AN: This chapter moves pretty fast because I'm trying to get the story started, and I'll also skip through some Palaces pretty quickly if the scenes would be too similar to the actual game. Generally, Persona 5 is a dramatic game, so the fic will also be pretty dramatic, but I'm trying to keep melodrama to a minimum. That might result in a bit of a flat writing style sometimes; let me know what you think!

April 8, 2014 (Tuesday)

So far, high school was about what Goro expected; the workload was already much more intense, he hadn't made any friends, and his teachers had unreasonably high expectations. He had already joined two clubs in hopes of fulfilling those expectations, but he had yet to develop a genuine interest in kendo or orchestra. At least after-school activities would keep him out of the house for longer.

At the moment, however, he was stuck in his foster family's home, listening to the news for company as he worked through his assignments. His attention fell mostly on his work, especially through commercials, but he looked up every few minutes to familiarize himself with current events. He was just finishing up math when the show transitioned to a new segment.

"Today, we have a very special guest," a smiling interviewer said. "The artist Ichiryusai Madarame is joining us today, along with his pupil Yusuke Kitagawa."

Goro's fingers tensed against his paper, and he turned the volume up.

"Madarame rose to fame years ago with his 'Sayuri' painting, and he's sure to astound us again with his new exhibit, premiering this weekend." The interviewer turned to an elderly man wearing a kimono and a boy about Goro's age. "Madarame, would you tell us more about the inspiration behind your exhibit?"

Madarame smiled and started to give some answer, but Goro wasn't paying attention. He leaned in to look more closely at the boy, who sat with perfect posture, hands folded across his crossed legs.

It was so many years ago that the details had faded, but Goro thought that he remembered that hair. The child he had met in the group home—the only one he had ever befriended—had the exact same style and color, and that child also expressed a great interest in picture books. His name was also uncommon, so it wasn't a stretch to assume that this was the same boy.

The sound of crumpling paper reached Goro's ears. He looked down to see that his fist had completely closed around his assignment sheet, and he tried to relax his hands as he returned his attention to the TV.

"My pupils have also been a great inspiration to me," Madarame was saying. He turned his calm smile to Yusuke. "Their youthful energy and spirit have given me many new perspectives, so some of the pieces at the exhibit will be a bit more experimental."

Yusuke's mouth twitched as he smiled back, and the interviewer's attention turned to him. "Yes, your pupils have produced great work in the past. How long has young Kitagawa been working with you?"

"About ten years," Madarame answered, and Goro wondered what the point of having Yusuke on the show was if the adults weren't going to let him answer for himself. "I took him in after his mother suffered a tragic death, and he has been working with me ever since. He is truly a special young artist."

Of course that was the point: to amplify Madarame's public image. That time-frame also lined up with the year that Yusuke left the group home.

The interviewer shook his head in exaggerated awe. "That was incredibly generous of you. I see a strong familial bond between you two! Is that also something that's reflected in your work?"

"Of course," Madarame said, and Yusuke smiled again. As Madarame blathered on about himself for a bit longer, Goro analyzed Yusuke's body language. He was obviously uncomfortable, and his eyes kept wandering about, as though looking for an escape. He could have just been nervous for the interview, but something was off. Goro knew by now not to trust foster parents, and he leaned in to watch more closely.

"Kitagawa, what is the most important thing that you have learned under Madarame?" the interviewer asked.

There. Yusuke's eyes flicked to Madarame, and, although Madarame wore an encouraging smile, Yusuke fidgeted to adjust his long sleeves before answering. "To stay humble in everything I do," he said.

The interviewer nodded. "As expected, Madarame, you have instructed this young man not only in the ways of art, but in character, as well. Truly exceptional." He smiled and uncrossed his legs. "Before we wrap up, why don't you remind us one more time where your exhibit is?"

Goro hastened to write down the address and dates that Madarame gave on television. His foster parents normally cracked down on evenings and weekends, threatening that he either stay out of trouble or go back to an orphanage, but perhaps he could go after school one day.

He couldn't allow himself to hope for a rekindling of their friendship; Yusuke had abandoned him, which still hurt more than being ignored or neglected. However, in spite of his resentment, Goro still felt sentimental over the lost child who he had helped so long ago. Maybe he could help Yusuke again. Maybe that would make him remember.

