I own nothing. Monika does.

Later that night, Sayori found herself leaning on the railing of Ann's balcony, trying to find out where her motivation had gone. The light and happy feeling of the culture festival had worn off a while after getting back to the apartment, and Sayori found it dizzying how different things felt now. So much so, that she found herself here, trying to breathe in fresh air that didn't exist in such a large city, and trying to muster some enthusiasm that now blinked in and out, like the meager twinkling stars in the night sky.

At this point, there were so few things to focus on and think about. Most of her secrets were no longer secrets that she could fixate on and distract herself with. All that was left was the one scrap of knowledge that she was the sole bearer of.

Nothing is real… If there was one good thing that had come from glitching, and knowing Goro's secret, it was that she could distract herself with the thoughts. Now, she shared these secrets with others. She could discuss them with others, instead of fixating on them in her head. That left her alone with that single epiphany that she had to suffer alone with.

Nothing is real… So is there even a point to any of this? I'm not real… There's no point to me being here… How did awakening to this knowledge help her hold onto her life? All Sayori could feel was hollowness.

Sayori longed for a distraction more and more. She wanted to occupy her mind with something strong and exciting enough to cover these thoughts. Even though they were futile… She found it easy to get lost in them.

It's shameful. I'm part of the Phantom Thieves, and I'm dating a detective. Shouldn't holding onto the truth be more important to me? Wasn't she supposed to face the truth, no matter how horrible? She shouldn't yearn for distortions, but here she was…

The girl let out a long sigh, closing her aching eyes and letting her face fall into the crook of her arm. She could fall asleep here and it wouldn't matter. Just by thinking about it, her eyes grew heavier…

"Sayori!" Ann shouted, slamming open the sliding door that led into the rest of the apartment. The girl startled awake at the urgency in the girl's voice, once again already beginning to push the thoughts out. Upon receiving her questioning gaze, Ann continued. "Check your messages in the Thieves' Chat! Futaba sent something big!"

Quickly, and almost too eagerly, Sayori turned on her phone. What she read next was indeed very shocking.

"What!? He knows everything!? You gotta be fucking kidding!" Ryuji's text said. It had just been sent as soon as Sayori turned on the messages. What prefaced it was a text from Futaba, explaining that when Akira and her had gotten back to Leblanc, Sojiro had found out they were the Phantom Thieves.

"Wait, are you OK? Did he report you or anything?" Ann asked, speaking aloud as she sent her text. She had a worried frown on her face as she sat back down on her bed. Sayori remained standing while she watched the conversation nervously.

"We likely wouldn't be receiving these messages if Akira was not OK," Yusuke pointed out. "I had a feeling that Boss was no ordinary man…"

"But he didn't recommend you turn yourself in, did he?" Haru texted. "I think in that case we can consider him a new ally. I suppose that is two in one day."

"I'm more curious about what he mentioned to you," Yusuke changed the topic.

"You mean how our enemy might be the same people who targeted Futaba's mother?" Haru asked.

"Yes. She was killed by mental shutdown, the same method used by the culprit we pursue now."

Sayori felt like her heart was beating out of its chest. It always made her uncomfortable when they talked about this, but it could no longer be dismissed so easily.

"Wait a second though… Didn't you say Boss had to 'run from it all'...?" Ann said, sitting up in her chair and beginning to pace around the small apartment, her new realization making her mind whirl. "Does that mean someone was trying to stop the news from getting out? Who could do that…? Who do you think the culprit could be?"

"A government official," Akira guessed. Sayori felt herself tense up. Goro had said his father was a politician climbing the ranks. Though a bit vague, Akira was very much right.

"Ain't you letting your imagination run wild a bit?" Ryuji texted, not knowing how close they were to discovering the truth.

"But it would make sense," Yusuke admitted.

"Wait a sec! If you're right, then wouldn't the police be working for 'em too!?" Ryuji pointed out.

"... That's not impossible," Makoto texted a moment later, needing a few seconds to process the possibility.

"This is getting too big for me to even think about…" Ann flopped back onto her bed with a tired groan. Sayori looked back at her worriedly, before glancing back down at the chat. She was wondering what she should say, or if she should even put herself into this conversation. However, she made her choice only a moment later.

"Can we really win this?" Haru asked.

"Of course we can!" Sayori texted, wanting to encourage her , they needed to win this! Now that she knew so much, Sayori wasn't willing to accept anything besides victory. Just after sending it to the chat, another thought occurred to her.

"Btw, if Boss knows we're the PT, should we let him know about my glitching?"

"No. Sojiro has enough on his plate," Futaba replied, her text offering no room for argument. "Though that does remind me, since Akechi is going to be joining our party, we need to let him know about that!"

"Well, since Sayori had been in on his plan to join us for some time, I assume he already knows," Yusuke guessed. "Right, Sayori?"

"..."

"Sayori?" Akira texted hesitantly.

"..."

"Um…" Haru tried to encourage a response.

"..."

"I don't think she's told him yet," Ann guessed. "She's been standing still, with her eyes super wide since Futaba texted."

"Jeez… " Ryuji replied, and everyone could practically hear his groan through the text alone.

"Well, we'll just show him when we meet up in a few days," Makoto decided, trying to be casual. "I imagine that means we'll have to purposefully postpone Mementos, though."

"It's already been nearly a month since we went into the Metaverse," Futaba pointed out. "It could happen any time now…"

"I don't like talking about this…" Haru texted back after a moment. "Isn't Sayori… dying each time or something? Talking about it like this is unpleasant."

"Morgana wants to know if you want to tell Goro about your glitching, Sayori," Akira texted, finally snapping the frozen girl out of her silence. "It's fine if you don't want to."

