August 20th.
With their business in Okinawa having come to a close, the Phantom Thieves were back in the RV, with Hifumi driving the way back to Kyushu, where they would head to Kyoto from there. Makoto had been on the road for a while and it was Hifumi's turn. Even with the two of them doing a majority of the driving, the length of the trip still took it's toll on them.
"It's been a bit since we've heard from Zenkichi. I hope his investigation is going alright..." Ann said. She was happy they finally found a lead, but since they had to sit and wait for more information, she was feeling a little antsy.
"He did say he'd contact us once he figured something out, but it's never easy to wait." Haru told Ann. They were in the same boat and she completely understood that antsy, impatient feeling.
"Let's just be patient for now. He knows what he's doing." Ren said.
"All we can do is wait for him to contact us, after all." Morgana added.
"Zenkichi-san has been a really big help." Sumire smiled. "I have to admit, I didn't think he would be when he approached us..."
"I guess we did end up relyin' on him a lot, huh?" Ryuji realized.
"All of us which to uncover the truth behind this case." Yusuke said. "In this, our goals are aligned."
"..." Akechi didn't say anything. He was still the only one who knew that Zenkichi's partnership with the Phantom Thieves only lasted as long as the case had a lead to follow. The instant that dried up, it was their asses on the line...
"That's right. As long as we keep a look out for Jails, we'll be doing our part." Makoto said with a nod. "That said, we'll arrive in Fukuoka pretty soon. Sophia, do you sense anything?"
Sophia then chimed in from Sumire's phone. "Hmm. Nothing unusual detected. Not even what I felt in Okinawa."
"That is one less thing to worry about." Hifumi let out a relieved sigh. "Although, I suppose it is a bit strange that such a large location doesn't have a Jail."
"If only we could fast travel in reality. That'd make our search a lot easier." Futaba groaned.
"Less Jails means less trouble, though." Haru smiled, seeing the positive in this situation.
"I suppose we can just check Fukouka off then." Makoto nodded. After that, she winced. "Ngh..."
"...What's up, Makoto?" Ren asked, worriedly.
"Oh, it's nothing..." Makoto waved her hand. "It's just my lower back beginning to ache a little from all the driving. I do feel a little better since Hifumi took over, though."
"..." Hifumi didn't say anything, but her expression did contort just a little in discomfort. Ann was in the passenger's seat next to her, so it was very easy for her to see this.
"Fumi...your back is hurting too, isn't it?" Ann asked with obvious concern.
"Just...a little bit..." Hifumi admitted. Even though they had plenty of time off the RV en route to Okinawa, that didn't stop the discomfort from returning fast.
"Get these women to sickbay, ASAP!" Futaba exclaimed.
"Mako-chan, Hifumi, this isn't because you two have been doing all the driving, is it...?" Haru asked, worriedly. She felt bad because she didn't have as much experience on the road as those who could drive.
"It would've been nice to make it to Kyushu as quickly as possible, but I didn't expect this to happen..." Hifumi said with a grunt. She was really feeling it now.
"I can take over." Ren suggested.
"Warning: Driving without a license is unlawful." Sophia chimed in.
"It was a joke..." Ren said. Akechi just sighed.
"Daring suggestions aside, I hope it's not too much trouble if Hifumi and I take a small break." Makoto said.
"I think we need more than just a break." Haru shook her head. "We need rest. It's important to let yourself fully recover."
"Precisely. Straining yourself will only lead to injury." Yusuke said. "Let us rest in Fukuoka for the night."
"Perhaps it's for the best." Akechi said from the back. He had no intentions of offering to drive. "I prefer driving by myself. No distractions."
"...There goes plan B." Sumire opened her mouth to ask Akechi if he would take over, but he answered that.
"If we are in agreement, I will pull off the highway at the first opportunity." Hifumi said. Her back could really use the rest as well.
.
.
A little while later and they were finally able to arrive in Fukouka. "Fukouka at last! Ready to make some nostalgia happen?!" Futaba excitedly asked.
And in turn, Ryuji looked at Futaba like she was out of her mind. "Nostalgia? But this is our first time here!"
"So this is Hakata Station, the gateway to Fukuoka." Yusuke said while staring at the large building in front of them.
"I'm rather grateful there are no traces of a Jail here." Hifumi said while rubbing her back a bit. "I do not think I would be up to full strength..."
