8/15 Monday
"Kouga!"
A brilliant bright light flashed onto the shadow, easily dispatching it.
Suddenly, another shadow appeared, trying to strike.
Quickly, she pulled out her derringer, firing several shots before the shadow fell to the ground.
Wasting no time, she struck with her spear, finishing the shadow for good…
… Before falling to her knees.
"H-How… long… was that?" Eiko gasped, completely exhausted. "It felt like an hour."
"About… 15 minutes actually." Makoto stated.
Eiko groaned. "Ugh! Seriously?! That's not long at all."
"Still, it's an improvement over last time." Makoto pointed out.
"… But it's still not good enough, right?" Eiko
muttered.
"I… I'm sorry. It's just…" Makoto trailed off.
Eiko sighed. "I get it. You guys spend hours hunting your targets, huh? Joan and I just can't keep up, even against these weak enemies."
"Well… maybe with a little more training…" Makoto encouraged.
"You were able to use your persona for a long time from the start, right…" Eiko frowned.
"Well…"
To be honest, she considered it a blessing in disguise that Eiko hadn't fully awakened her persona yet. Considering how they were currently being accused of murder, she didn't want Eiko to be any more involved than necessary.
"Well, we've worked on your physical abilities, so how about your mental ones?" Makoto suggested. "Have you been studying for the upcoming exams?"
"I have, but… I'm still struggling with some of the material." Eiko admitted.
"Then we can study together." Makoto offered.
"… Ok. Thanks Prez." Eiko muttered.
The two of them exited the Metaverse, going into the school library to study for their exams.
After about an hour of studying, Makoto excused herself, heading to a council meeting.
Thankfully, everyone was able to make it, as per usual.
"Sorry to have a meeting so close to exams, but we have to talk about what we're going to be doing for the school festival." Makoto said.
"It's alright. It's coming up this month, so we really should start preparing sooner rather than later." Chiaki reasoned.
"We've already made several preparations, but there are still a few important things that we need to work on." Kayo explained.
"Hmm… like what?" Makoto asked.
"... Special guest." Akemi mumbled.
"Yeah, that!" Kayo exclaimed. "We need to find out who the speaker is going to be!"
"So, do you have anyone in mind?" Chiaki asked.
"Special guest?" Makoto repeated. "Oh, right! I nearly forgot…"
Usually, the school would invite a special guest over to the school festival, and they would speak to the student body.
She imagined that with all the controversy surrounding the school this year, however, it would be rather difficult to find someone who would willingly come to speak at the school.
"Any ideas on who we should invite?" Kayo asked.
"This is a longshot, but what about that 'Ace Detective' they keep talking about on the news." Daichi suggested.
"Oh! I've heard of them!" Kayo exclaimed. "People have been speaking to him a lot more recently ever since the, um… that incident with the Phantom Thieves."
"P-People are… scared now that t-they've killed…" Akemi muttered.
"Right… This detective guy was talking about how dangerous they were from the beginning, but only now are people starting to believe them." Daichi mentioned.
Quickly wanting to get the attention off of the Phantom Thieves, she spoke up.
"Oh, you mean Akechi-kun, right?" Makoto asked.
"Yeah, that was it. Goro Akechi." Chiaki nodded.
"Wait! Akechi-kun? Niijima-sempai, do you two know each other?" Kayo gasped.
"We know each other through my sister. We've hung out a few times." Makoto replied.
"WHAAAAAAAAAT!" Kayo exclaimed. "You never told us you knew a celebrity!"
"It looks like your esteemed president has friends in high places." Daichi chuckled.
"I-It's not that big of a deal." Makoto insisted. "A-Anyways… What were you all doing to help prepare for the festival?"
"I'll just help out with preparations for the main event." Chiaki offered.
"There'll be a booth selling school merchandise." Daichi brought up. "I can help with that."
"Oh! And there's gonna be a haunted house attraction too!" Kayo exclaimed. "I think I'll help out with that! I might even write some spoooooky poetry for them to display!"
"I-I can… c-cook some food to serve…" Akemi mumbled.
"Alright then." Makoto nodded. "I'm glad you all have found something to help out with."
