6/16/20XX
Monday: After School
Shujin Academy
While the Phantom Thieves continued to look for their next big target, they also continued to live their lives as normal students, avoiding as much suspicion as possible. However, as Miku and Hibiki were getting ready to call it a day and head back home as per usual, the former was met with a less-than-favorable surprise.
"Oh good, you haven't gone home yet, Kohinata-chan." Kawakami said, walking over to the pair of students.
"Ms. Kawakami?" Miku asked. "What's up?"
"Niijima-san and Eve-san are looking for you." Kawakami replied, which was both concerning and confusing for the duo. "Could you head to the student council room before you leave for the day?"
"Sure thing." Miku answered, doing her best to hide how nervous she was made by this sudden request. "Can I ask what they need me for?"
Kawakami shrugged. "They didn't say. But it didn't sound like it was for anything serious, if that's what you're wondering."
"Got it." Miku nodded as she finished packing up her belongings and walked towards the door with Hibiki. "See you tomorrow, Ms. Kawakami."
Once they were certain that no one was nearby, Hibiki and Miku wondered what the student council presidents wanted from them at a time like this. "Hey, you don't think this has anything to do with what we said to Makoto-san on Saturday, do you?" Hibiki asked.
"If I had to take a guess, maybe." Miku replied. "Either way, let's just keep calm and avoid saying or doing anything that would expose ourselves."
"Right." Hibiki nodded.
Not too much later, the duo arrived in front of the student council room. With a nod to one another and a deep breath, they opened the door, where Serena and Makoto were waiting for them. "Ah. Earlier than expected." Makoto stated. "And I see that you brought Hibiki-chan as well."
"What can I say? Miku and I are like a package deal, you know?" Hibiki said with a nervous chuckle.
"Sorry to ask you to come here after school." Serena added.
"It's fine, Serena-san." Miku replied.
"If I may ask, what did you need us for?" Hibiki asked.
"Of course. Please, have a seat." Makoto said, gesturing for the duo to the open seats at the table as herself and Serena sat at the ones on the other side. "I'll get straight to the point. The incidents with Mr. Kamoshida and Madarame. Can you tell me why the Phantom Thieves went after them?"
Miku and Hibiki were shocked by this seemingly out of nowhere question. "Why are you asking us about that?" Miku asked.
"Just because of what happened between us and Kamoshida before the incident doesn't mean we had anything to do with it!" Hibiki added.
"I figured you'd say something like that." Makoto replied as she pulled out her phone. "Maybe hearing this will jog your memories."
"If someone else could help 'em, we wouldn't be doin' stuff as the Phantom Thieves to start with!"
"I still have my doubts about doing this, but as long as you're certain we'll be okay, then you can always count on me!"
"Of course we'll be okay dess! After all, how is anyone going to find out?"
A chill ran up the thief duo's spines as they heard the recording, which was from their conversation just after the student council president had left, or so they thought...
Flashback
6/14/20XX
Saturday: After School
Shujin Academy: Courtyard
"That chick honestly pisses me off. Goin' around actin' like she's some great champion of justice..." Ryuji said with a scowl as he read an article talking about Carol and Akechi's appearance on the talk show the other day, his annoyance directed toward the former of the two detectives. "And don't get me started on that happy-go-lucky partner of hers..."
"Do you think they mentioned the police to scare us on the off chance we would've watched the interview?" Miku asked. "Or do you think that was all just to gain the public's favor?"
"What are you guys talking about with the police?" Kirika asked as herself and Shirabe walked over to the group. "You still thinking about what Akechi mentioned yesterday?"
"Pretty much." Hibiki answered.
"It just pisses me off that they had the gall to threaten us with the police. They think they're so tough, then how about they go out and do it themselves!" Ryuji shouted. "If someone else could help 'em, we wouldn't be doin' stuff as the Phantom Thieves to start with!"
Everyone nodded in agreement to what Ryuji was saying, however, while they all agreed, one of them had their doubts. "To be honest, even if it was just a scare tactic, it made me wonder if we should still be doing things as the Phantom Thieves." Hibiki said.
"What are you saying, Hibiki?" Shirabe asked. "You're not planning on quitting, are you?"
"O-Of course not!" Hibiki replied quickly. "I'm just saying, if the cops really are involved in what we're doing, do you think it's safe for us to continue doing this?"
"We can't let the cops scare us outta bein' Phantom Thieves." Ryuji said.
Everyone nodded in agreement, but Hibiki still had her reservations. "I know that, but..."
"Is something worrying you?" Makoto asked, suddenly appearing before the group. "If there's something you need to say, I'm all ears to listen."
Hearing Makoto say this, Shirabe grit her teeth. "Oh, so now you want to listen?" She mumbled, catching Makoto's attention. "If the student council was honestly interested in listening to people, then where were you, Serena-san, or anyone on the council during the incident with Shiho-san? Or, while we're at it, when Ann-san was being harassed by Kamoshina?"
