Chapter Thirty
There are many signs that this is a dream, but Yume takes one look at the interrogation room and just knows it's going to be another nightmare. She taps, first on the table and then on her unresponsive legs. The chair is at least slightly more comfortable than the reality version. Her other hand runs through blond locks and she waits.
Her dead sister walks in.
So it's going to be like this, Yume thinks, resigned to wake up crying. Her older sister smiles, as if she knows. The blue eyes are filled with glee as she flips her shirt's collar, showing off rope-like bruising around her neck. Yume purposefully doesn't take her eyes away from the woman's face.
"You know you miss me," her sister says, taking a seat across the table.
"Always," Yume answers. "But we've been over this fight before, figment of my guilt. What do you want?"
"You always ruin my fun, sis," her sister pouts and Yume stops tapping. She laces her fingers instead, leaning back just to watch. "I thought you'd enjoy seeing me." Yume's eyes flick pointedly to the bruising. Imaginary sister smiles a bit more predatorily. "Like a hole in the head."
Yume spasms at the direct blow to her psyche.
Imaginary sister flinches too. "Ouch, that hurt, huh? Can't say my death was any better."
"Had this fight before," Yume grounds out. "Any new material?"
The slick smile comes back. "Actually… I'm curious why you keep doing it."
"It," Yume deadpans.
"The researching… hinting… blackmailing…" the dream does look curious. "You could have gotten out of the business. New life, new slate. But you didn't even have the decency to stick to legal habits."
"Would you have expected me to?" Yume smiles a bit with disbelief.
Her sister takes a very long blink before sighing. "No, I guess not. You can still cut out now, you know? The real Phantoms can't haunt you if you stay out of the other world."
"I'm not leaving Ryuji with an abusive father. Or Haru with a neglectful one."
"Because you love them," her sister taunts with a sigh. "Ryuji is replacing our little brother."
"No he's not," Yume say with enough vitriol it surprises her.
Her sister takes a long blink again, and nods. "Yah, he's not. I am glad you're making a family."
Yume chokes up at that, gaze going to the rope bruises because that's easier than seeing the honest expression on her sister. "No, you're not."
"I'm jealous I can't be there, but you're better without me." Her sister's smile is honest even as Yume full-body flinches. "Why don't you stop doing illegal things?"
Yume forces herself to meet the soul-searching blue gaze. "Why would I?"
Her sister looks pleased. "You'll get caught."
Yume looks around the room with fake nonchalance. "Nothing that hasn't happened before."
"But what if you get in trouble with the non-humans?" A pause. "Oh, did you forget about them?"
"Keeping up my habits can stop my family from doing stupid things," Yume says with a firm, searching gaze.
Her sister looks amused. "I did thank you for that, in the end."
"I'll figure it out," Yume states. Her sister snorts. "I will."
"You better," the dream sighs.
"As long as I don't use the information, there's no reason for me to be found out."
"And isn't that the worst truth of all," her sister smiles cruelly, reaching across the table to wipe Yume's cheek like she's wiping a tear. She fades into Yume's past-life mirror image, and Yume starts to panic when her skin starts peeling off. "All that information-" the hand slips to her forehead, "and one slip is all it takes to burn."
Yume shoots up in bed, breathing hard and wiping at the tears on her cheeks. Then she hesitantly reaches up further and almost sighs at the feel of her smooth forehead.
"Just a dream," Yume says, and laughs a bit hysterically at the sound of her own name coming from her lips. She switches to Italian. "Just a dream." Then English. "Just a dream"
Then she starts getting ready to head over to Sojiro's. If it's a few hours early, well it isn't the first time she's caught the five o'clock morning anime.
;;;
"How do you like taking care of Yume?" Maki asks her youngest son while Yume's washing up in Leblanc's bathroom.
"I'm not really taking care of her," Hitoshi jokes, sipping his coffee. "She seems to have entire streets of vendors wrapped around her fingers, and they all give me the stink eye."
Ms. Eguchi chokes on her laugh, waving him off from helping. "I'm alright. That's good that they're still looking out for her."
"She knows some of the employees' birthdays," he thinks back to earlier today. "Should I be concerned?"
"She's just a child," Ms. Eguchi shrugs and pushes her food around. "She doesn't get any conversation at home, so I am glad she is getting it from somewhere."
There; her son finally picks up the hint. "Mother?"
The woman leans closer, whispering, "Her parents are never home and I haven't seen her babysitter in months."
Hitoshi pauses and then frowns. "Mother. I'm not getting into the middle of a family issue."
"Yume won't go to anyone with authority," Maki shrugs and wraps her hands around her coffee. "I don't know how much contact she has with her family, but she obviously hasn't told them since she is still left alone so often. Sojiro - you remember him - and I look after her when we can, but we'd both feel better if she had someone looking after her all the time. Preferably someone we know."
