Slipping out of his chauffeured limo, Kunikazu marched briskly towards his office. Instead of walking through his corporate headquarters' front door like some sort of plebian, the CEO had his own private entrance located around the building's rear, well away from the common riff-raff that populated the streets. Unfortunately - as Kunikazu was about to discover - being shielded from the public's eye was a double-edged sword. Namely, he was alone. So, when the sound of a gun cocking pierced the air and cold metal suddenly touched the back of the CEO's neck, there was no one there to save him.
"W-who are you?! What do you want?" Kunikazu stammered, sweat dripping down his brow.
"Just a few minutes of your time, Okumura-san." A voice purred, rich and velvety yet seeping with malice. "Now, if you'd just come this way…"
…..
While nervous dread pooled in his stomach – Goro still didn't quite believe Amamiya had actually talked him into doing this – the primary emotion the Detective Prince felt was excitement. Okumura quivered before him, alternating between wheezing in panic and sobbing like the miserable worm he was, as the world rippled around them. The dredges of reality faded away, leaving the two men in what looked like a high-budget but incredibly cheesy sci-fi movie set. If Disney could see it, they would have sued.
Goro pushed Okumura forward, shoving him down the elevator and towards the bio-authentication lock. The longer they took, the antsier the assassin got - thankfully, his anticipation was quickly rewarded. When he reached his destination, the Phantom Thieves were waiting for him. Goro paid them no heed, however - he only had eyes for Amamiya. As soon as his rival saw him, the teenager's silver eyes lit up with so much delight the breath was momentarily knocked from Goro's lungs. No – focus. You're nothing to him. He's too busy shagging the worse Niijima to want anything to do with you.
"I knew you'd come." Amamiya grinned, adjusting his stylish red gloves as he strode towards his black-masked foe.
There was so much blind faith in his voice, Goro almost gagged. "Don't misinterpret my actions, Joker." He sneered, careful to emphasize the codename. "You're just a means to an end. The second this situation is dealt with, you and your crew of sycophants will return to being nothing more than an obstacle in my path."
"I wouldn't expect anything else." Amamiya smiled in that infuriating way of his, before turning to the quivering Okumura. The second he set eyes on the man, his rival's lips curled in disgust. All hints of levity dropped off the teen's face, and Goro couldn't look away as he lifted the CEO by the lapel and smashed him into the wall. "Tell me what you know about Niijima Sae."
"I don't – I don't…" Okumura wheezed, eyes wide and wild like a panicked horse.
"Don't bother." Goro wrinkled his nose. "The coward probably isn't capable of doing anything right now other than pissing his pants."
Delightfully enough, that made Amamiya look even more revolted. Shaking his head, he dumped Okumura in front of the biometric door, before reaching into his jacket and flicking a card to the ground as an electronic voice droned in the background.
"Okumura Kunikazu. We're here to Change your Heart." The statement was short, sweet, and had none of the Phantom Thieves' normal showboating in it. It was clear Amamiya had decided Okumura wasn't worthy of their dramatics. "Come on, team. Let's go."
Swishing his coattails, Amamiya strode through the door, the rest of his merry band following suit. While the Palace's security level had already been ridiculously inflated, it was only now that a red glow began to seep into the the Phantom Thieves marched away, leaving Goro and Okumura alone, the assassin arched a brow.
"Are you seriously just leaving me alone with him?" Goro scoffed. "What if I decide to just put a bullet between Okumura's eyes, and be done with it?"
"You can always come with us if you want." Amamiya drawled nonchalantly, like he wasn't speaking to someone he knew to be a mass murderer.
"Not to mention, that's completely counter to your goals." Niijima spoke up for the first time, rolling her eyes. "And secondly?" Her voice trailed off, and as she glowered at the whimpering Okumura, the sheer hatred in her gaze managed to even give Goro pause. "Depending on what we find, you can have him."
The detective's eyebrows soared to the ceiling. Huh. Maybe there was actually more to her beneath the eye. He never would have expected good-girl Niijima to remorselessly condone murder. Incredulously, he glanced at the rest of the Phantom Thieves, expecting at least one of them to stammer out some pithy objection. Instead, however, their jaws remained set with tension, fury smouldering in their eyes. Goro felt strangely off-footed as he examined his foes. He'd always thought they were shallow fools, playing heroes with no real understanding of the true power of Persona. As he looked at the Thieves, however, all he saw was a mirror of the same rage that had kept the detective going for over two years now.
Silently, he fell into step behind them.
Progress through the Palace was slow. The Shadows were on full alert, and even some of Okumura's ridiculous cognitions leapt up at the chance to take them down, blathering about garbage notions like bonuses and promotions. Goro resisted the urge to snap at them that they weren't real before blowing their brains out with lead. He resisted the temptation, however, and instead lingered at the back of the group while the Phantom Thieves fumbled around blindly, only occasionally shooting a pot-shot if it looked like one of the idiots was about to be mauled. He'd already shown enough of his hand already.
As the unusual group progressed deeper and deeper into the Palace, Goro reluctantly had to admit that it could have been worse. The Thieves learnt quickly, figuring out their foes' resistances and weaknesses and putting that knowledge into practise. By the time they reached the latter end of the barracks, they were tearing their way through their enemies like a well-polished machine. Of course, Amamiya was their best fighter by a mile – even now, envy filled Goro's heart at the multitude of Personas he could summon.
How does he do it? How does he manage to have so many different selves?
Still, the rest of his lackeys weren't entirely useless, even if they had nothing on their leader. Goro had wondered why his rival bothered keeping them around – he'd be able to clear entire Palaces on his own given his versatility. Now that he was witnessing the Thieves up close and personal, he was beginning to see why. Every foe Kitagawa and Sakamoto felled was energy saved on Amamiya's behalf, and with Takamaki and Niijima sharing the burden of healing, they'd managed to clear an entire third of a Palace on maximum security no worse for the wear. Even he'd struggle to do that. Of course, the assassin would never risk relying on other people himself – he wasn't an idiot, after all – but finally, Goro could understand the appeal.
They'd just about reached the end of the barracks when Sakura suddenly called for them to stop.
"Hold on – I'm sensing something weird." The redhead interjected before hopping into her strange Persona. "I… I think it's another Persona user! They're just ahead, in the facility surroundings!"
Takamaki gasped. "Do you think it's Mona?"
Goro furrowed his brow – he'd noticed the strange cat thing was missing, but had just assumed it had a cold or something. The tone of the blonde's voice implied something far more serious, however.
"I can't tell from here, but if it is, he ain't alone!" Sakura whistled. "There's at least two of them, maybe more!"
The detective's brows rose to the roof. Multiple Persona users? But how? Maybe the cat has been recruiting – perhaps this schism between the Phantom Thieves is more serious than it seems. Honestly, Goro really hoped it wasn't – his plans had been derailed enough lately without having to account for two separate teams of Phantom Thieves. That just sounded… exhausting.
