The Mystery of Ren Amamiya - Lightning99
Stream 13:
Shinya Oda and Akane Hasegawa
Ann peeked into the hallway, saw it was vacant, and then shut the door. She spun on her heel toward the other person in the room.
'You know what to do, right?' Ann asked.
Seventeen-year-old Shinya Oda chuckled, flicked the brim of his 'Get Smoked' cap, and then folded his arms. He was about her height now, and as he leaned against her desk, legs crossed, he wore a grin that was trying so hard to be as smug as Joker's. He said, in a voice slightly deeper than Ann remembered, 'I got this.'
'And when Akane gets here, you're not going to tell her anything?'
Shinya waved his hand. 'I won't say anything. I can't let him down.'
'Aww, how adorable,' Ann said. She watched, with absolute glee, as Shinya's face exploded into a red flush. His posture became a slouch, and his grin an embarrassed grimace. His arms fell to his sides, and the hair that reached down the sides of his face seemed thicker. 'There we go. That's more like it.'
'Huh?'
Ann pushed the door open, keeping her eyes on the hall.
'Ren isn't as put-together as he seems. You think Ren is this awesome, cool guy, and he is, but not all the time. Most of the time, he's a complete goofball. Besides, you're not him, and you're not a cocky kid anymore.'
Shinya grunted. 'I wasn't trying to act cocky. I just want to do a good job for Ren.'
'Spoken like a true little brother,' Ann said.
Shinya looked up quickly. 'D-Did he say that about me?'
'Hmm, I wonder,' Ann said. 'Don't worry. You'll be fine.'
'I hope so. Iwai-sensei has been teaching me how to lie, so I think I'll be ok,' Shinya said.
Ann spun around. 'He what?!'
'Well, since Ren hooked me up with a part-time job at Untouchable, Iwai-sensei has been teaching me some things,' Shinya said, scratching his cheek. 'Oh, and Iwai said he's thankful for the offer, but he'd rather keep his face off the internet, so he won't join the stream. Something about it being problematic with his acquaintances?'
Ann placed a hand on her forehead, then turned back to the hall. 'What have Ren and Iwai gotten you into?'
'Oh, don't worry! It's nothing dangerous. They won't let me do anything dangerous. Ren just got me a job there because, as Iwai says, I'm a gun enthusiast. His models are pretty cool.'
Ann just sighed. She didn't feel the need to say anything else.
'So, who exactly is this Hasegawa girl?' Shinya asked.
'Her name is Akane,' Ann said, looking over at the counter on her monitor – which was on thirty seconds – 'and she's Zenkichi's daughter. You know Zenkichi, right?'
'Gramps?'
'That's the guy,' Ann said. She heard a door swing open, then several hurried footsteps. 'And that's the girl.'
Nineteen-year-old Akane Hasegawa rounded the corner, and Ann pretty much knew what she was wearing before she saw her. It looked a little different on her than it did during the EMMA incident – which made sense since she was taller, her body had changed, and this wasn't the Metaverse – but her cosplay-style Phantom Thief outfit looked identical to her Monarch self.
Her shoulder-length hair was tinged red at the tips, and her black and red ensemble outfit was the same: the same tailcoat, the same cropped corset, the same plaid skirt, complete with a mask and her top hat. Given that all she had to go on was a painting from Yusuke's memory, it was an impressive, near-perfect replica.
Ann noted that the look on Shinya's face was absolutely perfect, too.
'Sorry I'm late!' Akane said, stopping just inside the room. She folded over, placed her hands on her knees, and panted. 'I was distracted by the Phantom Thieves merchandise they have in Shibuya! It's insane!'
'No worries,' Ann said, pushing the door closed. 'This is where the Phantom Thieves originated, after all. And you're right on time. I mean, especially since you came to Tokyo just for this stream. You're crazy.'
Ann told the pair to sit down, then practically jumped into her seat as the timer hit zero. She started the introductions of the stream. In the background, she could hear her two guests introducing themselves. When she glanced over, she nearly laughed at Shinya's red face and how he gestured for Akane to take the seat that wasn't from IKEA. As dubious as Ann was toward the goings-on at Untouchable lately, Ren had definitely taught this kid right.
