The next day, in Leblanc…
After Keiko (and Morgana) woke up, fold and put her futon and pillow away, cleaned herself up, change her clothes before she pick Morgana up, left the attic room and went downstairs, greeted Sojiro before Keiko sat down (and put Morgana down on the chair to her right) and as Keiko's about to eat the curry breakfast that Sojiro cooked for her, she heard and felt her phone vibrating with incoming messages and she take out her phone to see and read the messages.
TT: Good morning. As your physician, I would like to confirm something from you, Keiko-chan. Please contact or messaged me as soon as you see this.
KA: Good morning and I'm fine and alive, Doctor Takemi.
TT: Thank Izanagi and stop making me worried like that. I'm glad you're okay. I just got really nervous and worry when I saw the news. Well, I'll be at the clinic if you and your friends need any medicines.
KA: I know, thanks, Doctor Takemi.
"It's nothing but the Phantom Thieves on TV… Oh, that's right. Aren't you and your detective boyfriend and most of your friends supposed to be gathering here today? Make sure you finish eating before everyone shows up…" said Sojiro as he glance at Keiko.
"Yeah, that's right, we do, Sojiro-san…" said Keiko as she nodded at Sojiro while putting her phone back into her jacket pocket.
"Good morning, Keiko-san, Morgana-san and Sakura-san! How are you all today?" greeted Samson/Cthulhu cheerfully to Keiko, Morgana and Sojiro as he stepped into Leblanc.
"Samson-san…" thought Keiko coldly in her mind at seeing Samson/Cthulhu.
"What're you doing here this early, Sagan-san?" said Sojiro in annoyance at Samson/Cthulhu.
"For my usual cup of black coffee from you… and to see how one of your charges and her beloved boyfriend and precious friends are doing with their progress against their enemies, of course." said Samson/Cthulhu casually to Sojiro.
"I see." said Sojiro in more annoyance at Samson/Cthulhu before he began making and brewing black coffee for Samson/Cthulhu (who sat down on another chair beside Morgana and waited for his cup of black coffee).
"It's almost time for everyone to come and for our meeting. I wonder if anybody has figured out the keyword, Madame Keiko…" said Morgana as he glance at Keiko.
"I hope so, Morgana." said Keiko before she began eating her curry breakfast, managed to finish her curry breakfast before her boyfriend, friends and Sae Niijima arrived and came into Leblanc and they began figuring out the last keyword.
XXXX
Meanwhile, inside a manor in Ginza….
Junko is currently walking and looking around the huge manor that her "allies" are staying in for Mallory/Lythalia, found her sitting in a cross-legged position inside a conservatory room and surrounded by dozens of poisonous plants (Water Hemlock, Deadly Nightshade, White Snakeroot, Castor Bean, Rosary Pea, Oleander and Tobacco) and flowers (Nerium Oleander, Aconitum, Dracunculus Vulgaris, Rafflesia Arnoldii, Titan Arum, Angel's Trumpet, Morning Glory, Foxglove and Larkspur) that she planted and grew swiftly with her power before Junko talk and asked Mallory/Lythalia on whether she wanted to go to the TV station with her and Mallory/Lythalia agree to go with her and later completely ignored and avoid Kasumi once she's in the TV station with Junko.
XXXX
Back in Leblanc…
"Last one… "Diamond mine"." said Haru.
"Condition have not been met." said the female navigator's voice.
"…No good." sighed Makoto with a weary look on her face.
"I don't believe it. Even the last one is a bust, Haru-san?" groaned Akira.
"How many'd we miss?" said Ryuji.
"We stop counting after 60, Ryuji-kun." said Jason.
"Perhaps he truly does have a barrier up like Ryuji said." said Yusuke.
"Right!?" said Ryuji with an excited look on his face.
"That's not something to be excited about!" said Ann as she scowled at Ryuji.
"We know all the way up to "Diet Building" too…" said Morgana with a sad look on his face.
"You youngsters on the verge of giving up so easily after finding 60 words that might be the keyword for it… Did I overestimated you all somehow?" thought Samson/Cthulhu in disappointment in his mind at them.
"…So you enter keywords into the Metaverse Navigator app in your phone." said Sae.
"That's right, Sae-san." said Goro as he nodded at Sae.
"Boss, can you turn the TV on? Shido might be on it." suggested Ryuji as he glance at Sojiro.
"Sure thing." said Sojiro as he nodded at Ryuji, pick up the TV remote control to turn on the TV only for him, Keiko and her boyfriend and friends, Sojiro, Sae and Samson/Cthulhu to see "Junko Sakurai" on TV.
"Junko Sakurai…" said Makoto as she narrowed her eyes at Junko.
"The traitorous wench!" snarled Keith.
"Her and her stupid, composed face!" said Futaba with a cold look on her face at Junko.