As they grew closer to their targets, the sounds of battle began to permeate the air.
"It's a group of Mithras!" A high-pitched voice yelled. "They resist physical skills, so use other elements!"
A sharp gasp escaped Amamiya's voice, and he picked up the pace. As they ran out of the hall, the iron walls gave way to show the city's exterior. The pathway fell away, replaced by a vast expanse populated by spiralling towers and floating hover pads. Without a moment's hesitation, the Thieves followed Amamiya's lead as he jumped onto one of the aforementioned pads, Goro following barely a second behind. It was risky, yes, but he'd traversed far worse in the years he'd spent in the Metaverse.
"Okay! Milady, triple down!" The speaker's voice was unfamiliar - soft and gentle with a bright edge. She had to be one of the other Persona users Sakura detected.
"Why aren't guns counted as physical skills? That's ridiculous." A final voice groused – also female, but far more cynical in nature.
An explosion echoed in the not-so-distant distance – Goro saw a flash of blue light, which was promptly followed by a yelp. "Stop complaining and start fighting!"
"Fine, fine! Jeanne d'Arc, one-shot-kill!"
Jumping on top of a platform and ignoring a safe room, Goro rounded the corner before leaping back down to a lower level. He finally caught sight of the mysterious Persona users as the Shadows they were fighting disintegrated into dark blobs. The cat creature was in the lead, just like Sakura and Amamiya had clearly anticipated. Its ridiculous eyes were narrowed in concentration, and its chest was puffed out in a clear (and failed) attempt at looking intimidating.
Mona's companions were far more interesting, however. He didn't need the redhead's scanning ability to see that they were both exhausted, for one. Their depleted magical reserves were so severe, it practically radiated off them, and sweat and dirt in equal measure stained their costumes. The first of the women – though she was more of a girl, to be accurate – had one of the stupidest concepts of rebellion Goro had ever seen. What the hell was she meant to be, a Renaissance cosplayer? Even the furry samurai made more sense. The second figure's guise – definitely an adult, this one – was far more sensible. Dark armour, a flowing cape, and a metal visor – Goro found that he approved. As he watched the woman, something tickled at the back of his mind. It was hard to get a good read on her with all the static distorting the air, but something about her seemed familiar…
He was snapped out of his thoughts as Amamiya suddenly yelled, and hurtled himself towards the cat at reckless speeds. "Mona!"
The creature's blue eyes widened as its mouth dropped. "Joker?!" Realisation flashed across its face as it gasped. "Hold on. This security level… you're here to steal Okumura's heart, aren't you? How on earth did you get past the bio-lock?"
"Long story." He waved a hand lackadaisically, like he hadn't orchestrated a kidnapping with the aid of a known mass murderer. "It would have been much easier with you, though." Smirk fading off his face, Amamiya glanced over at the others. "Who are your companions?"
Sakura tweaked her goggles. "Judging by that hair, you've gotta be Okumura Haru, right?"
The pantalooned girl's brows rose, before she let out a giggle. "Correct – it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Phantom Thieves!"
Meanwhile, the longer-haired woman tilted her head. "Huh. You're… younger than I thought you'd be."
The itching feeling returned. Goddammit – Goro knew that voice. If it wasn't for the Palace's distortions, he would have been able to place it instantly.
Niijima, however - rather understandably in hindsight - had no such trouble. "… Sis?!" She gawped, boggling at what was now obviously Niijima Sae.
The prosecutor blinked, a comically alarmed expression flashing across her face as finally recognised her little sister. "… Makoto?! What on earth are you doing here?"
The Phantom Thief ignored Sae's question, however, and threw herself at the woman, embracing her in a hug. "Oh, oh thank god. I was so scared you were…" Niijima broke off with a sob.
Still looking supremely confused, Sae slowly patted her sister's back. "I'm sorry. I… I never meant to make you worried."
Goro watched the display, something twisting in his stomach.
(It was relief – Sae was alive and well.)
(It was jealousy – he wanted what Niijima had so, so much.)
(It was acceptance – Goro had made peace with the fact he'd never get to enjoy anything as trivial as family and friendship ever again. He was nothing but a curse, something he'd learned how to relish over the years.)
As the Phantom Thieves crowded around the trio, exclamations of delight and shock in equal measures escaping their throats, Goro silently slipped away. For the first time in days, the agitation that had been rolling under his skin had vanished, replaced by a rare sense of peace.
The journey back to the Palace's entrance was uncannily quiet compared to the ruckus of working with the Thieves. Sensing his superior prowess, the Shadows kept a wide berth from him, and sooner rather than later, Goro was back at the spaceport's beginning.
As he passed Okumura, still snivelling on the ground, Goro paused. He could kill him here and now with ease. Shido wanted him dead, after all, and the second the Phantom Thieves banished his Shadow, he would be rendered immune to Goro's powers. Plus, while getting caught in a collapsing Palace hurt like a bitch, it wasn't lethal. Sae would be fine if Goro ended Okumura's miserable life.
Instead, as the bastard grovelled for mercy, the detective shook his head in faint disdain and walked away. It'd be a pain in the ass passing off a very real murder as the Phantom Thieves' signature supernatural trickery. Given Sae's Palace would be gone in the wake of her awakening too, Goro would need some time to find her replacement. He'd let them have this victory, and set up another target in Okumura's stead. Perhaps the SIU Director would do – he was replaceable, in the end.
(It was his last favour to Amamiya, a final concession for his rival before Goro brought their dangerous dance to an end. Things between them were even now, and Goro could cleanse himself of the other boy with no regrets.)
…..
Morgana barely noticed it as the dark figure at the Phantom Thieves' rear slipped into the shadows. Instead, he was too busy catching his former team up to date, boisterously (and quickly) explaining what had happened over the past week. Things were a bit awkward at first – as much as Morgana knew he'd messed up, the thought of begging for forgiveness made his pride scream in protest – but it seemed everyone was too happy at being reunited to dwell on the past. Well, with one exception, that is.
"I can't believe this. You joined the Phantom Thieves? Seriously?" Sae groaned, cradling her head in her hands.
Makoto winced for a second, before shaking her head, resolution burning in her eyes. "I'm not going to apologise for it – I don't regret what I've done. Still… I am sorry that I've probably made things more difficult for you at work."
"That's… that's okay. I forgive you. If it wasn't the Phantom Thieves, it just would have been something else..." Sae sighed, something troubled flashing across her face. She quickly smothered the expression, however, moving back to business. "So, if I'm interpreting things correctly, you've given a calling card to Okumura Kunikazu?"
Ren nodded. "That's right. I'm sorry." He winced, glancing at Haru. "We thought there was a good chance he'd murdered the both of you, so…"
"That's okay." Haru shook her head, giving him a tired but sincere smile. Her expression quickly grew more sombre, however. "But that means we've only got a limited amount of time to steal his Treasure, correct?"