Goro turned off the TV before his foster parents came home and made sure to remove all signs of his presence from the common area, then went back to work in his room.

April 14, 2014 (Monday)

Even on a weekday, Goro had to carefully make his way through the crowds at Madarame's exhibit. He threaded between couples and groups, apologizing to anyone he bumped into and trying to ignore their glares. It was unclear if Yusuke would be here, but, if Madarame's pandering in the interview was any indication, the star pupil would likely make appearances to garner sympathy and publicity.

As someone in a similar situation, Goro found the exploitation unsubtle, but adults didn't see through it.

He looked for that distinctive head of hair and found it in a corner of the exhibit, next to a spread of square canvases. As he moved closer, Goro observed Yusuke's body language; he stood with his hip to one side, chin in hand, neck tilted to view some of the pieces higher up on the wall. As one would expect, this teenager carried himself with more poise than the boy Goro met a decade ago, but the slump in his shoulders gave away a variety of possible emotions: exhaustion, for one.

Goro stepped beside Yusuke and followed his gaze upward. The canvases started small near the floor and increased in size as they neared the ceiling; the painting at the top of the pyramid seemed almost as tall as Goro and depicted a teary pair of eyes. He gritted his teeth to suppress a shudder.

"They seem maternal, almost omniscient," he said. He tried not to smile as Yusuke jolted beside him. "With the way she's looking down at us, I feel like quite the disappointment."

Goro glanced over at Yusuke, who stared openly. "What makes you assume that the eyes belong to a woman?" he asked.

"Just a feeling." Though he wished to look more closely for any familiarities in Yusuke's face, Goro looked back up. "They make me think of my mother."

"Oh," Yusuke said softly. "You seem conflicted. I'm sorry."

"It's not worth being sorry about. She passed when I was young, so I don't actually remember much about her." Goro crossed his arms, gripping his elbows to ground himself.

"My mother is gone, as well." Out of the corner of his eye, Goro could see that Yusuke was still staring at him. "But I never thought of this painting as maternal. It's always seemed more paternal to me." Yusuke sighed through his nose. "The sense of disappointment is certainly there, but I believe there's more to it. The eyes seem to pass judgement on everyone in the room and deem all of us unworthy. As you said, there is a certain omniscience in that they can see the evil in everyone, but it could also be mere pessimism."

Goro hummed in agreement. "I enjoy the ambiguity. This is good work." He turned to Yusuke with a smile. "Not that I know much about art, of course."

"Your perspective is interesting," Yusuke said, tilting his head again. "May I ask your name?"

Goro had expected this, but he still had to force his expression to remain neutral. Of course Yusuke didn't remember; he had only known Goro for a few weeks, and they were both very young at the time.

And he hadn't even cared enough to write a letter.

"Goro Akechi," he said. "And you?"

Yusuke's eyes narrowed. "Goro," he murmured. "That's..." He closed the distance between them in one step, leaning uncomfortably close. "And you said your mother is gone? What of your father?"

Goro swallowed before answering. "I've never met him."

"Were you ever in foster care?"

Goro leaned back and forced himself to laugh. "It's not exactly polite to ask such personal questions of someone you've just met." At Yusuke's pensive expression, he added, "But yes, I am in foster care now, and I spent time at a group home before that. My mother passed away about ten years ago, so I have been in transition ever since."

"Ten years," Yusuke repeated. "Goro?"

In the sudden hope that Yusuke would figure it out on his own, Goro tried to refrain from answering, but Yusuke's full name slipped out with a fondness that Goro didn't know he still felt. As soon as he said it, Yusuke's hands grasped his shoulders.

"It's you," he breathed.

"I'm surprised you remembered," Goro said. He swallowed again and focused on keeping his expression blandly pleasant. "It was so long ago."

Yusuke's wide eyes crinkled at the edges as he beamed at his old friend. Goro couldn't remember anyone ever looking at him like that. "I cannot believe you found me," Yusuke said. "But why did you never write back to me? I remember having Sensei write a letter on my behalf, and I asked him to send it to you at the home."

Goro frowned. "I never received it. I found your address and tried sending you a letter, as well, but there was no response."

"How odd. Perhaps we mixed up the characters on the envelopes," Yusuke said. "We were very young, after all."

