Begin

~Normal POV

8/25 - Friday

It took no time at all to reach the birdcage when they returned to the Jail today. As it turned out, Konoe had been doing an interview yesterday and that was what impeded their progress. They even watched the interview after getting back, but nothing in it was anything new. It was mainly Konoe inflating his own ego and bad-mouthing them again.

"A birdcage… So this place has one too," Ryuji said.

"But why would Konoe's Jail possess one?" Yusuke asked. "Is he not the mastermind behind all this?"

"That's what I've been trying to figure out since we got here." Akira said, thoughtfully. "It doesn't make any damn sense… He created these Jails, he used the other Monarchs for all they were worth. And he knows the only thing that kept them in line was the birdcage system. Why would he willingly trap himself in one too? Using his own trauma?"

"It might have been necessary to make the Jail," Morgana answered. "I can see that being justifiable in his mind."

"Then that means he has a Trauma Cell, and we're gonna have to find it," Ann said.

"And there's only one way to do that." Akira added. "I could do it this time, if you want-"

"Nah, let me do it." Zenkichi said, smiling. "I could use the experience."

They were a little apprehensive about letting him do such a thing, but didn't protest. He wasn't going to back down when he set his mind to it.

"Good luck," Ann said, "And make sure you don't let go right away."

Zenkichi approached the cage and touched the invisible barrier with one hand. He immediately cried out in agony, but managed to keep his hand in place. The recording of voices started up for them. It sounded like two men talking.

"Abuse…? Please, that's ridiculous. We do have a dog. Maybe that's what they heard? Right, Akira?"

"Whether it was your dog or not, Konoe-san, we got a tip that you've been physically abusing your son. Apparently, Akira-kun has a scar on his arm to prove it…"

"Look he fell over. How many times do I have to say it? Are we done here? I'd like to be left alone… You little shit! You see all this trouble you're causing me?! Keep your god damn mouth shut and do as I say!"

The recording ended there and Zenkichi removed his hand from the barrier. "Damn… what the hell was that?"

"...You want the honest answer?" Ryuji asked quietly. It was hard to see but he looked much paler behind his mask now. Haru noticed though and grabbed his hand, running her thumb over his fingers to soothe him. His behavior change didn't go unnoticed by the others, but they had the good sense to not ask about it.

"So Konoe's trauma had to do with his father's treatment of him," Yusuke said, softly. "I sympathize, but it doesn't really correlate to what he's doing now."

"I agree." Akira replied. "We didn't get any direct clues to go off of here but if I had to guess, we might find the Trauma Cell in his childhood home. All we have to do is track down the address."

Everyone started to walk back except for Sophia. She was staring at the birdcage with a puzzled expression. Akira paused and went to see what was the matter with her.

"Sophie? You ok?"

Sophia turned to him and replied, ignoring his question. "Was Konoe really treated badly by his own father? Zenkichi and Akane were on bad terms, but nothing like that ever happened between them. Why did that happen to Konoe? Aren't they family?"

Akira frowned, rubbing his neck uncomfortably. "Um… There are better people to answer this kinda question than me… I'm thankful to have not had such experiences, but-" He paused trying to think up the simplest way to word his response. "Sophie, the best way to explain it is… Some hearts are just filled with hate. They might have their own personal reasons but that doesn't make it ok. Just remember- for every family that's like ours, who care for and support each other, there are also going to be families out there that are… like that, instead… Sorry, that wasn't very clear. I wish I could make you understand-"

"I understood your explanation perfectly." Sophia interrupted. "You're saying some people are just like that…"

"Yeah… And there's no way to know until they show it."

"I see…" Sophia replied, frowning. "Did that happen to Skull as well? He looked so upset hearing that voice."

"...I promised him I wouldn't say anything." Akira said, quietly. "And don't ask him, or Noir- I'm sure she knows about it by now too. It's not nice to make people talk about that kinda stuff. If he wants to tell, he'll do it on his own terms."

Sophia nodded. "Ah, ok." She opted to drop the subject from there. If Akira said it was hurtful then she would not bother Ryuji and Haru about it. She thought for a moment. "Joker… do you think family is important?"

Akira smiled gently. "Of course I do. That's why I work so hard to protect and support everyone. They're my family."

"You keep saying that, but… don't you have family at home? You have parents. I heard your conversation with your mother when you called her."

"Well- yes, I have biological family back home, too. I love them just as much, and they love me. But the Phantom Thieves are like a family to me as well. That's why we call ourselves that. I have Panther as my loving partner. Skull, Fox, Mona, for a long time now I've seen them as being like brothers to me. Queen, Noir, Oracle, I see them all like sisters. As I said before, Sophie, we're not just a team. I would die for any of them without a second thought if it meant they were safe. They all mean so much to me, I would never abandon any of them; not for all the money and freedom in the world."