The clearing grew quiet – at least as quiet as it could be, considering the throbbing, heartbeat-like pulse running through the air. Morgana's guts churned – he knew just as well as everyone else did that Haru was in no state to battle a Palace Ruler. Sympathy tugged at him – she'd been fighting for her agency all this time, only for it to be tugged away from her at the last moment, again.
It was then though that the heiress laughed. "There's no need to look so grim – I don't need to perform the coup de grâce to know that my actions played a vital role in his downfall."
Morgana puffed up as a wave of realisation ran through him. "That's right – Haru was the one to find his Treasure!"
Her eyes twinkled. "Not to mention, if I'd decided to leave instead of trying to change his heart myself, none of us would be here today."
A flicker of surprise crossed Ren's face, and pride welled up in the not-cat's belly. "You know where the Treasure is?"
Morgana couldn't help but grin smugly. "Yep – we were just on our way back when you lot interrupted us!"
Brows furrowed in concentration; a million calculations ran behind the leader's eyes. Eventually, though, Ren straightened his spine. "Alright. Everyone, I'll guide Niijima-san and Haru back to the entrance – my abilities are diverse enough to counter any foes we'll face, and it'll mean you'll have a full squad when facing down Okumura."
Murmurs of surprise passed through the team – while others had taken the backseat before, Joker had been there for every fight. Still, Morgana realised his decision made sense. Given Sae and Haru were both at the end of their rope, they could only contribute so much to a fight – they'd never make it back to the Palace's entrance alone. If Ren went with them, however, the Phantom Thieves would only need to spare one man, instead of three to four.
Makoto looked conflicted, but eventually swallowed and gave Ren a tentative smile. "Alright. Just… stay safe, okay? Both of you. Uh, and you too, Haru-san!"
"Just Haru is fine." The brunette smiled affectionately at the slightly awkward student council president.
"Don't worry – we'll be okay. Mona." Ren suddenly stated, before reaching into his pocket and handing a hefty number of supplies to the not-cat. "While I'm gone, you're in charge."
"M-me?!" Reeling backwards in shock, the not-cat's eyes bulged out of his head. "R-really? But why? I… I…"
I abandoned the team. Why would you trust me enough to lead in your stead?
"Uh, duh?" Ryuji blinked, scratching the back of his head. "You've been doing this the longest out of all of us – of course you'd be in charge if Joker wasn't here."
"Yeah, exactly!" Ann beamed, her beaming grin so dazzling Morgana felt slightly weak in the knees. "You're the one who taught us everything we know, after all!"
"E-everyone…" Morgana looked down, a fuzzy warmth filling his chest. They… they believed in him, even if he wasn't the strongest or the fastest or even a human. The warmth quickly ignited into a burning passion – he wasn't going to let them down! "Alright, here's the plan! Haru, Sae and I have already cleared a path, but we've still got a fair way to go…"
…..
Niijima Sae and Okumura Haru were found late Monday evening, just shy of a week since their initial disappearance. Both women staggered into a police station not too far from the business district – Niijima missing her shoes, for some reason – and informed the first officer they could find that they'd both just escaped a kidnapper. Initially, the claim was greeted with scepticism, but then someone recognised Okumura, and all hell broke loose.
(Nobody saw a teenager with shaggy hair and glasses that obscured his eyes slipping away from the station.)
Medical examination revealed the victims both showed signs of dehydration and starvation, along with numerous minor injuries. The sole exception was a nasty but partially healed burn on Niijima's torso and back, the origins of which would forever remain a mystery. The important thing was that neither woman required hospitalisation, and could therefore be interviewed immediately. Unfortunately for the officers questioning them, any details about their attackers were threadbare at best.
"I was walking to my father's office – I'd hoped to bring him some dinner – when someone ambushed me from behind!" Okumura exclaimed. "Sae-san tried rescuing me, but she got hurt instead, and they took her too." Something distant entered the teenager's eyes. "… I think they didn't want to leave any witnesses behind, but they didn't want to kill anyone, either."
(It was a lie, not that anyone realised it at the time.)
Down the hall, Niijima's interview wasn't faring much better.
"I was scoping out the area for an investigation – don't ask which one, it's well above your paygrade – when I saw Haru-chan under attack." Niijima sighed, looking away. "I tried to intervene, but… they must have gotten a lucky blow on me. When I came too, I was blindfolded and bound somewhere dark."
(That time, the interviewers did realise she was lying – there were no rope burns or other signs of restraint on either woman. The lie, however, was attributed to disorientation and shock. After all, what motivation would Niijima have to mislead them?)
"Did you see your attackers?"
"They were male, dark clothes, average builds and heights. Sorry. I know that's not particularly helpful."
(Niijima was right – it was absolutely useless.)
By the time both interrogations came to an end, everyone decided to write the situation off as a wash. Sure, there wasn't a single lead on who kidnapped the women, but they were both alive and reasonably healthy. Plus, the attackers had gotten cold feet and released them both in the end, so they probably weren't very competent kidnappers, anyway. More importantly, with Okumura resurfacing the station's superiors would finally get off their backs, and that was what really mattered here.
…..
Goro watched his TV impassively as the camera finally cut to Okumura Kunikazu. A week had passed since his and the Phantom Thieves' temporary truce, and it seemed the latter was finally going to see the fruits of their labour.
"Thank you all for taking time out of your busy schedules to gather here." Kunikazu announced, rising to his feet. Despite the Phantom Thieves shredding his mind to pieces, he was perfectly composed – perhaps in another life he would have made a good politician. "Today, I'd like to elaborate upon the whole truth behind my company's labour situation…"
The CEO started droning on and on about Okumura Foods' poor working conditions, and the lengths he and his upper management went to cover everything up. Goro sneered – for all the effort they put into hiding their foul deeds, they'd certainly done a bad job at it. Of course, before Okumura could say anything truly incriminating, several security guards quickly hurried the protesting CEO off stage, and the camera switched to a technical difficulties screen. Good – it seemed the detective's plan to replace the TV station's staff with Shido's lackeys had paid off. Goro didn't even know that his muscles had been tensed up before they suddenly relaxed.
Thankfully, Shido had been in one of his rare mercurial moods when the detective delivered him the bad news – instead of the usual delay after sending their calling card, the Phantom Thieves had raided Okumura's Palace with no pre-warning due to a strange cognitive quirk in its design, striking before Goro could intervene. It was a pack of lies, of course, but that was nothing new – he told Shido what he wanted to hear instead of the truth all the time. While the politician had been slightly malcontent, Goro's promise that they could use this to their advantage managed to placate him. With Sae's Palace disappearing, they needed some breathing space to find an alternative trap anyway, and the closer the Phantom Thief scandal erupted to the elections, the better.
Still, Goro was very aware he'd been walking on a tightrope – if Okumura let anything slip before he was intercepted there'd have been hell to pay. With him off-camera though, Goro (and by proxy, his revenge) was safe. The SIU was under strict instructions to keep Okumura under lock and key - no visitors (or recently-awakened prosecutors) allowed.
