Futaba looked up from her phone. It felt scummy to lie to Ren, but she had to. She didn't want him to even catch wind of what she was about to do. Anxiety was slowly building in her chest and part of her wanted to run back to her room and lock her door. Cuddle down under her blankets and never think about this all again. The problem was she was blessed with a great memory and these questions would always return, lingering doubts would build. The last time she refused to face something, she locked herself away and that only made everything so much worse. Now was time for a different approach, she was going to face this head-on.
Futaba turned off her phone before she slipped it into the pocket of her jacket. There was a hope that Makoto would distract Ren enough that she wouldn't be fielding uneasy questions from the man she considered a brother. Futaba knew she'd have to tell him about this one day, but today wasn't that day. She needed to get all the answers and sort them out for herself before she'd share this all with anyone. After all they were talking about her mother's legacy here.
A large black S.U.V. pulled up to her. Futaba shifted in her spot on a bench just outside of a Yongen-Jaya. She had chosen this spot as it was well out of range of Café LeBlanc, and it would be far more convincing that Futaba had left to spend time with Ren than anything else. What Sojiro didn't know wouldn't kill him. Futaba in a way felt safe with all this, even if her anxiety was congealing into a large mass in her chest. Stepping up to the SUV, Futaba removed her backpack and put it in the back seat before she moved to the passenger seat and climbed in.
"You don't have to do this."
Futaba looked towards the driver of the SUV, Goro Akechi. Goro had a surprisingly soft look on his face and his eyes betrayed something Futaba could only speculate was akin to pity. Futaba didn't like that, she gave him a quick glare and stood up straight after she buckled her seat belt. She needed to be strong so she was going to fake it to make it.
"I do!" Futaba proclaimed trying to let her conviction show in her words. "Drive, Goro Akechi!"
Goro let out a sigh before he switched his attention to operating the vehicle. Futaba got comfortable in her seat but as the uncomfortable silence between the two hung in the air, Futaba could feel her uneasiness surge forward. Her mind became muddled with thoughts she'd rather not think about, she needed an out from her head.
"I'm surprised you can drive." Futaba struck up, wanting to end the silence between the two of them.
"You do realize I'm 18 right?" Goro glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "I prefer taking trains or biking but I figured you like a more private escort."
He was considering her level of comfort; that was nice of him. "This isn't your car then." Futaba kept up the conversation.
"No, I believe it is technically Rise-san's, Nee-san let me borrow it for the night since it's the one she normally drives," Goro explained.
"Do you think of her as your sister? Naoto-san?" Futaba pressed not knowing if she was going to be hitting a sore spot or not.
"Do you think of Ren as your brother?" Goro was quick to counter. Futaba had indeed hit a sore spot.
"What else could he be to me? I love him, but I don't like him like… ya know... 'that'…" Futaba shrugged pulling her knees up to her chest.
"Fair." Goro nodded before the conversation lapsed there.
Again silence reigned in the car. Futaba brought her arms around her legs as she tried to hold off the silent thoughts that kept creeping up in her mind. They had become stuck in Tokyo traffic and Goro had this almost boring stare as he was forced to inch the vehicle up every few seconds. Futaba didn't know exactly where they were going so it could be quite some time before they arrived. Because of the weather the car was sealed up and Goro currently had the heat running. The area was about as private as it ever was going to be, so Futaba figured she could ask the questions that were on her mind.
"You knew my mom, didn't you?" Futaba asked as she leaned against the car door, her eyes drifting towards traffic that surrounded them.
"Yes." Goro nodded gravely, there was a pain in those words.
"You are subject 'A', aren't you? From my mom's research." Futaba glanced at him to gauge his reaction.
"Correct." Goro's lips pressed into a thin line as he gripped the steering wheel.
"So that means you lied back then. It was my mom that wanted you to explore her Palace, wasn't it?" Futaba asked finding her courage.
"Yes…" Goro kept his eyes on the road refusing to even glance in her direction.