"No… I made a promise that all of the members of the Phantom Thieves need to know about this. Goro is going to be a member of our team, even if it's only temporarily…" Sayori quickly typed, her mouth becoming a grim line. "... Besides, there's never going to be a right time to tell him. I can't just keep it a secret from him that I might die."

"We've got your back," Ryuji assured.

"Let us know if you change your mind," Makoto added.

With that, the conversation ended. Sayori turned off her phone and put it back in her pocket. At this point, there was nothing good for her to think about. It was either ponder her own apathy, or worry what exactly this plot had in store for her. It was going to happen no matter what, of course. The only responses Sayori had to that was either to not care, or worry herself to exhaustion.

Or sleep… That's another option, Sayori thought to herself, glad it was late enough for it not to seem odd. She knew things were about to get busier than they ever had been, so the girl knew she needed to rest. The girl tried to ignore Ann's worried look, sinking into the covers of her pallet and letting the lull of sleep overcome her.

Sayori had noticed many differences in lifestyle and morning routine since she had begun living with Ann. Truthfully, the girl she was partly to blame as well, as both of them ended up sleeping through Ann's alarm clock. What was worse, Ann didn't have her alarm set to snooze, so when the alarm stopped ringing on its own, it stayed that way. When the blonde did end up waking up on her own, checking her phone's time, she immediately panicked.

Unfortunately, in her panic, she momentarily forgot Sayori was staying with her, and also basically sleeping on the ground. This resulted in Ann swinging her legs over the bed, eyes set only on her uniform hanging on the side of her closet, and tripping over her sleeping friend. Needless to say, it was not a pleasant morning.

After getting lightly kicked and then nearly crushed by her friend, Sayori was instantly awake, though also equally surprised by how she had woken up. She had been a heavy sleeper since she had begun high school back home, and whether it was her dear childhood friend, or someone else, she always needed to have someone wake her up.

Unable to help it, Sayori couldn't help but think, with an oddly large amount of longing, of how things had been when she had lived in the apartment with Goro. The detective was not a morning person either, and was always grumpy about waking up early, but he did so out of necessity. If he complained, he did it while he got himself ready for the day. It was endearing, how he made breakfast for the both of them before he even bothered waking Sayori up. The girl could stomach whatever he attempted, and sometimes failed, to make, when it came to those calm mornings together. That longing made her mind begin to wander.

Stop thinking about it… It's only going to make you more sad about how things are going… Sayori scolded herself, shaking away the phantom feelings of the morning they had woken up together. She cleared her head just in time to catch the breakfast bar Ann tossed at her, before rushing around the apartment to get ready. Sayori knew she had better follow her lead if she didn't want to make them both late, and stood up while tearing open the small breakfast.

"Sayori, have you seen my jacket?" Ann asked, tugging a brush through her hair. Sayori shook her head, making Ann give a small whine in return as she refocused on her hair.

All the while, Sayori changed out of her pajamas and into her Shujin uniform. She finished her breakfast bar in two bites as she tugged on her socks and shoes. To finish off her morning routine, she combed her fingers through her hair and clipped her bow in front of a particularly stubborn tangle, hiding it from view. Obviously, the girl didn't really care about her appearance today. There was no occasion, and despite going to bed relatively early, Sayori felt too tired to trouble herself.

"I think you got a text," Ann pointed out, separating her hair into two sections and beginning to tie them up. Sayori looked down and saw she was right. "Sayori, you need to work on not spacing out all the time!"

"You're right. Sorry…" Sayori said, her voice drifting off into a yawn. She picked up her phone and nearly dropped it, surprised to see that Goro had texted her. Did something happen?

"I know it's the morning already, but you got home safely last night, correct?"

Sayori bit her lip, before sending a simple "Yes" back. She supposed it made sense, since he wanted to make sure she hadn't been kidnapped. But he normally didn't wait until the morning after to check in. That made her worry that something bad had happened even more. She was about to ask about this, when the detective went ahead and answered her question before she could ask it.

"Sorry to worry about it when you're on your way to school."

Sayori felt sheepish, as she was not walking to school, yet. She knew that she and Ann were going to be late at this rate.

"But I just woke up, and I had the dreadful feeling that something bad had happened to you. I find it best to trust these feelings before dismissing them. I'm glad to hear that you're alright."

Sayori frowned, seeing that Goro had immediately gone offline, not wanting to bother her when he thought she was walking to school. I guess it's alright to be paranoid… We could get arrested any time at this point…

Ann had finally finished getting ready, slipping her shoes on and slinging her school bag over her shoulder. With a cheery smile, she went to tap Sayori on the shoulder so they could finally be on their way. However, she froze as Sayori's eyes widened slightly. Did she get an important message? Ann wondered at first, only to have her question answered when Sayori dropped her phone and let out a distressed gasp, as if she were being dragged under water.

Ann felt herself gasp in response as Sayori once again glitched. She ran up to the spot where Sayori now sat hunched over, shivering uncontrollably. Without hesitation, Ann enveloped her in a tight hug, which the girl was eager to return.

"Let's tell the others," Sayori said meekly, before releasing herself from the hug and standing up. Her school bag was sitting on Ann's chair. Passing it, Sayori grabbed the handle and dragged it behind her, making a beeline for the door.

Ann sighed, her hands clenched into fists. She felt beyond frustrated that they had to deal with… whatever was happening. Shaking her head, she got out her phone and messaged the group chat, before quickly following Sayori out of the apartment and locking the door behind her.

"What did we do wrong?" Ryuji asked.

Sayori's heart ached and her mind spun. All of the Phantom Thieves had gathered for another meeting after school, intent on discussing all of the recent events regarding their team, including the new bounty on their heads. All the while, Sayori kept her mouth shut. I… have no right to speak here.

