Hello, everyone! I am so sorry about the wait between the past chapter and now this one - this chapter underwent a considerable number of revisions and rewritings, and it ended up being a lot longer than I thought.

For this chapter, we change perspectives to see things through Makoto's eyes for a little while. Starting next chapter, we'll be back with Naoto as we ramp things up to Okumura.

Thank you so much for the kind comments! I hope this chapter clears up some of the questions you all have had about the fic. If you have any, please feel free to leave a comment and I'll answer what I can.

Thanks again, and enjoy the chapter!

Makoto Niijima had a love/hate relationship with this summer break.

Normally, Makoto didn't enjoy any kind of break that much. The lack of classes, student council duties, and homework threw off her schedule, which was normally so dedicated to the school schedule that she often spent long hours during the summer days studying regardless. It gave her structure, and it kept aloft her competitive drive, pushing her forward to better and better things.

This time, though, she spent less time in the books and more time with the Phantom Thieves, Japan's most popular and most wanted criminals. Makoto loved the oddness of that combination.

Looking back after she joined them, it was no surprise that her true self was wreathed in violent rebellion. Her life for the past three years had been full of falsehoods, stuffed with people who only wanted to use her or make her think she had some measure of control.

In becoming student council president, she had clearly earned some measure of respect from her peers, but she was now set above them, on a pedestal that made her more than a regular student, but still a far cry from a teacher. This left her in this quasi-student position, separated from the other teenagers by virtue of her position, a position that made them alienate her. No one really knew Makoto, and no one really wanted to. She still heard from the students, but she always found it hard to relate to them when they talked to her like they would to a teacher.

Being the student council president carried with it some prestige, but it didn't take long for Makoto to realize that she had no real power or influence within the school. She was little more than a glorified telephone, a line of communication from the students to the faculty and vice-versa. She had no authority over the students and no guarantee that the teachers would listen to anything she said, making her nothing more than a figurehead with additional duties - like leading the principal's asinine investigation into the Phantom Thieves, baited along by his promised letter of recommendation.

That she'd cared so much about that letter at one point made her sick. She'd always taken pride in her intelligence, but she felt scared of being seen as anything but the smartest in her class - her father and now her sister had emphasized the importance of good grades for her future, and when her father had died, Makoto had thrown herself headfirst into her studies as a way of coping with the grief and keeping her mind occupied. Her grades, already high, had soared even higher, further isolating her from her peers and giving her a complex about them being less than perfect. The thought of doing anything but studying in her free time used to drive her into panic attacks, and she doubled down to cope with them.

She was a false god, with false friends, a false reputation, and false power. She was top of the class, as popular as ever, and reported directly to the faculty - and yet, in all of that, she was useless. When push came to shove, she could do nothing and had no one.

No one except Sae, her blood sister, her closest living relative, who thought of her as useless and had said so to her face.

When Johanna had spoken in her mind that day, she hadn't accepted the offer from her Persona - she had seized it, eager to prove herself and to throw off the shackles of her old life. She wanted to show Akira and the others that she was anything but useless.

Every impact of her knuckles against a Shadow's face was sweet relief. Every blast from her revolver was her own will, weaponized. Every triumph over someone's Shadow was validation that she was doing the right thing. Every group meeting and message sent in the group chat was a small boost to her, proving that she had real, honest, true friends.

A few months with the Phantom Thieves had done a lifetime's worth of a good for Makoto. They'd changed her, given her new meaning, a new desire to live life. Though she still took pride in her intelligence, she no longer held it up as her raison d'etre. Though she was still on a pedestal to her peers, she had started talking to more of them, learning social skills from Ann and Akira and becoming closer to the Thieves. Though she was still ostensibly the faculty's lap dog, she had been asserting herself more when talking to them, flexing her position's muscles for all they were worth.

And then, of course, there was Ann.

Anyone looking at them never would've put them together in a romantic context. Makoto herself hadn't until she'd gotten to know Ann past the same surface level that she knew most of the student body. Like so much of her old self, her sexuality had been chained down by public appearances and the expectations of others - it was only after Johanna's awakening that Makoto had gained the courage to face her true self and admit that maybe her desire to be friends with Ann was rooted in more than just wanting to have more friends.

