Welcome to Astrolocked, a canon-divergence fic focussed on the Okumura arc of Persona 5 Royal. Canon typical content warnings apply, including including abuse, misogyny, and violence. Romance isn't a huge focus in the fic, but this will feature Shumako, heavily implied Akeshu, and will have LGBT+ themes and characters in general. If that's not content you enjoy, this fic is not for you.
Haru approached the towering spire that was the Okumura Foods Headquarters, swallowing a wave of apprehension. Despite the fact that the sun had sunk beneath the horizon over an hour ago, the building was still aglow with light – it would have been beautiful if a treacherous part of Haru's mind hadn't whispered even the office workers are made to toil into the night.
She shook her head, clearing her thoughts as she continued walking towards her destination. While Haru knew the pristine skyscraper should feel like a second home to her – it had at one point, a long time ago – the closer she got, the more the looming sense of dread within her grew and grew. The second she finished climbing the stairs to the plaza at the building's entrance she came to a stop, as it finally dawned on her how stupid she was being.
When she'd gotten home from school that afternoon, the housekeeper had informed her that her father would be working late into the night. Inspiration had struck her then – perhaps she could drop off a nice, warm homemade dinner between his meetings. A pleasant surprise to break up a monotonous day. (More selfishly, it was a chance for her to see him without Sugimura's spectre looming overhead, figuratively or literally).
She'd spent all evening lovingly preparing two boxes of bento, but now that Haru was here, the hope she'd felt that afternoon shrivelled up and died in her stomach. This was a terrible idea. Even if her father wasn't in the middle of a meeting when she arrived, he was probably far too busy with the company to spare Haru even a second thought. There was all that negative – justified – press they'd gotten lately, and that wasn't even mentioning his hopes of transitioning into politics. Her presence would be nothing but a hindrance.
(Even if he did deign to see her, it would be as Okumura Kunikazu, CEO, not Kunikazu, doting father, and it was only the latter that she missed so deeply it hurt. As guilty as it made her feel, Haru didn't much care for the former at all.)
(She wasn't a very good daughter. Perhaps that was why he was selling her off like a slab of meat.)
Turning on her heel, Haru walked away. Head bowed, it was a sheer miracle she caught sight of a black blur in the corner of her eye. Turning around, Haru's brows rose as she saw a delightfully cute cat running down the street.
"Huh…? That kitty…" The brunette rubbed her chin, frowning.
This was a business district, not a residential one, and judging by its glossy fur, the cat was clearly a pet. While she knew some people let their animals wander, this wasn't a safe place for a pet – the roads were busy, the visibility low, and the peoples' temper and patience short. If someone's beloved family member got hurt because of her lack of action, Haru would never forgive herself.
(Her father's actions already made her feel dirty enough.)
Mind made up, she spun back around and chased after the cat.
…..
Sae drummed her fingers on the wheel of her car, crimson eyes narrowed to slits as she glared across the road at the Okumura Foods Headquarters. The psychotic breakdowns, mental shutdowns, and Phantom Thieves… all signs pointed at Okumura, but there simply wasn't any damn evidence. At least, no evidence she'd be able to get without a warrant, and the second she ordered one of those, Okumura would scrub all traces of his crimes from the face of this earth.
(She wasn't naïve enough to think that he didn't have connections in the police. There was a reason she'd rather liaise with Akechi than any of those pigs.)
Still, while the Detective Prince wasn't corrupt, sometimes he made it abundantly clear that he was just a kid. He still believed they'd be able to win this case by treating it like any other investigation, even though that obviously wasn't working. No, if she going to claim victory over Okumura and the Phantom Thieves, Sae would need… a less conventional approach. And she was going to win.
(Her superiors were relying on her, after all. Makoto was relying on her).
The real question, though, was what that approach should be. While she knew some of her colleagues weren't above forging evidence, Sae simply didn't know enough about Okumura and the Phantom Thieves' methods to risk it all with a stunt like that. She needed to play her cards cautiously. She needed more information.
It was then, however, that Sae was snapped out of her musings as a cat raced across the street, followed by a panting teenage girl. The prosecutor blinked, caught off guard by the strange sight. As she examined the girl, she frowned. While they'd never met in person, Sae recognised her as Okumura Haru, the one and only heir to the corporate conglomerate stationed right before them. Gears spinning in her mind, Sae's breath caught in her throat. This could be just the opportunity she needed.
Stepping out of her car, she fell into step behind the teen.
…..
Haru winced, rubbing her head as her vision blacked out. Thankfully, the strange fit passed before she had the time to feel worried about it. Admittedly, even if it hadn't, she would have quickly forgotten about it in light of what she saw once colour returned to her sight. Instead of standing in the square in front of Okumura Foods, she stood on a strange, circular platform made from some unknown metal that glowed like circuitry. Thick tubes rose from the ground, and a large terminal hovered overhead, the words Big Bang Burger circling around it in holographic letters. In the distance, strangely shaped buildings reached into the heavens, but Haru was distracted from them as she saw a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye - the cat, most likely. She was then distracted from that, however, as a voice suddenly echoed behind her.
"What on earth…?"
Glancing over her shoulder, Haru's eyes landed on a woman standing several metres behind her. She wore a sharp suit and high heels that would fit seamlessly amongst the businesspeople that populated the district, though the woman was far too young – far too female – to be one of her father's men. While she carried herself with a poise Haru could only dream of possessing, her wide eyes and stupefied expression matched how the heiress was feeling to a tee. Quite frankly, it was a bit of a relief – it made the woman feel human in a world that was decisively not.
Speaking of that, Haru turned back to her surroundings. The platform she was standing on led to a balcony, and tentatively, the Okumura heiress walked onto it. Grabbing the railings so tightly her knuckles grew white, her jaw hung loosely at the sight that greeted her. It was a city unlike anything she'd ever seen. Strange, oblong towers rose out of a deep void Haru couldn't even see the bottom of. Myriads of blue lights dotted them like stars and holographic words spun around them like a carousel, though they were too far away for Haru to read them. Looking upwards, the obelisks were protected from the elements by a glass dome, and what she saw beyond it made her blood freeze in her veins. It was a planet. A very familiar planet.
"I'm not entirely sure we are on Earth, actually." Haru's jaw hung agape. Because if they were, she couldn't be staring at it right now.