Futaba went silent as she had not wanted to confirm that fact. Subject 'A' had been the only human in her mom's cognition experiments. Subject 'A' had no family and was just a kid lost in the foster system, expendable and perfect for her Mom's research. A boy, she tortured and drugged to get information about the cognitive world. She had hypothesized that through mental anguish one would find their way to that other world. So that's what she did, subjecting subject 'A' to all sorts of physical and mental torture until he snapped and gained that ability. Futaba's mom, as much as Futaba didn't like to believe it, had a dark side to her that Futaba would have never known about had she not been given her research.
"And that's how you obtained your Persona, it was tortured out of you." Futaba looked towards Goro.
Goro didn't look like he wanted to respond, but as he glanced towards Futaba he slowly nodded. "Yes, during one of my near-death experiences I happened to cross over to that other world. Something there spoke to me in a deep voice. It told me it had a use for me. Next thing I knew I was in your mom's Palace and could feel Loki in the back of my head, guiding me. I thought I had gone insane. That I had finally snapped under it all. Once I figured out how to go back, your mom kept pressuring me to return. She needed more data for her research, when I reached the end of her Palace I met her shadow. Her shadow was just as obsessed with getting data as the real person was and attacked me. I had been fighting Shadows up until that point, but your mom was strong. I had no option but to fight back with lethal intent. I didn't want to kill her, but her shadow was too powerful. After I won I remember looking down at my body and realizing how injured I was. I hadn't felt any pain up until that point and still didn't but I knew I was in a bad way. I collapsed and woke up in a hospital bed a few days later. I had contacted Shido before then and had plans to use my new power to entrap him. So, I wasn't too surprised when I woke up and he was there. Shido said Wakaba's research was complete and that she didn't need me anymore, but he did. I jumped at the chance to serve him, figuring this was the first step on my path to revenge."
"Is that why you have a high pain tolerance? Because of what my mom did to you?" Futaba felt wrong asking these question but she needed to know.
Goro shrugged. "Probably. You get put in a near-death state enough, I guess you just stop caring about the pain and long for the silence. Look Futaba, I'm sorry I gave you that report. I didn't give it to you so you could see your mother's sins."
Futaba looked down at her knees. Subconsciously she bit down on her lip. In a way Goro's confession cleared up some things for her. Her mom wasn't a saint by any means. A woman obsessed with her research, but that report had opened Futaba's eyes to some things about her mother she had not been expecting. Futaba hugged her legs.
"My mom tortured you and yet you're consoling me about her." Futaba looked out the window.
"I had nothing so I wanted something. Anything that could be mine, that's why I allowed her to do it to me." Goro focused himself on the road as they got off on an unfamiliar exit. "Futaba, I was a willing participant in my suffering. Don't frame your mom as an evil person. Despite what she did to me, she did show me a lot of care. The time between experiments was weeks; if not months. She'd always explain what she was going to do and she always made sure I was in peak health. I'm the one that kept pushing for this Futaba."
"Don't you hate her?" Futaba tensed up.
"I can't." Goro sounded uneasy.
"Why not?! She thoroughly detailed how she almost killed you two times before you suddenly disappeared during the third attempt! You should be dead. She even detailed how you would scream so loud that the whole lab would be able to hear it." Futaba's voice raised in volume as she yelled at Goro.
Goro slowly let a sad smile come to his lips. "Yes, I was there. I remember."
Futaba tightened her grip on her legs. This conversation was becoming uncomfortable and she didn't want to continue to it. This all was stirring up feelings she hadn't felt since the Phantom Thieves had stolen her heart. She glanced at Goro, he still wore that sad smile.
"You are so infuriating," Futaba growled.
"I'm sorry." Goro glanced at her from the corner of his eye.
"Stop apologizing! God Goro. Stop hiding your pain. It's okay." Futaba sighed.
"I don't know what you want from me Futaba," Goro replied.
Silence once again lapsed across the SUV. This time Futaba didn't force conversation, she just let herself retreat into her mind. Futaba didn't know where they were going nor did she care at that moment, her mind was locked in thought. After what must have been an hour, Akechi pulled the SUV into a vacant parking lot and killed the engine. Futaba pulled herself from her head and looked around.
"Where are we?" Futaba asked.
"The location of your mom's Palace. The cognitive pscience laboratory. I get the feeling you've never been here before." Goro looked at her before getting out of the car.