Makoto was taken aback by Shirabe's questions, but she was equally quick to retort. "And what did you do? How did you help your friends when they needed it most?" Makoto asked, which only made Shirabe even angrier.
"You think I wouldn't have done something if I knew for certain that something was wrong?" Shirabe retorted. "I was left completely in the dark about their situations. I knew something was wrong, even when they would look me in the eyes and say that nothing was. But do you know what hurt me the most? Even after Shiho-san nearly took her own life, it seemed like neither the school nor the student council seemed to care about why she did it."
"That's-"
"And sure, I'm in the wrong for not doing something when it mattered most. Deep down, I knew I couldn't stand up for them alone, but eventually, I got help from my friends and I was able to stand up for my friends and in turn help them stand up for themselves. Does that make me a criminal?" Shirabe continued, leaving Makoto speechless. "That's what I thought."
"I'm sure you also have someone that you'd want to help, even if you couldn't do it without breaking the rules." Miku added. "For Shirabe, that help came from the Phantom Thieves."
"You ask me, I have no problems rootin' for those Phantom Thieves if they're out there helpin' people who feel like they can't help their friends." Ryuji said. "Hell, they seem to be more dependable than some people I know."
Makoto was understandably angry at the indirect insult, but she kept her composure and turned to walk away. "...Just be sure you show up to your classes, alright?" She said as she left their line of sight.
When they were sure Makoto was gone, Hibiki turned to the group with newfound confidence. "Hey, so about my earlier comments, about whether or not we should still be doing things, I take them all back." Hibiki said. "Sure, I still have my doubts about doing this, but as long as you're certain we'll be okay, then you can always count on me!"
"Of course we'll be okay dess!" Kirika replied. "After all, how is anyone going to find out?"
"Besides, even if someone did find us out, it's not like we've done anything wrong!" Ryuji added. "This is our justice!"
"What could all this mean?" Makoto asked as she put away her cell phone.
"She was recording our conversation that whole time..." Hibiki whispers. "What should we do?"
"Don't worry, Hibiki, I can handle this." Miku replied.
"How did you manage to make them confess?" Makoto asked. "Did you blackmail them? Use some special kind of hypnosis? I'm dying to know how you did it."
"Look, Makoto-san, I know it seems rather convenient that my friends and I could be the Phantom Thieves because of what happened between us and Kamoshida, but I assure you, you've got the wrong people." Miku said. "As for why Ryuji said what he did, honestly, we just like to humor his belief that he's a Phantom Thief. After all, they did save him from expulsion."
"So you want me to believe that this recording doesn't prove anything, is that right?" Makoto asked, which Miku nodded sincerely. "Say I do take your word for it and you're not the Phantom Thieves, do you think the police would share the same opinion?"
Hibiki and Miku were speechless at another person threatening them with police involvement. "Considering how much interest in your case the police have, I would highly recommend confessing the truth." Serena added. "I know we just threatened you with the police, but you have my word that we'll stay quiet if you just tell us the truth."
Miku and Hibiki were still hesitant to speak. "You'll tell us, won't you?" Makoto asked.
"Makoto-san, Serena-san, I appreciate you willing to stay quiet about it, but I promise you, we have nothing to do with the Phantom Thieves." Miku said. "You can go to Ryuji, Shirabe, and Kirika with the same threat, too. I promise you their answers will be the exact same."
Suddenly, Miku's phone started to ring. Ryuji was calling her, which made Miku slightly concerned to answer. "By all means, go ahead and answer." Makoto insisted, leaving Miku with no other choice.
Nervously, Miku answered the phone. "H-Hey, Ryuji!" She said.
"Hey, where you guys at?" Ryuji asked.
"We're still at the school." Miku answered. "Just had to help Ms. Kawakami with a few things before I left. Hibiki's with me, too."
"H-Hi, Ryuji!" Hibiki replied, equally as nervous.
"Ah, cool, cool." Ryuji said. "Regardless, let's meet up at the usual spot to hold our Phantom Thieves meetin'! See ya there!"
With that said, Ryuji hung up, leaving Miku and Hibiki stunned into silence while Makoto just looked at them with a smug grin and a raised eyebrow as Serena was almost as surprised as the two thieves were. "Looks like I won't have to track them down to ask them after all. Talk about perfect timing." Makoto chuckled. "How about we continue this discussion with your friends? I'm sure they'll be interested to hear this recording, too."
Defeated, Miku let out a sigh as she dropped her head in shame. "I guess it can't be helped now..." She said. "Come on, Hibiki... Hibiki?"
"R-Ryuji... Just did that..." Hibiki muttered.
"Looks like she's still in shock from that call. In her defense, she has every right to be shocked by that." Serena stated. "Should we do something?"
"I can handle it." Miku said, taking her friend's hand as she led the semi-responsive boxer to the door. "Shall we?"
