Chapter Thirty Three: Roost

Makoto woke up from dreamless sleep at 3 in the morning. The subdued, droning light of the cityscape seeped into her room like a cold, furtive presence. The young woman greeted the faceless amalgam of wayward occupation with heavy eyelids and tired indifference. Her arms and legs, spread out on the mattress, felt numb and stiff. She thought it strange, as she usually associated the feeling with the aftermath of a hasty but strenuous workout. But it had been a rather long time since she last got some proper exercise.

On the other hand, it was not as if she had been idle since.

The darkness was not her friend. It never has been. The source of her fear reached far back into her past, long before her father's untimely death. Yet the courage that compelled her to push past, plunge in, survive in the dark had an even longer reach – it spanned her present, her past, and her future. That was something her boyfriend said once during a pleasant, lazy afternoon spent just lying together on his mattress. Hearing others say it often helped her assert the belief. But whenever she heard it from her sister or Akira, something felt warm and gently swelling in her chest.

As if the memory itself could shape reality, a shadow on her right gave the peculiar impression of being something else: a head of thick, black hair, wildly tousled. She could count the times he spent time like this in her room on one hand. But each of those times had a special, unique charm to it – something about him huddled next to her in her single bed. Close, intimate in a kind of way that needed little more than each other's company. For most other things, his room offered ample space - his bed and couch for their indulging; the floorboards for the one kind of mess she loved.

But what kind of mess did she leave him in when they parted earlier in the evening?

He looked calm enough – that was as best as it got during more recent days. His 'intervention' in Arancia shed new light on one of his worst habits: secrecy towards his friends whenever something was wrong about him. By now, they knew his increasingly severe dissociation was caused by Nyarlathotep's hand. But all the same, the way he handled it was cause for concern. Makoto knew he would have kept it from their eyes forever if he could help it.

This secrecy was a divide sectioning Akira. One side was he clinging to the security of a road they all paved together as Phantom Thieves: the hope for a bright future in a society reformed. The other was he unable to ignore the truth any longer. This was Joker casting himself fully into the fire. But neither side was he complete. Whether here or on the other side, the man she loved seemed only half of himself.

But that afternoon, after their voyage into the Velvet Room, he seemed more whole. The comfortable, immanent silence they shared outside of LeBlanc led to something Makoto did not expect. It began with a slight fidgeting on his part, as if he doubted whether he should say it. She was so thankful he did; very confused on what he said, but thankful regardless.

"I've been seeing his presence all the way here since we escaped his world." He said.

"Do you mean…?" She sat up straight, eyes gone wide.

"Yeah. It's like some vague, intangible shadow teasing in the corner of my eye." This was, unbeknownst to her, a major understatement. "I see it too often. It's really annoying."

"Are you seeing it right now?"

"Yes." The tremor of telling such a truth allowed him to mask the trouble of it. She would be aware of his ability to see the bond Nyarlathotep forcefully created between Akira and him. But he would not let her know how this truly looked in his eyes. How his reach manifested into thin ends that swirled around her face and body, teasing to snatch Makoto away from him. How this ghost of a presence turned his reality into a hideous palimpsest.

"Akira… how are you feeling?" There was so much she wished to know after knowing about this, but all she was truly interested in was his welfare.

"To be honest, I feel angry." This caught her off guard. It was not as if she did not expect him to be upset in this situation. But anger was something she hardly ever associated with him. That image escaped both her knowledge and her imagination. "But it may not be all bad. Perhaps this could work to our advantage."

"Seeing his presence in our world, you mean?" She asked him.

Makoto felt him nodding. His held her a little tighter.

"A little insight. Maybe a trail of breadcrumbs... possibly."

"I… suppose we could use that. We do have to return to that place for intel. No asset is a small one." She smiled. "Thank you."

"For what?"

She turned to him, linking the line of her eyes with his.

"For being honest."

"Doesn't sound like something you should be thanking me for." He said, with a little humour in his tone.

"It's not. But, right now… I can't be bothered to care"

"Me either…"

Their conversation ended with a kiss, the first one in what seemed to them an eternity. Sae and Makoto left LeBlanc an hour later. The younger of the Niijima sisters looked forward to just spending some time with her sister. Dinner at their apartment would do the trick – as far as she was concerned – but Sae was of a different mind. She spoiled her little sister that night, something she did only when there was occasion to celebrate. The sole fact that Makoto was alive and well was enough.

She had a great time. But in the back of her head, she retained the mental image of Akira as they said goodbye that afternoon. He looked vital, whole, and calm. Something struck her oddly, nonetheless, like there was something else beneath his face. She could not put her finger on it, even now as she lay awake in the late night side of morning. All she had was the slight impression that Akira looked distant; further away than he physically was, further away than the distance he closed between them.

