June 28, 2014 (Saturday)
Infiltration day. Makoto had posted her calling card around Shujin, and the Palace's warning lights flashed as the team approached. They went directly to the safe room on the third floor and gathered their supplies.
"Who wants to run in front and deploy the bombs?" Morgana asked as Goro laid out the smoke bombs.
"I'll do it," Makoto said immediately. Goro showed her how to activate them, and she gathered them all under one arm.
"Crow, you should be right behind Queen and ready to pick the lock when we get to the end of the hall," Morgana said. "We still don't know which door is Kobayakawa's, but I bet we'll be able to figure it out once we get there; it's where the line should start. Get the door open as fast as possible. We won't have much time, and then we'll have to lock the door again behind us." He looked to each member of the team as he spoke. "We have to stay close together as the bombs are going off so we don't lose each other. Fox, you'll bring up the back, and I'll be on your shoulders."
"I did not agree to carry you."
"He's not very heavy," Goro said, "and it's best for him to stay as close as possible. If he loses us, he could get trampled."
Morgana huffed before continuing. "The Treasure is in the office with Kobayakawa, I'm sure of it. We just need to get in, find it, and get out of there. Once the Palace starts collapsing, the cognitions should either disappear or run away, so we'll have a more clear escape route."
The entire nature of this plan gave Goro chills, but, in the past two weeks, he had not been able to think of another way. They would have to execute it perfectly or lose their only chance at reforming Kobayakawa, a potential source of information regarding the SIU and related organizations.
Goro gathered all the lockpicks together and held onto them. "Ready," he said.
Makoto secured her grip on the smoke bombs with a nod, and Morgana hopped onto Yusuke's shoulders. "Let's do it!"
They exited, sneaking past the guards on the third floor and arriving at the mouth of the stairway up. Makoto held up her free hand, fingers spread wide, and lowered them one by one in a countdown.
They charged up the stairs as her hand curled into a fist, and the first bomb deployed with a bang. Goro's hand tightened around Makoto's scarf, and Yusuke held his other arm as they sprinted through the hall. The cognitions waiting in line began coughing, yelling, stumbling about, and the Thieves had to weave through several people before they made it even halfway down the hall. Makoto threw the next bomb, sending another thick cloud of smoke down the hallway.
They made it to the stairs to the fifth floor and went up, Makoto throwing a third bomb at the top of the stairs. They continued their charge until they burst out of the smoke at the end of the hall. Goro looked, eyes wide, pulse pounding, to see where the line originated, but the cognitions were swarming around the hall in disorder. He grit his teeth as Makoto set off another bomb ahead, then followed her to the last door on the left.
His hands shook as he produced the first lockpick, but he steadied them by the time he jammed the tool into the keyhole. He worked as quickly as he could and threw open the door, but he was greeted with an unfamiliar face.
The cognition wearing a suit opened its mouth, and Goro yelled, "Queen! Bomb!"
He stumbled back as another smoke bomb sailed through the door, slamming the door as it went off on the other side. He heard the man inside swear and checked the plaque beside the door: "MM." Were the people from Kobayakawa's documents locked in all these confinement units?
Before he had time to process that, Yusuke and Morgana guided him to the door across the hall. "This one's gotta be it," Morgana yelled over the din. "Everyone get ready!"
They banded together as Goro picked the lock, and Makoto kicked the door open. To Goro's immense relief, Kobayakawa's Shadow was inside, back to them. He yelped and turned, shielding a glowing object behind his body.
Yusuke entered last, slamming the door behind him and relocking it. The chaos outside quieted until it was just the five of them.
"Hand over the Treasure, Kobayakawa, and we won't have to fight," Makoto said. Her voice remained steady and compelling, even after all they'd just done to get to this room. Goro grew to admire her more every day.
Kobayakawa's Shadow backed up a step, shaking his head. "You shouldn't have been able to come here," he stuttered. Hearing his voice after Makoto's was a stark contrast. "This is my sanctuary. No one is allowed in."
"We're here now," Makoto said. She softened almost imperceptibly. "Solitary confinement is not sanctuary. You have to face your responsibilities, and we're going to make you if you don't cooperate."