"Hey. If we're in Fukouka, and this is a station, shouldn't this be called Fukouka Station?" Ryuji asked. It didn't make sense to him since this was the main station!
"Ugh." Akechi groaned.
"Trivia: interestingly enough, there is a Fukouka Station located in the Toyama Prefecture to the north." Sophie said.
Ann's eyes went wide. "Really? All the way up there? So, does that mean there's a Toyama station here in Fukouka?"
"I don't think they'd switch things up on purpose..." Haru was going to put a pin in this conversation before it went too far off the rails. "I understand this place is Fukuoka's central activity hub. Besides, I think it's more important we find a place for our two drivers to rest."
"We're both sorry for this..." Makoto rubbed her arm. "But thank you for the understanding."
"Of course!" Sumire smiled. "You two have been doing a lot of work. We've asked a lot from the both of you. This is the least we can do."
"We've been making good enough time." Akechi crossed his arms.
"And I think we all could use the break, too. I was starting to get a little hungry." Ren said. "I wonder what foods are popular here."
"Oh, yes, I wish to know that as well!" Sumire beamed.
"We cannot stay in Fukouka without trying any of their delicacies!" Yusuke added. The three of them were completely focused on the food.
"They're thinking with their stomachs again." Ann pointed at the three of them.
"You're hardly different, you know." Hifumi said with a playful smile.
"Alright, Sophia! Do your thing!" Futaba was pointing at Sumire's phone.
"I've already got it." Sophia grinned, feeling proud of herself for being on the ball again.
.
.
It was night now. The group found a place to both rest and eat, taking their time in Fukuoka to enjoy their brief respite. The meal was much needed for everyone's stomachs. "Oh man, how've I've been alive without Hakata tonkotsu?" Ryuji asked.
"I'm awed by the soup's creamy, golden hue, specked with dots of green onions and dashes of red ginger...the three colors combined to form an exquisite harmony in my bowl! U dare nit take another sip, lest this masterpiece be ruined!" Yusuke said while staring at his soup. He wasn't even eating it. He was simply too taken by its appearance to even begin eating it.
"Uh. Your masterpiece is gonna get cold." Ann pointed out.
Meanwhile, Sumire had a number of bowls by her side. "I need more. I can hardly get enough, this is all just so good!"
"I gotta say, these food stalls have their charm! Even I feel at home here!" Morgana said. But he was still hungry, so. "Hey, Ren! Let me have a taste!"
"...Sure. But it's hot." Ren warned.
"So can you blow on it for me first? The feline tongue is sensitive." Morgana asked.
"So this is one of the things that make you admit you're a cat. Ramen." Ryuji shook his head.
"There you are!" A voice directed at them caused the group to blink. To their surprise, it was...Mika, rapidly approaching them.
"Why is she here." Akechi pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Mika?!" Ann's eyes went wide. "Did you follow us here!?"
"Not exactly." Mika shook her head.
"...Oh." Hifumi realized what happened. "She asked me where we were. I was driving at the time so I couldn't answer, but I told her we stopped here and that my back was hurting a bit..."
"I was already on the road, but when Hifumi-chan told me that, I knew I had to come and help." Mika even pulled out a heating pad, wedged herself between Ann and Hifumi, and placed the pad on Hifumi's back. "There!"
"Hey!" Ann huffed.
"Oh...that does feel a little better." Hifumi said with a soft smile. "Thank you."
"Do you by any chance...have a second one?" Makoto was hopeful.
"Sorry, only had the one." Mika practically dismissed Makoto. That reaction was expected, but Makoto was a little hopeful. "Anyway, you're going to Kyoto right? What a coincidence! My next shoot is there too!"
"It's really weird how you keep popping up in the same places we are." Futaba pointed out.
"Can it, shorty." Mika scoffed at Futaba. "That's my line. I had this trip planned in advanced! You all are the ones showing up where I am! But you're bringing Hifumi-chan with you every time, so I won't complain."
"...I mean this in a nice way, but you're not planning to stick with us for very long, are you?" Sumire asked as nicely as possible. "It's just...you know that we're doing something very dangerous and all."
"Oh, I heard all about the details." Mika said with a shrug.
"What do you mean 'you heard'?" Ren lifted a brow. "I'm pretty sure Zenkichi shooed you away."
"He did, but I came back and listened in." Mika replied.
"Because you're about an persistent as a bug." Ann remarked.