Their crepe date had turned into study sessions and more free time spent together, late night texting, "chance" meetings at school, then very deliberate meetings at school. When they were busy acting as the Phantom Thieves, they had started to move together, act together, fight together - more than one Shadow had been pulled by Panther's whip into Queen's waiting fists, dissolving them into a spray of black particles.

It had taken well over a month of them unofficially dating before Makoto had finally stammed out a confession after the fireworks festival. Her first kiss had been everything she'd dreamed of, and tasting the power that Ann held in such a physical act had made Makoto eager for more. Unfortunately for them, spare time alone and in private was a precious luxury for high school students, but they made the best of it.

Thus, the summer that Makoto spent as a Phantom Thief was, without a doubt, the greatest
summer of her entire life. It was the only one she could remember where she did not look forward to school starting up for the next term, a term where she would get to spend time studying together with Ann.

And, when they were done studying, make out in the empty booths of Leblanc while Akira and Yusuke spent their own time alone upstairs.

"So you've been getting dinner with her?"

Curiosity rang in Rise's voice, with a hint of genuine teasing, and it was exactly the kind of tone Naoto had expected from Rise. There had been a brief worry that Rise would get jealous when Naoto was telling her about Sae, but Rise was quick to reassure Naoto that she was anything but. They had both come a long way since their teenage years, when Rise had no shortage of jealousy and Naoto had been a kid in over her head - their time spent with each other and the Investigation Team had done wonders for them.

"Yes, several times since I began working the case. It's nothing serious yet, love, but I…" She took a deep breath, anxiety telling her that it was terrible but her heart and head telling her that it was going to be fine.

It's Rise. We've talked about this. It's not that she isn't enough, it's that she's not everything.

"I wanted to make sure it was okay if I, uh, went farther with her. Dating, I mean. I don't know if it'll happen - I don't even know if she likes me, aside from a work associate - but I wanted you to know."

Rise's light, musical giggle lifted a weight borne from nerves from Naoto's shoulders, and Naoto smiled on her end. "Aww, Naoto-kun! Of course it's okay! So long as you tell me, which you just did, I'm fine with it. She sounds really interesting, and a lot like you."

"Yes, she's quite the prosecutor. Stellar case record, great reputation...really amazing eyes. She's almost a foot taller than I am, too."

Another giggle. Naoto smiled wider, the sound filling her with glee. "Sounds like you have quite the crush, Naoto-kun. I'd love to meet her next time I'm in Tokyo, which'll be in...October? I believe October."

Naoto considered it. If it was all over by then, of course they could, but if not… "I'm sure she'd love to meet you, but she's very...stressed, to put it mildly, with the whole Phantom Thieves case. If the case is solved when you visit, I'll be glad to introduce you to her."

"I can't wait!" The excitement in Rise's voice warmed Naoto's chest, and she felt now more than ever a keen longing to hear it in person. She missed Rise, she missed everything about her - her smile, her laugh, the feel of their fingers entwined, the gentle rise and fall of her chest in bed next to her, the way her lips feel, the sensuous tingle when her fingers run down Naoto's bare back…

"Me neither," Naoto mumbled, unable to shake her bashfulness about sex, even when they were separated by a great distance. "I miss you, Rise."

The words weren't said so much as they fell from Naoto's mouth, harder and more honest than she wanted to be. No assignment had taken this long, and Naoto had known that it would be a lengthy one when she had accepted it. When Rise was on tour, Naoto could handle that - she'd catch Rise in other stops on her tour and see her then. Now, though…

"I miss you so much. The bed here is so cold without you, and there's so few bottles in the shower, and the coffee isn't the right brand, an-" Naoto stopped herself and let out a heavy sigh. "I just really miss you."

"I miss you too, Naoto." Rise's tone was as wistful and needy as Naoto's, and Naoto wished she could be there to hear it in person. "It's different knowing you won't be backstage after the shows, or when I wake up and you're not sitting on the couch reading the news. I miss kissing you, Nao."

