Makoto rubbed the sleep from her eyes and yawned as she stumbled into her kitchen. She shuffled through her cabinets, found her favorite mug, and started brewing a pot of coffee. As the aroma of fresh coffee filled the room, Makoto walked over to her laptop, which was sitting on her desk, and opened it up.

She navigated to the Phan-Site, a website where people could post requests for the Phantom Thieves to change the hearts of those who had wronged them. Even though the Phantom Thieves had disbanded five years ago, the website was still active, and Makoto found herself checking it regularly, hoping to find a case that would allow her to put her skills to use.

As she scrolled through the site, a new request caught her eye. It was from a young bartender who was worried about a man who frequented her bar. The man was sad and drank heavily, and the bartender was afraid that he might harm himself or others while under the influence. Makoto felt a pang of sympathy for the man and a sense of urgency to help him.

She read through the details of the request carefully and noted that the man's name was Madison Brooks. The bartender had provided a picture of him, and Makoto studied it for a moment, trying to get a sense of who he was. Madison was a scruffy blonde American man, with tired eyes and a downcast expression. Makoto wondered what had caused him to become so unhappy and why he had turned to alcohol to cope.

Makoto sat back in her chair and took a sip of her coffee, lost in thought. She had not had a case in a while, and the request for Madison Brooks' heart to be changed seemed like the perfect opportunity to put her skills to the test once again.

After a few more minutes of reflection, Makoto closed her laptop and headed for the door. She knew that she had to act quickly before it was too late for Madison.

Makoto finished her coffee and grabbed her car keys, making her way outside to her trusty old sedan. It was a cool day in spring, with a light breeze that carried the scent of blooming cherry blossoms. She put on her sunglasses and started the engine, making her way towards the town of Showa.

As she drove, Makoto thought about the request on the Phan-Site and wondered what kind of person Madison Brooks was. She felt a sense of responsibility to help him.

Upon arriving at the bar, Makoto was greeted by a friendly bartender with short brown hair and a warm smile. She introduced herself and asked about Madison, hoping to gather some information without revealing her true identity as a Phantom Thief.

The bartender seemed sympathetic to Madison's situation and offered to help in any way she could. Makoto appreciated her kindness but felt hesitant to reveal too much about herself.

"I'm just a concerned citizen trying to help," Makoto said, trying to sound as casual as possible.

The bartender nodded, still smiling. "Of course, I understand. But if there's anything I can do to assist you, please let me know."

Makoto asked a few more questions about Madison and his behavior at the bar. The bartender provided some helpful insights but didn't seem to know much beyond what she had already shared on the Phan-Site.

After their conversation, Makoto thanked the bartender and left the bar feeling somewhat disappointed. She knew that she needed more information before she could change Madison's heart, but she was also determined not to reveal her true identity as a Phantom Thief.

As she walked back to her car, Makoto couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration. She knew that time was running out for Madison, and she needed to act fast if she wanted to help him.

Makoto had some time to kill before her plan to spy on Madison later that night. She decided to head over to the local gym in Showa to get in a workout and clear her head.

Upon arrival, Makoto was greeted by the sound of weights clanging and people grunting as they pushed themselves to their limits. The gym was crowded, but Makoto found a spot to stretch and warm up.

As she started her workout, Makoto felt the familiar rush of adrenaline and endorphins that came with exercise. It helped her to focus her mind and channel her thoughts in a more productive direction.

Despite the distractions of the gym, Makoto couldn't help but keep her thoughts on Madison and the task at hand. She tried to mentally piece together what she knew about him and what she still needed to find out. She was determined to help him, no matter what it took.

After an intense workout, Makoto felt exhausted but also invigorated. She took a quick shower and changed into fresh clothes before heading back to her car to drive back to the bar.

As she drove, Makoto felt more focused and confident than before. She had a plan, and she was ready to put it into action. She knew that the next few hours would be critical in determining the fate of Madison Brooks, but she was determined to succeed.