Futaba slowly got out of the car and looked at the abandoned building before them. Time was starting to reclaim the building as it looked as if it hadn't been graced by anyone in years. Vines and various plants covered the simple reddish brick office building. Nothing about the building stood out and it looked fairly unobtrusive from the parking lot she was currently standing in. Futaba took a few hesitant steps towards it before Goro appeared by her side. He had a crowbar and a flashlight in hand.
"Follow me," Goro instructed.
Futaba quickly obeyed, following after the detective as he stepped up to the front of the building. The entrance was a standard glass entryway. Next to the glass door was the first evidence that this was indeed her mom's laboratory. Etched upon the glass next to the door read, 'Cognitive Pscience Research Facility.' Futaba had wondered why her mom never brought her into her work, but the fact human experiments were going on in probably the main reason. Still, Sojiro had known her mom from work. Did he know about the experiments as well? Or was that all swept under the rug when he was here? The way Sojiro talked about her mom, he couldn't have known... Could he? Goro raised the crowbar and quickly shattered the glass door. Reaching through the now shattered door he unlocked it and stepped in. Futaba blinked at the sudden fact that they were now breaking into her mom's old lab. Surely they were breaking some law by doing this.
"What are you doing?" Futaba whispered harshly.
"Breaking in. What does it look like?" Goro looked back at her before he reached out and pulled her into the laboratory. "Look, this place had been abandoned for over two years. No one is going to notice we snuck in. Now stay close to me."
Goro pushed on deeper into the abandoned building. Futaba clung close to Goro, her anxiety once again spiking and causing her heart to beat a little faster. Goro stepped into what looked like a reception area and pulled out a flashlight shining it over the abandoned room. Everything looked as if one day everyone just up and left. A thick layer of dust covered everything causing Futaba to sneeze as they moved through. A solid door in the back of the lobby was the next hurdle, but the crowbar Goro had brought with him made easy work of the door. Futaba continued to cling to Akechi as they now stepped into the lab proper.
"Shido had put this place on ice once your mom died. He moved out most of the equipment to another site but left this to place rot. I know he was trying to create another me using your mom's research." Akechi explained as he moved through the hall.
"Create another Persona user?" Futaba asked. "Using my mom's methods? It's highly flawed!"
"Yeah… He killed at least four people trying to recreate me. That was probably the only reason he kept me around for so long. He had wanted to create several more Persona users and use them as his personal weaponized army. I can't rule out he doesn't have someone else out there, your mom's method was flawed but it did produce me." Goro's flashlight illuminated a barren lab, gutted but still had some things that could have been used.
"Four people? How much do people not mean anything to your dad?" Futaba hissed.
"They probably mean a lot more to him now that we changed his heart," Goro sighed as he moved to a door and pushed it open.
Akechi's flashlight trailed over a medical gurney that had heavy restraints on it. The room was barren except for the gurney, but there were scuff marks on the floor that seemed to indicate there had been more things in this room at one point. They probably would have taken the gurney too except it appeared to be bolted to the floor. Futaba caught the look in Goro's eyes as he looked into the room, there was a hint of recognition but it was mostly pain.
"So this is the room…" Futaba reached out and grabbed Goro's arm.
"Yeah." Goro turned and walked away.
Futaba quickly followed him out reaching out and grabbing the prince detective's coat. "Hey Akechi…"
"What's the matter Futaba?" Goro looked back at her as they stepped through the empty lab.
"Do you want to die?" Futaba tightened her grip on his coat.
Goro didn't respond for a long second. "Futaba, everyone dies eventually. I don't fear death and maybe that's my problem. If my death can mean something to someone, then I suppose I wouldn't mind dying. Even if that reason is revenge."
Futaba reached out and pulled Goro into a hug from behind. "You're not allowed. You can't die yet."
Goro stopped as a chuckle echoed from deep in his chest. "That's the second time a pretty girl has told me not to die in two days. I must be lucky."
Futaba tightened her grip. "Doesn't make it any less true. Why are you laughing?"
Goro just laughed. "Sorry, I guess I have a bit of a morbid sense of humor. I don't think my sanity would have survived this long without it."