Maybe the Phantom Thieves had lost sight of their goal in bringing the wicked to justice, but the fact that she was even being allowed to come to this meeting was proof that they were all still noble at heart. After she had begun glitching that morning, they had all been worried. Not to mention, they had made an effort to tell her that they held nothing against her for deceiving them.

Why…? Why are they being so lenient with me after I put them in that situation? What is going through their heads that they'd blame themselves for the situation they're stuck in? I shouldn't even be here... I-

Sayori felt like throwing up when Haru and Ryuji suddenly put their hands on top of hers, trying to offer her comfort. She shouldn't be feeling this way, anymore, right? She looked around, and saw everyone looking at her in worry. Any argument they might have had about the highly stressful situation they were in had been tossed out the window in favor of not causing Sayori to panic like before.

"We don't blame you for what happened," Haru said calmly. "We know you were just doing what you thought was best… And so are we. Sayori, you don't need to worry about us or blame yourself for what happens."

Everyone else shared a look, before giving Sayori a nod, completely agreeing with what Haru said. Futaba leaned over from the other side of the couch, her torso hovering above Yusuke as she patted Sayori on the head. "We can handle ourselves, so just keep an eye on your own health bar… You're already pretty low with your glitches, evidently."

Yusuke gave an irritated sniff, before turning his head to look over at Sayori. "Are you sure you want to show Akechi tomorrow? I'd rather not wait an entire day, and just go to Mementos right now."

What happened to calling him Goro? Sayori wondered to herself, before smiling at the artist. "I'll be alright for a day. Besides everything else… I just get this feeling that I need to tell him. Like… maybe I can fix something," The girl shrugged, knowing that the others couldn't really understand.

"I guess it has been hard keeping so many secrets from him…" Ann guessed, looking down sadly.

Sayori only gave a reassuring smile. Sure, that was part of it, but not all of it. After this… things will be different. There will be nothing left to hide. That awkward gap that's been hovering between us won't be there, anymore… Or at least I hope that will be the case…

"If you're sure…" Makoto said with a sigh.

"Let us know if things take a turn for the worse," Morgana said, a stern look on his face. "We barely know anything about this, so we need to make sure it doesn't just get more rapid suddenly."

Sayori nodded, before looking at everyone. "I think I got caught up in my own head a little while ago. Did I miss anything important that you guys said?"

"You're good," Akira assured.

"Yeah!" Ryuji agreed. "We just all decided we aren't gonna get caught up in fame anymore! We're gonna get ourselves out of this shit situation!" He cheered.

"Yeah!" Everyone else shouted, lifting their fists up into the air.

"I'm glad… I want to make a promise to you guys again," Sayori said suddenly, looking down timidly. "I'll do whatever I can to help you guys. I won't be afraid of the consequences, because I know it'll be the right choice. I'll trust your judgement."

Ryuji smiled and ruffled her hair. Sayori had no way of knowing how nervous all of them were about what they would soon be dealing with. They would be turning the tables with this next mission, and the thought of that was exhilarating, but also terrifying.

The next day, when classes had ended for everyone, Goro Akechi went to Leblanc. His senses were on high alert, wary of any enemy or suspicious individual that would be curious about his actions. He didn't know why he felt so worried. He and Sayori had made the decision beforehand that he would be covering up joining the Phantom Thieves as an elaborate way to catch them. So, Shido knew what he was up to, just not his intentions. As long as things went well, Shido's heart would be changed before he even knew about Sae-san's change of heart.

Yes… Shido's heart will be changed, and justice will finally catch up to him. It may not be what I was originally intending, but it still works… I suppose… Goro frowned as he shoved the thought of Shido into the furthest corner of his mind, laser-focused on his surroundings as he finally arrived at Leblanc's entrance. It didn't matter what happened to Shido… He didn't care if the man dropped dead or was locked up for the rest of his life. Goro kept telling himself that as Makoto and Ryuji opened the door and practically pulled him into the cafe by his arms.

"Follow us," Makoto ordered, heading up the stairs to Leblanc's attic.

"Huh? The store is already closed. We could just do it down here," Goro pointed out. Makoto and Ryuji shared a look, as if they knew something that he didn't. The detective felt himself grow wary as he thought of something. I feel like Sayori would have wanted to greet me at the door as well. Is there a reason she stayed away? Of course, he also rationalized that she might not want to be near him, especially after she had cooperated with him to deceive her friends. Staying away from him would make everyone else less wary.

Something still seems off about that, though…

Goro quickly quelled his suspicions. He wasn't going to worry about them when he had to succeed in this discussion. It would be one of the deciding factors of whether his plans would proceed, and he didn't have an edge over the Phantom Thieves that would guarantee agreement.

"Try to keep this short," Makoto said, her voice firm but quiet, as if she was worried about something as she disappeared from the stairs.

Ryuji gave him a stern glare. "No effin' around. You tell us what you want to do, and maybe explain why it's so important afterwards. No tricks or this is over!"

"I understand," the detective replied calmly, before the two finally entered the small attic bedroom. Now that he saw the rest of the Phantom Thieves, they all looked incredibly worried. The unhidden fear set alarm bells off in the detective's head. Do they know about our plans? Did Sayori rat me out?

He looked over at Sayori who noticed the distress barely hidden in his pleasant boy cover. She gave him a small smile, which somehow gave Goro reassurance, despite how sad the smile was.

"With the new developments in the investigation, and what I already know about how far the police are willing to go, cooperating with this plan has become all the more necessary to prevent the arrest of you, or someone completely innocent," the detective began, standing just near the top of the stairs. Everyone else was gathered by the small bed and couch on the opposite end of the room, facing him. The new separation between them was felt even more, though it felt appropriate. Though, he couldn't help feeling irritated that everyone seemed distracted.