Cautiously, the woman joined her side, pinching her arm as she saw the ocean-dotted planet hanging in the sky. "This… this can't be real. I'm seeing things." She muttered, more to herself than Haru. "Goddammit – I suppose this is a good lesson not to combine eight shots of espresso with two all-nighters…"
"Um, well, while I don't think either of those things are very good for you, I'm very much seeing this too." Haru reassured her (though perhaps that was too strong of a word). "Unless we're somehow hallucinating the same thing at the same time, but… I think that's somewhat unlikely."
Besides, Haru was pretty sure you couldn't have tactile hallucinations – at least, not ones this vivid. She doubted the sterile air on her skin or the cold metal bars under her fingers were purely figments of her imagination.
It seemed the heiress' assurances actually managed to do the job, as some of the naked shock slipped off her companion's face and was replaced with something more analytical. (Perhaps Haru had seen this woman before, actually – there was something about her expression that felt very familiar.)
"Is this some sort of VR or simulation?" She questioned, eyes narrowed. "No, it can't be – it's far too advanced…" Her assessing gaze then landed on Haru. "Do you have any idea what this place is?"
"M-me?" The teenager stammered.
Silently, the woman pointed back at the terminal, where her father's company logo was still looping endlessly. Haru took in a deep breath. Ah. So, this woman knew who she was. The brunette pushed her discomfort to the side – as much as she hated being painted with the same brush as the rest of the company, considering the circumstances, it wasn't entirely unjustified.
"… No. If this is something my father is involved with, he's never mentioned it to me."
"I suppose that's fair enough." The woman frowned, but thankfully, the furrow of her brow was more disconcerted than judgemental. "Just what going on here…?"
It was then that something stirred in Haru's stomach – namely, intrigue. Glancing around, her eyes settled on a small metal plinth underneath the terminal. Approaching it, she saw a lever poking out of its side and when she examined the floor at its base, there was a break in the latticework, separating it from the rest of the platform. An idea kindled in her mind.
"Why don't we find out?" Haru suggested, and as the woman approached, she pulled the lever down.
The silver-haired lady let out a startled yelp as the ground around them rumbled, before rapidly beginning to descend. If Haru was the exuberant sort, she'd have jumped around with joy. She knew it was a lift!
After an eon, the cylindrical platform reached its destination, and Haru skipped out into an underground room. There was a long window at its far end, but it was shuttered, and holographic data pads that could have been taken straight out of a movie hovered in front of it. As Haru's companion tentatively approached her side, the brunette looked left and right. The room lead into two pathways, both sealed by bulky hanger doors. The first one she checked didn't react to her presence at all, but the second opened wide as she approached.
"Okumura-chan, I'm not sure if this is a good idea…" The woman bit her lip, but despite her clear reservations, followed Haru down the winding hallway anyway.
If Haru thought she was done with surprises for the day, she was wrong. The corridor brought them onto a raised platform overseeing what looked like a factory storage room. It was not people scurrying about, lugging hefty containers to-and-fro, but robots. Identical worker drones hurried about, as a lanky machine with shining red plating watched over them like an overseer.
She wasn't sure why, but as her eyes remained glued to the robots every hair on the back of her neck prickled, and Haru's stomach churned in discomfort. There was something terribly, terribly wrong going on here, beyond the obvious.
The brunette had no time to ponder what that was though, as the door suddenly opened up behind the duo, and a mechanical voice screeched across the factory like a gunshot.
"INTRUDER ALERT! INITIATE EXTERMINATION PROTOCOL!"
…..
Sae's breath caught in her throat as she saw a trio of robots cutting off their escape route. Until the almost cartoonish humanoid figures below them, they were a strange, cylindrical shape, and wafts of glowing red energy drifted off them like embers. Sae didn't know what would happen if they caught them, but it damn well wouldn't be good.
She grabbed Okumura's forearm and hissed. "Run."
Thankfully, it was not a command she needed to repeat. The brunette bolted around the corner, Sae following in pursuit. Glancing over her shoulder, the prosecutor cursed. The killer robots (she was getting chased by fucking killer robots) were gaining on them, and fast. Stumbling, she bit her lip. If only she'd worn practical shoes today – her heels were not helping. Seeing no other course of action, she turned around and wasted several precious seconds of time she did not have slipping them off.
"W-watch out!" Okumura yelled, panic audible in the young heiress' voice as one of the robots lunged at Sae, but the prosecutor paid her no heed.
Years of martial arts training kicked in, and Sae slammed one of her shoes into the mask-like protrusion jutting out of the drone's face. Her heel snagged into its eye socket, and while her shoe broke as Sae pulled it away, it ripped the machine's head off in the process. Oddly enough, the robot melted into dark particles, but Sae paid it no heed. Instead, she chucked her remaining shoe at one of the other machine's faces, before sprinting after Okumura.
Dashing out of the viewing platform and into a large hall, both of them ignored the floating holograms in its centre in favour of bolting towards the first door they saw. For half a second, a horrified Sae was convinced the solid slab of iron was going to remain shut, but thankfully, an electronic voice droned in the background as the bulky metal door rumbled open.
"AUTHENTICATING… ACCESS GRANTED."
Running through it, Sae was about to race down a corridor at random, but then she noticed Okumura wasn't following her. Instead, the girl lingered by the security door, hand pressed down on a button by its side.
"What are you doing?! We don't have the time for that!" The prosecutor snapped.
"But if we close the door…"
"They'll just open it again in a second! If we can gain access, anyone can!"
Okumura frowned but didn't complain as Sae grabbed her hand and dragged her down the hall. Unfortunately, the second they reached an intersection, half a dozen more of the robots suddenly appeared from around the corner, accompanied by several floating security drones. Sae quickly backpedalled out of their field of vision, but it was too late.
"INTRUDERS LOCATED. COMMENCING PURSUIT PROTOCOL."
Skin pale, Sae glanced backwards, and blanched as she saw the robots she'd battled before still following in hot pursuit. That meant there was only one pathway left – the one to the right. Racing down it, Sae prayed it would lead them to safety. Their footsteps echoed against the iron floor as the windows overlooking the futuristic city passed them in a blur - neither woman had the time to focus on their surroundings. As Sae's thighs began to burn and her every breath was reduced to a wheezing gasp, though, she grimly realised they needed to find somewhere safe, and fast. The only thing keeping her afloat was adrenaline, and while Okumura was thankfully keeping up with her pace, the teen probably wouldn't last much longer either.
As they rounded the corner, the hallway came to an end, capped off with yet another heavy plate door. This time though, when Sae approached it, it remained firmly shut. Cold dread ran through the prosecutor as she looked for a button, a key card reader, anything, to no avail. It took all her self-restraint not to burst out into hysterical laughter. She couldn't believe it. She was going to be killed by literal robots in some alien hellscape with no one but a complete and utter stranger at her side, all because she wanted to get some bloody evidence.
