Akira turns the business card over in his hands.
"Geez," Ann says. She sits atop the roof's A/C unit, legs kicking idly, a frown on her face. "Dozens of kids?"
Ryuji nods, face in his phone, thumbs type, type, typing away. "That's what he said. This asshole takes em in, 'tutors' them, and then just plagiarizes their work. Then, they're back out on the street."
"That's horrible," she whispers.
"No kidding."
It is their first day back from school, lunchtime, and the day is overcast, muggy, and oppressive.
"But," Morgana says. "If all this is true, then Madarame is the perfect target."
Ryuji grins. "Totally. I can see why Mishima wanted to keep his name off the PhanSite." He holds up his phone. "He's like, a huge deal!"
Ann hops down and reads the text on his phone. "Wow. He's famous. I've never even heard of him."
Ryuji rolls his eyes. "That's cause you got no class."
Ann smacks him on the back of his head. "Like you do?"
Akira clears his throat. "Apparently," he says, and the other two turn their attention to him. "Nakanohara didn't even know about the other victims." He holds up the business card. "He was approached by a reporter."
"Ichiko Ohya," Ryuji says, sounding the name out syllable by syllable. "Told us if we wanted to learn more, we should contact her."
Ann crosses her arms. "So, are we gonna call her?"
Morgana frowns. "We could, but what would we say? 'Hi, we're the Phantom Thieves, what do you know about Madarame?'"
"Well, what then?" Ann's eyes widen. "Hey, wait. Do we even know if Madarame has a Palace?"
"Oh," Ryuji says, and swipes his fingers across his phone. "He's got a Palace. Check it out." He turns the screen back around so Ann can see.
Sure enough, within the Navigation app, are the words 'Ichiryusai Madarame,' and next to them, 'Match Found.'
"But we've got no idea what the other words are," Akira points out.
Ryuji shrugs. "Can't be that hard to figure out. We just gotta do a little diggin' is all."
"Which," Akira continues. "Would be where the reporter comes in."
"Okay," Ann replies. "But what will we say to her?"
Akira frowns, and spins the card around in his hand once more. "I'm working on that."
A throat clears. "Excuse me?"
Ann and Ryuji jump.
Mishima stands at the entrance to the roof. Again.
"Dammit, dude," Ryuji shouts. "Stop doing that!"
Mishima dips his head, and mumbles out an, "S-sorry."
"Did you need something?" Ann asks, settling.
"I asked him here," Akira says, and puts the business card back into his pocket. Morgana takes a spot in the chair next to him. "I wanted to talk to him about some stuff." He turns to look at Ryuji and Ann. "Do you guys mind if it's in private?"
Ann blinks, but Ryuji stands and stretches his arms overhead. "No sweat, bro. We'll leave you to it." He begins to leave, and when he passes Mishima, pats him on the shoulder with a smile. He calls out, "C'mon Ann," before he vanishes through the door and out of sight.
"Everything good?" Ann asks, before she follows.
Akira fixes her with a smile and nods. "Yep."
"O-okay," Ann replies, but gives each of the boys a look before she follows Ryuji out the door.
"What's up?" Mishima asks, once Ann is out the door.
Akira pulls his phone from his pocket and queues up the PhanSite. "I wanted to talk to you about this."
"Oh, okay," Mishima says, and brightens. "What about it?"
Akira forces a grin onto his face, and gives a small chuckle. "Honestly, I'm a little inept at this stuff. I was wondering how... safe, I guess would be the right word? Yeah, I want to know how safe the site is."
"Safe?"
Akira nods, and leans forward. "For you. You're the admin. How safe is the site? Is it secure? The police won't be able to hack into it, right? They won't be able to find out who you are?"
Mishima lets out a deep breath and slumps a bit forward. "Oh man, you had me freaked out a bit." He laughs. "But don't worry. The site is totally secure." He lists a series of terms. Some, Akira is only vaguely familiar with. Others, he's never heard of.
Unregistered domain.
Anonymous email.
VPN.
Proxy servers.
Nodes.
Morgana purrs. "It sure seems like he knows what he's talking about."
