I own nothing. Monika does.

After escaping from the scene of the crime, the Phantom Thieves ran to the best place they could think of to panic and gather their thoughts. Leblanc, afterall, would be closed by then, and they all needed a moment to figure out what to do.

Sayori was starting to feel dizzy, her mind slow and disoriented as she tried to process what had just happened. Everything had been going so smoothly, but in the blink of an eye their entire plan had collapsed. The more she thought about it, the more she wanted to throw up and then sink into a hole. How could things have gone so wrong? She knew Goro had been so careful in keeping his new good intentions a secret.

The detective was currently sitting beside her at one of the booths, gulping down a tall glass of water, looking pale as death itself. His phone lay on his lap, where only he and Sayori knew to look, and they could both see a message from his boss.

"Yaguchi will be guarding the room where the leader is being kept, as well as having his chance to interrogate him. Go there before midnight and finish the job."

This man… Obviously he has to know that Akechi has been keeping secrets. Yet he seems so unconcerned. Does he not know, or is he just that confident? Sayori asked herself, glancing at her boyfriend for the upteenth time. Seeing how pale and worried he was as he looked down at the texts, expecting a message to arrive to confirm that his father had to know about his betrayal, Sayori worried about his and Akira's safety.

What if this is a trap, and the second Goro steps into the police station next, this Yaguchi person kills him? Sayori couldn't help but suspect one of the people from this weird conspiracy was at the police station already, why couldn't they kill Akira? Why did they want Goro to do this specifically? Unless… they want to force Goro to kill Akira and then kill him, too… All just to be cruel…

Sayori gulped, trembling as she looked over at Goro, who now had an alarmingly calm and thoughtful look on his face. He glanced down at the phone again, and Sayori saw that he was formulating a new plan. Goro looked grim, and Sayori's heart plummeted. Even as she reached out to hug him, or hold his hand or arm, or anything to keep him beside her on the seat, she realized she couldn't do anything. The detective stood up, and walked to the front of the shop, giving everyone a somber look.

"I used my connections to look into it. Akira is being held in an underground interrogation room for serious crimes," the detective began. He let a second pass, giving Sayori an apologetic look. She tried not to look too disappointed, knowing why the detective was continuing on with this deception. They couldn't tell everyone the truth, especially if their leader wasn't here. Telling them now would only make the others question his intentions when they needed to stick together, and could also lead to the others doing something reckless.

Goro took a deep shuddering breath, looking around at the now serious and depressed faces of the people he had come to rely on. "I ask that all of you lay low, and don't do anything reckless trying to help him. Those police officers somehow knew we would show up there. They were waiting for us, and this leads me to wonder… Do they know about the cognitive world? Were we being followed before then? If so, by who, and for how long? Are all of us under suspicion? If the answer to any of these ponderings is yes, then it would be very bad if more than one of us were caught, trying to rescue Akira or otherwise."

Surprisingly, no one spoke, or tried to object, which Sayori and Goro found concerning… and odd. The thieves were normally so proactive and forward, ready to take immediate action to fix a problem, no matter the risk. To be met with all of this silence…

Perhaps, when it comes to Akira, their leader, they recognize how serious the situation is…? Goro wondered, before closing his eyes and stopping that train of thought. It didn't matter why they weren't objecting. They were listening to him, and that's what mattered most to him right now.

"Right now, I suspect that Sae-san's superior, the SIU Director, is involved. I also suspect that one of the police officers that were waiting for us may have known. But it's probable that neither of them is the mastermind for this scheme. Everyone in the police force and the SIU, including Sae-san, and quite possibly myself, are pawns in a much bigger game… Considering what happened to Okumura, the man with a black mask is involved, too… All being strung along by someone very powerful… They've gotten away with so much…" Goro swallowed the lump forming in his throat.

"With what we are up against…And the limits to what all of you can do without the Metaverse, I ask that you leave this in my hands. I will save Akira," Goro stated. His declaration seemed to be punctuated as Sayori jumped from her seat, shaking and trembling as she bit her lip and fought back tears.

"I know… this is the best way to save him… and I don't want to sound like a horrible person for disagreeing… but I don't want you to go," Sayori shuddered and shook, before giving him a glare. "Especially when you're scared, too!" She tried to walk forward and… maybe stop him, or maybe comfort him, when she suddenly felt a small, furry thing blocking her legs, and felt Haru gently take her hand and lead her to sit, probably because she was worried Sayori would trip with her blurry vision.

It hurt to see Sayori so upset and worried, especially when it had anything to do with him. She shouldn't have to worry about him, especially when he had grown to accept his role as a dead man walking. More than anything, he wanted to reach out and hold her, but all the same it hurt to think with such desperation, as though he felt it would be the last.

"I'll use my connections, and position among them, to sneak into the police station and rescue Akira," Goro explained, once again being met with silence from everyone. Even Sayori's sobs were soundless as she continued to dig her teeth into her bottom lip. She knows and accepts what must be done, but she still has a right to her feelings, Goro thought, trying to catch her eyes, but unable to as Sayori fought a losing battle that she didn't seem to realize ought to be lost.

"Wait for the good news," the boy said, turning towards the cafe's door. "And Sayori… The fact that you know what's for the best is more than enough… Stop biting your lip, or else it will bleed," Goro left and did not look back, even as a sob so loud that it was nearly a scream echoed around him, barely being muffled by the closing cafe door.

Sayori curled up into the booth seat, beside herself with worry. Akira was in police custody, possibly being interrogated and tortured within an inch of his life, and Goro was heading into the lion's den. She was frustrated, and scared, and sad, and angry…

And so confused. Everyone around her was so quiet and solemn. Shouldn't Futaba and Haru be crying along with her? Shouldn't Makoto and Ryuji be angry and punching the walls? Why were the most expressive and vocal of her friends, Ann, Yusuke, and Morgana, so quiet and grim?

