Hello! Am back! :D

Ty for all your review, I promise I read y'all, I am just pressed for time today so I'll just leave this here XD

Y'all yes, I actually do like Ryomina pairing as much as ShuYuka lmao. What can you say, I'm a multishipper =3=

Let's get goin', then!

NOTE: APOLOGIES FOR TYPO IN ADVANCED. AS USUAL, I DID TRY TO CORRECT EVERYTHING, BUT SOMETHING MIGHT ESCAPE ME STILL

Disturbance

December 31st, 2016 [Saturday]

The interrogations and the questionings and the detentions are boring.

Ren sighs as he leans back down onto his little cot, the cold, hard surface pressing deep into his spine as he looks up at the blank ceiling above, the itch a constant presence in the back of his head. At least Raoul is giving him company. But, the last two days, he's been feeling a bit more listless than usual, as if something's happening, something that he might have something he could do to change, or to stop.

Raoul often stirs in discomfort within his chest, whenever they're not talking. His irritation affects Ren somewhat, as well, making him a bit more jittery than he usually would be. Ren isn't quite sure what kind of event could've riled Raoul – the unfazeable Thief-King – this much, and Ren is kind of worried.

What makes you this restless, Raoul? Ren decides to ask, his eyes still glued to the same black spot on the damn ceiling. You're never like this, not even when we were fighting a god.

Something is not right with the real world, boy, Raoul growls lowly. Ren could faintly see the flickering image of the Thief-King right beside him, and he almost shoots up fast enough to give himself a swimming vision. When he blinks again, the image is gone, but that is so not normal. You could see me, just now, could you not?

Yeah, He replies, blinking a few more times. He then frowns as he tilts his head upward. But how?

Something is happening to the real world, Raoul repeats again, rattled by something far beyond the scope of Ren's vision. He scowls a little, but couldn't offer his mask any retort, and Raoul takes his silence as a chance to elaborate. It feels much like before, when the Mementos are merging into the real world. But more than that – something that shouldn't have happened is occurring. Memories — many memories — are being manipulated.

Memories? Manipulated? What do you mean? And wait – wait, wait, what? Ren asks, and backtracks when each and every word's meanings finally reach him. Feels like the real world and the should-have-vanished Mementos merging? And memories being manipulated? Whoa, back up, hold up, Raoul. What the hell do you mean by all of those?

I do not rightly know. This power is beyond what I've ever seen, Raoul hums quietly, uncertain, for the first time in forever. Be very careful, Trickster. I will inform you more if I know anything else about any of this. Tread carefully.

I will, He promises silently before leaning back down onto the bed.

To be frank, he also thinks everything seems a bit… stranger than they used to be. People are less hostile towards him in general, even in a place like this. Juvenile prisons are not known to treat their detainees well, but what he's been experiencing so far contrasts everything he's heard of the place. At first, guards and detainees are obnoxious, true, but ever since yesterday, thing's been a lot nicer than they should. It's a subtle change, but it's something he notices, nonetheless.

The news doesn't change, though, so everything seems fine on the surface. But with Raoul being as listless as he is, coupled with his cryptic words about the real world being different, Ren couldn't help but think; do these people treat him nicer because of that? The changes are subtle, but they are there, where they shouldn't be.

He's brought out of his musing when his door creaks open, and one of the younger, nicer guards comes in with a small smile. "Amamiya. Someone wants to talk to you."

"My friends?" He asks idly as he gets up. Have they found Yuuki?

"No," The guard shakes his head, pushing the door open a little wider. "…Trust me, you don't want to keep this person waiting. Ever."

Ren scowls slightly, but nods regardless, pushing himself off the hard surface of the bed and stretches his arms above his head. He kicks his legs in the air a few times to get rid of the tingles before he walks over to the guard, who starts leading him out. "Who is it?"

"Kirijou Mitsuru-san," The guard says, and that almost makes Ren drops his jaw into the floor. Raoul is making a surprised hum, too. And, upon seeing whatever expression Ren's having, the guard laughs. "I'm surprised as much as you are, it seems. She doesn't come here often, but when she does, she'd either blackmail the hell out of someone, or get someone out. Either or."

