Hello all! I'm so sorry for the lateness in posting this! This chapter was difficult to write for a number of reasons and a few other creative efforts have taken up my time. We should be back to a regular weekly schedule from here on (fingers crossed).

The chapter after this one will cut away from Naoto and show us what's going on with the Phantom Thieves around this time. If you're wondering about the in-game date, we're in mid to late August.

A preemptive note: It's been a while since I've played these sections in-game, and I may be misremembering the exact details of how the mental shutdowns/psychotic breakdowns work. If you know more than I do, let me know what errors I've made and I'll fix them accordingly, so long as it's within the scope of the characters' knowledge.

As always, a big thanks to Ytalis for proofreading this and his lovely help.

Enjoy the chapter!

Something was different about Goro Akechi.

It'd only taken a single conversation to figure that out. In fact, it'd taken even less - all Naoto had needed was a good, solid look at him in person, away from cameras and reporters. The opportunity had finally presented itself when the two had spoken for the first time at the courthouse, a few days after Naoto's arrival in Tokyo.

She'd been sitting in the downstairs lobby, going over some case files related to the mental shutdowns. Talking over the cases with Sae had given Naoto a hunch that there was some kind of pattern, and she'd dedicated her lunch hours and some other spare time to finding it. Her primary goal was working with Sae to catch the Phantom Thieves, but the mental shutdowns were too interesting to fully pass up, despite the time pressure of wanting to find the Phantom Thieves before Medjed's deadline in a few days.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a constant movement, and she looked up to spot the famed heir to her former title Goro Akechi making his way across the lobby to her, coming from the elevators. Deciding that the work could wait, she kept her eyes on him as he came towards her, taking some time to analyze his stride and attitude.

His eyes were quick, bright, alert. He would occasionally glance away, but he didn't dart around like someone scanning for threats would - rather, it seemed as though he was looking for knowledge, assessing everything he could with a single glance. Naoto knew the habit well, it being one she herself had.

He was certain and assured in his steps, beyond what she expected of someone his age - he was older than she had been during the Inaba case, but he was still young for a detective working a case as high-profile as the mental shutdowns. His stride possessed great confidence, and if Naoto were a more cynical person, she might've gone so far as to call it bordering on arrogance. He didn't think that he belonged here - he knew he belonged here, at the forefront of justice, as if he believed this is exactly where I deserve to be with his whole heart.

This kind of feeling, one of deserving one's position, was something that Naoto had struggled with in her younger days. She lacked the mental assurance that Akechi presumably had, the assurance that she belonged where she had been. The constant negativity from the higher-ups that doubted her and told her she was too young had taken their toll on her self-confidence, and though she didn't lack belief in her own abilities, she never felt like she belonged, like she was somehow faking it. It was an odd position to be in - to be so sure of what she was doing, yet to be so unsure that she should even be doing it.

Akechi seemed to have no such doubts. He was in the right place, he was the right person, he was doing the right things. He had the blessings of the police and the SUI, and Naoto felt a twinge of jealousy. She had blazed the trail for Akechi, and the world was ready to roll out the welcome mat for another detective prince, far more than than had been ready for the first. Things had changed in the years since Inaba, and Akechi had the charm to take advantage of his fame - something Naoto lacked.

She didn't fault him for his attitude, of course - it was better better that she had gone through that kind of struggle so no one else would have to. Akechi had so far done incredibly well with the title of Detective Prince, and she was more than happy to give it up to a newcomer, especially one would take the attention away from her. Passing on the torch had never officially happened, but it was something she had done with no hesitation.

His time as title holder was also noticeably different from her own. Where her movements were careful and cautious, unless she didn't want to be, Akechi walked around with his head up high. Where she had scrambled and resisted the doubts from her superiors to push through, he was the golden child of the SIU. Where she had avoided the media unless necessary, giving interviews at her whim, he had built up his reputation through talk shows and appearances.

As she thought about it all, it finally clicked - his walk, his attitude, his poise. It wasn't that he was cocky, or overconfident. Rather...

He's ambitious.

Ambition was a double-edged sword. It served as a focus for goals and desires, a motivator for achieving what a person wanted. Without ambition, there was no drive to succeed, to rise up and accomplish dreams. Too much ambition could lead to overreach, overextension, and ultimately, a downfall due to their own twisted desires and goals.