"So what about you, Makoto?" Kayo asked. "What are you going to be doing?"
"I'll have a talk with Akechi-kun, Chiaki." Makoto answered. "Hopefully he'll agree to speak to the student body."
Considering that Akechi was working with the police, she might be able to glean some information out of him.
"Ooooh, since when did you two start calling each by your first names?" Kayo giggled. "Are you two friends now?"
"Tch… stop being so nosy." Chiaki scoffed. "Now then, was there anything else?"
They continued to talk about various other issues before ending the meeting.
The others soon left, leaving only her and Chiaki.
"Hey, Makoto." Chiaki called.
"Hello." Makoto greeted. "How's… everything been going?"
"They've been well." Chiaki answered. "Last I heard, those two brothers who were harassing my family turned themselves in. In the meantime, I've been trying to help my grandparents so that they don't get tricked by those types of scams again."
"How's that been going?" Makoto asked.
"... It's been a struggle." Chiaki groaned. "But I think they're beginning to understand."
"That's good." Makoto smiled. "But what about you? Were you going to quit your job at Crossroads?"
"Actually… I might stay there for a little longer." Chiaki admitted. "I actually enjoy it, and it'll be nice to make a little extra money on the side. But…"
"But…?" Makoto repeated.
"... Maybe I'm just being overly paranoid, but… everything seemed to go exceptionally well. Almost… too well." Chiaki frowned. "Those two suddenly backing off… did you have anything to do with that, Makoto?"
She attempted to keep her expression neutral, not wanting to give anything away.
"No, I didn't." Makoto lied. "I was going to ask my sister for advice, but it seems as if the situation has resolved itself."
Chiaki raised an eyebrow, seemingly unconvinced.
"Well… I guess you're entitled to your secrets." Chiaki smirked. "I won't pry then."
"Err…" Makoto trailed off.
"Heh… you're not that good at hiding things." Chiaki said. "But it's fine. I have to get some studying in, so see you later."
"Y-Yeah! See you." Makoto replied.
She felt closer to Chiaki.
TOWER CONFIDANT: RANK 8
"I hope that you've been getting some studying in too, Makoto." Chiaki stated. "I wouldn't want to take the top spot from you too easily."
Despite her words, she could tell by her tone and expression that Chiaki was just joking.
"Don't worry. I don't intend to give it up that easily." Makoto smiled.
After discussing a few more matters with Chiaki, Makoto went home for the day.
8/16 Tuesday
The moment that classes ended for the day, she immediately ran into Ann outside of school.
"Hey, Makoto, wait up!" Ann shouted.
"Hello, Ann." Makoto greeted. "Did you need something?"
"I was just thinking about Mika recently." Ann answered. "If I want to keep up with her, I'm going to need a routine of my own. And I'll start with exercise!"
"That sounds like a good place to start." Makoto agreed. "So did you want to come with you and help?"
"Yup!" Ann beamed. "I got Ren and Ryuji to help out too! They told me about this gym the two of them visit sometimes."
She must have been talking about Protein Lovers.
"Alright then. Lead the way." Makoto smiled.
The two girls went over to the gym, seeing Ryuji and Ren already there.
Ryuji was trying out a treadmill, while Ren was…
Practicing some martial arts on a training dummy…
Without a shirt on…
"Oh, hey Makoto. You came to help Ann out too?" Ren asked.
"Um, ah… um… I, um…" Makoto mumbled.
She could hear Ann giggling behind her.
Sensing her dilemma, Ren slowly approached her, a smirk on his face.
"Something wrong, Mako?" Ren innocently said. "You look like you're overheating. Might wanna try rebooting."
"I-Is that a robot joke?!" Makoto snapped.
"Maybe."
Ugh!
Why did he have to be so smug?!
Just because she was a little distracted by seeing the sweat slowly dripping down his… well… toned… abs…
"REN, P-PUT YOUR SHIRT BACK ON!" Makoto squeaked.
Ren chuckled, but complied.
"Yeah, guess we should start on Ann's training." Ren said.
"Me and Ren actually come here every now and again. It's a nice place." Ryuji grinned.
"It's perfect!" Ann exclaimed. "It's time for me to slim down!"