"Junko Sakurai, the host of Lilith…" thought Samson/Cthulhu as he watched Junko on TV with a blank look on his face.
"So, Sakurai-san. Is it true that you withdrew yourself from your journalist job and the media as part of your plan to put your life on the line in finding and capturing the Phantom Thieves?" asked the TV male host to Junko.
"Yes, it is and I truly apologize for causing quite the stir. Honestly, it required quite a lot of courage to openly oppose them when their popularity was at it's peak. I mean, people often lashed out at me online and whatnot." replied Junko.
"Then, was it also your plan when you said and wrote in the newspapers that they weren't at fault after their popularity declined?" said the TV male host.
"That was thanks to Akechi-kun giving me the idea that catch them off guard. I'll give him credit for his profiling knowledge. Once they lost public support, someone they thought was a friend to them lend them a hand… That's the same strategy that's often used in friendship and romance, isn't it?" said Junko jokingly to the TV male host.
"That it is. What a smart and splendid journalist of justice you are, Sakurai-san!" said the TV male host proudly at Junko.
"How dare she say that!? She's…" snarled Goro angrily at Junko.
"We know and please calm down, Goro." said Keiko calmly and gently to Goro (who sigh and nodded and listen to Keiko's words to calm down).
"Why is she being treated as a "smart and splendid journalist of justice"!?" snapped Haru with an angry look on her face at Junko.
"Because humans are all naïve, ignorant and stupid beings, Miss Okumura." thought Samson/Cthulhu bluntly in his mind.
"It's not just on TV or online. Newspapers, magazines… I saw her face and her stories everywhere." said Sojiro.
"Ugh…" said Keith with a cold look on his face at Junko.
"On the other hand, no one's hoping for our comeback on the Phan-site, like at all!" said Ryuji with an angry look on his face.
"The Phantom Thieves are "evil". Shido, "Junko Sakurai" and her "allies" are "just"… It should be the other way around." sighed Haru with a sad look on her face.
"They're manipulating information using the media and their dark powers! And they still had Mallory in their clutches!" said Ann.
"…Maly will be fine. We've to believe that until we rescue and take her back from them and from the one possessing and taking over her body soon, Ann." said Keiko reassuringly to Ann and also to Akira.
"Maly…" thought Akira sadly in his mind.
"Leaving Sakurai aside-we'll get back at her and at the one possessing Caelum's body later-our current main issue is Shido." said Yusuke.
"Were there any instances before when you all didn't know the Palace keywords?" asked Haru.
"Well, there was the time with Futaba." said Ann.
"We didn't know anything about her, so all we could do was make conjunctures." said Makoto.
"That's right and it's thanks to her shadow partly helping us to figure out and know her Palace keywords back then." said Keiko as she glance and smiled at Futaba (who nodded and smiled back at her).
"Then, why don't we just go directly and see and talk to Shido?" suggested Futaba.
"Oh, haha, that's a good idea from you, Futaba. Let's just directly waltz into the Diet Building and ask Shido for his final Palace keyword. Really good thinking!" scoffed Keith sarcastically at Futaba (which make Makoto scowled and smack the back of his head for his sarcastic words).
"That's impossible. He's surrounded by bodyguards and followers and possibly Junko's "allies" all the time." said Haru with a sad look on her face.
"There's no way high school students like us can get appointments with him either." said Yusuke.
"Well, we do have a reliable adult with us, at least…" said Ryuji as he and the others glance at Sae.
"No, that's still impossible. Besides, that's too dangerous a method." said Sae as she shake her head.
"What a cowardly woman she is but I understand the feelings of humans who became all meek-like and back down when they're faced with difficult choices or situations." thought Samson/Cthulhu in amusement in his mind at Sae.
"Well this is a problem…" sighed Ann with a troubled look on her face.
"So, what do we do now?" said Jason before he fell silent as he, Keiko and the others heard a loud commotion outside Leblanc.
"What's with the ruckus outside?" said Sojiro with a confused look on his face at the loud commotion outside.
"To everyone gathered before Yongen-Jaya station!" yell a male voice loudly to the citizens in Yongen-Jaya.
"Isn't that an election-campaign car?" said Sae.
"You know, you're right, Sae-san. It does sound like one…" said Goro as he nodded in agreement with Sae.
"Oh right! The candidates are currently campaigning!" said Haru.
"Hold on, that voice…" thought Keiko with a surprise look on her face as she recognized the male voice.
"I apologize for the commotion! I am Masayoshi Shido!" yell the male voice as he introduced himself to the citizens of Yongen-Jaya.
"Wait, did he just said, "Shido"!?" said Ryuji with a surprise look on his face.
"Yeah, he did!" said Ann, surprised as well.