"Desperate measures have been taken on the police's end… A bounty for information, an arrest warrant… I assume all of you must be considerably stressed by Sae-san's actions. To take such extreme measures must mean she is considerably irate. Make headlines with the arrest warrant, then incentivize the public in order to receive more information. This method is not a bad way of doing things, except in regards to the Phantom Thieves."

"The police don't have anything on us," Futaba stated confidently. "They can't arrest us."

"That is the main issue, in all honesty. The groundwork for fabricating testimonies and concocting a culprit are underway…" Goro sighed, slightly exasperated. The others seemed to only be paying him half of their attention, despite how important it was that they consider this information. He had to persuade them, after all.

Futaba noticed the detective's sudden silence. Blinking a couple times, she gave him a stern look. "Come on, out with it. We don't have all day." We probably have less than half an hour before the subject is going to be forcibly changed.

"Well, I'll be blunt," Goro said, sending a glance Makoto's way. Her words from before occurred to him. "If we're going to the Palace I think you're talking about…" Makoto must know what he was about to suggest then. "I'm thinking we need to trigger a change of heart in Sae-san. It's been confirmed that she has a Palace, after all. At least two of you can confirm that I am being truthful, right?"

Sayori nodded as everyone looked troubled by this information. Makoto looked down at her lap, feeling disappointed that she had predicted what the detective wanted them to do. The rest of the Phantom Thieves quickly put together which two people already knew.

"Goro showed me Sae's name in the Nav," Sayori explained, before she glanced at Makoto in worry.

"I see…" Morgana said. "So, no matter what we decide, we can at least confirm that Sae's desires are incredibly distorted." Realizing this, everyone decided to not bother Makoto until she wanted to speak, instead moving on.

"Strategically… changing her heart will prevent the agency from getting reckless, since she is in charge of the investigation into the Phantom Thieves," Yusuke deduced, causing the detective to feel relieved. Even if they obviously weren't paying full attention, they followed his line of thought relatively well.

"Precisely," Goro said with a small smile.

"Still… There's no need to change her heart just for that," Ann replied hesitantly, sounding rather conflicted.

"Yes. It's hard to believe a single person can fabricate all of that," Yusuke pointed out.

"Unfortunately, that's not the case, nor is it the only issue," The detective explained. "Those around her would be willing to turn a blind eye to false evidence?"

"You sayin' the police would really do that?" Ryuji asked with wide eyes.

"Before we approached you guys, Goro showed me all kinds of documents and other stuff that proved it," Sayori said with an insistent tone. "It's kind of amazing that so much evidence could be collected for something so shady… It's like they weren't even trying to hide it…" Sayori looked on in sadness. She really did feel so happy that Goro wasn't on the side of something so shady anymore. It made her feel queasy just thinking he was involved with something like that, and it made the trust Goro had for her feel all the more valuable. She hoped he knew she wouldn't betray him, because he had looked at her so nervously when he had first come here.

"These are the people putting pressure on my sister," Makoto said mournfully.

Goro nodded. "I'm afraid so. They simply want to shut this case, with only a single mind for results. They don't even care who the culprit being convicted is."

"No… That's just…" Haru averted her eyes from everyone, struggling to express how sad and angry this made her feel all at the same time,

"They're completely rotten!" Ryuji growled.

"However, I believe we all have a common goal, which is to find the true culprit. Changing Sae's heart will give us the opportunity to do just that," the detective explained. Hopefully, by allying himself with the Phantom Thieves, the person sending him messages wouldn't simply stop. They had practically showered him with notes in Okumura's Palace, even when the Phantom Thieves were just down the hall.

"Hey, Akechi…" Futaba suddenly said, looking unsure of her thought process. The detective gave her his attention, then. "Is another reason we're doing this because Sae might be in danger?"

"Huh?" Goro felt shocked the girl had come to that conclusion. If he was still working for Shido, he had the assumption Shido might order the hit, but this new person's motives were still unknown… "I can't say for sure… But it is a very real possibility that her life could be in danger if the true culprit deems her investigation to be a threat to them."

"Hm… Her death could also be pinned on us" Makoto sighed, not wanting to consider that thought longer than necessary. "Even if the Phantom Thieves or the truly guilty party aren't caught…"

"If the worst case, someone completely unrelated to this crime will be convicted," Yusuke finished.

"Our only solution to these problems is to help Sae-san," Goro concluded for them. "If she is in her right mind, she could put a stop to this ludicrous situation. Her sense of justice wouldn't allow such an outcome…"

"So that's why…" Haru murmured.

"The truth would be covered up, and the result would be an innocent's life destroyed…" Goro looked particularly disturbed by this. "Finding the truth… is the goal every detective should strive for. So I cannot allow this outcome."

"I guess I can understand how you feel," Ryuji mumbled.

"So… Will you agree to my plan?" Goro asked everyone. Now that he was finished with his explanation to them, they all once again had that far away look on their face. Only Sayori really looked to be completely in the moment, but instead of distracted, she looked nervous… No, she looked downright terrified. But why…?

"Even though you're particular about being just, you're willing to get your hands dirty?" Yusuke

"As I said, I must ascertain the truth. I will do what I must to achieve this…" Goro said this all with a calm face, yet his insides felt ablaze with shame. He believed in finding the truth, though recently he hadn't done a very good job of acting on that resolve. The resolve to find the truth was all he had.

Sayori locked eyes with him, giving a sad smile that he knew was her trying to be reassuring. I know she wants to hide the mistakes I made, and wants to stay together, but that will only result in both of us hiding behind a lie… and me hanging onto something I don't deserve.