"And I totally want in on this Phantom Thief stuff." Mika ignored Ann.
"Mika, I told you that it's too dangerous." Hifumi sighed. She was still on this? Well, she did know Mika, so she should've guessed she wouldn't drop the topic so easily.
"Bad idea. You're not a fighter. You'd get in the way. Frankly, you'd be a burden to the operation and we have enough to deal with." Akechi said bluntly. The others probably would've tried to beat around the bush. "Honestly, it's annoying that you're as involved as you are."
"You could be a little nicer about it, dude." Ryuji sighed.
"...Nah, I think I agree with him this time." Ann nodded.
"I'm merely saying what everyone is thinking. She'd get in the way, plain and simple." Akechi said, going back to his food.
"Then just let me get one of those Persona thingys!" Mika exclaimed with an annoyed huff. "It can't be that hard if Ann of all people can get one."
"Hey!" Ann turned to Mika with an annoyed huff.
"I keep telling you it's not that simple." Hifumi sighed.
"We appreciate your willingness to help but..." Makoto trailed off. "You should really just leave this to us. Besides, wouldn't it interfere with your work?"
"Yes, we wouldn't want to get you wrapped up in our problems when you have important things to do." Haru said with a slow nod.
"I can handle it." Was Mika's response. She really wasn't backing down on this. "Besides, I've been doing such an incredible job with my shoot, we're even ahead of schedule. When the magazine spreads come out, I'm going to be the most famous most in all of Japan! Meanwhile Ann hasn't been able to get a single shoot in weeks."
"You're really asking for it." Ann grumbled.
"You are a very stubborn individual." Yusuke said. "And it doesn't seem like we'll be able to be rid of you so easily. Your tenacity in this regard is inspiring, admittedly."
"I do that to people." Mika flipped her hair, intentionally making sure she hit Ann in the face with it. Annoyed, Ann had no choice but to take a different seat.
"I wonder how much hot air can fill your head before it bursts." Ann glared at Mika.
"That's funny, coming from the airhead. I'm still wondering if there's even anything in there." Mika said with a tilt of her head.
"O-Okay, that's enough you two...!" Hifumi said with an exasperated sigh.
"I'm on your side, Lady Ann!" Morgana said. Mika just rolled her eyes at the annoying cat.
"...I don't think this is a good idea." Sumire said.
"She's too stubborn." Hifumi sighed. "I don't advocate for this either, but she won't quit."
"I don't wanna put her in danger, but I ain't sayin' no to having another hot chick hangin' around." Ryuji said absentmindedly.
At least Mika wasn't attempting to blackmail them or anything. Or...she probably would if she kept being told no enough. Mika was obviously displaying favoritism to Hifumi, but that clearly did not extend to the rest of them. Blackmail was probably on the table and Ren was the only one who realized this in the moment. "...I don't like it either, but we're probably going to have to let her linger."
"Thanks, Ken, I knew you'd see things my way." Mika winked.
"It's...Ren..." Ren was already regretting this decision.
"You can't be serious." Akechi looked at Ren.
"She'd twist our arms and honestly, I'd rather not deal with that right now. It's better we go along with it before she forces us." Ren sighed. Clearly he was against the idea, but he knew that Mika was vindictive enough to blackmail them into it. Being blackmailed into letting her in the group...it was such backwards logic, but alas...
"Well...I trust Ren-senpai." Sumire said with an uneasy smile.
"I dislike this." Ann huffed. She also realized Mika would very easily draw the blackmail cared if she kept getting pushed. "But I'd rather not have her twist our arms. I know she will."
"Yeah..." Hifumi couldn't deny it either. They were basically getting blackmailed without getting blackmailed. Mika's smile said it all.
"I dunno about this at all." Futaba shook her head.
"But this isn't a game." Haru told Mika. "You saw the Jail earlier and the Shadows. I don't think it's wise to put you in the Metaverse at all."
"Oh please, I can handle it." Mika waved her hand dismissively.
"...How are we going to tell Zenkichi about this?" Yusuke brought up a good question.
"We'll figure something out, I guess." Morgana wasn't on board with this.
"Sorry..." Hifumi mouthed to everyone. She felt a little responsible for the way Mika was infringing on their group.
"It's not your fault, Fumi." Ann shook her head.