"Perhaps," Goro repeated, but he tapped a finger to his chin as he thought to the contrary. Everyone who had cared for him after his mother's death screened his mail before passing it on to him, so he wouldn't be surprised if Madarame had done something similar. If that was the case, Yusuke's situation could be nearly as abusive as Goro's; cutting off contact with peers was one of the most alienating things a guardian could do.

Realizing he had fallen silent, Goro asked, "Have any of your friends stopped by the exhibit? I would imagine that they would come to support you after that news segment aired."

Yusuke shook his head. "Since leaving you, I have not formed any new friendships." He forced a small smile. "Sensei's support is more than enough. Besides, none of my pieces are on display here."

His voice cracked during the last sentence, fingers twitching against Goro's shoulders. "Is that so," Goro said. He tried to soften his expression. "I would like to see one of your pieces someday. I'm sure they're wonderful."

"Oh." Yusuke stepped back, hands falling to his sides, and Goro repressed a shudder at the loss of warmth. "Well, there is one piece here that... has inspired many of my own works. I can show you." Without waiting for a response, he turned and made his way to the opposite wall. Goro followed, staying as close to Yusuke as possible. Despite himself, he felt his resentment for Yusuke draining away to be redirected at Madarame; as he obtained more information, it seemed that his assumptions about Madarame had been correct.

They reached a painting, and Goro's vision blurred as he stared at it. Yusuke spoke next to him, but his voice faded into the background noise as Goro continued to think. The similarities between him and Yusuke ran deeper than he thought; not only were they both living in abusive situations with guardians that used them, but their guardians also denied them support networks. Madarame presumably did not send Yusuke's letter and destroyed the one that Goro sent, and Goro's own foster parents would not allow him outside of the house alone for any purpose other than school activities. The isolation had damaged their social skills to the point where, even if they had the opportunity to spend time with peers, they would not have been able to connect with new friends in any meaningful way. Goro gritted his teeth again as he remembered all the times he had been insulted, denied resources, denied even the most basic—

"Goro?"

Goro startled and turned to Yusuke. He was surprised that he still responded to that name; even his foster parents called him by his last name, as if to remind him of his origins and the reason why they would never accept him. "My apologies," he said. His voice sounded far away, and his vision still wouldn't focus. "I was lost in thought."

Yusuke's brow furrowed. "This is befuddling. You said that you wanted to see a piece relevant to me, yet you have not been listening to my explanation."

"I apologize," Goro repeated. "Please tell me more."

Yusuke sighed, but, before he could speak, someone called for him. They both turned to the source of the call, and Goro's fists clenched as Madarame approached with the same calm expression he wore on TV. When that smile was directed at him, Goro bowed his head, taking an extra moment to collect himself.

"I'm only checking in," Madarame said. "How are you holding up? Is this an acquaintance of yours?"

"Yes." From his position, Goro could see Yusuke's feet shuffling on the smooth floor. "This is Goro Akechi. We met some time ago." From his tone, Goro could tell that Yusuke wanted to say more, but something held him back.

"It is an honor to meet you, Madarame," Goro said. He stared at the floor for a moment longer to calm himself, then straightened up with a smile. "I saw your interview on television and admired what you said about the virtues of family."

Madarame's smile softened, and he looked at Yusuke with what appeared to be genuine affection. "Yes, Yusuke has been a great blessing to me. Acting as a father to him has enriched my life in ways I never could have imagined."

Yusuke beamed and dipped his head. "It has been my honor, Sensei."

Goro's mouth twitched. Madarame's answer sounded so rehearsed to his ears, and Goro was sure that the artist had said something nearly identical to every patron at this exhibit, yet he couldn't help feeling envious. He exchanged a few more pleasantries as if on autopilot and bowed again as Madarame took his leave.

Yusuke turned to Goro, still wearing a genuine smile. "I am glad that you could meet my sensei. He is always so courteous to others. It is one of the characteristics I admire most about him."

That sounded a bit rehearsed to Goro, as well. "And he treats you well?"

"Of course," Yusuke stuttered. "He has been incredibly generous to me. Were it not for him, I would likely be in a situation similar to yours." He tilted his head as he reconsidered. "Then again, you seem to be doing quite well."

"I'm grateful to hear that I give off that impression, but you must have access to many valuable resources that a regular foster home couldn't provide."

"You are correct. I have been very fortunate to study under such a brilliant mind."