It would be interesting to see which way Akechi would go.

Knowing that he would spot her analyzing him, Naoto halted her obvious observations as Akechi got closer, and she smiled when he stopped before her table. "Shirogane-san," he greeted, bowing at Naoto. "I'm glad we finally have the pleasure of meeting. You've been the talk of the courthouse since you arrived."

The news of her name being on everyone's lips wasn't surprising. Naoto had learned a long time ago to filter out such whispers and idle conversation - it distracted her, and she didn't want distractions.

"I hope it hasn't bothered you too much, Akechi-san. It is good to finally see you in person," she said with a smile as she got to her feet and returned the bow. "I've been meaning to speak to the Detective Prince for quite some time."

"Please, you flatter me with the nickname," Akechi said as he waved his hand dismissively. "I wear it with pride, and I hope I do it the justice it deserves. Do you have a few minutes? Sae-san asked me to brief you on the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns. I'd also be lying if I hadn't said I wanted to speak to you on a more personal level, as well," he admitted, giving a small "what are you gonna do" shrug with his shoulders.

Naoto nodded as she got back into her seat, indicating the empty chair across the small table. "I'd appreciate it. I was just now looking over some files she sent me, but if you can summarize what we know better…"

Akechi sat down opposite Naoto, setting his marked briefcase down by his chair. The giant A caught Naoto's eye before she turned her attention to Akechi again. "I could, Shirogane-san, but your reputation precedes you, so indulge me, if you will? Sae-san was quite impressed by your analysis of the Phantom Thieves, and I would like to know what your thoughts are." He leaned back and crossed his arms, giving her a small, confident smirk. "Amaze me."

Naoto arched an eyebrow, then placed her hands together and leaned forward on the table, meeting Akechi's eyes. "Very well. There are two major event patterns that involve abnormal mental behavior, which I had erroneously categorized together - your own separation of the two distinct situations in your reports showed me that said cases should, in fact, be treated separately. For that, I thank you."

She raised a hand, fist closed. "In the first case," and out came her index finger, "the victim enters a state of catatonia and becomes unresponsive. Death soon follows. In the second case," and out came her middle finger, "the victim enters a fugue-like state where they become enraged or perform acts that are unusual for the victim's normal temperament. They eventually recover, provided their actions have not lead to their own death, but have no memory of the incident. Lastly, the rarest kind," and she stuck out her thumb, "both things happen - the victim acts unusually, seemingly psychotic, and dies shortly after.

"The pattern for the victims so far appears random - or, at least, my own information is lacking something I could conceive as a pattern, which I hope to remedy by studying the case files and, ideally, your own private observations. The later is, of course, up to you."

Akechi nodded thoughtfully, stroking his chin as Naoto spoke. He seemed impressed, or at least, satisfied. Naoto continued, encouraged. "Psychotic breakdowns happen more often than the mental shutdowns do, which are mercifully rare - fortunate, as they result in death. That these cases have began increasing as the Phantom Thieves' activities have picked up could be a coincidence, or it could not. The Phantom Thieves are, of course, suspects, but I don't think they're causing these shutdowns and breakdowns."

"An interesting conclusion," Akechi said. "What lead you to it?"

"What we know of the Phantom Thieves is that they administer their own brand of justice. Even you would agree that their calling card recipients are villains who deserve to be caught, would you not?"

At that, Akechi nodded in agreement. "True. As you have no doubt heard me say, I find their goals noble, but their methods far from it. They are not the law - they are vigilantes, criminals in their own way."

"I agree. As for the other victims, the psychotic breakdown and mental shutdown ones, they are not universally villainous people. Some of them are certainly questionable in deed and word, but even innocent victims have been hit - the subway driver in April, for instance, was an honest man by all accounts. These victims have received no calling cards, no chance at reformation on their own terms. The Phantom Thieves' methodology that we know of is starkly different from whatever or whoever is doing these terrible mental afflictions."

"You seem convinced that an intelligence is somehow causing the afflictions, Shirogane-san," Akechi said, regarding her with interest. "I have found myself considering such a thing, and so I must inquire: what makes you so sure of this conclusion?"

