Chapter 11: Loose Ends / Aftermath

Joker was so absorbed in fending off the shadow that he failed to see the incoming strike. The blow shattered his field of vision; black and gray sparks swirled around him as he clutched his torso, desperate for air to fill his screaming lungs. He felt a pang of guilt as he saw the other Phantom Thieves lying on the cold bank floor in positions that would be comical were it not for the life-threatening situation.

It was clear he had underestimated the enemy's strength. Perhaps they should have waited a day before charging into the palace. He knew from experience that an equipment change or restocking of supplies could make all the difference in a fight. He had been so eager to extract himself from Makoto's and Kaneshiro's blackmail that he failed to take into account the latter's greater strength. It was only natural that a mob boss would have a more intricate palace and stronger obstacles to overcome.

If only he had paid a little more attention.

He became aware of blue light as he hit the ground. Joker thanked the guidance of the velvet room as he laid eyes on Makoto looking every inch the Phantom Thief, casting a healing skill atop her motorcycle. He realized his instincts had been correct – she had too much in common with the others, a general sense of malaise and not quite belonging. It was one of the reasons he felt continually drawn to her, despite Skull and Panther's misgivings.

As his strength returned, he grasped the hilt of his dagger and hauled himself off the ground. The others followed suit, looking dazed as they emerged from their knocked-out states. With everyone back in the fight, it was only a matter of time before they were able to dispatch the remaining shadows.

It feels good to watch them disintegrate, Joker thought as he laid a final blow to an especially persistent Oni. He placed the dagger back in its sheath and turned to look at Makoto, who was holding her own against another one of the ogres. Joker couldn't help but admire that she used no weapons, only the rock-hard knuckles of her fists, to slap the enemy once, twice, and then a third time for the kill. She was racing toward the exit before the monster had hit the ground.

"Let's get moving," she practically growled. "Unless you want to wait for the next wave." With one violent roar of Johanna's engine, she sped off.

When Ren returned to Cafe Leblanc that evening, he found it mercifully absent. He breathed a sigh of relief as he remembered Sojiro had left on urgent business and told him not to wait. It was the only reason he felt comfortable hosting his friends that afternoon.

"Finally, some peace and quiet," he sighed, taking a seat at the counter. There were a few hours left in the day, and he wondered how best to use them. His gaze skipped from the portrait of Sayuri – which Yusuke had gifted to LeBlanc after his last visit in the torrential rain – to the landline next to the local guidebooks Sojiro shelved on the counter. For all his exhaustion, his mind was still racing. He had thought he wasn't in the mood to chat with anyone, but there were always exceptions – and only one he spoke to on the landline.

He picked up the receiver and began fishing in his pocket for a card.

"Who are you calling?"

Ren nearly dropped the receiver as Morgana leaped onto the counter, tail swishing wildly. He was relieved to see his feline companion, as Morgana had been missing since he sprinted ahead of them at the palace. It was one of the reasons they were so easily overpowered by Kaneshiro's guards – without Mona's healing skills, the Phantom Thieves were at a severe disadvantage.

"Morgana! Where have you been?" He stepped back as the cat paced back and forth, waving his tail in inopportune directions.

"Where have I been?" Morgana said. "Where were you ? I was on my way to the treasure room! I turned back when I heard the ruckus, and what did I find? Nothing! You all left without me!"

Ren felt somewhat sheepish leaving Morgana to fend for himself. The opportunity to escape had been there – and he didn't have time to search the premises for any stragglers. Besides, Morgana had been fine the last time they left the Metaverse without him. He made his first appearance at Shujin Academy the very next day. Explaining as much, Ren went into the kitchen and began fixing dinner.

"Sorry this isn't the good stuff," he said, pulling out a can of fresh cat food. Catching Morgana's disappointed look, he added "We'll get you that sashimi someday."

"Someday…": Morgana echoed, looking forlornly at the open can.

Ren warmed a bowl of leftover curry for himself and sat down to eat, basking in the heavenly aroma of LeBlanc's signature flavors – and making sure Morgana got to enjoy some as well. He relayed everything that happened during their separation, including the close brush with defeat and Makoto's awakening. Morgana's ears twitched with interest every time he mentioned her skill on the battlefield.

"The shadows are getting tougher," Ren said when their respective bowls were nearly empty. "You should have seen that fight. I know she's caused a lot of trouble for us, but…we could use her help."

Morgana was licking one paw, eyes gleaming in the low light of the cafe. "But…"

"But what?"

"Well," the cat blinked, "Niijima has been one of our enemies up until now. I just want to make sure you've thought this through. Do you think she's on our side? Will she work with us?"

"She's on our side." Ren helped himself to another bite of curry. "I don't doubt that after she helped us escape. She's part of Kanshiro's blackmail, too. She has no reason to turn against us.