"I can't imagine it being any worse than this." Akechi rolled his eyes. At least everyone was against it, but they kind of had little choice in the matter. Akechi could sense Mika's vindictiveness. Unfortunately, it was best not to cross her until they could at least ditch her somewhere.
"We can worry about that later." Morgana said. "I think we should let Makoto and Hifumi rest a bit first."
"I think we should rest for the night. I don't know how much it'll help but it should do something." Hifumi said. Mika's heading pad was helping a little bit.
"I'm feeling a little better as well." Makoto nodded. "That being said...I don't know if we'll be road ready tomorrow."
"That's no problem. We can take the day off." Ryuji said with an understanding nod. "We should hit up Gramps and let him know we're staying another night."
"Then let's find Makoto and Fumi a massage place! They deserve it!" Ann beamed.
"Don't worry, Hifumi-chan. I've been told I'm great with my hands." Mika said with a proud smile. Hifumi did blush, however, Mika was transparent.
"I, er, appreciate that..." Hifumi shuffled awkwardly.
"Sophia, can you find the best place around?" Ann asked, making sure Mika knew that she would pale in comparison to whatever she thought she could do. "Because the girls deserve the best!"
"Heeeey!" Mika huffed.
"This is going to get tiresome very quickly." Akechi groaned.
"At least we worked out some of our problems..." Haru remarked. It was weird to agree with Akechi, but their interactions were noticeably less volatile compared to when they left Tokyo.
"I gotta say though, I kinda wish I could do a bit more here. Hifumi and Makoto have been doing all the drivin' and even between the two of 'em, it's still hard..." Ryuji looked over to Ren. "We oughta get our license soon, Ren."
"Yeah, I agree." Ren nodded.
"I'm still a ways off. I'm sorry." Sumire frowned. She and Futaba weren't going to be contributing to driving trips anytime soon.
"Me too. Bleh." Futaba wasn't even sure how good a driver she would be.
"I believe Haru has one, correct?" Yusuke looked at Haru and she nodded. Akechi already wrote himself off from driving the RV, so there was just no point trying to press that idea unless they were desperate.
"That is true...though I am pretty lacking in experience." Haru replied, her lack of confidence in her driving already showing. "But don't worry, Mako-chan and Hifumi! If for any reason you two aren't up to it, I'll take the wheel!"
Hifumi had no idea of the dangers of that sentiment. Makoto, however, did. And despite her condition, she was trying her best to avoid it. "Huh?! O-Oh! Well, as much as I appreciate that...!"
"Is something wrong, Makoto? Your face looks a bit pale." Sophia tilted her head.
"...That's so weird..." Mika was not going to get used to Sophia's presence. Or the talking cat.
"Nope! Nothing at all! Everything's fine...!" Makoto shook her head. It didn't take a genius to know she was worried about Haru for some reason.
"Aw, crap! We better dig in before the noodles get soggy!" Ryuji gasped. They'd been talking the whole time! And so, everyone continued to eat. It was a good meal. "Aw man, I'm stuffed...I can die happy now."
Yusuke was staring into his empty bowl. He reached his limit a while ago. "I suppose I should also throw in the towel. Not a drop of soup remains."
"That was delicious." Ren patted his stomach.
"I think I can go for a few more." Sumire said.
"What in the..." Mika glanced over at the number of bowls Sumire had beside her. The boys had seven. She had ten.
"I can't believe you boys got seven bowl refills! And you got ten!" Futaba pointed at Sumire. "You'd think we were at an all you can eat or something!"
One of the workers approached the table, impressed by the number of bowls on the table. "Well now! It looks like you all had quite a meal! I should let you know, customers that order over five sets of noodles get a free souvenir bowl!"
"For real!? Thanks for the hookup, Pops!" Ryuji grinned while taking the bowl. The man then left after that.
"It looks pretty!" Sumire beamed.
"This should do well to liven up the vehicle's interior." Yusuke smiled.
"How do you eat that much..." Mika shook her head. She had to be meticulous about the things she ate. But she would be lying if she said she wasn't jealous. But she worked too hard for her figure to throw it all away on eating like that.
"Oh! Ren. Zenkichi is on the line." Sophia said.
Ren answered his phone. "Hey, what's up?"
"Hey, where are you guys?" Zenkichi asked, getting straight to business.
"Fukuoka. We had to make a pit stop." Ren answered.
"Gotcha. You're going at a decent pace." Zenkichi replied. "Anyway, I'm calling to let you know I think I found our guy."