Sae was snapped out of her panicked spiralling as Okumura suddenly tugged on her sleeve. While sweat dripped down the girl's brow, her brown eyes were determined as she pointed at a ledge along the corridor's side. "Over here – it's not too high. If you give me a boost, I think I'll be able to help lift you up once I'm on top."
The prosecutor frowned – there was a good chance the girl would just ditch her the second she got to safety, but then again, it wasn't like Sae had anything left to lose. As a mechanical rumbling began to echo down the hallway, she gave Okumura a curt nod. "Fine."
To Sae's surprise, Okumura kept her word, and pulled the prosecutor up alongside her with a surprising amount of upper body strength considering her small frame. She wasn't a moment too soon, either. Both women had barely managed to flatten themselves into the small alcove's corner when their pursuers came trundling into the hallway beneath them. Sae's breath caught in her throat and her guts twisted with worry, but the robots went straight past their prey as the door that had blocked the two women's progress opened up for the machines.
The second the door closed behind their pursuers, Sae's shoulders slumped as she let out a gasp of relief. That was close. Far too close.
For a while, they simply sat there, recovering their breath. As the grey walls pressed in claustrophobically around her, Sae realised she didn't have a bloody clue which direction they'd come from. In amongst their terror, they'd gotten hopelessly, hopelessly lost.
Silently, Okumura reached into the bag she had slung over her shoulder and passed a box to Sae. "Well, that was unpleasant. Would you like a bento?"
…..
It took three days for people to realise Okumura Haru and Niijima Sae were missing.
The first warning sign was a message from Shujin to the Okumura's housekeeper, the day after both women were last seen – young Haru hadn't shown up to class. The housekeeper hemmed and hawed, but upon seeing the heiress' room was empty, she swallowed her uncertainly and called her father's office.
"… Haru's school?" Okumura Kunikazu curled his lip. "I don't care – don't contact me about such a trivial matter again."
The CEO hung up his phone before promptly returning to work. If Haru wanted to play truant, that was her prerogative. It was hardly like she needed to go to the damn place anyway. She'd be marrying Sugimura at the end of this year, and serving her family as a dutiful mother and wife, like all young women should.
Kunikazu didn't even notice it when his daughter didn't return home that evening, or the next. He was busy preparing for the launch of his new campaign and didn't have the time to spare for something trivial like family. No, he only realised Haru's absence was an issue when he received another call – this time, from Sugimura.
"Your damned daughter's ignoring me again." The redhead spat out, before his voice evened out into something calmer but infinitely more cloying. "A good wife should be at her husband's beck and call, don't you think?"
Fury blazed through Kunikazu as his lips thinned. "Yes, she should be. Don't fret – I'll correct my daughter's errant ways. By the time your wedding comes, I'm sure she'll be… compliant."
"I'm certain you won't let me down." Sugimura purred, before hanging up.
Incensed, the CEO immediately dialled his daughter's number. Instead of the ringtone or her soft voice, however, he was answered by an electronic message.
"Your call could not be connected – please check the number and try again…"
Furrowing his brow, he called home – the housekeeper had mentioned Haru was playing hooky, right? Thankfully, Kunikazu had far more luck getting in contact with his staff. When he enquired about Haru's status, however, the answer was not what he expected.
"No, sir. I haven't seen Lady Haru for several days, and nor has she gone to school."
For a second, a flash of worry sparked in Kunikazu's chest, but it was quickly replaced with something else – rage. She'd run away, hadn't she? Chosen her body and her freedom above his company, his career, and made a fool out of him in the process. Without this wedding, Kunikazu would never get the backing of Sugimura and his (very powerful) family – his political dreams would be dead before they'd even gotten off the ground.
Traitor. A dark part of Kunikazu's mind hissed, equally as enraged as it was intrigued. He never thought his daughter had it in her. Still, that didn't matter – the Okumura motto was one of betrayal, yes, but of the lower-class riff-raff, not each other. The CEO would find Haru, and she would regret this act of childish fancy.
Hanging up on the housekeeper, he jotted down a quick memo to fire the useless woman, before ringing another number – that of the SIU Director.
"My apologies for the sudden call." Kunikazu's voice was polite, but his words had a deadly undertone. "I'm here to call in a favour…"
…..
When Makoto didn't hear from Sae for several days in a row, she thought nothing of it. Her sister had been busy – been pulling away from her – for a while now. Sure, it was a bit odd that Sae hadn't even bothered sending a cursory text telling Makoto she wouldn't be home for dinner, but it was hardly unheard of.
She only realised something was horrifically wrong when the Niijima's landline suddenly started ringing mid-breakfast. Makoto jolted in surprise – it had been years since anyone had called that phone.
"Hello, Niijima residence-"
"Where the HELL are you?!" An unfamiliar voice yelled over the line. "I told you I wanted the data for the Shimura case on my desk first thing this morning!"
Makoto cleared her throat, her initial shock at the sudden shouting fading into a combination of confusion and annoyance. "Um, I'm sorry, but I believe you've got the wrong person. It's Niijima Makoto speaking."
"… Oh, the sister." The speaker murmured, before clearing his throat. "Tell Niijima to quit painting her nails and get over here. Or at least answer her bloody phone! Women, I swear…"
Without further ado, the man hung up. For several seconds Makoto stood still as the dial tone beeped in her ear, eyes narrowing in distaste. What a misogynistic prick. Her anger quickly evaporated though, replaced by concern. Sae was obsessed with loved her job. She'd probably fistfight the devil himself if he tried to stop her from going to work. Therefore, if Sae was running late, something had to be wrong.
Walking to her sister's room, Makoto poked her head inside. While the bed was unmade – Makoto had to smother down her instinctive urge to tuck in Sae's sheets – there were no signs of life. Her phone hadn't been left on her charger, and when Makoto traced her fingers over Sae's pillow, it was cold. All it took was a quick glance down the hallway to verify her suspicions – Sae's shoes weren't in the rack. Wherever she was, it wasn't here, and more importantly, she'd been gone for a while.
Her stomach churned, concern escalating into worry. Marching back to her bedroom, Makoto fetched her phone off her bedside table and called her sister. The second she hit the dial button, however, an automated voice told Makoto this number was currently unavailable. A shiver ran down Makoto's spine and all the hairs on the nape of her neck rose up. It was official – her worry had become fear.
Panicked, she scrolled through her contacts and called a number her sister had given her but she'd never actually thought she'd ring.