"Lead the way." Makoto replied as she and Serena got up and followed Miku out the door and closing it behind them.
6/16/20XX
Monday: After School
Phantom Thieves' Hideout
With no other choice, Miku and Hibiki lead Makoto and Serena to their group's hideout, where they were greeted by the shocked and confused expressions of their teammates as they entered the abandoned building. "Wh-What the hell?!" Ryuji gasped.
"Why did you bring them here?!" Shirabe asked.
"Are they friends of yours?" Yusuke asked the group.
"Well... Not exactly." Kirika answered.
"There ain't a 'Not exactly' about any of this!" Ryuji retorted.
Ignoring Ryuji's comment, Makoto directed her attention towards the non-Shujin students. "Madarame's former pupils. You are Kazanari-san and Kitagawa-kun, correct?" Makoto asked.
"That's correct." Tsubasa said. "And you are?"
"My name is Makoto Niijima, a third-year student from Shujin Academy." Makoto answered. "And this is Serena Cadenzavna Eve, also a third-year from Shujin."
"It's nice to meet you." Serena said. "Of course, I wish we could've met under less tense circumstances, but here we are..."
"And what exactly brought you two here?" Shirabe asked.
"I would like you to hear this." Makoto answered, pulling out her phone and replaying the recording she played for Miku and Hibiki earlier, which made the other thieves uneasy. "How do you think the police would react if I gave them this recording?"
Tsubasa scoffed. "Is that all you came here to do? Show us a recording then turn us in to the police?" She asked. "Am I wrong to assume that you want something by showing us this blackmail?"
"I'll get straight to the point: This 'justice' you speak of, I want you to prove it." Makoto answered, catching everyone's attention. "Right now, only myself and Serena know your true identities."
"If only they knew..." Miku said to herself.
"If you can prove what you're doing is just, I'll erase this recording and we'll forget this conversation ever happened." Makoto continued.
"Those are your terms?" Yusuke asked, receiving a nod in response.
"What exactly do you want us to do?" Hibiki asked.
"Simple: I want you to change someone's heart." Makoto answered.
"Whose heart?" Miku asked, which made Makoto smirk, which in turn made Serena realize what her co-president was doing.
"So you're saying it is possible." Makoto chuckled.
"Enough effin' around!" Ryuji groaned. "Whose heart is it?"
"Makoto? This isn't going where I think it's going, is it?" Serena asked.
"Yep." Makoto said. "I want you to change the heart of a mafia boss."
The thieves were taken aback by this request. "I'm sorry, did you just say a mafia boss?!" Kirika asked.
"That's what they call themselves." Makoto said. "This group specializes in phishing scams and drug dealing. What's worse, once you're in their sights, they won't stop threatening you until they get what they want. They'll force you to take part in their scams, threaten your family, and ultimately destroy your life."
"Holy shit..." Ryuji said in astonishment.
"They primarily target juveniles, a number of which includes students from Shujin Academy." Serena added.
"What's the name of this boss?" Yusuke asked.
"Unfortunately, no one knows..." Serena answered.
"The victims are being threatened into silence, so even the police don't understand the scope of the situation." Makoto added.
"So you're asking us to change the heart of a criminal that even the police are having trouble finding?" Shirabe asked.
"As much as I would like to bring this mafia boss to justice, this seems like a rather tall order." Kirika added.
"If you're the Phantom Thieves, it's the least you can do." Makoto retorted. "Or is this request proof enough that you act without justice?"
"Do not mistake our concerns for a lack of justice." Tsubasa said. "We just would've preferred you came to us with a lead to this boss hiding in the shadows rather than sending us on a wild goose chase."
"Luckily, there is one lead that we do have." Makoto replied. "Their main hub of activity is in Shibuya."
The Thieves were notably surprised by this info. After all, an entire crime syndicate stalking around where some of them called home was a lot to take in. "As far as we know, they call out to students who wander down back alleys, offering them part-time jobs that turns out to be drug trafficking, which they use to blackmail students." Serena stated.
"I'll give you two weeks to prove yourselves." Makoto added. "If nothing happens by then, I will turn in all the evidence I have to both the police and the school. I hope you don't let me down."
With that, Makoto and Serena left the hideout, leaving the thieves to process what just happened. "Well, in one way, I guess we have our next target..." Kirika said. "Granted, I wish we had better circumstances to work under for our first criminal case..."
"'Don't let me down'... Dammit, she was just bossin' us around..." Ryuji scoffed.
"What should we do, Miku?" Hibiki asked.
Miku let out a sigh. "Since we at least have some info to go off of, our next move should be tracking down anyone associated with this mafia boss to get another lead." She said. "We'll split into groups and search the alleyways for anyone that knows anything about this boss."
"Sounds like our best course of action if we're going to have to prove ourselves to Niijima-san." Yusuke replied.
Ryuji sighed. "I wanna be excited about goin' after a mafia boss, but the fact we're doin' it to prove ourselves to the student council presidents effin' sucks..."