Makoto knew they would all meet again later in the day for a meeting. She would see him, and his face would unmake her anxiety. The morrow could not come soon enough. But right now, she was stranded in the midst of sleeplessness. She suspected she would not be able to fall back asleep so easily, and let out a groan that fell only of the inert ears of her beloved Buchi-kun.

Soon enough, something took her from this listless daze. A faraway glint gently calling from her desk. Makoto narrowed her eyes to make it out, but its shape did not reveal itself fully to her until she got up from her bed and made her way over

Her breath got caught up in her throat, and her eyes welled up in an instant. There, by her laptop and her favourite pencil case, was a square old thing, cheaply cut from glass, its surface fogged by age and use. Her father's ashtray. She had neither used it, nor even noticed it since the day of their crossing over. A butt remained in the square from a cigarette she smoked in the course of a terrible night. It left her then a taste of desperation; she could perceive a peculiar taste on her tongue in this moment also, but it was different. It tasted like an amalgam of memories. Of her father, of her sister, of countless joyous days long passed.

The memento left behind by Akihiko Niijima, the thing she dubbed her repository for reflection reserved something for her.

What would dad do?

This was the question she asked herself on multiple times when she started questioning her path. When life was carrying her along, with no true autonomy on her part, her moral compass eventually led her to take control. Even if she should defy the established order and the coherence of the world around her. Thus, she rode her path on her own terms since, pursuing justice for all, punishing evil, protecting what she loved.

The question itself no longer represented doubt or uncertainty. It had been answered through her actions within and without the guise of a Phantom Thief. But now, when revisiting the notion, Makoto Niijima was compelled to answer the question once again.

What would dad do?

He would do the very same thing she had been doing, the same thing she would be doing on the future, both near and distant. Like father, like daughter, they would never give up or give in – they would seek justice, punish evil, and protect the people they loved, forever.

Though it pulled a pang of sorrow out of her heart, she became wide aware of it now. She had surpassed her father, in turn changing the question.

What would Makoto Niijima do?

Then her thoughts were filled with the sound of breaking glass, startling the young woman. Then, a multiplicity of voices followed, the sound of which rooted her where she stood.

I am thou, thou art I, Thou hast renewed an old vow. It shall become the wings of rebellion That breaketh the yoke of thy heart.

She could understand the language spoken, but the overlapping of the voices made it hard to follow in its entirety. Some of it sounded as if were spoken by herself, some of it by Anat; but then, it also sounded as if it were being said by the several new Personas she acquired. Sometimes it sounded like the voices of people she knew. Regardless, there was no extracting a single line from the rest, only a set of words that became etched in her heart.

The Fool…

The echo of the word produced an image of Akira Kurusu in her head.

The Magician, The Priestess, The Empress, The Emperor, The Hierophant, The Lovers, The Chariot, The Justice, The Hermit, The Fortune, The Strength, The Hanged Man, The Death, The Temperance, The Devil, The Tower, The Star, The Moon, The Sun.

The voices dissipated from her mind, but a warm feeling remained in her chest. Makoto was no longer rooted to the floor, and she lost her balance instantly. The young woman fell to the ground with a thud, but she did not mind it in the slightest; her mind was occupied on different matters. She definitely needed to understand what just happened, but that was not her chief thought.

Her mind was in the future, in the days that awaited somewhere beyond the barricade – a world she longed to see. This feeling manifested into an idea, which she would propose on the meeting at LeBlanc. However, she could not help but wonder if it was indeed a good idea; if it could be interpreted as a mere distraction, or if they would really be capable of carrying it out if they agreed.

There was no helping it right now. Tomorrow, it was all about tomorrow.

[ ]

The Phantom Thieves reconvened at LeBlanc the next day around 10 in the morning. The familiar faces began showing on the other side of the door, starting with Makoto and Futaba, as the first serving regulars went about their day, Sojiro noticed the quiet air about the three almost instantly; even the cat that normally would never stop meowing was strangely silent today. Then again, he figured some quiet was to be expected all things considered.

As Boss had anticipated, things got a little livelier when Ryuji and Ann entered the café. They afforded a little unwinding even after Haru arrived, and then Yusuke. But all throughout, Makoto looked somewhat extracted from the situation. This was quickly noticed by her friends, but she insisted nothing was wrong. There was merely something on her mind, and she would wait until later to put it forward. Meanwhile, she had other thoughts to work through, namely the strange epiphany from the night before.

