Ren stayed at Makoto's apartment until the late hours of the evening. After dinner was done they'd put on a few old Like a Dragon movies, until Makoto fell asleep during the climax of Like a Dragon 2: Extreme Edition. He'd borrowed a sheet from her room and laid it on top of her, before writing her a note and heading home. Given they hadn't even been dating for three hours, he wasn't entirely comfortable staying the night, and he needed to go home and get his gear ready for tomorrow's infiltration anyway.
While he knew it wasn't logical – Futaba had Leblanc bugged and Sojiro was keeping an eye out for him – a part of Ren also wanted to be home just in case Morgana returned. Niijima's disappearance had temporarily distracted him from it, but the not-cat's absence itched at him like a missing limb. Walking through Tokyo without a weight in his bag and a yowling in his ear just felt wrong. Case in point, he spent the night twisting and turning, the lack of weight on his chest making him feel adrift like a piece of scrap paper in the breeze.
(He should have been better. He should have realised Morgana's snippy comments were getting under Ryuji's skin, and that the not-cat was feeling insecure about his place in the team. Ren was meant to be the Phantom Thieves' leader, for god's sake.)
Eventually, Ren finally managed to drift off, only to be woken by the shrill ringing of his alarm. Blearily, the teen opened his phone and checked his messages. Makoto had texted him, thanking him for last night – she'd added in a small love heart emoji at the end of her message, and despite everything, Ren couldn't help but crack a goofy grin. Shit – he was down bad. Little wonder Futaba was so confident about her bet that they'd pair up before Christmas came.
He sobered up, however, when he saw that Kawakami had gotten back to him. The tension fled his shoulders as he read her text - she'd agreed to cover for them. Ren would have to get her something nice as a thank you. Perhaps a CD – he knew she was into idol groups.
Packing his infiltration gear into his sports bag, he put on his Shujin uniform, but was careful to pack some casual clothes as well. Sojiro wouldn't be too pleased if he caught Ren skipping school, after all. The second he finished giving his farewells to the barista, he left Leblanc, before rounding back to the Sakura residence. A (very) sleepy Futaba was waiting for him, and let Ren get changed in her room while she grabbed herself a coffee.
It was approximately 9:30 by the time the Phantom Thieves finally gathered at the small plaza in front of the Okumura Foods Headquarters. Makoto gave him a soft smile and a slight nod when he arrived, but didn't move closer – now wasn't really the time for PDA. She and Ann had both worn blouses, clearly trying to fit in with the businesspeople that flittered around the corporate area. Yusuke's plain white shirt and dark slacks made him blend in with the crowd too, but Ren had a hunch that wasn't a deliberate choice and more of a consequence of Yusuke having gotten paint all over his normal clothes. Meanwhile, Ryuji, Futaba, and himself looked shabby in comparison - Ren's black hoodie hide his age but otherwise looked entirely out of place.
"Dude, this place is huge." Ryuji whistled, eyes wide as he looked at the towering skyscraper that was Okumura's lair. "Damn. I was kinda hoping we'd run into Morgana, but if the Palace is anywhere near this big on the inside…"
"… Will you apologise if we do see him?" Ann furrowed her brows, expression troubled.
The blond scowled in return. "What do I have to apologise for?! It ain't my fault he blew up at me!"
"You're right." Ren sighed, pushing up his glasses. "Still, it's clear Morgana is going through some things right now, and he'd probably appreciate the gesture. When he's calmed down a bit, we can have a proper discussion about the way you've both been heckling each other."
"He started it!" Ryuji threw his hands up into the air.
"I know." The black-haired teen nodded in acknowledgement. "And Morgana needs to stop it, as well – he shouldn't be picking on you just because you two got off on the wrong foot. Still, insulting him in return isn't helping."
"Fine, fine." Ryuji scuffed his foot against the ground, still looking more annoyed than sorry, but Ren knew that deep down inside, the delinquent could tell he had a point.
Makoto steered them back on track. "You said you found the Palace's keywords, right, Futaba?"
The hacker perked up. "Yep – the 'corporate HQ' is 'outer space'!"
Ren blinked, baffled. How the hell could someone view a building as bloody space of all things, he had no idea. As the Metanav chimed and dragged them into the Palace, he surveyed their surroundings. The Phantom Thieves had arrived on a viewing platform, overlooking a city filled with cold iron and glowing lights like a town straight out of Star Wars. Unlike in Niijima's Palace, the Phantom Thieves appeared in their Metaverse outfits instantly – it seemed Okumura was far more paranoid than Makoto's sister.
(Unfortunately, they both should have been equally wary about their safety.)
"Alright, everybody." Ren turned back to face his team, his coattails swishing behind him. "Our first priority is finding out anything we can about Queen's sister. Keep an eye out for Mona, too."
Despite the usual confidence Joker's mask gave him, Ren's stomach twisted – while Morgana wasn't a stranger to exploring Palaces alone, it didn't mean it was safe for him to do so either. He'd been caught in Kamoshida's Palace, and their enemies had only gotten stronger since then.
"While it's not a priority, if anyone sees anything about Okumura Haru, they should flag it." Makoto added. "It might be a red herring, but if her and Sis' disappearances are linked…"
"Got it, Queen!" Ann gave her a jovial salute.
With the preamble done, the Phantom Thieves began their descent into the depths of Okumura's heart. They took an elevator down into a hanger or bunker of some sort, and a brief walk down the corridor later, got a first-hand view of how Okumura viewed his workers – they were nothing but disposable robots. The mood was grim as they advanced through the Palace, entering a foyer dominated by a glowing projection of what looked like a burger-shaped spaceship. Ren blinked, shaking his head. The robots were self-explanatory, but he still had absolutely no idea what the hell the space motif was about.
When he tried to move on to the next room, however, Futaba yelled. "Joker, watch out!"
The door in front of him slammed shut, before a blue laser shield switched on, coating the cold metal surface. Curious, he stepped forward, and an electronic voice screeched at him.
"PERFORMING BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION… AUTHORISATION ERROR." An awful buzz pierced the air. "ONLY REGISTERED PERSONNEL MAY PROCEED PAST THIS POINT."
Marching forward, Ryuji threw himself at the door to no avail. Meanwhile, Ren looked around, activating his third eye, but nothing popped out through the darkness.
"This is gonna be a bit of a problem…" Futaba murmured, activating Necronomicon as she studied the door.
"What is it, Oracle?" Makoto's mouth was set in a thin line, and while her frustration didn't seep into her voice, Ren could tell that this early roadblock had agitated her.
Yusuke stroked his chin. "Is it a cognition lock?"
"Kinda." Futaba pursed her lips. "Only company big-wigs and Okumura's family are registered in the system. We're gonna need to either get their bio-data, which is a long shot, or somehow become executive assistants at Okumura Foods in the real world."
"That is… absolutely not feasible." Makoto rubbed her brow.