After a few minutes of listening to her continued cries that never seemed to cease, the Phantom Thieves, as a unit it seemed, all got up and went over to Sayori. She blinked, trying to clear her vision, just in time for Yusuke and Ryuji to gently grab her hands and pull her to her feet. Everyone formed a tight circle around her, embracing her in a group hug.

Everyone except for Sayori seemed to be thinking the same thing. They were all on the same wavelength, and it made the girl even more scared and confused. She felt left out and alone, and it was terrifying that she might be not understanding something.

After everyone finished their hug, they all separated, save for Ann, who forced a calm smile onto her face. "I guess… Akechi-kun was right. We should all do our best to lay low for a bit."

"Yeah," Ryuji grunted, turning towards the door. "Let's all go home. Maybe rest. Wait for the good news that the detective promised."

"Sayori, you should get going with Ann," Yusuke advised, patting the girl on the shoulder. "If you're feeling up to it, I was thinking you could help me find some new inspiration for my next painting."

"New inspiration? Better not be anything dirty, Inari," Futaba teased, before yawning and walking towards the door. "I know what Akechi said, but I'll see what I can find out in my room. I'll keep in touch."

"Try to get some sleep, everyone. I know we're all worried, but we were just in a Palace, so we're going to be tired," Makoto advised.

"I'll try, but I also have to proceed with business as usual. I'm checking out a location for a new coffee shop, with a few employees, too," Haru said with a sigh. "Still, I'll be too worried to focus. Maybe I can reschedule…"

"It's going to be lonely waiting for Akira to be rescued. Maybe I can keep you company, Haru," Morgana suggested, walking up to her.

Everyone else continued to chat as Ann slowly dragged Sayori to the cafe door, and then out into the city. Sayori was so lost in her own head that she took no notice of Ann's concerned sigh as she kept a firm hold on Sayori's hand. She would have a modelling gig soon, but no matter what, she needed to make sure Sayori stayed at the apartment for now.

For the second time in the past month, Goro Akechi was preparing himself for death. Of course, this time he couldn't afford to surrender to his fate. He would drag Akira down with him, and that wasn't an option. That essentially meant he would have to plan around what he was once again faced with. He was going to die. This time, Yaguchi had caught him in his lies, and there was no way Shido hadn't figured out about the betrayal.

So, all the detective could think of was how to delay it long enough to get Akira to safety. It probably wouldn't be possible for Goro himself to sneak Akira out, so maybe he could enlist the help of someone else. But was there really anyone in that police station that wasn't already corrupt, or too much of a coward to stand up against the corruption against them? Maybe Sae, but he wasn't sure her heart had changed, yet. It always took weeks for Phantom Thief targets to confess in the past.

I can't rely on Sae to help me with this problem. She probably wouldn't want to help me… I wouldn't be able to sneak in, either, since they'll probably be looking for me, as well… Goro Akechi felt a lump in his throat as he got closer and closer to the police station.

Still, as he got closer, there was one idea that occurred to him as he remembered Shido's message from earlier. He was telling the boy to come there and kill Akira, essentially allowing him right into the leader's cell, where he needed to be. It had to be a trap, but the more he thought of it like that, the more Goro began to see…

Why did he have to bother hiding it, then? Shido must know he had betrayed him, so why pretend like he hadn't? Though it would cement his death later, if Goro acted against Shido again…

With the scenario I am thinking of, when I go into Akira's cell, a guard that is working for Shido will probably follow me in and shoot both of us… But if I stole his gun, then perhaps I could force my way out of that floor, and sneak Akira out of the station, the detective theorized. Perhaps it would also be a good opportunity to begin telling the Phantom Thieves the secret of who he actually was. After all, despite how intense they could be at times, none of them would hold a real life cop at gunpoint., or shoot him. Goro didn't like the idea of doing it either, as it went against the new moral code he had been trying to construct for himself, but when push came to shove, he would do what had to be done.

As if perfectly timed, when Goro came to the decision to try and execute his plan, he was at the entrance to the station. He took a couple of deep breaths, before letting one of his most casual-yet-charming smiles onto his face. Just smile at everyone like you don't think you're about to die, and walk to the elevator. Not wanting to scare himself out of it when he was so close to rescuing Akira, Goro didn't allow himself another second to think, pushing open the doors to the building and walked in as if he owned the place.

With such an important objective to complete, he put power and authority into every step, and managed to carve a path through the crowd of officers in the building, who were all scurrying around with the sudden news of capturing the infamous thief. Goro smiled and gave a respectful nod to any who gave a glance in his direction, but never once did he allow a conversation to start. He entered the elevator and pressed the button to go down to the lowest floor, where the interrogation rooms were.

He sent not a glance in the elevator security camera's direction, keeping himself stiff and formal. All the while, he thought of any possible escape route out of the building he could use. He was expected to use the elevator to go down and rescue Akira, but no one was expecting him to come back up, so he needed to come up with an escape route other than that.

The emergency stairs…? That would definitely set off an alarm though… Maybe I could pull the fire alarm and sneak Akira and myself away in the chaos… the boy nodded to himself just as the elevator doors opened. He stepped out and turned…

And came face to face with Sae. His eyes widened slightly, as did Sae's, who stared at him as if he had grown a second head.

"Akechi-kun!? Why are you here?" She asked in shock. Despite the dire situation, Goro at least felt somewhat glad that she didn't sound angry with him, only shocked.