"Goro… You…" Sayori tried to say something, but then trailed off and giggled instead. "Actually, nevermind. We can talk later. Everyone already knows my opinion on this." Goro looked at her curiously, only for the girl to look away.

"Right…" Akira looked at everyone else curiously, wanting to hear their opinions first. They had to come to a decision immediately. However, everyone looked to be having an internal battle over what decision they wanted to make.

"Oh… I forgot to mention that there is one more merit to changing Sae-san's heart," Goro said suddenly, facepalming. "Forgive me, but you should all know that changing her heart would make for a great warning. 'Don't mess with us. By exposing us, you expose your own corruption.'" The detective had an intense look and a dark tone to his voice for emphasis. The Phantom Thieves couldn't help but be creeped out by it.

"With them being forced to a halt… All that can be done is to find the true culprit's identity," Yusuke surmised.

Ryuji looked over at Makoto. "What's your take, Makoto? She's your sister after all."

"It's a well-made plan…" Makoto commented, crossing her arms and closing her eyes tightly.

"I'm flattered to hear that," Goro replied with a charming smile.

"Akechi-kun…" Haru said quietly, causing the detective to look at her. "Why are you doing this? I would have thought the deal you're proposing would have a condition, like us having to disband… But you've been strangely… gentle, I suppose. Like it's all charity out of the goodness of your heart, but I can't help but feel this overwhelming fight-or-flight response, like you've cornered us, instead of just proposing what you want… It's unsettling," the girl murmured, hugging herself. "So… I guess what I'm trying to ask is… Why are you helping us? Why do you seek justice?"

"Hm…" Goro sighed to himself, leaning against the railing of the staircase and crossing his arms. "That's the question, isn't it? I suppose, sickening human beings… but also pleasant ones… My contempt for the wicked drives me towards justice, and towards the truth… But, I recently found there's a second half to my feelings. I want to protect the innocent… and drive away the wicked… Does that make sense? It's been a long time since I really asked myself that… For now let's say it's very personal, and I'll apologize for my rambling." He gave a small bow, before going back to his leaning position.

"Dude…" Ryuji trailed off with a sad look.

"So…it's nothing grand or noble, like for society, or an ideal of what's right and wrong…" Sayori trailed off. "I don't know why, but I get the feeling you would have said something different… You probably wouldn't have even mentioned innocent people… I'm glad you aren't just going forward with only spite!"

"He… kind of reminds me of us," Ann said hesitantly, looking troubled. "Like, some adult pissed him off, but he doesn't give in because he also has a reason to go forward…"

"You think…?" Akira asked curiously, causing the detective to try backing out of what he had said.

"My rambling feels even more ridiculous now… Just forget I said anything," Goro said with a shake of his head. "Instead, I'll make it more simple. My contempt for the wicked…And I also want to help you all. As you said, we are similar, and despite the risk, I felt comfortable coming to you for assistance. So… I guess this means I trust you to feel the same as me…" The detective sighed. Even more rambling… What is wrong with me? Why do I want my intentions to be clear to them, but also not?

"Alright… We'll help you change her heart," Akira consented, noting that everyone seemed to be in the same headspace.

"I'm glad… I was worried I was only digging my own grave the more I continued to speak," Goro replied with a genuinely happy smile. With this, the plan was in motion. There was now no need to worry about what everyone thought. All he had to do was investigate in the Palace, and then go forward and bring Shido to justice. Afterwards, he could care less about what happened. Everyone would be safe… Sayori would be safe, and wouldn't have to get involved in complicated stuff while she searched for her home.

"Everything will work out… I pray it does," Yusuke said, crossing his own arms. With that decision finally made, everyone seemed to share a glance. Even Sayori now seemed to know what these looks were about…

"Mako-chan…" Haru suddenly said, looking over at her troubled friend.

"I'm OK…" Makoto said, though her dejected voice suggested otherwise. "I never brought it up until now… but the reason I joined the Phantom Thieves is… Because I wanted to change my sister's heart. I was hoping it would never come to pass though. I've also known for quite some time that she has a Palace."

I think I get it now, Sayori thought to herself. Earlier, Makoto always seemed troubled about her sister for some reason, and I wondered if she had just never brought this up…

"So you're the other person that knew," Ann figured out. "Why didn't you ever tell us?"

"It was too selfish of a reason…" Makoto said sadly.

"Don't think like that," Sayori said gently. "They changed my heart just because one commenter said something, and because I was friends with all of them… There was no other reason other than that they cared…"

"Not to mention, every target whose heart we changed gave us some sort of benefit," Yusuke pointed out.

Makoto only sighed and went quiet, not wanting to talk about it anymore.

"Why don't we try going there now to scope the place out?" Goro suggested, causing everyone to immediately snap into an intense focus.

"Actually, we all have plans after this…" Akira trailed off, shaking his head lamely at his poor excuse.

"Oh, I see. That's unfortunate," Goro said, turning towards the stairs. "Perhaps I'll take my leave th-"

"Actually, by 'after this' Akira meant that it's like… in an hour or two," Ann cut in, causing everyone else to sigh in relief. They really only had one opportunity to show him the full truth before they got busy, so they couldn't let him leave, yet. "How about you stay for a while. Maybe Akira can get you a cup of coffee or something?"

"Oh…?" the detective said, trying to act innocent and clueless while his insides churned. Suspicion made him raise his chin to his hand as he scrutinized the group. "Is there any particular reason you want me to stay for a longer?"