Ren frowned, internally cursing. The bio-data thing might be possible depending on how much of said data was actually needed. If they only needed a few small fragments, all they'd need to do is find a registered user's address and steal a hairbrush or something. If they got caught, however - which was very likely knowing their luck - the price would be far too high. A single slip-up could get them all arrested. Ironically enough, Morgana would have been perfect for this – it wasn't like a cat could be tried in a court of law, after all. Still, he wasn't here, and there was no point dwelling on what-ifs.
"Is there any way to hack it, Oracle?" Ren asked instead.
The hacker grimaced. "… Possibly. Still, it's a hell of a system. Even if I dedicate all of Necronomicon's processing power into cracking it, I'd estimate it's still gonna take a whole week for me to get access."
"A week?!" Makoto hissed, blanching. "That's…"
Ren's lips thinned. Who knew what state Niijima would be in by then? The frizzy-haired teen turned away. As much as it made his stomach churn, however, he grimly realised it was their only option. Judging by the rest of the Phantom Thieves' expressions, they'd all come to the same conclusion.
"Well, I suppose there's some good news." Ann sighed, shoulders drooping. "This means Mona probably hasn't been able to get any further into the Palace either."
(The fact wasn't nearly as consoling as it should have been.)
…..
Now that Haru had Milady at her side, exploring the spaceport was far easier. Her psychic skills tore through the very same golems that had trounced them before, and her artillery could down the rest of the loathsome creatures inhabiting the bizarre lair. Due to her improved arsenal, Haru had given her pistol back to Sae. The prosecutor was clearly none too pleased that her position as the chief combatant had been usurped, but she didn't put up any complaints either. Sae had obviously realised that out of the two of them, she was the vulnerable one now.
Speaking of the prosecutor, ever since her confession things between the two women had been… strained. Haru tried to be as polite as ever – this simply wasn't the time or place for petty fights – but the revelation that Sae was just another adult who'd seen her as nothing more than a tool… hurt. Despite Sae's middling social skills and general aloofness, Haru had liked her – admired her, even – and the teen had actually been stupid enough to think that those feelings might have been reciprocated. Well, not the admiration, but the rest of them.
Admittedly, it was clear Sae was remorseful about her actions, and Haru wasn't really sure how that made her feel. There were dark rings under the prosecutor's eyes, her skin was pale, and her expression was clearly troubled. It was hard to be angry at Sae when she looked so wretched, and that in of itself was annoying. Haru wanted to be angry, dammit.
She was snapped out of her thoughts as a mechanical clunking echoed down the hall. Deftly ducking behind a pot containing a holographic tree, Haru resisted stiffening as Sae joined her side. A line of corporate drones marched down the hall, lead by a lanky blue robot at their helm. While they didn't tend to attack on sight like the security robots, after the encounter they'd had with Sugimura, Haru knew better than to dismiss them as threats entirely.
The PA system crackled to life, and a voice blared through the barrack halls. "TIME FOR A SHIFT CHANGE! TIME FOR A SHIFT CHANGE!"
"Perfect." Sae whispered, some of her previous fire reigniting in her eyes. "Let's follow them. Once they've split up, we can corner one of them and get the information we need."
Haru nodded. While they'd tried hunting for the exit again after leaving the safety of the storeroom, it was impossible to discern the difference between the monotonous halls in this wretched place. So, Sae had suggested a different plan – namely, forcing the answers they needed from one of the inhabitants of the spaceport. Of course, they'd try diplomacy first, but if that failed, they now had the might of Haru's Persona at their beck and call.
Eventually, the machines headed off in different directions, and the duo followed a handful of them into a small, spherical office. Some of the smaller automatons jabbed holo-screens meaninglessly, while one of the senior robots kept watch, mechanical body swaying as if it was in a breeze. When the leader's attention was focused on the other side of the room, Haru attempted to approach one of the basic workers. Unfortunately, the second the funny little robot saw her it panicked, and hurriedly attempted to push her out of the door. Simultaneously, Sae tried wheedling information out of one of the other workers, but was similarly denied.
"I don't like it, but I think we're going to have to try negotiating with their leader." The silver-haired woman grimaced.
"Very well." Haru mustered her courage – she'd defeated Sugimura, and if worst came to worst, she'd defeat this robot too.
Slinking out into the open, the brunette approached the machine, holding her head high.
The robot's attention quickly honed in on the two women. "HEY! WHO ARE YOU?! YOU CAN'T BE WANDERING AROUND HERE UNATTENDED!" The machine somehow managed to snap, despite its monotone voice.
Haru's momentary confidence faltered. "Oh. I-I'm sorry." She instinctively apologised, before immediately cringing. She was still acting like she was the Haru of the past – hadn't she promised to stand up for herself?
"ARE YOU TRULY APOLOGETIC THOUGH?" The robot wagged a boneless finger in her face, like it was reprimanding a small child. "I DON'T MEAN TO LECTURE YOU, BUT THIS IS FOR YOUR OWN GOOD! I'M NOT SURE WHAT BUSINESS YOU HAVE HERE, BUT YOU CAN'T JUST COME INTO – WAIT…" It froze, visor pointed at her suspiciously. "JUST WHO ARE YOU, ANYWAY?"
"My apologies." Sae stepped between Haru and the machine, giving it a polite bow. "My associate and I were having a meeting with Okumura-san about a corporate merger, but unfortunately seemed to have gotten lost on our way out. Do you have a map or a floor plan we could borrow?"
Her lies were so fluent, the brunette couldn't help but be impressed. Haru felt a small pang of envy – she'd have to ask Sae for some pointers – before shaking her head. The prosecutor's ability to tell fibs was the exact reason Haru was irritated with her right now.
Oddly enough, despite Sae's very plausible cover story, the robot reeled back in shock. "OKUMU- YOU MEAN THE PRESIDENT?! WHO THE HELL'RE YOU GUYS?! TH-THAT IS, WHO MAY YOU BE?" It stammered, the fear in its voice palpable. "WAIT, PLEASE FORGET I JUST SPOKE TO YOU LIKE THIS! PRIVATE TALKS ARE FORBIDDEN IN THIS OFFICE! PRESIDENT OKUMURA WOULD DISPOSE OF ME AT ONCE IF HE WERE TO SEE ME CHATTING LIKE THIS!"
Haru blinked, eyes wide, as the machine supplicated itself on the ground, begging for them to spare its life. Slowly, the two women stared at each other, equally shocked by the dismal display.
"… Let's just get out of here." Sae sighed, and Haru rapidly nodded in agreement. As they walked out of the office and down the corridor, the older woman's shoulders drooped. "That was a complete and utter waste of time."
Haru glanced over her shoulder and back to where the panicked robot was now shouting orders at its hapless employees. The brunette couldn't help but sigh as she watched the sight. "... They're pitiful, aren't they? Why they follow father so fervently when they know they're just as replaceable as the machines they manage, I have no idea."