Ren has never met the woman before, and neither he nor his team has ever crossed path with any of her associates – at least the known ones – or the Kirijou Group at large. So what could she possible wants with him? Although, since she's a Persona User and the founder of the SEES, he supposes she might know that the Phantom Thieves are Persona Users, too. But what could she possibly want with him still?

The walk to the designated room is fairly short, so Ren isn't given much time to think about the reasons for Kirijou Mitsuru's sudden appearance. When the guard opens the door and he's ushered in, he's almost suffocated to death by the sheer amount of pressure three occupants give out.

One of them is a man with white-silver hair, a patch of stubble on his chin, and a look of a fighter. The other is a short-haired blonde woman, her striking blue eyes as piercing as Mochizuki's own, a strange headphone on her head. And last but not least, a woman with long burgundy hair and fur coat, every little bit of her – from her clothing to the way she carries herself – screams of royalty and nobility.

Ren gulps, and makes his way to the small chair opposite from the one and only Kirijou Mitsuru. When he's properly seated, the blonde woman looks up at the cameras, and he follows only to notice that the red dots of light – lights that mean that the device is operational – is gone. He turns to them as Kirijou says to the blonde. "Are we in the clear, Aigis?"

"Positive," The blonde, Aigis, nods, her voice leveled. He chances a glance at the man, who takes a brief look at his phone before giving his companions a thumb up. "All communication devices within the area are disabled. You are clear to proceed."

"Very well," The woman begins as she looks up at him, and Ren has to gulp down the oppressive air, to make himself a little room to breathe. "This is the first time we've met, Amamiya Ren. I am Kirijou Mitsuru, as you may have known. The blonde woman here is my close aide, Aigis, and this man is my closest friend and confidant, Sanada Akihiko."

The SEES, Ren whispers inside his head. Raoul stirs and hums in agreement, low buzz of nothingness echoing inside his ribcage. Mochizuki might not have given them all the names of the members of that particular group, but he instinctively knows this to be true. But he decides to keep that to himself, for now, and nods. "…A pleasure, I guess? Uh, and… what do you want with me?"

"Let me cut to the chase, then," Kirijou says. "First and foremost, thank you, truly, for taking down Shido Masayoshi."

That actually surprises Ren, he's not going to lie. Futaba told him once that, from what her internet surfing (it's less surfing and more ravaging, if anyone asks for his opinion) had told her, Shido had been dealing shady deals and blackmailing lots of people, not to mention obstructing justices. If what Mochizuki told him about the SEES and Kirijou is true, then it is highly plausible for her group to have crossed path with such a man before.

He chews on his tongue a little, and decides to wear the mask of a Trickster – no point lying about Personas and Shadows now, if he is to take an educated guess. And since they seem to have taken measures to make sure what is said in this room will stay in this room, he might as well mention Mochizuki's name, so that they will have more cards to play with in their attempts to find Yuuki.

He relaxes back, Raoul cackling quietly in the back of his mind, and smiles wryly. "It's my pleasure. And, before you ask, yes, I can also use Personas. But how I changed his heart will have to remain a trade secret."

There is a slight pause, probably shock more than anything else, before Kirijou nods, while the girl, Aigis, eyes him with part suspicion, part awe. Then, Kirijou says, "So you assume we are Persona Users as well, then? How astute."

"It's complicated, but let's just say that I know," He says with a small smile. Raoul hums, and he grins a little wider. "Yeah, my Persona agrees."

"I will not pry," She says as she leans slightly forward, her eyes searching. Ren would have flinched back, had it not been for Raoul's voice keeping him grounded. "Then, I'll be straightforward with you. I require no payment – for taking down Shido, and for being accused unjustly, I've made it my goal to release you."

Oh. "…Thank you, I guess? But, wouldn't this, like… cause you to step on some big toes?"

"I do that all the time. A few more won't make much difference," She says. He spies the man, Sanada, coughing into his hands and mumbling something, while Aigis just smiles. "I've searched for all the necessary evidences to overturn your sentence, and I'll hand it to Niijima Sae later on. I've also found the eye witness. The polices have now received from us some… reassurances, so you will be released after our discussion here is over."

"…Do I want to know what kind of reassurances you had handed out?"

"No," The two behind Kirijou say simultaneously, making Raoul laughs delightedly.

"…Okay?"