"It's thanks to your big mouth for getting us stuck in this situation, you know." Miku said.
"I know, I know..." Ryuji replied. "I'm never livin' that down, aren't I?"
"If we get arrested for it, I'll make sure you never forget!" Kirika answered.
"Why you little-"
"Calm yourselves, you two. We already have enough to deal with right now." Tsubasa said. "The last thing we need is for Sakamoto to be inactive due to infighting."
"You say that like I couldn't take her on in a fight..." Ryuji scoffed.
"In a place like Mementos or a Palace, maybe. But Akatsuki still has access to her demonic powers in the real world." Tsubasa stated. "You're literally asking to be humiliated fighting her here."
Ryuji wanted to argue with Tsubasa, but deep down, he knew she was right. "...Whatever." He scoffed. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."
With that, Ryuji left the hideout, grumbling all the way. "Did I go too far with what I said?" Tsubasa asked.
"I'm sure he'll be fine." Miku said. "Either way, we should probably head out for the day, too."
Tsubasa nodded. "Right. Until tomorrow, then."
6/17/20XX
Tuesday: After School
Shibuya
And so, the Phantom Thieves met up once again at Shibuya Central to branch out and find anything they could on this mafia hiding within the shadows. However, despite their best efforts, they couldn't find a solid lead towards their target and it was equal parts frustrating and exhausting. "Geez... Why is it so hard to find anyone from this mafia?" Hibiki complained. "Do you think they've stopped roping in students?"
"I highly doubt it, Hibiki." Miku replied. "If anything, they might only look to prey on teenagers for their practices at night. You know, to avoid the police."
"Yeah, I guess that makes more sense..." Hibiki nodded. "In that case, should we find the others and talk about... Serena-san?"
"Why would we talk about Serena-san?" Miku asked, before looking over to where Hibiki was looking to see none other than the student council co-president herself, which left her even more confused.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything." Serena said.
"N-Not at all, Serena-san." Miku replied. "If I may ask though, what are you doing here?"
"I wanted to check in and see how things were going in your investigation. I assumed I'd find you here in Shibuya, and luckily, I was right to assume so.." Serena answered. "That, and I wanted to apologize for yesterday."
"Apologize?" Hibiki asked. "What do you need to apologize for?"
"Well, personally, I felt like we got off on the wrong foot yesterday." Serena said. "You see, ever since you all changed Kamoshida's heart, Principal Kobayakawa's been pushing us constantly to find out who you were, to the point that he's been prioritizing your identities over, in my opinion, actual concerns that need to be addressed, such as the mafia that's been targeting our students."
"I meant to ask yesterday about that." Miku replied. "Is that why Makoto-san asked us to track down and change the heart of this mafia boss?"
"While I'm not 100% in the loop with her thought process on this, I'd say that's a safe bet." Serena answered. "But back to my original point, I wanted to just ask you to not judge Makoto based on how she was yesterday. I've been told by many students that they find her... Very intimidating."
"In my defense, I meant that in a nice way." Hibiki stated, which made Miku raise an eyebrow at her. "I may have said it to Serena-san in confidence back when I was a first year... But again, I meant that in a nice way. She's kinda like Kanade-senpai, but a little... You know... scary... Please don't tell her I called her scary..."
"It's fine, Hibiki-chan. I'm not going to tell her." She said, which made the boxer sigh in relief. "Either way, while she may come off as intimidating, Makoto means very well. If it wasn't for everything that's been on her plate recently, I'm sure you'd love to get to know the Makoto that I know when she's allowed to be herself, without all of the weights of responsibility on her shoulders."
"I'll be sure to keep that in mind." Miku said. "If it makes you feel better, Serena-san, I figured that Makoto-san was just trying to set an example for other students."
"Glad to see it's had a positive effect on someone at least. "Serena chucked.
As the girls talked amongst themselves, they were suddenly met by two shady men: One wearing a black and yellow track suit whereas the other was dressed in a more formal gray suit and red undershirt with red tinted glasses. "How are you fine ladies doin' this evening?" The formally dressed man asked. "If you have some time on your hands, we've got a great job opportunity for you."
"They must be involved with the mafia..." Miku and Serena both collectively thought to themselves, while Hibiki just looked at the men in confusion.
"What kind of job are you offering? Nothing scary, I hope?" Miku asked.
The formal man chuckled. "Not at all. I assure you that it's very safe."
"And how soon do you need an answer from us?" Serena asked, which made the men give her a questionable look. "I just have a lot of questions about this job is all. But if they're a bother, I could ask them to your boss directly."
"On second thought, forget it. You kids don't seem cut out for this." The formal man said. "We'll find someone else."
With that, the two men left the trio alone in the alleyway. "Well, there goes that opportunity for some info..." Serena sighed. "Sorry for ruining that for you."
"It's quite alright, Serena-san. It seemed like they would've walked away regardless of whatever questions we would've asked about their boss." Miku said.