'Now that they've sat down,' Ann said, 'these are my two guests for today. This delightful young man is Shinya Oda, who is basically my friendship group's little brother, and this is Akane Hasegawa, live-streaming extraordinaire and our friendship group's little sister.'
Neither of her guests, it seemed, appreciated her introductions. Instead, they shouted at her for referring to them as her little siblings. Ann just shrugged them off, looking instead at the chat.
It was about as she expected.
PhantomTheifRai: Hang on, AKANE?! THE AKANE? Who runs the largest Phantom Thieves live-streaming fan account?
AnnFann101: Wait, this is a collab?! How the hell do you know Akane, Ann?!
Akiharabaki: AKANE!
'Hello!' Akane said, waving to her camera. Ann was going to ask her to introduce herself, but she didn't need a prompt. 'For those who don't know, I'm Akane Hasegawa. I only did my face reveal last year, but I run the biggest Phantom-Thief fan account online. We discuss the Thieves' actions, theorise about who they are, monitor their activity, and all that stuff. So, if you're as big a Phantom Thief fanatic as I am, head on over!'
'Hey!' Ann said, nudging Akane's shoulder. 'Don't try to poach my viewers!'
Akane grinned at her. 'You take a look at my stream too, Shinya!'
'Huh?' Shinya said. 'Uhh, yeah, sure. When do you stream?'
As Akane explained her schedule, Ann couldn't help feeling that she was completely outclassed. When Akane finished, she sat back, looking at Ann expectantly.
'There you have it, chat. That's Akane,' Ann said. 'Shinya, why don't you introduce yourself.'
'Sure,' Shinya said. He waved at the chat. 'Hey, I'm Shinya Oda. I'm nobody special like Akane, just a high school kid who's pretty good at gun games.'
'Did Ren teach you modesty, too?' Ann asked with a giggle. 'Actually, Shinya is a bit special. Have you ever heard of 'The King?'
SquareForneus: NO EFFIN WAY!
ShujinBoy1: Shinya, you're the anonymous guy who's been winning gaming tournaments around Tokyo?!
Featherman616: Oh damn, that's pretty neat!
'I guess I won a few tournaments, yeah,' Shinya said, shrugging.
'Oh, you've been studying Ren far too much,' Ann said.
Ren_Amamiya: Yeah, Shinya. You won. Owning it isn't bragging.
As soon as Shinya read Ren's comment, Ann saw his demeanour change.
'I mean, yeah, that was me. I have won a few tournaments,' Shinya said.
QuickDrawII: You're winning tournaments in high school?! How?!
'Shinya's been a pro since middle school,' Ann said. 'He was probably better than most people in elementary school, too.'
'Oh ho?' Akane muttered.
'What?' Shinya asked.
'Nothing. I'm just impressed, is all.'
'T-Thank you.'
'How do you manage it all, by the way?' Akane asked. 'My dad's getting annoyed at me because I'm spending more time streaming than studying. I'm seriously thinking about dropping out…'
'Tell me about it,' Shinya said. 'School sucks.'
'You too, huh?'
'Yeah. People are way too childish.'
'Hmm, I think you've just grown up faster than most, Shinya,' Ann said. 'Hang in there a bit longer. You'll be fine. As for you, Akane–'
'Urk.'
Ann laughed. 'No, I'm not going to say anything mean. You have to think about the bigger picture. Will uni be worth it, or would dropping out and focusing on other things be better? It's up to you at the end of the day. Zenkichi might kill me for saying that but think about it long and hard before deciding.'
'See, this is why I love you and your friends, Ann. You're so much more understanding than my dad,' Akane said.
'For real,' Shinya added.
Ann held her head in her hands, shaking it dramatically. 'Oh no, Ryuji's infecting the youth now!'
RyujiSkullington: Aww, shuddup!
Ann laughed, dropping her hands. 'Think about it, both of you. But that's not what I brought you on to talk about, and certainly not why Akane is wearing that cosplay.'
'It looks amazing, by the way,' Shinya said.
'Why thank you,' Akane said, tipping her hat to him.
The chat immediately proclaimed their agreement with Shinya, and after several questions, Akane explained how she made it. Ann spotted the perfect message to bring them back to their main topic when she came to an end.
TheGhostlyMaiden: Is this a special stream or something?