Yeah, Akira thinks. But how would I know? I don't know the first thing about online security. "Wow," Akira says, after Mishima's little spiel stops. "You're really good at this stuff."
Mishima blushes and nods. "I guess so."
"How'd you learn about it?"
He shrugs. "I've been studying it since I was a little kid. The knowledge is out there, you just have to know how to apply it. I could show you if you wanted to learn."
Akira widens his grin. "I think I would."
"Cool," Mishima cries. He wears a big smile, and looks so genuine. Akira's guts churn.
"So, since you'll be teaching me all this stuff and all, mind giving me the admin password?"
Mishima blinks. "Huh?"
"Careful," Morgana whispers.
Akira raises his eyebrows. "That's not a problem, is it?"
"N-no," Mishima says, tripping over his words. "It's just, why would you need it?"
"So I can help you with the requests. There's sure to be a lot more of them, now that the site has been proven to work. Oh," and Akira raises a finger as if he's just remembered something. "I wanted to talk about those too." He walks Mishima through what had happened with Haru at the flower shop, and the flaws now apparent in their plan. "It's too dangerous to be so upfront about everything. We don't want the police getting suspicious and investigating where I work, yeah?"
"Right," Mishima says, eyes wide. "Of course!"
"So, here's what I think we'll do." He walks Mishima through his new process.
Anyone with a request, must post it on the PhanSite, but without the name of the intended target.
After selecting a request, a private message will be sent to the poster, and only then will the target's name be revealed.
After the successful completion of the request, the original poster may make a follow-up post onto the PhanSite, but the details of any contact with the Phantom Thieves – messages, instructions, and whatnot – must be kept vague, and preferably, not mentioned at all.
Anyone who posts the name of the intended target on the public website, will have their request immediately rejected.
"This is all to protect everyone's anonymity, obviously," Akira says. "You understand."
"Okay," Mishima says, eyes bright. "We can do that, definitely. I'll update the posting rules today."
"Good," Akira stands and walks up to him. "Oh, and one more thing." He claps Mishima on the shoulder, leans in and says, "Don't ever pull what you did with Nakanohara, again. Ever."
Mishima pales. Nods. "G-got it."
Akira pats him on the shoulder, just like Ryuji did. "So," he says. "That password?"
Mishima leaves soon after, and Akira is left alone on the roof with Morgana.
"I thought," the cat says. "You said you weren't going to get mad."
"Couldn't help it." Akira shrugs. "I got what we needed."
Morgana casts a glance towards the door. "I know you're still sore about the whole, 'posting your info online' thing, but Mishima is on our side."
"Is he?" Akira whispers, and shakes his head. "It's not about him posting my stuff online, it's about the meeting last night. Nakanohara knows who we are."
Morgana bobs his head in a nod. "Okay, yeah, that was a big slip up on Mishima's part, but Nakanohara isn't got to tell anyone. We changed his heart!"
"And what if," Akira says, slowly. "He decides, one day, that he doesn't appreciate us doing that anymore? What if the police show up at his door and question him about us?"
"That won't-"
"Don't say, 'that won't happen,' because you don't know that it won't." Akira grits his teeth and begins to pace around the roof. "Just think about it, Morgana. Mishima knows who we are. Nakanohara knows who we are. Hell, Shiho, knows who we are." He turns and stares down at the cat. "We're supposed to keep our identities hidden, and we keep not doing that."
"Okay," Morgana says. "Okay, Akira, relax. So, what do you want to do?"
Akira sighs and stares at the rooftop. "We can't do anything about Nakanohara. Or, if we can, I don't know what it is yet. Shiho's... well, I'm not worried about Shiho." He shrugs. "But, Mishima? We need to limit his involvement. Fast."
"That's why you wanted the password?"
Akira nods. "The PhanSite is a good idea, but I don't like leaving Mishima in charge of it. Once he shows me how to work the thing, I'll figure out a way of locking him out."
"But won't he get mad about that?" Morgana asks.
"That's why I've got to figure out a way of doing it so that he thinks we're giving him more responsibility."
"How're you gonna do that?"
Akira shrugs. He removes his glasses and rubs his eyes with his fingers. "No idea. Yet."