"I miss kissing you." Her voice lowered. "And...um...other things…"

Rise giggled again, and it brought a small chuckle from Naoto as she flushed, glad no one could see it. "Maybe I can come visit when I have a break and stay the night."

"...I'd like that."

"I would t-" Naoto heard someone call Rise's name over the line. "Oh, sorry, hold on." The line went quiet for a few seconds, then Rise came back, apologizing. "I'm sorry, Naoto, I've got to go. We're about to start a rehearsal."

"It's fine, I should get going." She sighed slightly, then rallied for the goodbyes. "Thank you for calling. I miss your voice, Rise."

"And I miss yours, Naoto. And you, all of you. I love you. I'll call you in a few days?"

"I love you too, Rise. Sounds good. I'll talk to you then!"

"Can't wait!"

And with that, she was gone, leaving Naoto alone with her desire to have a time machine.

She moved the phone away from her ear and looked at it for a moment, the call having laster well over thirty minutes. It made sense - she'd had a lot to say, recounting the past few weeks of activity.

She backed out of the call program to the home screen, revealing a selfie of her and Rise, cheeks pressed together as they smiled wide. Naoto remembered that moment fondly, a moment frozen in time from one of their dates last year.

I love you.

After one final glance, Naoto slid her phone into her pocket, opened up her umbrella, and stepped out of the Yongen-Jaya train station into the pouring rain. She had a place she wanted to check out, and she didn't want to get home too late.

It was during one of the Phantom Thieves' study sessions that Makoto first met Naoto Shirogane.

She and Ann were working on math homework, as were Akira and Yusuke. Ryuji had gone home early to help his mom, and Futaba was busy doing something in her room, having fled the scene when it became clear that the students would be doing homework for the rest of the night. Sojiro was sitting behind the bar, arms folded as he watched TV. The current story was Medjed's failure to follow through on their threat - a threat that Futaba had negated.

Except for them, the cafe was empty, and likely to stay that way - heavy rain had made it a slow afternoon, and the rain hadn't let up come evening. Makoto was looking over Ann's trigonometry homework. Ann was waiting for her to finish, replying to a text from Shiho. Akira was idly checking his own work, skillfully spinning a pencil over his fingers. Morgana was curled up on the table, apparently snoozing. Yusuke was next to Akira, still working some geometry problems.

"Under normal circumstances I find these shapes lovely, but I despise them when they're made into puzzles," Yusuke said, setting down his pencil and pinching the bridge of his nose. "These angles are vexing me."

"Your angles vex me," Akira muttered, loud enough for the table to hear. That drew a smile from Yusuke, who went back to his own homework with a renewed vigor.

Makoto frowned, but not at Akira's words - she was still focused on Ann's homework. She circled one of the answers, then set the notebook down on the table and indicated it with her pencil. "How did you get this number?"

"Hmm?" Ann glanced over, setting down her phone. "I...uh…" She looked back over the problem, her own expression morphing from confusion to frustration before she sighed and hung her head. "I don't know…"

Me neither, Makoto thought as she glanced at it again. "Then let's start over. I'll follow along, and we can figure out where the mistake is."

With a sigh of frustration, Ann lowered her forehead to the table, finally slumped over in defeat. "Maaaaaaakooooooo, this is haaaaaaaard."

"I know, Ann. Trigonometry can be very frustrating, but it's all just formulas and ratios! All you need to do is find the right one. Come on," Makoto encouraged, patting Ann's back before slowly turning it into a gentle, affectionate rub. "Let's get this done, and then we can relax the rest of the night."

Ann took a few deep breaths before she finally picked her head up from the table and grabbed her pencil, ready to attack the problems once more. "Right. I'm not giving up. Bring it on, math!"

"That's the spirit, Lady Ann!" Morgana looked up from his curled-up-ball form, ears perked up with interest. "Nothing gets the Phantom Thieves down!"

Yusuke nodded, glancing up from his own work. "I admire your attitude, Ann, even in the face of previous defeat.."