"Well then, that is all, I suppose," She says as she stands up. "Do not tell anyone of what you know, and we will keep out lips sealed just the same. And, if you should require assistance, or find something that might be related to Shadows and Personas, you can contact me."

She pushes an elaborate business card his way, and he examines it. No names, only numbers. Ren takes it and blinks dazedly at it a few times before looking up at her again. "Uh… there is one thing I'd like to talk to you about, right now, if you're alright?"

"Go right on ahead," She says as she gestures for the other two to stop.

Ren glances at the camera again, and then listens to the silence beyond the steel door. When he's quite sure they won't be overheard, he whispers, "A friend of mine's named Mochizuki Ryoji."

Whatever reactions he is expecting from her, he hasn't expected that single word that would've made everything Mochizuki told him a lie.

"Who?"

He just sits there on the sidewalk, dazedly tapping away at his phone for Goro to pick him up.

After that single word, Ren tries again by invoking the name Yuuki Makoto, their supposed Leader, but they look genuinely surprised and confused. Their reactions don't lie – they don't know them. And Ren just knows that Mochizuki didn't lie, either. How could that be a lie, when his claim that Kirijou knows about Personas is true? How could it be a lie, when Mochizuki has been upfront with them since the beginning? How could it be a lie, when all those emotions in his eyes he saw back then were so real and so genuine?"

Goro's reply comes as a phone call, and when he picks up, he's greeted with angry yells and cries and whatever else he's pretty sure he deserves it all. After twenty straight seconds of cacophony, the call quiets down, and Goro's voice rings through. "How are you calling me, when you should still be locked up in juvenile prison?"

"Dude, aren't you going to be, like, glad for a second?" Ren jests, but even he himself could tell that his voice is not as jovial as it should be. He suppresses the urge to sigh and scratches his arm lightly before continuing. "I'll give you the long version later, but the thing is, Kirijou Mitsuru released me."

"Who did what," Goro deadpans, and this time, Ren laughs, genuine. "Ren, what? Really? Kirijou Mitsuru released you out of the blue, just like that?"

"Yep," He affirms, playing with the hem of his shirt. The air is freezing, and if he stays out here for too long, he's going to catch a cold. "I'll give you the long version of things later. But I've got not a single yen on me, so come pick me up?"

There is a pause, followed by a hushed whisper, before Goro returns to the line. "I and Mochizuki-san will be there to pick you up at the station. Just wait at the gate. And…"

"And what? You miss me or something?" Ren takes the moment to tease Goro, trying his best to hide his discomfort about the startling discovery that Kirijou does not know Mochizuki and his friend.

Goro, however, sees through his attempt and derailing the topic and growls out. "Ren, something big is bothering you. What is it?"

Ren sighs. "Yeah, something is, but… it'd be best if I tell the two of you face to face. It's kinda hard, talking about this through the phone."

"…Alright," Goro concedes, his voice low. "Then we'll see you there. And, Ren?"

"Yeah?"

"Congratulations on the early release."

He laughs at this. "Thanks, man."

Once the line is cut, he lets his legs carry him towards his designated area. And, soon after he starts walking back to his home, Raoul calls, his voice as strained and joyless as it could've been. It is as I fear, Trickster. Something, or perhaps someone, is affecting the real world. I have witnessed through Death's eyes before, and I can say with certainty that his stories are true. They should've remembered both Death and the Seal.

Then why did they have that kind of reactions? Ren inquires, brows furrowing, hands tugged inside his shirt as the biting cold starts settling it. The only sound around him now is the sound of his shoes scuffing the ground beneath. Their faces are genuine. I don't think they faked it. They have no reason to. What happened? What could make them forget like that?

A god, comes Raoul's stern voice. The only thing capable of changing the fabric of reality and memories would be a god, or something of equal power.

Mochizuki said that, when Yuuki conquered Nyx and sealed her into the void, the memories of the Dark Hour are briefly forgotten, Ren thinks, recalling the details of the events leading to Yuuki's first death. But those memories were returned on the day they promised to see each other, and it should've stayed that way. So that means, either Nyx has been vanquished for good, which is not possible, since Death cannot be denied—

—Or this is the work of another god entirely, a god with a will of its own, like Yaldabaoth, Raoul affirms, the hum filling and drowning out the background traffics. I know not what caused this. But I don't sense any hostility or intend to harm from the air.

