, and Hifumi stayed behind.
"I hope I can actually drive something this big…" Makoto felt a little uneasy about it.
"Don't worry, you won't be alone." Hifumi gave Makoto a comforting smile. "I have my license too. My father's car…I drive it. Not very often, but I have experience behind the wheel."
"It has its own quirks and all, but I'm sure you two will get used to it." Sojiro reassured the two girls. "Until then, though, make sure you drive carefully, okay?" He then had a realization. This giant ass RV was clogging up the street that people walked on. "Huh. Guess I can't really leave this thing parked here, huh? I'll go put it into the nearest lot. Just let me know when you're ready to leave."
.
.
With the Camper procured, everyone briefly went their separate ways to go pack. Hifumi returned home and her mother was waiting for her. "So…this trip of yours…" Mitsuyo was watching Hifumi pack her things.
"I promise we won't be gone too long." Hifumi said with a faint smile. "And I'll even let you know when we're coming back too. I really appreciate you letting me go."
"I can't say I'm fond of the idea of you going on a road trip…." Mitsuyo admitted. There was a large part of her that would rather Hifumi stay home. But Hifumi was expanding her horizons lately, and…she knew her late father would be happy to see their daughter doing things like this.
"All my friends are going. Ann is going too, so you don't have to worry." Hifumi turned to her mother.
"…I'm still not entirely positive on Takamaki either." Mitsuyo grumbled. It was a little clear that Mitsuyo tolerated Ann, thinking that there were better options.
"Eheh…" Hifumi just gave a nervous laugh, finishing packing most of her things. Changes of clothes, essentials, a portable shogi board…she had everything! So she closed her suitcase and stood up. "Thank you, Mother." She then went over to hug Mitsuyo, which did surprise her a little…but she did return the hug just a little bit.
"If you come home with anything missing, I'm going to have a word with all of your friends. Many. Words." Mitsuyo said in a stern tone. That tone was enough to make Hifumi sweat. Mitsuyo had been less strict and demanding thanks to the change of heart, but she was still naturally…just like this.
"You've nothing to worry about!" Hifumi quickly said, grabbing her suitcase in preparation to leave. "I'll be back soon, Mother."
"…Have a good trip." Mitsuyo decided she should send her daughter off with a rare smile. Hifumi smiled in turn and was able to leave her house in a good mood.
.
.
Hifumi returned to Yongen with her suitcase in hand. Everyone was loading their stuff into the camper, but she could see Ann slowly trudging over to her. "Fummmmmmmi…." Ann whined, pretty much throwing herself into Hifumi's arms.
"Ann?" Hifumi held onto Ann with curious look. "Why are you so sluggish? Did you eat too much again?"
"Too….much…ramen…" Ann groaned, burying her face into Hifumi's chest.
"Of course…." Hifumi wore an exasperated smile, blushing faintly as well. She glanced over to Ren and Ryuji, who were equally exhausted, but they didn't have anyone to lean on. Hifumi wasn't going to ask. "Come on…let's get you inside." She helped Ann into the camper.
"Ugh…that was a lot…" Ren groaned.
Sumire, however, seemed just fine. She placed her hands behind her back and smiled. "We should go out for ramen again! I don't feel filled up after that, honestly. I could go for more."
"What are you..." Ryuji stared at Sumire in horror. Her monstrous appetite was just as potent as ever.
Akechi was standing next to his car. It was a black car with two seats, since he was not one to have company. It was the most effective one he could use and afford. "If you wish to reach me during the trip, just call me. Otherwise I will follow behind silently."
"You sure you don't want me to convince Haru to let you in?" Ren asked.
"Those were her conditions and I will abide by them." Akechi replied. "I can handle myself on the road."
"Alright." Ren just nodded. "See you soon then."
Everyone was ready to go. Makoto was in the driver's seat with Sumire riding shotgun. The others were in the seating arrangements in the back, which just barely had enough to accommodate all of them. One more person might have been a tight squeeze, but it was doable. "You sure you kids gonna be okay on your own?" Sojiro did have to ask.
"We'll be fiiiine!" Futaba said. "…I mean, probably."
"Hehe, this is going to be so fun." Sumire was excited for this. She'd been on trips before, but with her friends? This was something to look forward too.
"We'll be back soon!" Haru beamed.
"Take care, Boss." Yusuke said.
Sojiro just let out a quiet sigh. "Alright. You kids take care."
"Here we go." Makoto then began to drive off, Akechi following behind in his car.
Even if this summer vacation wasn't exactly what they intended…it was still a road trip and they could still make the most of it. Excited for this, Ryuji grinned while looking out the window. "Yeah! Summer vacation, here we come!"
The Phantom Thieves were finally on the road!