"Be sure to try approaching the problem from a different angle." Akira said, not looking up from his paper. The rest of the table groaned or sighed, but Sojiro chuckled a little from the bar.

"You're dating quite the jokester, Yusuke," Makoto said as Ann started to work through the incorrect problem once more.

"He's more of a trickster," Morgana tossed in.

"Mmmm, true," Yusuke mused, thinking it through. "Still, I believe foxes and tricksters are a natural match, wouldn't you agree?"

Whether or not they were would have to wait - at that moment, the bell at the door rang, drawing everyone's attention to the newcomer, hidden beneath an umbrella.

"I hope I'm not too late," she said as she collapsed the umbrella, revealing the inquisitive face of Naoto Shirogane, former Detective Prince. "I've heard excellent things about this place."

Sojiro, Yusuke, and Ann were staring, eyes wide. Akira gave Naoto a welcoming nod, which she returned. Makoto froze, starstruck by the sight of one of her childhood idols in person.

Makoto had grown up hearing stories about Naoto - she'd been ten or eleven when Naoto had started to hit the mainstream press, and though Makoto's father had primarily inspired her to work hard and study harder, Naoto's success as a teen detective had inspired Makoto as well. She'd even dressed up a few times in all blue with a blue hat, imitating Naoto's outfit, solving mysteries that had been created by her father (or made up on the spot by Makoto, such as the Case of the Missing Cookies).

The death of Makoto's father had changed all of that. The detective dreams vanished, turning into following in her sister's footsteps as a show of respect for everything Sae had done for them. The newspaper cutouts about Naoto had gone into storage, with a lot of other things that had reminded Makoto of her parent's careers - the careers that had gotten them killed.

Seeing Naoto here, and not just as a distant news story, was something Makoto had never expected. For years, Makoto had dreamed of meeting Naoto, telling the detective how she had inspired Makoto, what it meant to see someone so young be seen so highly. Then, her father had died, and with it, Makoto's childhood obsession.

As all those memories came flooding back, Makoto found herself drowning in them, and feelings that she had pushed aside years ago broke free. Now, they refused to be pushed aside so easily.

She swallowed and looked steadfastly down at her paper, then started quadruple-checking her own homework, reverting back to what she always did when confronted with reminders of her father - schoolwork. The numbers blended together, and her brain was trying to comprehend them while dealing with all the things she'd repressed. Her hands began to shake uncontrollably, and her chest ached from deep inside as her normal breathing turned into fast, shallow gasps.

Ann and Akira picked up on it immediately, trading a glance before getting into action. Akira stood up and moved to get a glass of water while Ann scooted closer, taking the pen out of Makoto's grasp and holding Makoto's hands tightly in her own. "Hey, hey, Mako, I'm here. Stay with me, okay? Breathe deep, Makoto."

No no no no no no no no no I can't think I can't breathe why is this happening he's dead he's gone h-

Breathe, Priestess.

Johanna spoke from the depths of Makoto's mind, piercing the overwhelming fog that had clouded her thoughts and turned her entire process into a senseless blur. Ann followed soon after, her words reaching in, finding Makoto's core despite the haze, and her touch helped ground Makoto, keeping her solidly with the group. Her chest still felt tight, but as Ann gently rubbed her fingers and Akira returned with the water, Makoto felt herself relaxing into Ann's grip.

Ann pressed her lips against Makoto's cheek and pulled Makoto into her arms, whispering quiet assurances. Morgana stood up and moved over, settling down in Makoto's lap, purring. As her friends kept her present, she slowly but surely came back down from her panic attack, unexpected and terrible one that it was. When she no longer felt the severe pain in her chest, and her breathing had slowed, she loosened her grip from Ann's shirt - a grip she didn't even know she'd been holding.

"...sorry, Ann, I...I'm okay. I'm okay," she mumbled, sitting up straight in the booth and taking in a deep breath.

"Good to hear," Ann said, giving Makoto a gentle smile. "Everything all right?"

"Yes, it is," Makoto said, a little annoyed that everyone had made a fuss over her, but appreciating it all the same. "...thank you. All of you."