Goro flicked his flashlight along the walls of the lab until he illuminated a nameplate. Slowly Futaba released him glancing in the direction of his light. The light reflected off the bronze nameplate as Futaba read the name engraved on it. 'Wakaba Isshiki'. Finding a new source of courage within herself, the teenager stepped out from behind Goro and up to the door. Running her fingers along the cool surface of the nameplate, memories of her mother flooded into her mind. Trying the door handle, the office door smoothly opened to a dark room.
After being offered the flashlight, Futaba ventured into the room. Goro stayed by the door as Futaba's newly acquired flashlight swept over the room. There was a desk, a file cabinet, a computer, various picture frames that held diplomas or degrees Wakaba had acquired in her life, an empty water cooler, and a set of chairs. It seemed like a normal office, nothing that spoke much to the woman that once occupied it. Futaba focused her light on the curtains at the back of the room before stepping up to them. Opening them up, the dying light from the setting sun illuminated the office in a soft amber glow.
Large dust particles filled the air but the new light made something just out of the corner of Futaba's vision come into view. Instantly Futaba was drawn to this particular object. Stepping up to the desk, Futaba reached for a picture frame that sat on the edge of the desk. The dust had collected over the glass frame making the picture a blurry mess, but as Futaba dragged her sleeve across the frame the picture became clear. It was of her and her mom, taken five years ago. Bright genuine smiles framed both of their faces, as it had been a happy moment from Futaba's childhood. A trip to the zoo with her mom, a day of fun just for the two of them. The bullying at school and mom's constant work was all but forgotten that day. A truly happy memory that Futaba had all but forgotten until that moment. Futaba hugged the frame, her mind replaying the bliss of that day five years ago.
As the memories receded, Futaba slowly released the frame before slipping it into her jacket. She wasn't going to leave this place without a picture of her mom. Almost everything she had from her mom had been stolen by her uncle and no doubt sold off to pay for his bad gambling debt. Until that point, she had only one other picture of her mother. The professional photo that had been used during her funeral. It had her mom in a lab coat with an almost cold expression on her face. Futaba hated that photo because it didn't reflect the warm mother she had known in her childhood, only the cold scientist. This new photo was exactly how Futaba wanted to remember her mom, as a mom. A warm smile appeared on Futaba's face as she felt the weight of the frame against her side.
"I have you back mom…" Futaba whispered.
Futaba picked up the flashlight she had set on the desk in favor of the picture and shined it around the room. Again the standards of the office greeted her. Except for the picture and the diplomas on the walls nothing about the office seemed to reflect it had been her mom's. For a second she contemplated taking her mom's diplomas but she had no real use for them. The picture of the two of them was the real treasure of the room, however, there was something she did want to take. Futaba cast her flashlight over the computer that sat on the desk.
While she had her mom's research, something about snatching the computer's hard drive appealed to the hacker. Moving the monitor off the tower, Futaba pried open the computer. The amount of dust that had collected inside the tower made Futaba's skin prickle. Futaba's room might have always been messy but the inside of her computer was always spotless. The hacker didn't want to sacrifice a bit of power because of a bit of dust. She needed all her machines to run at a full 100 percent overclocked power. After blowing off some of the dust from her mother's old computer, Futaba navigated to the hard drive only to find it screwed in. Futaba had tools for this kind of job, but they were at home.
"I don't suppose you got some spare tool on ya, Light?" Futaba asked as she looked up from the internals of the computer.
"No, but just grab the whole computer. No one is going to miss it." Goro advised from his location at the door.
"Okay…" Futaba nodded.
She quickly disconnected the whole set up and grabbed just the tower. The whole thing was heavier then it looked and Futaba struggled with it. Goro who was watching the whole process seemed to notice her struggle and stepped up pulling the tower from her hands and taking hold of it. He didn't seem as awkward with it as Futaba had been. Futaba appreciated the help.
"Shall we head back?" Futaba suggested.
"Don't you want to explore the lab more?" Goro asked.
"Naah, I'm pretty sure I found all the good loot this dungeon has." Futaba handed Goro the flashlight back.
"Alright, follow me." Goro turned and started to head out.