Sae Niijima joined them soon after, while business at the café was still slow. The woman brought her profession's sharp ways to the table as she and the Phantom Thieves each put together the pieces of all they had learned. Their allies' efforts out in the streets, and the fruits of the latest voyage into the Velvet Room. Throughout it all, Sojiro never left his place behind the counter, but he caught every word spoken. Like Sae, he also learned about the Velvet Room's peculiar inhabitants, about Nameless, Belladonna, and the Demon Painter, and the history of its original master, and its conflict with Nyarlathotep.

This naturally led to the latter's motivations, and the need to acquire a better understanding on them. Regardless, everybody present shared the dreadful conviction that he could only mean harm, on an impossibly large scale.

"This is… not an easy thing to believe." Sae commented. "It shouldn't be radically strange, all things considered, but a world so irretrievably compromised in a bet…?"

"I don't know." Sojiro interjected. "People and Gods? I don't think they're all that different. And we all know people listen to their vanity too much. A bet that ended the world, I'll buy that. So, these folks, they gave you any useful info on how to beat this guy?"

"Well…" Akira began.

"We kinda just have to pummel his ass…" Ryuji said.

"…to the ground." Ann added.

"A given. But from what you've told us, that's easier said than done." Boss spoke.

"The people in the Velvet Room offered all their assistance to help us improve our abilities." Haru said. "It's an advantage, but I wonder if might alone will be enough."

"That is true. There's not knowing if stronger Personas can defeat the other Joker, let alone his master."

Futaba translated for Sojiro and Sae.

"Ugh, I forgot about that guy. We'll have to face him all over again, right?" Ryuji said with frustration in his tongue.

"I am not looking forward to that." Yusuke admitted.

Akira did his best to conceal his discomfort on the matter.

"Would that truly be necessary, however?" Sae asked.

"Sis?" Makoto turned to her sister at once.

"You described in disturbing detail what that… Joker… did over on the other side. I can see the benefit of planning in basis of that possibility, but it may be best looked at as a worst case scenario."

Though nobody present had the courage to outright contradict the former prosecutor, the Phantom Thieves were not entirely convinced. Facing Nyarlathotep would inevitably have them face his knight as well. Even if their new allies could help them bridge the margin between their current power and that of the Failures, the latter still met a gruesome defeat at the Joker's hands. This comparison put words to a dreaded possibility: that this Joker may actually be stronger than Akira. Then again, the young man's powers were currently impaired. But even if Akira's abilities were somehow fully revitalised, nobody wanted to hazard that duel on account of a 'maybe'.

In that moment, Makoto silently considered the new variable in the equation: herself. She was now a Wild Card, just like Akira. Potential for further power was within reach now, and she was also unshackled by Nyarlathotep's grip. On the other hand, she had a chasm of inexperience ahead. Overconfidence, and a lack of understanding of her gift could prove fatal. But if they saw no other choice…

"I think you're on to something, Sae-san."

Everybody turned to look at Akira. His eyes were lost on the black surface of his coffee.

"I think our approach is all wrong."

"What are you suggesting?" The feline asked from his vantage point on the headrest of the leather seat.

"We're not playing to our strengths. When we first got into that place, we were out of our depth and we didn't know the rules." Akira explained.

"Yeah, that weird asshole held all the cards too." Futaba added colourfully.

"Yes, he did. But now we know more than we did then." The young man momentarily showed the cheeky confidence he wielded in the guise of Joker. "I think we have enough to make our way under our own terms."

"Do you mean…?" Ann's blue eyes opened wide.

"An infiltration!" Morgana spoke, ears and tail perked up.

"Yo… can we actually do that?" Ryuji wondered out loud.

"Does not seem like the most stable of environments to navigate through." Yusuke added.

"It sounds better than just charging forward into the fire." Makoto stated. "Besides we do have a magnificent navigator of our own to guide us."

"What, who? Oh yeah! Me!" Futaba bounced in her seat as much she could without actually leaving the surface. "We do it quietly and the job must be way easier!"

"Well, this certainly is starting to look more manageable." Sae turned to Boss.

"I suppose. So long as they keep to the thieving ways…" Sojiro Sakura was never wholly comfortable with the notion of the people he loved most plunging into peril.

"Then, the next step will probably be reconvening at the Velvet Room to prepare ourselves." Haru said.

"... And find out what Nyarlathotep's game truly is." Akira punctuated.

"NOT SO FAST!" A woman's voice followed the clinking of the bell on the front door, piercing the moment instantly. Even Sae looked startled as the journalist clad in 90's-screaming clothes walked up to the booth.