"I never wanted those responsibilities," Kobayakawa insisted. "They shouldn't be mine."
"Then quit, and let someone more competent take over."
He shook his head rapidly. "I can't. My debt is too great."
"What debt?" Goro demanded. "Have you been working with the SIU?"
The Shadow turned on him, eyes wide with panic. "You can't know about that." He looked over the other three, trembling. "You all know?"
They nodded. "Just hand over the Treasure," Makoto said, "and we can talk this out."
"No!"
A shockwave knocked them back as the Shadow yelled; Yusuke's back crashed into the door, and Goro could hear the breath leave him in one gasp. The other three were either against the wall or on the ground, but they gathered themselves as quickly as possible and reassumed their fighting stances.
The door behind them flew open, and another wave of force came rushing in. They dodged to the side and watched with horror as dozens of black and red forms pushed through the door.
All the cognitions from the hall had become formless Shadows, and they were all congealing in the room with Kobayakawa and his Treasure at the center. The resulting enemy was the formation of all Kobayakawa's fears, anxieties, and neglected responsibilities, and it was massive enough to burst through the ceiling of the Palace. Dozens of faces swirled beneath the Shadow's translucent skin, twisted with anguish.
The ceiling directly above the Thieves crumbled, and one of the Shadow's hands picked them all up in one swipe, throwing them onto the roof. Goro curled in on himself and clutched his side, trying to catch his breath.
Morgana called for Zorro, healing the team and urging them back to their feet. "We have to beat it to get the Treasure inside!" he called. "Let's go!"
They congregated close together, weapons drawn. Makoto used a frei spell that hit near the center of the enemy, but it barely reacted to the attack. She grit her teeth and cast mafrei next, hitting four areas: its head, chest, and both arms.
"This is going to be a long fight," she called. "Take out the arms first!"
They set to it, Makoto and Morgana casting spells that hit all four areas while Yusuke and Goro focused their physical attacks on one arm. The enemy began by smashing its fist onto one target at a time, but, after they wore down some of its vitality, it swept its arm across the entire roof, catching everyone off guard. They attempted to duck but were bruised and pushed near the edge of the building. As the four of them tried to get closer to the center of the roof, the Shadow used its long arms to hold them off, flicking them back like insects.
"We're out of its range," Morgana analyzed. "Just focus on casting spells for now!"
As soon as he said that, a jet of ice shot from the Shadow's mouth, hitting Makoto in the chest. She fell backwards and nearly skidded off the roof before Goro ran to pull her back from the edge. Yusuke stood in front of them defensively, casting sukukaja on Makoto. The enemy shot another torrent of ice, but Yusuke took the hit with barely a flinch.
"Cast from back there," he ordered. "I'll draw its fire."
Goro switched to a Persona with ice resistance and joined Yusuke in front, feeling a rush of energy as Morgana healed them. There was little he or Yusuke could do to harm the enemy, as Goro only had ice spells and the Shadow was out of physical attack range, even for their Personas. Goro and Yusuke took the Shadow's hits without losing their vitality while the other two attacked with spells. Seeing the futility of its attacks, the Shadow roared and tore through the Palace to get closer, moving as though it walked through thick mud. The metal supports screamed in protest as the Shadow progressed closer, and the building was shaking by the time it crossed half the roof.
"Stop it!" Morgana commanded. Yusuke and Goro ran towards the center of the roof, drawing its attacks to stop its progress forward. Yusuke dodged the next swipe of its arm, but Goro wasn't as agile and was thrown to the side. He recovered in time to see the Shadow aim another blast of ice at Makoto, and she rolled out of the way just in time.
Yusuke and Goro continued hitting with physical attacks to draw the Shadow's attention, but it was insistent on attacking Makoto. It pushed Goro aside again and continued ripping through the building in its efforts to get to the side where Makoto and Morgana were. At this rate, they ran the risk of collapsing inwards.
Goro heard Morgana yelling something, but he couldn't make out the words from this distance. He watched him and Makoto while attacking the enemy, but he gasped aloud when Makoto picked up Morgana, twirled him for momentum, and hurled him toward the center of the roof.
