Begin!
~Normal POV
7/30 - Sunday
The next day, Akira woke up first. He smiled warmly at the image of his beautiful girlfriend curled up under his arm. Ann had her hair out of her usual pigtails, and it flowed down her back in lovely platinum waves. He almost didn't want to wake her, she looked so peaceful. But sadly, everyone would be arriving eventually to watch for Alice's change of heart, so he couldn't let her sleep in. He listened intently for any sound of movement downstairs, just in case Sojiro was there already. When he heard nothing, he gently shook Ann awake. She grumbled and rolled over, deliberately ignoring him.
"Ann, you gotta get up…" Akira whispered.
"No, I don't…"
"You're really that tired still?"
"And whose fault is that," Ann mumbled.
Akira blushed. She had a point there. He sighed, and figured she'd get up soon enough if he was already up. He carefully climbed out of bed and went to get dressed. He could go pick Morgana up from Futaba's, but she was likely to bring him along when she arrived anyway.
"You've been working out again?" Akira looked back at Ann who was now sitting up in bed and staring at him with a sleepy smile.
"Maybe a bit," Akira answered, putting his shirt on. "I thought you wanted to sleep in."
"I couldn't get back to sleep, and then you got out of bed, so now I'm not all comfy anymore," Ann whined. "Can you get my bag for me?"
He handed her her overnight bag and went to check his phone messages while she got dressed. "Futaba says Alice is going to do a last minute interview on the chat show later today."
Ann looked surprised. "They're letting her back on there even after what happened? Weird…"
"Very, but the good news is that it sounds like she has something important to say."
Ann went to put her hair back up again. "Damn, this might be the fastest change of heart we've ever seen."
Akira was about to agree before Sophia chimed from his phone with a bright, "Good morning! Did you both sleep well?"
"You could say that." Akira said, smirking, earning him an embarrassed glare from Ann.
~...
It wasn't until around noon that Alice's interview took place. Given what happened last time, the station wisely chose to let a veteran female host the interview alone to avoid any further issues. The gang watched the interview downstairs in LeBlanc while Sojiro was running errands.
"And now for the hottest meet and greet… Alice Hiiragi has returned as our special guest. Miss Alice, thank you so much for coming on today, despite the last visit's conclusion. From what I hear, there's something you wish to share?"
"Yes, I need to confess something. The incident that occurred with the previous hosts… that was all my fault. I forced him to proclaim his love for me during a live broadcast. When I heard he was engaged to his co-host, I just wanted to ruin their relationship… And they're not the only ones… Anytime I see a happy woman, I just get so jealous… I do whatever it takes to ruin their lives. All of my past managers tried so hard to stop me. But I'd lash out at them too, and… and I'd assault them until they backed down… The only reason I've changed managers is because my last one had a breakdown… Everything I've said here is the truth. I'm sure all of it is easy enough to prove now… I've lied and I've hurt so many people… And I'm just so sorry for it all!"
"Is this… the Phantom Thieves?!"
"I'm the one who did it all! No one but me did these horrible things! I'm sorry… I'm so sorry!"
The feed cut to commercial and the last thing they saw on the screen was Alice crying her heart out with regret. The change of heart worked out after all. It came faster than expected, but it was very welcome.
"This is gonna blow way up… The news lady even name checked us…" Futaba said.
"At least our job is done." Morgana replied, his tail twitching in satisfaction.
"Right, we may have gone through something quite different from a Palace, but there's no mistaking that the change of heart still works the same," Makoto said, looking relieved.
Ryuji was checking his phone. "The people with the stolen Desires seem to be normal again too. It's all over the internet."
"Here's a comment from the Phan-site. 'My son was about to blow our entire savings on Alice merch, but the Phantom Thieves rescued him. Thank you Phantom Thieves…'" Yusuke read off his phone.
Akira smirked. Mishima's site still had its uses. It had been a while since he'd seen their public relations manager. Perhaps he should send him a vague description of Alice's change of heart quest for that book he's writing about their adventures. He'll definitely be interested in hearing about them having a new recruit, too. The boy probably fainted when he saw the calling card last night… (Because there was no way he didn't see it. He wouldn't miss it for anything.)