They chatted for a bit longer about Madarame and themselves; Goro learned that Yusuke was planning to apply to Kosei high school later in the year, so he would be busy assembling a portfolio in the coming months. Yusuke also mentioned taking great inspiration from the Sayuri, which had always been on display at Madarame's exhibits until it was stolen. He showed a picture of it to Goro and discussed its emotional complexity for some time, after which they both fell silent for a while. Maternal love seemed distant to both of them.

Goro checked his watch, feeling a cold pang of fear as he noted the time. "It's getting a bit late. I should head home soon." He smiled up at Yusuke. "It was lovely catching up with you. May we exchange contact information?"

"Of course." Yusuke took a small notebook and a pen from his pocket. "I do not have a cell phone, and Sensei does not appreciate distractions in the evening, so I will only be able to call you after school from our home phone."

"My foster family is the same way, so that works perfectly." Goro accepted the contact information and wrote his phone number and address in the book. "Between three and five o'clock in the afternoon is the best time. Perhaps we can work out another in-person meeting." He glanced around to make sure Madarame wasn't close by, then stepped in a bit closer. "If you ever need someone to confide in, I'm here. Please don't hesitate to reach out."

Judging by Yusuke's puzzled expression, he had not taken the hint. Goro tried again. "If your guardian is mistreating you, we can find ways to get you out of your situation. I have some experience with this myself."

Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "I am... not being mistreated, and I do not know what could possibly have given you that impression." His expression relaxed into a soft smile. "But I appreciate your concern. I will be in touch."

Goro nodded. "Until later, then." He turned and exited the exhibit, trying not to think or feel anything until he was seated on his train home. It took monumental effort to resist going back and spending more time with the only friend he had ever made, but he managed to make it out of the building without looking back. Once the train car shuddered into motion, Goro's thoughts moved with it.

Why would Madarame deny Yusuke contact with a friend? What motivations would he have for exerting such tight control over a three year-old child? What were his past and current motivations for keeping Yusuke under his care?

Alternately, perhaps Goro was overthinking and neither letter had been sent to the correct location. Goro had provided Yusuke with the group home's address and copied the characters for Yusuke's new address, so, if he had made an error, it wasn't inconceivable that there had been some sort of mix-up. Then again, if Madarame was truly the kind guardian that he seemed, he would have known the group home's address and written the correct information on the envelope.

On top of that, even though he had been lost in his musings, Goro noticed Yusuke had spoken passionately about the painting that he showed Goro. He also had to pause several times while describing it, as though rephrasing what he wanted to say. It was possible that Madarame had taken the idea behind the painting from Yusuke and then forbade Yusuke from rightfully claiming the concept as his own. Considering the number of pupils Madarame had in the past, he may have taken "inspiration" from many of them. Goro would have to look further into that later; he also didn't have access to a computer at the apartment, which made research difficult. He could always lie about the time of orchestra practices and use one of the library's computers after school, or just use his cell phone.

Goro leaned back in his seat and stared at the subway ceiling. The signs of abuse that he had seen in Yusuke were all too familiar: the eagerness to please, the carefully chosen words, the denial of help, and the denial that anything was wrong even when all the signs were there.

Maybe Goro couldn't help himself, but he could save Yusuke.

April 15, 2014 (Tuesday)

After using his lunch break and time after school to dig into Madarame's history, Goro came up with very little information. That in itself was suspicious; one would think that the pupils of such a well-known artist would go on to have illustrious careers, but the names of Madarame's former students were nearly impossible to find. Finding information on Yusuke was difficult, as well; Goro could only find the interview from the past week and recent articles that mentioned a "promising young pupil" without providing a name.

It seemed that someone was either covering up information or that Madarame's pupils did not truly go on to champion successful careers. This was especially strange, as every interview with Madarame mentioned his supposedly wonderful track record as a mentor.

Someone bumped into Goro from behind, and he leaned against a wall in the station square to steady himself. Finding anyone who had anything negative to say about Madarame would be a challenge, especially with Goro's limited freedom; finding a former pupil seemed nearly impossible. He looked around, feeling as though a filter separated him from everyone else. Not one person looked in his direction. If he dropped dead here on the street, no one would care, so they certainly wouldn't care about the crimes of some artist. Celebrities came and went, anyway; Madarame and all his pupils would be forgotten to make way for the next trend.

Goro ran his fingertips across the rough stone behind him, which brought him back to reality. His existence might not matter to anyone, but at least he would always remember Yusuke.