The detective smiled, and tried to play it off as though it were only natural he were down here. He hadn't expected to run into anyone like Sae down here. Still, with the direction she was walking in, he quickly concluded she had just finished talking to Akira. "Why do you seem so surprised?"

"I needed my director to step in so I could have access, and I was directly responsible for this case," Sae exclaimed. "How did you get approval?"

Goro tried to think of an unsuspicious explanation that hopefully wouldn't sound too ridiculous to the prosecutor. "Well, since I was so vocal about the Phantom Thieves in my television appearances, a lot of the managers, producers, and even a few people in the station thought it would be good publicity if I spoke to the culprit. They've probably left already, but if you go back upstairs, you might still see some photographers and reporters that were recording me entering the elevator," he lied, knowing he wasn't planning on sticking around long enough for her to discover his deception.

"I suppose that makes sense. You really are starting to become a simple poster boy, huh?" Sae asked, sounding almost depressed, which definitely surprised Goro. There wasn't a hint of malice or mocking in her tone.

He did his best to look defensive. "I suppose I am also assisting with the public security interrogation… but I am starting to feel like that's all for show…"

"Hmm…" Sae looked down and gave a short nod. "I see… I guess it's expected for someone so young, without the proper certifications…Try not to be too alarmed when you go in there, though. The ones who were in there before me were rather rough with him."

"I'll brace myself, then," Goro agreed, storing away that detail for later. He had suspected Akira might not be able to escape without help, and Sae saying all of this practically confirmed it. "I suppose it makes sense that they would be so harsh, being so far underground…" he said offhandedly, making an obvious observation. He knew he didn't have much time, but he wanted to have one last conversation with Sae.

Sae put her hand on her chin, looking troubled about something. "Akechi-kun, I was told that someone that sounded very similar to you was present at the scene of the crime, along with several other unidentified people…"

Goro froze, wondering where this was going. Why would Sae know that? Had she been told by one of the conspirators? The detective tread carefully as he processed this information. "Where did you hear that?"

Sae looked up with a sad frown, "You aren't denying it… That all but proves that you were indeed there… You ran from the scene, yet have the confidence to show up here, now…"

Goro kept his composure, even as his insides were frozen with panic. Act clueless…! His shoulders drooped slightly, and his smile faded into one of simple composed calm. He was Goro Akechi, the detective prince, who was confident that he had nothing to worry about. "Sae-san, is there a problem? I wouldn't be too shocked if someone similar to me was at the scene of the crime. I walked into the coffee shop we both like just the other day, and there was a man there who was wearing the exact model of jacket I wear for TV appearances."

Sae-san frowned, seeming to be in deep thought, before pulling out of her pants pocket. "Speaking of which…" She held up a phone that Goro immediately recognized as Akira's. "Akechi-kun, do you recognize this phone?"

"Oh… yes, I believe I do!" Goro pretended to be shocked. "That is my friend's phone! Where did you get it?! Wait! Don't tell me…" he put on his saddest expressions, squeezing his eyes shut and gritting his teeth, trying to recall the biggest pain in his life in this moment.

"I see…" Sae said after a moment. "It belonged to the leader of the Phantom Thieves. I will be taking it upstairs for further analysis. It will be helpful in the investigation."

"Oh…" Goro trailed off, before shaking his head rapidly and gluing on a pained smile. "Thank you for letting me know ahead of time. The case is so confidential, and details are so complicated, that I had no idea who to expect on the other side of that door."

Sae nodded, putting the phone back into her pocket. "Yes… This is undoubtedly a great accomplishment. Good luck in there."

Sae walked past him and towards the elevator at the end of the hall, as the one he had used to come down was currently being used by someone on a higher floor.

Goro waited a few seconds for Sae to turn the corner, before quickly walking up to the only door with a guard standing outside of it. Confirming Shido's message from earlier, Yaguchi was waiting outside, staring ahead with a bored expression. Goro walked up to him and forced a smile. Strangely enough, the man only glanced at him with a still calm expression.

That's strange… He was the one who caught me in my lies… So why isn't he acting more smug? The boy thought to himself, nerves starting to flare as he gave a second's glance to the gun strapped to the man's waist. "Um, Yaguchi-san, I know this is rather silly of me to ask, but could you come in with me? If you knew the leader like I did, you'd know he's a lot more unpredictable and dangerous than he appears." Yaguchi seemed to pause to consider, before giving a curt nod. The man turned and opened the door, letting Goro walk in first.

The light from the hallway spilled into the room, revealing Akira, who was beaten, bruised, and bloody. Goro grimaced as the ebony-haired boy looked up with a pained expression, but was otherwise unresponsive. I imagine they gave him a heavy drug, but it must have worn off by now… Hopefully he'll be in stable enough condition to get out of here.

Goro walked a few more steps in, listening behind him as Yaguchi closed followed closely behind. When he heard the grating sound of the door beginning to close,the boy slowly turned around and steeled himself as he moved his hand towards the man's waist.

As soon as Goro heard the thud of the door closing, he made his move. In an instant, his arm shot out and grabbed the handgun. Yaguchi gasped and tried to steal it back, but immediately recoiled as Goro pressed the gun against the back of the man's head. Yaguchi held his arms up, and a slight smile made its way onto Akechi's face. After the beating he had gotten from Yaguchi, it was nice to put the man in his place.

No… I didn't come here for any sort of petty revenge against Yaguchi, or revenge in general. I'm here to get Akira out of here… I have to prove myself to them, now or never! The smile slipped off of the boy's face, and he gave Akira a look of concern. Surprisingly, Akira just stared at Goro, with no hint of a reaction.

"No worries, Kurusu-kun. I'm here to get you out of here," Goro said in an assuring voice. In the corner of his eye, Yaguchi started to move. Goro pressed the gun more harshly into his head, causing the man to freeze. Akira sat motionlessly as he stared at the scene before him.

