Long time no see guys. Happy New Year! Yikes this is a real past due update... Sorry.

Akira sighed.

'First, that awkward meet up with Mishima and now this...'

In order to pass some lasers blocking a door in Madarame's palace, Morgana deduced the patterned door in the real world had to be opened first.

The cat had seen said door inside of Madarame's shack the last time they were there.

Apparently, it had a killer lock on it.

The door needed to be opened in front of Madarame's eyes to change his cognition.

Unfortunately, there was no way Yusuke would let them all back in after the last fiasco. Ryuji had told them Yusuke had warned him on the subway line to leave him and Madarame alone just the other day.

The blonde literally almost started a yelling fight right on the spot, but Yusuke just walked away.

Regardless, there was only one way to get back into the house.

Either Akira or Ann had to be a model, a nude model, for Yusuke.

"Yeah... I'm not volunteering." Akira said.

"Neither am I!" Ann snapped back.

"If I may comment, I believe Akira should be the model." Morgana mumbled.

"Hell no!" Ryuji yelled.

"Mona, you traitor!" Akira said.

"You're the leader, so it makes sense for you to take on this mission." Morgana says.

"Just cause she's the leader doesn't mean she has to sacrifice herself!" Ryuji argued.

The cat and blonde keep arguing for a bit. Ann and Akira look at each other.

"Flip a coin?" Ann asked.

Akira nodded and pulled out a coin. Both called a side and the coin flew into the air a second later. She catches the coin and slaps it onto the back of her hand.

"...Tails." Akira sighs.

"Yes!" Ann cheered.

"Guess I'll be modeling for Yusuke." Akira announced.

"WHAT!?" Ryuji paled.

"Calm down. Let's work on planning." She said.

"But...But!" He stammered.

"I'll just be a decoy so Mona can unlock the door. I'm not actually going nude for Yusuke." Akira clarified.

The group heads back to the subway, discussing plans. Meanwhile, all Ryuji could imagine was Akira stripping down for Yusuke and his easel.

When Akira got back to Leblanc, she texted Yusuke.

Akira: Hey Kitagawa-kun. It's a bit sudden but I can be your model tomorrow.

Akira: Is that alright?

Yusuke: That's quite alright.

Akira: Cool. I'll see you tomorrow.

Yusuke: Yes. Have a good night.

Akira: You too.

As soon as she got confirmation from Yusuke, she went to their Phantom Thieves group chat.

Akira: He said I could come tomorrow.

Ann: Great! He went with it

Ryuji: Ugh! Are we sure this is the only way?

Akira: It's the best idea we've got.

Ann: Unless you have a better idea Ryuji.

Ryuji: Ugh... Man... this is such a pain.

Ryuji kept complaining via text but they managed to go over the plan once more. Morgana would open the door while Akira distracts Yusuke. Then, Akira would excuse herself to use the bathroom, distract Yusuke, or figure out some other way to get to the door. It's up to her to draw Madarame to the door once its open.

Meanwhile, Ryuji and Ann would be waiting in Madarame's palace for the lasers to go down. Once their down, they'd go into the door and find a way to keep it open and disable the security lasers.

Akira and Morgana would catch up to them later.

Akira put down her bag, allowing Morgana to crawl out.

"Sorry about this Akira, but we really needed a way in." He said.

"Don't worry about it. It's the only way." She replied.

Pi-Pi-Pi!

She picked up her phone and stared down at it.

'A message from Ryuji?'

Ryuji: Let us know if any weird shit goes down and we'll be there to back you up ASAP

She smiled.

Akira: Don't worry. Mona will be there.

Ryuji: Doesn't mean we won't come running

Akira: Thanks

Akira: Also... you alright?

Ryuji: ?

Akira: You've been... different lately.


Ryuji stared at her text.

Akira: You've been... different lately.

How was he supposed to respond?

Was he supposed to tell her he was jealous of the art bastard?