Sophia smiled a little. "That's so nice… I can tell they appreciate you very much for it. If I ever get family or friends, I want to support them as much as I can. I learned that from the Phantom Thieves."

Akira put his hand on her shoulder. "Sophie, you already have a family- You're a Phantom Thief, that means you're a part of our family as much as I am. Never forget that, ok?"

"Really? Hm… even Wolf? You were so hostile to him before, but now you are teammates…"

Akira considered this for a moment. "He proved his loyalty. Like I said, that means a lot to me. And if he wants to be a part of this family, then I won't deny him."

"Then I'm also family… Hehe, I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner…"

Akira shrugged. "Oh well, you know now."

"...I wonder how Konoe must have felt back then…"

"We'll see. Come on, we don't want to get left behind." Akira started walking ahead.

Sophia trailed after him quickly. His words kept running through her mind. He considered her family? That made her heart feel full… though she lacked a heart. She didn't know any other way to phrase this feeling, but she knew she was happy to hear it.

~...

Once again, Zenkichi proved his usefulness to the team by quickly obtaining the address of Konoe's old house. It was a large estate; he must have been born into a wealthy family. But it looked abandoned now. They approached the front gate cautiously, hoping to avoid being seen snooping around.

"This is the place."

"You tracked it down fast, nice work." Akira complimented.

"Do you suppose his father still lives here," Yusuke asked.

"No, he died 20 years ago." Zenkichi said. Seeing the confusion on their faces he quickly clarified. "While I was looking up the address I found some police records of the incident. A burglar forced his way into the house and stabbed Konoe's father to death. Most items of value were gone, so it was ruled as both a robbery and a homicide. They never found the culprit."

"And what did Konoe do? He lived here too, right," Futaba asked.

"He was 8 years old at the time, and was the only survivor. Apparently, he hid in a closet while it happened. If this is the birthplace of Konoe's trauma, we'll probably uncover the truth about his father's murder as well."

~...

Upon entering the Metaverse in this area, they were met with an interesting sight. The Trauma Cell appeared as the inside of a nice looking house, with the usual bars on the windows. Before them was a set of stairs but no one was present.

"This room… are we inside the house now?" Yusuke asked.

"Looks like it," Morgana answered. "20 years into the past."

Before them a Shadow materialized. It took the form of an older distinguished looking man. This must have been Konoe's father. He was talking to the back wall as if Konoe was standing before him.

"You little shit… Who do you think feeds you every day, huh?! I swear, you're just a bill. All you do is eat up my hard earned money!"

"Ngh… dad, stop…"

"Don't talk back to me!"

"Somebody… please…"

Haru whimpered softly, unable to keep her eyes on the scene before them. She wasn't alone either, this was perhaps the most difficult one to watch yet.

"Keeping you around's a real pain in the ass." The Shadow continued. "Maybe I should just kill you too."

"...Too?"

"If she'd just handed over the money when I told her to… Nobody ever takes me seriously!"

"No… not mom… you didn't…"

From somewhere upstairs it seemed that a tv had been left on at the time because the next voice they heard was the sound of a tv announcer. "Here he comes! Enemy of evil! Champion of those in need! Listen up, viewers! It's time to band together and call for Zephyrman, protector of justice! Zephyrman!"

"Huh? Guess I left the tv on." The Shadow said, shrugging it off.

"Ok… I get it now. There are no heroes… No one's coming to save me. It's up to me… I have to become stronger… I have to. I'll kill him…! And then I'll be the hero!"

"What the fuck are you mumbling about, you freak?" The Shadow asked. "Not like it matters, you'll be joining your mother soon enough! I'll kill you!"

~...

Hopefully this would be their last entrance into a Trauma Cell. The Shadow put up a tough fight, but they managed it. For a while nobody knew what to say to this one. It was quite a delicate matter.

"...Is everyone alright?" Akira asked, carefully.

"Better than alright!" Ryuji said, firmly. "Feels great knowing we put that asswipe in his place!"

"If what we just saw actually happened in the past…" Haru said, softly.

"Then Konoe escaped his abusive childhood and avenged his mother by killing his own father…" Yusuke finished for her. "He must have framed the entire thing as a robbery to avoid suspicion."

"He was the victim of some high and mighty shitbag too…" Ryuji mumbled.

"He must have felt so trapped…" Ann said, sadly. "There was nobody he could turn to."

"So he set out to become his own hero…" Makoto said, conclusively. "And the power to change hearts helped him do just that."

"It's just too sad!" Futaba whined, tearing up behind her mask. "There had to be another way! There just had to!"

"Hey, cool it!" Zenkichi snapped, a bit harshly. He quickly retracted his tone. "Whatever his past was, it doesn't justify what he's doing now. Nothing makes it ok for him to take control of people against their will."