Yusuke Kitagawa, who didn't want his help and probably hadn't thought of him once since yesterday.

He closed his eyes for a moment and then looked more closely around—for what, he didn't know. Paradoxically, as he focused, his surroundings darkened. He tried to adjust his vision, but the darkness stayed. Goro raised a hand to his head and noticed that one person stood out from the crowd; a teenager in dirty clothes sat next to a subway entrance, and he was the only person who had not faded to grayscale.

Goro approached the other person and called out to him. As soon as he did so, his peripheral vision returned to normal. Still processing the change, he did not hear the first time that the other person responded.

"What do you want?" the stranger repeated.

"Oh," Goro said. "I was... wondering what you were doing here. Don't you have anywhere else to go?"

The stranger shook his head. "Can't you tell I'm homeless? There's nowhere for me to go and no one who cares about me." He picked at the shoelace of one tattered sneaker. "You're the first person who's talked to me in days."

Goro instantly felt a kinship to this person, although he reprimanded himself for feeling that way; their situations weren't comparable. At least Goro had somewhere to stay. Not sure what to say next, he asked, "Do you ever feel different from other people?"

"'Course." The stranger scoffed. "He told me I was different, that I was special. I wanted to believe him so much that I didn't notice him screwing me over." He gestured to the crowd around them. "Now I certainly feel different, but it doesn't feel good."

"'He?'" Goro repeated. "Who are you talking about?"

"Doesn't do me any good to say the name. You wouldn't believe me anyway."

Goro frowned. "What does it matter if I believe you? I'm just a stranger. You have no reason to care about my opinion." He often told himself the same thing when other students gossiped about him, but that didn't stop him from caring about what they thought.

The stranger shook his head. "So if I told you that it was that famous artist Madarame who screwed me over and then you spat in my face, I'm not supposed to care?"

"Madarame." This was too much to be a coincidence. Something else was going on. Goro took a deep breath and sat next to the stranger. "Please tell me more. I know a current pupil of his, and I fear that he's in danger."

"I can guarantee you he is." The stranger shifted a bit farther away from Goro and stared ahead. "I studied under Madarame with a few other students, and we all lived with him in his shitty shack. He'd talk us up so we'd be all motivated to work hard and make a lot of art, and then he'd take it all and show it off in his exhibits. He'd retitle most of our pieces to something that completely bastardized the intended meanings." He clenched his fists. "Once he got famous enough, some of the pupils started moving out really suddenly. When I asked what was up, he'd give some vague reason like they went to study somewhere else or they wanted to set off on their own. But none of them ever even mentioned anything like that to me, so I should've known something was up." Now he looked at Goro. "I didn't have anywhere else to go, though, so I didn't question it after he gave me those shoddy explanations. I just kept doing what he wanted because it was easier for me."

Goro swallowed and worked to control his breathing. This situation, too, paralleled his own, but he had to stay focused. "So you must have lived with Madarame until relatively recently. Was there another pupil named Yusuke that you knew?"

"Oh, Yusuke? Yeah, I knew him for a while." The stranger looked back to the street. "He was always the favorite. Kinda weird, but most artists are. He's just weirder than most."

"Could I have your name and contact information, please? I feel that your testimony could be valuable if Madarame ever goes to court."

The stranger snorted, then laughed out loud. "What, a kid's gonna expose the guy who's been conning people for decades? Good luck." He glanced at Goro's notebook, still grinning. "But fine. My name's Kyo Maki, and I can't pay for a cell phone plan. I do have an email, though."

"And do you have the names of any other former pupils?"

Goro wrote down the information that Kyo gave him and closed his notebook with a smile. "Thank you very much for speaking with me today. I have a train to catch, but I will be in touch. Perhaps I will see you here again soon."

Kyo hugged his knees to his chest. "I'm basically here all day."

"Ah. Yes, I'm sorry that I can't help you more at the moment." Goro frowned. "My current living situation is quite precarious. I will probably face serious consequences for coming home late tonight, so I couldn't possibly offer you a place to stay."

"Well, get going, then." Kyo waved him off. "Thanks for talking with me, anyway."

"Of course." Goro stood and bowed his head. "Take care of yourself."