That he missed the two of them hanging out?

Just the two of them?

He missed his friend...

His closest friend...

Someone who was special to him...

He stared at his phone for a bit longer before typing.

Ryuji: Think I'm just stressed from everything

Ryuji: I'm good tho

He nervously looked at the dots, waiting for her to respond.

Akira: Alright. TTYL?

He sighs in relief.

Ryuji: Yeah

He flopped into bed after that, trying to get some sleep.

'Everything's gonna go according to plan.'

'There's nothing to worry about...'

'Akira isn't actually gonna strip for Yusuke.'

Ryuji repeated those thoughts over and over in his head until he fell asleep.

TAKE YOUR TIME

He was still stressed about it.

Both him and Ann were stationed right outside the red lasers, waiting for their moment to run in.

His gloved hands were deep in his pockets as he paced from left to right.

"Hey! Calm down! You're gonna step into the lasers if you keep getting that close." Ann warned.

Ryuji stopped pacing and looked at her.

"They seriously gonna be able to pull this off...?" He asked.

"Have some faith! Akira and Mona got this! ...I hope."

"But we ain't got one sign this place is gonna open... Isn't Madarame comin' home soon?"

"Skull, stressing me out isn't going to make them go faster. Just be patient!" Ann snapped.

"Right, right sorry..."

He bit his lip and kept watch over the laser.

'Shit... It'll be a miracle if this works...'


Yusuke was busily getting his paintbrushes and paint out and ready when Akira stepped into the room.

"To think you'd really come... I assumed you were lying when you contacted me." He said as he perused his collection.

"I'm sorry it was so sudden."

"Oh, it's not a problem. But as I told you yesterday, Sensei will be returning in about twenty or thirty minutes. So... sorry if that causes some anxiety on your part."

"It's alright..."

Yusuke finally turns and looks at her. Akira stood there in her uniform, clutching her bag for dear life.

"Are you alright?"

"Oh yes! Of course! I've... just never modeled before!" She said quickly.

He nodded. The two stood awkwardly, neither party really looking at the other.

"So, then...can you, um...get ready here?" Yusuke asked

Akira blushed.

"I... I need to take off my clothes so..." She began.

Yusuke continued to watch.

"So... could you maybe... look the other way?"

Once he understood, he did indeed turn.

Akira sighed and gently dropped her bag to the ground. She slowly began unbuttoning her blazer.

Then the panic sank in.

'Shit.Shit.Shit.Shit.Shit.Shit.'

She began to fumble with the last of the buttons but she finally got it off. She tossed to the side, the blazer landing besides Yusuke. He made a low gasp.

But it wasn't low enough.

She heard the nervousness that coated said surprise.

'Here goes nothing...'

"Actually... Please turn back around Kitagawa-kun."

Yusuke went rigid at the request.

"Um...! Are you sure?"

"Mmhm!"

He hesitated and looked down. Her shoes clattered next to him. He licked his lips.

'Should I? Isn't this wrong?' He thought.

"Kitagawa-kun?" Akira called.

"No, I'm doing this for art...!"

With a deep breath and a hardened resolve, he turned around. Akira was sitting on the ground, gently pulling off her stockings as she smiled at him.

"There you go." She said innocently.

When she finally pulled them off, revealing her creamy legs and thighs, Yusuke gulped nervously.

Akira stood up, leaving her stockings on the ground besides her. Now, she slowly began pulling off her suspenders. Time felt like it was becoming agonizingly slow for Yusuke.

But in reality, Akira was just moving REALLY slow.

As she dropped them to the ground, she paused in her undressing and looked him.

"Your sensei is coming back soon, right?" She asked, bringing her index finger to her lips.

"I...I believe so..."

'He's getting flustered. This is good.'

"Hmm... Do you think we could do this somewhere else? Somewhere more private?"

"This should be good enough..."

She smiles and begins to unbutton her white shirt.

"We need more privacy... A room with a lock would be nice."