"It's complicated…" Makoto said with that same worried frown. "It would be easier to show you why, but we need you to stay a while longer so we can show you…"

Everyone suddenly turned their gaze to Sayori, and Goro felt like his stomach was going to turn inside out as he allowed himself to look at where all of their attention was gathered. Sayori said nothing, instead bowing her head and looking at her lap where her hands were clasped together. She was shaking so much… He suddenly wondered if it hurt to tremble so badly.

"G-Goro… I... " Sayori felt tears starting to leak out of her eyes as she waited. Seconds felt like minutes, and minutes felt like hours as she sat there, waiting to glitch and show him just one thing that was wrong with her. I should have told him… Why didn't I tell him…? I just want to get this over with.

"Sayori…" That was all that he could really say, because he couldn't figure out what to say for the life of him. What was even going on? What was he supposed to do?

Sayori finally tilted her head up and gazed into his eyes. "I… I… Oh!" Her eyes widened and she began to breathe hard and fast, though that only lasted for a second, because the next Sayori was gone, and then back again, hyperventilating as tears streamed down her eyes. It actually really hurt that time. Why…?

Everyone cringed as Sayori came back. Since Yusuke was the closest, he leaned over and patted her on the shoulder, trying to get her to look at him as she failed to calm down. Everyone else looked at Goro, wondering what his reaction would be to this.

The first instinctive feeling that registered in his body was shock. After all, a human being completely vanishing in such a way shouldn't be possible. The second was a strange set of what the detective thought was fear. Some part of him could only think of it as Sayori disappearing… of her leaving, or dying. It was all so overwhelming as he stared at Sayori for a good minute, trying to come to terms with what he had just seen.

But after that time passed, his body seemed to act on his own. Before he could even think to ask just what the hell had happened to Sayori, or weigh the consequences of his actions, he crossed the small bedroom in three long strides and pulled her into a hug. Yusuke seemed to understand that he should halt in his own efforts of comforting the girl as the detective held her close, trying to gather his thoughts.

"What… just happened?" Goro finally managed to ask, as Sayori leaned against his shoulder with red, teary eyes. A small part of him was saying he needed to end the hug, because this was definitely not giving her space, but his entire being was saying that no longer mattered. Sayori had disappeared, and he needed to keep her here… by his side, no matter what. All of the weight he felt in his head and heart had to be good for something! He could be an anchor, or whatever she needed to stay here and be safe.

"We call it glitching," Futaba said, adjusting her glasses, since she was the expert they had on hand for this subject. "We have no idea why, but whenever Sayori hasn't gone into the Metaverse for a long time, she just… blinks out of existence for a few seconds…"

Goro paid rapt attention as everyone joined in on the explanation, feeling his heart grow heavier and heavier as puzzle pieces suddenly fit together. So that night we rode together on my bike, and I thought she had fallen off, when she had been there the whole time… She was crying then, too.

Sayori was still crying, though she seemed much quieter than before. The tears trickled down her face in slow streams, and she tried to breathe calmly. In all honesty, she felt exhausted, and so very weak. Telling Goro the truth about this was supposed to make her feel lighter. The truth was supposed to set you free, right? But she only felt guilty as Goro hugged her so desperately, as if he could somehow stop her from going through all of this with his hands alone. She hated how terrified he looked. His heart was so fast... Sayori felt so tired. She had promised herself she would be honest, and that included being honest with herself as well as Goro and all of her friends.

… So tired… Sayori leaned into the hug, and the detective's arms tightened around her. She felt… safe like this. Though it wasn't the case, maybe if she stayed in this embrace she wouldn't glitch anymore. It was a nice dream, no matter how unlikely.

Goro, meanwhile, was taking in all of this new information. "Sayori doesn't disappear as long as she keeps going into the Metaverse?" That piece of information settled into the detective and gave him a new resolve. Before, he had been considering that he suggest the Phantom Thieves disband after they brought Shido to justice. Now, there was not a single trace of that notion left in him. If it helped Sayori… If travelling to the depths of Mementos might cure her as everyone theorized… and could stop her from disappearing, then the decision was easy. Were their methods completely ethical? No, but that didn't mean shit. It was selfish, hypocritical, and went against everything he had been saying until now, but that was irrelevant.

Sayori's breathing slowed as she finally calmed down, and as she leaned into his chest and sighed, Goro wrapped his arms around her tightly. I don't want to let go… Not ever. I'll keep her close, and always be with her. No more dying, and no more killing. I'll do whatever it takes…

He felt this new resolve grow within him and stay there, hiding the drive for vengeance that had once fueled him. There was only one thought in his mind, with room for nothing else. No regret over his past, and no thought of the man he hated most. All he could think was that he wanted to help Sayori no matter the cost.

Meanwhile, Sayori stopped herself from drifting off, enjoying the embrace she had been craving for so long. Ever since they had started telling each other all of these hard truths, Sayori had tried so hard to act like how she thought someone responsible would. Even after she had processed the news and grown comfortable with talking with Goro, she had done her best not to be intimate with him. The culture festival had helped her remember she really did care for him, and wanted him to know that she cared. I'm so selfish, for wanting this so badly… But right now I don't think that's so bad…

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Sayori felt genuinely happy to get what she wanted. How many times had she told herself that she didn't care if she was selfish for wanting a relationship with Goro? Too many times for her liking. Now, with nearly all of their secrets shared, Sayori felt happy to be selfish. She wanted to be selfish. Who cared what anyone else thought, as long as they were happy together? They would fix things, so there was no reason to feel ashamed.

"Sayori…" Goro said softly, and the girl blinked out of her thoughts, glancing at him dreamily. "Everyone else has left… and I think Akira wants his bed back." The ebony-haired boy nodded earnestly.

"Boo…" Sayori whined, getting up and pulling the detective with her. She had been starved of his hugs for too long.