Morgana leapt out of Makoto's lap and back onto the table. Akira just nodded, indicating the water in front of her, and Makoto took a long sip from it. Ann smiled wider, kissing Makoto's cheek. Yusuke simply nodded as well, though he'd done little - not much he really could have done, and Makoto appreciated the thought all the same.

And thank you for being there, Johanna.

Always, Priestess. Your bonds are strong, and they serve you well.

"What happened? Are you worried she knows?" Ann's finger began to draw little circles on Makoto's arm.

"No, it's not that," Makoto said to Ann with a shake of her head. "It's...many things. I idolized her when I was a child, and so did my dad. Her being here, in person, brought back some things I would rather not think about. It's not her fault, it's just associations."

"Go talk to her." Akira whispered, nodding his head towards Naoto. "Maybe it'll help."

Can I talk to her?

"...I'd just be bothering her."

Akira shook his head. "She's nice, I promise. She doesn't bite."

Only one way to find out.

She took another deep breath, then got up out of the booth, psyching herself up as she approached. When she got up behind Naoto, it took her a few seconds to finally get the words out. "Excuse me, Shirogane-sama?"

Naoto turned, at first curious, and then Makoto saw a flash of recognition in Naoto's eyes. "You must be Makoto Niijima. Your sister has spoken very highly of you."

"She has?" Makoto managed to repress some of the surprise, remembering that Sae was not really herself right now. Still, it was good to hear that she was saying positive things.

Naoto nodded, giving Makoto another look-over. "Yes, incredibly so. The family resemblance is clear. It's a pleasure to meet you, Niijima-san. I would introduce myself, but," and she flashed a gentle smile, "you already seem to know my name. I assume you've heard of me?"

"Yes, I followed you extensively when I was younger." Makoto looked over at the seat next to her, and Naoto indicated it was free. Makoto pulled it out and slid in, turning to face Naoto, who faced her. "I was...quite the fan of you and your exploits. I used to put on a hat like yours and go around the house, solving mysteries that my father put together." She offered a smile to Naoto, who seemed delighted at that news.

"Your father was a good man, then." Naoto's face dropped, turning more somber. "Sae-san told me what happened to him. You have my sincerest condolences, Niijima-san - I never got the opportunity to work with him, but I wish I had."

Her tone was genuine, caring. Akira was right. She was nice. "...thank you. He was an admirer of yours as well," she admitted.

Speaking of him like this was difficult, and it showed. Her voice cracked slightly, and she felt a tremor go through her hands, but she took in a breath and pushed it back down for now. Here she was, finally speaking in person to Naoto Shirogane, and she was not going to waste this chance - even if Naoto was trying to figure out who the Phantom Thieves really were.

Makoto's comment got a chuckle. "Thanks for your support back in those days. Truth be told, I was glad when Akechi-san rose to popularity and took over the name. I'll take a quiet room and a case over a TV studio any day of the week." Naoto looked over at Sojiro. "Whatever she wants. I'm paying." She glanced behind her. "Actually, whatever they all want, too."

"You're very generous, Shirogane-sama," Sojiro said as he grabbed some mugs. "The usuals, kids?" Everyone voiced their approval, then went back to work.

"We come here often," Makoto explained, noting Naoto's raised eyebrow of confusion. "He knows what we like by now. How's Tokyo?"

"Crowded. I come from Inaba, a sleepy town a ways southwest of here, and we didn't even have a rail system in the city. Everything's stacked together here in Tokyo, and the streets are bustling. I'm used to the crowds by now, as I travel quite a bit, but I've never been in so dense a place for so long before. Do you like it here?"

Sojiro served up Naoto's coffee, and she took a sip from it. By the look on her face, she enjoyed it far more than she was expecting. Makoto took the chance to speak, deciding to work in what she was sure was a common topic. "I like the bustle. It's...competition, in a way. Not that I think of myself as a competitive person-"

Her eyes barely caught Ann's expression of utter disbelief.

"-but I find so many people around encouraging, in a way. It reminds me of my goals, keeps me focused."