Morgana trots up to Akira and rests a paw against his leg. "Don't you think you're being a little bit harsh? You said it yourself, Mishima is a victim too."
"Yeah, he is," Akira replies, scowling. "What he isn't, is our friend or ally. Not really. All he's trying to do is get in on our fad on the ground floor."
"And you're sure you're not just being paranoid?"
Akira returns his glasses to his face, kneels down, and plops a hand onto Morgana's head. "Mona," he says, as he rubs it. "If anything, I'm not being paranoid enough."
The cat meets his eyes, the nods. "Alright, I'll follow your lead. Just, be careful. If you're right, and you push Mishima too hard, he may end up spilling the beans on us, anyway."
"Right," Akira says, and straightens. "Right." He cracks his neck and shakes the snap out. "Should we get back to class?"
Morgana yawns and stretches out his legs. "Actually, I need to get some exercise in. Sleeping in your desk all day is making me fat."
Akira runs his eyes over the cat. "Could've fooled me, but okay. Meet you after school?"
"Sounds good," Morgana says, as he hops onto the roof's edge and drops to the sill below.
#
Principal Kobayakowa opens his office window and lets the outside breeze slide over his sweat-slick skin.
"Goddammit," he whispers, and turns back to his desk. He'd always been so careful with Kamoshida. The oaf had been easy to control, as his needs were simple. A few meaningless accolades, a handful of kind words, a girl here and there, and a blind eye had kept the man well within Kobayakowa's control. But then that idiot had gone too far.
And now he had to bear the responsibility. "Phantom Thieves," he spits, and rereads the calling card that sits on his desk for the hundredth time. "Unbelievable."
The star of their school had only just begun to rise. Students were being accepted into elite colleges, which mean more funding, more publicity, more everything. Kobayakowa had been so close. Another year or two and the significance of Shujin would've truly skyrocketed, and Kobayakowa would've found himself secure in the halls of hallowed educators.
Now, Shujin would forever be tainted by the memory of Kamoshida. No longer would they be, 'Shujin: The Elite College Preparatory School.' Instead, they'd have to settle for, 'Shujin: The School with the Rapist.'
Kobayakowa can picture his superiors, shaking their heads in barely contained anger over his inability to control the situation. It would've been one thing had Kamoshida suffered a mental shutdown. Those were untraceable. But that he had been singled out, and confessed to his crimes? Damage control didn't begin to cover what Kobayakowa needed to accomplish.
His instructions had been simple. A list of names. "Gather information."
But sheep, as a means of obvious self-preservation, don't speak to wolves. So how does one find the wolf in sheep's clothing?
Send in another sheep.
There's a knock at his door.
"Come in," he says.
#
Makoto steps into the Principal's office and stands at attention before his desk. "You wanted to see me, sir?"
Kobayakowa does not look well. Sweat peels from him like another skin. When he turns to her, his eyes are narrow and sharp. Distrustful, even.
"Niijima-san," he says, and nods his bulbous head. "I want to begin this conversation by saying a few things."
"Yes, sir."
He clears his throat and continues. "You are a remarkable student, and an excellent Student Council President. You are hard-working, diligent, and both the staff and your classmates respect you. If you continue down the path you presently tread upon, I have no doubt a shining future awaits you."
Makoto blinks. The Principal's lauding words were not what she was expecting. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting when she received the sudden call to come to the office, but it certainly wasn't that.
"Thank you, sir."
"So then, I want to ask you this directly. Are you a member of these so-called Phantom Thieves?"
Makoto's eyes widen. "What?"
"I am not hearing a denial."
Her words fall out of her in a stutter. "N-no! Of course I'm not!"
He stares at her for some time. Then he says, "Then let me ask you this, do you have any idea who the Phantom Thieves could be?"
Akira Kurusu, Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki.
Her heart beats faster. Sweat pools within her hair, but does not yet slide down her face. She thinks of Akira. She thinks of his beaten face. She thinks of Kamoshida.
"No," she says. "I do not."
The Principal sighs and collapses back into his chair.
"May I ask, sir," she says. "Why you are asking me these things?"