"I like what I do with my friends," Hitoshi says seriously and raises a hand when his mother tries to cut in. "I understand your hesitance. Trading artifacts won't make me rich, but I enjoy doing it. I don't have time to become a full-time caretaker for a child."
"Think about it," his mother says tightly. "If not for you, for your little sister."
He pauses, eyes wide. "Pardon, little sister?"
"I didn't give birth to her, but I've been taking care of Yume for months," Ms. Eguchi swallows her grimace at the time she's missing with Yume by caring for her grandchild. "With your goddaughter needing someone to be with her for another six months at least, Yume's been here all alone and it makes me sick to think about what could have happened if Sojiro didn't check up on her so often."
"She goes to his house for breakfast," Hitoshi says out loud, thinking. "And he takes her for dinner sometimes. She told me."
"She got rain fever," Ms. Eguchi hisses, glaring holes in her coffee cup. Hitoshi doesn't get why. "You won't remember, but Jiro almost died when he got sick with it."
"That's why you always make sure we have umbrellas," Hitoshi mutters, gaze flicking over to the opening bathroom door. "I won't make any promises, mum, but I'll leave her with my number in case something happens."
"I'll give you her numbers, just in case." Maki switches to doting mother and helps Yume up into the booth. Hitoshi finally relaxes now she's not using the disappointed eyes on him. "Do you think you want some desert, Yume dear?"
Later that night, Hitoshi's heart skips a beat at the sight of his phone history having changed from an unknown number to one answered call from Yume's phone. The strangest part? It's not in his call history.
;;;
Instead of waving, Akechi motions Yume over to the open spot on the bench. "How are you?"
"Good, thank you," Yume smiles and lifts up onto the spot beside him. She can't wait to actually have height one day. "How are you? Have you played yet today?"
"I am fine and yes," he replies, turning to fully face her. "It's my turn for a break. Do you like soccer?"
Yume makes an aborted shrugging motion. "I don't really like watching sports unless there is someone I support playing. I like all sports equally that way."
He makes an aborted smile, as if he found that funny but doesn't want to say he relates. "Will you stay and cheer me on when I go back in?"
A test; Yume can see that plan as day but his reddish-brown eyes flash with more hesitation than cold calculations. Does he search for dedication or worth? Not one to disappoint, Yume smiles brightly and nods. "Ee! I will look forward to watching you play Mr. Akechi!"
The hesitation fades and he thanks her. They trade a few inconsequential questions, and then he's being called onto the field. He switches with a girl taller than him, who takes the emptied spot on the bench. Yume trades names with the older girl, but she doesn't take her eyes off the Goro, just like she told him.
After Yume cheers for a rather spectacular pass he made to a teammate, the older girl pipes up, "He's an orphan, you know?"
"Oh?" Yume says softly, fingers twitching as she resists the sudden urge to ruin the girl next to her. Whatever happened to parents teaching their children subtly? Or, better yet, manners.
"Yes." Yume can hear the pout in the girl's voice. Probably because she just shared some intensely private information and Yume didn't take any attention away from Goro. "His mother killed herself." Wow, this kid doesn't give up. "A couple other orphans I know say he isn't nice. That he likes being alone. You shouldn't be around him."
Yume never thought she'd miss the sugar coated words of rich women with poisoned knives.
The reincarnated lady smiles brightly and cheers when Goro steals the ball back. He flashes her a quick look and then focuses back on the game. "Listen," Yume sings the other girl's first name as impolitely as she can. "Your advice has been heard and discarded. I don't care what your problem with Goro is, but if you're one of the reasons he hasn't been played often by the coaches, we're going to have a problem." Because Yume can spot a lie. This is the first time the boy's been in the scrimmage all day.
The other girl fumes but stays silent. When she's called back on the field, she hisses out, "I hope he tears you apart," before subbing in with a tight smile.
These kids aren't even worth it. Yume huffs and settles down on the bench. She exchanges names with the boy who settled beside her, and the rest of the match is silent with her cheering scattered throughout. Ryuji's group has bonded over their dislike of the coaches' favouritism. These kids over their dislike of Goro.
The kid is ostracized. He is rarely passed the ball, so the coaches put him as defender more than not. He's good at getting the ball, which just makes the other team gang up on him and his fellow defender stays away. It's very worrying to see. From her outsider perspective, it doesn't make sense. He's quiet, doesn't get physical, and tries his hardest to play on a team.
Maybe he just doesn't click, Yume ponders as she cheers for him. Or maybe kids are just cruel.
Unfortunately, it's probably a mixture of both.
"Thank you for staying, Yume," he says out of breath during their water break. He is tense, because he knows she will run off now to continue her route and leave him benched once again.