His throat started to feel dry.

"A-A lock?"

She gives him a coy smile.

"Must a girl say more?"

"But... But only sensei's room-"

"Great let's head there!"

"But-!"

She turns and heads out the door.

"Wait! If you wander around, Sensei will-" He yelled.

Akira was already out the door.

"Come on Kitagawa-kun~!"

Her white shirt was tossed to the floor. It laid limply in door frame.

"Oh! Is this it?"

"Please, wait!"

Yusuke ran out the room after her, sliding the door shut behind him.

'Come on Mona... Please hurry!'

She walked around the halls of the house, clad in nothing but a skirt and a tight black tank top.

She oohed and ahhed at every door they passed, trying to stall as much as she could. Yusuke was becoming increasingly flustered and panicked, but Akira was stubborn and determined. She refused to let up.

Ann and Ryuji were counting on them!

"Please, can you just wait and-"

Akira paused at a little turn in the hall.

'Weird. Why does this area look so... dark?'

Compared to the rest of the house, this area radiated an ominous feeling. She looked back to Yusuke.

"What's past here?"

"That's..." Yusuke mumbled.

He seemed uneasy, as if he himself wasn't supposed to be near this hall either.

'This must be where the door is.'

She takes a deep breath and walks foward despite Yusuke's pleas for her to stop. When she does, it's definitely the same pattern as the door with lasers in the palace. Upon closer inspection, she realized Morgana was still clinging to the door.

And the door was still shut.

"You're still going?!" She whispered-yelled.

"Picking locks is hard to do with cat paws!" He snapped.

She must've groaned out loud because Yusuke was suddenly very close to her, concern etched across his face.

"Is something the matter?"

Akira whirled around and plastered a fake smile on her face.

"NO! I mean... No, not at all! So um! What's in this room?"

"Sensei uses the room to store old paintings."

That answer didn't sit right with Akira.

'Why bothering locking a room if it's just for storage? Madarame is definitely hiding something in there.'

"Kitagawa-kun?"

"Y-Yes?"

She grabs his arm and pulls him closer to her.

"Why don't we... do it in there?" She asks with a grin.

"What?!"

"It's somewhere where no one will interrupt us, right?"

"Only Sensei can go in there." He said bluntly.

"Come on, please? It'll be perfect." She pushed.

Yusuke continued to stand his ground, no matter how much Akira pleaded. She was beginning to sound like a broken record.

"We can't go in there. It's locked anyway."

'Not for long.'

Akira peered over her shoulder. Morgana still wasn't done. She had to keep stalling for time.

'What else can I say?!'

A lightbulb goes off.

'It's the only way... Isn't it?'

Resigning to defeat, she clasps her hands over her chest.

"Kitagawa-kun... Do you not like girls like me?"

Akira felt a part of her dignity shrivel up and die inside her.

"That's not-! I wasn't implying-"

"That really hurts my feelings Kitagawa-kun..."

'Dear God... The things I do for the Phantom Thieves...'

Akira had absolutely no feelings for Yusuke. He seemed nice but he wasn't her type.

No offense, but any guy who asks a girl he just met to be his nude model is fighting a losing battle.

Yusuke continues to stumble over his words as he tries to pacify Akira. The two remain at a stalemate until they hear a door creak open.

"I'm home!"

Yusuke pales.

"S-Sensei!?"

"Yusuke?"

Morgana hisses to Akira.

"All right, it's open!" He says.

Akira nods and runs into the room with him. Yusuke stops at the door frame.

"Huh? What are you-?"

"What're you doing in there?!"

The two teens turn to see Madarame glaring at them. His cheerful old man persona was gone.

"S-Sensei! I-It's not what it looks like!"

Before he can apologize any more, Akira runs up and pulls him into the room, disregarding Madarame's yells for them to stop.

"Sorry about this!" She whispered into his ear.

"Kurusu-san, why are you doing this?!"