Humming the Featherman theme song to himself, he switched off the TV, before opening his attaché case and checking his gun. Now that Goro knew the Okumura situation was under control, it was time to do some hunting.
…..
When Sae woke up and was greeted by sunlight streaming into her bedroom, the prosecutor felt a wave of disorientation. It had been years since that had last happened. Shouldn't she be at work right now…? It was then though that her mind finally caught up to her body, and her memories flooded back to her. That's right. I resigned several days ago. Her combined medical and personal leave had netted her a week off before she needed to return to the SIU offices for a final handover of her cases.
She'd felt so nervous writing her resignation letter she'd almost been sick, but oddly enough, when she handed it over to the Director she felt nothing but calm. He'd questioned her decision a bit, probing whether she was truly certain this was the path she wanted to take, but Sae didn't even feel a flicker of doubt as she reaffirmed her choice. When she walked out of the office that day a weight she didn't even know was crushing her was lifted from her shoulders, and as she marched to the train station, there was a bounce to her step – she could barely remember the last time she felt so free.
(Her job – the prestigious Special Investigations Unit, straight out of university – had been one of her greatest points of pride. Sae had no idea when it had simultaneously started to make her feel so miserable.)
Back to the present day, she stretched the stiffness from her muscles, before throwing on a dressing gown and shambling into the kitchen. Makoto was already up and far more awake than the ex-prosecutor, in an unusual reversal of their normal roles.
"Oh, sis!" The brunette perked up the second she saw her, staring at Sae with so much warmth the silver-haired woman was forced to look away. "I've steamed some fish and made some miso soup – would you like some?"
A flicker of guilt ran through her – Sae didn't deserve Makoto, not really. Still, she knew that line of thought wasn't helpful. Her sister seemed determined to forgive her for how absent and irritable she'd been that year, and Sae had a hunch her presence would be far more appreciated than any grovelling apologies.
So instead, she sat down at the table and smiled. "That would be wonderful. Thank you, Makoto."
Judging by the way the rosy tint on Makoto's cheeks grew, it was the right thing to say.
The siblings' chattered idly as Makoto served their meal, and Sae prepared them both some coffee. Instead of talking about work or grades - clipped conversations focused purely on practicalities - they focused on other things. The weather, any interesting school projects Makoto was working on, and Sae's plans for the day (for once, there weren't any).
"Ah – while we're on the topic, I might be back a little bit late this evening." A blush crossed Makoto's face, far richer than the one that had been there before. "I've promised to help Ren with his studies."
Sae arched a brow. Ah. So that's what her little sister hadn't been telling her when she recounted the last few months of her life. Logically, Sae was aware the brunette was at the age where childhood crushes turned into something more serious, even if the thought of her baby sister dating made her feel ancient. While she was sure Amamiya was a perfectly respectable young man – he had a strong sense of justice and could make a mean coffee, at the very least – she'd need to have a talk with them both at some point. Leader of the Phantom Thieves or not, if he got her sister pregnant, she'd gut him.
For now, though, Sae was content letting Makoto have her secrets. "No worries. I'll cook dinner tonight."
A slightly troubled expression crossed the young woman's face. "… Well, I suppose if you don't have work to distract you, it'll probably be edible…"
"Hey!" Sae squawked, miso soup forgotten. "I've only set the kitchen on fire once!"
"Which is still one more time than most people." Makoto sighed, before glancing at the clock. "I better go – I'll see you later, sis!"
As Makoto hurried off, grabbing her satchel and heading out of the door, Sae couldn't help but chuckle. It had been far too long since they'd had a silly argument over something so utterly mundane. While she wouldn't ever admit it out loud, when Sae thought about it, she realised Makoto had a point – culinary arts had never been her strong suit. Maybe she should just get them takeaway instead…
Musing about her evening couldn't keep her occupied for that long, however, and a wave of surrealness settled over Sae as she realised she had no urgent tasks that needed to be completed, no deadlines looming down on her. That wasn't to say she had nothing to do – while the former prosecutor had a consulting session booked with Haru later that week, she was acutely aware of the fact that she was now technically unemployed. Morgana had mentioned that her newfound Persona would grant her clarity, and perhaps that was true, but that didn't mean it had completely cured Sae's financial anxiety.
Still… perhaps jobhunting could wait, if only for a day. Returning to her room, Sae walked over to her bookshelf and trailed her fingers down her collection's worn spines. Most of them were old law textbooks, but that wasn't what she was here for today. Instead, she pulled out a fantasy novel she hadn't touched in years, and ignoring the dust that tickled her nose, Sae retreated to the couch and made herself comfortable.
…..
Haru resisted the urge to make herself look smaller as she travelled up the elevator towards Okumura Foods' boardroom. Instead, she held her head high – as frightening as taking over the reins of her life (and her company) was, she had made a promise to no longer be a subservient puppet who bowed down to others' whims. She belonged here, and if her father's former staff took objection to that… well, that was their problem.
Feeling much more self-assured, the brunette examined the elevator's interior dispassionately. Her eyes traced over the steel and wood surrounding her. Perhaps the blue light framing the buttons matched the lifts in her father's Palace, but otherwise, she could see no traces of the spaceport. Ultimately, Haru came to the conclusion Kunikazu's world was nothing but a reflection of his warped psyche. Her father had become so detached from reality, Haru almost found it in herself to forgive him. Emphasis on almost, of course.
The only contact they'd had since his arrest was a letter from him annulling her marriage contract to Sugimura. She thought she'd appreciate it more than she did, but as her eyes skimmed over the message again and again, they'd filled up with tears. He should have known better – he never should have sold her to him in the first place. Shaking her head, Haru snapped herself out of her thoughts as the elevator dinged, signalling that she'd finally arrived at her destination. It wasn't like her father was going anywhere, after all – she would have years to come to terms with the storm of emotions that whirled within her whenever she thought of him. Right now, it was time for the heiress to look into the future.
Walking into the boardroom, she scanned her eyes over the neatly dressed men surrounding a long table that devoured most of the room's floor space. Some of the faces were familiar to Haru – Takakura, Akamatsu, Ito. Many, however, were not - Kunikazu's confession had implicated some of his closest allies, and the police's investigation had further gutted the senior staff's ranks.
The chatter in the room died as the heiress took her place at the head of the table, sinking into what was once her father's chair. Takakura – the acting president – gave her a polite nod, expression unreadable. A myriad of emotions shone in the rest of the businessmen's eyes as they watched their new majority stakeholder, however – some were calculating, others were pitying, and the occasional pair were narrowed in anger.
Haru ignored them and cleared her throat. "Hello, everyone. We are all gathered here today to discuss the future of Okumura Foods. I will not pretend that I am capable of stepping into my father's shoes just yet, however, I have no intention of turning a blind eye to the running of my family's company either. I refuse to let my father's actions sully our good name forever."