"I guess you're right." Serena replied. "For now though, I'll tell Makoto that you're looking into this mafia boss and leave the rest to you. Can I have your number? It'll make sharing any info you come across a lot easier."
"Sure thing." Miku said, handing Serena her phone so she could register her number while also registering Miku's number to her own phone.
"I also went ahead and added Makoto's number to your phone so she can stay in touch with you, too. I'll give her your number when I see her again." Serena said as she handed Miku back her phone. "Well, best of luck to you all!"
"See you later, Serena-san!" Hibiki said as herself and Miku waved off Serena.
Once she was gone, Miku got a message on her phone in the Phantom Thieves group chat.
Ryuji: No luck on my end. Outta leads.
Ryuji: What about you guys?
Tsubasa: Nothing on our end either.
Kirika: Same here, I'm afraid...
Kirika: Let's meet back up.
Miku: Sure thing. Hibiki and I will be right there.
"I guess we got lucky to just run into some of the members of that mafia, even if we couldn't get much out of it..." Hibiki said. "Hopefully we can think of something with the others."
"Let's hope so." Miku replied. However, just as they were about to go meet up with the other Thieves, Miku's phone suddenly buzzed. She got a text from an unknown number.
?: We need to talk, Phantom Thief. I have some information that could be useful to you.
?: Are you alone?
Miku was reasonably confused and concerned by these texts. "Is something wrong, Miku?" Hibiki asked.
Before Miku could respond to her friend, another text quickly took her attention.
?: If you want my help, get your friend to leave so that I may call you privately.
Miku wanted to question what was happening, but at the same time, she didn't want to drive off someone that could help them. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine, Hibiki." Miku said. "Makoto-san just got my number from Serena-san. She said she needed to ask me something privately."
Hibiki was surprised to hear this. "Serena-san already gave Makoto-san your number? That was fast!" She said. "You go on ahead and talk to her. I'll tell the others you'll meet up with us in a bit."
"Thank you, Hibiki." Miku replied as she waved off her friend who waved as she left the alleyway.
Once she was certain Hibiki was gone, she returned to her phone.
Miku: Alright, I'm alone.
Miku: Who are you?
Miku waited for a reply, but instead of a follow-up text, the mysterious number called her. Every fiber of her being was telling her to not answer, but given the circumstances the thieves were under, she needed to hear this person out. Hesitantly, Miku answered the phone.
"Who is this?" Miku asked.
"Who I am is not important. What IS important is that I can help you find this mafia boss that Makoto Niijima is forcing you all to look into." The mysterious caller said in a distorted voice.
"You know who we're looking for?!" Miku asked.
"Of course. That's why I'm getting in contact with you." The caller said.
"I suppose that makes sense..." Miku mumbled, realizing that question didn't really need to be said. "So who is it?"
"I can't tell you that. Not here, that is." The caller replied cryptically.
"What are you saying?" Miku asked.
"If you want the name of the guy you're looking for, come to Café Leblanc tomorrow night. Alone." The caller answered.
"What?!" Miku gasped.
"I know it sounds shady, but I can assure you that no harm will come to you." The caller reassured Miku. "Regardless, once you arrive, knock on the front door and I'll direct you from there."
Miku was unsure if she should trust this plan. "But-"
"Of course, if you would rather risk getting exposed by the student council co-presidents, you can simply forget this ever happened. But I can tell that you don't want that, do you?" The caller interjected, backing Miku into a metaphorical corner.
"...Fine, I'll go to Café Leblanc." Miku sighed. "Where is this place, anyways?"
"If you're familiar with a place called C.A.F.F.E. Café over in Yongen-Jaya, it's just a couple of blocks away from there. Either ask around for directions or look for a red door." The caller explained. "I'll see you there tomorrow."
"Wai-"
Before Miku could question the mysterious person further, they hung up the call, leaving them with one final message over texts.
?: Remember: Café Leblanc. Tomorrow night. Come alone.
Frustrated, Miku sent another text asking who this person was, but when she tried to send, she was just met with an error. "What did I just get myself into?" Miku sighed.
6/18/20XX
Wednesday: After School
Shibuya
After school had let out, Hibiki and Miku walked home as they usually did, but along the way, Miku told Hibiki about the mysterious caller and what they were asking of her. "Are you sure we can trust them?" Hibiki asked. "What if this is a trap set up by the mafia and you're never heard from again?"
"I have my own concerns about this, too, Hibiki. But this may be one of our only chances of finding out anything about this mafia boss, so I have to take the risk." Miku replied. "The only problem is that I have no clue where this Café Leblanc is outside of the vague tip that it's a few blocks away from C.A.F.F.E. Café."
"It's actually a pretty nice place, if I'm being honest." Hibiki said, which made Miku give her a surprised glance. "What?"
"You've been to this Café?" Miku asked.
