August 13th

The day after they confronted Shadow Mariko, the group stood around Odari Park, listening around for what the people had to say about the Mayor now that their Desires were returned to them. "Did you hear about how the mayor's been abusing her staff?" Someone asked.

"Isn't the mayor's approval rating kind of odd?" Someone else noticed that Mariko's rating was abnormally high.

"Why was I voting for Hyodo again?"

That was all they needed to hear. "Well, everyone seems pretty normal to me." Ryuji said.

"Their fanatical support for Mariko Hyodo has appeared to have died down." Yusuke added.

"Once again, the change is instant." Akechi noted.

"I prefer this as opposed to having to leave and figuring it out days later." Ren said with a small chuckle. Instant results were not something he was used to, but it was a nice change of pace compared to before.

"It really goes to show just how powerful a Monarch's influence is." Makoto sighed. This was their third time dealing with such a thing, but it still shocked her how powerful the influence was.

"Now if only we can pinpoint where it comes from exactly..." That was going to bother Akechi until they had a solid answer.

Ann and Hifumi approached together. "Hey, guys!" Ann said. "Hyodo-san's holding a press conference right now."

"I think she's about to reveal everything..." Hifumi surmised. On that note, everyone pulled out their phones and tuned into Mariko's press conference.

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Mariko sat in front of an audience. Whatever she had to say, the press was bound to eat it up. This was not an easy thing for her to do, but it was the right thing. That's what made it worth doing. "Thank you all for taking your time to gather hear today. Actually, there is something I've been meaning to share with everyone." She paused. "As of today, I will be resigning from office. I do not intend to seek re-election either." At this point, the cameras began flashing wildly. Mariko stood up and bowed to everyone. "During my time as mayor, I've betrayed all of you. You may think of me as a mayor who's earned your trust, but in truth, there is plenty that I am ashamed of. The snow sculpture that collapsed was built by an unscrupulous company that bribed one of my staff. In spite of my responsibility, I neglected to see the finer details...and went ahead with the construction. As a result, the sculpture ended up collapsing and a girl's precious life was lost. Furthermore, I elected to cover up the truth all so I could save my position. I've been garnering votes I didn't deserve all so I can stay as mayor. I betrayed everyone to protect myself...and covered it up by allowing more wrongdoing. I am among the guilty! That little girl...she died because of me...as such, I will have the police reinvestigate, and I will offer my full cooperation. And again, I will drop out of the election and forfeit my position as mayor." With one final bow, the conference ended.

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"So that's it..." Sumire said quietly.

"I wonder if she'll be arrested..." Haru couldn't help but stare at the ground. This was the right thing to do, but...

"It is the price of bearing the responsibility." Akechi replied. He knew how these things worked. It was unlikely Mariko wasn't put behind bars for the implications of her actions.

"Hyodo was afraid that if she wasn't the mayor, she couldn't protect her people..." This made Morgana frown. Mariko was truly stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"She could have told the truth and ensured her underling took the blame..." Yusuke began. "But she was concerned about other evils potentially lurking in the shadows."

"I think this turned out for the best." Haru finally said. "Mari-san wouldn't have wanted the truth to be covered up like this." At the end of the day...it was better this way. A happy ending wasn't possible, but this was far better than the alternative. She saved Mariko. She allowed her to remember the kind person she once was.

Ren's phone then began to ring. Sophia notified him of this. "Zenkichi is on the line."

So Ren answered. "Hello?"

"Hey." Zenkichi opened up with a greeting. "Did you see Hyodo's press conference?"

"Yes, we did. Problem solved." Ren said confidently.

"Yup. You did a bang up job. Really, can't thank you enough." Zenkichi was glad they got this incident resolved. Mariko Hyodo was the prime target of PubSec with the Change of Heart epidemic occurring across the country. "They plan on bringing Hyodo in as a key witness regarding the accident. I knew you'd wanna analysis her phone, too. So I pulled a few strings, and now I'm her personal chauffeur - at least as far as the station." He took a moment... "If you want, I can open up some time for you to talk to her. Just tell me where you wanna meet."

.

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Before being hauled into the station, Mariko had the chance to visit the site of the flowers left where that poor girl died in the accident. She was kneeling in front of them, frowning heavily. "Oh, Kaho-chan...I'm sorry. How could you ever forgive me?"

The group approached Mariko from behind. "Mari-san..." Haru said in a quiet voice, but it was loud enough to carry over to the mayor.