It took her a good several seconds to realise Sae had stopped in her tracks. "Of course not."
"E-excuse me?" Haru froze at the menacing undertone in the prosecutor's voice.
Turning around, she scanned the silver-haired woman's face. Haru thought she knew what anger looked like on Sae by now – it was a pinched brow, curled lip, and a blazing fire in her wine-red eyes. The expression the prosecutor currently wore was nothing like that. Her face was so stony it could have been carved from marble, and the look in Sae's eyes was so completely and utterly devoid of warmth, Haru felt chilled to her core.
"You're just a naïve child who's never had to work for a single thing in her life." Sae spat out. "You know nothing about the struggles normal people face."
Perhaps once upon a time, Haru would have flinched at Sae's harsh tone. With Milady stoking the fires of her self-worth inside her, however, for once the brunette did not bow. Instead, the bitterness in Sae's voice did nothing but raise her hackles. Haru didn't need to tolerate being badmouthed purely because Sae was feeling jealous.
Straightening her shoulders, she looked the woman dead in the eye. "While I won't deny that I've lived a comfortable life, I know what it's like to suffer."
"Suffer? Suffer?!" A mirthless chuckle escaped Sae's throat, and for a split second, Haru swore her eyes flashed a sickly gold. "You think having to deal with bastards like Sugimura is suffering?! Newsflash – that's just every woman's life, every single day! I've dealt with so many men like him I've lost count!"
Haru opened her mouth, ready to defend herself, but the prosecutor beat her to the punch.
"Tell me, Okumura, have you ever gone days upon end eating nothing but scraps so you can keep the rest of your family's stomachs full?" Sae stepped towards her, trembling with barely compressed rage. "Have you been forced to barter away your deceased mother's heirlooms purely so you can pay for your sister's schooling? People like these machines – people like me – have to sell our souls simply so we can survive. Choice is a luxury, and not one we have. We put up with men like your father using us, or we end up on the streets."
The heiress' jaws dropped open at the vitriol in Sae's voice. After gaping like a fish for seemingly an age, Haru eventually managed to splutter. "… Choice? Do you seriously think I've ever had a choice about anything in my life?!"
The prosecutor's lips twitched, forming something that was almost a smile but infinitely more awful. "Yes, actually, I do."
"P-pardon?" Haru wheezed, instinctively taking a step back.
The prosecutor was like a shark who'd sensed blood, however, and she went in for the kill. "You're Okumura Kunikazu's only child, and that gives you negotiating power. He can't just disinherit you – he's put you in the spotlight too much for that. No, if you suddenly disappeared from the public eye, people would talk. Even if he did, you've had a bank account in your name since you were in diapers. It wouldn't be enough to maintain your standards of living, but it'd certainly tide you over until you managed to get a job. You've always had power, Okumura – you were just too much of a coward to use it."
Haru was rendered speechless, astonishment and outrage warring within her in equal measure. "I-I-I…" She took in a deep breath, fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles would have been stained white if she could see them under her purple gloves. "I have no obligation to stand here and let you abuse me like this."
Trembling with fury, she stormed away from the prosecutor, too incensed to care about things like stealth or where she was going. As she rounded the corner, Haru almost walked straight into one of the security drones, but she didn't even care – instead, the teenager summoned Milady in an explosion of blue fire and crushed the monsters it turned into with a wave of psychedelic energy that washed over the hall. Another robot screeched in the distance, and this time, Haru gripped her axe. With a yell, she charged forward and embedded it into the metal surface of the drone's body. It broke apart, scattering into inky motes that reformed into several mothmen. While she'd learnt by now that Milady's guns were the most efficient way of taking down these particular beasts, that was far too detached – too impersonal – to satisfy the rage in Haru's heart. She wanted - needed - to engage in something far more visceral. It wasn't quick or easy – they sunk teeth into her skin and drained her life force while pelting wild bolts of electricity her way – but eventually, Haru's axe met its mark, and tore through the bugs' bodies.
Panting, she stood in the midst of the carnage she wrought as Milady's flames of rebellion flickered and vanished. Her adrenaline ebbed away, taking most of the anger that had blinded her with it. As she looked at the pile of coins and course iron sand that her foes had left behind, Haru's stomach twisted. She still felt entirely justified leaving Sae – her attack on Haru's character was both vindictive and cruel – but some of the things she said…
Bile rose to the back of Haru's throat. As awfully as the prosecutor was acting, those things she'd revealed about her past… they were horrible. The heiress couldn't imagine not having access to such a basic necessity as food, let alone trading the scant remnants of her heritage away to keep her family afloat. While Haru knew people from lower class backgrounds didn't have access to all the luxuries she did, poverty to her had always been an abstract, intangible thing – something that simply didn't happen in the Japan she knew and loved. And yet, if what Sae was implying was right, it was actually looming everywhere – she'd just been too blind to see it.
It was little wonder the woman had snapped – Haru had indirectly called her a fool for simply having the misfortune of not being born with a silver spoon in her mouth. She still didn't agree with all of Sae's sentiments (or most of them, really – Haru's lack of action against her father was born from love, not cowardice), but she was mature enough to admit she'd spoken without thinking and had said something unintentionally unkind as a result. The brunette had thought she was so much better than her father – that she'd treat the workers of Okumura Foods with respect if she ever had the chance to stand at the company's helm – and yet, it was slowly beginning to dawn on her that she knew nothing about them at all.
Turning around, she retraced her steps. Haru would be lying if she said that she'd completely gotten over Sae's words, but now that she'd managed to get her initial rage out of her system, the heiress intended on treating this situation with grace. They were stuck here together, after all, and leaving Sae to get mauled by mothmen purely because they'd had a stupid argument would be rather childish of her. Thankfully, it didn't take her long to find the silver-haired woman – while the prosecutor had sensibly kept her distance, it was clear she'd been following Haru from afar. The second the two women set eyes on each other, a dreadful silence fell over the spaceport. Tension nibbled away at the air, more uncomfortable than angry, and eventually, Sae broke the stalemate between them.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that." Sae's voice was curt, and she stared into the distance as opposed to meeting Haru's eyes. "I'm just... stressed."
The teen shuffled awkwardly. It wasn't a fantastic apology, but given the prosecutor's general bluntness, it was probably as good as she was ever going to get. "I… I'm sorry too, Sae-san. Upon reflection, I realised the comment I made was… somewhat tasteless."
"… Oh." Sae's eyes widened in surprise. The prosecutor then swallowed. "Okay."
It was very clearly not forgiveness, and at the bitter irony Haru couldn't help but laugh. The prosecutor looked half-confused, half-concerned, and took a tentative step towards Haru as she continued to wheeze, tears prickling the corners of her eyes. "I'm okay – I'm okay." The heiress raised a hand. "It's just… I realised we've both hurt each other, so in a terrible way, we're now even."