A benevolent god? Ren asks.

Nonsense, Raoul replies immediately, his voice scornful. No benevolent god would rob people of their free wills. Would you call Yaldabaoth a benevolent one, then?

Ew, no, Ren scrunches his nose. But once the notion is gone, he rubs his chin. A god who would erase a specific memory? And come to think of it, maybe the way the detainees and the guards treated him during the last few days… it might be connected to this. Or it might not.

He has nothing to work on, so he simply sighs; all he could do now is discusses with the others on what to do next. And then?

And then, he guesses he'll see.

Goro punches his gut and makes him doubles over as soon as he's within range.

"Ow!?"

"That's for pulling the rugs under me the first time," Goro hisses, leaving Ren curling on the footpath. And Mochizuki isn't helping, either; the man just laughs at him, delighted and relieved. When Ren looks up, he sees Goro's eyes glint with something he couldn't quite name, but he looks… pleased, he thinks. And, after a heartbeat, he says with a smile. "Welcome back."

"It's… ow," He grunts, shifting up to his feet, Death silently pulling him up by the arm. "It's good to be back. Damn it, dude, you punched me like you wanted to kill me."

"Of course not," The detective smirks amusedly at him. But then, his smirk devolves into something more genuine as his gloved hand pats Ren's shoulder. "But I speak the truth. Welcome back."

"You wouldn't believe just how glad he actually was, back when he received your call," Mochizuki says with a laughter, and Ren catches Goro going a bit redder at that. "He's a Tsundere, that's for sure—"

"I'm not!"

Mochizuki ignores Goro's indignant protest, favoring his conversation with Ren over bantering. "But I share his sentiment. I'm glad it all worked out, but – Mitsuru-san? Really? How did she even know about you?"

"I dunno," Ren confesses, rubbing the spot Goro decked him (which, by chance, is his solar plexus. Explains the pain, alright), a hand on Mochizuki's shoulder to ground himself. "But she figured out I'm the Phantom Thief, said she released me as a thank you for taking down Shido."

"How nice of her," Goro muses, crossing his arms. After a moment, he continues in a more somber voice, veering the topics of their discussions into Ren's original goal. "And what is it that bothers you?"

"Oh, yeah," He mutters, standing up straight and exhaling, centering himself. Once his breath returns to him in full, he turns to Mochizuki with a frown. "…I know you have no cause to lie, and you've been nothing but truthful with us since the beginning."

Mochizuki's smile goes away at that, worry dancing in his sapphire blue eyes. "…And?"

"Kirijou-san and her associates made sure to secure the room, and I mentioned your name."

There is a long, long pause, where Goro nods in quiet agreement, while Mochizuki doesn't look surprise nor upset, but a little uncomfortable. Given his history with the SEES, that is to be expected, Ren supposes. But at his silence, Mochizuki nudges, stern. "…Did she say something that bothers you? Did she—"

"That's the problem," He cuts Mochizuki off. "When I mentioned your name, and even Yuuki Makoto, all she said was, who?"

Mochizuki gapes, his voice raw as he whispers, "…What?"

"They don't know either of you," Ren concludes, glancing at Goro once before he continues. "I'm sure you didn't lie, but… they genuinely don't remember you nor your friend. But they remember everything about Personas and Shadows."

"That's… that's impossible," Mochizuki gasps out, his eyes wide. "Amamiya, that – they not remembering me might be feasible, since I merged with Nyx, but they should remember Makoto – they must, because he's an important family to all of them. They should've remembered. This—"

"Raoul said that the real world seems different," He continues, making Death blinks. "He said something had happened to the real world, much like when Yaldabaoth was in control. He still isn't sure what, but he said that it's likely that—"

"—Their memories were manipulated," Mochizuki and Goro conclude at the same time, the former more petrified than anything, while the latter seems to try to think this through, like a detective that he is. Then, Death murmurs quietly. "My ability to feel things are… well, they're not the same, not yet, but I do feel something strange in the air. To think that something like this could happen…"

"A new god?" Goro asks, beckoning them to start walking as the hour starts to tick by.

"That, or a power equal to one," Ren says with a small nod. "Raoul can briefly manifest into the real world, too, but only for a few seconds. It looks like Yaldabaoth had left a huge damn mess for us to clean up."