She tapped the files next to her, smiling slightly. "All things have a pattern, Akechi-san, as you've no doubt discovered. The only trouble is finding it. Were it some kind of infectious disease or new mutation, there would be a pattern between the victims - a common place, a common person, a common food. These cases are involve victims from all walks of life, with all kinds of diets and all kinds of habits. The only commonality is that all of these attacks have happened in the Greater Tokyo Area, which means there's something in the air, or there's someone in the area.

"I could be wrong, of course, but my instincts tell me I'm right, and they have been my greatest ally as a detective. I have confidence in my deduction, as I'm sure you do, that whoever is causing the shutdowns and breakdowns is indeed very intelligent. There is someone behind these, Akechi-san," Naoto declared with a certainty she rarely used outside of a courtroom, "and I will find them before I am done."

Something changed in Akechi's eyes as he listened to Naoto's promise. He had been focused on her before, but now he was focused on her, studying her as if for the first time. He regarded her as not just as person, but as Naoto Shirogane, the ace detective. There was a respect in his eyes that had been missing before, a certain level of regard for Naoto's intellect that he hadn't possessed.

She had gotten her foot in the door with him, as planned.

His expression lasted for only a flash before he sat up in his chair and smiled, clapping his hands together a few times in genuine approval. "Impressive, Shirogane-san. You have an eye for the unusual, it seems. Your reputation is well deserved - just be sure to not focus so much on my case that you neglect your own." He smiled, his tone telling Naoto that his chide was more joking than serious. He pushed his chair back and stood up, brushing himself off as he grabbed his briefcase. "Regrettably, I cannot stay and chat longer, as much as I would like to. Perhaps we can rendezvous next week, after this Medjed business is dealt with?"

Naoto nodded, smiling up at Akechi. "Of course, Akechi-san. Take care of yourself. Good luck on your case."

With that, Akechi turned and left, walking out the front door. Naoto watched him leave, noting with some surprise that there was a difference in his stride. He was still confident, yes, but something about their encounter had changed him. Perhaps he thought he no longer needed to be as sure in himself. Perhaps he was mulling on how to handle someone as sharp as he was in the same building, though Sae was more than a match for him in that regard. Perhaps he was debating on what to do next. Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.

Naoto had bigger concerns.

She opened up one of the files and got back to reading. She had some patterns to find.

Sae cut an impressive silhouette.

Naoto found herself transfixed, studying Sae as she was distracted, looking down at a file set on her desk. The light of the setting sun coming in through the window bathed the office in a warm orange glow, gorgeously falling upon Sae's hair and softly illuminating her face. It gave her fair skin an unearthly, but incredibly attractive, glow - ochre-tinged gold, her naturally sharp features alluringly highlighted to Naoto's focused gaze.

She's...incredible. Sharp as a blade, inlaid with silver and delicately polished to a mirror shine.

Sae was dangerous, but Naoto had played with fire enough to know the risks. She didn't take them unless there was something worth gaining.

...maybe there is.

Naoto stood and stretched, raising her arms up over her head and arching her back. Sae's eyes flicked up at the movement, then looked - very deliberately, Naoto figured - back down at the paper. "Leaving, Shirogane-san?"

"Yes, I'm feeling a bit hungry and worn out. You're staying?"

Sae nodded, flipping over a page and looking back down to the file. "There's work to be done. I'll see you Monday."

Naoto picked up her briefcase and turned to go, then turned back - all part of the plan. "Are you hungry? I was going to get some food on the way home. Would you like to join me?"

Sae's hand paused as she was flipping another page, and she glanced up at Naoto, her surprise evident on her face. "You want to get dinner...with me?"

"Of course I do." Naoto made it sound casual, easy, matter-of-fact. Who wouldn't want to get dinner with Sae Niijima? "There's a good place not too far from here, great udon. I know there's, as you said, work to be done, but everyone needs a break once in a while. You can't do your best work if you're exhausted and hungry."

Sae hesitated, and Naoto could see the refusal on her lips, waiting to come out. Naoto was halfway through mentally composing what she was going to say next when Sae glanced at one of the pictures on her desk, sighed, and nodded. "You have a point. Very well, I suppose I could use some time away from the office." She closed the folder and stood up, stretching in the same manner as Naoto just had.