Yume knows it too, but she really must get a few things before going home for a quick nap to keep up her awful sleep schedule. So, she looks as kindly as she can when she tilts her head and smiles a little. "Can I come watch you next week?"
His hand tightens around the water bottle but his small smile is real. "I would be delighted if you would."
"Then I will!" Yume chirps, rocking on her feet in real-looking excitement. His answer is implied; another test. Even if the coaches try to tell her away, she will come because he isn't opposed to the idea. Her answer shows him her priorities. "Thank you for the entertainment, and I hope you have a great week, Mr. Akechi!"
He doesn't pick up on everything she doesn't say, but he notices the main one. I supported you today.
That you did, his searching look says. He doesn't know the extent, but it's enough. "You too, Yume."
The 'I expect you here next week' is implied.
;;;
"So this is Himura's palace," says a man in a black toga. He hums and lifts his mask - careful of the leaf-like crown design - to see the expansive dungeon better.
"I am not going to like combing through this place," says the woman in a plain blue t-shirt and black pants. "Navi? Do you have an initial read?"
"Sorry, y'all," says the voice in the earpieces. "There are a couple entrances, but all the doors from there seem locked. If you want to risk getting a map…?"
"Not today," the woman sighs and shakes her head. "Spike, are you- Spike?"
"What?" he hums, glancing up from his phone with a frown. "River, what do you make of this?"
She steps to his side and looks down. "Your Metaverse history? What are you looking at that for?"
He points to a line of digits. "Do you remember when I got a phone call in a safe room?"
"Not really?" River steps back to glance at his pained face before the mask covers most of his face. "Oh, wait! The day your goddaughter was born?"
"Yes," he sighs and clicks on the phone number. "We've only ever gotten calls from one another in the Library, but we never really questioned it."
"Why bring this up now?" River questions, crossing her arms. "Did you figure out who it was who called you? Some kind of Fortune arcana or something?"
Spike frowns and flips his phone out so she can read it. "I forgot about it, until I realized Yume and I have never chatted on the phone even though her contacts say I answered her call once."
"Yume," River cuts off and stares hard at the name now filled in the details of the call. "You mean the little girl?"
Hitoshi nods. They process it in silence.
"Does anyone mind filling me in?" Navi harps, breaking them out of their silent horror.
Because the small girl is the one to say the code words.
And she apparently phoned Hitoshi.
All of which sums up to one big coincidence… or she knows about the Metaverse. And when you're a Phantom Thief, there is no such thing as coincidence.
;;;
Sojiro and Yume finish reading the first chapter of the business book and he promptly starts quizzing her.
"Whoa, that sounds advanced," Hitoshi says, stopping by their table at Leblanc. "What happened to teaching kids to count before starting the stock exchange?"
"She can do it," Sojiro shrugs off the other man's incredulous tone while Yume beams. "Considering whom her parents are, it really shouldn't be a surprise."
"I practise lots," Yume says cutely. Sojiro catches her disarming cheek and rolls his eyes.
Hitoshi shrugs it off and pulls out his phone. "My mother said I should give you my phone number, for emergencies. She gave me yours so… can I have your phone?"
"Ee!" Yume nods and digs it out of her backpack and hands it over. She can't pick up why he lied, and he seems surprised when he's inserting his contact. "Thank you!"
"Do you phone people often, Yume," he wonders, rocking on his feet as he stares her down. As if he's waiting for… something.
"Iie," she shakes her head. "I use my home phone for everything because my tiny phone only has one hundred minutes of use."
He… doesn't know she's used some minutes on her phone, does he? She called him once, but the Metaverse doesn't track those kinds of things. Not like the real world.
It's only something if you make it something, Yume reminds herself and small talks him away.
"We'll start chapter two tomorrow," Sojiro tells her as they get ready to leave.
Yume smiles and resists checking the Metaverse now that she's alone in her apartment. It's only something if you make it something.
Everything is going to be fine.
;;;
"Main treasure location: check. Treasure chests: check. All safe room locations: yep. Anything else?"
"All the jewels we can carry, done."
"Nice."
"Alright, I guess all we need to do now is send the notice."
"I'll let Navi know when."
"We'll even have a whole day to spare! Look at us go!"
Yet somehow, Ace is pretty sure this isn't the last event they'll have to deal with this month.
A/N: I wrote my last finals and then finished this chapter. Anyone see any of these reveals/foreshadows coming? Thanks for reading!
Thank you, kalmaegi, for your review! He does mean well, and Yume taught him a valuable lesson about whipping out the app in public. The hurt's going to be a thing… but eventually things get better (eventually). Thank you so much for your review, and I really hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Thank you, guisniperman, for your review! She'll be the small, unassuming one they never see coming for sure. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for your review!
Thank you, starfish, for your review! He'll definitely need some practice to negate her trolling tactics. I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much for reviewing!
Have a great April