"Akira, I see that you are no longer handcuffed, so do you think you could try to stand up?" Goro asked, mentally going over his options now that he had a gun pressed to a man's head. If I kill him, that wouldn't bode well for keeping Akira's trust. Maybe I could shoot him in the legs so he can't move?

Once again, Akira made no reaction. Goro was starting to get worried. Did they drug him that badly? He turned his full attention to Akira and assessed his condition. He didn't look too worse for wear, but he remained incredibly blank-faced. Then again, wasn't Akira always like that?

"Are you alright?" Goro asked, his voice quiet as he considered what to do. He glanced at Yaguchi, who was currently glancing at him from the side. The boy waved his free hand in a come here gesture, keeping the gun trained on Yaguchi as he moved a bit closer to Akira.

Goro looked down at the desk he was seated at, looking for any syringes or other signs of drug use. Instead, all he got was a cold realization as he spotted something he shouldn't have been able to see.

A single piece of lined notebook paper was sitting there, with a message with incredibly familiar handwriting and language.

"Dearest Ace Detective,

If you are reading this message, you are not in the right place…

And I fear it may be too late for you."

As soon as he finished reading that message, it happened.

Akira Kurusu… distorted.

That was the best way to describe it. Goro watched as Akira momentarily pulsed with a dark matter that was all too familiar to the now former Phantom Thief.

It's a Shadow…! Then… That means…

And in that moment...

Something broke inside of Goro Akechi.

His arm dropped from Yaguchi, who was most certainly a Shadow too, and fell forward. He managed to brace himself on the table in front of him, though it began to shake as his arms and legs trembled. He gritted his teeth, and then eventually bit his lip so hard it was a wonder his skin didn't break.

At first, tears began to fall as the boy stood there, processing the information he had just taken in. Puzzle pieces began to fit onto each other, and he hiccupped as he held back a sob. None of them ever trusted me… they never believed me… All this time, they were plotting against me…

He knew it was only his fault. Obviously, he hadn't been planning on telling them the truth in the first place… But the Phantom Thieves, in this moment, had proven something to him. They would never accept him… especially if he told them the truth.

All of them… they hate me. Even when he had genuinely been trying to help… they had planned out this entire scheme.

None of them ever saw me as a friend… Does that include…!? He nearly threw up when he thought of her. How else could the Phantom Thieves have figured out his secret?

Did Sayori betray me? She had all of that time away from me after I confessed to her… He had thought he would be okay with her telling them, but then… Why did she bother coming back, and leading him along like there was any hope? Why did any of them allow him to feel like he could actually be one of them, and then spit in his face immediately after?

I tried so hard to be helpful… and to do the right thing, for once… Tears began to trickle down his face, as his attempt at holding them back was failing.

This is so…

So…

Humiliating.

The two Shadows finally reacted, gasping as a toothy smile spread on Akechi's face. The tears practically burned his face as he began to giggle, and then laugh, and then finally a large, horrible cackle forced its way out of him.

"What a joke!" He screamed, before turning towards the fake Yaguchi, who had started to back away towards the exit. It was like second nature as Akechi's arm snapped up and a gunshot rang through the air.

I've been such a fool… Akechi watched as the now dead Yaguchi cognitive clone began to dissolve in a cloud of black smoke.

Akechi turned to Akira, sneering as a cold rage made his lungs constrict, choking him on a thought he had been keeping in for so long.

I hate him…

I hate him…

I HATE HIM!

"Get out of my sight!" Akechi shot the clone in the chest, watching as it fell forward and slammed its head on the table. He didn't even bother trying to make it look like a suicide. Too much effort for something so meaningless.

In what he now knew was the Metaverse, Akechi could now feel the deep, ever-burning rage and madness burning like a raging star. He could do anything with this feeling that seemed to burn and freeze all at the same time.

"I guess… it truly is too late. I really do have no one… They all betrayed me… and in the most condescending way possible, too," Akechi said, his voice now a venomous whisper. "Well, that's fine… If they want to play with me... I'll play their game."

He walked out of the interrogation room and slipped his gun into his pocket. He got his phone out and accessed the Metaverse Navigator, walking down the hall and towards a hidden spot where he would be able to enter the real world once again.

He tried to keep his face cold and blank, and his thoughts focused on the same thoughts of cold rage and malice, but it was inevitable that he thought of her. Sayori… was it to mock him, or had she just pitied him? Either way, what had happened sent bitter spikes into his heart.

I knew Sayori wasn't stupid enough to believe in me, or trust me. Only a hapless fool would do that, and she's more clever than she looks. Akechi allowed a small, tight smile to form on his face. His hatred for all the rest of the thieves burned his insides, forging new, sturdier walls… But he had already made up his mind about Sayori. He had promised himself he wouldn't resent her, no matter what she decided to do.

Still, they were all his enemies, now…

In a way, I'm almost relieved that this happened. No more having to wait in fear for them to abandon me. It's finally happened, and now I know better… Revenge is all I have left now.

Akechi shook his head. No more sentimentalities. No more bullshit. He quickly exited the Metaverse and found himself in a relatively abandoned hallway in the police station. Quickly switching to his contacts, he called Shido and held the phone up to his ear.

"Shido-san, my job is complete," he lied. Akechi wanted to deal with his enemies himself. Besides, now more than ever, he needed to keep on Shido's good side.

After the call ended, Akechi hung up the phone and leaned against the wall. His head hurt, and now when he closed his eyes, he had to force unpleasant memories to the front of his mind. He knew his revenge was pointless and pathetic, ever since he had started trying to be better. It would be all too easy to give up on life completely, but he wouldn't allow himself that.