"He's actually here in Yongen-Jaya!? I don't believe it…" said Aglaia, surprised as well.
"His voice… sounded like the same voice that Maly and I heard back in our hometown when we help protect the woman from the drunken man and back when we encounter the rude man outside the elevators in the hotel…" thought Keiko as she hold her head with her right hand and remember back some memories due to the man's voice.
"…!?" said both Morgana and Goro as they glance concernly at Keiko.
"Man, talk about bein' lucky! We can go check him out without an appointment now!" said Ryuji as he stood up from his seat with an excited look on his face before he turned and run past Keiko and the others out of Leblanc with Haru, Keith and Aglaia also standing up from their seats and followed him out of Leblanc too while Keiko and the others watched them leave before they stepped out of Leblanc too except for Sojiro, Sae and Samson/Cthulhu, who decide to stay where they are.
"Hey, they run off toward the station. This way. Hurry, Madame Keiko!" said Morgana concernly to Keiko about Ryuji, Haru, Keith and Aglaia.
"We know but before that, are you alright because you don't look well a few moments ago, Keiko…" asked Goro concernly to Keiko.
"I'm fine, just got a mild headache because Shido's voice made me remember something and I'll explain later, Goro… Come on!" said Keiko reassuringly to Goro before she and Goro run after Ryuji, Haru, Keith and Aglaia toward the station too and pay no attention to the citizens of Yongen-Jaya standing together and talking about Shido and Shido's voice talking loudly to them.
XXXX
Outside the station…
"I humbly ask that you cast your vote for me, Masayoshi Shido! Let us all set sail toward a happy future together! I hope to continue serving you all!" said Shido with fake joy and innocence to the citizens of Yongen-Jaya (who talk, cheer and clapped for him) as he stand on top of an election campaign car with dozens of black suited bodyguards and policemen standing around the car to block and prevent the citizens from getting close to Shido.
"Is that the guy!?" said Ryuji.
"Yeah, it's definitely him, alright." said Keith as he nodded at Ryuji.
"Ok, you guys wait here! I'll go get intel for us!" said Ryuji reassuringly to Keiko, Goro, Haru, Aglaia and Keith before he walked past the Yongen-Jaya citizens toward Shido.
"Wait!" said Haru.
"Hey, let him. He'll be fine, Haru-san." said Goro.
"Be careful, Ryuji." thought Keiko concernly to Ryuji.
"Heeey! Yo, Shido-san!" Ryuji called out to Shido before Shido and his bodyguards could take their leave.
"Stand back!" said one of the black suited bodyguards warningly to Ryuji.
"I just wanna talk to him for a sec!" said Ryuji as he scowled at the bodyguard.
"He's a busy man!" said the bodyguard.
"The hell!? Ain't he s'posed to hear a citizens comments!?" snapped Ryuji in annoyance at the bodyguard.
"That's enough, you brat!" snapped the bodyguard as he raised his right arm to grab and shoved Ryuji away.
"…Wait a minute! You're that bald-headed asshole we met back at the hotel before! At the elevators!" said Ryuji as he remember where he, Keiko, Mallory, Morgana and Ann seen Shido before in the hotel.
XXXX
Flashback…
"Oh, I'm sorry. So you can just butt in front of other people if you're in a hurry?"
"He's right and how could you just grab and shoved him aside like nothing?"
Flashback ends.
XXXX
"What are you talking about!?" said the bodyguard in confusion to Ryuji.
"That moron!" groaned Keith in disbelief at Ryuji before he, Keiko, Goro, Haru and Aglaia approach Ryuji.
"Ryuji, calm down." said Aglaia calmly to Ryuji.
"Aglaia's right. Stop." said Haru in agreement with Aglaia.
"But these guys-" said Ryuji as he glance at both Aglaia and Haru.
"Hey, kid. You don't want to know what happens when you cross me…" said Shido as he turned to glance at Ryuji with a threatening look on his face.
"That voice…" gasp Keiko before she once again remember back the memory of her and her friends encountering the rude man outside the elevator in the hotel and back in hers and Mallory's hometown.
XXXX
Flashback…
"It seems the customer base has changed since I was here last. Have they started a day care for brats like them?"
"This ain't a show. Get lost, you wenches."
"You damn wenches! I'll sue you two!"
Flashback ends…
XXXX
"This man… There's no doubt about it. He's the same man as the one that Maly and I were unfortunate enough to meet back at our hometown… Furthermore, he's also the father of my boyfriend, Goro…" thought Keiko as she narrowed her eyes in cold disdain at Shido.
"Keiko, what is it?" asked Goro concernly to Keiko.