'That's right, Maiden,' Ann said, nodding. 'This is a bit of a special stream. I haven't publicised it, but I messaged Akane, and we decided to put together a little bit of a Phantom Thief-related quiz show today!'
The chat became, yet again, precisely what Ann expected, with one person heading their antics.
PhantomTheifRai: HELL YEAHHHHH! YA'LL ARE GOING DOWN!
'I thought you were getting all your notes together, Rai,' Ann said.
PhantomThiefRai: I can take a break for this! I'm so glad you're here today, Akane!
'Glad to be here!' Akane said, grinning. But given Rai's enthusiasm, Ann couldn't muster quite the same smile. She wondered as she had been all week, if this was a good idea. But she trusted Ren, so she nodded.
Ann gestured to her guests. 'You already know about Akane being a huge Phantom Thieves fan, but so is Shinya.'
'Yeah, they're pretty cool,' Shinya said, folding his arms and looking away from the camera.
'Oooh, a subtle fan, huh?' Akane asked.
'Well, no, but…'
'It's ok, I get it,' Akane said. She patted his shoulder. 'I was like you before. When you get to your age, you want to be cool and don't want to freak out too much. Don't worry. You'll become more open in a few years. I only recently embraced my obsession in public.'
'Uhh… yeah…'
'The stream will work like this,' Ann said, clapping her hands. 'I have put together a bunch of questions using sources online. You all participate individually, and whoever has the most correct answers at the end wins. I think Futaba has set up a system to do this?'
Alibaba: Yep! Here it comes! And a boop!
Ann watched as her usual layout switched. The camera view remained in the centre of the screen, but the chat box became outlined in black and moved to the left of the screen. A red box appeared on the right of the screen, displaying a leaderboard in it, underneath which was a poll-counting system. A final box appeared across the top of the screen.
'I have no idea how Futaba made this work,' Ann said, 'but you should have scores next to your names. I, Akane, and Shinya will ask the questions when the game starts. These questions will appear at the top of the screen so you can re-read them, and the multiple-choice answers will appear in the poll. It's up to you to answer what you think is right. When you have, the leaderboard will update above. Do you understand?'
PhantomThiefRai: YEAH!
Golden_Guy: Sort of…
DynamiteKitten: No.
Since her explanation received such mixed responses, Ann explained the idea four more times until most people understood. After they did, they started smack-talking each other in the chat. Ann discouraged it, claiming that this was a friendly competition, but then there were her friends.
Morgana: Prepare to lose, Ryuji.
RyujiSkullington: Bring it on, you stupid cat!
Alibaba: Can I still participate if I control the answers?
PhantomAficionado: I think that's cheating, Futaba.
TheQueen: I must admit, I am rather excited about this.
Mi'ladyOkumura: Oh, did you get the evening off, Mako-chan?
ShihoNo4: Can I play in your place, Ann?
Ren_Amamiya: Is it fair if I participate? You know, being a Phantom Thief and all.
Ann sort of wished she hadn't brought this idea up at their last Phantom Thieves meeting. Her friends supporting the idea had turned into an argument over who knew the most about the thieves. And then that had turned into a competition. At this point, though, she just went with it. Unfortunately, not everybody was able to make it. Ann was surprised that Makoto had made time for it.
PhantomThiefRai: You're all going down. I'm the Phantom Thieves' mega-fan. I won't lose.
Then, when another name popped up in the chat, Ann tried her best to hide her smirk.
Akira_Kurusu: PhantomThief Rai That's a bold claim. You think you can beat me?
PhantomThiefRai: Akira_Kurusu Who the hell even are you?
Akira_Kurusu: PhantomThiefRai Who indeed.
'Alright, enough smack talk. Let's give an example question. Akane, if you would,' Ann said.
'Sure,' Akane said, nodding. Ann pointed her toward a separate tab she had open. 'Ok, practice question. What is 'Phantom Thieves' short for?'
Ann watched as everyone in the chat answered, 'The Phantom Thieves of Hearts.'
HP_Sauce: EZ.
Sapphire_Eyes: What were those other options? Who the hell thought 'The Diamonds' would be a good name for Thieves?
Ann pretended she wasn't hurt by that one.
'Ok, at least we don't have any fakers here,' Shinya said.