"… Any slimer and you'll be skin and bones." Ryuji replied.
"S-Shut up!" Ann shouted. "I mean… I wanna tone my body! Jogging isn't enough! I gotta lift weights too! Oh, and my shoulders are dropping a bit, so I gotta work on my biceps, and I need to straighten out my back! I don't want to have back problems when I'm old."
"Pretty sure you'll have back problems anyway cause of how big your-"
"Ryuji, are you gonna help or not?!" Ann snapped.
"Alright, alright!" Ryuji agreed. "So maybe we should…"
"Oh! And also!" Ann exclaimed, cutting him off. "I want to slim my waist down too, and firm up my calves!"
"Ok, then-"
"Oh, and firm up my butt too!" Ann exclaimed.
Immediately, Ann turned to Makoto, pointing at her.
"Makoto, you have to tell me your secret!" Ann demanded.
"W-W-What?!" Makoto squeaked.
"Don't try to deny it! I've seen you in your Metaverse outfit!" Ann argued.
"C-Can we please talk about something else!" Makoto stammered.
"Well, motivation is good and all, but maybe you shouldn't focus on everything at once." Ren suggested.
"In that case, you guys will have to come up with a training plan for me." Ann requested.
"Jeez, what a pain." Ryuji groaned.
"Ahh, come on… pleaaaase?" Ann sweetly asked.
"Come on, I didn't say that I wouldn't do it." Ryuji replied. "You don't gotta bust out the puppy dog eyes."
"Hehehe, thanks Ryuji. I've never really been to gyms all that much before." Ann beamed.
Suddenly, Ann's phone began to ring.
"Oh, it's my agency!" Ann realized. "Hang on a sec."
Ann answered the phone, speaking to her agency on the other line.
"Hi! …Oh, yeah, definitely!" Ann beamed. "Even a smaller article would be great!"
As she continued to speak, however, Ann's expression quickly turned to a frown.
"Huh? It fell through? Oh… ok. I see." Ann muttered. "I guess that's ok…"
Ann got off the phone, sighing to herself.
"What happened?" Makoto asked.
"I was supposed to be in a magazine next month, but they canceled on me." Ann admitted. "It was a black-and-white shoot, so they said that I wouldn't stand out."
"Well, guess that's just somethin' else that you'll have to work on, then." Ryuji replied.
"Alright then!" Ann grinned. "I'm sure that there's somewhere that my vibrant charm will shine!"
"We'll help you however we can, Ann!" Makoto promised.
"Come to think of it… I've heard a lot of the other guys around school talking about this one model." Ren mentioned. "They said she had an 'innocent, but sexy look' to her."
"Hmm… did she have pictures that included me?" Ann asked.
"I think they did, actually." Ren noted.
"... And did they have long, brown hair?" Ann glared.
"... Uh, yeah…" Ren trailed off. "I'm guessing you know her?"
"Ugh… of all the girls they could be talking about, it had to be Mika!" Ann snapped. "That's it, let's get started right now!"
Ann immediately ran over to the exercise equipment, ready to push herself to the limit.
Finally, after a long workout, Ann fell to the floor in exhaustion.
"Uggggh…. Everything hurts…" Ann groaned. "But… at the same time… I feel kinda satisfied!"
"That's what an intense workout feels like!" Ryuji grinned. "Pretty good, huh?"
"Yeah, that was actually pretty fun." Ann admitted. "I think you guys being here really helped."
"That's the spirit!" Ryuji exclaimed. "Keep it up and you'll be better than that Mika girl or whatever in no time!"
"Yeah!" Ann agreed, eyes brimming with determination. "I just wish that I had come up with all of this sooner."
"You… were dealing with a lot." Makoto pointed out. "It's understandable that it wouldn't be at the forefront of your mind."
"I guess…" Ann trailed off.
"Still, better late than never." Ren encouraged.
"Yeah, you're right. Ann nodded.
"Well, I'll see you guys around." Ryuji waved. "I gotta go pick up groceries for my mom and have dinner with her!"
Ryuji ran off, leaving the three of them alone.
"Heh… he has a nice relationship with his mom." Ann smiled. "It's nice…"
"Ann?" Makoto questioned.