Morgana landed on the Shadow's head with a screech and used Zorro for a barrage of strikes to the left arm, which was nearly incapacitated. From a close range, a few lucky shots were all it took for the whole arm to break off and disintegrate. The cognitions that made up the arm floated away, moaning in pain as they drifted off.
The Shadow screamed and tried to use its remaining arm to knock Morgana off, but he dodged the swipes easily, attacking all the while. After more failed attempts, the Shadow let out another scream and threw itself backward, trying to crush Morgana under its weight. They both fell through the fifth floor of the building as the giant Shadow destroyed the floor beneath.
"Mona!"
The other three Thieves ran to the hole the Shadow created, and Goro nearly fell as the ceiling around it crumbled inward. The monster stood back up, its head and shoulders still above the roof from its place on the fourth floor. Makoto took the opportunity to slide down its body to find Morgana, and the other two joined her, the Shadow too shocked from impact to respond in time.
Morgana was unconscious on the lower floor but still breathing. Goro tore through his belongings for a revival bead and used it, following up with a potion when Morgana swayed to his feet.
"Not my best idea," he admitted.
Yusuke cast another sukukaja on him. "It certainly got us somewhere."
"We've almost taken out both arms," Makoto said. "We have to—"
Metal screeched again as the Shadow stomped down, narrowly missing Morgana. Nimble as ever, the cat leapt to the side and started climbing its leg to the rooftop. "We're at a disadvantage down here!" he called. "Follow me!"
The other three paused a moment, watching the Shadow's legs thrash about until its foot nearly connected with Makoto. She dodged and sunk the spikes of her gloves into its ankle, using them as holds to begin her climb. Yusuke and Goro followed her example, pausing to hold tight when the Shadow shook its leg. As they approached the fifth floor, the Shadow reached down again and threw them back to the roof, which was about half-destroyed. Morgana, who somehow made it up without taking damage, rushed to them to heal.
"Same strategy," he said. "Just keep attacking the arm, then go for the head."
"The building's on the verge of collapse," Goro protested, stumbling to his feet. "We'll barely be able to move around this roof—"
They dodged another swipe of the Shadow's arm, and there was no spot left on the roof they could go to get out of its range. Goro took another hit of ice with a scoff, then continued his thought.
"We need to push it off," he said, "and keep attacking from a higher point on the building as long as it's still standing. We don't have the time to take out its legs, too, so we need to stay above it."
Makoto and Morgana leapt out of the way of the Shadow's descending fist, which ripped another hole through the rooftop and split the group in half. "How do we push it off?" Morgana yelled.
"Can you get onto its head after Fox and I take out the next arm?"
"If I have to. What do I do then?"
"We'll draw it closer to the edge as we're attacking the arm." He cast a light spell on the right arm as he spoke, ducking under the next blast of ice. "After the arm goes and it's close to the edge, you get onto its head and hit it in the chest with the strongest wind spell you have."
"And what, fall off with it? No, thanks!"
"You're more than capable of jumping back in time."
"I'll take that challenge!" Morgana and Makoto hopped back over the hole in the rooftop, joining the other two. "Get to it, then."
Goro and Yusuke sprinted across what was left of the roof, leading the Shadow away from the building's center with their attacks. The right arm began convulsing as if about to burst, but it held together for another swipe at Yusuke and Goro. Exhausted from climbing and running, they didn't get out of the way in time and were pushed near the drop.
"Be careful!" Morgana yelled, healing them remotely.
Goro snarled as he returned to his feet, just a few steps away from the edge. He moved closer to Yusuke and hit with another physical attack, destroying the arm. "Now, Mona!"
The Shadow howled in rage as its other arm dissipated, and it didn't notice Makoto gearing up to throw Morgana again. Morgana sailed through the air and landed on the side of its head, digging his claws in for purchase. The enemy reeled back, tossing its neck from side to side, growing closer to the edge with every stagger. Zorro appeared behind Morgana and hit the Shadow with a gust of wind, knocking its balance off.
Goro watched the Shadow fall into the open air and jerk its head to the side, throwing Morgana toward the ground five stories below.
"Mona!"