'Yeah,' Akane agreed with a nod. 'But that was a super easy one.'
'It was,' Ann said. 'Are we ready to get started for real?'
FrozenFire: SHE SAID THE THING!
PizzaKing: Ryuji must be so proud.
Akiharabaki: Let's do this!
PhantomTheifRai: Bring it on!
TheQueen: My pen is at the ready.
RyujiSkullington: That's an intimidating image.
'Ok, question one!' Ann said. 'What year did the Phantom Thieves first appear?'
PhantomTheifRai: Pah! At least make it a challenge.
'Now, now, Rai,' Ann said as she watched the correct answer fill up with 70% of the votes. Then, it jumped up to 99%. Ann felt a bit bad for that 1%. 'Well done. Most of you were right with 2016.'
Akira_Kurusu: More specifically, they appeared between the 18th of April and the 1st of May 2016. The exact date wasn't recorded, but the first evidence of their existence was their first calling card during that time frame.
'Wow,' Ann said, clapping. Despite how wrong the name sounded, she continued, 'That's right, Akira. Well done.'
PhantomThiefRai: Shit, you beat me to it. Ok, ok. You've got some skills. Bring it on.
Akira_Kurusu: It's showtime. :)
'This might be a bit difficult a question early on, but since you're so competitive, how about this question? Shinya, if you would.'
'Sure, Ann,' Shinya said, leaning toward the screen. 'What did The Phantom Thieves' first calling card describe their target as?'
Maidchan81: WTF?!
Golden_Guy: Oh wow. That's a tough one…
Alibaba: Heh, simpletons. That's easy.
Kichijouji-kid321: EASY?!
Ann wasn't surprised when the percentage of people with the correct answer ended at 20%. She also wasn't surprised when a specific message popped into the chat, as pathetic as it sounded since he wrote it.
RyujiSkullington: Oh crap, I got it wrong!
Morgana: What? How?!
RyujiSkullington: Lay off. It was ages ago!
ShihoN04: That is disappointing, Sakamoto-kun.
RyujiSkullingon: Ugh. Hit with the family name. GG Shiho.
Mi'ladyOkumura: Oh my, it appears I got it incorrect, too.
TheQueen: Alright. I'm ahead.
PhantomAficionado: You haven't overtaken me yet, Makoto.
RyujiSkullington: Is anyone scared all of a sudden?
Ann just shook her head. 'Those of you that picked 'the utter bastard of lust', well done! You got it right.'
Akira_Kurusu: You keepin' up, Rai?
PhantomThiefRai: Heh. That barely scratched the surface of my knowledge.
MidnightSword: I GUESSED IT RIGHT! MULTIPLE CHOICE IS A GODSEND! O_O
'Alright, let's change it up a bit,' Akane said, scooting her chair closer to the desk. 'How many members are presumed to be in The Phantom Thieves, overall?'
Ann realised how inaccurate this question was as soon as the answers rolled in. When planning it, she decided to base it on their calling card to Shido, but the real number was higher. So, when 100% of the chat answered correctly but incorrectly at the same time, she felt a little smug at their deception.
PhantomThiefRai: I answered eight, but, in my expert opinion, there are more.
Akira_Kurusu: We think the same, then. Interesting.
Ren_Amamiya: Aren't I the only Phantom Thief?
PhantomThiefRai: I'll deal with your Phantom Thievery later, Ren!
'Eight was the correct answer,' Akane announced. 'As you know, Shido's calling card displayed eight people. Some people overlook the very small one, but there were eight of them. Who knows if there are more, but that's all the evidence we have so far.'
Morgana: He's not that small.
Alibaba: Petite would be more apt.
Mi'ladyOkumura: It's an adorable height!
'Looks like you're all doing well so far, apart from that one question,' Shinya said. He, too, slid his seat forward. 'But how about this one? What do The Phantom Thieves typically tell their targets they will make happen on their calling cards?'
Ann was especially proud of this question when she thought it up for the exact reason her screen displayed. As soon as the poll popped onto the screen, a swarm of votes picked 'steal their distorted desires'. They had a minute to answer each question, so when a few people clicked a different answer towards the end, Ann gathered who they might be.
PhantomThiefRai: Ah, fascinating question, Ann. That was some tricky wording.
'You noticed then, Rai?' Ann asked.