This time, it was Naoto who stole a glance. Fortunately, Sae didn't seem to notice as Naoto finally tore her eyes away from Sae's lithe, curved form.

...this could be a problem.

The beef bowl shop where she'd seen Kurusu several nights ago was open and sparsely populated, the few others who were there in the same position as Naoto and Sae - looking for a quick, but filling, bite to eat before heading home or back to work. Kurusu wasn't here this time, a high school aged girl working in his place, just as efficiently.

The two picked a more secluded booth near the corner, placed their orders, and waited in silence. Sae, Naoto noticed, was as tense as she'd been in her office, almost like she'd never left. Her back was against the bench, with her arms folded and her legs crossed, and she kept glancing at her watch. All of it screamed that she didn't want to be here, but Naoto was curious as to if it was a genuine desire to not be here, or a simple lack of experience in social interactions.

Being around the office for a few days had given her time to listen to the rumors and see how Sae interacted with the rest of the courthouse staff. Sae was respected, despite her age and gender - that much was clear. Respect didn't always carry over well to camaraderie, and she tended to hold the rest of the office staff at arm's length. She knew the social niceties, but none of the staff talked to her except when they had to, and she wasn't invited to any of the after-work socials.

Everything about Sae said business - her style, her demeanor, her body language, her word choices, all of it pointed to utter and complete professionalism. Naoto was starting to wonder if she'd ever been relaxed a day in her life. Surely she couldn't always be like this. She had to relax at home...right?

"Good work today."

Pulled back to the present from idly studying Sae, Naoto blinked, then sat up, actually focusing on what she was saying. "Hm? Oh, thank you. You've been nothing but helpful so far, Niijima-san, and I appreciate it."

"Of course," Sae said with a nod. Another silence fell between them, but Sae was shifting in her seat, like she had something to say, so Naoto waited. "I...must admit," Sae finally began a moment or two later, "when the notice of your assignment came through, I had my reservations." She glanced up, her eyes finding Naoto's.

That look could melt steel. Naoto was caught in her gaze, willingly stuck.

"After having to work with Akechi so much, I was worried that having yet another media celebrity detective on the case would only bog things down. He's helpful and smart, but…" She sighed, slumping slightly in her seat, letting some of her stiffness out with it. It was like she had pulled off a mask, and Naoto saw a trace of a more vulnerable, distraught Sae. "I'm worried he's more concerned about making sure he solves the case, as opposed to simply solving the case. When I heard you were coming, I feared you would be the same way."

Naoto nodded, leaning forward and placing her elbows on the table, smiling. "I know what you mean. And it's reasonable, given all the media attention I got. And, in some ways, still get. I always make sure, though, that it never interferes with my work. I got the nickname because I kept solving cases and before I knew it, I'd kind of...blown up overnight, turned into this wonder child. Smart, handsome, talented, young…" She shrugged. "I never wanted it, but I found it handy to cultivate an image, so to speak. Reputations go both ways, and I'd rather take advantage of it, if I've got one."

"Why didn't you just refuse media appearances? You could've kept your anonymity, I'm sure."

Naoto gently shook her head. "I tried. They kept coming, and if I hadn't talked, someone else would have. I decided that if it was going to be there, I'd want to be in control of it, as much as I could be. My partner is much the same way - they're a fairly high profile celebrity, and even when they quit their job and moved to a small town for a spell, they still couldn't avoid the media tracking them down. We bonded over that, initially."

The memory brought a smile back to Naoto's lips as she remembered some of her and Rise's conversations and media stories. Rise had it worse, of course, but Naoto had one memorable occasion where she had to duck behind the counter of a mall sushi restaurant to avoid a particularly tenacious photographer.

"As I said back when we first met," Naoto continued as she focused on on Sae, "I have no interest in the media. My time as the Detective Prince seems to be over, and Akechi has taken much of the attention that was on me, which I am more than happy to let him have. It just means there's more time in my day to work on the case."