"Well, kinda?" Hibiki shrugged. "I went there one time when I was helping Master move something out of C.A.F.F.E. Cafe's storage that he was going to give to the owner of Leblanc. Outside of that, I haven't really been there much, but the owner seemed like a nice guy and the place felt really comfy, like C.A.F.F.E. Café in a way. I should have a rough idea of where it is."
"Care to tag along with me, then?" Miku asked. "Of course, you won't be able to follow me to the Café, but I could really use the directions."
"Sure thing!" Hibiki replied. "I was planning on helping out at C.A.F.F.E. Café tonight anyways, so it'll be easy for me to give you better directions from there."
"Thank you, Hibiki." Miku said, before she suddenly heard Hibiki's stomach growl. "...Let's get something to eat before we head over to C.A.F.F.E. Café. I'm sure your mother probably heard that growl from here and started making something for us as we speak."
"Come on... It wasn't that loud..." Hibiki chuckled nervously.
6/18/20XX
Wednesday: Evening
Yongen-Jaya
Once they had dinner at home, the duo eventually headed back to the train station and went straight to Yongen-Jaya. True to her word, Hibiki gave Miku directions to Café Leblanc before going into C.A.F.F.E. Café to start working.
Thankfully, it didn't take Miku too long to find the red door the caller mentioned. "This must be the place." She said to herself, taking a deep breath as she approached the door. "Here goes nothing."
Knock Knock Knock
Miku knocked on the door and stepped back... It was quiet... Too quiet... But, before long, she got a call from the mysterious caller.
"Glad to see you decided to show up." The caller said.
"I told you I would. Not like I had much of a choice..." Miku said, mumbling the last part to herself. "What do you need me to do now?"
"If you look underneath the doormat, you should find a key to the front door. Use it, head inside, and go up the stairs in the back of the Café. I'll be waiting for you there." The caller explained. "Oh, and lock the door behind you once you're inside. You can just leave the key on the counter."
"O...Kay?" Miku said, understanding the caller not wanting anyone to break in, considering the café was closed for the night. But as she thought about the Café, a thought came to mind. "Hold on, how did you get access to this Café?"
Miku didn't receive an answer to that question as the caller hung up shortly after, which frustrated Miku. "This cryptic nonsense is getting old really fast..." She sighed as she put away her phone and found the key right where the caller said it would be. "Let's just get this over with..."
Café Leblanc
Entering the café and locking the door behind her, Miku took in the atmosphere of Leblanc, which she found really soothing. "Hibiki wasn't kidding about this place feeling comfy." She said to herself as she walked towards the back of the café. "I'll have to come by when they're open to see what it's like here. But for now, I should hurry up and find this mysterious caller."
Miku made it over to the staircase and cautiously climbed the stairs, ready to defend herself in case this was an ambush like Hibiki feared. Fortunately, those fears were unfounded as it appeared that there was no one waiting to jump Miku when her guard was down. All that she could see was a storage room full of boxes, tables, shelves, and a single chair that was sitting in the middle of the room.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Phantom Thief." A muffled voice called out in the direction of the ominous chair, which quickly spun around to reveal the person who called Miku here. The person in question wore gray cargo pants, green laced shoes, a zipped-up dark green hoodie, and to the Phantom Thief's surprise, a big black-haired doll mask that covered their entire head. "Is something wrong?"
"N-No, nothing's wrong." Miku said in a nervous tone. "It's just, I wasn't expecting, you know, that mask."
"I get that a lot when I wear this thing." The masked person said. "I'd explain why I'm wearing it, but I'm sure I wouldn't need to explain secret identities to someone such as yourself."
"Of course." Miku nodded. "Now then, since I've met your demands of coming to meet you at this café alone, will you tell me the name of this mafia boss we're searching for?"
"I will, on one condition." The masked person said.
Miku sighed hearing this. "Let me guess, you'll want my team and I to change someone's heart or else you'll leak our identities or something?" Miku asked.
"Why in the world would I threaten to expose you? That would be unbelievably stupid!" The masked person shouted, insulted by the assumption Miku made. "Regardless, in exchange for this information, you and the Phantom Thieves will owe me a favor in the future."
Miku was notably concerned by how vague this condition was. "That favor being?"
"I'll contact you about it when I feel that the time's right." The masked person answered. "So, do we have a deal?"
Miku was hesitant to respond, but after considering the alternatives, she made up her mind. "Deal."
"Excellent." The masked person said. "Now then, the mafia boss that you and your friends are looking for is a man named 'Junya Kaneshiro'."
"Junya Kaneshiro." Miku repeated, typing the name into her phone for later. "Is there anything else you can tell me about this guy?"
The masked person shrugged. "Unless you wanna know his fake IDs, purchase history, or any other useless information like that, I'm afraid that's all I've got for you." They said. "But considering you've pulled this off twice before, I doubt you really need my help for that."
"That's fair." Miku nodded. "Either way, I should probably let myself out."