Sae arched a brow, but there wasn't any heat to the gesture. "That's… certainly an interesting way of looking at things."
"Perhaps, but it's not a bad one, is it?" Haru gave her a rueful smile. "I'd rather let bygones be bygones than nurse a grudge." Throwing her caution to the wind, she offered the older woman her hand. "… How about we start over?"
After a moment's hesitation, Sae shook it in return, and something in the prosecutor's posture loosened. "… Alright, Haru-chan."
…..
The mood was grim as the Phantom Thieves left Okumura's Palace. They'd all been raring to go, and yet, they'd run into a week-long roadblock minutes after stepping into the Palace. Ren clenched his fists – they were so damn close, and yet victory had been pulled out from under their feet at the last second.
"Well, that was a bust." Ryuji pouted, shoulders slumping.
Ren paid little attention to him though, his gaze sliding to Makoto. While she was clearly trying to keep her composure, her posture was rigid, and not in the awkward, robotic way that made her so endearing. No – she was a coiled-up spring, one that could snap at any moment.
"Yeah…" Ann sighed, before shooting a sympathetic glance at the student council president. "I'm so sorry, Makoto."
"That's okay." The brunette forced a smile, but it quickly faded. "I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up."
"Hey, why don't we go to Mementos?" Ryuji suggested, and quailed under everyone's inquisitive stares. "We've got the rest of the day off, right? 'Sides, maybe we'll feel better if we beat up some Shadows."
Ren mulled over the idea. The blond had a point – it wasn't even lunchtime yet. Plus, they could always swing by the Shadows of some of those yakuza thugs Niijima was meant to be prosecuting. Sure, he was pretty certain Futaba was right on the money with her suspicions about Okumura, but exploring other options wouldn't hurt either. There were worse ways to kill time.
It was then that an idea flashed into his mind.
"I'm game if the rest of you are." After receiving a series of confirming nods, Ren continued to the second part of his plan. "Let's split up on our way to Shibuya - smaller groups will be less likely to capture the eye of any truancy officers. Ann, you're with Futaba. Yusuke, Ryuji, keep an eye on each other. I'll go with Makoto."
"Aye aye, Captain!" Ryuji grinned, giving him a lackadaisical salute before charging away, half-dragging a spluttering Yusuke behind him.
"See you later!" Ann waved, while Futaba shot a knowing glance at Ren before scurrying off after her.
Once the rest of the Phantom Thieves had departed, Makoto crossed her arms and arched a brow at him. "Yusuke and Ryuji, really?"
Ren shrugged. "I think they balance out each other's social deficiencies." His expression turned more serious, and ignoring the way it made his heart skip a beat, he reached out and laid his hand on the brunette's shoulders. "… How are you holding up?"
Makoto slumped. "Not… not well. I finally thought I'd get some answers about Sis, but -" She broke off, lips quivering as her eyes began to water. "I just… I just want to know that she's alright. I checked her Palace this morning – it's still there – but…"
As his girlfriend began to cry, Ren held her close, letting her sob into his chest as he stroked her silky brown hair. "It's okay, Makoto – she's going to be okay."
…..
Goro walked down the business district's streets and shoved the strange, disquieted feeling that had been plaguing him for the last two days to the side. His attempts at finding a replacement Palace for his trap had gone dismally - the Shadows infesting his alternatives were either too weak (meaning he wouldn't justify stalling the Thieves if needed), or they had far too much incriminating evidence about Akechi and the Conspiracy lying around in the open. So, the Detective Prince had resorted to the alternative – finding Sae, and more importantly, her bloody Shadow.
While CCTV hadn't picked up anything, Sae had parked her car not too far from here - if she was attacked, it had to be nearby. Unfortunately, it seemed lady luck was still against him. There wasn't a single piece of evidence that there'd been a scuffle (he knew Sae well enough to know she'd put up a fight), and none of the witnesses Goro talked with knew anything, either. Assuming they didn't just spit on his feet and cuss him out for daring to say a negative word against their lords and saviours, the Phantom Thieves of Heart, that is.
(He couldn't wait to shoot Okumura's fucking face in. He was probably looking forward to killing him even more than Amamiya, at this stage).
It was then that he caught sight of a distinctive mop of black hair, and Goro did a double-take. Speak of the devil – he'd recognise Amamiya anywhere. Curiosity ran through him – there was only one reason for the Phantom Thief to be in this part of town, on a school day, nonetheless. The Thieves must have finally taken the bait and started infiltrating Okumura's Palace. Careful not to be spotted, Goro snuck up on the other boy – the Phantom Thieves weren't his priority right now, but if he could suss out their progress, he'd at least be able to give Shido some good news.
(Plus, he'd know how long he had to fix this latest fuck up with their plan.)
He'd gotten about ten metres away from the boy, eyes glued to the back of his grey hoodie, when Goro noticed the slender hands wrapped around his torso. Staggering backwards as if he'd been slapped, the detective's mouth dropped open. That was – what?! Stomach churning, as he circled around Amamiya like a lion circled its prey, ice crawled through Goro's veins. As he saw the figure standing in front of his rival the teenager froze, his worst fears confirmed.
Head shoved into Amamiya's chest, crying her pathetic little eyes out, was Niijima fucking Makoto.
A part of Goro scrabbled for excuses – she's going through a hard time, and Amamiya is a ridiculous sap who panders excessively to all of his useless friends – but as his rival leant forward and placed a decisively non-platonic kiss to her forward, his final hopes were dashed. Leaning forwards, the black-haired teen whispered something into the girl's ear, and Goro tore himself away – he couldn't watch this sickening display a moment longer.
He wasn't sure how long he ran – fuck, he couldn't even remember beginning to run in the first place – but eventually, the detective spotted an empty alley and ducked behind an oversized garbage disposal bin. Goro… Goro couldn't fucking believe it. Niijima of all people, seriously?! She was a poncy, stuck-up goodie-two-shoes who kowtowed to anything even vaguely resembling authority, and had absolutely none of her infinitely superior sister's ambition, intelligence, or ruthless cynicism. Persona or not, Goro had never met anyone more fundamentally dull in his life, and yet, out of all the people in the world, Amamiya had for some reason chosen her.
A laugh tore out of Goro's throat, bitter and hysterical and something that suited the Black Mask far more than the Detective Prince. Unbelievable. He thought he and Amamiya had a connection – that they were two sides of the same coin. Out of all the Phantom Thieves, the quiet teen was the only one with the same ruthlessness in him as Goro. While Amamiya was still weaker than him, less experienced, he grew at a monstrous rate which was as terrifying as it was enthralling. Plus, despite the fact that he was nothing but criminal trash, he navigated through life with practised ease, gaining allies and attention without his checkered past holding him down. Goro envied him. Goro hated him. If anyone could ever understand Goro, it was him, who wore so many masks the even detective couldn't keep count.