He walked away, taking long strides as if to distance himself from the unusual events. Nothing about Kyo seemed supernatural, yet he had stood out from the crowd and just happened to be the one person that could further Goro's investigation. As he waited in line for his train, he focused his vision again and nearly stumbled backwards at the change; everything again faded into the background, but, this time, no one stood out. He closed his eyes and reopened them to the normal sights of the subway.

"What's happening?" he whispered. The sound was lost even to his own ears, and his eyes slid shut again as he raised one hand to his chest. Goro maybe could have blamed it on exhaustion, but everything lined up too perfectly to be a coincidence or a product of his tired mind.

Goro was torn between these strange happenings and the very present, real danger of arriving back to the apartment too late. He checked the time on his phone and swore under his breath; even if he boarded the train right this instant, he would never get home on time. He tried to resolve himself to his punishment to quell the fear, but it didn't do much.

His shaky breaths halted as a strange icon appeared on his phone screen. It froze all other activity both on the screen and all around him, and the complete silence sent a shiver through Goro. He looked around, gripping his phone tightly, and saw a red light emanating from the top of the stairs. As if on autopilot, he ascended, taking two stairs at a time until he reached the station square. From there, he followed flashes of light and fire down to a different part of the subway. Black and red streaks appeared along the walls as he descended, and the silence gave way to faint groans and howling wind. As he reached an empty platform and stood at its edge, the sounds grew louder. Goro could feel goosebumps forming beneath his school jacket.

A scream cut over all other noise, and Goro's head whipped around as he searched for its source. It sounded quite close; it could be just around the corner.

He should find a way back. He was already late, and there would be serious consequences—

"Help! Please, someone!"

But that voice was, in fact, just around the corner, and something darted into his line of vision in the next moment.

"Hey, you! Help!"

Goro bent at the knees, ready to run from the danger but allowing it to approach. Some type of bipedal creature with an absurdly large head ran towards him, and a towering, deformed monster whipped around the corner in pursuit. As Goro stood paralyzed, the creature reached the platform and attempted to jump up, but its legs gave out. Without thinking, Goro stooped to help it up, then held it to his chest as he darted up the stairs. Another roar shook the tunnel, and Goro stumbled before continuing on. The form in his arms went limp.

At the top of the stairs, Goro set the creature down and unlocked his phone with shaky hands. He found the strange app and hit the icon again.

"Do you wish to return to the real world?" it asked.

Goro's voice cracked as he said, "Yes."

"Thank you for your hard work today," it said.

"What?"

There were no more prompts from the app, and, when Goro looked up from his phone, he was back on the train platform. Everyone around him went about their routines as normal, though some spared glances at the cat sleeping on the ground. Goro frowned, wiped his eyes, and knelt down. The cat wore a yellow scarf like the creature from earlier, but it looked completely different. Just like a normal cat.

He reached out a hand and placed it on the cat's head, flinching away the moment he made contact. The cat didn't move, so he picked it up and took it to a less crowded area of the platform. Goro leaned against the wall and slid down, still cradling the cat as he brought his knees close to his chest.

He didn't know what was going on, but the creature was breathing. That was something, at least. Goro steadied his own breaths until they fell in rhythm with the cat's. Once he had staved off panic, he considered checking the time again, but that would just undo everything he had done to calm himself. He reflected on what just happened instead.

In contrast with the tangled web around Madarame that he was just beginning to unravel, everything he had just done seemed simple. All he had done was follow signals that were provided for him and answer a call for help. It was terrifying, certainly, but there had been something intuitive about the whole process. Streamlined.

After a few more minutes, the cat stirred, and Goro set it down on the ground just before it opened its eyes. It sounded very human-like as it groaned, and it spoke to him in the same voice as before. "Did we get out?"

Well. All things considered, a talking cat in the regular world was far less bizarre than whatever had happened a few minutes ago. Goro nodded in response to the question.

"Good." The cat straightened up and flicked its tail. "Thank you for helping me."

"What do you know about that other world?" Goro could feel passersby staring at him as he spoke quietly to an animal on the subway floor, but getting information was crucial. "Are you from there?"

"I don't remember anything," the cat said. He furrowed his brow. "I feel like I'm from there, but I don't know much about it."

"Do you have a name?"

"Morgana," he answered immediately. "What's yours?"

Goro paused as he considered which name to give. "Akechi."