"Hello, Akechi speaking! Who is this?"
"It's Niijima Makoto." While even on a good day the Detective Prince had a habit of getting on her nerves, right now, her voice was terse for an entirely different reason. "Do you know where Sae is?"
"… No, sorry. I haven't seen her for several days." Akechi's attitude audibly shifted into something far more serious. "Is she alright?"
"I… I don't think she is."
…..
Ren had been having a shitty week. Firstly, the principal had carked it, then the Phantom Thieves couldn't reach a consensus about whether they should handle Okumura, and then Morgana had abandoned the group after getting into a blow-up argument with Ryuji.
He had no idea things were about to get worse.
His phone dinged during English class and after making sure Chouno was distracted, he pulled it out, ignoring how weird it felt to grab it from his desk without shuffling through fur. Ren wasn't too surprised to see it was the Phantom Thieves group chat – they were planning on going into Okumura's Palace that afternoon, after all, in the hope of finding Morgana.
(In the hope of making sure he was still alive.)
Makoto: Sorry, but I won't be able to make it tonight.
Makoto: It's sis.
Makoto: She's… she's missing.
Ren's blood ran cold as a heavy lump settled into his stomach. While he admittedly didn't have a particularly favourable view of Makoto's sister after that stunt she'd pulled with Sojiro's custody, he knew how much Makoto cared for her. More importantly, he knew someone investigating something like the mental shutdowns going missing was a bad sign.
Ren: Are you alright?!
Makoto: Not particularly. The police are interviewing me this afternoon.
Yusuke: How horrid. I hope Niijima-san is well.
Ryuji: dude, is there anything we can do to help?
Makoto: Actually… I was wondering if there was anything you could do to track her, Futaba?
Futaba: dw already on it
An eternity seemed to pass before the hacker replied.
Futaba: ugh, no good. she was in the business district tuesday evening, but her phone loses connection there
Makoto: Thank you for trying. At least it's something…
Ann: hey… would you like us to come to the station with you?
Ann: I know we can't go into the interview room or anything, but we can at least give you some moral support.
Ren swallowed his misgivings about being within a ten-foot radius of anything even vaguely law enforcement related, and texted the chat.
Ren: Agreed. We're with you every step of the way, Queen.
Makoto: I'd appreciate that a lot. Thank you, everyone.
The teen sensed more than saw Chouno look in his direction, and he quickly stashed his phone away. Sorry, Morgana – please, just hold in there a little while longer…
…..
Sae had absolutely no idea what the time was, or how long she and Haru - the Okumura heiress had insisted Sae used her first name, and considering the circumstances, Sae couldn't blame her - had been trapped in the spaceport for. Between her overall disorientation and the perpetually black sky beyond the dome surrounding them, Sae didn't even know if it was day or night. Those weren't the only reasons she was completely and utterly temporally lost, however. Despite knowing it had at a bare minimum been half a day since she'd stumbled into this nightmarish labyrinth, Sae felt no hunger or thirst. Sure, Haru's bento had perked her up a bit – the teen was far more gifted in the kitchen than either Niijima sister – but at the same time, it hadn't felt necessary. She had no idea what to make of that, and after several increasingly unsettling theories, Sae decided she was just going to not think about it.
(It was how she dealt with most of her problems that had no immediate solution. How effective it was… varied.)
"Oh, look!" Haru gasped, a hint of wonder shining in her eyes. Honestly, Sae had no idea how she could feel an emotion like that in this hellhole. "It's a treasure chest!"
"… Excuse me?" Sae wrinkled her nose.
They'd attempted to backtrack through the station in hopes of finding the way out, but unfortunately, given both of them had prioritised escaping killer robots over paying attention to their surroundings, it was a far harder task than it should have been. It was also one they'd abandoned too when they almost stumbled into a line of said robots on their way to what they guessed might be the exit.
Currently, the women were theoretically looking for a safe place to recoup, but it seemed Haru had other ideas. Halting in her tracks, the brunette pointed to a pedestal nestled between some holographic trees. It turned out she was right – for some reason, there was a faintly sparking iron chest balanced deliberately on top of it. Sae blinked. Why the hell is there a treasure chest in a space station?
It was so incongruous, as Haru stepped towards it, Sae felt a flash of alarm. "Be careful – it could be a trap!"
When the Okumura heiress opened it though, no alarms went off. Instead, she reached inside and plucked out something small.
"Oh!" Haru frowned, excitement rapidly fading. "It's… ointment."
"… You should probably put that back." Sae sighed. God knows she didn't trust any strange substances found in this place.
Reluctantly, Haru returned her ill-gotten loot to where it belonged.
Good. At least she knows how to follow orders.
Sae froze, every hair on the back of her neck rising. For a second, she swore she'd heard a voice. Shaking her head, the prosecutor took in a deep breath – if she lost her cool (again), it could mean death. Healthy paranoia would keep her safe – unjustified paranoia would not.
"Come on – let's keep moving. I don't want to stay out in the open any longer than we have to." Sae commanded, but despite her level-headed façade, she still felt unsettled.
It turned out her unease wasn't unjustified – a mechanical whirring echoed down the hall, and if she and Haru hadn't quickly ducked behind some furniture, they would have been directly in the line of sight of a robot that turned around the corner. Holding her breath, several tense seconds passed as the construct's head swivelled, before it turned around and left the way it came. Her mouth set into a thin line, and at her side, Haru's prior levity had faded at the grim reminder they were not safe. Creeping quietly through the metallic halls, eventually, the duo ended up back at the ledge they'd started their failed escape attempt from.
"… What should we do now?" Haru asked as they climbed back to relative safety. "If the entrance is blocked off…"
Sae mulled it over. "Maybe we should wait things out – perhaps they'll disperse once they've deemed us no longer a threat…"
The words felt hollow in her mouth, however. It had been ages since they were last spotted by the machines, and even if hunger and thirst hadn't caught up to the prosecutor yet, it was only a matter of time. Adrenaline was a poor substitute for a hearty meal and a good night's rest – Sae was really beginning to regret her lack of the latter over the last few days. Admittedly, it wasn't like that was her choice, but this situation was already bad enough without her brain feeling like mush.
She was snapped out of her thoughts by a clank. Glancing to her side, the silver-haired woman saw Haru removing the cover of a nearby vent.
"What are you doing?" Sae queried, her stress adding a harsh edge to her voice.
Impassively, Haru looked her way. "I think there's space for us to climb through here, and I can see a light coming from the other end. It should lead to the other side of the door."