(Sometimes, in the dead of the night, he wondered what it would have been like to work side-by-side and tear Shido down from his lofty pedestal together. He tried not to dwell on those thoughts for long.)
Regardless, Amamiya was his rival - his fated foe - and Goro had thought that at the very least, his feelings were reciprocated. But no – it seemed Amamiya was still as incomprehensible to the Detective Prince as he was the day they first met. Goro was nothing but an afterthought to the shaggy-haired teen, wasn't he? Nothing but the sad little orphan boy Amamiya occasionally deigned to hang out with when his sycophants were busy. The Phantom Thieves' illustrious leader was probably too busy thinking about things like tits and women to give half a wit about their farce of a rivalry. Maybe that was the reason he was making out with Niijima – she was simply female and in his nearby vicinity.
Snarling, an explosion of rage burst through him and letting out a primal howl, Goro smashed his hand into the side of the rubbish container. The feeling of complete and utter betrayal running through him was so potent, he barely registered the pain that burst through his knuckles. It was then though, that a flash of inspiration struck him. The thing about Goro was that he was a creature of vengeance, and oh, he knew exactly how to get back at Amamiya for this slight.
After all, Sae would never let her naïve little sister stay in the clutches of some delinquent criminal boy - all Goro needed to do was to make a call telling her what he'd seen, and the prosecutor would do his dirty work for him. Amamiya would wish he'd never been born, and Goro was going to savour every damn moment of it. Besides, if anyone would understand his disappointment, it'd be her. She had no patience for frivolous things like dating and love – when her favourite member of the secretarial staff had quit to get married, Sae had sulked over it for weeks.
Goro's phone was in his hand before he could even blink. He then, however, realised the vital problem with his plan a split second before an automatic voice chimed into his ear, sending him crashing back down to reality. "… The number you have called is currently unavailable…"
Right. The whole reason he'd even stumbled across that rat Amamiya in the first place was because he was looking for Sae.
Immediately, Goro slathered on his Detective Prince mask – he was letting his emotions get to him, which was simply unacceptable. The façade felt frail though, curling around the seams – the detective knew the slightest provocation would make him snap. In the end, he decided to kill two birds with one stone. Killing some Shadows would be wonderful stress relief, and he'd probably get more answers about Sae's fate in the tunnels of Mementos than he would up here.
Turning on his heel, Goro marched towards the train station, not a single hair out of place despite the storm brewing in his heart.
…..
Travelling through Mementos without Morgana was… weird. The labyrinthian tunnels and the pulsing, vein-like structures that permeated them had always set Ren's teeth on edge. Still, the sensation was easy enough to dismiss when in the safety of the Monabus – he could sit back and let his friends' idle chatter drown out his unease. Now though, as the remaining Phantom Thieves trudged through the tunnel, silence draped over them like a funeral shroud. Ren wasn't sure what made him shiver more – the unsettling atmosphere, or the chill permeating the subway.
Of course, there was a trifecta of reasons why the tension in the air was thick you could cut it with a knife. First was the obvious – Makoto's missing sister. That didn't exactly put any of them in a good mood. Secondly, there was the fact that none of them had quite realised how echoey Mementos was. Sure, things had been strained well before they entered humanity's shared Palace, but the louder members of the team had still hooted and hollered before their rambunctiousness had drawn half a dozen Shadows to the Thieves' location all at once. After that, none of them had spoken to each other in anything louder than a whisper. Thirdly, on a far more practical note, walking through Mementos without the luxury of a car was simply tiring. Ren's calves were beginning to ache, and they'd only stolen the heart of one of their planned targets for the day. A twinge of guilt ran through him – it looked like they might not even get around to visiting their yakuza suspects.
Ren was snapped out of his funk when a strangled gasp suddenly escaped Futaba's throat. The teen turned around, about to ask what was wrong, when she slammed her palm over his mouth and pressed a finger against her lips. Glancing back at the other Thieves, the frizzy-haired teen dismissed his curiosity and gestured for them all to be quiet.
Slowly, as if not to make a sound, Futaba pointed at a distant intersection. Ren narrowed his eyes – no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't see anything – but they blew wide open as something suddenly darted across the tracks. For a second, he thought it was a Shadow, but no – it was far too small. Something then caught in his throat as realisation crashed down on him. It was human-sized. The figure dashed out of sight almost as quickly as it arrived, but not before Ren got the slightest glimpse of its black mask.
Holy shit.
It was him, the man they'd heard about who was using the Metaverse for his own misdeeds. The culprit of the mental shutdowns. The real question was though, why now? The Phantom Thieves had traversed through Mementos more times than they could count, and yet they'd never even caught a glimpse of the bastard.
Of course! His eyes widened in realisation. It's because we're not in the Monabus! While the Shadows milling throughout the tunnels didn't register anything odd about the sound of a rumbling engine, any human would notice the Phantom Thieves' arrival well before they drove down the corridor - it was no wonder he'd avoided them until now. Now, however, they were slinking through the tunnels as silently as the Black Mask himself.
"… We should be out of his hearing range now." Futaba whispered. "Necronomicon is locked onto him – it'll chip into the processing power I can spend cracking Okumura's bio-lock, but…"
"It's worth it." Makoto hissed, red eyes blazing. "If he's working with Okumura, there's a chance he knows what happened to Sae."
Ren furrowed his brow. "Oracle, did you get his power level?"
"Strong – stronger than us." She bit her lip. "I mean, we could possibly pull out a win, but…"
… But it's not a risk worth taking, especially when we're down a man. Ren internally concluded, feeling somewhat torn. They'd never have noticed the Black Mask with Morgana here, and yet, they'd never be able to defeat him without the not-cat either. His stomach twisted. There was no point dwelling on it, though – Futaba would only be able to keep him in her sights for so long.
Ren stroked his chin, mind racing. "Let's follow him, but we won't engage. If we can find any clues about why he's here or who he is… that's enough for today."
"Even… even if he's here to kill somebody?" Ann whispered, fiddling with her hair.
He hated the feeling that washed over him. "Even then." As cold as it was, Ren would sacrifice a stranger over his friends any day. Judging by the way none of the Phantom Thieves put up any objections, most of them had probably come to the same conclusion.
Flicking his coattails out of the way, he pursued his prey, his comrades falling into step. Careful to remain out sight, they ignored any Shadows they passed, focussed solely on their target.
"He's stopped." Futaba swallowed.
Cautiously, Ren glanced around the corner and wasn't at all surprised to see the twisting vortex that indicated the early stages of a would-be Palace. Scrounging around through his gear until he gripped a Goho-M just in case, he slowly entered the portal. A brief moment of disorientation ran over Ren as he tumbled out of the twisting spiral, but the second he got his bearings he slipped into the shadows, the rest of the Thieves following him not even a second behind.
Thankfully, it seemed Black Mask was far more focused on his target than he was on his surroundings. "You." He snarled, baritone voice full of primal fury. "Where the fuck is Niijima Sae?!"
