"You know the one thing I regret most about not getting together until after all the Phantom Thief shit?" Ryuji asked one day.
His head rested on her lap as she read the new volume of Berserk that had been released while he was reading his own copy of a translated Spider-Man comic.
She moved the manga to the side and looked down at him. "What's that?"
"We never got to go joyriding on Johanna or Anat together."
Makoto laughed and shook her head. "And what makes you think I would've let you?"
"Oh, c'mon, Koto, just think of it!" Ryuji sat up and turned towards her. He threw a couple punches in the air. "Riding through Mementos, mowing down Shadows, letting loose! What wouldn't be cool about that?"
"I never said it wasn't 'cool'," she assured him. "I just don't know if it would've worked."
"Why not?"
"Well, Anat isn't-wasn't a real bike, it was the manifestation of my inner self. I don't know if you could've ridden on it."
Ryuji's face fell and he nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right."
He fell back onto her awaiting lap and blew out a breath. "You think I could've ridden on the Captain's boat?"
"Why not Seiten Taisei?"
"He was on a cloud. Can't ride on clouds."
"Point taken."
"Nah, but a ship? That I could've rode on."
"I'm surprised you didn't try."
Ryuji shrugged. "Turned into Seiten Taisei before I got the chance. Plus I didn't know we could until I saw you."
Makoto snorted. Moving the manga to one hand, she reached down and ran her hand through Ryuji's bleach blond hair. "That would've been a sight to see."
"You ever wonder if Arsene could fly?"
Makoto looked down at him. "Akira's Persona?"
"Yeah. Like, do you think he could've picked up Akira and carried him around?"
She opened her mouth to argue before closing it. She tilted her head and brought her finger to her lips. "Do you think he ever tried?"
"Knowing that son of a bitch, probably."
Silence.
"D'ya want to call him and ask?"
"Yes, please. Get off and grab the phone for me."