"Can we talk outside?" Goro asked, causing Sayori's face to heat up in embarrassment. "I think you and I have a lot we need to talk about."

"Yeah… Makes sense," Sayori mumbled, grabbing the detective's hand and walking down the stairs.

The rest of the group was chatting in the cafe area. Ann glanced over at her and smiled. "Let me know when you're ready to go!"

Sayori nodded as Goro opened the front door of the cafe and led her outside. He made sure they were far away enough from prying eyes and ears before he looked at her sadly. "So… that night on my bike…"

"That was the first time it happened," Sayori explained, her eyes dull. "I… I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner…"

"It's… It's fine. I wish you had, but I think I understand why you wouldn't," Goro replied. "If it weren't for all of my experiences in the Metaverse, I wouldn't have believed you…"

"Yeah… I honestly regret not telling you until now. I hate that this is happening to me. I get so angry and so guilty at the same time…" Sayori hugged herself and looked down in shame. "I know it's a horrible thought to have, but why am I the only one going through it?" Is it just because I don't belong here. I suppose that must be it… but still…

"I wish I had the answer… But now that I know this is happening, I'll do whatever I can to find it. Your teammates said that they theorized the answer might lie in the Depths of Mementos… so I won't stop until I get there. That's a promise," the detective said, his face full of a dark determination that made Sayori shiver, though not in fear.

"I'm glad to hear you say it… But still, there's something that's bothering me now," Sayori replied, a frown marring her face as she sighed. "We've kept so many things from each other, yet we're in a relationship… After so many secrets and lies, we really don't trust each other."

"I suppose you're right…" Goro responded with a sigh. "I'd like to say that we've grown as people, because we finally did tell the truth… but that only happened a short while ago. There's no telling how things will turn out between us."

"It's so hard for me to admit that… because I can't deny how strongly I feel about you, Goro. More than anything, I just want to be with you… and all of the other people I care about… We'll work towards that end, right?" Sayori looked at him hopefully, to which the detective nodded grimly.

"Yes… Though I must admit that for this, you'll take priority for me. I don't want you to disappear, or die, Sayori. Before you came along, I had nothing but vengeance to look forward to, so I hope you'll pardon that if worse comes to worst, I'm not going to give a damn about your friends." Goro felt Sayori's eyes widen in shock, and turned his head away from her.

"Goro…! That… you can't…" Sayori tried to come up with a good rebuttal, but slowly came to realize he was being serious. "...But you will. Then, I guess I can't let things get that bad." She nodded to herself. "We've both made up our mind, then. I… look forward to working with you!"

Sayori gave a goofy looking bow, and Goro couldn't hold back a chuckle. The girl looked up to glare at him, and the detective quickly got his act together, bowing in return.

"The feeling is mutual. I'm happy we've managed to get this far in our plans," Goro replied. He felt guilty, suddenly, that he hadn't offered her anything like the sentiments she had given him. She had said how strongly she felt about him, and that she wanted to be with him, yet he could only say that he didn't want her to die, and that she took priority over her friends. She hadn't seemed to like what he had said, so he searched for one last thing to say.

"Sayori… Do you remember that one time we fell asleep on the couch together?" Goro asked quietly.

"Hm… We've done that a few times, haven't we? Which time are you talking about?" Sayori asked.

"You had already fallen asleep, but there was something I wanted to say… It sounds kind of lame now, but I just wanted you to know that I have always wanted to protect you. That's even more true now. I'll keep you safe…" The detective felt a bit foolish, wondering if that made up for it, but Sayori only smiled brightly, making him feel as though he had gotten a reward for doing something mediocre.

"Well, you'll have time to prove yourself in the Palace, Goro. I'll do my best while we work together, too," Sayori said cheerfully. She was about to reach out for a handshake, but decided to do something else. Perhaps it was to pay him back for the embrace in Leblanc, or maybe it was just because she was greedy, but Sayori wrapped her arms around him and held onto him for a few moments. He didn't hesitate in hugging her back.

They quickly detached themselves. It was odd that they could so freely admit that they didn't trust each other, yet be so open with each other at the same time. Sayori felt a strong frown on her face as the thought once again came to her. It was the unfortunate truth that they had lied to each other for so long…

But that only gave her more determination to fix it. Even as they awkwardly waved goodbye to each other, and Sayori turned back and walked towards Leblanc's entrance, she knew that Goro held the same conviction.

"So this is the courthouse… You can tell it's a revolting building just by looking at it," Morgana commented.

It was the next day, and the Phantom Thieves had gathered to begin their infiltration of Sae's Palace. Sayori found herself staying at the back of the group. All day, she had felt strange. A sense of foreboding gripped her, though she couldn't understand why. The most rational explanation was that for her, this Palace was going to be very different. It was no longer just stealing the Treasure and being done. Now, she had some investigating to do.

But that doesn't feel like the only reason…

"... Akechi, what did you find out?" Morgana asked, turning to the detective.

And why do they…? Sayori shook her head, not wanting to entertain the question anymore.

"Sae-san and I rarely see each other these days, but I figured out her course of action," Goro began, "On the 20th, an investigation will likely be done at Shujin Academy… as well as the Sakura residence."

"For… real…?" Futaba asked, her face frozen in shock.

Sayori made a mental note of the time limit, while also considering all of the things she and Goro would have to find the opportunity to do, while also not breaking Akira's condition of never being alone. It didn't help that unless the message giver purposefully gave them another message, Sayori didn't know what she needed to look for. If it was another Metaverse user, she supposed that any person outside of the group would be suspicious. Considering what people looked like in the Palaces they had visited before, that could make it easier to search… but not likely. Goro would have seen them if that were the case.