The Shadow screamed as it fell, landing with a crash. The three of them rushed to the edge to see the courtyard destroyed, students fleeing as the Shadow attempted to right itself.
"Mona!" Goro yelled again, voice cracking.
"I'm right here, idiot!" a voice called from below.
They all leaned over the edge. "Where?"
Morgana peeked out from the third floor, where the walls had been ripped out. "We can attack from this floor," he said. "Get down here!"
Goro exhaled with relief, then followed Yusuke and Makoto through one of the holes in the roof. They joined Morgana and braced themselves as the Shadow stood, now almost at eye level with the team. It looked worse for the wear after the fall, and they could hear the cognitions inside gasping for breath. Goro shivered.
The Shadow was only able to attack using its legs and head now, and it fired an ice attack at Morgana. As Morgana dodged hit after hit, the Shadow screeched and started kicking at the first floor of the building.
Makoto swore. "It's trying to take out the foundation," she yelled over the din. "We have to defeat it quickly!"
The four of them cast their strongest spells, not needing to heal as the Shadow focused its efforts on destroying the building. It reeled from their hits, roared, and threw its whole body towards them.
The impact knocked Goro backward, and the sound of screeching metal assaulted his ears as the building collapsed. He couldn't keep his eyes open and fell, unable to breathe as a crushing weight followed him downward.
When the noises stopped, he opened his eyes to see a miasma of tortured faces before him. The Shadow's skin was pressed against his face, and it seemed that the Shadow had taken the brunt of the damage as the fourth and fifth floors had collapsed on top of it.
Goro gasped for breath and tried to move, but he was pinned beneath the weight. He felt panic set in when he failed to summon his Persona. His vision blurred at the edges as he trashed in vain, and he realized he was about to pass out. He flexed his fingers hard, pushing against the Shadow's skin in whatever way he could, but it wasn't going to be enough.
"Johanna!"
A burst of blue-white light exploded into his vision, and the Shadow let out a last screech before rolling over, taking the rubble with it as it faded.
Goro's hands leapt to his throat as he breathed in, coughing between inhalations. He rolled onto his side, clutching at his ribs, eyes squeezed shut and burning from the light.
Another wave of healing energy restored his breathing, and he relished in the sensation, taking in deep lungfuls before he opened his eyes.
Yusuke was a few feet away from him, on all fours as he pushed himself up from the floor. Morgana and Makoto were running towards them, the rubble of the building looming behind them.
Goro sat up and shuddered. "Is everyone okay?"
"You're looking the worst for the wear," Morgana said, eyes squinted with concern. "Queen was the only one that got out of the way in time—if it weren't for her, we might've all suffocated."
He looked up at her, eyes still teary from the blast of light and the lack of oxygen. "Thank you."
Makoto extended a hand to help him up, and he took it, pulling himself shakily to his feet. His energy was almost completely spent, and it was all he could do to stay standing. Yusuke stood beside him, looking pale and exhausted beneath his mask.
"Now that everyone's in one piece," Morgana said, "we still have to get the Treasure."
He led them back to the pile of rubble, but Goro stumbled as he tried to follow. Yusuke and Makoto fell back to support him on either side, and he bit back a wave of shame as they helped him walk forward. Kobayakawa's Shadow crawled from the pile as they approached, his back heaving. A large key glowed next to him, and Morgana picked it up, holding it close to his chest.
Goro swallowed, then stepped in front of Makoto and Yusuke, fighting to stay upright. "Tell us about the SIU," he demanded, voice miraculously steady. "Why are you involved with them?"
"They'll kill me if I tell you," Kobayakawa said. "I can't."
The Shadow tried pushing himself to his feet, but he fell back onto all fours, arms shaking. Makoto wrinkled her nose at the sight and stood beside Goro, supporting him with a hand on his shoulder. "What are you going to do now?" she asked.
The Shadow paused, shoulders slumping down. His forehead nearly rested against the ground as he said, "I don't know."
"I'll tell you, then." Makoto dug the toe of her boot into the dust near Kobayakawa's head, prompting him to shrink back. "You're going to do the job you were hired to do. If you can't quit because of the SIU, then give your students and employees the dedication they deserve from you."