She stays silent, only dragging him further into the dark room.

TAKE YOUR TIME

The ground rumbled around Ryuji and Ann as the door slid open. The lasers turned off as well.

"It's off!" Ryuji said.

"They did it!" Ann cheered.

They did it!

They seriously did it!

Suddenly, Ryuji's mind was plagued with images of Akira stripping for Yusuke. He shook his head furiously.

'She didn't do that.'

"Come on! We gotta find a way to make sure the door stay open and keep the lasers off." He said.

"Right!"

The pair ran inside, only to be greeted by a shadow guard. It was just standing there, as if it was waiting for intruders.

"Dammit! They're already onto us."

"We're going to have to fight it to go further." Ann sighed.

"Yeah... Let's hurry and get this over with."


Akira flicked on the lights.

She was genuinely surprised to see the storage was actually for paintings.

She just didn't expect them all to be the same painting. Yusuke looked equally shocked.

"What the...?" He mumbled.

"Why are there so many Sayuri paintings?" She asked.

"I have no idea..."

Madarame walked in, yelling at the top of his lungs.

"Get out!"

But Yusuke stood firm.

"Sensei, what is the meaning of this...?"

The old man sighed and rubbed his chin.

"I suppose I can't keep quiet now that you've seen this... Truth be told, I'm in severe debt. I handmade these Sayuri copies and have been selling them through a special connection of mine..."

'Excuses. Stop lying.'

"But why...?" Yusuke asked.

"The real Sayuri... was stolen by one of my pupils long ago. I assume they begrudged my strictness...That moment was quite a shock for me... Since then, I've been mired in a terrible artist's block..."

As Madarame continued his story, Akira looked around the room. Her eyes fell on a canvas with a sheet covering it.

"Because of this distress, some of my pupils handed their ideas over to me from time to time..."

'Plagiarism...'

"I knew I couldn't keep that up so I attempted to recreate the Sayuri a number of times. However, it resulted in nothing more than replicas..."

Akira found herself staying silent as Madarame continued his sob story. If she hadn't witnessed what she'd seen at the palace, maybe she would've believed his excuses.

"I ask that you please forgive your cowardly teacher..."

Yusuke stepped forward to comfort him, but Akira spoke before he got too far.

"How did you make copies of Sayuri if the original was stolen?" She asked.

Madarame paused.

"I...happened to find a finely detailed photograph of it in an artbook."

She stared at him.

"Wouldn't there have been a report in the news if a famous painting was stolen?"

"Well... I took extensive measures to make sure everything was kept quiet." He said.

She shook her head.

"This sounds like a lie to me."

"What would you know?!" He snapped.

Akira looked at him, then the cloaked canvas. He saw the look in her eye. A bead of sweat trickled down his face as she pulled the sheet off.

Yusuke gasped.

It was Sayuri.

The real Sayuri.

Akira turned back to Madarame.

"I thought you said the Sayuri was stolen?" She says in mock innocence.

"That's a replica!" He yells defensively.

Yusuke snaps back.

"No, it's nothing of the sort!"

Yusuke could feel anger rising from within him.

All rhis time, the Sayuri was the thing that kept him going. The reason he made it this far.

The reason why art was so important to him.

"Sensei... Please... Don't tell me..."

Madarame went on, yelling excuse after excuse. But it wasn't enough. Yusuke knew the truth now. He finally was seeing Madarame for who he was.

"Enough excuses. We can tell you're just lying." Akira said.

"Why you-" Madarame growls.

"Please...Just tell us the truth..." Yusuke pleads.

Madarame looks between the two. Without a word, he pulls a phone from his pocket, inching closer to them. With one hand, he types something on the keypad.

"I've reported you to my private security company."

"What!?"

Madarame grins at her shock.

"Who knew it would come in handy?" He said.

Akira could feel panic creeping up on her. Had she taken it too far? If she was reported, would the police find out? Was she going to get sent to jail? Yusuke stick his hand out in front of her, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"Please, wait! Let's talk about this...!" He pleaded.