The first thought that came to Sae's mind was why, but the answer to that question dawned on her almost as quickly. "… You think there might be another escape route deeper in?"
"It's possible." Haru furrowed her brow. "Admittedly, this place doesn't follow normal building practises, but a city of this size should have at least more than one exit."
"Well, it's better than just waiting here." Sae sighed. "Let's go."
…..
The longer Haru stayed in the labyrinthian spaceport the more fantastical it got, but at the same time, she slowly started to adjust to the bizarre internal logic of the realm. After creeping through the eerie server room the air vent had brought them to, and messing with the doors' locks, the strange pair finally got access to the rest of the facility.
And what a facility it was.
The first area they ventured into was a winding series of corridors and offices that could have been taken straight out of Okumura Foods, if it wasn't for the futuristic twist. The small, human-shaped drones Haru had seen by the spaceport's entrance puttered about, lugging heavy boxes around and typing away at glowing blue terminals. While they appeared significantly less frequently, they were occasionally joined by lankier robots or bulky ones that almost could have been bodybuilders (or whatever the mechanical equivalent of them was, anyway).
Haru almost thought they were cute until she heard what they were saying.
"I-I-I'M FALLING APART…"
"I WON'T BE ABLE TO BECOME A REAL ADULT UNLESS I CAN PUSH THROUGH THIS."
"EVERYTHING WE DO IS FOR THE SAKE OF OKUMURA FOODS! THOSE WHO CANNOT KEEP UP WILL BE DISPOSED OF."
It was a running theme – the smaller robots worked until they dropped, while the bigger ones droned on and on about the glory of her father's company. Suffice to say, it didn't make Haru feel glorious at all. Thankfully, unlike the killer robots, most of them seemed happy to ignore her and Sae as long as they kept moving – apparently, loitering was a sin at Okumura Foods.
Speaking of the killer robots, it turned out they weren't robots after all. After sussing out the layout of the barracks (and Sae swiping some key cards from one of the commanding robots while Haru distracted it), they'd backpedalled and left the maze of a building. As they walked straight out into the once-distant city itself, the heiress' breath caught in her throat. While Haru wasn't a tech-head, she couldn't help but ogle the futuristic spires and floating pods that hovered in the air – she was almost surprised there weren't any hovercars joining them.
"Look – I think this platform might be a lift." Sae left the path and stepped onto a circular dais. "This lever looks like the ones on the elevators we used earlier."
Following the woman, Haru felt a wave of gratitude that she wasn't facing this trial alone. While the prosecutor wasn't particularly friendly, her level head and keen eye had been vital. Plus, even if she wasn't nice, she wasn't cruel either, and had simultaneously done her best to keep Haru safe while not treating her as an ignorant child. It was… pleasurable, compared to most of the interactions the heiress had with adults.
(It really helped that Sae didn't look at her like she was something to be devoured.)
Unfortunately, that was when their plan hit a snag. The second the platform reached its destination, it deposited them almost directly into one of the killer robot's path. Cursing, Sae struck it before it could strike her, ripping the head-like effigy off its face.
For some baffling reason, the robot then exploded into black and red ink. Rising back into the air, the puddle reformed into a giant, floating starfish alien with a large eye in its middle. Blinking, Sae instinctively uppercut it, and this time, when it exploded into motes of black liquid, it stayed that way. Actually… now that Haru was paying closer attention, it wasn't all goop – it looked like there were coins of all things lying on the ground where the not-so-robot had once been. The two women exchanged a hapless glance.
"… That was a lot less threatening than I thought it'd be, honestly." Sae muttered, still looking mildly bamboozled.
Haru paid her no heed, however, as she noticed something shining near some mysterious vats. "Oh, look – it's another treasure chest!"
Before she could open it though, a strangled gasp left Sae's throat. Turning around, Haru froze, eyes wide, as she saw what had rattled the prosecutor. At the other end of the landing was a door, but it wasn't like the other ones they'd seen in the spaceport. Instead, its form wavered, and for a second, it looked like a typical supply closet you could find in any office.
Hope soaring in her heart, Haru dashed towards it immediately, Sae at her side. A giddy grin crossed Haru's face as they charged in, revealing a dusty room with cleaning supplies tucked in the corner and sheets draped over the shelving racks. For a split second, she thought they'd somehow found the way home, but alas, it was not to be. The room warped, and Haru's happiness died as quickly as it had arrived as the modern trappings faded away, replaced by the spaceport's metallic greyness.
"… Fuck!" Sae cursed, punching a mail tube ineffectively. Massaging her temples, the woman attempted to school her temper back under control, before trudging over towards a table and sitting down. "Come on. We might as well get some rest while we're here."
As Haru gently perched herself down on one of the stools lining the shoddily made table in the middle of the room, she gave a sympathetic wince as Sae mournfully rubbed her bare feet. Marching over all this metal had to hurt. For a while, they waited in silence, gathering their thoughts.
"… So, any theories about what this place is?" The prosecutor watched Haru, gaze assessing. "It's clearly related to Okumura Foods somehow."
"I'm afraid not." Haru's shoulders slumped, and a flush of shame swelled inside her – it was her family's company, for god's sake. Shouldn't she know more about its affairs? "Father doesn't talk much about the business with me."
"A pity." Sae sighed, though she didn't sound particularly surprised.
This time, it was Haru's turn to stare at her curiously. "How about you? Do you have any ideas about where we are?"
"Not particularly – at least not any good ones." Sae slouched against the table, expression glum. "The best I've got is that either Okumura's somehow gotten in contact with aliens, which is as stupid as it sounds, or that he's discovered some form of hard-light hologram, which is equally as ridiculous."
Haru couldn't help but giggle. "Well, I suppose those would explain our whereabouts, even if they're somewhat farfetched." Her smile faded slightly as she lamented. "I wished I'd paid more attention to father's sci-fi films – perhaps this place would make more sense. Alas, I was always more into horror." She then looked at her companion. "How about you? What sort of movies do you enjoy, Sae-san?"
"M-me?" Sae's brows rose, before furrowing. "I don't have time for trivial things like that. Besides, TV and movies aren't stimulating. I'd rather actually use my brain."
"Oh." Disappointment welled in Haru's stomach. She hadn't meant to upset Sae.
As the woman looked at Haru, she gave a slight wince, before something hesitant crossed her features. "I… did like fantasy novels when I was younger, though." Sae's expression then glazed over, crimson eyes as hard as steel. "But then I grew up."
…..
