I don't own P5R, it belongs to ATLUS. I only own my OC characters, Mallory Caelum, Jason Shinmei, Aglaia Selwyn and Keith Donovan. Keiko Amamiya, Junko Sakurai and Atsuko Sakurai belongs to another fanfiction author named Tmdrago.

Chapter 1

In the interrogation room…

"This is where my tale ends and… that's all I can remember and tell you up to this point, Sae-san." said Keiko Amamiya (a fair-skinned, long wavy black-haired, grey-eyed girl wearing a full Shujin Academy female school uniform) tiredly to the stern and serious-looking woman named Sae Niijima (who's wearing a long sleeve black turtleneck shirt with a long sleeve black blazer suit over it, long black pants, black socks and heels on her feet) sitting opposite her with her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes closed as she listen to Keiko's tale before she opened her eyes and glance at her.

"… I see, so that's why and what led you to your end to this room in this building. What a disappointing end to the one who's the leader of the Phantom Thieves and the hero of justice. I'm sorry, Keiko Amamiya." said Sae sadly to Keiko.

"No, it's fine…" said Keiko softly to Sae.

"I still can't believe it… but I now have a general idea of the methods you used for your crimes. There's much more I'd like to say, but my allotted time is nearly up…" said Sae more sadly to Keiko. "I do have a suggestion though… Care to strike a deal? If you cooperate with me, I'll consider lightening your sentence and will make sure you have anything you wish, like going on house arrest with limited work-out equipments, specialists aids and visits from your boyfriend and friends…" suggested Sae to Keiko.

"What kind of deal and you'd do that for me?" asked Keiko in confusion to Sae.

"I have a responsibility to solve this case. I will win, even if it means brokering a deal with you. Your operation was leaked, and you failed to change my heart. There's no point in being obstinate now." said Sae sternly to Keiko now.

"What? My friends, boyfriend and I failed to change her heart? But…" thought Keiko worriedly in her mind.

"You've corrupted the order of this country and caused an uprising against it's very existence. You'll most likely be given life imprisonment or the death penalty… Unless you accept my proposal. Going forward, I will read a list of people who are closest to you and this case. Tell me honestly whether or not the following are involved with the Phantom Thieves…" said Sae.

"I…" said Keiko.

"First, your childhood friend who had a criminal record and is on probation like you did and follow you to Tokyo-Mallory Caelum. Second, the friend who you and Caelum have been with since the day you two transferred into Shujin and who had a crush on you-Ryuji Sakamoto. One of the victims of the Kamoshida case-Ann Takamaki. A fellow Shujin student and younger brother of Doctor Maruki-Akira Kurusu. A second coming ace detective prince and your boyfriend, Goro Akechi. Ichiryusai Madarame's pupil, who also had a crush on you and a fellow student of Kosei-Yusuke Kitagawa and Aglaia Selwyn. The daughter of Wakaba Isshiki-Futaba Sakura. The heiress to the Okumura Foods legacy and daughter of it's CEO-Haru Okumura. The heir to the Shinmei Soda company and son of it's CEO like Haru Okumura-Jason Shinmei. The second son of colonel Aidan Donovan-Keith Donovan. And… the frequently-probing student council president of Shujin Academy-Makoto Niijima. Those are your accomplices in the Phantom Thieves case, are they not?" said Sae after she's done in saying the names of Keiko's accomplices to Keiko.

"No… They're not." said Keiko as she shake her head at Sae.

"So you won't sell out your friends… Then let me change the question. I find it hard to believe that high schoolers could have pulled off these crimes by themselves. Were there not others outside of your direct group who encouraged your crimes or lent their aids? Not to repeat myself, but remember that your life will be forfeit if your sentence is not lightened… You had the cooperation of people outside your group, did you not? Can you tell me about them?" said Sae sternly to Keiko.

"No… I don't." said Keiko as she shake her head again at Sae.

"… I see. So you won't speak a word about either your teammates or your collaborators. Do you even understand the position that you're in?" said Sae.

"I know but I won't say it, Sae-san." said Keiko firmly to Sae.

"… Fine, let's discuss one other person-Junko Sakurai. There are reports that she was acting alongside the Phantom Thieves as well. Might she be a part of your team too?" asked Sae.