"Seriously, thanks, you guys." Ann beamed. "I really appreciate your help. Now… I'll work just as hard as Shiho, and show her I'll be ok… even with her gone."
"I'm sure that she already knows how strong you are." Makoto replied.
"Thanks. But I still want to show her!" Ann declared. "I don't want her worrying about me!"
She felt a little closer to Ann, feeling a strong determination from her.
LOVERS CONFIDANT: RANK 8
"Alright, I'll be leaving now. What about you two?" Ren asked.
"Yeah, same… although my legs are really sore…" Ann groaned.
"I'll be leaving too. I want to get some last-minute studying in for the exams tomorrow." Makoto answered.
"WAIT, WHAT?!" Ann yelled in horror. "Oh God, t-there are exams tomorrow, aren't there?!"
"Ann… please tell me you at least got some studying in?" Makoto sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.
"O-Of course I did! I just… I totally forgot to study today! I'm going to cram like there's no tomorrow!" Ann shouted.
"Just make sure to get some sle-"
"Thaaaanks Makoto!" Ann shouted, running off.
"I'm out of here!"
She let out a sigh as she ran off.
Maybe Shiho was right to worry…
Hopefully Ann would do alright during exams…
"So, are you going to tell her your secret?" Ren chuckled.
Makoto's eye twitched. "Somehow I knew that you'd tease me about that."
"Sorry, sorry!" Ren laughed. "I know how much you dislike being the butt of the joke."
She groaned.
"You done?" She asked.
"I think I've got a few more in me, actually." Ren replied.
"You're incorrigible." Makoto sighed.
Despite her words, however, his antics did put a small smile on her face.
"Anyway… what about you, Ren?" Makoto asked. "How do you think you'll do on the exams."
"Me? Well, I'm pretty confident actually." Ren grinned. "I'm sure that I'll do great, but…"
"But what?"
"Hmm… maybe I do a little better if I… got a good luck kiss." Ren smirked.
"W-What?!" she stammered.
She tried to hide the blush on her face as he started to laugh.
Why did he have to be like this?
Quickly, she glanced around, making sure that no one was watching, and pecked Ren's cheek.
"T-There!" she stuttered. "Now you'd better ace your exams!"
"Haha… I, uh… I guess I really can't afford to fail now." Ren smiled. "Want me to walk you to the bus stop?"
"Please." Makoto nodded.
Her workout with Ann now over, Makoto went home for the day…
8/17 Wednesday
Thankfully, she had somehow managed to find time to study, even with everything that had been going on recently.
Because of that, exams had thankfully not been too bad for her, although some questions did take her a little longer than she would have liked.
Still, she finished with plenty of time to spare, and was confident in her answers.
Hopefully the others were doing alright too…
Feeling a bit concerned, Makoto decided to call a quick group meeting that would double as a study session.
When she arrived at the Leblanc attic, she saw that everyone had arrived. Ann and Ryuji, however… both had their heads on the table.
"Um… are you two ok?" Makoto asked.
"Uggggggh… exams suck!" Ann groaned.
"I swear, I couldn't understand half of the questions." Ryuji muttered.
"They've been like this the entire time. I assume the exams went poorly." Yusuke frowned.
"Why are you even here, Yusuke?!" Ryuji snapped. "You don't have exams at the same time as us!"
"This meeting isn't just for studying." Morgana pointed out. "There are other things we have to discuss."
"Indeed! Taste testing Haru's vegetables are of the utmost importance!" Yusuke declared.
"…What?" Makoto asked.
"Oh, um… the vegetables that I've been growing at school were ready, so I thought to have everyone try them." Haru replied.
"They're quite invigorating!" Yusuke declared.
"Would you like to try one, Makoto?" Haru asked.
"Oh, alright." Makoto said, grabbing a vegetable for herself.
She took a bite out of it, eyes widening as she suddenly found herself filled with energy.
"W-Wow…" Makoto whispered. "They're pretty good, Haru."
"Thank you, Mako-chan!" Haru beamed. "Oh, but… we should probably talk about what happened, huh?"
Makoto nodded. "Right."
She explained to everyone about the found calling card and the investigation into them.