For forcing his mother into a torturous labyrinth she could never find her way out of… for threatening Sayori's life and mocking Akechi with it… And most of all, for neglecting, abusing, and ruining Akechi, himself…

I'll make Shido's life a living hell. I'm only sorry I've forgotten that for so long…

Sayori was sitting alone in Ann's bedroom, hugging the blonde's heart-shaped pillow to her chest and anxiously fidgeting. This much time shouldn't have passed without hearing news, right?

Ann had left the apartment sometime ago, to go to some meeting about her modelling, Sayori remembered hearing her say. That had left the girl all alone in the apartment, with only her worries to occupy herself.

I shouldn't have let him go… Not alone. I know it would have been reckless, but at least I wouldn't have to sit here and wait to hear back… Or what if Goro and Akira both end up dying, but it's all covered up and we never hear from them again!?

Sayori left the bedroom and began to pace around the rest of Ann's apartment. The floors and walls were thinner then they were at Goro's, so she couldn't do it for too long, or be too loud, but she knew screaming in frustration would be even louder.

"Goro said that if anything happens to him, I need to get a hard drive from his apartment... Maybe he put his father's name on it so we can get to his Palace…? No… stop, stop, stop! Don't think about it like that," Sayori said to herself, pulling her hair and shaking her head. "We've both been planning these things for so long… He wouldn't just let his life end there… Neither of them would…"

Sayori looked around the small living room and settled on the couch. She ignored her shaking hands and grabbed the remote. She ignored the pool of dread that formed in her body, trying to tell herself it wasn't linked with her actions. Now was time for mindless entertainment to take her mind off of things.

Who am I kidding… There's always a reason for everything now… Nothing ever just happens, anymore, the girl thought to herself, resignedly turning the TV on.

Still, nothing could have prepared her for what she saw.

"The police have announced that the suspected leader of the Phantom Thieves committed a murder-suicide while being detained-"

Sayori choked, her entire body physically jolting back. The top of the couch jammed into her back and she cried out. Her head was spinning with the all too familiar adrenaline of panic, making her ears ring and her vision blurry. The news broadcast was only white noise as she numbly dropped the TV remote on the floor and took out her phone.

She could barely press the buttons on her phone. Her hands were shaking so badly, and she could barely see the screen. But Sayori couldn't stop just to let her panic subside… So she just continued to struggle until she had finally pressed the call button.

Calling… Goro (^-^)~3

The phone rang, and rang, and rang. Sayori felt herself getting lightheaded as she waited for him to pick up. Her heart was beating so fast, and suddenly it felt impossible to breathe. Why wasn't he answering? Had he left his ringtone on, and she had just called him while he was trying to sneak away to safety?

"Hello, this is Goro Akechi. I sincerely apologize, but I am unavailable at the moment. Leave a message, and I will try to get back to you."

Goro said our calls might be bugged… Sayori hung up the phone and began to tremble even harder. She suddenly felt cold, and sick. She dropped her phone, too, trying to get herself under control before she lost herself to panic.

Akira… is dead…? Then does that mean Goro is, too? No, no, no, no, nononono!

Sayori bit her palm, trying not to scream or sob. Tears streamed down her face as she could no longer keep her distress contained any longer.

Eventually, this horrible cycle of silently crying and hyperventilating led Sayori to thankfully black out, exhausted. She never would have been able to rest, otherwise, but the thought of being awake to experience these feelings…

"I'm so… horrible. I should stay awake… Goro… I couldn't…" Sayori mumbled, her brain numb and not wanting to process anything any longer. Protect you, save you, be with you… change anything.

A little while later, Ann would step into the apartment and cautiously look around. She would immediately notice Sayori, eyes open but unfocused. But, the light hums that were supposed to be the girl's snores quietly left her. Not to mention, she was struggling through a nightmare that Ann could never fathom.

The TV was still on, with the news still droning on, and Ann winced. She had never seen Sayori in so much distress just by sleeping, and now she thought she could understand what that was, at least.

"I'm sorry, Sayori. We'll all tell you the truth, tomorrow… But we couldn't let him know, no matter what…" Ann mumbled, walking over and turning the TV off. As she set the remote down, she noticed Sayori had dropped her phone.

Glancing at Sayori guiltily, Ann bent down and picked up the phone. There was a notification on there that made Ann's heart shatter.

"We're sorry, but Goro (^-^)~3 has blocked this number…"

"It's… for her own good," Ann whispered, swiping away the notification and setting it beside Sayori. "She's not safe around him… I'm surprised I ever thought getting them together was a good idea, now… But somehow, I'm also not…"

Ann closed her eyes tightly, confused about why she felt like crying all of a sudden. It's just because today was such a close call… We almost lost Akira.

The blonde got a blanket from out of her room and spread it over Sayori. It was already late November, and she knew the heater could be finicky sometimes, after all. With that all done, Ann finally went to her own bed in hopes of getting some sleep. We can finally tell Sayori everything, tomorrow. Then everything will start to get better… I hope.

It was late in the afternoon the next day when Sayori suddenly found herself being dragged to Leblanc by a surprisingly undisturbed Ann. It confused and upset Sayori that her friend could be this way after Akira had just died. Still, the girl was able to let it slide, knowing Ann probably just didn't want to make Sayori upset by seeing her cry. If they were going to Leblanc, it was probably to discuss what they would do next, but still, Sayori thought it was definitely too soon.

Still, I haven't heard back from Goro, yet… Maybe he'll be there and tell us exactly what happened… Sayori thought to herself, her spirits raised slightly higher. If he at least was still alive… Sayori could enter Leblanc with a less hesitant attitude.