"Well, Akechi," Morgana said, "it seems to me like most humans can't go into that other world. You must be special." He propped his two front paws up on Goro's knee. "I'm gonna stick with you until I can figure out what's going on."

Goro glared down at the cat. "No. That's not possible for quite a few reasons."

Morgana's ears flattened against his head, and he dropped back to the floor. "Why not? You just helped me—even though I could've gotten out of there by myself, by the way—and now you're telling me to get lost. What's the deal?"

"The deal," Goro seethed, "is that I know nothing about you. You expect me to believe that you forgot everything except your name, yet still hold the knowledge that there are two distinct worlds?"

"They're not distinct," Morgana interjected. "I think that they have a deep connection."

"You're not helping your case." Goro sighed and spared a glance around the station. "Even if I could trust you, there is no way that you could stay with me. I can't go home with a cat and expect my... parents to let me keep it."

"I'm not a cat." Morgana looked down at his paws, eyes narrowed. "I think. Right?"

"You look like one to me."

The fur on Morgana's back fluffed up. "Well, what do you know? You couldn't even summon a Persona to save me! And a cat wouldn't be able to use a Persona, so there."

"A Persona?" Goro repeated.

"I won't tell you more unless you agree to help me," Morgana said, puffing out his chest. "If you're gonna be a jerk, I'm not talking to you about any of the important stuff."

Goro closed his eyes again as he evaluated his options. He had foolishly told the cat his real name, and he still hadn't completely calmed down. He needed more time to think about this, and there was absolutely nowhere in the house that Morgana could stay without drawing suspicion from his foster family.

No, what was he thinking? He shouldn't even consider letting Morgana stay with him; he didn't know anything about him. Why was he running from those monsters in the first place? Did he have some sort of objective in mind in going to that other world? Could he switch forms at will?

Goro could at least answer that last question. He took out his phone again and activated the app, turning Morgana back into his bipedal form and the subway into some sort of hellish vortex.

"Hey!" Morgana yowled. "We shouldn't be here; we both need time to rest. It's too dangerous with the Shadows around."

"Shadows?"

"Yeah, the things that were attacking me." Morgana pointed a paw to Goro's nose. "If they're evil and they were attacking me, I must be good! So you should trust me."

"What makes you think they're evil?"

Morgana lowered his paw with a glare. "I just know that they are, okay? It should've been obvious from just looking at them."

"Appearances can be deceptive."

"Whatever," Morgana huffed. "Just get us out of here!"

Goro sighed and followed the phone prompts to return to the regular subway. "Why'd you do that?" Morgana asked.

"I wanted to see if your form would change again," Goro said. "Can you switch on your own, or is it automatic?"

Morgana scrunched his face for a moment, but nothing happened. "I guess it's automatic. It's probably better this way, anyway; all these people would get pretty freaked out otherwise."

"They're probably disturbed enough watching a teenager talk to a cat," Goro muttered, hugging his knees in closer to hide his mouth.

Morgana somehow managed to shrug. "I've already seen weirder, and they probably have, too." He waited a moment for Goro to respond. "C'mon. I feel like we're supposed to help each other, so just lemme go with you!" He looked to the subway tracks. "Plus, I've never ridden a train before. It'll be fun."

Goro must have been pretty desperate to open up to someone, because he said, "My foster parents will not take kindly to having a cat in the house. I am already in deep trouble for being out this late."

"You're an orphan?" Morgana asked, eyes wide.

"In a manner of speaking, I suppose."

"I don't know what that means."

Goro sighed again. "It's complicated. You don't need to know all the details."

"Well, whatever. I'll be real sneaky, I promise. You won't even know I'm there."

"Don't you need to eat? They'll be suspicious if my room smells like cat food."

"Oh, yeah." Morgana looked around, tail swishing. "Well, I'll figure something out. Maybe you can raid your fridge once we get back and find me something."

Goro shrugged his bag off his shoulder. "I don't have the freedom to do that. You may have to fend for yourself in that regard."

"But you're letting me come along?"

Morgana was already walking toward the bag, so Goro just nodded. He really needed this day to end, but there were several more hurdles to clear before he that could happen.

Or he could just run away. The possibility occurred to him often, but he pushed the thought away; it was foolish and pointless, as the police could easily track him down and force him into a situation much worse than his current one.

Goro held the bag open as Morgana stepped in, then zipped it shut most of the way. "When we arrive there, I'm leaving you outside. They're sure to check my bag, so it's up to you to find your own way in."