After getting some rest - Haru and Sae taking alternating turns on watch, just in case - the women resumed their journey. To the brunette's delight, it turned out that taking a nap (and discovering the killer robots were actually rather underwhelming aliens) had a wonderful effect on Sae's mood. Instead of grumbling about it, the prosecutor simply watched Haru with faint bemusement as she tried her luck with the treasure chests yet again. The first one Haru cracked was a bust - merely some strange talismans - but eventually, the heiress struck gold. Or to be more accurate, a pistol.
Eyes wide, Haru looked at the gun in her hands before giving Sae a frantic glance. Even just touching the thing made her feel like some sort of horrid delinquent. "S-Sae-san! What should I do?!"
The prosecutor rubbed her chin, expression calculating. "… Keep it, for now. In a worst-case scenario, it could save your life – I can hold my own in a fight, but you don't have any self-defence training."
"A-alright." Haru swallowed, the pistol burning into the skin of her palm like a brand. Still, despite how terrified the responsibility made her feel, she knew the silver-haired woman had a point. "I'll be careful with it, I promise."
It turned out Sae's decision was life-saving, in the end. They'd nearly finished scrambling across a sea of floating pods that led to a nearby tower, when Sae ambushed yet another one of the strange aliens that obstructed their path. This time, instead of turning into one of the starfish creatures or the surprisingly adorable moth men, it warped into a strange, robotic golem made of blue iron. Sae swung a leg at it with a yell, but unlike the other monsters, it wasn't reduced to vapours on impact. Instead, the prosecutor yelped as a dull thunk echoed through the air, and she recoiled, clutching her calf. Haru took in a sharp breath, heart catching in her throat. Truthfully, she shouldn't have been this surprised Sae's attack failed - it was clearly made of metal, after all - but in light of their recent successes, the heiress had let her guard down.
The creature's head swivelled 360 degrees before it pointed one of its strange, stubby arms at Sae. The prosecutor barely managed to scramble out of the way before a surge of dark energy engulfed the spot she'd laid in but a second before. Unfortunately, it wasn't finished its assault. The golem attempted to smash its rotund head into the fallen prosecutor, and acting on pure instinct, Haru fired. While she knew that guns had recoil, the teenager still jolted in alarm at the amount of backlash she received. To make things worse, she didn't even manage to hurt the alien – the bullet bounced harmlessly off its side, ricocheting into the void.
On the bright side though, it seemed Haru had been sufficiently distracting, and Sae took the opportunity to scramble back to her side. "Let's go!" She hissed, and the teen didn't have to be told twice.
Thankfully, after their mad dash away from the monster, they finally reached the base of the tower they'd been travelling to, a flood of relief running over Haru as she finally descended back onto solid ground. Well, reasonably solid ground, anyway.
"Are you okay?" The heiress asked her companion, brows knitted in worry.
"… I'm alright." Sae massaged her tender leg, wincing. "I can walk, anyway. Why on earth did I think that was a good idea...?"
With her fears assuaged - if Sae was complaining again, she was probably fine - Haru proceeded into the tower. The previous one they'd explored had a constant undertone of blue which was noticeably absent here. The metal seemed far redder, and the clanking and whirring of machinery echoed loudly through the air in sharp contrast to the prior tower's silence. It quickly became apparent why – as they rounded the corner, the brunette's eyes widened as she saw it was a factory.
Little blue robots shambled around in panic, falling to pieces as they worked, and Haru bit her lip – the layout was identical to that of Okumura Foods' bun factory. The uncomfortable weight in her stomach lingered as they advanced, and didn't even go away when much to Haru's dismay, some metal cables snapped overhead and a series of crates toppled to the ground, obscuring their path.
They'd come all this way, and it was for nothing.
"… Well, at least by now the entrance should be clear." Sae scanned the obstruction from head to toe, frown growing larger by the second.
Thankfully, at least some good came from their aborted foray into the factory. Haru raided another treasure chest – this time with the help of Sae's lockpicking skills (in other words, her hairclip) – and despite all logic, somehow pulled out a sword.
The prosecutor gave it an experimental swing, nodding her head in approval. "Good job. It looks like opening all those chests wasn't a colossal waste of time, after all."
"Do you know how to use a sword, Sae-san?" Haru asked curiously. It wouldn't surprise her, honestly – after seeing her crazy martial arts skills, a part of her was convinced Sae must have been some Amazonian warrior in a past life.
Once they'd escaped this place, Haru would have to ask her for some tips. Her destructive capabilities were enthralling, and so unlike anything the teenager had ever seen in another woman. She might not admire Sae's personality, but Haru would happily admit she admired her power.
"No." Sae shrugged nonchalantly. "But I'm sure I'll pick it up quickly."
All things considered, Haru believed her.
The trek back to the barracks was long and slow going, now that their prior confidence about taking on the security robots had been tempered, but eventually, the duo managed to crawl their way back to the skyscraper they'd come from.
"Maybe we should find another storeroom somewhere?" Sae suggested, wiping her brow. "I'm spent."
The brunette nodded – while they'd avoided all the foes they could, they'd still gotten into half a dozen scraps since they left the factory.
Of course, it was at that moment that a voice so alien and yet so familiar Haru would recognise it anywhere echoed across the hall.
"What are you doing here?!"
…..
Makoto walked into the police station, hands trembling, as her friends circled around her like a shield. She'd been there before – her dad had taken her to work with him occasionally when Sae was unable to keep an eye on her for whatever reason and he couldn't find another babysitter. This time, however, as she walked through the automatic doors, a chill fell over her. The walls were large and loomed over her dauntingly, and every corner was draped in shadows. To think, she used to associate police stations with a place of safety - now, they felt like nothing but a trap.
No cops came to drag Ren and the other Thieves away though as she approached the front desk. Instead, as Makoto wrote her name down into the logbook, Ann rubbed circles into her spare hand, and Yusuke shielded her from sight like a sentinel. As they headed to the uncomfortable plastic chairs Ryuji and Futaba bickered light-heartedly - their silly antics raising the mood - and when the brunette sat down, Ren took a spot at her side, a pillar of silent support. She was very aware of what his presence here of all places meant, after all.
Despite her friends' efforts, however, Makoto's mind raced. The first forty-eight hours were critical in a missing persons investigation. Nobody had even noticed Sae was gone for at least seventy-two, and almost half a day had passed since then. Stomach churning, it took all of the student council president's effort to not throw up.
"Niijima Makoto?" A man's voice called from across the waiting room.