"Until we meet again." The masked person said. "And don't worry about locking the door behind you this time. I'll take care of it once you leave."
"Sure thing." Miku replied as she started to walk down the stairs, but before she got too far down, she turned back towards the masked person. "I know you mentioned before that your name's not important, but do you at least have a name that I can call you by?"
The masked person was quiet for a moment, not moving so much as an inch, before finally responding. "You may call me 'Alibaba'."
"Well, thanks for your help, Alibaba." Miku said. "Have a good night."
"Same to you." Alibaba replied, watching Miku leave the café. "And now, we wait..."
6/19/20XX
Thursday: Lunchtime
Shujin Academy
The next day, after her encounter with the mysterious Alibaba, Miku texted the Phantom Thieves group chat to tell them what she knew.
Miku: Good news everyone!
Kirika: Oh? What's up?
Miku: I just received some very important information on them while I was in Yongen-Jaya with Hibiki.
Ryuji: Nice! So, what's the info?
Miku: Considering how I got this information, I'd prefer if we talked about it in person. Meet me and Hibiki in Shibuya at the station and we'll take it from there.
Yusuke: Senpai and I will meet you all there.
Shirabe: Same here for Kiri-chan and I.
Ryuji: Can't wait!
Thursday: After School
Shibuya
After school let out, Miku and Hibiki met up with the Phantom Thieves in Shibuya to share what she had learned. "Sorry we're late!" Miku said as herself and Hibiki ran over to the spot the others were waiting for them at. "Makoto-san stopped us in the hallway and asked about our progress in the investigation."
"Figured as much..." Ryuji sighed.
"So, what was it that you needed to share with us dess?" Kirika asked.
"To make a long story short: I found the name of the target Makoto-san wanted us to find. Junya Kaneshiro." Miku answered, which surprised everyone except Hibiki, who was told this on the walk back home the night prior.
"Did you check the Meta-Nav to make sure the name was correct?" Tsubasa asked.
Miku nodded. "We managed to get a hit for a palace when we put it in. So, whether this guy's our target or not, they're still someone that needs to be brought down." She said. "And before you ask, Hibiki and I didn't attempt to search for the other codewords since we were both tired and would rather not risk getting ambushed when we weren't at our best."
"That was a smart idea." Kirika replied. "Back to the topic of the other keywords though, considering we know next to nothing about this guy other than his name, we're gonna have to throw whatever we can think of that'll stick."
Collectively, the thieves started to think of anything that could be associated with the missing keywords. "Kaneshiro... Well, 'Kane' does mean 'money'." Ryuji thought aloud.
"And there's also the fact that he's in charge of an entire syndicate who specialize in blackmail..." Tsubasa added.
"Perhaps his Palace has something to do with a place that deals with money?" Yusuke suggested.
"So like a bank, for example?" Shirabe asked.
"You have a hit."
Hearing her suggestion, Miku's phone reacted to the word, taking everyone by surprise. "That actually worked?" Shirabe gasped.
"Interesting. So, he thinks of something in this city as his own personal bank." Yusuke stated.
"Do you think it could be one of the banks in reality specifically?" Hibiki asked.
"I doubt it's that simple dess." Kirika said. "Not to mention, it wouldn't be what he views the place as. That'd be like saying Madarame saw a museum as his museum instead of his shack as such. Nothing would change."
"There's also the fact that he takes money from the people he preys on. A real bank would have nothin' to do with that." Ryuji added.
"When you put it like that, it does sound kinda silly..." Hibiki chuckled.
"That would mean that Kaneshiro views his bank as where his victims are." Tsubasa stated.
"Considering just how many people this guy's taken money from across all of Shibuya, that practically tells us nothin'." Ryuji groaned, that is, until another ping shot from Miku's phone. "Wait what?! Was it somethin' I said?"
"I don't believe it..." Miku said, looking down at the results on her phone in a mix of surprise and disgust. "The place Kaneshiro views as his own personal bank is... 'All of Shibuya'!"
"What?!" Hibiki gasped. "When you say 'All of Shibuya', are we talking about the entire city?"
"Considering that is where his victims are, that certainly does add up." Kirika said. "Honestly, even if we're doing this to prove ourselves, it's clear that this guy needs to be taken down a peg or two."
"In that case, let's get in there and find out what we can!" Ryuji cheered. "Take us in, Miku!"
"Hold on a moment!" Tsubasa interjected. "Are you sure it's wise for us to travel to the Palace whilst we are in the middle of a crowded street?"
"Eh, no one notices when a piece of trash gets taken out of a trash can. This ain't any different." Ryuji replied.
"I suppose that does make sense." Tsubasa shrugged. "Let us continue onward."
"Beginning Navigation"
Shadow Kaneshiro's Palace: Shibuya
With everyone's minds made up, the Thieves entered the Palace to see what they could find out. Upon arrival, they were met with a distorted version of Shibuya that was shrouded under a murky, cloudy sky. Aside from that, the sky was littered with hundreds of thousands of yen notes that were being sucked into the air.