Morgana was quiet for a moment. Ren could tell he wasn't so sure about Makoto's loyalties. He prepared his defense, readying himself to explain his decision to invite her to the next Phantom Thief meeting. A part of him was annoyed they spent most of the year at odds when they could have been working alongside each other. Another was simply glad that she had chosen this moment to grow into her power.

Finally, the cat shook his head.

"You're right that the palaces are only going to get more dangerous from here on out. We need all the manpower we can get, and if you saw some potential on the battlefield today, I'm willing to give her a chance."

Ren nodded his thanks and reached out to give Morgana a pat on the head, but the cat jerked away. Apparently, he wasn't done.

"Just remember that because of Makoto's status at school, she is Kaneshiro's prime target and not us. Any sign of betrayal, I won't hesitate to orchestrate something for the good of the group."

Ann paced outside the diner, where she had stayed after the Phantom Thieves parted ways. The day had been so long—so unbearably long, between confronting Niijima and saving Niijima and expending all her energy fighting not only shadows but her own teammates—Niijima was invited to the next meeting just like that ?—she dearly needed someone to talk to. Someone to lean on.

Shiho had been that person, but she was still in the hospital. The last time she'd visited, Ann had held back tears watching her best friend struggle to move. The fall from the school rooftop had greatly damaged her body. She had to relearn basic movements again, and walking was still a work in progress.

No, Ann couldn't bring herself to share her worries with her best friend. There was a distance in Shiho's eyes that hadn't been there before. Ann wondered if she could sense that she was hiding something. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk openly about it—she just couldn't. Shiho wasn't a Phantom Thief. There were some parts of Ann's life she would never understand.

And so she called someone else.

"What d'you mean you want to talk?" the voice on the other line said, sounding slightly panicked. "I'm already halfway home. We can talk here."

"I'm sorry, I should have called earlier, but–" Ann broke away from the conversation to acknowledge the hostess with a smile. There was a table available, finally. "I'm not too far from you. At the diner, actually. Meet me in fifteen minutes?"

It was strange, confiding in Ryuji. They'd known each other since their earliest school days but hadn't spoken since middle school. Ryuji had developed a reputation as a troublemaker – it was the price of defying Kamoshida – and Ann had given him a wide berth just like everyone else at school. Ryuji took the rejection in stride, averting his gaze from hers every time their paths crossed in the hallway.

It was so uncanny that he was the person who knew her best these days. Shiho needed to focus on her recovery. Her parents traveled the world ten months out of the year, flitting from fashion shoot to fashion shoot, leaving Ann to weather the ups and downs of teenage life on her own. She considered Ren and Yusuke dear friends, but they had met later in life. Not only was Ryuji a Phantom Thief, but he had also known her since childhood. How many people could say that? She was ever grateful for his presence in her life, and even more grateful when he slipped into the booth opposite hers about fifteen minutes later, looking wet and bedraggled from a sudden downpour.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," she said after the Ryuji had given the waitress his order. "It's about Shiho…and her ."

"Ms. President," Ryuji said. "I have to give her credit. She did save our asses back there."

"She did." Ann grudgingly admitted that Makoto's transformation was not entirely unwelcome. She would welcome another girl on the team, someone to vent to about the boys' antics or share her concerns about the way she looked in her Phantom Thief outfit. She was just disappointed that it was Niijima of all people, the honor student who never set one toe out of line. The goody-two-shoes whose neglect led to Shiho's demise.

"You know that doesn't change things. Some things."

"No, it doesn't." Ryuji gave her an inscrutable look that made her heart beat a little faster. She shook her head, trying to ignore the feeling.

"You said you had something else to talk about?"

"Y-yes! I didn't make you come all the way back to Shibuya for nothing."

Ann stumbled over her words as she figured out where to begin. There was her distrust of Niijima and her inability to reconcile the Phantom Thief with her straight-laced school persona. More than that, there was the guilt that had been eating away at her. She hated that Niijima was able to get under her skin with a few choice words.

"I… I guess I still resent her for what happened to Shiho." She stirred the ice at the bottom of her glass, glancing up to make sure Ryuji was listening. "But… I wonder how much of that is me being angry at myself. Remember the day we confronted her on the rooftop? What she said?"

Ryuji leaned forward. " Don't let her get to you," he said. "I know Kamoshida. He's a bastard. I… I tried to go against him before, and look what happened. I have an entire team of guys looking to beat me up."

"No, listen to me," Ann snapped, startling the diners at the next table. "She was actually right. I am her friend. I saw her almost every day, and I didn't do anything to help."

At last, the tears started streaming down her face. For a moment she was afraid her theatrics would scare off Ryuji. Instead, he had the good sense to move to her side of the table and shield her from prying eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and to her surprise, he responded with a tentative hand on her hair. They stayed like that for a long time, until Ann's breathing slowed and the diner began to empty out.

"Kamoshida was hurting her, and all I could think about and talk about was how much attention he was giving me," she sobbed.