Futaba kept close to Goro as they made their way back through the lab. Even if this was the place Futaba's mom worked, the place still gave Futaba a bit of the chills as she knew what had happened here. Luckily it wasn't much time before they stepped into the lobby then out of the shattered glass door. They were quickly losing daylight as the street light seemed to turn on just as they stepped outside of the lab. Goro handed Futaba back the flashlight before he rummaged through his black gumshoe coat to locate the keys to the SUV. Goro quickly unlocked the car and moved around to the back to put the crowbar and computer back there. Futaba followed him having to head around the car to the passenger side before she caught sight of three people appearing from the end of the parking lot. Futaba froze as the people approached. Goro seemed to notice Futaba's sudden distress turning his attention to the three people.
"Nice car you got there." A nasally noised skinny man with a multitude of tattoos addressed them.
Goro gently pulled Futaba behind him as a smile appeared on his face. "It is rather nice, isn't it? A new model too with all the features." Goro's tone was almost sing-song as he looked towards the three guys.
"Yah hear that boys? It's got all the features. How about you hand us the keys?" The skinny guy smirked.
"Oh, I'd rather not, as it's not my car." Goro just kept smiling as the three men drew closer.
Suddenly one of the men produced a knife from his pocket, a long one. "Look pal we ain't gonna ask nicely again."
Goro let out a light laugh. "Gentleman, I don't believe you know who you are dealing with. From your tattoos, I can tell you work for Kazumi Kunda. I know your boss and I don't think she'd be very happy to know some of her goons attempted to rough me up."
The three goons paused at that statement clearly not knowing how to respond to the fact Goro had just name-dropped their boss. The three looked among each other before one of them nudged the skinny one and whispered something to him. The skinny one suddenly looked really pissed.
"Look, pal, I don't know who you think you are, but our boss ain't friends with some pretty boy T.V. detective. Last chance, give us the keys and anything else valuable you have or that girl with you will find out how sharp this knife is while we make you watch." The skinny guy took another bold step forward.
Fear welled up in Futaba's chest as she clung to Goro's back. Never in her life had she been in this situation before and the threats they made sent shivers down her spine. Still, no matter how afraid she was Goro seemed eerily calm. He just kept smiling as if there wasn't any danger in front of them at all. Futaba didn't know if it was from his life experiences or just his honest lack of danger sense that fueled his confidence. Goro looked back at Futaba before he took off his coat and gave it to her before turning to face the three men before them. The shoulder holster that normally concealed his gun was now in full view. Apparently the goons had brought a knife to a gunfight and they were now starting to realize their mistake.
"You threatened my friend…" Goro started before something seemed to switch within him as Futaba felt the air around them suddenly drop a few degrees. "That is a sin I can't abide by…" there was something dangerous to Akechi's words.
What happened next was a flash. Goro grabbed the crowbar from the trunk and swiftly attacked the skinny man. Hitting him once in the arm that held the knife and again in the jaw. The second goon tried to throw a punch but Goro quickly ducked it using the hooked end of the crowbar to catch the guy's foot and knock him into the already dazed skinny guy. Both goons fell to the ground as the third seemed to realize something and tried to get away before Goro was on him. A high hook to the gut was enough to send the guy sprawling to the ground along with his two other friends. Goro stood over the three downed men, an apathetic look reflected in his eyes as he reached for the gun holstered at his side.
"You trash! Leave the knife and run. If you do I might let you live..." Goro's voice dripped with venom as he pointed his firearm at the men. His voice held the kind of tone that sent shivers down Futaba's back.
The three men looked at each other before they scrambled to their feet and took off, the knife was the only thing left in their wake as they bolted back into the shadows they had come from. Goro watched them go, holstering his gun before he reached down and picked up the knife. He examined it before and with a sigh, he returned to the back of the SUV. Once everything was quickly loaded into the trunk along with the crowbar; he shut the trunk before looking at Futaba.
"Sorry about that." All that danger Goro's voice once had held before was gone.
Suddenly the emotional stress of the danger Futaba had just been in along with the anxiety she had been feeling all day came crashing on top of her like a tsunami of emotions. Tears started to form in her eyes before she suddenly lunged forward and wrapped her arms around Goro. Futaba buried herself in Goro's chest as she unleashed the emotional torrent she had been keeping locked up inside of her.