One of the attendees cleared his throat, a weaselly gentleman Haru didn't recognise. "Your marriage to Sugimura -"
The heiress gave him a pointed smile, and she could tell by the way the man paled that he'd taken it for the warning sign it was. "Is irrelevant. The contract was created to fuel my father's personal ambitions, not serve the company's future. Focusing on my education would be a far better use of my time and resources."
"Well put, Okumura-chan." Takakura gave her a level nod. "Is there anything in particular you'd like to discuss before we start? You mentioned something about reparations when we organised this meeting?"
She nodded, careful not to let her nerves show. "The only way we can restore our company's image is by atoning for our misdeeds." Something twisted in her stomach, and Haru shook her head. "No – this isn't just about earning back the public's trust. We must do this because it is right. I want all workers compensated for any overtime performed over the last several years, along with financial assistance arranged for those injured in our factories."
Panicked murmurs filled the room, but Haru refused to bow under their weight – while unfortunately, she knew she would need to compromise in some areas, this was not one of them.
Ito swallowed, staring at Haru with naked shock. "B-but, the financial strain that would cause us in this precarious time –"
"Is also irrelevant." Her expression sharpened as she attempted to channel as much of Sae as she could. "Look around this room – none of us are struggling to feed our families. None of us are in any threat of losing our homes, or being unable to pay any emergency medical debts. Perhaps it will require sacrifice on our behalves, but while missing out on a luxury cruise or a new sports car might be upsetting, it will not harm us in the long term."
"We'll see what we can do." Takakura scribbled something down on a piece of paper. "Our corporate lawyers have already been looking into the topic – would you like to be copied in on any communications?"
Haru nodded, mollified for now. "Yes, please. I'd like to review them with my own personal lawyers." Sure, she didn't technically have any yet, but Sae was going to help her get that situation sorted sooner rather than later.
As the meeting continued, Haru found that she didn't have much more to contribute. Quite frankly, most of the talk about finances, marketing, and corporate contracts went well over her head. It was clear she had a lot of learning to do before she would truly be able to change Okumura Foods' trajectory.
Still, today was a good start – from now on, her family's legacy would not be one of greed and betrayal, but of growth.
…..
Ren yawned as the Phantom Thieves dispersed from Leblanc's attic - they'd been there all evening planning their next heist. Okumura's change of heart had caused their fans to go nuts - even Ryuji, who probably enjoyed the attention the most, was unnerved. Still, while they'd satisfied the Phanbase for now (sometimes, Ren wanted to punch Mishima for that ridiculous name), they hadn't gotten the answers they needed. They knew Okumura had his fingers in the mental shutdown pie for sure, but Haru's report had made it clear he wasn't the one pulling Akechi's strings.
Suffice to say, most of Sae's prior reservations about the Phantom Thieves had vanished when they dropped that bombshell on her. In fact, it had led them straight to their next target – the SIU Director himself. After all, there was no way in hell he didn't know about Akechi's little side gig – if he wasn't the ultimate mastermind himself, he'd certainly know who was.
Opening his eyes again, he was about to turn back to his desk and start sorting their gear, when Ren caught a pink blur in the corner of his eye. Hmm. It looked like he wasn't quite so alone, after all.
"What's up, Haru-senpai?" The frizzy-haired teen smiled softly, hoping he looked inviting.
While he knew Haru was no delicate wallflower – she'd survived being trapped in a Palace for a whole week, after all – her disposition was so gentle he felt compelled to treat her that way in turn. Plus, now that Ren thought about it, this was probably the first time they'd ever interacted one-on-one. Might as well make a good impression, right?
The brunette hemmed and hawed, not quite meeting his eyes. "My apologies if I'm imposing, but… I was hoping to ask a favour of you."
Ren's grin broadened. He was more than familiar with this old song and dance by now. "No worries – why don't you tell me more?"
Some of the tension left her shoulders as he settled back down in his seat, and Haru followed suit. "I've always known that I was wealthier than most, but I've only lately realised just how vast that gap truly is. How on earth am I meant to understand my workers' needs if I don't understand their lives?" A blush crossed her cheeks. "That's why I sought you out – I was wondering if you could show me what it's like, well, living like an ordinary person?"
Ren held out his hand with a laugh. "Honestly, I'm not sure how much help I'll be there, but sure. It's a deal."
Haru shook it in return, giggling, and Ren could hear the sound of shattering chains as a voice whispered Empress into the back of his mind.
…..
Ren didn't find out what shape his relationship with Niijima Sae would take until the infiltration was well underway. The Director's Theatre was a gaudy place - fancy shows were put on for the blindfolded public to hide the blatant violations committed behind the stage. The cognitions were either mannequins posed how exactly the Director pleased (a title that took on a very different meaning here), or marionette puppets held up by invisible strings - Sae had a very interesting reaction at that, especially when they fought a brown-haired puppet that heavily resembled a certain teenaged detective. He wasn't particularly surprised that it eventually started to get to the former prosecutor's head.
Just like his fledgling bond with Haru, it started in Leblanc. They'd skipped going into the Palace today - instead, Ren wanted to stock up on supplies and get Shinya to teach him some more gun tricks. God knows he'd need them if he ever needed to fight Akechi. When he returned to the cafe that evening, the shaggy-haired teen was rather surprised to see a familiar face sitting at one of the booths. Sae was focused on her laptop, a half-eaten plate of curry at her side, while Sojiro gave her the stink-eye from across the counter. She'd apologised for threatening him earlier that year, but as Ren knew from experience, the barista tended to take a while to warm up to people. Still, he knew Sojiro would get over it eventually.
"Mind taking over, will you?" The barista grunted. "I need to get Futaba's dinner ready. God knows she needs to eat something other than curry and noodles."
"No worries." Ren saluted. It wasn't like it was busy - in fact, Sae was the only customer.
As the teen started the dishes, he glanced over towards his girlfriend's sister. Now that he got a good look at her, he frowned - there were poorly concealed dark smudges under her eyes, and he didn't like the way her brow was furrowed one bit. Eventually, Sae hit her limit, and groaning, she cradled her head in her hands.
Ren cleared his throat. "Sae-san, are you okay?"
"A-Amamiya-kun!" She half-jumped out of her skin, whirling around to face him. "When did you get here?"
"Just Ren is fine." He shrugged. "And to answer your question, not long ago." The teen frowned, taking in her haggard appearance. "What's wrong?"
The silver-haired woman looked away. "... It doesn't matter, not really. I don't want to burden you with my troubles, especially considering everything you have on your plate right now."
Shrugging, he slipped out from behind the counter and walked to her side. "It's no sweat off my shoulders. Besides..." Ren decided appealing to her sense of duty might make her more inclined to talk. "You're part of the team now. I need you at your best."
Sae rubbed her chin, mulling things over, but eventually, she gave in. "I'm working on my job hunt... it's not going particularly well."
He arched both his brows. "Really? But... you're an ex-SIU prosecutor. Who wouldn't want to hire you?"