"I'm just seeing a lot of 'I want my money back' comments. Welp, can't help them." Futaba said, shrugging dismissively.
"I'm not sure everyone is actually a victim here," Ann said, dryly.
"Nevertheless, mission complete!" Sophia said, cheerfully. She had a right to be proud; it was her first successful heist.
"I wonder what'll happen to Alice…" Haru said, thoughtfully.
"It's probably next to impossible for her to make it in the industry now…" Ann said. "Her scandal is big news…"
"Yeah… no matter what we did for her heart, she still has to face the consequences of her actions," Akira replied.
"That's true. But I think if she can find that feeling she had when she first discovered fashion, then she'll be ok. She can still be a ray of light for others, even if she has to find another way to shine." Ann said, hopefully.
"We should find a way to press her for information. She might know something useful to us." Makoto pointed out.
This would be a difficult task. Alice's scandal would make meeting with her in person near impossible. Even Ann wouldn't be able to gain access since the agency was likely to dump Alice very soon, if not already.
"An enlightening conversation as always in here." They turned their attention to the door and saw Zenkichi had come in to see them again. "Sup? How's it hanging folks?"
"You again, gramps?!" Futaba groaned, glaring at him.
"Whoa, hey, I won't deny I'm older than you guys, but that still stings, ya know?"
"No, no, Futaba's right. Isn't there someone else you can annoy?" Akira asked, bluntly. "Friends? Relatives? …Venomous reptiles?"
Zenkichi rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright, I got it. I'll make this quick. You guys really hop to work when your minds are set, huh?"
"Meaning?" Makoto asked, dryly.
"Don't play stupid. I gave you solid intel, right?" Zenkichi answered, smirking smugly.
"You got lucky." Akira replied.
Zenkichi ignored that remark. "Well that's good news! Looks like I'll be getting my own in return."
"Your own what?" Makoto asked.
"I came today for your response to my offer! You know, the deal?"
"We already told you we don't work with cops," Ryuji said, angrily.
Once again, Zenkichi ignored the comment. "What if I tossed in a little bonus? Such as… running some questions by Alice for you? You were just saying you wanted info from her, right?"
"You are way too damn comfortable eavesdropping on things that have nothing to do with you, inspector," Akira said, crossing his arms.
"Oh, come on, at least call me by name, Kurusu-san."
"I'll call you Inspector Pain-in-the-Ass until such time as I decide to change my mind."
Zenkichi gave him an irritated look. "Given your mouthy attitude, that's never gonna happen, is it?"
"Exactly." Akira answered, smirking. "See, you're catching on already!"
"Besides, weren't you watching the news?" Ann said, indignantly. "Alice just confessed on live tv. Our names are cleared!"
"Yeah, what she said!" Ryuji added, "We don't need you for shit!"
Zenkichi looked momentarily confused before suddenly smacking his forehead in realization. "Oh! That's what I forgot… I'm sorry; I knew there was something that slipped my mind. You see, I forgot to mention that this 'Change of Heart' epidemic is happening all over the country. And we know they can't all be Alice's victims. Therefore, I'm afraid you still have plenty to get pinned on you."
There was a pause while they took in that disturbing news. More cases like Alice's meant the possibility of more Jails. That wasn't unthinkable, really. If anyone could have a Palace, it'd only be logical that anyone could be a Monarch of a Jail. A strong distorted desire isn't an exclusive issue. The silence was interrupted by Akira chuckling softly, earning a confused look from Zenkichi.
"Ok. Even if that's true-" Akira started, "And I'm not saying you're joking cause you sure don't have a sense of humor; let me ask this. Are your- let's call them superiors- aware that the Phantom Thieves exclusively operate in Tokyo?"
"Good question." Zenkichi answered, simply. "As a matter of fact, I had that same thought! So, I brought it up with Commissioner Kaburagi. She doesn't care. And that little stunt on tv last night with your- calling card, was it, has the public more riled up than ever. All I hear down at the station is how it's all your fault! You can make the smart ass comments all you want, but I refuse to believe you're stupid enough to not see how much danger you're still in."
"That is fucking bullshit! What the hell did we do?!" Ryuji shouted.
"Sheesh, you got a sailor's tongue. You kiss your girlfriend with that mouth?"