"We should convene with the others to discuss our next move," Goro says, pulling out his phone. His face then twists into an expression of annoyance, and before Ren could even thinks about asking, he's turning the phone his way. After a moment of blinking at the phone stupidly, he notices it – an app, grayed out, but with the same eye-like icon. "I suppose it has something to do with this."

Ren only nods before he gestures for Mochizuki to take a look. While the boy still hasn't gotten himself a smartphone of his own due to his circumstances and his lack of funds, he has been entering the Metaverse with the Thieves since he first offered them his aid, so he, of course, would know about the existence of the MetaNav.

"…Hadn't it disappeared along with Yaldabaoth, though?" Mochizuki asks, pensive, before Goro pulls his device away. Death then turns to Ren, frowning. "I haven't seen it when Akechi-san showed the phone to me after the battle, but that could've been just me."

"It had disappeared," Goro adds, swiping his fingers across the screen with a frown. "I just noticed it when Ren called me, and that was by chance, no less. What about you?"

"Haven't checked," Ren confesses as he pulls out his own device. True enough, the app has manifested into his phone without his knowledge. At this, Raoul seems to shift uncomfortably inside his ribcage and knocks at his spine, urging him to investigate further. "…Yeah, it's here."

"Did we fail in destroying that damn god?" Goro hisses, his anger clear in his blood red eyes. And then, he sighs, fingers rubbing at his temple as if to quell the stress piling up under his skin. Ren pats his shoulder lightly, his other hand still massaging the spot he was punched (he isn't quite sure if he should be surprised or not that Goro's got some serious right straight punch).

"No," Ren says, chewing on the inside of his cheek. "I'm pretty sure that thing's no more. Raoul doesn't feel Yaldabaoth's equivalent of sticky fingers on the fabric of reality anymore, but he said that the feeling is familiar."

"This is just great," Goro mutters.

"…At least we've got a lead, as… dubious as it may be," Ren hums, glancing back at Mochizuki. "Dude, what do you think? We investigate this, or go after your friend first?"

He tilts his head to the side, genuinely confused. "…Why are you asking me?"

"Far as I'm concerned, there isn't anything urgent that needs our immediate attentions just yet, but the matter concerning your friend does. Then again, this might evolve into something worse. So, I wanna know your opinion, too, since you know best the state your friend's currently in," Ren reasons before turning slightly to Goro, getting himself an approving nod.

At this, Mochizuki shifts his focus away from them, his eyes wandering upward into the sky, his lips pressed into a thin line. Each and every time he checks upon his friend's state, his expression would turn the same, into worry and fear and discomfort. And each time, his anger – cold and calculating – would only grow even colder still.

Then, he sighs and looks down, a flat smile that doesn't reach his eyes on his lips. "…The same. He's not currently in pain, but in a lot of discomfort. And, as always… I cannot pinpoint just what is wrong, or where he is."

"So that hasn't changed, huh," Ren hums, looking forward, slowing his pace a little more. The other two follow, with Mochizuki hanging just a little behind, deep in thoughts. "The others are at Leblanc, right? Since I heard them yelling profanities at me through the phone and all that."

"Yes," Goro says with a small nod as he glances at his wristwatch. "Should we gather and discuss about this now?"

"Tomorrow should be fine, I think," Ren says. It's almost midnight, after all. Besides, tomorrow is New Year, so he doesn't think discussing this now is such a good time. The change hasn't been that big, so he supposes a few more hours wouldn't make much of a difference. "It's New Year after all. But I guess I'll give them a short run down first, then we could begin our investigations tomorrow."

"Carefree as always," Goro shakes his head.

"What would a few hours change anything?" Ren says, crossing his arms behind his head, a grin plastered on his lips. "Come one, Goro. I know you aren't the type to celebrate, but let loose once in a while, yeah?"

The boy sighs, exasperated, but nods. "Sure, sure."

"What are you planning on doing tomorrow?" Mochizuki asks, his eyes shifting upward again.

He exchanges a look with Goro, who only rolls his eyes, so Ren takes that as an invitation to make a plan for Goro himself. "Visit the Meiji Shrine, I think. And you're coming with me, dude."