"And I agree, Wolf." Akira said, getting their attention. "This- it's awful. And it's not a fate I would wish upon anyone. Not even the people I hate the most. But Konoe is warped. His desire twisted without even realizing it. The guy seriously thinks that robbing people of their free will is gonna make everything better? With him in control of everyone's lives? That's fucked up. And what he did to Akane, Alice, Natsume, Hyodo, Ubukata, without a second thought of their feelings? It's just as sickening. That's why we're here, to change his heart."

~...

It was evening when they returned to reality. Zenkichi chose not to go back to camp with them, as he had something to take care of first. He went to a meeting spot on the bridge. Waiting there for him as expected was Commissioner Kaburagi.

"Commissioner." He said, getting her attention as he approached her side.

She glanced at him stiffly. "You look better than I thought you would. How'd it feel being on the other side of an interrogation for once?"

"Hah… I managed to pull through. Guess I'm getting a little old for this, huh?" Zenkichi cleared his throat and changed the subject. "More importantly, I heard something interesting from the Niijima lawyer. She told me the reason she was able to get me out was because she had help from a certain someone."

Kaburagi's lips turned up in a tight smirk. "I haven't a clue what you're talking about. Anyhow, did you have business with me?"

Zenkichi nodded. "Commissioner, I'd like you to help me. I'm going to arrest Owada. He's been behind the scenes with every change of heart case. Akira Konoe is the one who commits the crimes, while Owada sits back and capitalizes on them. They plan to cover up the truth by putting all the blame on the Phantom Thieves. I think they've even changed the hearts of some of us on the force, and I'm talking pretty high up the chain of command. If we don't act now, we'll never be able to stop them. Please, Commissioner, I can't do this without you."

"...Do you have any evidence to bring Owada in?"

"I'm on the verge of getting Konoe to confess." Zenkichi replied. "If we do that, we can expose all of Owada's crimes."

"You really think Konoe will talk?"

Zenkichi smiled. "He'll crack. I know he will." He had every confidence that the gang would be able to pull off this heist to make him do so.

"How can you be so sure?" Kaburagi asked. "Are you planning to use the Phantom Thieves to change his heart?"

"Sorry. But I just can't tell you." Zenkichi said, simply. "Commissioner, do you remember what you said to me back when Aoi died? You told me you would cleanse this whole rotten organization someday, and that I just had to wait for the right time. That time is now. Please. I need your help."

Kaburagi stared at him curiously. "...You've changed, Hasegawa. Your little stunt cost me my chance at Senior Commissioner. Even my current title is in a state of uncertainty. I need to do something to restore my credibility. If I wanted to, I could serve all of you up to Owada on a silver platter, and he'd owe me everything for it. Did that ever occur to you?"

"Your sense of justice would never allow it." Zenkichi replied, firmly.

Kaburagi smirked again. "My, my… You have three days. If you say you can do it, then by all means, make it happen."

Zenkichi's face lit up. "Thank you, ma'am!"

She pulled something out of her pocket and gave it to him. "And I'll give you back your badge as well."

"Are you sure?" He asked, staring at the gift.

"Fair warning, if you screw this up, I'll be covering my own safety above all else." Kaburagi said, "No second chances. Do you hear me?"

Zenkichi nodded. "Absolutely. I won't forget this, ma'am." He then ran off to get right back to work on the case now that he had his chance.

Kaburagi watched him silently for a moment before a nearby man spoke to her. "Should I follow him, ma'am?"

"Forget it." Kaburagi commanded. "He'll just throw you off. Actually, I have a more pressing task for you. I want you to find out everything you can about the Commissioner General. And make it fast."

~...

"So you're sure the Phantom Thieves have been dealt with, yes?" Owada asked over the phone.

"Yes, they're being held in the Jail as we speak." Konoe answered. "I've got EMMA keeping an eye on them."

"Well done, Mr. Konoe. There really is nothing that can stand up to you and that A.I. of yours."

"Please, none of this would have been possible without your assistance, sir. EMMA will show us the way forward."

"Now I may be getting a little ahead of myself, but what say we have a little celebration of sorts?" Owada asked. "I'll go ahead and reserve us someplace nice. I think you're in for a real treat."

"Looking forward to it," Konoe replied.

"Call ended." EMMA chimed.

Konoe's polite demeanor vanished instantly. "Filth. Flapping those fat jowls of his. Roaches like him are the very reason why this world needs someone to enact justice."

"You are absolutely right, Akira." EMMA said.

"We'll have to hurry with making Operation Oraculi a reality." Konoe said, "More importantly, how are things in the Kyoto Jail?"

"No issues to report. The Phantom Thieves are still under confinement."

"Very well… And just so we're clear, there's no way to change their hearts, is that correct?"

"That is correct, Akira. It is impossible."

"Well if you say so, it must be." Konoe said, seemingly disappointed. "We'll just have to let them rot, won't we? Now to wrap this up. At this point, nothing can stand in my way. I'll take over this entire country- no, the whole world."

~End of Chapter