Kobayakawa nodded, still curling in on himself.
Makoto stared, then softened her stance. She knelt on the ground and lowered her voice to say, "We just need a name. We won't let the SIU know that you told us. Just the name of the person who hired you."
Kobayakawa stilled. They waited in the silence surrounding the collapsed Palace, tense to hear his answer.
"Hiroto Togashi," he said. They might have been content with just that, but he continued. "He hired me to scout for young talent. It's been my job to choose the most promising students, pave their way to university, and give their contact information to my superior. The goal is to secure them a job working for the SIU or a related organization working towards our larger goal."
"How many students have you done this for?" Makoto asked.
"Not many," the Shadow said. "I can only focus my efforts on a handful of students per class. I've had the job for a few years—there have been about twenty students altogether."
"Are any of them working for the SIU yet?"
"No. The oldest group is in their last year of university."
"And what are you going to do about them after this?"
"I don't know," Kobayakawa repeated. His form was starting to fade and glow.
Goro intervened. "What's your larger goal?"
Kobayakawa shook his head. "They wouldn't tell me. Something vague about working for the greater good."
"Greater good?" Makoto repeated. "That's all you know?"
"I don't think I even know that much."
That was the last thing Kobayakawa said before he faded completely away, and Makoto swore again as they were denied further answers. With the Palace already collapsed, their exit was mercifully easy; they headed to the area by the former entrance, where the heavy doorframe still stood, and left the Metaverse.
Goro leaned against the wall outside Shujin, closing his eyes against a wave of vertigo. The transition from the Metaverse to the real world was jarring on a good day, and Goro was no longer in fighting condition.
A hand squeezed his shoulder, and he looked up to see Makoto and Yusuke. "Do you need to sit?" Makoto asked.
Goro slid down the wall in response, exhaling in shuddering spurts. His team knelt beside him, and Morgana headbutted his leg. "We gotta get you home," he said. "We can talk about all this later."
Yusuke wrapped his arm around Goro's shoulders. "Will you be able to walk? I am more than willing to carry you back."
Goro laughed, unconsciously leaning into the contact. "That could cause some alarm. I just need a moment to gather myself, and then we can go."
Makoto examined their surroundings, then sat next to Goro. "You were right that this is all connected to a larger picture," she said. Her eyes stared at the ground, unfocused. "I can't quite believe it. To think my own principal was doing something so sinister."
"We don't know how sinister yet," Goro pointed out, "though it's certainly not looking good. We'll have to look into the SIU next." He shifted, wincing from the answering ache in his ribs. Yusuke pulled him a bit closer and rubbed his shoulder. "Whenever things settle down."
"You've all been working really hard," Morgana said. He leaned against Goro's leg, and the weight was comforting. "You definitely deserve a break from all this Metaverse stuff."
"I agree." Makoto leaned against the wall with a heavy sigh. "I'll look out for the change of heart in Kobayakawa. If he confesses publicly like Madarame did, it seems like he'll be in danger. I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you, Makoto." Goro beamed, his smile genuine through his exhaustion. "I truly do appreciate having you on the team. I regret my initial behavior to you more each day."
"That's all behind us," Makoto said. She smiled back, but her eyes were still unfocused. "Do you need help getting up?"
He tried to stand on his own, but Yusuke's arm refused to move from his shoulders. Goro allowed the others to support him as he gained his footing, then waved them away. "I'm feeling better now. Let's head back."
"Let me carry your bag." Yusuke held it open for Morgana, who hopped inside. They all walked back to the subway, Yusuke staying so close to Goro that they kept bumping into each other. They parted ways with Makoto, who seemed lost in thought; none of them had spoken much more on their way back, processing the day's events separately. As Morgana said, there would be time to talk later.
Unfortunately, the subway was crowded on that late Saturday afternoon, forcing Yusuke and Goro to stand and support themselves on handholds. The lurching of the subway had never bothered Goro before, but he could hardly keep himself upright as it was; a particularly abrupt break had him nearly toppling over, stopped by the strength of his own arms and Yusuke's.
Yusuke continued holding tight to his arm as the subway stopped, and Goro hardly had the energy to feel embarrassed.