"Did everyone miss me that much?"

Sayori paused when she heard that, her eyes wide as she stared at Akira in front of her, wondering if, after her panicking last night, she had begun to hallucinate.

"You had us scared half to death!" Ann yelled with a joyful smile as she dragged Sayori a little more into the cafe, before firmly shutting the door behind them both. Everyone else was already there, with all of their teammates giving Akira a group hug that Ann quickly joined. Sojiro stood off to the side with a relieved smile, while Sae looked slightly uncomfortable being there. After all, every single one of the Phantom Thieves was here…

Except one… Sayori stood there, confused. A sick feeling arose in her stomach, giving her the distinct feeling she wasn't going to like the explanation she would get as she found herself finally able to move her mouth enough to speak.

"How are you alive? Did… did Goro rescue you like he said he would? Where is he!? Is he okay!?" Questions tumbled out of Sayori's mouth, looking around the cafe as though her boyfriend might be playing a bad natured joke, hiding underneath a table, maybe.

"Sayori, calm down!" Yusuke exclaimed, walking over to her and examining her, but not wanting to touch her and risk stressing her out even more. "We'll explain everything to you, and Sojiro, and Sae, as well… That was what we planned to do."

"Everyone else knows what's going on? You put me in the same category as the adults! I'm your teammate!" Sayori could feel herself starting to get defensive, as she now just wanted to be left alone. We were supposed to be the ones that needed to explain everything… Why isn't Goro here?!

"You hafta calm down and pay attention before we can say anything!" Ryuji said, before looking down crankily. "Besides, we had to make sure Goro wasn't here... And that you weren't going to tell him anything."

"What…?" Sayori asked, her voice starting to fade as she seemed to physically wilt. Haru quickly went over to help the girl sit down, but jumped a bit in shock when Sayori pushed her away and sat down herself.

"You guys better explain everything, right now!" Sayori demanded, barely finding the energy to put an authoritative tone into her voice.

"We are," Makoto said, sternly, before leading Akira to sit down, as well. "We'll tell you exactly how we knew about Akechi's traitorous intentions."

"Futaba's monitoring of Akechi's phone has confirmed it… He did indeed have an ulterior motive," Makoto spoke with a grave tone of voice.

"Dammit!" Ryuji shouted, wanting to hit something. "And here I was thinkin' you guys were just bein' paranoid! That traitor!"

"We heard him mention pancakes only a week or less than Sayori's Palace, but still, it was long enough that we couldn't overlook it," Morgana explained somberly. "I was the only one who said anything about pancakes at the time…"

"Still… Why…?" Ann asked quietly, hugging her knees to her chest. "I thought he saw us as friends… And what about Sayori!?"

Haru frowned and looked away sadly. "Her heart is going to break when he betrays us, but right now she seems completely on his side."

"I suppose I understand now why we can't tell her what we've found. She might tell Akechi, and he might…" Yusuke trailed off, looking physically ready to throw up.

"He's not going to be able to lay a finger on her!" Futaba declared, pointing at the tall artist sitting near her. "Don't doubt our skills, Inari! We'll foil this wicked scheme!"

"Ann," Akira spoke softly, but firmly, "Right now, we can't completely stop Sayori from visiting him, but you need to make sure she stays at your place."

"Right," Ann said, nodding slowly, but continued to look dejected. "I've been so stupid and tunnel-visioned. I thought I would be able to protect my friends from wicked people, now. But…"

"Hey," Ryuji said, patting her lightly on the shoulder. "We are. We figured it all out before Akechi could do any real damage. Now we can focus on stoppin' him!"

Yusuke nodded, sighing in disappointment. "I honestly still can't quite process all of this. I know I'm not the best at deciphering relationships like this, but I really thought Akechi…"

"Wasn't so bad?" Morgana asked, looking down with a pout.

"Yes…" Yusuke replied, somberly.

"We don't have time to analyze all of this," Makoto stated though her voice quivered "We need to come up with a plan to keep all of us out of danger."

Sayori listened to the explanation of how the Phantom Thieves escaped death with an unsettling silence. It was mainly Sojiro and Sae who asked questions of how they had set up a cognitive double, Futaba's ingenious app, and Morgana's role as a talking cat. It was all incredibly thought out and executed. Sayori felt like she was watching some incredible anime episode play out. The villain had been thwarted through the impressive plans of the heroes. Sayori would have been happy and impressed…

If she hadn't known Goro had never been a threat.

It hurt even more that the group felt the need to pat themselves on the back for their scheme, no matter how clever it was. The dread and worry that had been building inside of her was replaced with a sorrow Sayori almost drowned in, unable to feel any happiness or join in on her friend's happy victory.

Then that sorrow turned into something much more… ugly. It seemed to wrap itself around Sayori's heart and hands, making her chest feel tight and cold, and her hands clenched into fists. She was angry, but somehow it felt a lot more potent than it ever had when faced with injustices from corrupt adults.

No, it hurt far worse. Maybe, because before now, she had placed so much trust into all of them… Was this how it felt to be betrayed?

"How could you…?" Sayori said quietly, hot tears welling in her eyes and spilling over her face as she stared at the ground, unable to look her former compatriots in the eyes. Everyone immediately caught notice and looked at her with a combination of confusion and sadness. Ann, Haru, Futaba, and Yusuke were the first to try to comfort her, but she slipped out of her booth seat and backed away from them, shaking furiously.

"What's wrong?" Sojiro asked, raising an eyebrow at her. "I know you must be angry at him… I know it must have been hard to be in a relationship with-"

"He was being sincere!" Sayori screamed shrilly, causing everyone to cringe and cover their ears. Sayori took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound less hysterical. She didn't need them thinking she was confused, or just trying to convince herself of a lie. If they were going to double cross him… Then I shouldn't be allowed here either… I was with him, and I knew what he was really trying to do!