Upon hearing Haru's voice, Mariko stood up and turned around, surprised to see Haru. "Haru-chan. Listen, there was something wrong with me. It's like I was in a terrible dream. I don't know when it was that my heart grew so cold..." From her perspective, one day, she just...turned into a cold hearted woman. That incident changed her in a way she didn't even notice... "But after what you told me, I remembered who I really was inside. When I became mayor, I wanted to protect this city and everyone in it as if they were my own family. I remembered that feeling. Thanks to you, I've finally been able to confront myself. And I realized I was doing a horrible disservice to that girl. I had lost sight of reality and began acting self-righteous. Nothing I did was for her sake."

"But Mari-san...you were doing the best you could." Haru said.

'No, it's the truth." Mariko saw her flaws. "Had I not realized my mistake, I would have likely continued to hurt even mroe people. But that's not what Kaho-chan would want. So let me say thank you, Haru-chan. Thank you for saving this city...for saving my family...!"

Haru felt the tears welling up in her eyes. She couldn't help the way she stepped froward, arms wrapping around Mariko for a tight embrace. "Mari-san...!"

Mariko returned that hug. It'd been so long since she felt warmth like this... "Your father's recent passing must have caused you so much turmoil. I'm sorry I added to it..." Once again, Akechi glanced off to the side. The heartwarming scene playing out in front of him was not something he felt he deserved to even be enar. "But if there's anything I can do for you in the future - any way I can be there...just ask me. I say this because you're a precious part of my family too!"

"Thank you so much, Mari-san!" Haru said with happy sobs.

"Hari-chan...!" Mariko felt the tears welling up as well.

The others were smiling softly at the scene. "I'm so happy for you, Haru..." Makoto said with a shaky voice. She was just so happy that Haru was able to save someone important to her.

The emotional hug did have to come to an end. Mariko pulled back...she had things to take care of. "I suppose I must get going. Though I am concerned about the state of affairs I've left our city in...I'll leave it up to my sucessor. An arrogant wretch like me has no place being mayor."

"So...I suppose this means you won't be taking part in politics anymore?" Hifumi asked.

Mariko nodded. "Yes. I'm too ashamed to show my face in public. And at my age, there are plenty of younger folks who can..." She would've continued, but she was interrupted.

"Mayor." A woman's voice spoke out.

Mariko turned around, eyes widening. "You're...!"

"I saw the news..." The woman said quietly. "So you're resigning. And you're leaving politics for good?"

"That's right." Mariko confirmed. "I've decided to step down and...!"

"You can't be serious!" The quiet woman suddenly shouted. This made Mariko recoil a bit. "Resigning won't bring her back - in fact, it won't change a thing! Kaho...nothing can change what happened to my daughter!"

"Hey, uh..." Ryuji said awkwardly. "Shouldn't we get in there?"

"They are two adults having a conversation. I do not think it is our place." Akechi replied.

"Yes..." Makoto nodded, agreeing with Akechi's words. Not only was it not their place to step in, but this might be exactly what Mariko needed to hear as well...

"So you can't!" The woman pleaded. "You can't just run away! You need to start over and become our mayor again!"

"W-what...?!" Mariko was not expecting such a response.

"When I was weeping with rage and grief, you stood there and cried with me. Instead of running away, you were there when I needed someone the most! I know your character more than anyone!" The woman exclaimed.

Mariko was shocked. Even after all that... "Ma'am...thank you for sharing your heart with me. Then I promise, to both you and your daughter...I will stand back up and become your mayor again!"

"Mari-san..." Haru said with a soft smile.

"...Mm." Sophia tilted her head. "I don't get it...I know this is a sad moment. Everyone is crying. But it also feels warm and kind...how would you describe this?"

"Hehe...it's another form of happiness." Sumire said while wiping her eyes.

"I see..." Sophia slowly gained an understanding of the situation. "So that's why Haru helped Hyodo. To transform sadness into happiness. Recording valuable data. Sophia has learned 'happiness'."

"So that must've been the mom of the girl who passed away..." Ann said.

"Well, it seems like she really understood Hyodo's intentions." Morgana said.

"I'm so happy for you, Mari-san..." Haru was wiping her eyes.

"She reminded me of what Haru said in the Jail." Makoto said.

"Stand up, Mariko Hyodo!" Futaba said with a teasing smile, recalling Haru's intense words from the Jail. "Like that?"