He crossed the threshold of their apartment with immense relief, greeted by the Sayuri and the sight of Yusuke's art supplies scattered about. Yusuke set the bag down, allowing Morgana to roam free, and escorted Goro to his room.
"Lie down," he instructed. "I'll bring you dinner."
Was this what it felt like to live with others who actually cared about his wellbeing? How novel. He lie down, eyes slipping shut almost immediately. Morgana sat by his shoulder, tail flicking against his arm every so often.
"Are you gonna be okay?" he asked. "That was scary back there."
"Yes," Goro said. "I just need to rest."
"Okay." Morgana nuzzled his cheek, startling him into higher awareness. "Good work today. I'll go make sure Yusuke doesn't burn the kitchen down."
"I can hear you," Yusuke called, "and I resent the implication that I am incapable of cooking a basic meal."
"I've certainly never seen him do it," Morgana muttered, stalking off. Goro smiled and closed his eyes again.
He stirred as his bedroom door creaked further open. Yusuke padded in with a plate of food, waiting for Goro to sit up before he handed it to him.
"Thank you, Yusuke," he said. "How are you feeling?"
"Tired," Yusuke said, "but you seem to have fared the worst of out all of us. You were directly in the center of that Shadow after the building collapsed atop it."
Goro took a bite. It was passable, made better by his hunger and Yusuke's care. Yusuke left briefly to get food for him and Morgana, and they both returned a minute later. Morgana ate with as much enthusiasm as always, but Yusuke set his plate on the ground in favor of looking at Goro.
Goro lowered his own plate, feeling self-conscious under the intense gaze. "Something on my face?" he joked.
One of many great things about Yusuke was that he always said what was on his mind. "I do not know if I shall ever habituate to seeing you in near-death situations." Yusuke shook his head, finally averting his eyes to the floor. "I would not ever wish to habituate, but I feel that I must if we continue our forays into the Metaverse."
Goro didn't know what to say to that. He closed his eyes to think. "We have to keep going," he eventually said. "I want to investigate this matter about the SIU further. And repay our debt to Morgana," he added.
Yusuke clenched his fists. "I understand that, and I have the same goals. However, you must promise me to take better care of your health and wellbeing. It pains me to see you hurt, and almost losing you today was… indescribable."
Goro placed his hand atop Yusuke's, prompting him to look back up. "I'll promise if you do the same."
Yusuke paused a moment, then smiled. "We have a deal." He unclenched his hand and turned it over to hold Goro's in some semblance of a handshake.
Morgana looked between them, licking a bit of food from his whiskers. "Hey, what about me? I almost died a couple times today, too!"
Yusuke used his other hand to pat Morgana between the ears. "You and Queen were very brave," he said, "but foolhardy. Would you like to make a deal, as well?"
They shook hands with Morgana the best they could, promising to look out for themselves. Yusuke's hand remained clasped in Goro's for the duration of the evening.
Goro awoke to the sight of a bunk bed above him. He was rarely called to the Velvet Room in his dreams, but he was the night after they stole Madarame's Treasure. Since they had just completed their infiltration of Kobayakawa's Palace today, part of him had been expecting to wake up here.
Another part of him was very irritated with having his sleep interrupted.
He sat up and walked to the chair in the room's center without complaint. Caroline and Justine regarded him from either side of Igor, seated at the desk as always.
"Congratulations are in order," Igor said. "You've shown a coward another way to live, and discovered another layer of intrigue atop that."
"What do you know about this?" Goro demanded. As expected, Caroline rapped the side of his chair with her baton and scolded him.
Igor remained unchanged, also as expected. "I'm confident that you can uncover the answers yourself."
"Is it related to the end you mentioned?"
No response. Kobayakawa had spoken of a "greater good" that his organization was working towards; how could that be related to the apocalypse that Igor kept hinting at?
"That will be all for tonight," Igor said. "I merely wanted to offer you some words of encouragement. You may return to your rest now."
Goro moved to stand, still prepared to demand answers, but the world faded to blue before he could get his footing. He didn't wake up until late the next morning.