"FOR REAL?!" Ryuji shouted. "That's total bullshit! We didn't target that guy at all!"
"It looks as if they're trying to frame us again." Makoto frowned.
"So it's just like what happened with the principal." Ann realized.
"Exactly." Makoto nodded. "They must have planned this out as soon as they figured out that we had changed Okumura's heart. Either Okumura would take us out… or we change his heart, allowing them to take him out and blame us for it."
"So what's the plan from here?" Ren asked. "I imagine that we'll have to be extra careful for now, but I'm not sure what else we can do."
"I… might have an idea on how to go about our next move." Makoto replied.
"Really?" Futaba wondered. "What's the plan then?"
"Haru told me that both my sister and Akechi were investigating around her house after Okumura's death." Makoto explained. "I… don't think that my sister would be willing to spare any information, but Akechi might be different."
"Are you sure?" Yusuke asked. "He's always been rather critical of the Phantom Thieves."
"I know, but it still might be our best bet." Makoto sighed. "And thankfully, we have a convenient excuse to talk to him."
"Oh! The school festival?" Haru asked.
"Exactly." Makoto nodded. "He's being talked about quite a bit as of late, and a lot of students are hoping that he could be a guest speaker."
"Ugh… that guy gets on my nerves." Ryuji scowled. "He's been against us from the very beginning."
"Maybe so, but he's also our best chance at getting information." Makoto reasoned.
"A lot of students have been talking about the Phantom Thieves recently." Ren brought up. "So it wouldn't be too unusual if we were to ask him about it."
"We'll have to be cautious, but if we're able to get any information on the police's investigation, it'll really help us in the long run. Any objections?
Glancing around, she saw that the others all looked determined to see the plan through.
"Alright. Then that's what we'll do." Makoto nodded. "I'll try and talk to Akechi and see if he can come and speak to the student body."
Everyone began to talk about the upcoming school festival and all of the different aspects of it, from the speech, to the attractions, to the food…
She began to wonder… maybe Ren would like it if she made something for the school festival.
Maybe something sweet this time.
"Actually, while you're all here, there's something that I wanted to speak to you all about." Yusuke admitted. "It's not about the festival, but I was hoping that I could get some advice."
"Wait… do you have exams?" Ryuji asked.
"Sorry, Yusuke, I don't think Ryuji and I could help you with that." Ann admitted.
"… I'm not that desperate." Yusuke bluntly stated. "You see, I was planning to display my work in a competition."
"The one organized by Kawanabe, correct?" Makoto recalled.
Yusuke nodded. "I must win and prove to him my ability and passion for art! However… I am having trouble determining what my next subject should be."
"Still suffering from artist's block…" Makoto said, giving a sympathetic look. "Maybe we could help you think of something."
"What does the winner of the competition get?" Haru asked.
"Well, while I mostly want the satisfaction of winning, there is also a cash prize." Yusuke admitted. "And, well, I don't want to make it seem like I'm only competing for that, but…"
"But..?" Makoto repeated.
"Now, this may come as a surprise, but I am not very good with money." Yusuke stated.
"Oh, gee Inari, we never knew." Futaba deadpanned.
"Well, have you tried paintin' people again?" Ryuji asked. "That might work."
"Yeah, I'm sure you paint someone really pretty, Yusuke!" Ann encouraged.
"Hmm… once again, we return to the topic of beauty." Yusuke noted. "Before, I had attempted to draw you, Makoto. However… not that I know you, I'm not sure if I could paint you beautifully."
"W-What? Why not?" Makoto asked.
"I would… be more inclined to paint you as a savage warrior! A fearsome force on the battlefield!" Yusuke said dramatically. "Ferocious, yet noble… perhaps, like a bear?"
"A-A bear?!" Makoto gasped.
"Well, I mean, Buchi is a-"
"Hush, Ren!" Makoto exclaimed.
"Now, now, Yusuke." Haru giggled. "Mako-chan is plenty beautiful!"
"Ugh…" Makoto groaned, burying her face in her hands.
She was supposed to be the leader! How did she always end up as the butt of the joke?!