Looking up, she saw the detective presumably in charge of the case. He was a middle-aged man with surprisingly shaggy hair for a cop, donned in a crisp suit – judging by his appearance, he was no novice investigator. Shakily, she gave her fellow Phantom Thieves one last smile before she rose to her feet.
Ren stood up with her, however, and rested a firm hand on his shoulder. "You can do this. I believe in you." The conviction in his voice was so bright it burned. "Niijima-san will be okay."
Makoto's vision wobbled, tears dotting her eyes for just a moment, and she rapidly engulfed him in a hug. Ren stiffened at the sudden contact, but quickly relaxed, and gave her back a pat.
"Thank you." She murmured, cheeks flushed as she hurried to where the detective was waiting for her.
The middle-aged man shot Makoto a bemused glance but didn't comment as he led the brunette through the station's winding halls. The second they moved away from the foyer, and into the station proper, Makoto was caught off guard by the pandemonium. Officers hurried about as their superiors barked orders, and while she only caught a glimpse of it, files and photos were being pinned to boards as uniformed cops rapidly took notes.
"I want to know where she was last seen, and I want to know now!" A potbellied man snapped.
"Here's the location data of her mobile phone." A female officer passed a handful of papers to a senior colleague. "I'm working on getting her call history now."
"Good, good – that'll be handy, in case there's some boy involved."
Makoto's breath caught in her throat, and her heart soared. Was all this effort… for her sister? She supposed it made sense, after all – Sae was one of them. Maybe, just maybe, they'd find her alive and unhurt after all.
"If we don't find this Okumura girl soon, we're fucked." A constable loitering at the side of the hall whinged. "God, I hate rich kids. Daddy's a bit strict, so she just ran away?"
The words pierced the student council president like a knife. Oh. This had nothing to do with Sae after all. The brunette was still reeling by the time the detective guided her into the interview room, and closed the door behind him. Makoto numbly took a seat, as the suited man sat opposite her.
"Hasegawa Zenkichi, PubSec." He introduced himself, giving her a wry smile. "I'm the one in charge of your sister's case."
"… PubSec?" Makoto blinked, before narrowing her eyes. At least that meant they were taking Sae's disappearance seriously, but… "Why not the SIU?" Sae worked for them, after all.
Hasegawa flinched, before sheepishly scratching the back of his neck. "… Unfortunately, they're kind of tied up at the moment. Still, rest assured, we'll be trying our damned hardest to get your sister back safe to you."
Makoto frowned, her disappointment quickly replaced with anger on Sae's behalf. Unbelievable. After all the sweat, blood, and tears she put into the SIU, her disappearance wasn't even a footnote to them. No – they'd just shunted her case off onto someone else. Still, that wasn't Hasegawa's fault, and despite his casual demeanour, he had to be good at his job to get a position like his.
"… Very well. What can I do to help?"
Unfortunately, the answer was very little. After giving a quick introduction of himself and Makoto to the recorder, Hasegawa started off with routine questions, such as what time Makoto realised when Sae was missing, and when she'd last seen her.
"So… from what you've said, Niijima-san hadn't returned home or contacted you since Tuesday." The detective stroked his beard. "Is that normal behaviour, not hearing or seeing from her for days in a row?"
"Not… particularly?" Makoto winced - even though there was no judgement in Hasegawa's voice, something in her stomach twisted. "I mean, seeing her, perhaps, but Sae usually texts me when she's not coming home." She fiddled nervously with her fingers. "Still… I know she's been super busy with work recently. It didn't seem that weird that it'd slip her mind."
Hasegawa frowned but didn't press further. Instead, he asked for a summary of Sae's home and social life (not that Makoto had anything much to say about either of them), before finally asking more about Sae as a person. Quite frankly, it was excruciating. Makoto didn't know if Sae had any friends (she assumed not). She didn't know if Sae had any hobbies (her sister had when she was younger, but she hadn't seen Sae doing something purely for fun since their father's death).
As Hasegawa continued his questions, a shudder ran through the student council president when it dawned on her just how little she truly knew about her sister, really. Sae had been keeping her at arm's length lately, but when had Makoto stopped reaching out to her in return?
"… I see." Hasegawa frowned, brows furrowed. While he didn't voice it, whatever he saw clearly wasn't very good. "What about enemies? Do you know of anyone who would wish her harm?"
Snapping out of her spiral, the brunette's voice caught in her throat. This was it – this was where the interview got important. Playing close attention to Hasegawa's reactions, she recited her list.
"Socially speaking, no." Well, there was Sojiro, but Makoto knew he had nothing to do with Sae's disappearance, and sure as hell wasn't going to set the police on him. "In terms of her work though, I know she was involved with cleaning up the fallout from the Kaneshiro confession, and she's also recently been put in charge of prosecuting a politician who misused public funding. Her largest case of late has been looking into the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns, however." Makoto frowned. "You… don't think it's whoever's behind them, do you? The MO isn't quite right…"
From the bottom of her heart, she desperately hoped it wasn't. There was no resurrecting a dead Shadow, after all.
Hasegawa shook his head. "No – if she was inflicted with either of those conditions, we'd likely have found her by now."
"That's a relief." Some of the tension sapped from Makoto's shoulders. "Do you… think it's the yakuza, then?"
"I'm afraid I can't say, Niijima-chan." Despite his smile, Hasegawa's eyes were dark – it took Makoto a second to realise his expression was one of disappointment.
It's none of the people I suggested, then. Either the suspect is someone I don't know about, or the police simply haven't found anything. Dread filled her at the thought of the latter.
(It was most likely the case.)
Hagesawa released her shortly after that, pointing her back in the direction of the foyer before hurrying off to do god knows what. Dully, Makoto trudged back towards where her friends were waiting for her.
"'The hell's a kid here for?" A cop murmured to his friend, shooting a sceptical glance at the student council president as she walked past him.
"Didn't ya hear? Niijima's gone missing." The other officer chortled. "Good riddance, far as I'm concerned."
"Missing? Pah – she probably just finally figured out the Director is playing her for a fool and scarpered. What kinda girl her age would want to be stuck in a dead-end job raising some brat? If I was her, I'd have bailed a long time ago."
The words hit her with all the force of a punch to her stomach. Staggering, Makoto wheezed, and if she didn't manage to steady herself against the wall, she would have toppled to the ground. Blood rushed through her eyes, as the world seemed to wobble around her.
They… they thought this was her fault?
No. That can't be true. Sis loves me. A voice in the back of Makoto's mind whispered furiously, but it was quickly drowned out by a deluge of memories. Late nights, pale and drawn skin, half-hearted reassurances she was just tired, the way her eyes pinched whenever money was involved, useless… Sae had obviously been very, very unhappy, for a very long time.