Kobayakowa's eyes narrow as he looks up at her. "Do I honestly need to explain that? There is a strong possibility... no, it is extremely likely that these Phantom Thieves are Shujin Academy students." Makoto opens her mouth but he continues before she can speak. "Really, now, Niijima-san. From someone with such high test scores, I would expect a little bit more deduction." He spreads his hands wide. "Who else but disgruntled Shujin students would have a grudge to bear against Kamoshida-sensei? Who else would be aware of the man's... problems?"
Problems? Makoto thinks. He was a rapist! "Sir, he-"
He holds up a hand. "I am well aware of Kamoshida-sensei's misdeeds, Niijima-san. He confessed to them before me just as much as before you. What I cannot, however, condone, are students who think they can blackmail, manipulate, and otherwise extort teachers at this institution."
Makoto cannot believe what she is hearing. "Why would they, sir?" She asks. "They made their point, didn't they? They called out Kamoshida. They got him to confess. What else would they do?"
"So you mean to tell me that you have not heard of this 'PhanSite?'"
"The what?"
He shakes his head. "Honestly, perhaps you do not have your finger to the pulse of the student body as much as you might think. Look it up when you have time, I do not have the patience to educate you. The point is, the Phantom Thieves are not done." He reaches into his desk and withdraws a manila folder. "You say you are not one of them. I would prefer to believe that. However, as I cannot be sure, I am left with no real choice."
Makoto's heart smashes against her ribcage. "Sir?" She asks.
"You wish to have the full recommendation of this institution. With it, you would have a relatively easy time securing your position at any university you wish." He pauses, and Makoto feels the dread ink its way through her, tattooing itself on her organs. "If you wish to receive this recommendation, seek out, and find the Phantom Thieves."
This isn't real. This isn't happening. He can't do that! "Sir, you can't honestly-"
"What?" Kobayakowa cuts in. "I can't honestly, 'what?' Because if you're doubting my ability to do exactly what I'm outlining, then you are tragically mistaken." Makoto feels as if all the blood has drained from her body. "What's wrong, Niijima-san? Are you unwilling to squeal on your confederates?"
Something rises in her. "Sir, I am not a Phantom Thief!"
He smiles. "Then I suggest you find out who is." He tosses the folder across his desk. It lands before Makoto and when she looks at him, he nods at it.
She reaches out a trembling hand, picks it up, and opens the flap.
Akira Kurusu's face stares out at her. It is his student record. Her throat goes dry. This can't be happening. There are more pages. She flips to the next page. Ryuji Sakamoto glowers out from his student picture. She turns the page. Ann Takamaki grins. Another page. Yuuki Mishima stares tentatively at the camera. Once more. Shiho Suzui wears a small smile.
"Suzui?" Makoto asks, then looks up at the Principal. "Sir, she was in a coma after her suicide attempt."
The Principal's eyes are hard and his tone suggests no further argument, when he asks, "And?"
She returns her eyes to the folder. There is one more page. She turns it, and stares at herself.
This is not happening.
"Sir, I-"
"Akira Kurusu. A recent transfer student with a criminal record. Threatened with expulsion, by Kamoshida-sensei, a scant handful of days before his confession. Ryuji Sakamoto. A delinquent who physically assaulted Kamoshida-sensei last year. Also threatened with expulsion. Ann Takamaki. The target of Kamoshida-sensei's advances. Yuuki Mishima. Frequently abused at the hands of Kamoshida-sensei. Threatened with expulsion. Shiho Suzui. Victim." He says nothing more on Suzui. He says nothing about Makoto's presence in the file. "I suspect the students in that file of being the Phantom Thieves." He smiles. "I understand you've been tutoring one of them. That's good. Keep that up. It'll give you an in."
"Sir..."
This isn't happening.
This isn't happening.
This isn't happening.
Makoto shuts her eyes. She breathes. In and out. In and out. What would Sis do? What would Dad do? Her brain burns, and she settles on only one possible way out of this.
She opens her eyes.
"I understand, sir. I will investigate the Phantom Thieves."
Kobayakowa smiles. "Very good. That will be all. Keep me abreast of the situation."
From the corner of her eye, Makoto notices a black flash out the window, but when her gaze flicks towards it, whatever it is, is gone.