June 29, 2014 (Sunday)
When Goro opened the door to his bedroom, Makoto was sitting on one of the stools in the kitchen. She turned to greet him with a soft laugh.
"It's almost noon," she said. "Are you really just waking up?"
Goro left his mouth slightly open as he thought of a response. "I nearly died yesterday," he settled on. "I deserved a rest."
"He did," Yusuke chimed in from his workspace. He set down his brush and stood, smiling at Goro. "Are you feeling better?"
"Very much so. Did you all rest up?"
"I couldn't sleep," Makoto admitted. "I envy you a bit, to be honest. I'm sorry for coming over unannounced, but I had to speak with you all."
"To be fair, it wasn't unannounced," Morgana added. "You were texting about it in the group chat; Akechi was just asleep for it."
Goro checked his phone to see about 15 unread messages, then put it away with a sigh. "What's on your mind?"
"I'm very worried about this change of heart," Makoto said. "I don't want Kobayakawa killed or silenced by his employers, but I don't know how he'd be able to proceed without alerting them of his non-compliance. He could be a valuable ally and informant if he manages to stay alive." She paused, resting her back against the counter. "More than that, I want him to right his own wrongs. I really do think he has the potential to turn himself around and become a good leader, but he might not have that chance if we don't intervene in the real world in some way."
"I absolutely agree," Goro said. "At the moment, all we have is the name of Kobayakawa's benefactor, along with several sets of initials and dates. Having him on our side to provide more information would be incredibly useful." He frowned as he thought further. "Part of the issue is that we came across all that information in the Metaverse. How can we get Kobayakawa to trust and help us without going through his real office at Shujin?"
Makoto slumped further. "I've been wondering the same thing."
"Isn't your older sister connected to the SIU, Makoto?" Morgana asked. "Maybe you could say that you heard something from her."
She shook her head. "It's a good thought, but my sister has only worked with them a handful of times. It wouldn't be plausible for her to have come across that connection at any point."
"It does not have to be the truth," Yusuke said. "Unless we plan to tell him about the Metaverse in full, we'll already be lying to him. We have observed that he, in his cowardice, is unlikely to attempt confirming whatever lie we tell him."
"That's true," Makoto muttered, "but I would prefer to keep my sister out of this."
Morgana's ears drooped as he took a seat on the counter. "Sorry."
"No need to apologize. We'll just have to keep brainstorming." She pinched the bridge of her nose, eyes drooping shut. "Maybe I could say I have an informant who works with the police, which could be Akechi, but I think he would assume that I was talking about Sae anyway. He's already mentioned her to me several times; apparently they've met."
"What's the worst that could happen if he thinks it's Sae?" Goro asked. "If the change of heart is permanent, it's unlikely that he'll report her to the higher-ups."
"But if he does, she could lose her job if she's associated with this so-called corruption in the SIU," Makoto argued. "Kobayakawa's Shadow was afraid for his life. I don't want Sae in a similar situation."
It must have been nice to have a living family member to worry about. Goro suppressed his envy and said, "Tell him you overheard a phone conversation from his office."
"What if he asks for details?"
"We know that he's been receiving threats lately and that he scouts students for the SIU to hire. It's more than likely that he's spoken about these matters on the phone at some point in the recent past, and he won't deny it after the change of heart."
"We need to get to him before the change of heart so he doesn't do anything that'll get him killed," Makoto said. "Yusuke, you said that Madarame was docile after our infiltration, correct?" Yusuke nodded. "It's likely that Kobayakawa won't deny it if I go to him before the change of heart, either. Perhaps I can influence him not to jeopardize his safety when he feels compelled to reveal his sins."
"How will we keep the SIU's suspicions off him?" Yusuke asked. "If he stops performing his duties, it seems that he'll die either way."
Makoto sat up straighter, eyes brightening with an idea. "I can be the scapegoat," she said. "He can give them my name to keep them at bay, and they may even contact me at some point. Even though I'm only a first-year, he could convince them that I'm worth hiring."
"Sounds risky," Morgana said. "Are you sure you want to do that to yourself?"
She nodded without hesitation. "We have to get to the bottom of this. We don't know the nature of it, but it sounds dangerous. It's our duty to do what we can."