It's not like the culprit we're looking for will just be waltzing around in some cliche black cloak, acting like some discount batman, Sayori thought to herself, before looking over at her friends.

Goro seemed to be getting along well with everyone, which Sayori felt happy about. Idly, she remembered the months before this. She had dragged Goro along with her to spend time with her friends a few times, hoping he would become friends with everyone. Perhaps she had finally gotten her wish?

Though, thinking of it like that made Sayori's skin crawl. Thinking from an outside view, considering Goro had already been in the Metaverse long before she had come here, the girl couldn't see this teamup happening much differently. Sure, maybe they were all on better terms with each other, but it was inevitable that Goro would eventually join the group like he was right now.

Sayori felt guilt swell inside of her as she found herself silently hating that fact. If she was correct, then what was she even doing here? It was selfish, but she wanted to be able to say she had done something to help Goro… But she hadn't changed anything.

The Phantom Thieves had gotten out the MetaNav on one of their phones, and were currently trying to guess the keywords to Sae's Palace. Goro put his phone back in his pocket, before looking over to Sayori. She looked rather pale, as if she was about to be sick. The detective wondered briefly if she was just nervous, or if this was something that occurred before "glitching."

The possibility of the latter made him temporarily abandon the conversation about keywords, going over to check on Sayori.

"Are you alright?" He asked, causing her to look up at him and force a smile. "Is your pale complexion a sign that you're about to glitch?"

"Oh! ... Er, no. Well, I suppose it is a symptom, but the biggest sign that I'm about to glitch is that I feel like I'm about to hiccup… Like, I can't breathe," Sayori explained. Goro nodded, making a note of that for future reference. "Thank you for your concern. I'm fine. Just nervous…"

"It will be okay," Goro said calmly, before leaning over and hugging her, using that opportunity to quietly add on, "Unless we notice something very notably suspicious, today we'll just be going along with the rest of your team. Though it would be wise to look at the place with the mindset that we'll be investigating.

Sayori nodded, gently hugging him back. "Okay. I know I can do that… I hope."

"Good. I know you can," Goro replied, before breaking the hug and turning around to rejoin the conversation. "There are other competitions besides fighting and sports."

"Gambling, then!" Futaba realized with a shout.

"How about a racetrack for horses? Other than that, there's pachinko, but does that count as gambling?" Ann rambled, before eventually trailing off.

"We played cards during the school trip," Ryuji said lamely.

Conditions have not been met.

"Maybe it has something to do with chess…?" Sayori added, racking her brain for competitive games. However, that was also rejected by the mysterious application.

"What else is there?" Haru asked quietly, looking around at everyone.

"It must be a 'casino'..." Makoto said with certainty.

Candidate found.

As soon as the word left her mouth, the environment reacted, warping and giving everyone a dizzy feeling.

"I definitely see Sae-san in you," Goro complimented, giving Makoto a smile.

Makoto could only sigh sadly in response.

"Welp, it's time we head in then," Ryuji declared. Akira activated the app and everyone turned, walking in the direction of the courthouse.

Once again, the world seemed to shift. Sayori felt a bit lighter. even as she grew dizzy. More than ever, the Phantom Thieves were closer to getting the answers they were looking for.

But none of them had any way of knowing that they were already not alone, and that despite their best efforts, things would not go according to plan.

(extra scene because it's a very special day!)

Months ago, June 2nd.

Goro Akechi woke early in the morning to the smell of something burning. Shooting up in bed, the detective quietly cursed as he ran out of his bedroom.

"Sayori? Are you awake?"

"Um, yes! But you shouldn't be! Go back to bed! Everything is fine!"

Hearing the panic in her voice, Goro shook his head in frustration. "No, everything is not fine! What's burning?"

"It-It's not burnt! Just very well done!" Sayori responded, her back hiding turned to him in the kitchen. Her eyes watered as smoke flooded her vision when she opened the oven. She was glad she at least had oven mitts on as she got out the baking pan and set it on the counter. She wiped her eyes to rid herself of the smoke…

And came face to face with a very frustrated Goro.

The detective looked down at the pan, which had contents that resembled a black brick. "What is this supposed to be?" He managed to school his voice into mere curiosity.

"Um… chocolate cake…?" Not even Sayori was convinced now. She looked up sheepishly, "Happy birthday, Goro!"

"What? It's not... " Goro began to say, until the memory suddenly struck him. "Oh, right. I guess it is…"

"You could have told me, instead of me having to look it up online!" Sayori looked hurt for a second, before shaking her head. "Then you ruined my surprise, too."

Actually, I think you did that yourself… Goro thought wryly, but didn't dare speak the words aloud. He looked at Sayori and shook his head. "I had honestly forgotten… I don't celebrate my birthday honestly."

"Well… shoot…" Sayori looked down, feeling sad now. "Well, that's not right!" Thinking for a moment, the girl suddenly looked up at him with a smile. "I have to make up for all those lost years, then!"

"How do you intend to do that?" Goro asked, looking at Sayori. The girl now had a very… seductive look in her eyes?

"You're eighteen today, right?"

"Y-yes." Embarrassed by his stutter, the detective averted his eyes.

"Well… then I'll give you nineteen kisses! One for each year you've been alive, and then one for the year ahead…" Sayori slid towards the detective, who hadn't quite processed what she had said. "Of course, we've got lots of birthday festivities to get to next…"

When he did finally register what she had said, a large blush crept across his face. "Oh! Well… if you insist…"

The kisses tasted better than the cake that day.

Happy birthday to Goro Akechi. It's a shame that Sayori doesn't have a canon birthday, though... Also, I hope you liked the chapter, as it will be a considerably short one before I start Sae's Palace. Anyway, please read, review, and I'll see all of you next time!