"I know it may be hard for all of you to believe... Because he mentioned pancakes once, but he was trying to help us! I wasn't lying at the culture festival! He's been trying to help us all this time!" That's right… All this time we were trying to do something… anything to help and stop these injustices these guys never knew we were facing before.

"How do you know?" Akira asked, his entire body stiffening as he stared at the girl. Everyone froze, looking at Sayori in worry.

But nothing changed...

Sayori took a deep breath, but barely hesitated another second. "Because Goro told me everything!" She yelled. "He was going to tell all of you guys, after we finished with Sae's Palace. But he never got the chance! He was going to rescue you, Akira… But he never got the chance! None of you guys were going to give him one!"

"How can you expect us to when we hear a phone call where he says he's going to kill us?" Makoto asked, shocked.

"I never expected you to fully trust him! But is it so much to ask that you tell me what you heard!? He's my boyfriend! I was the one who made you guys let him on the team! I've been living with him my whole time in this stupid town! If you could have just trusted me to take responsibility for my choice to have him join us, then…!" Sayori's voice shuddered, and she felt like vomiting. None of them feel that they can rely on me, or even trust me to do my part alongside them… I suppose I can't blame them for that…

I tried so hard. I couldn't change a single thing…

So why am I still here!?

"Be that as it may, but we have to consider that if Akechi was going to rescue Akira, he would have noticed the fake…" Yusuke said, his entire face seeming to age with new stress as he added onto the debate. "After that, we hear nothing from him, and it is aired on the news that Akira has committed suicide. That doesn't seem like-"

"I quit."

"What?" Morgana asked, his eyes wide.

"I fucking quit!" Sayori shouted, tears falling down her eyes. She wanted to say more… maybe explain why she was quitting, but she knew her decision would be fought against… And knowing her, Sayori would give in eventually. Her throat closed up, and without another word, Sayori slammed the door to Leblanc and ran off into the rainy suburbs of Yongen.

It stung to hear them yelling after her as she ran out the door and let it slam closed, but Sayori couldn't bear to hear it anymore. Her lungs ached and her legs were on fire as she bolted down the street, but she didn't slow down. She hoped they wouldn't follow her or look for her. She didn't want to see them.

So Sayori kept running, down the streets and roads, not stopping until her brain finally caught up to her, reminding her it would look suspicious to see a young girl running in the busy street area she had reached. She managed to slow down and realize she didn't really have a destination in mind. Right now, there was only one place she wanted to be, but it was beyond her reach.

I want to go home…

The Phantom Thieves all stood frozen inside of Leblanc. Their legs couldn't seem to move as they watched Sayori run out, and when it was all over, the panicked atmosphere fully settled in. Sojiro ran to the front door, looking in the direction the girl had run, but cursed when he found she was already out of sight.

"Aren't any of you guys going to go after her?!" He shouted at the group of teenagers, startling them out of their stunned silence.

"It's… just like what happened with Morgana…" Ann whispered, leaning her head forward as tears welled in her eyes. "How could this happen a second time? I thought we were all a united group…"

"This can't be happenin,'" Ryuji said, going up to the door to look with Sojiro. He debated if his leg could actually take running after Sayori, seriously considering it for a few seconds. Something could happen to her, running so fast and panicking like that.

"I think she needs some space…" Akira said, trailing off and staring down at the floor somberly. Simply put, something was bothering him about this situation. It was an instinctual, horrible feeling that he had messed up, making it feel like his heart was being repeatedly stabbed by needles.

"Will that really be okay, though?" Makoto asked, looking over at Sae nervously. "What if she goes back to Akechi's?" Sae shook her head with an unsure look, causing Makoto to shudder.

"No. She clearly heard me when I said that he probably found out Akira was a fake… No matter how you look at it, he's dangerous to be around, right now," Yusuke stated, staring at the floor and trying to occupy his mind by tracing the patterns he found in the flooring with his eyes.

Futaba nodded, looking up sternly. "Sayori's smart enough to know that… We have something else to worry about, too." She said that, but she was shaken with what happened, too. The feeling that she had just messed up with someone she considered so close ate away at her.

"Yeah… Before we can worry about Akechi's intentions or motivations… We need to deal with the mastermind that he is-or was-working for," Morgana announced. Sojiro and Sae both looked helplessly at the teenagers, causing Haru to hurriedly translate what her friend was saying.

After she was finished, Haru hugged herself uncomfortably. "If he was really on our side, I imagine taking out the mastermind could be a decent apology to both Sayori and Akechi… But even if it's not, we're still doing it anyway. My father was killed because of all of this… Whether it was by Akechi, the mastermind himself, or someone entirely different, I need to do this."

"That's right," Ryuji said, walking back from the cafe entrance and sitting down once again. "If we take this guy down, we take down his entire operation."

"Who is this mastermind, then?" Sae asked.

"Well, while we were listening to Akechi's calls, we heard him call the mastermind by name," Futaba said, proudly showing her evidence. "'Shido-san,'" the girl quoted, now uncomfortable with the idea of broadcasting more of Akechi's calls.

"Oh… I just realized!" Ann suddenly piped up, before looking down guiltily. "Last night, I saw that Akechi… blocked Sayori."

"He must know, then," Makoto concluded, giving everyone a wary look. "We all need to be even more cautious then we would have been from this moment forward."

"You'll need to be cautious for another reason," Sojiro claimed, looking distressed by this information. "I think I know the guy you're planning on going up against."

"Really? Who?" Haru asked.