"H-Hey! That was a tender moment!" Haru said with an embarrassed blush. "There's no need to re-enact it!"

"Yeah, but you played it so cool back there!" Ann beamed. "It really touched my heart!"

"Well played, Beauty Thief." Ren said with his own teasing grin.

"Could you please forget it already...!" Haru was only growing more embarrassed. The others laughed, excluding Akechi.

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There was nothing for the group to do for the remainder of the day. They had to wait until Zenkichi was finished with Mariko's questioning, which meant they had plenty of time to kill until they had to meet again. So this meant they were able to enjoy the city for the time being. Ann actually had a place she wanted to show everyone and asked they come along. This meant everyone, so Akechi begrudgingly followed along even though he preferred to be on his own. The place Ann brought them to was a costume store. "Okay, so I saw this place when I was looking around earlier, and I just had to show you all!" Ann said with a smile.

"What about this place is so special...?" Ryuji scratched the back of his neck. There were just a bunch of costumes around.

"Wait for it..." Ann said with a knowing smile. After leading the curious group around a corner... "Tada!" She gestured to multiple Phantom Thieve costumes.

"Are these...our costumes?" Morgana said while poking his head out of the bag curiously.

"They're so detailed!" Haru said with a cute gasp, staring at Noir's outfit. "They even have masks, too!"

"They're so many..." Ren was surprised at all this. "Hah...they even have small Mona costumes."

"Wh...!? Why are mine so small!?" Morgana huffed.

"You are small." Ryuji snickered.

Ann took the Panther outfit and looked at it curiously. "It feels a lot less latixy than usual..."

"Mine has these odd shoulder straps..." Hifumi was staring at the Dragon outfit.

"Doesn't that make sense? I mean, in the Metaverse..." Ryuji started.

"...Do not say another word." Hifumi's cheeks grew red. She knew what Ryuji was going to say. In the Metaverse, it is her chest that holds up her kimono. Metaverse physics do not exist in reality. If she tried to wear that...

"...It's nice to look, but I think it's for the best that we don't actually wear these." Makoto said as a word of caution. The Phantom Thieves have shown their faces twice now; it was for the best to err on the side of caution.

"...Ann-senpai already went into a changing room." Sumire pointed out. She was holding the Violet outfit; it was perfect.

"...There is no world where this ends well." Akechi only took a brief glance at the Crow outfit. In his opinion, it didn't look as good...nor should such an outfit even be out there.

"Do you think Oracle's glows in the dark?" Futaba asked while swiping one. Actually, the more she thought about it, the more she wanted to find out. She might actually get this.

Meanwhile, Yusuke was feeling along the fur tail of a Fox costume. "This has made me realize something important. I have not once felt the fur composition of my costume in the Metaverse."

"Seriously, dude?" Ryuji slumped over. He thought Skull's costume was perfect.

Ann then stepped out in the Panther costume. "You know, this is pretty comfortable? It does feel a little odd, but not unlike usual..."

"You should change quickly..." Makoto said while pressing her index finger to her forehead.

"I think it looks nice on you, Ann. But I agree with Makoto." Hifumi said.

"Whaaat? But..." As Ann said this...

"Whoa, you look just like that one Phantom Thief!" An onlooking male said. "The sexy one!"

"What?" Ann swiftly turned, eyes wide. She didn't even register the other remark. "Oh, noooooooo! I'm not a Phantom Thief...!" In her panic, she reverted to her terrible acting voice.

"I knew this would happen." Akechi sighed.

"We're just...um...looking and trying things out for Halloween!" Hifumi quickly stepped in for Ann. "We're only visiting Sapporo after all."

"Just an uncanny resemblance." Ren added coolly.

"...Oh, okay!" The onlooker said and left, just like that.

"...That was close." Ann said with a sweat drop. "Maybe I should change after all..."

.

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It was evening now, and still no word from Zenkichi. Ren assumed that he was pretty busy even now, so they still had plenty of time to kill. This worked out, since Ryuji wanted to try some ramen from a certain place, but the chef was currently struggling and needed a compression brace if he wanted to continue working. So, Ren could help with that...but then he felt his phone buzz. "Huh?"

"You have a message from Akechi." Sophia told Ren.

"Huh. I wonder what he wants..." Curiously, Ren opened the message. He found the message wasn't just sent to him, but to Hifumi and Sumire as well.

The text message read one thing: "Come to the Sapporo Jail. There is something I'd like to discuss with the three of you."