Naoto nodded. "Silence does the same for me. I like having my own thoughts around, and not much else. Though your sister has proven to be a remarkably talented partner, especially on the Phantom Thieves case."

Yes! An in!

That got the attention of the back table, who perked up. Makoto rolled with it, knowing they could use this. "I understand if you can't say much, Shirogane-sama, but can you tell us anything about how the case is going? Do you have any suspects?" Her tone was as innocent as it could possibly be. Naoto seemed to suspect nothing, and Makoto wanted to keep it that way - if Naoto told them anything valuable, they could use that with Sae's stolen data.

Sorry, sis…

"I have several, of course. So does Akechi-san, and so do the police. I can't say who, nor would I even if I could. But the case is going well, to answer your first question." She took another sip of her coffee, adding in a bit more sugar after. "It's unlike any case I've ever had before, giving it a new, intriguing layer of uniqueness. Medjed's attack on the Phantom Thieves went poorly, as you undoubtedly have heard, so we're taking the chance to see what Medjed knows. It's a tricky process."

Futaba's undoubtedly snickering to herself right now. Makoto could easily imagine the smirk on Futaba's face as the police prowled Medjed's servers, only to find nothing.

"And, if you'll allow me an indulgence, I'd like to ask you something. All of you, though I believe I've already heard Akira's thoughts on the matter." She turned around to face the group, who looked up at her, interrupted from their work. "What do you all think of the Phantom Thieves?"

They all traded glances. Makoto felt a tinge of nervousness in the back of her neck, but it subsided quickly. Ryuji wasn't here, and the others knew how to keep it subtle.

"Well...I really like them," Ann stuttered out, nervously speaking up when no one else did and doing her best to sound casual. It didn't work, as usual, but Makoto loved that she was trying all the same. "It's not like anyone of their targets have been good people. Kamoshida, Madarame, Kaneshiro...they were all really mean people who took advantage of others."

Naoto nodded. "True. None of them are what you would call sympathetic individuals, and I imagine seeing their confessions brought you some measure of satisfaction, correct?" Ann gave her own nod, then Naoto looked to Yusuke. "What about you? You're...Yusuke Kitagawa, correct? Madarame's pupil?"

"Indeed I am," Yusuke said as he set down his pencil. "I would not like to comment on Madarame's case in particular as it is very personal to me, and you will understand if I sound biased, but I find their goals and methods noble. Beyond the law or not, they're helping people and bringing criminals to justice."

Again, Naoto nodded. "Of course. My apologies, Kitagawa-san, I did not mean to pry." Yusuke gave a nod of acknowledgement. "What about you, Niijima-san?"

Makoto found herself on the end of Naoto's inquisitive look, and she then realized a part of what made Naoto such a good detective - she was focused, entirely, on what Makoto was about to say. Her attention was squarely centered on Makoto, and it was both intimidating and refreshing to be under such a critical eye.

Makoto nervously cleared her throat, then took a second to regain her composure. She wanted to choose her words carefully. "From a legal standpoint, I can see why you would want to catch them, but...morally, I find it difficult to justify any kind of action against them. All of their actions so far have been against adults who have deserved it, and Medjed is hardly innocent anymore.

"The Phantom Thieves are good in my book," she concluded emphatically. "Especially with what their targets have confessed to doing."

If even one person out there stops doing evil out of fear of us, it will all have been worth it.

Naoto considered Makoto's words, sipping at her coffee thoughtfully. "Interesting. The law, unfortunately, cares little for morality, except as defined by itself. Still, you have given me some things to consider. Thank you, all of you."

She finished off her coffee, then stood up and placed some money on the counter. "Keep the change, Sakura-san. This should cover everything." She turned to face the group, then gave a small bow. "It was a pleasure to meet all of you, and I'll look forward to seeing you all again - I'm sure I'll be back here soon." She picked up her umbrella and undid the binding, ready to open it the moment she stepped outside. "Have a good night!"

With that, she strode out the door, and was gone.

Makoto looked over at Akira, and then everyone looked at everyone else.

"Do you think she knows?" Morgana said, asking the question everyone was thinking.

No one wanted to answer, so no one did.