"What...!?" Ren gasped. Zenkichi was on speaker, so everyone heard this.
"I'll give you more details in person. Saves us time and energy. Sorry it's so soon, but how soon do you think you can be in Kyoto?" Zenkichi was hoping for them to arrive as quickly as possible.
"Yeah, uh...we might be a little bit. Hifumi and Makoto aren't in top shape. Akechi doesn't think he'd be good to drive the RV either, for a few reasons, so..." Ren trailed off.
"Huh. Togo and Niijima are down, huh? Of all the rotten luck..." Zenkichi furrowed his brows. If Akechi was unwilling, they still had at least one person who could drive. "What about Okumura? She has her license, right? All she'd have to do is take the Sanyodo from Fukuoka to Kyoto. Not a tough drive by any means. I hate to lay the pressure on, but we don't have much time. A lot rides on this."
"So he finally found the mastermind? About time." Akechi said while standing up.
"Finally! We can go kick that guy's ass!" Ryuji said excitedly.
"You mean I'll barely have any time to do a part of the group!?" Mika groaned. She was hoping she'd have a little more time...
"We should leave tomorrow morning." Hifumi looked at Makoto. They might just have to make due as they are...
"As true as this is, you two should be careful not to hurt yourselves." Morgana said.
"...No way am I getting in that RV with such a big crowd." Mika shook her head.
"Works for me." Ann shrugged. At least she'd have some safe haven from Mika's intrusiveness.
"It looks like our long journey is finally coming to an end." Yusuke said.
"Alright guys. It's showtime." Ren said while standing up. "Everyone get some rest. I have a feeling things are gonna go high gear tomorrow."
"Right!" Everyone nodded.
.
.
August 21st
Everyone aside from Mika gathered in the RV. Makoto was behind the wheel with Hifumi next to her. They were going to do their best to drive ahead. "How far's Kyoto from here?" Ryuji asked.
"Roughly eight hours by highway." Sophia said.
"Then we'll most likely make it by sundown." Futaba nodded. "Bathroom breaks: done! Seats: comfy! Snacks: ready for consumption!"
"It looks like we're ready." Akechi said from the back.
"...Are you two okay to drive?" Haru looked to Hifumi and Makoto.
"Honestly, I'm not one hundred percent." Makoto admitted.
"I feel better than yesterday, but not by much." Hifumi shook her head. Even if she and Makoto divided up the driving as usual, it was looking rough for the both of them.
"I see..." Haru looked down for a moment. Hifumi and Makoto were doing so much work, even going so far as to push themselves. Harsu wanted to be more useful, and she was going to be. "Mako-chan. I'm taking over!"
"Huh!?" Makoto's eyes went wide. That was the one thing she didn't want to happen. It happened so fast. Hifumi shuffled to the back, while Makoto moved to the passenger's side, and Haru took the wheel, eyes closed as she began to focus. "You know, Haru...you don't have to force yourself." Makoto said, afraid.
"Makoto is looking paler than ever now!" Sophia commented.
"..." Haru took a deep breath.
"You don't gotta be nervous! Just take it nice and slow!" Ryuji said with an encouraging smile.
"Yeah, you'll do great, Haru-senpai!" Sumire cheered.
"Heh..." Haru let out an almost evil, unsettling chuckle. This made everyone uncomfortable and put them on high alert.
"Uh. Haru...?" Ann turned around.
Haru then giggled cutely. But it was pretty terrifying. "I think I'll be just fine. In fact, I have a special technique that'll make your head spin."
"What." Futaba felt her heart drop. "Uh...is she okay? I'm gettin' a bad feelin' about this!"
"Um. What is this technique...?" Ren had fear in his voice.
"..." Akechi looked serious. Because the second Haru giggled, he felt like his life was in danger as if it were the Metaverse.
"Um. I never really told you guys this..." Makoto began, swallowing the nervous lump in her throat. "But the moment Haru's hands touch the wheel..."
"Get ready to shift into overdrive!" Haru wasn't going to let Makoto finish that sentence. She put the pedal to the metal, and drove off at speeds that absolutely exceeded the speed limit! All the others could do was scream in horror and terror as they had to endure a several hour car drive with Haru behind the wheel. Kyoto waited for them, but with this demon driving, would they even make it there alive?
Haru was the only one who thought so.