He took in a sharp breath, and to his side, Ren felt Makoto stiffen.
"Why the hell should I tell you that, huh?" The Shadow bristled, hands shoved in his pocket as he attempted to loom over his enemy. He was a skinny man in his thirties or so, with a thin moustache and tacky suit. "I ain't gonna waste my time talkin' to some two-bit punk."
A brutal grin crossed the Black Mask's face. "Well then. I guess I'm just going to have to get my answers the fun way. Loki!"
The Shadow's form distended and bulged before exploding into black sludge, and reformed into an elephant-man that wielded a wicked scimitar. Simultaneously, a lanky humanoid figure whose body was covered in dizzying black-and-white stripes manifested behind Black Mask, glowing with the distinctive blue lighting of a Persona.
What followed could only be described as a slaughter.
Loki pelted waves upon waves of cursed energy at the Shadow, blistering and bubbling its skin while simultaneously weakening it with debilitating spells. The Black Mask was as impressive as his Persona - he dashed forward at blinding speeds, scouring the elephant's body with his serrated blade, and when that barely touched its skin, he fired into its rotund belly at a point-blank range. Judging by the sound of the gunshots, Ren was pretty sure the pistol in his hand wasn't just a model. The Shadow tried to strike back, attempting to cleave Black Mask in two with his blade, but letting out a maniacal laugh, the assassin dodged it with ease.
"Is that all you've got?!" He taunted. "Hah – you talk a lot of shit for someone so pathetically weak!"
"Why, you little…!" The Shadow rumbled, casting a buff on itself before charging forward, but the battle was already lost.
Effortlessly, Black Mask sidestepped, sticking out his leg and tripping the beast over. It hit the ground, hard, and cacking, the assassin unloaded bullet after bullet into its head until the Shadow stopped squirming underneath him. For an awful, horrible second, Ren thought he might have just witnessed a mental shutdown in the flesh, but the Shadow then twitched, before turning back into a yakuza thug. Yelping, the man scrambled away from his attacker, but the Persona-wielder merely watched him in bemusement. There was nowhere for the Shadow to go, after all.
"Prepared to answer my questions now?" Blask Mask purred, the menacing delight in his voice sending a not-necessarily unpleasant shiver down Ren's spine.
…..
"Look, man, the only thing I know about Niijima is that she took down some of my homies – that's all, I swear!" The crook gibbered, watching Goro with wide, pathetic eyes.
"Wrong answer." The detective grinned, before stabbing his sabre deep into the bastard's thigh. The Shadow let out an agonising scream, and Goro revelled in every moment of it. The fight itself was pitiful, so he had to get his entertainment somewhere.
"I swear it! I swear it!" The yakuza howled, tears and snot dribbling down his wretched face. "Please, I'm telling the truth – I didn't even know anythin' had happened to Niijima to begin with!"
… Dammit! Goro cursed, his good mood ebbing away – while Shadows could lie, they never did when their lives were this close to the wire. Frustration boiled within him, and in a fit of petty spite, he punched the wall, following it up with a kick for good measure. He was halfway through his suspect list and hadn't even gotten a single clue.
"… Say, why d'ya care so much, anyway?" The Shadow peered at him. "Is she your girl or somethin'?"
"What?!" Goro spluttered, before recoiling in disgust. "Ew – of course not! Niijima Sae is a desperate, gullible, moronic bitch!"
As soon as the words had left his mouth though, something heavy coiled in his stomach, as the detective's memories flashed back over the last two years. To his first days in the SIU, where he'd met a silver-haired woman who'd clearly been none too pleased she'd been tasked with babysitting, but who had given him a chance regardless. To the long days they'd spent in the office where without even asking she'd grab coffee for the both of them – dark, with no milk or sugar, just the way he liked it. The way Sae watched over him during their sushi dinners, listening to his theories with genuine interest shining in her eyes. There was no passion there, unlike his game of cat-and-mouse with Amamiya, but there was stability. Calmness. Peace.
"… She's the only person in this world who gives half a shit about me." Goro whispered softly, scarcely able to believe the words that had just come out of his mouth.
The Shadow wrinkled its nose. "So why're ya calling her a bitch then? Kind of an asshole move, don't ya reckon?"
"Fuck off." Was a peeved Goro's incredibly intellectual answer, before he shot a bullet into the Shadow's knee.
Sighing, he stowed his pistol away. Even though his information gathering had gone nowhere, a bit of petty violence had cheered him up after the utterly wretched day he had. Feeling more at peace than he had in hours, he left the platform and walked back into Mementos proper, blissfully unaware of the eyes piercing into his back.
…..
It was on the fourth day after Haru's disappearance that a flicker of anger passed through Kunikazu, and something deep inside him fundamentally shifted. If Haru refuses to marry Sugimura, she's worthless to me.
It wasn't until noon the day after, however, that the worry and paranoia that had been tickling Kunizaku's brain the last few days bloomed into something else. The herald of his changing viewpoint was a call from Sugimura himself.
"Well?" The politician's son snarled. "Have you found your damned brat yet? I'm not going to introduce yourself to my father for free, you doddering old fool."
Kunikazu stiffened, outraged that the insolent prat dared speak to him like that, but the CEO held his temper. Sugimura's rage wasn't unjustified – if Kunikazu was in his shoes, he'd be livid. Because of that, he also knew the redhead wouldn't be placated by simpering excuses. Instead, he went for honesty.
"If Haru hasn't been found by the end of the week, I'll renegotiate the terms of our… contract." Kunikazu replied delicately. "Even if I cannot offer you my daughter, I can make you a happy man, Sugimura."
It was true. Kunikazu knew exactly what the politician's son liked – expensive hookers, booze, and hard drugs. He also knew exactly what he needed – namely, a pleasant wife that could give him a son and would be willing to turn a blind eye to all his indiscretions. If not Haru herself, he was sure one of his company's executives would have a daughter of a suitable age.
As his prospective son-in-law snarled you better into his ear and hung up the phone, however, Kunikazu trembled with unreleased fury. Some of it was directed towards Sugimura himself – the only thing the brat had going to for him was his family name – but most of it was directed towards his errant daughter. Yes, even without her, he had enough to offer the politician's son, but that didn't mean Kunikazu's reputation would remain unscathed - he'd look like a feeble-hearted fool if word got out that he'd been unable to stop his daughter from abandoning his family. His would-be political allies would turn on him in droves – Kunikazu's dreams of becoming prime minister would be dead in the water. After all, why would anyone trust a man with running a country, if he couldn't even control his household?
Unless… unless Haru hadn't run away on her own violation.
If his daughter had been, let's say... kidnapped and held hostage for a few days before sadly dying at her captor's hands, that would be a tragedy, not an error on Kunikazu's behalf. It would look utterly crass if Sugimura's father refused to support him in light of such a devastating loss, given Haru was going to be his daughter-in-law. In fact, it would be perfect for his platform in general – Okumura Kunikazu, a grieving father who still had the strength to campaign for a safer Japan despite facing such a deeply personal tragedy. Yes, the public would lap that up!