'Kitagawa-kun...'

Maybe she was wrong to judge him so quickly...

Madarame shook his head.

"You can talk all you want to the police... That includes you, Yusuke."

'The police are coming! I can't stay here!'

Morgana must've read her mind.

"Akira, let's run!"

Morgana sped out from behind a shelf, forcing Madarame to jump back. Akira followed closely after him.

She could hear Yusuke yelling after her but there was too many thoughts bouncing around in her head.

'Metaverse. Metaverse. Metaverse. Come on you stupid app, open!'

Her hands frantically tapped the app. The world began to shift around her when she felt a hand grab her. She tried pulling away, but they held firm.

"No! Let go!"

And then she was falling.


Ann and Ryuji stood by the entrance, waiting for Morgana and Akira. The fight had gone well due to the enemy's weakness being fire. It was easy to locate and shut down the security system after.

"Do you think they'll be here soon?" Ann asked.

"I hope so..."

As if on cue, the two heard a familiar scream.

"Was that-?" Ann began.

"Akira!?"

The two looked up to see both Akira and Yusuke falling from the sky.

"Shit!"

"Oh my god!"

The two ran forward to catch their friends.

BOOM! THUD! BOING!

The group ended up in a dog pile. Akira layed across Ryuji and Ann with Yusuke and Morgana atop her. The group shared a collective groan.

"Ouch...That hurt..." Akira mumbled.

"Owwwwwwww...' Morgana whined.

Ryuji looked up at her.

She was right on top of him, their faces inches apart.

"You alright?"

"Yeah..."

"Guys... can you get off me?" Ann grunted.

"Sorry Panther!"

They all got to their feet, pulling one another off each other.

Yusuke stared at them, completely bewildered. He had put significant distance between himself and the masked group by scooting back on the ground.

"Who are you all?!"

"Calm down, Kitagawa-kun! It's us!" Ann said quickly.

"That voice... Takamaki-san?" He asked.

"And I'm Akira."

"Kurusu-san?"

He then looked at Ryuji.

"So you're the other one..."

Ryuji nods, opting not to start a fight.

"I don't recall ever seeing this cat costume before though..."

He holds his head in pain. His body felt weak.

"What is this place...?"

"We're inside Madarame's heart." Ann answered.

The confusion on his face said it all.

They were really going to have to explain this quickly...

_

Wow. It's been a while. So sorry about the delay. It was never my intention to leave the story un-updated for so long, but my schedule got hectic and this chapter was just sitting here uncompleted since January. Unfortunately, due the the pandemic my college is now online and I'm living at home again (please stay safe everyone). But on the bright side, I've gotten lazier and because I'm avoiding my work I've been working on my stories! Please don't follow my example, I'm a terrible role model.

Now to answer a few questions...

No. I'm not going to abandon the story. I'm too deep in and I'm invested. Kinda sucks that the Royal is now out and people are expected Kasami to be in here now though.

This story is only P5, the original game. Maybe if they have a cool idea from the Royal then I'll implement it. But social links and new characters from that game won't be here. Sorry.

Also thanks to all the people who tell me it's been more than 2 weeks. I'm beginning to realize that was a terrible goal to set for myself but I really do love that people care enough about the story to try and talk to me.

Also Animal Crossing? I've been really into it. I hate Bunny Day, thank god it's over because I was ready to choke a rabbit. I would honestly love to play with you guys sometime if anyone has it. Hit me up in PMs if you're interested.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake. I've fallen in love with Tifa and Marlene all over again. My babies look so good. The game looks so good. Also amazing fanfics for Tifa and Cloud. 10 outta 10.

Also everyone please be safe. I'm hoping you all stay healthy and safe during this hard time. I know this is hard but I believe we can get through this.

Thanks for reading.

Thank you for your patience.

Have a nice day!