"That's not the problem. I've already got a couple of offers, but..." She shook her head, before growing quiet. "You've seen the Director's Palace - the corruption, the lies, the brutality... as much as I'd like to pretend otherwise, it's not unique to the SIU. Every inch of the justice system is controlled by men who approve of everything he's doing - it's how the Director's held on to power for so long. Tell me... how can I justifiably uphold a system like that?"
Ren sat across from her, steepling his fingers. "... I don't think you can, not really."
This time, when the chains that bound him broke to pieces, the voice whispered Aeon.
...
As Hasegawa Zenkichi strode into the interim SIU Director's office, he swallowed, adjusting his tie in the hope that it would distract him from the apprehension welling inside him. While he was initially scheduled to return to Kyoto once Niijima had been found, paperwork and a myriad of other tasks had kept the inspector stuck in Tokyo until late October. The second he thought he was free, however, it had happened – the previous SIU Director suffered a mental shutdown on live TV, courtesy of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. Zenkichi had felt like a piece of shit when he called Akane that night, telling her he'd be away just a little bit longer (she'd hung up on him before he even finished giving his excuses). Unfortunately, it was just like Commissioner Kaburagi said – duty calls, even if it's inconvenient.
(He knew it was cowardly of him, but the police department's sudden uproar had come as a relief – anything was better than sitting in that stifling house alone with a daughter who justifiably hated him and an empty bed that hammered home the fact that he'd never see his wife again.)
"You asked to see me, sir?" Zenkichi cleared his throat, brushing his thoughts to the side.
The acting Director – an average middle-aged man in both appearance and height – gave him a warm smile that failed to soothe any of his nerves. "Yes, yes. While I know it's slightly unorthodox, the SIU has been keeping an eye on your work these last few months, and I must say that I'm impressed."
Zenkichi's brows rose to the roof. Was this a promotion? His eyes then narrowed so minutely the interim Director wouldn't have noticed it if even he tried. He didn't need twenty years of experience in the force to tell something smelt fishy. If Zenkichi was finally being elevated into a proper position of command, Kaburagi would have told him in advance.
(Besides, he wasn't sure if he'd want to accept something in Tokyo anyway. Too many memories here, most of them bad. Or to be more accurate, tainted with grief.)
Thankfully, he got his answers sooner rather than later. The interim Director drummed his fingers against his mahogany desk, expression smug. "With this latest strike against our department - the murder of my very own predecessor - we cannot allow the Phantom Thieves to run amok any longer. A special task force designed to annihilate them once and for all has been assembled, and I would like to offer you the honour of leading it."
Stunned silent, Zenkichi couldn't do anything other than stare at the other man in incredulous shock. As the proxy Director rambled on, explaining the magnitude of the operation, the inspector's mouth grew drier and drier. This… this was huge. Sure, he'd worked on operations of similar sizes, but never in such a high position of command.
"W-why me?" He croaked when he finally found his voice again. "Sure, I'm familiar with the Phantom Thieves case, but I haven't personally worked on it. Wouldn't someone who's more on top of things be a better choice?"
Sighing, the interim Director glanced out the window, expression unreadable. "Unfortunately, the primary investigators for the Phantom Thieves case were Niijima Sae and Akechi Goro. Niijima handed in her resignation last month after her abduction, and Akechi-kun… he has talent, but he's still a child. Meanwhile, you have experience working with task forces of this scale, and quite frankly, your track record speaks for itself."
Biting his lip, Zenkichi's mind raced. If he pulled this off, the rewards would be incredible. A promotion to chief inspector, at the very least. Fuck, maybe he'd even be able to make superintendent. Boring, yes, but he'd finally have enough clout to start making some much-needed changes to the force. Plus, the stability would be nice – with less travel, he might actually be able to begin working on his and Akane's fractured relationship.
At the same time… the cost of failure would be astronomical. Still, what choice did Zenkichi have, really? He was painfully aware by now that if he ever wanted to get enough power to avenge his wife's death, it would require making compromises.
"I'll do it, sir." He replied, and tried to ignore the sensation of a phantom collar around his neck tightening.
…..
Akechi Goro walked into Leblanc, idly wondering why Amamiya had summoned him. Progress into Hasegawa's Palace was going well – in a surprising act of self-awareness, the man viewed the police station as a kennel. They hadn't reached the Treasure yet, but it would only be a matter of days. He paused mid-way through reaching out to the door handle - what if Amamiya was on to him? The detective quickly dismissed those thoughts, however. No – if the other teen was aware of his treachery, he surely would have tried to finish Goro off for good during their duel in Mementos.
Walking into the café, a gentle smile that wasn't quite as fake as he wanted to pretend it was crossed Goro's face as he saw his rival. The detective stiffened, however, when he realised Amamiya wasn't alone – Sakura was typing something out on her laptop at the bar, and sitting next to him was the inferior Niijima. His good mood died immediately.
Lips twitching, he sat down across from the couple. "Has something happened in regards to our infiltration?"
"Oh, this isn't about the Palace." Niijima shook her head. "I just wanted your help with something – don't worry, it's nothing serious."
Oddly enough, Amamiya flashed him a despairing look. "I promise you, this wasn't my idea."
Suffice to say, that didn't reassure Goro at all.
"It's about Sae." The brunette explained. "Given how stressed she's been feeling about our infiltration, I thought..."
"They're here to find her a hot date!" Sakura interrupted, eyes glittering in delight.
Groaning, Niijima cradled her head in her hands. "… Well, yes, I suppose that's the gist of it."
Oh, my fucking god. Goro's involuntarily mouth contorted into the world's ugliest grimace. Had he just died and gone to hell? No – even the devil wouldn't be this cruel. Distantly, he wondered if it would be breaking character if he just got up and left. Probably. Ugh.
"… And why exactly is my presence needed for that?" He choked out eventually.
"You're her only friend." Niijima stated bluntly.
… Oh. Goro shuffled awkwardly, entirely unsure of how he felt about that revelation. "I… alright, fine." He narrowed his eyes at Amamiya. "So, why are you here? Moral support?"
"No. I'm the only person here who knows any adult woman." The frizzy-haired teen deadpanned.
Tragic, but fair. The detective exhaled, still somewhat incredulous that he'd actually been talked into doing this. "Fine. So, what do we have to work with?"
"Option one: Ohya Ichiko, journalist." Amamiya adjusted his glasses. "She's smart, cunning, driven, and willing to take on insurmountable odds in pursuit of the truth. You've met her actually, Makoto – we ran into her in Crossroads."
Niijima wrinkled her nose. "Oh. Is she always so…?"
"Drunk?" Amamiya winced. "Well, she's getting a bit better…"
The brunette cradled her head in her hands, an act that caused Goro no small amount of glee. "Next option, please."