Only one of Morgana's eyes could peer out from the tiny gap. "How am I supposed to know which apartment is yours?"

"There's a fire escape by my window. It's on the third floor." Goro stood and readjusted the bag. "Figure it out. Once I let you in, you need to be completely silent."

"Yeah, okay, but can you give me some more breathing room right now? I'm gonna suffocate in here!"

Goro tugged part of the zipper back open as he walked back to his line. He checked the time again: past six o'clock. They were definitely home by now, but they had no way to contact him, since they never bothered paying for a plan for his cell phone. He was sure that they could find a way, though, if they really needed to.

He suppressed a shudder and stepped onto the train.

Later that night, Goro finally entered his room. He adjusted his ice pack and set his bag down, then went to the window to wait for Morgana. He raked his nails along his side with his free hand, trying to calm himself with the repetitive motion.

Crying was pointless. It wouldn't accomplish anything. He'd just have to be more careful in the future.

Goro took deep breaths in through his nose and out his mouth as he stood still. By the time a pair of blue eyes flashed by his window, he had stopped shaking. He opened the window slowly to minimize noise, and Morgana slipped in.

"What happened?" he asked immediately. Goro held a finger to his lips and shook his head.

"I already told you," Goro mouthed. He pressed the finger more insistently against his mouth and closed the window.

Morgana padded to the middle of the room and looked around. Apparently unimpressed, he lay down near the futon and pointed to his stomach as best as he could. Goro shook his head again; he hadn't eaten, either, so they would both have to go without for the night.

He started on his homework, but his thoughts wouldn't focus on one topic. As much as he tried to control his emotions, his fury almost boiled over; coming home an hour late did not deserve such a punishment. What had he done to deserve living with a family that would not allow him even the most basic freedoms, that would deny him food, affection, communication with others? Was being born to a scumbag of a father such a heinous crime that he would have to suffer for the rest of his life?

Goro startled as something brushed against his leg. Morgana had headbutted him and was looking up with sympathetic eyes.

"Go to sleep," Goro mouthed.

Morgana sighed through his nose and jumped onto the desk. "You won't get any work done like this," he whispered. "You're too upset. You should just get some rest, okay?"

"No. I have to do this."

"But why? Isn't your health more important?"

Goro shook his head. "This is what everyone expects me to—"

Something in the house creaked, and he froze. They both turned to look at the door, but any other sounds that Goro could have picked up were drowned out by his hammering heart and shaky breaths. It made him grateful that Morgana was there to listen for him.

After several moments passed without any further motion or noise, Goro hung his head. Morgana inched a little closer and whispered, "We'll talk in the morning. Just don't overdo it, okay?" He sniffed. "Plus, I won't be able to sleep if you keep the light on for a long time."

Goro pointed at the blanket and then covered his eyes. It took a moment for Morgana to interpret the gesture, but he soon jumped down from the desk and burrowed under the blanket to muffle the light and sound. Goro attempted to return to his work, but he ended up stewing in his seat for some time longer.

It was disgusting how quickly he had allowed Morgana into his life. After a friendless decade, he was apparently so desperate for companionship that he would take in a creature with strange powers, uncharted depths of knowledge, and amnesia that may or may not have been faked. Goro already felt some attachment to the cat he had saved, even if Morgana was transparently using him to get more information.

What else would he do for approval, or even simple recognition? For all he knew, he was putting himself in danger by interacting so closely with Morgana, and the investigation he began today could certainly yield dangerous results. How far could he go?

There was no definite answer, but he had some idea. He gripped his head and shut his eyes, trying to remember the information from class to drown out everything else. He could do this. He had to.

As usual, he didn't get much sleep.

AN: To clarify, Morgana has just been "born" in this fic! We know that Igor created Morgana around the time that Yaldabaoth took over the Velvet Room and put his plan into motion, so, when Akechi meets Morgana here, he's just escaped the depths of Mementos. That's why his character is a little bit different, and he won't know as much about how to help guide others through the Metaverse at first (but he'll still do his best!)

Also, Kyo does appear in the actual game as a nameless teenager; you can find him in the Shibuya station square during the Madarame plot. I just made up a name for him here.

If anything else needs clarification, please ask! I appreciate any and all comments. Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you're as excited for the rest of the story as I am!