"No, she's not, Sae-san." replied Keiko as she shake her head.

"So Junko Sakurai wasn't one of you. Very well… So be it. You clearly have no intention of bargaining with me." said Sae in disappointment at Keiko.

"Not at the expense of selling out my friends and accomplices like you said. And… I really don't know anything, Sae-san." said Keiko.

"Even now, you're still acting as though you're a heroine of justice? Your teammates have sacrificed you in order to escape, yet you wish to defend their honors? Why won't you talk about any of them?" said Sae sternly to Keiko.

"Why…? Because it goes against justice, Sae-san." said Keiko calmly to Sae.

"Don't be ridiculous! You're not the one to decide such things!" snapped Sae as she stood up while raising and slamming her hands on the table.

"You may be right but answer me this… Is this situation that we're in right now what you'd called "Justice"?" said Keiko sternly back to Sae.

"…Justice? …Then tell me! What is this "Justice" you speak of!?" demanded Sae slightly impatiently to Keiko.

"You want to know the kind of "Justice" I speak of? It's call sticking to the right path." replied Keiko more sternly and firmly to Sae.

"Sticking to the right path? That's no different from us! And yet you continue to stand firm… Are you implying that we have no evidence on you?" sighed Sae as she sat back down on her seat.

"And if I say yes, Sae-san?" said Keiko.

"… You're right-we've nothing. And it doesn't help that your story sounds like a fantasy fairy tale! But many people have fallen victim into this! We need to learn the truth. The truth, huh? I don't even know what's right anymore. And it's all due to your strange story!" said Sae as she look away from Keiko with a frustrated look on her face.

"… What about the true culprit, Sae-san?" said Keiko.

"After all this, you're still-" said Sae as she glance back at Keiko (who shake her head and feel the effects of the drug inside her starting to wear off). "Are you listening? The side-effects of the truth serum should be wearing off. I won't be deceived by such a poor act." added Sae coolly to Keiko.

"I won't be deceived"… I feel like… I'm forgetting something important…" thought Keiko in her mind before she remember back about the conversation that she and Mallory had with Morgana in the PE teacher's office in Shujin Academy.

XXXX

Flashback…

"You two realised it too, then, Madame Keiko, Miss Mallory. It was our conversation about pancakes, right? There's no way she could've reacted like that if she haven't heard me."

"Yeah, you're right. Plus the bad feeling that I get from her is getting stronger, Keiko…"

Flashback ends…

XXXX

"Hey… Can you hear me? It seems your mind is clearing up… But unfortunately… my time has run out… Although I find your story to be quite interesting, I won't be able to speak with you any longer." said Sae sadly to Keiko as she glance at the wristwatch on her left wrist.

"You won't? But don't you want to win, Sae-san?" said Keiko in slight confusion to Sae.

"…Huh? What're you getting at? …That's right. No matter the results of this case, I won't be receiving credit. I even had to call in a large favor just to conduct this interrogation…" said Sae.

"Interrogation" room… That's right… If I remember…" thought Keiko as she remembered something else in her mind.

XXXX

Flashback…

"So, how did that thing we ask you to look into go? Niijima mentioned a special interrogation room, didn't she?"

"Yeah, she did."

"Good. It looks like we can make this work if we lure them there."

Flashback ends…

XXXX

"Hey… Hey, are you listening? … Our time's up. We're done talking here… Goodbye." said Sae as she take another look at her wristwatch then glance back at Keiko.

"Wait, Sae-san! Why did you come here?" asked Keiko.

"Why, you ask? Because it's my job so why wouldn't I come here? What an odd question you ask me. Anyhow… there's one last thing I want to ask you. There's something that's been bothering me for some time now." asked Sae after she answer Keiko's question.

"Sure, go on." replied Keiko as she nodded at Sae.

"Recently I was removed from my post as head of this investigation and was told to remain on standby. A short while later, I received word that you were caught in the act… within some bizarre phenomenon… But that was all I was told. You were told someone sold you out, correct? If that's true, who could it have been? Don't you have any idea?" asked Sae curiously and concernly to Keiko.

"Sold out"… That's right… There's something I need to do…" thought Keiko in her mind.