"Kawakami Sadayo – my homeroom teacher." The frizzy-haired teen continued. "She's a passionate, hard worker, who's willing to go the extra mile for her students. She also has a bit of a maternal streak, which might contrast well with Sae-san. Kawakami will make sure she's eating well and not living in squalor, at the very least."
Niijima nodded, expression thoughtful. Goro, meanwhile, was waiting for the catch.
"Oh, yeah – she'll also dress as a maid if Sae-san's into that sort of thing."
Okay, what the fuck?
"Ren." The student council president's voice was strained. "Why exactly do you know that?"
In the distance, Sakura chuckled. "Trust me, you don't wanna know."
"Look, I swear it's nothing weird." Amamiya raised his hands placatingly.
Goro pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sakura is right. I don't want to know. Anyway, let's move on – Sae-san finds subservience unattractive."
"Right. Uh… option number three is Takemi Tae. She's the local doctor." His rival winced. "She's very droll - acts aloof but is a big softie inside. Just like Sae-san, she's wickedly intelligent and knows what it's like to get screwed over by asshole male bosses."
"… And?" Niijima ventured, finally having cottoned on to the fact Amamiya knowing women was a very different thing to him knowing datable ones.
The teen rubbed his chin. "Uh, she likes wearing studded chokers, strappy black heels and a lot of leather everywhere she goes. Including work."
Immediately images of a spiked collar, a tasteless fishnet dress and enough makeup to rival every member of a metal band combined flashed into Goro's mind. "Oh, she sounds perfect. Definitely Sae-san's type."
At that, a half-confused, half-perplexed expression crossed Niijima's face. "Really?"
Sakura nodded sagely. "He's right, you know."
Slowly, Goro processed her words, eyes gradually growing narrower. "Hold on a minute… how do you know that?"
The hacker cackled maniacally. "Trust me, you don't wanna know."
…..
Goro collapsed to the engine room's dirty metal floor, blood and sweat intermingling as they dripped down his forehead. At that moment, he would have done anything to be back in those days when his plan hadn't fallen to pieces and his pride was intact. Rage and impotence bubbled in the detective's stomach in equal measures - the Phantom Thieves' pitying gazes burning into his bowed back only made him feel worse. Despite everything, he was still just Akechi Goro, poor pathetic little orphan boy. At least Sae wasn't here to witness his ultimate humiliation – she must have been at a job interview or something. Not that he'd know – Goro could count the number of times they'd talked to each other since his betrayal on one hand.
Despite his anger, however, Goro didn't bother struggling back to his feet. What was the point? He wasn't stupid, for all of his sins. He knew that he'd lost. A bitter taste rose to the back of his mouth as the detective felt his dreams crumble to dust. The Phantom Thieves would be the ones to take down Shido, and they would be lauded for it, while Goro would be left behind in the dirt with his reputation in ruin and his hands stained in blood. All the pain he'd felt, all the suffering he'd caused... it was all for nothing.
The thing about hitting rock bottom, though, is that the only way to go is up.
"It'd be a problem if you kept getting in our way. Wanna come along and help us settle things instead?" There was no hatred in Takamaki's voice as she took a step towards him – there wasn't even a hint of aggression.
Goro's eyes widened. She couldn't be fucking serious. As he looked around though, none of the Phantom Thieves objected to her statement. Even Sakura - who Goro had hurt the most - didn't put up a fuss. While her mouth was set in a thin line, she met his gaze head-on. Still sceptical, the detective's eyes drifted towards Amamiya. His rival regarded him cooly, but there was a hint of a challenge in the black-haired boy's expression.
Well? Are you going to do something right for once in your life?
Unfortunately, the thing about hope is that it is all too easily dashed.
The herald of Goro's destruction came not at the end of his rival's knife, but from footsteps echoing across the steel floor. The teenager could do nothing but gawk in shock as a doppelganger of himself emerged from the darkness, flanked by half a dozen Shadows. His copy was dead-eyed and fanatical and crazed - truly crazed - in a way that made even Goro's blood grow cold. As the cognition ranted and raved, the icy sensation crawling through his veins only increased. Shido had known who he was the whole goddamn time, and had always planned on getting rid of him before Goro ever had the opportunity of enacting his revenge.
It was then that the cognition fucked up. It offered him a deal - his life would be spared if he put the Phantom Thieves down for good. If Goro wasn't a masterful actor, his brows would have risen to the roof. Just how fucking stupid did Shido think he was? Perhaps slaughtering Amamiya and the others might buy him an extra day, but it would do nothing to remove the noose around his neck. As the teenager staggered to his feet, bloodstained and trembling, he knew exactly what to do. Pointing his gun at Amamiya, Goro soaked in his nemesis' shocked expression for one last time, before spinning on his heel and firing a direct shot into his cognitive double's guts. As the puppet collapsed, he immediately fired another shot at the bulkhead door's controls.
A voice screeched over the speaker, and sirens blared in tandem with flashing red lights as the Detective Prince turned his back on the Thieves, ready to make his last stand. Goro really should have learnt by now that all of his plans today were destined to go awry, however. Before the iron door could separate him from his former enemies for good, movement flashed at the corner of his eyes. The exhausted teen could do nothing but watch in horror as Amamiya and Niijima landed at his side a mere second before the bulkhead door slammed shut.
"Are you mad?! You should have just left me – you were meant to leave me! You'll never win against these Shadows with me weighing you down!" He hissed, grabbing Amamiya by the lapels as the rest of the Phantom Thieves' screams faded into the background. "What about your team?! What about Shido?!" Goro then shot a dirty look at Niijima. "What about Sae?!"
The lovers looked entirely unapologetic, however.
"I have faith in the Phantom Thieves." Amamiya's voice was perfectly even. "Once they catch their breath – and maybe get some backup – they'll come charging in to save us, guns blazing. We don't need to win this fight, just survive. Besides…" His rival looked Goro dead in the eyes. "I still have your glove."
Goro's jaw dropped upon, the revelation leaving him utterly speechless.
"Anat, mediarama." Niiijima muttered. As the healing magic washed over Goro, lightening his limbs, the brunette winced. She clearly didn't have many of those left in her. When she glanced at him though, her eyes burned not with pain, but conviction. "If you think I'm going to let you die here, you're delusional. Nobody will be able to seek justice for your crimes if you're dead." Her expression then softened. "Also... I meant it when I said you're probably Sae's closest friend. No one who cares for my sister like that deserves such an awful fate."
A wheezy laugh involuntarily escaped his throat. "You're completely incomprehensible. You're all incomprehensible."
Niijima shrugged, completely unrepentant. "You don't need to understand us, as long as you can fight by our side."
"So, ready for one last dance, Crow?" Amamiya smirked, unsheathing his knife as Goro's cognitive double struggled back to its knees.
The detective returned his rival's grin. "I'm always ready, Joker!"
…..