"Ichiko-chan?" Sojiro greeted, sounding more confused than pleased.

"As she lives and breathes!" The woman replied. "Akira! This a bad moment?"

The young man blinked, dashing the shock away.

"Yeah, kind of."

"No surprises there. Everything's bad lately, according to one Yuuki Mishima. Kid's been putting me up to a load of work just to help you guys with whatever sketchy business you're up to." Ichiko Ohya looked playfully at everyone present in the café, including Sae Niijima. For some reason, the journalist did not exhibit any signs of being intimidated by the famous former prosecutor. It was as if Ohya's craft and persona were Niijima-proof.

"Excuse me, Ohya-san." Makoto spoke carefully. "Have you been… um, working with Mishima-kun?"

"You betcha, Mako-chan!" The journo's response was confident. "See, we've been looking up some info that may not be for everyone's eyes. He does his bit. I do mine, you know how it is. Anyway, I thought I'd run into a dead end, but I came upon a name that may be familiar to you all. Does Susumu Kamiyama ring any bells?"

Haru stood up immediately, taking Ichiko off guard.

"I guess it does..." The woman pulled out a dossier out of her equally outdated handbag. "You could say I followed my gut. I talked with a charming little nobody, and found out some interesting stuff about the man's activities. Of course, this info comes at a price!"

"Ohya… please…" Akira said.

"That price being a cup of joe. Black as tar, and bitter as me." She said to Boss, her demeanour instantly turning serious.

"Figures…" Sojiro chuckled before picking a blend for Ichiko.

"Well, kiddies. There's a lot to unpack, and it will probably make more sense to you than it did to me, but it looks sketchy as all Hell." Ichiko spoke as she stood next to the booth, placing the dossier on the table for all to see.

The journalist presented all of the information she gained from Tomohiro Higashi several days ago, all of which she looked further into by checking with the electricity purveying services in Kawasaki. It took some pressure and some flattery; but in the end, her efforts were rewarded with confirmation on the nature and the deeds of one man: Susumu Kamiyama.

Through his network of connections, the Chairman of White Pheasant gave the order for the Kawasaki's power supply to be briefly suspended. This was scheduled to take place on one specific night over a year ago. The man's influence suppressed any inquiry on the blackout and its possible motive. And the lack of any actual incidents helped bury the event into hearsay until it was soon forgotten. However, this information was anything but vague for the Phantom Thieves.

Where most would see a somewhat strange but otherwise mundane happening, they saw purpose.

They saw a thread that led to Akira's infamous night over a year ago, his 'stress-induced sleeping disorder', and his wandering across Kawasaki under complete darkness. At several points during disclosure, Ohya spoke one word, which struck her attention during Higashi's interview. And that word sealed the affair into a full circle.

Benefactor.

The image was clearer now. They could almost picture it happening, the intent congealing into action; one stage at a time. Nyarlathotep influenced Kamiyama into provoking the blackout in Akira's town of residence - to obtain his template, the resources to create a Joker of his own. The story unfolded on its own after that, in violence and terror of the present threat.

"Well, now we know how Nyah-nyah got this crap show rolling." Futaba remarked.

"Yeah, but is that really useful?" Ryuji questioned.

"I think it does." Haru reflected. "It's a long string of events, and Kamiyama-san appears to have pulled a lot of the weight rather than his benefactor."

"It's almost as if there's not that much Nyarlathotep could do on his own." Ann nodded. "Does that mean… he may not be as powerful as he seems?"

"Possible. This resembles what Nameless told us in the Velvet Room. The method is not that different. This dark lord either indoctrinates or possesses a suitable victim, and utilises them as a tool to enforce his will through human means. Nyarlathotep – truly a despicable entity."

"Whoa, whoa. Nyarlathotep. Like, the Lovecraftian guy?" Ichiko interrupted with a wave and a snicker. "I know already you're knee-deep in Phantom Thieves stuff, but… what exactly are you up to?"

Everyone exchanged a preoccupied look, which clearly spelled a question of whether or not they should tell the journalist.

"Look, it's cool if you don't want to talk. I won't sing if you do, though." Ichiko took a sip from her coffee. "Plus, I'm not sure you're legally entitled to disclose that information." She flashed a slightly mocking smirk at Sae Niijima.

"Given the peculiar nature of this situation, I don't think there are any proper legal boundaries to speak of." Sae replied dryly. "It's up to them."

After catching a nod from each of his friends, Akira gave the journalist the same retelling given to the rest involved in aiding them, while keeping certain details from her. By the end of it, with their deep foray into the Velvet Room and a summary of the things they learned from its dwellers, the leader turned to his lieutenant and held his gaze on her for a moment. The pause did not go unnoticed; neither did her expression, or the way she gently squeezed his hand. Her expression dismissed the moment as a mere show of affection.