"What're you looking at, girl?" said Shido as he noticed Keiko staring in silence at him. "Humph, this country is filled with clueless childrens… I worry for Japan's future. Let them go. My next appointment is coming up soon." added Shido calmly to his bodyguards as he turned and look away from Keiko and her boyfriend and friends, went into a black car parked nearby before one of the bodyguards turned on the car's engine and drove down the road away from Yongen-Jaya.
"What a piece of shit. So whaddya think after seein' him in person, Keiko?" asked Ryuji as he turned and glance at Keiko.
"You guys… I remember now. He's the one who set me and Maly up, got us arrested and put into prison before we came here for our probations." said Keiko.
"W-What!? Really, Keiko?" gasp Goro in disbelief and shock at what Keiko just said to them.
"Yeah really, Goro. There's no doubt, it's him." said Keiko as she nodded at Goro.
"Wait… He's the jerk that you and Caelum told us about before!? The same guy!? For real!? Seriously!?" said Ryuji in disbelief and shock at Keiko (same goes for Morgana, Keith, Aglaia and Haru).
"My goodness…" said Aglaia.
"You're sure, Keiko-chan… Aren't you?" said Haru.
"Yes, I'm very, very sure about it, Haru." said Keiko as she nodded at Haru.
"Holy… This is just…" said Keith as he scratch the back of his head a little.
"Shido's the one who ruined yours and Miss Mallory's lives…" said Morgana.
"Holy shit… I don't believe it…" said Ryuji as he also scratch his head a little while Morgana stay silent.
"…Let's get going, okay?" suggested Haru calmly to them and Keiko, Goro, Morgana, Aglaia and Keith all glance and nodded at her before they turn and went back to Leblanc and Keiko, Goro, Morgana, Aglaia and Keith sat down on their seats before Keiko explain and tell them of what she remembered.
"Shido's the guy who set you and Mallory up!?" gasp Ann with a shock look on her face.
"Yes, it's true and it's definitely him, alright." said Keiko as she nodded at Ann.
"That damn bastard!" thought Akira angrily in his mind at Shido.
"What kind of fate brought you three back together?" said Yusuke.
"I wish I knew, believe me, Yusuke." said Keiko.
"Keiko…" said Goro as he put his hand gently above her left hand.
"Talk about a destined connection…" said Makoto.
"A destined connection indeed." thought Samson/Cthulhu in amusement in his mind.
"Shido was involved in the cognitive research too, right? This can't be dismissed as just a coincidence…" said Morgana.
"God… What the hell's going on here?" said Sojiro as he rubbed and scratch his head in exasperation a little.
"Shido was already a politician then, yet he sued 2 female students and ruined their futures? He must have pulled some strings so that his name wouldn't be mentioned. Furthermore, he also would've had to force that woman into making false statements about them." said Sae.
"He would do anything. We're talking about a heinous man who ordered a hit inside a police station." said Yusuke with a cold look on his face.
"He can't sit still until he crushes whoever opposes him, no matter how trivial. He's always been that way." said Sojiro as he crossed his arms.
"What a piece of shit! "Children are the future!" my ass! What he's sayin' and doin' are completely different!" growled Ryuji.
"Yeah, I agree with you, Ryuji." said Keith in agreement with Ryuji.
"But now that Keiko remember and we found out who did it, can't something be done about hers and Mallory's records!?" said Ann as she glance at Sae.
"Once the courts have made judgements, overturning that decision will be difficult. It'd barely be possible even if proof of innocence is presented and Shido admits to his crimes." said Sae sadly to them.
"So it's still a no, huh?" thought both Goro and Akira sadly in their minds for their girlfriends.
"At any rate, we need to trigger a change of heart in him." said Yusuke.
"Of course we will, Yusuke-kun." said Jason as he nodded at Yusuke.
"Be that as it may, Shido's outer appearance and his true face are wholly different. It's beyond hypocritical. It's as if he's an entirely different person." said Makoto.
"He speaks about the good of the country… It makes me wonder what really is on his mind." said Haru with a concern look on her face.
"That man's full of ambition to rise in the world. He only thinks of the weak as stepping stools for his success." said Sojiro.
"He treats himself as an elite man while looking down on others… That's the worst." said Ann.
"I assumed the final keyword for what he sees and believes the Diet Building is will be despicable too." said Yusuke.
"It must be something self-centered and completely different from politics." said Ann.
"Someone like him needs to be punished as soon as possible!" said Haru.
"Let's all head to the Diet Building again right after school tomorrow. I feel we'll get it this time!" said Ryuji determinedly to them.
"Stewing over it won't get us anywhere. We have to do this…" said Makoto calmly to Keiko and the others and they all nodded to her.
"Well then, see you all tomorrow, good night and goodbye, everyone." said Keiko as she stand up and bade farewell to her boyfriend and friends and they all stand up, bade farewell to Keiko (who received a hug and a forehead kiss from Goro), left Leblanc and went home.