And there was one thing at the root of all her problems.
Makoto.
…..
When Goro had gotten that call from Niijima in the early hours of the morning, terse and worried and asking about her sister, his stomach had twisted. It didn't take long to confirm his worse fears. The prosecutor hadn't entered the office in several days, her car had been abandoned somewhere in the business district, and GPS couldn't pick up her phone.
Niijima Sae was officially missing. Making his excuses, he'd left the SIU's main office, and slipped into one of the private meeting rooms before locking the door behind him. The second he knew he was out of both sight and sound, Goro cursed and kicked the table in a fit of petty rage.
Seriously?! They'd just set their trap for the Phantom Thieves, one that could potentially be triggered in less than two weeks, and Sae had the fucking gall to go missing?! Sweeping a hand through his hair, Goro cursed – she was the lynchpin for his plan. Her Palace was in a convenient location, he knew his way around it and more importantly that there weren't any nasty surprises waiting in store, and the enemies inhabiting it were strong enough to stop the Thieves from clearing it in a day. Finding another Palace so perfect on such short notice would be an absolute nightmare.
It was official: if Sae had been kidnapped or killed, Goro would find who was responsible and empty three rounds of ammo into their heads. It was the least they deserved. Hand trembling, a wave of relief flooded through him as he entered the coordinates of her Palace into the Metanav, and was greeted with a please move closer to the destination message. That was good – the casino still existed, and therefore, she was alive.
Fleeing the SIU offices, Goro approached the courthouse, and reality rippled and fell away as he walked into the Metaverse. No blue flames of rebellion surrounded him, but that wasn't a surprise – as long as he was tangentially connected to the SIU, Sae wouldn't view him as a threat, even if their last conversation had been… strained.
(It was ideal for his goals, but… irritating, the way Sae's distortion was slowly eating away at everything that separated her from the rest of the louts they worked with.)
What was surprising, however, was how quiet it was. While the garish, flashing lights of the casino still burned into his retinas, there were none of the usual crowds spilling out of the building and into the street. The sound of slots rolling and champagne glasses clinking was absent – even the catchy ditto that usually played in the depths of Sae's mind had been silenced.
Unease prickled down Goro's spine – something was very wrong here. A singular Shadow stood guard by the casino's doors, and the detective gauged it – it didn't seem hostile, and if he turned out to be mistaken, it'd be easy enough to slaughter. Deciding to take the legitimate approach before kicking up a ruckus, he approached the waistcoat-wearing monster, a picture-perfect smile donning his face.
"Hello there – it's Akechi here. May I please speak to the manager? I have business with Sae-san."
The Shadow shook its smoky black head. "I'm afraid the casino is closed – Lady Niijima is currently unavailable."
Goro blinked, startled. He'd never had any trouble meeting her Shadow before, even back in the days when it still lingered in Mementos. Like most Shadows, it had been more than happy to vent about its awful, terrible life. At the time, it had just been a good source of blackmail and an interesting insight into how his co-worker's mind ticked. When Sae started treading a little too close to Shido's conspiracy, however, he'd used all the damning little neuroses she'd unwittingly revealed to him to twist her already distorted heart. It had been laughably easy – a few sweet nothings later, the Casino of Envy was born. Her increased distortion wasn't potent enough for her to willingly join Shido's ranks - the detective had found that oddly relieving, for some reason - but it had done its job. Sae was too hyper-focused on the idea of promotion to pay any heed to the blatant corruption right under her nose. Then the Phantom Thieves had then stumbled into the scene, and the casino found yet another use.
Suffice to say, given how frequently of a visitor he was to the Palace, this denial was… discomforting. The smile Goro had plastered onto his face grew slightly more strained. "I'm sorry, but it's urgent – I really need to talk to Sae-san."
"That won't be possible." The Shadow remained unfazed. "Lady Niijima is away on business."
The detective wrinkled his nose. What the hell did it mean, she was away? Closing his eyes, he ignored the monster in front of him and focused on the Palace's ambience. While he was no natural navigator, he was at least as good as the Phantom Thieves' stupid cat. The longer he scanned the casino, however, the greater the wave of apprehension running over him grew, as it finally dawned on Goro what the Shadow was saying.
No matter how hard he searched, he couldn't sense Sae's Shadow anywhere.
"… My apologies." Goro cleared his throat and adjusted his tie. "I won't waste any more of your time."
Turning on his heel, his mind raced as he marched back into reality. He'd never seen anything like this – in fact, he didn't even realise Shadows could leave their Palaces without the structure crumbling. There was something very, very weird going on here, and Goro didn't like it at all. Still, while this situation was completely foreign to him, he wasn't the only one dabbling in the Metaverse. Given Niijima's panic, it was clear the Phantom Thieves weren't behind Sae's disappearance, which left one option. The question was though, why? Shido knew all about the plan – in fact, he'd come up with most of it himself. Why would he jeopardise things now of all times?
(… Had he realised Goro was a viper in his midst, ready to sink his fangs into his skin?)
Pushing his uncertainty to the side, Goro dialled his boss.
"Akechi." Shido snarled over the line, and despite himself, Goro's stomach clenched at the displeasure in his voice. "I heard about Niijima – you better have good news for me. We can't afford any setbacks this late into the game."
"Don't worry, sir – I've just finished reconnoitring the casino. Sae-san's Palace is still intact." Before Shido could get his hopes up, Goro quickly interjected. "However, there's something wrong with her Shadow. Have… any of your researchers been performing any Cognitive Psience experiments I should be aware of?"
"What?! Of course not – if there's something wrong with the woman, it's probably those damn Thieves' fault." His father snapped. "You better fix this, Akechi. Find Niijima, find another Palace – do whatever you want, as long as it's quick."
The politician hung up before Goro could even offer him any false reassurances. As his phone continued to beep into his ear, the detective stood in silence. Shido's denial had been both brusque and rapid – it was even less reassuring than his pitiful speeches. Still, Goro reluctantly had to admit that it was perfectly in character for him - while his father was a filthy liar, it looked like this was one of the rare times he was telling the truth.
So, if Shido wasn't behind Sae's mysterious disappearing Shadow, what the hell was?
Shaking his head, Goro dismissed those thoughts. He'd gotten his orders – he had no time to indulge in his idle curiosity. He'd spend a few days searching for Sae, and if he couldn't locate her by then, he'd move on and prepare a new trap.
Despite his determination not to dwell on it though, the silver-haired prosecutor plagued his mind all night.