Walking through the winding halls that made up the latter half of the Velvet Room's prison, relief flooded through Ren as he saw a mop of shaggy brown hair and long waves of silver in two adjacent cells. All he needed to do now was to find Morgana, and that would be all the Phantom Thieves accounted for. The sooner they reunited and kicked the Holy Grail's ass, the better. After a moment's debate, he decided to approach Sae first - she was slightly more predictable than his rival-turned-reluctant-ally. (Not that Goro wasn't still his rival, of course).
The oldest Phantom Thief was curled up in the far end of her cell, looking more despondent than he'd ever seen before. Her appearance was dishevelled - her hair draped over her face like a curtain, and Sae's skin was sallow, with dark rings painted under her eyes like smudged makeup.
Sensing his approach, her crimson eyes flicked his way before returning to the ground. "... Ren-kun."
"Hey." He grinned, leaning against the bars. "Mind joining me out here?"
As expected, the attorney didn't move. "... What's the point? For the first time in my life, I tried standing up for myself and my justice, and look where it got me. I should have known better - if I'd just kept my head down, at least I'd be safe."
"What's the point in safety if it would damn you to a life of misery? If it would make you lose more and more of yourself until you didn't recognise the woman in the mirror in front of you anymore? If you died here, at least you'd have died as Niijima Sae. But you haven't - we're not out for the count yet." Ren offered her his hand. "Besides... wouldn't you rather go down fighting, instead of wasting away here?"
Finally, a fire ignited in Sae's eyes, and a flash of determination crossed her features. "... You're right." Blue flames raced down her figure, business suit replaced with dark armour. As her mask finally reformed, the attorney gave him an appreciative stare. "You have a way with words, you know. If you're so inclined, you could make a good lawyer one day."
He laughed. "Sorry, but I think Sojiro and Yoshida already have dibs on my future." Ren quickly sobered up. "The others are waiting in the centre of the Velvet Room - take a right, and go down the big corridor. You can't miss it."
Giving his farewells to Sae, he moved on to what he had a strange hunch was his final cell. Unlike Sae, who was clearly a mess, Goro was primly seated on the bench, not a hair out of place. If it wasn't for the sharpness of his eyes and his pointed frown, Ren would have thought he was seeing a resurgence of the Detective Prince façade.
As his rival approached, Goro huffed. "... Here to mock me? Laugh at all my failures? I probably would be if I was in your shoes, but then again, the inner workings of your mind are an absolute enigma."
"Nope." Ren popped the p. "This is a prison break."
"Delusional as ever, I see." The former detective snorted, looking away. "Even if I leave this cage right now, what's the point? My vengeance failed - I was just a puppet dancing on my father's strings the whole time. I lost to your merry band of sycophants - I lost to you. My fame, my fortune, my reputation... the second Shido testifies, it'll all go up in smoke. It's just a matter of time. Face it, Ren - I have nothing waiting for me out there. Nothing. I'm ruined anyway. Why not just accept it?" He spat out the last sentence, voice drenched with bitterness.
Ren hesitated - he was well aware he was walking on a tightrope. Still, if Makoto was his rock, Goro was his mirror. The second the words left his mouth, he knew it was the right thing to say. "The point? Justice."
Goro's eyes widened. "... Pardon?"
"You're smart enough to know Shido's legacy won't end with his Change of Heart." He put his hands in his pockets. "The whole reason we came down to Mementos in the first place was because everyone wanted to ignore his crimes. Even once we've stolen the public's heart, there'll still be people out there wanting to protect him, if only to save their own skins. Sure, Zenkichi and his buddies will do their best, but they don't know Shido's crimes like the back of their hands. They don't know all the allies he's made and the lives he's bartered. Only one person does - you."
Brows furrowed, Goro rose to his feet as his Metaverse outfit returned. "... I see." He reflexed his wrist, clenching his gauntleted fist, and straightened up once he'd verified everything was in working order. "While it might not be the revenge I chose, Shido's downfall can still come at my words."
Ren gave him a curt nod. "Exactly. Now, come on - we've got a god to kill."
...
Goro had known exactly what he was getting himself into when he turned himself over to Hasegawa that fateful Christmas Eve, but foresight didn't make solitary confinement any less boring. Maruki's reality had been an unpleasant reprieve from the isolation, but once the councillor's attempt at playing god was foiled, the former detective found himself surrounded yet again by four plain grey walls. It wasn't all bad, though – at least Goro was helping put the final nails in Shido's coffin. It turned out his testimony was invaluable.
When a guard knocked at the door, informing him someone was there to see him, Goro was unphased. Hasegawa had been pestering him whenever he got the chance, and with Commissioner Kaburagi now in charge of the precinct, he didn't need to worry about one of Shido's men stabbing him in the back. Settling down in the visitor's chair, Goro waited patiently as his escorts politely moved back into the hall. He was so certain in his assumption that it was Hasegawa coming back with more questions, when the door opened and a tall woman with silver hair walked through instead, he gaped like an idiot.
"Sae-san?"
"Long time, no see." She replied calmly as she took the seat opposite him.
If Goro had any less composure, he would have fidgeted uncomfortably. He and the former prosecutor hadn't had a proper conversation since his betrayal. The teenager had spent most of December in a coma – Goro didn't even get to see Shido's confession live for crying out loud – and then the double whammy of Yaldabaoth and Maruki had happened. Suffice to say, having an awkward conversation hadn't been one of his priorities.
"Why are you here?" His eyes thinned into slits. "If you're looking for tears of remorse or a snivelling apology, you might as well leave."
Sae folded her arms, unphased. "No, not particularly. What I want is a recollection of your crimes. If I'm going to be defending you, I need all the help I can get."
Goro's brows rose to the roof. He'd heard from Makoto that she was planning to cross over to the other side of the bench, but he hadn't realised it had already happened. But then again, he was pretty sure it was February by now, and Sae was more than qualified to work as a public defender.
"… Congratulations." He offered, assessing her calmly. "I'm surprised you managed to get assigned to my case, however. How many strings did you need to pull?"
"A lot." The woman sighed. "I also managed to make a convincing argument that you were more likely to comply with me due to our past history."
"What history?" Goro sighed, diverting his gaze. "I'll be frank, Sae-san – you were just a convenient tool for me to use."
"Yes, and I was uptight and jealous of the accolades you got. Neither of us were exactly good friends to each other, Akechi-kun." She drummed her fingers against the table. "Still, in the hell that was the SIU, the only thing we really had was each other. Don't say that Shido's lackeys count – you hate them all almost as much as you hate the bastard himself."
Shrugging, he relaxed into his chair. She wasn't wrong, after all. "… Very well. Where would you like me to start?"
"From the beginning." Sae bent down, withdrawing a pen and a clipboard from what Goro assumed was her satchel. "It's an unfortunate inevitability that you'll be spending some time in prison, but I'm hoping I'll be able to cut that down from a life sentence to several years. You're not a threat to the public anymore, and there are better ways to make reparations to those you hurt than rotting in a cubicle."
And so, for the first time ever, Akechi Goro had an honest conversation with Niijima Sae.