Ryuji and the rest turned to each other in confusion.

"Akira… there's something you haven't told us, yes?" Morgana asked.

"There is." The young man responded. "For what it's worth, this I haven't kept to myself for that long." He went on to tell them about Nyarlathotep's presence in this world, how he was able to see it, and its marginal reach at present.

"Well, at least this time you told us about it." Ann said.

"This is serious." Yusuke added.

"Very." Akira acknowledged with a nod. "This could mean one of two things: that his plan for this world is already under way, or his world is somehow anchored to me."

"Both are plausible." Makoto said.

"Agreed. But whichever the cause, I still see the one way ahead of us." Morgana declared.

"Man, that cat meows a lot, huh?" Ichiko whispered to Boss.

"You don't know half of it."

"I'm definitely glad I'll be getting a puppy." Sae commented, careful to keep her distance from the cat sitting several metres away, lest it snap her allergies awake.

"Get to that freaky place, get the truth out of that guy, and break his hold on our world. No problem." Ryuji spoke.

"Just that easy, huh?" Akira smiled at his oldest friend.

"You bet!"

After this discussion, Akira saw something more than Nyarlathotep's ethereal tendrils hovering around each person in the café. He saw a clearer path than before, a more solid approach to the menace that held the chain around their lives. Learning about Susumu Kamiyama's more earthly role in all this has provided with a certain insight. Nyarlathotep's renewed presence in this world initially amounted to nothing more than a whisper in a hopeful ear. His powers may increase, and his knight was still bulwark to climb, but the mortal vessel of the Crawling Chaos could be a vulnerability.

Susumu Kamiyama was a potential chance to separate Nyarlathotep from his power, one they could reach as long as they took command of the shadows on the other side – as Thieves.

"Hey." It was Akira's turn to squeeze Makoto's hand. "There was something you wanted to say, no?"

"O-oh! Umm, it's… it's nothing." The thought reappeared fresh in the young woman's head. Even after the time she had to metabolise the idea, she was unsure of how to put it forward. It seemed superfluous in the grand scheme of things. But she could not put it to rest easily.

"Please, Mako-chan." Haru smiled at her friend. "You looked troubled earlier."

"Is there something wrong, Makoto?" Sae approached the booth, despite the cat's proximity.

"I… had the idea last night. Before I tell you all, please know that I will understand if you are not keen on it. And I believe this is a decision we must make as a group."

"Makoto?" Her boyfriend uttered with worry.

She experienced the same kind of unease she did when being forced to spontaneously speak before a crowd. The words already sounded awkward inside of her head. One deep breath later, she went ahead and said it.

"I think we should come out of our status as 'missing persons'."

"Do you mean…?" Her sister was surprised, as was everyone around her.

"Yes. Get back to school, work, whichever. Just let the world know that we're here. I know it's probably not the best time to approach this, considering what we're up against… But just staying in cover all the time, waiting for the moment to strike, I can't see it doing us any good. We need something of our own, even if it's just routine." Makoto expressed herself as best she could. She wanted to say more, but many of the things she had reflected on the night before did sound better under the cloak of night.

Then it was she who was surprised. She initially expected some conflicting views coming at her swiftly like a reflection. But at that moment, everyone stayed quiet, like they were indeed considering what she just said, thinking it over. Or perhaps it was something they had already considered themselves. There would be questions to come shortly; but for now, vague notions of agreement began to manifest into gesture.

"I think the girl is on to something." Sojiro broke the silence, smirking in a way not to dissimilar to his foster son.

"I do kinda miss work." Ann confessed.

"Same." Ryuji nodded. "'Sides, after we beat this thing, our lives may be a bit of a mess. I mean, they're not gonna go easy on us even if we go all 'Hey we're the Phantom Thieves of Hearts and we just saved the world again.', right?"

"Ryuji talking discretion…" Akira brought a hand to his chin. "Is this for real?"

"Ha ha. But yeah, it's for real."

"Going back to our daily activities may help us gain a sense of structure also!" Haru seemed rather enthusiastic.

"Guys, I don't dislike this idea. But, you can't just pop back out there and return to school and work. People are going to ask questions." Morgana said. "And there's still the time management factor…"

"True. We would need an alibi to explain our disappearance, as taking care of our responsibilities as well as facing this threat will not be easy to accomplish." Yusuke reprised the feline's words.

"I think I can help you with that…" Boss spoke, shifting all gazes in his direction. The smirk remained on his face.