"It sounds like we have a plan, then." Goro smiled at Makoto as he walked to the fridge. "Shall we entrust it to you? It would be suspicious for me or Yusuke to be seen at Shujin."
"I can handle it myself," Makoto confirmed. "Thank you all for the help."
"When will you confront him?" Yusuke asked.
"As soon as possible. We don't know exactly when the change of heart will take place, so I'll have to arrange a meeting soon."
Morgana nuzzled his head to Makoto's shoulder. "We know you can do it."
July 9, 2014 (Wednesday)
The day before the study period for their exams, the students of Shujin were called to an assembly. Except Makoto, everyone seemed to assume that it would be a regular speech to wrap up the term. Kobayakawa took the stage and quickly shattered everyone's expectations.
"I have failed you all," he began. A shocked hush hit the room. "As a principal, it is my job to be invested in your education and your futures. Each and every one of you deserves the fullest resources at your disposal, but I have been favoring only the students with the highest marks in my time as principal of Shujin Academy."
Makoto sat bolt upright in the audience, heart in her throat as he continued. "That stops today. In the next term, I resolve to be more available to all my students. I am responsible for your learning and growth, and I will hold office hours each day for students or faculty that would like to express their concerns or ideas." He swallowed, sweating beneath the spotlights. "As I double my commitment to Shujin, I encourage all of you to consider joining the student council next year. I plan to attend each meeting, listen to you, and implement your ideas to the best of my ability. I would encourage the faculty to double their efforts, as well. Listen to students with questions instead of shutting them down. Accept their feedback readily. Together, we can make Shujin the springboard for your bright futures."
He paused, looking to the far wall. Makoto held her breath, praying that he wouldn't reveal his involvement with the SIU. Eventually, he walked offstage, and the vice principal approached the podium slowly.
"With all that said, let's go through the end-of-year announcements."
Makoto allowed herself to relax, pressing a hand over her heart to calm herself. He'd listened to her. They could keep moving forward.
After the assembly ended, Makoto made a beeline for the principal's office, attuned to the conversations around her.
"What was all that Kobayakawa was saying? He's the same as any other principal, isn't he?"
"He's kind of an ass, dude. It was funny for him to admit it."
"Is what he said related to the cards posted around the school?"
"Seems like it. I guess it shocked him enough for him to get his act together."
"But what if it really was the Phantom Thieves?"
"I don't know about that, man."
"Did you see him sweat?"
"Gross. There's nothing to get so worked up over."
She headed up the stairs, taking a few deep breaths before she knocked on his office door.
"Come in."
Makoto opened the door slowly, offering Kobayakawa a smile. "That was great," she said.
Kobayakawa folded his hands across his desktop. They were still a bit shaky. "Thank you for saying so," he said, "but it felt wrong not to confess everything. They deserve to know."
"Who really deserves to know are the students you sent to university," Makoto said, taking a seat. "I think you should tell them about your involvement with the SIU and trust that they won't give you away. If some of them are hired by the SIU, maybe they could act as further informants."
Kobayakawa thought that over for a moment. "What do you need with all this information? I don't believe you ever told me. Have you already spoken with your sister about it?"
Makoto shook her head. "I'm working with a couple other people to find out more about the SIU. If Sae is involved with them, I'm concerned for her safety."
Kobayakawa sighed. "Unfortunately, I don't know much more than what I've told you. They wouldn't tell me who's highest in the chain of command or what their ultimate goal is. If you're really determined to find that out, please be careful. I'll help you in any way I can—that's the least I can do."
She nodded. "Thank you, Principal Kobayakawa. I'll let you be for now." She handed him a number. "Please call me if there are any new developments."
"I will," he promised, taking the paper.
She stood to leave, smiling over her shoulder before she closed the door.
"Enjoy your summer."
AN: I actually started liking my version of Kobayakawa more when I wrote this chapter, which I wasn't expecting! He was kind of a cardboard cutout in the game, so it was fun to try fleshing out his character a bit more. This was also the first boss fight I've designed and fully written out, so I hope you enjoyed! I think there was some inconsistency in how tall the Shadow actually was but I did m'best