Withdrawing his phone and going to his contacts, Kunikazu's hands hovered over Shido Masayoshi's name.
...
A subtle red haze filled the air as Haru pressed her back against the wall, hidden from the patrol's view by a large lounge. Several security drones floated down the corridor, lined up in a V formation. As they reached the intersection, they rendezvoused with another similarly sized group of not-robots and screeched to each other in their electronic voices.
"NO INTRUDERS DETECTED IN THE FACILITY PASSAGEWAY."
"MISS HARU HAS NOT BEEN SEEN IN THE BARRACKS EITHER."
The heiress' brow wrinkled. They were looking for her? That was odd – it had been ages since her encounter with the blue-skinned clone of her father. She thought if anything he'd have ordered his security to find her then and there. It wasn't until both the patrols had gone out of sight that Haru let herself relax.
Stepping back into the open, she gestured for Sae to follow. "I think the coast is clear – let's go."
The silver-haired woman smiled. "Good – if my estimates are correct, we're near the facility's exit. Hopefully, we'll be back on earth sooner rather than later."
A trickle of excitement ran through Haru. The past however many days hadn't been all bad – Milady was one of the greatest things that had ever happened in her life, after all – but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to getting out of the spaceport. She was physically and emotionally exhausted – the brunette would kill for a long, hot bath and a three-course meal. While she knew it wasn't as urgent, Haru also longed for the feeling of the breeze on her face and moist dirt under her fingers. She'd been surrounded by enough steel and iron and electricity lately to last her a lifetime.
The women crept down the hall, and Haru peered around the corner, finding the proceeding corridor thankfully empty. Gesturing for Sae to follow, she'd barely stepped out into the open when half a dozen security drones suddenly burst out of a room and floated into the hall. Heart fluttering in shock, she tried ducking out of sight, but it was too late.
"INTRUDER DETECTED! ACTIVATING PURSUIT PROTOCOL…"
"Run!" Sae ordered. "There's too many for us to fight!"
Nodding, Haru happily let the other woman take the lead as they dashed in the opposite direction. The scarlet light filling the spaceport intensified, pulsing like the beat of a heart. The heiress stumbled, senses overwhelmed, but Sae gripped her arm firmly and dragged her around a corner before pushing her into an empty room.
"Hide – hopefully, they won't search this place too thoroughly."
Haru scrambled under a desk as Sae slipped behind a filing cabinet, and not a second too soon. The automatic door swung open, and a security drone poked its masked head into the room, swivelling it left and right. Haru's heartbeat echoed in her head like a drum, and the heiress held her breath, careful not to make a single sound. An eternity seemed to pass and black spots entered her vision, but finally, the robot turned on its heel and left, the door closing behind it.
Gingerly, both women left their hiding places, Haru taking in a deep gulp of air.
"That was far too close…" Sae murmured, examining their surroundings curiously.
They hadn't hidden in one of the strange storerooms that wavered between dimensions, but in an office with a sweeping view over the futuristic city. Control panels and holographic monitors dotted the room, though the spaceport's impressive technology had started to feel rather mundane to Haru by now. As she glanced at a table though, she saw a datapad perched precariously on its edge. She'd seen them in the hands of the little blue robots that scurried about, but the brunette had never seen an abandoned one before. Idly, she picked it up, but the second Haru saw what it contained, her eyes blew wide open and her breath caught in her throat.
"Sae-san, I found a map!" Haru gasped, heart racing. The schematics of the spaceport were lit up in blue, with the datapad's location displayed as a red dot. Oddly enough, however, despite the magnitude of Haru's discovery she didn't get a response. A flicker of unease ran through her, and she turned to face the other woman. "Sae-san…?"
The silver-haired woman was standing at the other end of the room, so still she could have been a statue as she stared at one of the monitors. Half concerned and half intrigued, Haru approached her. As the heiress peered over Sae's shoulder, she could see the words Project Utopia emblazoned on the screen, a glowing wireframe spaceship rotating underneath it.
"I'm an idiot." Sae facepalmed. "I'm a complete and utter idiot."
Haru furrowed her brow, unsure exactly how to respond, but the prosecutor beat her to the punch.
"I know where we are."
"R-really?!" Haru gasped, eyes as wide as saucers at Sae's shock announcement.
"It's obvious." The prosecutor groaned, perching on one of the control panels. "We're in Okumura Kunikazu's heart."
The brunette gaped, her mind racing back over everything she'd seen the last few days. The tiny robots that worked and worked until they broke, just like the men in her father's factory. The blue-skinned mockery of her dad, who'd unabashedly voiced all the awful thoughts that clearly ran through his head and yet was too polite to say out loud. As she examined the monitor that triggered Sae's realisation, her eyes widened. Project Utopia… of course! It's father's plan to leave Okumura Foods and become a politician instead!
"… Oh my." She covered her mouth with her hand. The brunette supposed that explained what Milady was, too – she was Haru's heart, who'd become a weapon for her to resist his control.
It was then though, that a flash of realisation ran through her, followed by a surging wave of hope. If they were in Kunikazu's heart, did that mean they could change him – remove the blemishes that had twisted him from a distant but caring father and into something else? Could Haru get justice for all those people her father hurt – his workers, his rivals, Haru herself – while saving the scant remnants of her family at the same time? The irony of the situation then struck her – the Phantom Thieves had ignored her cry for help, so fate had given her the tools to change his heart herself.
The heiress couldn't help but laugh.
Sae clearly interpreted Haru's reaction as something else, and grimaced. "Look, I know it sounds farfetched, but-"
"No, no, I believe you." Haru raised her hand and interrupted. "It's just… funny, I guess. I actually posted my father's name on the Phansite before all this hullabaloo started, but they didn't respond to my request. But now, I can fix him myself!"
The prosecutor's expression turned troubled – Haru wasn't particularly surprised she wasn't all too keen on the Phantom Thieves, but something about the look in her eyes made her pause. Sae let out a deep sigh. "Honestly, it's probably for the best they ignored you."
"Excuse me?" The brunette blinked.
Sae averted her gaze, biting her lip. As the seconds trickled by, Haru thought she wasn't going to get a response, but eventually, the prosecutor started to talk. "What do you know about the mental shutdown and psychotic breakdown epidemic?"
Haru peered at her oddly, baffled about the sudden change of topic. "Um… just what I've heard on the news – people are suddenly falling into comas or attacking other people unprovoked, right?"