"No," Goro snarls at him, with less bite than usual.

"Come on, we both know you aren't planning on doing anything tomorrow anyway!"

"Ugh, fine!" The detective growls, throwing both his hands up in the air, defeated. Mochizuki laughs a little, the lines of worries leaving his features just a little more. "Curse you and your flamboyancy and your spontaneity, Ren."

"I know you love those about me," Ren teases, knocking his elbow into Goro's side before he turns to Mochizuki. "You can come with us, if you want. Your last New Year didn't end very well, right? Might as well correct that."

There is a pause, and then Death smiles. "How considerate of you, Amamiya. I accept."

"Great!" Ren laughs, stretching his arms up into the air as clouds of frigid cold leaves his lips at every breath, painting the dark sky with dusts of white.

With that, the atmosphere as they make their way back to his home (or theirs, Ren thinks) becomes lighter than ever before.

He decides to end the meeting after a brief discussion with the Thieves, who agree to continue their talk after their own New Year visits tomorrow afternoon.

As usual, Morgana goes to Futaba's, claiming that he, and Ren quotes, does not what to be a third wheel, and Ren just knows that the not-cat must've heard something from Mochizuki. That guy's unconcealed gleeful smile upon hearing Morgana saying that is just a huge red flag that, yes, Morgana seems to somehow knows about his not-really-piddly crush on Goro.

He only rolls his eyes and half-yeets the not-cat into Futaba's waiting arms before he returns upstairs.

Mochizuki is already fast asleep at the edge of the couch, arms crossed, which Ren finds to be unusual – the man isn't even wholly human, after all. He has never konk'ed out like this, so Ren tilts his head instinctively as a way to question what he's seeing. He spies Goro sitting on the other edge, eyes glued to the cursed app, his brows furrowing.

Ren decides to break the silence by pointing at Mochizuki. "Why is he asleep?"

"After you were detained, he spent most of his time trying to connect to Yuuki-san," Goro explains as Ren walks over to sit beside Goro, careful not to move the couch too much. Mochizuki stirs, but doesn't wake up, his face burying deeper into his yellow scarf. "Of course, no luck. Something kept blocking him. He almost had a breakthrough once, but then his connection suddenly went away."

"It sounds like whatever the captors did to Yuuki, it's not something permanent," Ren observes, a finger on his chin.

"Mochizuki-san said something about drugs the Kirijou Group used to manufacture before," Goro says with a small nod. "He said that Yuuki-san used to mention something about Persona Suppressors, a type of drug used in order to reign rampaging Personas in."

Ah. He remembered Mochizuki talking about a certain group called Strega, who stemmed from the previous experimentations done by the past head of the Kirijou Group, Kirijou Mitsuru's grandfather. And since these captors splintered from the Kirijou Group itself, he could see them having the necessary knowledge to reproduce such things, and the resources to do so – through Shido, that is.

"So, these people must've been using Persona Suppressors on him, huh?" He muses quietly. Raoul stirs again, this time with a streak of anger and a tiny bit of fear, something that the Thief-King has never before shown. Ren frowns. "…I wonder what kind of effect it would have on someone's body. And I'm not keen to find out."

"Neither do I," Goro hums. "I thought Futaba-san might be able to find information pertaining this particular concoction inside the Kirijou Group's database, so I'm having her look into that right now. So far, there's barely any traces, but there are a few mentions about the substance here and there."

"…Not to question your judgement, Goro, but—"

"—How does that have anything to do with finding Yuuki-san, right?" Goro finishes in his stead. He doesn't seem angry or irritated, more like understanding. When Ren nods, he continues, "I thought so, too, at first. But remember this – they're using something so specific to keep severing Yuuki-san's ties with Mochizuki-san, so if we could find the source, wouldn't it be possible for us to trace it to where the drugs are sent, or better yet, where they are used?"

He follows, and hums in agreement, eyebrows shooting slightly upward. "…Oh yeah, that sounds solid. But it's kinda convoluted, though."

"Do you think we have any other lead?" Goro growls.

"…I suppose not."

"And, to answer your original question," Goro says, waving his hand towards the sleeping boy, who seems bothered, even under the spell of the sandman. "He has been running himself ragged – not just trying to reestablish his connection with his dear friend, but also with finding your witness. He's also quite the worrywart – so when he heard that you were released, it seems like all those mental fatigues has finally caught up to him."