In response, Sojiro grabbed the remote and clicked on the TV, showing an interview with one of the prime minister candidates that he remembered was airing today.

"Masayoshi Shido."

Later that evening, Akira settled into bed, trying to find a comfortable position to rest with his injuries. He had been assured that he would be pretty much back to normal within a few days, but it was hard to believe that after getting beaten so brutally. Tae had contacted him earlier though, so he was hoping he could get a professional's opinion.

It's probably going to be nothing compared to the mental scars, though… Akira thought to himself, slightly bitter. So much had happened today, and he had been hoping it would end on a happier note, but he supposed it was never going to be easy for him or for his friends.

As Morgana settled on his chest, Akira couldn't help but think sadly of Sayori, and if she had been right about what she said earlier. Ever since she had quit and run away, there had been a terrible heart throbbing agony in the pit of his chest, and he had no idea why. He couldn't help but linger on that feeling as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

As his mind finally drifted off completely, the familiar sound of chains jingling filled his ears, quickly followed by the ever present sound of piano music and singing. Akira opened his eyes to see his familiar blue cellroom, blinking up at it in confusion. It had been a while since he had been pulled into the velvet room more than once within such a short period of time.

"Welcome back, inmate!" Caroline said, her tone somehow even more harsh then normal.

"Our master wishes to speak with you… And it also seems that you wish to speak with him…?" Justine questioned, staring at Akira with an unblinking yellow eye.

The lingering feeling of agony quickly turned into irritation as Akira came to realize something. He sat up from his small bench and stumbled up to the bars, his normally blank face now holding a stern look of contempt.

Igor's constant grin seemed to grow even wider as he removed his hand from under his chin. "It seems that in the process of stopping the force that meant to kill you, you managed to discover a truly undesirable bond."

His deep voice had always sent shivers of dread and fear down Akira's spine, but the way Igor spoke now made him anxious. Who does he mean by that? Akechi, maybe… Akira didn't dare speak those words, though. He had a far more important question to ask.

"Have you been lying to me this entire time?" Akira asked in a low, shaky voice, causing Igor to chuckle in a curious tone of voice.

"How dare you question our master's sincerity!" Caroline screamed, hitting the bars harshly with her baton.

"You should be grateful for all that he has done!" Justine added, glaring up at Akira with her one eye.

Akira took his hands off of the bars to avoid being hit, but otherwise ignored the twins. "My friend told me that Goro Akechi never meant to harm me, but to rescue me. If that's true, then that means the force coming to kill me wasn't him. Yet, you said I had avoided it after deceiving him."

Caroline and Justine were about to start arguing with him again, but Igor quickly silenced them. Once again, he let his head rest on his hands, and shook his head, as if in amusement. "That fledgling bond misled you, blinded by her own belief and trust in your opponent. After all, her bond with you pales in comparison… And now…" The man chuckled again, causing Akira to shiver.

He seems… too happy about this situation, Akira thought to himself, staring at Igor as the odd being chuckled a few seconds longer.

"Now what?" Akira asked. "By listening to your warnings, I drove her away. She was one of my confidants that you claim to be so important in avoiding ruin!"

"Curb your tongue!" Justine shouted, Caroline already raising her baton.

"It has become clear over the course of your rehabilitation that this particular bond will only lead you to ruin." Igor stated. "Your contract with her has served you no purpose… and is therefore no longer needed."

"No longer needed…?" Akira questioned, before the pain in his chest suddenly exploded. He fell on his knees and began to retch as words began echoing in his head. They were all too familiar, but he objected to their presence. He had done nothing to imply he wanted them! Yet still, they continued…

Thou art I… And I am thou.

Thy bond has been marred by doubt…

It has lost its will to fly…

Weighed down by chains of desolation…

The Aeon Persona has been cut short for thou,

And shall no longer act in your strength.

A card appeared before Akira's eyes, displaying what he had once learned in class to be the sky goddess Nuit, with a child-like figure holding a finger to their lips in a sign of silence, and a seated figure behind him. Beside the card, four golden stars began to crack, turning an ashy gray. Immediately after that, the picture on the card began to go blurry and fade, before it was sliced in half by an unknown force.

"No…" Akira weakly objected, his head spinning as it felt like someone had just suffocated him. This had never happened to him before, and it felt completely wrong. He knew Sayori had been mad at all of them, but was it truly enough for the confidant to break? He had always known the girl to be kind and caring…

No… this is wrong. This wasn't supposed to happen… Akira didn't know why he felt so certain of this fact, but he was. He was about to object, demanding that Igor do something to restore it, only for Caroline to slam the baton extra harshly on the bars, making the entire cell shake violently.

"Return to your world, inmate!" She yelled. "You have a lot of work to do!"

Akira wanted to refuse and keep fighting, but for once in his life, he couldn't muster up the strength. Even as he continued to stand at the cell bars, the Velvet Room began to go mute in both color and sound. Before he knew it, all he could see was Igor sitting at his desk, staring and laughing at him with that unsettling grin.

The next thing he knew, Akira woke up in bed, jolting forward with a scream and throwing Morgana off with the momentum.

At night, the tunnels of Mementos seemed to practically glow red, despite being pitch black otherwise. The only thing to interrupt the black and red shining light was the occasional square trails of window lights as the trains passed by, on the way to the depths of Mementos.

It was also much more lonely, with so many people in the city it paralleled being asleep. It made the darkness all the more suffocating. Yet, it offered a strange sense of peace. Here, the loneliness was quiet and peaceful, unlike the chaotic mess in the "real world."

Sayori sighed, not in relief nor pain, as she sat and watched the trains pass.

So what did you guys think? I'm pretty interested to hear what you guys thought of this chapter in particular, so please review. I'll see you all next chapter!