PhantomThiefRai: Naturally. How about you, Akira?
Akira_Kurusu: Naturally.
PhantomThiefRai: I would expect nothing less. This is getting good.
The minute ended, and the chat flew into chaos when 'steal their distorted desires' was not the correct answer. They claimed blasphemy and that the quiz was wrong. Even Mishima and Makoto started complaining, the latter with much more passion than the former.
Ren_Amamiya: Look more closely, everyone.
'Ren's right!' Shinya said, smirking. 'If you read the question carefully, it reads, 'What do The Phantom Thieves typically tell their targets they will make happen on their calling cards?' They don't tell them they will make steal their distorted desires happen. That doesn't make sense.'
'They say they will make the targets confess with their own mouths,' Akane added.
Akiharabaki: SHIIIIIT!
AnnFann101: Wow, that was a good one. You got me!
TheQueen: I am most impressed, Ann. You caught me out with that one.
Morgana: Heh, heh, I'm ahead now, Makoto!
Kichijouji-kid321: Damn, that was a tough one.
DarkSun: Bravo.
MidnightSword: I GUESSED IT RIGHT AGAIN!
TheGhostlyMaiden: Wait, how are we losing a quiz to a cat?
'Now for a follow-up question,' Ann said. 'What do The Phantom Thieves say they will do on their calling cards?'
Ann was not surprised when everybody answered 'steal their distorted desires' this time.
The quiz continued for some time, with Ann, Akane, and Shinya alternating questions with varying degrees of difficulty.
They asked the chat to list The Phantom Thieves' various targets in order of appearance. First, their debut year, which most of the chat answered correctly. Ann felt it fair to substitute Medjed for Futaba and disregard Sae entirely. Even so, a few people seemed unable to order Medjed and Kaneshiro properly. One person mixed up the K-named villains and went on a prolonged rant about it.
Then, the EMMA incident. Less people could order these, but Ann didn't think that was unusual. It had all happened over one summer, after all.
Hardly anybody picked up on their most recent incident a few years ago. Rai, of course, as well as Akira and all of the thieves, listed them correctly. But when people tried to figure out the list by asking Ann to recount what happened during that incident, she told them that it was a story for another time.
They asked a few miscellaneous questions between lists, and afterwards, Akane started a quick-fire round about how the Phantom Thieves delivered their calling cards to their targets. Futaba prepared all the questions, and the audience had ten seconds to answer each. About 50% of the chat remained consistent, but a few caved under the time constraints, some misclicked, and some seemed to have a meltdown in the face of Rai, Akira, and her friends' correct answers.
As they progressed into the quiz, Ann started seeing fewer people answering. But the reason why became evident immediately: the chat was taking sides with those who had yet to answer a question wrong. Most of the chat favoured Rai; some voted Akira, but nobody seemed to notice that Ren and Morgana hadn't missed a question.
'It all comes down to this,' Ann said about an hour later. 'So far, only four people have correctly guessed all the answers. If three of those people mess up here, there will be a single victor! If not, it will be a tie. Not that there is a reward, but you know.'
PhantomThiefRai: Bragging rights are the only reward I need.
Akiharabaki: You got this, Rai!
FrozenFire: C'mon, Akira! Underdog story!
RyujiSkullington: Do us proud, Ren! You too, Morgana!
'Are we ready?!' Ann asked. 'Here it is! The final question!'
Ann was about to tell them the question as it appeared in the chat box, but she shrieked instead, for Futaba had entered a different question with three identical answers:
Who is a Phantom Thief?
Ren
Ren
Ren
'Futaba!' Ann shouted over the noise of the laughing faces in the chat, of Rai pasting Ren's name in full capitals.
Alibaba: Sorry, sorry. Here we go, chat.
Ann sighed as the real question appeared.
'What do The Phantom Thieves stand for?' Ann asked.
When everyone in the chat answered that they stand for their own justice, Ann didn't think she had ever been prouder to be a Phantom Thief.
'And that's it,' Ann said, clapping her hands. 'It looks like we have four people who answered every question correctly!'
PhantomThiefRai: AkiraKurusu You have truly been a worthy opponent. The amount of respect I have for you have skyrocketed.