"Sir, I have one question," she says.
"What is it?"
"Did you know, about Kamoshida's abuses?"
A scowl explodes its way across Kobayakowa's face and he lurches to his feet. "What kind of inane question is that, Niijima? I won't even dignify that with an answer! Need I remind you that your name is on that list as well? If you want to continue down the path to success, then don't waste my time with foolish inquiries, and get to work!"
"Yes, sir," Makoto says, and forces herself to look cowed. To herself, she whispers, "That's all I wanted to know."
"What was that?"
"Nothing, sir."
"Then get to class."
"Yes, sir." She turns and walks out the door. As she shuts it behind her, she thinks, Piece of shit.
#
Akira walks the length of the alley, turns, and walks back to the group. He looks at each one, then turns and takes off down the alley once more.
"Akira," Ann says, when he does this again.
Akira turns back to them, looks down at Morgana and says, "You heard wrong."
"I didn't."
"You heard wrong."
"I'm telling you," the cat replies. "I didn't."
Ryuji's face is pale, and his feet tap out a rhythmic beat, even as he leans against the wall. "This is so bad. So freakin' bad."
"What did she say?" Akira asks.
"She said she'd investigate-"
"Word for word, Morgana," Akira cuts in. "Word for word."
The cat wilts a bit under Akira's gaze. "Don't yell at him, Akira," Ann says, a frown on her face.
Ryuji shakes his head. "This is so bad."
Morgana puffs himself up a bit, and says, "Makoto said, word for word, 'I will investigate the Phantom Thieves.'"
"And what did she say before that?"
"She asked why Shiho Suzui was on the list, since she had been in a coma."
"And before that?"
"I don't-"
"What did she say before that?" Akira shouts.
"Akira, stop it!" Ann says, walking up to him and grabbing his shoulders. "What the hell is wrong with you?"
Akira's eyes find their way to hers. "She wouldn't do this." His voice is small, breathy. "She wouldn't. There's another reason."
Ann's hands tighten on his shoulders. "Get a hold of yourself. What, do you like her or something?" Akira says nothing, but whatever Ann sees on his face causes her eyes to widen. "Oh my god. You do."
Ryuji finally pushes himself off the wall. "Guys! What the hell are we talking about? That is so not the freakin' issue! They have our names!"
"Ryuji's right," Morgana hisses. "Whatever Makoto's role is in this investigation is secondary to the fact that there is an investigation!"
Ann steps away from Akira, a scowl on her face. "I'm sorry, Mona, but one more time, what did Kobayakowa say about us, exactly?"
The cat sighs and rolls his eyes. "He listed your names, one by one, starting with Akira, then Ryuji, then Lady Ann. He also suggested Mishima and Shiho as suspects."
"Oh my god," Ryuji mumbles. "Oh my god. Oh my god. How? How could they know it was us?"
"They don't know it was us," Morgana says. "They suspect us. Strongly, apparently."
"What the hell is the difference?" Ryuji shouts.
"Calm down," Ann says.
"Like hell," Ryuji spits back. "Don't you get how bad this is?"
Akira turns from the group and takes a few steps away. "Of course, I do," Ann protests. Akira turns and puts his back to the brick wall. He looks down at the puddle of dirty water centered in the blacktop.
He slides down and drops his rear against the ground.
"Dude," Ryuji says, and steps around Ann. He kneels down next to Akira. "Are you okay? Come on, leader, this isn't the time to lose it."
"You are," Ann points out.
"I'm not the leader!"
Ann ignores him and asks, "What'd you want to do, Akira?"
He looks up at them, turns his eyes to them, but he doesn't see them, not really. All he can see is the white ceiling, mismatched with the dull ivory walls. All he can see is the cot where he'll sleep, and the huge door that locks him inside. All he can see is the box.
His phone vibrates. He pulls it from his pocket.
MAKOTO: Apologies if this is a bad time. I was wondering if you'd like to have a study session today?
He looks up at his friends.
"It's Makoto," he tells them. "She wants to have a study session today."
"She moves fast," Ann mutters.
"That's..." Morgana says, and trails off for a moment before continuing. "That's what the principal told her to do. He said it was her 'in' with you."