Movement from the corner of her eye drew Naoto's gaze, and she looked over to see the working girl approaching with their meals. The smells hit Naoto before the sights did, and her stomach rumbled in anticipation. The counter girl set down their meals with a short bow and a "please enjoy!". After thanking the girl, Naoto and Sae picked up their chopsticks and dug in eagerly. When Sae swallowed the first bite of her beef bowl, she sighed contentedly, some of the tension vanishing from her shoulders.

She deserves a break.

"I've noticed you staying late as well," Sae said, approval clear. "It's comforting to know you're putting your full effort into this. The Phantom Thieves are particularly...vexing."

Naoto finished her current bite before answering, washing it down with some water. "I find it fascinating. So many unknowns, so many mysteries yet to solve. When it all becomes clear, I'm sure the picture it paints will be formidable and riveting, a true work of art worthy of a case this difficult. Do you often stay late nights, or is that because of this case?"

Sae's hand paused as it was going back to her bowl, the question making her think. After a moment, she dug around in her food, letting that occupy her hands while she answered, staring into her meal. "I always had a few, but never like this, with them being so close together. I know it worries Makoto, but the sooner this is solved, the sooner I can go back to a normal schedule."

"Makoto?"

Sae looked up now, topic sufficiently changed. "My sister. She's the third-year class president over at Shujin Academy."

"That's where Kamoshida taught, correct?"

"Correct," Sae confirmed. "She's maintained excellent grades and she's well-liked by her peers, as I understand. She's going to university to become a prosecutor."

"Follow in your footsteps? Ambitious, but if she has even a fraction of your ability - which I'm sure she does - she'll do very well."

The genuine compliment gave Sae pause, and she took some time to eat before she spoke up again. "You're too kind, Shirogane-san," she muttered, hurriedly going back to her dinner.

Naoto just smiled.

"Thank you for dinner."

They had left the beef bowl place and were about to split up and part ways for the night. Naoto had unbuttoned her jacket, letting it hang open as they walked back to the station. Sae had a hand in her pocket and the other loosely holding her briefcase. Her steps were smoother, her stance relaxed. The meal had done her some good.

"And for taking me out of the office," Sae continued. "I needed that. More than I knew."

"Any time, Niijima-san," Naoto said, looking up at Sae. "I enjoyed myself. It was nice to speak with you about something other than the Phantom Thieves."

"It was." Sae looked down, the barest hint of a smile turning up the corners of her lips. "Maybe someday you'll tell me about your famous Detective Prince cases. I used to read all about you, you know. You were rising up while I was in college, and given my career path, it was only natural."

That got a giggle from Naoto, who arched an eyebrow, curious and only slightly judgemental. "Really? What did you think of me?"

"I thought you were a hotshot young kid who kept getting lucky breaks," Sae recalled, her casual tone at odds with her words, but Naoto appreciated the honesty. "Someone who didn't deserve the fame they were getting."

"You wound me, Niijima-san," Naoto said, words tinged with false hurt as she played up the offense. "And now?"

Sae looked at Naoto, and there was another one of those moments. A moment when something changed, something that Naoto couldn't know, but she could tell that it was different. "I think you're a smart young woman who has earned her reputation," Sae stated, truth ringing in her words.

The complement brought a tinge of red to Naoto's cheeks, and she elected to stare at her feet, hoping Sae wouldn't notice. "Thank you, Niijima-san."

There was a lull in the conversation, and a thousand things ran through Naoto's mind as they arrived at the entrance to the train stations. So many things she wanted to say, and couldn't say, and almost said, as they stopped and stood there awkwardly, neither of them sure what to do here.

Do you want to come have a drink?

Do you even like girls?

Anyone special in your life?

Before Naoto could say anything, though, Sae cleared her throat and looked around, then back to Naoto. "Well, uh. See you tomorrow, Shirogane-san."

"O-of course," Naoto said as she straightened up. Whatever had passed between them was gone. "See you tomorrow."

With that, Sae turned around and walked to her station. Naoto watched her go, wondering if she should've said something, or if this was even going to go anywhere that wasn't friendship. Not that Naoto would mind a friend - Sae seemed like she could use one. The thoughts refused to leave her head as she walked towards her apartment.

It wasn't until she'd stepped through her door that she remembered tomorrow was Saturday, and the courthouse would thus be closed.