For his part, Ryuji didn't consider himself lucky. The world hadn't dealt him the best hand. While some people complained about working too much, his mother struggled to find enough work. He didn't have Ren's penchant for leadership, nor did he have Yusuke's good looks. But he did have the pleasure of getting to know Ann better than almost anyone and intentionally hurting her best friend was simply not something in her nature.

"In the end, it's the teachers' fault," he said quietly. There ain't much we students can do about it. That's the downside of having no responsibilities. It's usually because we have no power to do anything."

"Yes." Ann shifted in his arms. "And Niijima always sides with the teachers."

Sometime after the downpour started, Makoto received her first text from Haru in nearly a month. The ringtone was a welcome relief from the frustration of studying for midterms. Too often she found herself scribbling in the margins instead. Every time she caught herself, she redirected her attention to the papers before her, only to find herself doodling again mere minutes later.

I'm so sorry, Mako-Chan, the text said. Forgive me for my absence.

Makoto unlocked her phone and began typing.

Haru-chan! Where have you been?

The three dots lingered before Haru's guarded reply came through.

Home. I was sick for a little bit. And then my father thought it best if I stayed out of the public eye. I guess Takakura must have told my father something, but I wonder what? We weren't doing anything troublesome.

They were just having coffee after a day at the museum. It had been a simpler time, before Makoto found evidence of the Phantom Thieves' student identities, and before Kobayakawa asked her to investigate the blackmail cases. It was also the last time she heard from Haru before this random text. She was genuinely relieved to hear from her friend. It was one less thing to worry about.

I looked for you in school… I even thought about following some of the teachers trying to find out if they were hiding something!

I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to make you worry.

"That's not the point," Makoto whispered, racking her brain for something else to say.

When are you coming back to school?

Three dots again.

I don't know yet. My fiancé has insisted that I stay low for now.

Makoto's brow furrowed. A business associate who acted as a spy, and a fiance that told her how to spend her time. Haru seemed to be under constant surveillance. It was beginning to hit home just how little she knew her friend.

I hope you're okay, Haru. If you need anything, you know where to find me. She heard the doorknob rattle and typed out one last response. She didn't often talk to people this late. If Sis were to see her texting, she might get suspicious that it was a boy and start prying. Of course, it wasn't a boy…this time. Makoto could make no guarantees about how much longer she could be patient with her sister's rules.

Thank you. It's nice to know that somebody cares.

Makoto tossed her phone aside just as Sis burst through the door, shaking her umbrella behind her. Makoto stayed where she was, not rising to greet Sis like she usually did. She hadn't quite forgiven her for the harsh words.

Her sister was halfway to the kitchen before she noticed her on the sofa.

"Makoto. Why are you up so late?"

Makoto shifted uncomfortably in her seat. It was one thing to tell herself: I am going to stand up for myself. It was something else entirely to actually follow through. Today had proven that she was far from useless. She didn't need Sis's approval anymore.

"I couldn't sleep, so I came here to do some reading." Makoto turned to the rain-streaked window, where the neighboring buildings were blurred beyond recognition. "It's very peaceful when it's this late. I understand why you work so hard, Sis."

Of course, her wound decided it was the right time to remind her of its existence again. She smiled through the pain, willing her sister to forget she was there so she could run to her room and apply more of the salve from Dr. Takemi.

"Well, if you're going to be up late, better at home than wandering around Shibuya." Sis began pouring herself a glass to drink.

"Oh? Why is that?"

"Do you really want to know? It isn't pleasant."

"I can handle it." Makoto suppressed a wave of irritation. She was eighteen years old. She could handle some unpleasantness. It wasn't as if she was completely ignorant about such matters.

Sis took a long draught before answering, keeping her eyes on Makoto. "There are stories of girls your age throwing their lives away out there. Let's just say they got involved in criminal acts."

"What kind of acts?"

Sis was giving her the strangest look. So much for not raising her suspicions. Makoto felt her phone vibrating next to her. She wondered if it was Haru texting her back.

"Blackmailed into working at illegal sex establishments," Sis said. "Why do you want to know?"

"People have been mentioning it at school. That's all." Makoto tried to keep her expression neutral, though she was growing perturbed that her phone continued to vibrate. She rarely received so many messages.

Sis's face softened, and Makoto was reminded that this woman had comforted her as a child, sacrificed her youth to make sure she had a good life, worked sixty-hour weeks just to keep them both alive. She felt almost traitorous for her turned loyalties, but last night's fight had been a slap in the face.

"Of course. It must be scary hearing these stories," Sis said soothingly. "But they're nothing for you to worry about. Just concentrate on your studies for now."

Makoto waited until Sis had gone to bed to look at her phone. She expected a series of texts from Haru, or maybe one of her classmates asking her to share her notes. Instead, she saw a slew of messages, all from the same unknown number, all threatening her with the very acts Sis had just warned her about.

Better watch out. Beautiful Ms. President.