Akira looks at the cat. "Morgana," he says. "You misheard. Just, tell me you got it wrong. I won't even be mad. Please."
Morgana walks up to him, and rests one paw on Akira's leg. "I'm sorry, Akira. I didn't."
Akira looks at the cat for a while. Then he types his response.
AKIRA: Can't today. Something came up. Sorry.
He slides the phone back into this pocket. "Okay," he says, and puts his hands on his knees. "Okay. Okay. Okay." He looks over at Morgana. "I'm sorry Morgana, but one more time, what did Kobayakowa say, exactly?"
Morgana repeats himself again, slowly. He tells them how, as he had descended towards the ground, sill by sill, he had heard a commotion from an open window, and arrived in time to hear the Principal say to Makoto, '...find out who is.' Intrigued, Morgana had stayed hidden and listened, and had heard everything else as clear as day.
"Aw man," Ryuji says, and buries his head in his hands. "What the hell are we gonna do?"
Everything flies through his mind at once. Madarame. Makoto. Ohya. The Principal. Igor. They know. I'll get kicked out of school. Mementos. I'll be put back in jail. Nakanohara Natsuhiko. They know. Mishima'll crack. I can't make it work. They know. I'm not like him. I'll screw up. It'll be a box. Another box. They know. They know. THEY KNOW.
Only, they didn't know.
Think.
They suspected.
Think.
And if they only suspected, and didn't know...
THINK.
Akira pushes himself to his feet. "We can't meet at the school anymore," he says. "On the roof. It's too obvious. Too easy to overhear. Hell, Mishima snuck up on us."
"Okay, but what're we-" Ann starts, but Akira holds up a hand.
"Not here." He looks down the alley towards Shujin's front gate. "Not anymore." He takes out his phone and dials a number he's yet to have reason to call.
It rings a few times, before someone picks up and says, "LeBlanc," into the receiver.
"Sakura-san, could I have some friends over?"
"... who is this?"
"Eh?" Akira asks, and holds the phone way from his ear. "It's Akira!"
"Oh," Sojiro replies. "No, the cafe is still open."
"Please?" Akira asks. "I'll take them upstairs, we'll be quiet, I promise."
"Like that matters," Sojiro replies, and then lets out a long, sigh. "Well, alright. But I don't want them here after I close up. You may live in the attic, but it's my shop, not your playhouse."
"Understood, thank you, Sakura-san."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." The line goes dead.
Akira pushes his glasses up to his forehead and rubs his eyes with his finger and thumb, and returns his phone to his pocket with his other hand. "Okay. Let's go to LeBlanc. We'll talk more there."
"Right," Ryuji says, nodding. "Let's move."
"Hold it," Akira says, as Ryuji bends down to pick up his bag. "We should take separate paths."
"Huh? Why?"
Akira shrugs. "If they suspect us, and see us walking as a single group, they'll get even more suspicious."
"Wait," Ann replies, her brows coming together in concentration. "Wouldn't it be even more suspicious if we took different routes to the same place, though? And that's if we're being followed."
"Oh, crap!" Ryuji shouts and turns back to the alley's entrance. "Are we being followed?"
Morgana hisses and his tail sticks straight up in the air. "All of you, relax. Look, this is what we'll do. Lady Ann, you take Ryuji and head to LeBlanc, but first, stop in Shibuya and buy something at the mall."
Ann rolls her eyes. "Right. Take Ryuji shopping, that won't look suspicious at all."
Morgana shakes his head. "As much as it pains me to say this, pretend it's a date or something. Akira and I will go straight to LeBlanc. That way, if we are being followed, you can..."
Akira isn't listening. He doubts anyone is following them. Yet. He just wants his thoughts to himself for a few minutes, even an hour. He needs to plan. He needs to find a way out.
There's always a way out. Rokuro's words beat through his skull like a headache.
##
A/N: Things are kicking up a notch! Sorry for the late posting, it's Labor Day, so I stayed up all night and didn't wake up until 11.
Just a reminder, this is the last week I'll be posting until my extended. I suspect I'll be back in October, but if anything changes, I'll be sure to let you all know.
Thanks for reading!