Akira_Kurusu: PhantomThiefRai Likewise. I have been watching in the background, and it seems you haven't lied about your fascination with The Phantom Thieves.
PhantomThiefRai: But Ann, who were the other people?
Ann sat up straighter. She shared a subtle glance with Shinya, who also straightened up.
'Would you be surprised if I told you it was Ren and Morgana?' Ann said.
PhantomThiefRai: I am ignoring Morgana because he's a cat, and he can't possibly have answered any questions.
Morgana: Hey!
PhantomThiefRai: Ren does not surprise me at all. He's too smart.
Akira_Kurusu: Ren, I think you have made a complete blunder here.
Ren_Amamiya: Oh? What makes you say that?
Akira_Kurusu: You are adamant that you are not a member of The Phantom Thieves, yet here you are, answering every question correctly. Surely you realise this generates a certain image of you?
PhantomThiefRai: You also think he's a member?!
Akira_Kurusu: I think he's their leader, actually.
PhantomThiefRai: Ah hah! Me too!
'Are we really doing this now?' Ann asked.
'They think Ren is The Phantom Thieves' leader?!' Akane asked.
PhantomThiefRai: No, we know he is.
Akira_Kurusu: Exactly.
'I hope you don't mind me cutting in,' Shinya said, 'but you answered all the questions, too.'
PhantomThiefRai: Yes, Shinya, but I have already explained my fanaticism with The Phantom Thieves, and Akira here has just revealed how he has been here all along. Ren, however, did not once claim to be so knowledgeable about The Phantom Thieves.
TheGhostlyMaiden: He makes a good point, you know.
'Maybe so,' Shinya continued, 'but Ren's just modest. He doesn't need to brag for attention like you.'
Golden_Guy: Oh damn!
Kichijouji-kid321: He wears that 'Get Smoked' cap for a reason! XD
Akira_Kurusu: Maybe so, Shinya, but concealing his knowledge of The Phantom Thieves all along perpetrates that he wanted to keep it a secret. His identity a secret.
SapphireEyes: Well, he used 'perpetrates' on you. You're finished.
MaidChan81: Big words win arguments. It's true.
'Not necessarily,' Shinya said. 'You're just making things up. I'll only believe you if you got that information from someone who has talked to The Phantom Thieves' leader.'
PhantomThiefRai: But that'd be impossible, Shinya.
Akira_Kurusu: Fine. Let's add up all of the information we have learned thus far, shall we? Rai, if you would.
Ann read on as Rai listed point after point of things that had been revealed about Ren since the beginning of the stream. She didn't comment – Shinya argued back on her behalf. Instead, she watched the chat slowly hop on Rai's and now this Akira's theory. Some people took Shinya's word into account due to his relationship with Ren, but when it was time to end stream for the evening, everybody seemed more convinced than ever that Ren was, indeed, The Phantom Thieves' leader.
Ann flopped back in her seat as soon as she shut down her computer, puffing out a groan.
'This is way too stressful,' Ann said.
'Did I do ok?' Shinya asked.
'Yeah,' Ann said. 'Perfect.'
'But they all think Ren is the leader of The Phantom Thieves.'
'They do,' Ann said, nodding.
'Isn't that problematic?'
'Huh? Why would that be problematic?' Akane asked beside them.
Ann froze.
'It's not like Ren is actually The Phantom Thieves' leader, right?'
Ann turned her head slowly. 'N-No, of course n-not…'
Akane flew to her feet. She looked at Shinya, then at Ann.
'No fucking way.'
'Akane–' Ann tried.
'You're actually The Phantom Thieves?! He wasn't kidding when we met?!' Akane shouted.
'K-Keep your voice down!'
'I-Is that why my dad came here to work when he didn't have any police assignments in Tokyo?! He knows?!'
Ann cringed.
'I'm gonna kill him!' Akane shouted, darting out of the room.
'Oh crap,' Shinya said as Ann chased Akane.
Luckily, Ann caught Akane before she could leave. She yanked her back inside, sat her down, and explained everything. It was just as well she had discovered the truth: they had felt bad about not telling her for far too long. Zenkichi especially had felt guilty, even if not telling her had been his idea. What wasn't so favourable was that Akane had far too many questions when she knew the situation. When Ren returned home, her questions seemed to triple. They were up until three o'clock in the morning answering her.