"I just wish that I was able to paint something as pure as the Sayuri…" Yusuke trailed off. "Where have all of my studies gone…"
"What exactly do you mean by pure beauty anyway?" Morgana asked.
"When I look at the Sayuri… what I get isn't beauty… but gentleness, I suppose." Ren mentioned.
"Yeah, I felt the same thing when I first looked at it." Makoto agreed.
"When I look at it…" Futaba trailed off. "It feels like I'm a baby in my mom's arms… and she's like she's telling me everything is going to be ok."
"I see… I couldn't grasp that myself." Yusuke frowned. "Has my heart grown cloudy?"
"Cloudy? What do you mean?" Haru asked.
"Painting used to be all my heart desired." Yusuke explained. "I needed nothing else in life. But now… I have become overwhelmed by the desire to prove myself to Kawanabe! To the world! How am I any different from Madarame, desperate for fame as I am?! I've been chasing pure beauty… only to discover the ugliness inside of me."
"Listen man, there ain't nothin' wrong with wanting to make a living." Ryuji said.
"And there's nothing wrong with wanting to be acknowledged too." Haru added. "I think that it's important to maintain a healthy balance."
"That seems to be the case, but… maintaining that balance seems difficult." Yusuke frowned.
"You know, it was the same for me when I was on the track team." Ryuji said. "I wanted people to praise me and think I was an amazing track runner. Course, I also wanted to help out the rest of the team too."
"I see…" Yusuke trailed off. "The Sayuri's warmth and gentleness… perhaps it was for all who gaze upon it."
Yusuke suddenly stood up from his seat.
"I understand now!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"Eh? Understand what, Inari?" Futaba asked.
"I see now that beauty is not just some superficial thing! It is something that wells up in the heart until it breaks free!" Yusuke declared. "It is a gift from the subject to the viewer!"
Yusuke turned towards everyone, nodding his head.
"You all have been a tremendous help." Yusuke nodded. "Thank you all so much!"
"Uh… yeah, glad to help." Ryuji responded, unsure what exactly Yusuke was talking about.
"It seems like you've had a bit of a breakthrough." Makoto smiled. "I'm glad."
She felt closer to Yusuke.
EMPEROR CONFIDANT: RANK 8
"Hahaha! The time has come! The time for my brush to meet a beautiful canvas!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"Geez, Inari, you're acting even weirder than usual." Futaba laughed.
"But he does seem quite inspired." Haru pointed out.
"If you need help again, then I'd be happy to assist you however I can." Makoto promised.
"Thank you." Yusuke said. "I may take you up on that offer."
Yusuke quickly left Leblanc, eager to begin painting again.
After speaking to the others for a little longer, she went home for the day herself.
Makoto's Confidant Progress:
THE FOOL - Ren Amamiya: Rank 9
THE HUNGER - Igor: Rank 9
THE CHARIOT - Ryuji Sakamoto: Rank 8
THE MAGICIAN - Morgana: Rank 8
THE FAITH - Eiko Takao: Rank 7
THE TOWER - Chiaki Yasui: Rank 8
THE SUN - Shiho Suzui: Rank 8
THE MOON - Takayo Tachibana: Rank 8
THE HIEROPHANT - Sojiro Sakura: Rank 7
THE TEMPERANCE - Naoya Makigami: Rank 7
THE STAR - Hifumi Togo: Rank 6
THE DEVIL - Mitsuhide Matsuoka: Rank 5
THE HANGED MAN - Munehisa Iwai: Rank 5
THE DEATH - Yohei Kiritani: Rank 6
THE EMPEROR - Yusuke Kitagawa: Rank 8
THE EMPRESS - Haru Okumura: Rank 5
THE LOVERS - Ann Takamaki: Rank 8
THE HERMIT - Futaba Sakura: Rank 5
THE STRENGTH - Caroline and Justine: Rank 7
THE JUSTICE - Goro Akechi: Rank 4
THE PRIESTESS - Kasumi Yoshizawa: Rank 5
THE FORTUNE - Phantom Thieves of Heart: Rank 7
THE JUDGMENT - Sae Niijima: Rank 6
THE COUNCILOR - Takuto Maruki: Rank 8
Are the Phantom Thieves just? Yes 62.1%