Sae nodded. "That's the gist of it. I shouldn't technically be telling you this, but considering the circumstances…" The silver-haired woman straightened her shoulders, going into full professional-mode. "For the last several months, the SIU has been treating the incidents as if they are one and the same. Both phenomena involve sudden, psychological shifts within people, and have no medical or environmental triggers. Plus, while they were seemingly random at first, now that we have more data on them, there are clear trends in the people who suffer from them. CEOs, politicians, public officials…"
"How awful." Haru shuddered. The psychotic breakdowns were one thing, but the mental shutdowns… if someone was deliberately causing them, it was practically murder.
"That's not all." The prosecutor continued. "Ever since April this year, there's been one more type of incident that functions the same way. People changing drastically overnight, with no explanation why… community leaders who the citizens of Tokyo looked up to until they confessed to their crimes…"
"Wait – are you talking about the Phantom Thieves?!" The heiress gaped.
"Exactly. It makes sense – there's evidence the psychotic breakdowns started occurring up to six months before the first recorded mental shutdown. If the perpetrator's capabilities are growing more sophisticated over time, is it really that much of a stretch that the Change of Hearts are their doing as well?"
"But, why?" Haru wrinkled her nose. "The mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns are both utterly awful, but the Change of Heart targets, they…"
"They deserved it?" Sae arched a brow. "Perhaps. But I think that's half the point. The Phantom Thieves have whipped the public up into such a frenzy, the media have all but forgotten about the breakdowns and shutdowns. Trust in our government and the justice system is at an all-time low. If they're aiming to disrupt our society, they're succeeding."
"Hmmm..." The brunette rubbed a glove against her chin. "I suppose I can see where you're coming from, Sae-san, but…"
"You disagree with me?"
"I'm sorry, but… I can't see the Phantom Thieves being involved in such awfulness. I was there in Shujin when the first calling card was posted – it was a bit childish, but, well, forgive the pun, full of heart. Whoever wrote it wasn't a cynical member of some conspiracy, but someone who saw injustice around them and refused to simply tolerate it. No – I think it's far more likely the Phantom Thieves are people like us. People who stumbled into this strange place by accident, and decided to use it better the world." Ignoring Sae's shocked expression, Haru continued. "Not to mention… shouldn't a society that enables a man like my father be criticised?"
The prosecutor's jaw dropped open, and a thousand different emotions flashed across her face, most of them some variant of surprise. Haru couldn't help but giggle – she'd never seen Sae stunned speechless before. "I… I guess you have a point…" She murmured, unable to meet Haru's eyes.
The brunette furrowed her brow. She thought Sae would pout, put out by the fact she couldn't refute Haru's statements. Instead, the prosecutor's posture was rigid and her gaze pensive. Unease stirred within Haru – something was wrong, and she sincerely doubted it was a teenage girl mildly disagreeing with a theory of hers.
"Is something the matter, Sae-san?" Haru bit her lip, worried.
The older woman flinched, guilt flashing across her features. Letting out a deep breath, she deflated. "I… I'm not investigating your father because of the rumoured workplace abuse." If Sae was even slightly less composed of a person, she would have been squirming. "I'm investigating him because he's the chief suspect in the mental shutdown, psychotic breakdown, and Phantom Thieves cases."
"W-what?!" Haru staggered backwards, feeling like she'd been punched in the stomach.
She was under no delusions that her father was a good man – for heaven's sake, he viewed his own daughter as nothing but a tool – but working people until they broke was a very different sort of evil than actively orchestrating the death or insanity of his enemies. The former was an impersonal sort of cruelty – the workers were nothing but numbers on sheets to him – but the latter… it was deliberate in its malice. Ruining people's lives wasn't merely a by-product, but the end goal.
"That… that can't be true." She swallowed. "Father is a bad man, yes, but… he isn't a murderer."
"I doubt he's physically causing the shutdowns themselves, but whoever's doing it is almost certainly acting under his orders." Sae crossed her arms tiredly. "Over thirty-three per cent of the incidents benefit Okumura in some manner."
"Thirty-three per cent...?" Haru latched onto the number. "That's… that's not particularly high at all."
The look the prosecutor gave her was pitying. "… Yes, but then sixty per cent of the remaining incidents benefit social contacts or prospective political allies of his. When you take that into account, Okumura's involvement is obvious, and now that we're here… we can prove it."
"Huh?" The teenager scrunched her brows, caught completely off-guard by the sudden pivot.
"Isn't it obvious?" Sae's attention moved away from the teenager and back to the monitor, and her eyes drilled into the screen like it held all the secrets of the universe. "If this is his heart, there's bound to be proof of his crimes lying around somewhere. If we can just find them, I'll finally be able to win this case…!"
Haru gaped at the prosecutor's complete and utter insensitiveness. Winning?! Was that seriously all that was on Sae's mind right now?
The teen scoffed, both incredulous and outraged in equal measure. "We? We? I'm sorry, but why on earth would I help you with this?"
When the prosecutor turned to face her, there was nothing but confusion written across her features. "What do you mean? I thought you wanted to take your father down."
"I want to stop him from hurting his workers. I want to stop him from hurting me. On the other hand, I have no interest in letting you use me as a tool just to prove your outlandish theories!" Haru snapped. "I can't believe it. You know, you're a truly excellent actor, Niijima-san. For a moment, I sincerely thought you were a good person. But no – you're just like my father, aren't you? You don't care about right and wrong – just gains and losses!" Incensed, the heiress did not wield her words as if they were a blunt axe, but a stiletto blade, and slit them between Sae's ribs. "I feel sorry for your sister – I know just what it's like to live under the thumb of someone like you."
She knew she'd crossed a line the second the words left her mouth, but then again, that had been the point. Haru had intended to hurt the other woman, and it was clear she succeeded. Sae took an involuntary step backwards, a strangled gasp escaping her throat. The blood drained from the prosecutor's skin at Haru's accusation, almost as if the latter had actually punctured her flesh. Her eyes were wide, shocked and hurt in equal measures, and the heiress felt nothing but satisfaction. Perhaps now she'd think before she spoke.
Just like Haru knew it would though, Sae's expression quickly changed. A wall of defensiveness shielded the gaping wound the teenager had left in her side, and fire ignited in the prosecutor's eyes, burning away the hurt that had lingered there before. The heiress had trampled over her pride, and Haru knew her well enough by now to know that wasn't an indignity Sae would take laying down.
"How… how dare you speak to me like that?! All this damned time, I've been trying my hardest to keep you safe, and you repay me by comparing me to a murderer?!" A vicious scowl marred Sae's beautiful features. "You know what – you're right. I don't know why ever I thought some spoiled rich kid would be helpful. People like you are all the same – the second something looks like it'll rock your comfortable little boat, you close ranks despite your so-called morals."
As Sae marched towards the room's entrance, Haru glowered at her back. Her rant didn't even deserve the dignity of a response.
The prosecutor paused as she reached the door, voice cold. "I'm going to find the evidence I need. You can do whatever the hell you like."
"Fine, then." Haru narrowed her eyes into slits. "I think I will."
Marching forward, map in her hands, she brushed past the prosecutor before storming down the spaceport's halls.