…Ren feels a little guilty at that. And he knows all too well that Goro must've felt the same. There are rings of discoloration under his crimson eyes, and he looks a little worse for wear. So Ren places a careful hand on his knee, squeezing gently. Goro doesn't look up, but he nods in acknowledgement. Ren waits for a few moments before murmuring. "Thank you."

Goro snorts. "I did promise you to see your promise through, didn't I?"

"Yeah," He hums, pulling back and leaning his head against the wall behind the couch, his eyes trailing upward at nowhere in particular. He decides to focus on the light bulb as he relaxes. Raoul stirs within him as Ren lets his worry goes for today. "God, I'm tired."

"So am I," Goro mumbles, yawning. He then grabs Ren's shirt and pulls him off the couch. He gives Goro a look, to which the detective replies, "You go sleep on the damn bed already. The couch's mine."

"Not like I'm against sharing the bed with you," Ren grins, fully intending on teasing Goro.

However, he hasn't expected Goro's face to go beet red at that, and he laughs as the detective tries (and fails) to grab him a second time. "Oh, shut the hell up, Ren! Don't make me punch the lights out of you!"

"Sorry, sorry," He laughs as he retreats away, still mindful to not cackle too loud as to wake Mochizuki up. "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow, then. G'night."

Goro nods as he unfolds the blankets and settles down.

Things are starting to look up, at last.

Ren couldn't wait for the new year to come.

It has been a while since Ryoji's passed out the way he did.

The last time was probably before fighting against Makoto. He had tried to resist Nyx's calling, but of course, he failed. Although, he was given enough time to give the SEES enough information to fight, and to give Makoto one last goodbye before they had to clash on that faithful day.

And here, he dreamed – of the Sea of Souls, and saw Makoto, who had been reduced to nothing but a small speck of consciousness, drifting amongst mankind's malice and heroism, driving him towards the inevitable end that is insanity. It felt to him like wading through thick, foul muck, and each time he found Makoto at long last, it would take but a moment, a slip of attention, for his soul to drift away and back into the Sea again.

But no matter how many times it happened, Ryoji had never given up – he had given up on Makoto before, when he tried to persuade his best friend (his beloved) into relinquishing his memories. Memories and bonds that make and define his very being. He refuses to give up on Makoto a second time. He is Death, and nothing else but Makoto's terrible fate terrifies him, so he tried, and tried, and tried again, trying to keep his light company, trying to free him from drowning forevermore into the Sea of Souls, where all but those who were born from it that dare venture into will undoubtedly disappear.

When he sought out that old man, the High One, the Progenitor God, upon Izanagi and Arsene's suggestion, all he could think of was that the god will help Makoto from disappearing into nothingness, into the void of madness that creeps ever closer still. He didn't care about anything else. He would gladly disappear in Makoto's place, if he could. But he had never thought the Progenitor God to be just so; a God who exists before all others. He thought the man, whose name remained unknown to him at the time, to simply be a Persona that was born at the very dawn of time.

Pulling Makoto out of the Sea is the one thing that he doesn't regret, from all of this. He regrets having Makoto thrown back into the world, bound to a contract, against his own will. He regrets being unable to deny the Pact of Punishment. But one thing that he feels like he's done right, is to save Makoto from the Sea's devouring waves.

His eyes snap open, and he gasps, coughing dryly into his scarf before he places a hand to his own chest, calming down his beating heart (he has one) and centering his thoughts. He glances around, to see the absence of any kind of light in the room. He then squints through the darkness, and the clock reads just a few minutes past four in the morning.

He's… overslept, not that the notion means anything to him; he has never had the need for much rest, ever since back then. An hour or two had always been enough, but he supposes after all the failed attempts to find his light (his light, his life, his other half), it would come as no surprises that he would pass out the way he did.

With a sigh, he gets up, the chill wind of winter nothing more than a cool, comfortable breeze on his skin. He glances out the window, to see the moon – Nyx – in her wicked splendor, before he looks down at the Wild Card, who's sleeping soundly.

He smiles slightly.

They'll help me find you, Makoto. Wait for me, okay? I'll be there as soon as I can. Please don't give up until then, because I never will.

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