Skull let out a whistle as he took in the sights. "Now this is what I'd call twisted!"
"The entire city's been distorted..." Warrior said, surprised by what she saw.
"In his mind, the entire city is his own." Fox stated.
"Hold on, are you all seeing this as well?" Samurai asked as she pointed up in the sky at a giant glowing platform covered in smoke that was heading right towards them.
Once the smoke cleared, they could see that the platform in question was responsible for all of the money going into the sky through a vacuum on the bottom. As for the top, they saw what looked like a mansion, staring down at the dark city below. "Holy crap! Look at that thing!" Skull gasped.
"Is that supposed to be Kaneshiro's Palace?" Maiden asked.
"Whatever it is, it's freakin' crazy dess!" Imp replied.
As they were taken aback by the floating Palace, the Phantom Thieves finally took notice of something else that was in the distorted Shibuya, the citizens walking around it. "Guys, are these ATMs supposed to represent the people of Shibuya?" Echo asked.
"Walking cash machines... This must be how he perceives his victims..." Fox stated.
"ATMs aside, how exactly are we supposed to get up on that platform?" Maiden asked, before she turned to Imp with an idea. "Imp, do you think you can summon a helicopter and get us to fly up there?"
Hearing this question, Imp looked nervous. "Well, about that... You see... I... I only learned that I could summon a car in the metaverse before I got thrown into Kamoshida's dungeon..." Imp chuckled nervously.
Ryuji was confused by Imp's statement. "So, does that mean you can summon a helicopter or..."
"It means I don't know!" Imp shouted. "And I'd rather not send everyone to their deaths in an attempt to summon one!"
"In that case, we'll have to look for another way up." Echo said. "Let's find out whatever we can find down here."
With that, the thieves split into two groups to look around, asking the ATM people for anything as far as getting up to Kaneshiro's Palace, but when they went to ask around, they were met with one of two responses: Fear for their lives or a hopeless final breath. Either way, the further they looked around, the more they saw what would be a lively city in reality looking more like a wasteland of bodies.
"It's no use... It's over..." One of the ATMs said weakly.
"What happened?" Echo asked.
"I've fallen so far... From a place where no tracks remain..." The ATM answered.
Echo was confused by this answer. "What do you mean?"
"I'm so tired... Everything hurts..." The ATM said, before the lights on it went out and the limbs on their body went slack.
"These all must be Kaneshiro's victims..." Maiden stated.
"Yeah... At the very least, he stole from all these people." Imp added. "But in Kaneshiro's eyes, he's completely destroyed their worth."
"How can someone be this heartless?" Warrior asked.
Just then, Fox, Skull, and Samurai joined back up with the group. "This goes on forever." Fox stated.
"Any luck finding a way up to the Palace?" Imp asked.
Samurai shook her head. "Nothing." She said. "No matter where we looked, there was nothing that could hint to an alternative route up."
Hearing this, Echo thought back to what the dying ATM had said. "A place where no tracks remain..."
"What's up?" Skull asked.
"It's what one of the ATMs told us." Warrior answered.
"That must be why it's floating." Fox thought. "He must believe that he's never going to be caught."
"So there's basically nothing we can do about our inability to reach him right now." Imp sighed in frustration.
"I'm afraid so..." Echo added. "Let's head back for now. Hopefully we'll come up with a better solution."
"Guess that's all we can do..." Maiden sighed.
With that, the thieves went back into reality to figure out a new plan of action.
Meanwhile
Shadow Kaneshiro's Palace: Mansion
As the thieves retreated back to reality, a purple skinned man in a gray suit looked over the city from within the floating mansion, smiling as he watched the money come in.
"It's not enough. Not even close to enough." The man said. "I need more. Only after every last yen in Shibuya is mine will I be satisfied!"
The man laughed to himself as he kept watching the money come in. However, as he did, someone was listening to him from the shadows. "And I thought his goals were pathetic..." The infiltrator said to themselves. "No matter. He's but a stepping stone in my plans..."
"Just like the others..."
A/N: And with that, we end the chapter!
So... Bet you weren't expecting for me to add them into the story this soon, eh?
But yes, Alibaba makes their debut appearance one arc sooner than usual in this fanfic. Why, you may ask? Well, not to spoil anything, but the next arc is going to be very different from P5/P5R's version. Until then, however, my lips are sealed.
That reveal aside, I'm sure you're wondering why they take Ohya's place in this arc. All I can say is that, with the changes to Alibaba in this story, they have their reasons for wanting to strike a deal with the Phantom Thieves. (That, and I'm more than certain they could've given Joker and co. Kaneshiro's name if they wanted to. I mean, have you played the games?)
Other than that, there isn't much else to add for this chapter, but the next one is definitely gonna be interesting.
Anyways, thank you all again for reading this chapter. I shall see you in the next one!