"Yes. Yes, he does." Haru answered, bluntly.
Zenkichi rolled his eyes. He expected the Phantom Thieves to be a more mature bunch. But at the end of the day, he was trying to bargain with a gang of teenagers. He couldn't believe the public took these kids so seriously. What could they do anyway?
"I told you last time I came by, I believe in your innocence. But to catch the real perp, I need your help." The inspector said, "What's happening all over the country: it doesn't fit your MO. And there's no motive from your side either. These are two separate cases, at least that's what I believe."
No one responded at first. It was quiet for a long time before Akira finally spoke. "Family meeting. Wait outside."
Zenkichi nodded in understanding. "Sure, sure, take all the time you need. Call me when you're ready." He left the shop.
"...What do you think, Akira?" Morgana asked.
Akira paced around the room, trying to control his anger at the situation. "That he's a pain in the ass who's gonna fuck us over when it's all said and done…" He answered, firmly.
"But it sounds like there might be more Jails…" Makoto said, carefully. She knew that regardless of his decision, Akira was not going to yield on his opinion of law enforcement; she didn't wish to make him feel worse about the situation.
"Futaba, what's the word online…" Akira asked, simply.
"Some people are saying weird stuff is happening here and there. Similar to what we've seen. But almost none of it made the news. Like they're trying to ignore it…"
"Kinda sounds like the mental shutdowns…" Ryuji said, "The news wasn't allowed to touch those…"
"We'll defer this decision to you, Akira." Yusuke said. "It is hard for all of us, but we cannot ignore the situation if people are being harmed and our names are being sullied."
Akira kept pacing. Trusting Zenkichi was a death sentence. Even if there was the slightest bit of truth from him on believing their innocence, that wouldn't stop his coworkers from nabbing them in the end regardless. They were still wanted on multiple charges; even after being proven innocent of the murders and psychotic breakdowns. But the Jail… Lavenza's warning… there had to be more to this. Lavenza had not directly contacted him again yet; and his intentional visits to the Velvet Room had given him no new info on the matter. If they were going to investigate, it'd be impossible without knowing where to go. And the only man who was willing to share that information was waiting outside…
The thief leader pinched his nose in frustration. His gaze rested on Morgana… and within a few moments, an idea came to him. He smirked and explained his plan.
~...
Zenkichi checked the time on his phone. How long were those kids gonna talk it out? It wasn't a complicated deal. It was rather fair. He gets to find the real culprit and they get to clear their names. Win-win, right? He jumped a bit at the sound of the shop door opening beside him. They'd all come outside.
"Well?" He asked, simply. "What do you say?"
"I say if you're gonna make a deal with us, you might as well do it 'in-person.'" Akira answered, slyly. "Follow us. Makoto will explain on the way."
"In person? The hell does that mean?" Zenkichi tried to ask, but they started walking ahead. He quickly followed them.
On the trip to Shibuya, Makoto explained the Metaverse and how it worked. As expected, Zenkichi didn't take well to all their thief jargon. Half the conversation was spent with Makoto having to repeat what she'd already said because he didn't get it. But that wouldn't matter since they had a plan to make him understand.
"So… A Jail full of Shadows, was it? And a Monarch who seizes people's Desires and that makes them go crazy in the real world…" Zenkichi said, once they'd arrived at the entry point. "Ok, level with me, are you guys high? I mean, should I take you to a hospital, or a psychiatric ward or something? If you're gonna cook up some fantasy to sell me, maybe try a little less spice next time?"
Makoto rolled her eyes at his words. "Save it for now. You'll see in a moment. Our leader has decided to allow you to see the cognitive world."
"Cognitive… world?"
"Yep. Now shut up and pay attention." Akira said, pulling out his phone. While he did, Morgana popped up onto his shoulder.
"You carry your cat around with you…?" Zenkichi said, quizzically.
"Well, how else is he supposed to keep up with us?" Akira replied, dryly. "You want him to end up as roadkill? Alright, everyone ready?" He was met with collective agreement. "Good, now follow us, inspector."
Zenkichi watched the gang walk ahead of him as Akira activated something on his phone. He didn't know what was going on, but he followed obediently as everything around them suddenly went hazy.
~End of Chapter