Makoto sat down at the bar, a few seats away from Madison. She ordered a drink and took a sip, pretending to read a book she had brought with her. Madison sat quietly, nursing his beer. The other patrons were chatting away, but Madison seemed lost in thought.

Makoto watched him for a while, trying to pick up on any clues about his mental state. He seemed sad, but not hopeless. There was a weariness to him that suggested he had been carrying a heavy burden for a long time. Makoto wondered how long it had been since he had truly smiled.

After a few minutes, Makoto decided to strike up a conversation.

Makoto took a sip of her drink, then turned her attention to Madison. "So, do you come here often?" she asked, trying to sound casual.

Madison looked at her, his blue eyes scanning her face before answering. "Yeah, I guess I do," he said, taking a sip of his beer. "It's a good place to relax."

Makoto nodded, taking another sip of her own drink. "I can understand that. Work can be stressful, right?"

Madison's expression darkened slightly. "Yeah, you could say that," he said, taking another sip of his beer.

Makoto decided to push a little further. "What kind of work do you do?" she asked, trying to sound interested.

Madison hesitated for a moment before answering. "I used to be a doctor," he said quietly.

Makoto raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really? That's impressive," she said, genuinely impressed.

Madison shook his head. "Not anymore. I quit after...after something happened," he said, his voice trailing off.

Makoto could tell that Madison didn't want to talk about it any further, so she changed the subject. "So, do you like living in Japan?" she asked, hoping to keep the conversation going.

Madison nodded. "Yeah, I do. It's a nice change of pace from the States," he said, taking another sip of his beer.

Makoto smiled. "I can understand that. I've always wanted to travel more myself."

The conversation continued like that for a while, with Makoto asking Madison questions and him answering in short, reserved sentences. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was more going on with him than he was letting on, but she didn't want to push too hard. As the night wore on, the other patrons left one by one until only Makoto and Madison were left at the bar. She decided to take a chance and ask him one more question.

"Madison, can I ask you something personal?" she said, hoping she wasn't overstepping.

Madison looked at her, his blue eyes serious. "Sure, what is it?"

Makoto took a deep breath. "Are you okay?" she asked, hoping he would open up to her.

Madison looked away for a moment before turning back to her. "No, I'm not," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Makoto put a hand on his arm, trying to offer some comfort. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked.

Madison shook his head. "I don't think so," he said, finishing his beer. "Thanks for asking though."

Makoto watched as he paid his tab and left the bar, feeling like she had missed an opportunity to help him. She resolved to keep trying, to find a way to get through to him and help him before it was too late.

—

Makoto changed into her pajamas, a pair of comfortable short-shorts, and crawled into bed with her laptop. She was determined to find Madison's keyword, and she knew she had to be thorough. She started by using her investigative skills to search for any information on Madison's past.

After hours of searching, Makoto discovered that Madison had left medicine shortly after the car accident that killed his wife. She found a news article about him being hospitalized after the accident, and suspected that his keyword might be 'hospital.' However, her initial attempt to access the Metaverse using this keyword was unsuccessful.

Undeterred, Makoto continued to search for clues. She remembered the conversation with Madison earlier that night, and how he had mentioned his love for hiking. She did a search for "Madison Brooks" and "hiking" and found a blog post from years ago where he had written about his love for hiking in the mountains near his home in the United States.

Makoto thought that "mountain" could be a possible keyword, and decided to give it a try. She entered it into the Metaverse app on her laptop, and the screen flickered to life. Makoto smiled to herself, feeling a sense of satisfaction for cracking the code.

Makoto couldn't help but think about her old friend and leader, Ren. She missed him dearly and wished he was still alive to help her in her endeavors. But she also knew that the rest of the Phantom Thieves were still out there, fighting for justice in their own ways.

Makoto closed her laptop and decided to call it a night. She suspected that the third keyword, Madison's location, would be Bar Seven.