XXXX

Flashback…

"My suspicions were true in the end. Still, to think her true intention was to sold us out and that she might be in league with the ones who's also targeting Miss Mallory for being the host of an "Old One"… All that's left is to figure out a way to hand it over. It's all up to you, leader."

"We know about them wanting Maly, whoever they are and hand what over? Please be more specific, Morgana."

"The smartphone, duh. We've been talking about it this whole time. Giving her the phone without rousing any suspicion will be easier said than done. We'll be counting on you to pull this one off."

Flashback ends…

XXXX

"What's wrong? Might you have an idea as to who sold you out?" said Sae.

"… Yeah, I think I'm starting to remember who is it that did it, Sae-san." said Keiko as she nodded at Sae.

"You do!? Then please tell me if you remember and know who is it! I won't allow things to end like this!" demanded Sae as she raised and slammed her hands on the table again.

"That phone right there…" said Keiko as she glance at her smartphone lying on the table.

"You mean… this phone? I've been told the lock on it is quite complicated. But, it's only a matter of time until it's cracked. What's so important about this smartphone of yours? Are you going to unlock it and show me the data?" asked Sae as she also glance at her smartphone.

XXXX

Flashback…

"Let's let her sleep, Madame Keiko, Miss Mallory. She hasn't slept for days while she's been getting that app ready. Now we gotta figure out a way to show her the phone."

"Show her the phone, huh? What makes you so sure that Keiko's able to show her the phone and what if it doesn't work, Morgana?"

"It'll work, you just have to believe that it'll work, Miss Mallory. Madame Keiko need to show her phone to the true culprit, you know, the traitor."

"But still…"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine and I can do it. Trust me and worry more about yourself than me, alright, Maly?"

"… Alright. Just be careful, Keiko."

Flashback ends…

XXXX

"Hey… What're you trying to get at here? And what about this smartphone?" asked Sae in confusion to Keiko about her smartphone.

"I need you to show it to the true culprit, Sae-san." replied Keiko firmly to Sae.

"The true culprit!?" said Sae in surprise at Keiko (who suddenly remember a conversation of the true culprit to her mastermind about her, her boyfriend and her friends).

"We could say she stole the guard's gun and committed suicide during her imprisonment… How about that? Public security questioning will occur on the first day… and with that room, my task will be simple. And thus, the dangerous criminal responsible for the mass mental shutdowns shall end her own life. As for her dear friend, our "allies" are getting impatient in waiting to get her so it doesn't surprise me that they'll make their move soon."

"Please! I need you to be clear with me! Who am I supposed to show this to?" demanded Sae impatiently to Keiko, which cut off her train of thought and make Keiko look at her.

"I already told you earlier, Sae-san." said Keiko as she scowled at Sae.

"What do you…!? My god… You're referring to "her", aren't you? Is "she" who you mean, Keiko?" said Sae with a surprise look on her face at Keiko.

"Yes, exactly… You need to trust me, Sae-san." said Keiko as she nodded again at Sae (who let out a loud sigh).

"What're you plotting? I can't even begin to fathom it." said Sae before both she and Keiko heard the security guard knocking loudly on the door outside the interrogation room. "…But it appears my time is up. This is as far as our conversation can go. This will be my last involvement with this case… Heh… Very well. I've listened to your whole story, so I may as well play along to the end. And that honest look on your eyes… I used to view the world the same way too, once. I'll place my bet on you. I just need to show her the phone, right?" added Sae calmly to Keiko.

"Yes, that's right, Sae-san." said Keiko as she nodded again at Sae before feeling her Judgement social link with Sae reach Max level.

I am thou, Thou art I…

Thou has turned a vow into a blood bath,

Thy bond shall become the wings of rebellion,

And break the yoke of thy heart,

Thou has awakened to the Ultimate secret of Judgement,

Granting thee infinite power…

After Keiko heard and saw the Judgement arcana card showed up and maxed out it's link, both Keiko and Sae heard the same security guard knocking on the door again.

"I'll be going now." said Sae as she pack up her things, stood up and take Keiko's smartphone with her before she turned and glance at the door. "What good will this do though?" added Sae concernly in her mind before she open the door and left the interrogation room.