Origins: Goro Akechi
Smash Mansion, Morning
Ren and Ann were always the early risers of The Phantom Thieves. Yusuke would often stay up late into the night sketching something, whereas Ryuji and Futaba were most likely to play video games until the wee hours of the morning. Morgana, being part cat, was perfectly content being an idle layabout if the circumstances warranted. Even Makoto and Haru, who most of the time were wide awake with The Lover and The Trickster, could fall into the pattern of typical teenage laziness when there wasn't studying or botany to be done respectively. But this was all the better for the couple because it gave them the opportunity for an excursion to explore the Mansion. First stopping to have a quick breakfast with Ike and Pichu, during which they quietly made small talk, discussing the newcomer Porky Minch, and how obnoxious he and Wario would be as a combined force. Quickly bidding the strong silent mercenary and his sleepy rat companion adieu, Ren and Ann headed down to Smash Park, a small, enclosed walking trail that was the rest area in the Melee tournament's All-Star gauntlet training simulation but now used for the Smashers who wished for quiet time away. Ann and Ren took their seats on a bench a few yards away from the fountain that was one of the hallmarks of the park. Ren watched with fascination as Miss Trainer, as she was known, and Lucario did yoga together, waxing muted philosophical about 'chi' and 'aura'.
That's when Joker notice Ann nuzzle herself into his arm. Ann had been especially affectionate this morning, but there had been a lot of starting and stopping going on, where she would begin to snuggle in close but pull away. Perhaps roaming the halls of the mansion wasn't the best setting, or maybe she felt uncomfortable with too much PDA in front of their breakfast companions…
Joker kissed Ann delicately on the forehead, who sighed dreamily closing her eyes. Joker couldn't help but mirror her sigh. It was a beautiful spring morning, and they likely had an hour, if not several, before any of their colleagues came looking for them.
"DUUUUDE! DUUUDE!" Ren heard a familiar voice cry from far away.
Running down the sidewalk, that lead to Smash Park, in his pajamas no less, was Ryuji. It was when Ryuji came into view that he was barefoot, and clad in the shorts and tank top he had slept in.
"Dude, for real?" Ann said, rolling her eyes, "You couldn't even bother to put on shoes. Now you're going to track mud all over the..."
"Ann, Ren, you don't understand. I just got a ping from Mario. Akechi's alive!"
The news caught Ren so harshly off guard he inhaled too quickly, choking on the saliva that had once rested in his mouth, while Ann squealed, "WHAT? HOW?" catching the attention of the Wii Fit Trainer and Lucario.
Miss Trainer's tree stance softened to a more human posture as she turned to look at them. Lucario, conversely, kept his stance, his head snapping to glance at them, " Grrr, what's all the racket?" growled the irritable Steel Type.
"W-we just found out a friend of ours is alive when we thought he was dead before, and we have to go recruit him into Smash Bros in an hour. Sorry for interrupting you guys," explained Ryuji
Miss Trainer shrugged, "Think nothing of it. And remember, in a labor-intensive activity it's always important to practice deep, mindful breathing."
"Got it, Miss Trainer." Ren said with a nod, turning to his colleagues, "Well guys. I think there's somewhere we have to be."
1 hour later
"I'm sorry Makoto, but…run that theory by me again?" asked a sleepy Yusuke as The Phantom Thieves of Heart, in full gear, took the final stretch of their journey to the Portal Room.
"It's something I've kept in the back of my mind ever since Shido's palace," began Makoto, "There was the cognitive Akechi, the Shido-created one, and our Akechi. There were two gunshots, but we couldn't confirm either of them were self-inflicted by our Goro."
"Do you think Akechi could've turned off his signal willingly somehow?" asked Futaba.
"That's exactly what I thought Futaba!" Makoto shouted, snapping her fingers for emphasis, " We always knew Akechi was powerful, I don't think anything like that is out of the realm of possibility."
Yusuke chuckled, "Hmmm, of course, it stands to reason that if we could find ourselves in the realm of Phantom Thievery once again, Akechi could also rise like a phoenix."
Ann smiled at the blue-haired artist, "Ya know, when you put it that way, this whole thing seems less…crazy."
"What is crazy at this point though right? Ren shot God in the face on Christmas Eve for cryin' out loud," exclaimed Ryuji.
Joker couldn't help but grin like a Cheshire cat at that, to which Ann rolled her eyes, "You never get tired of hearing that do you baby?" she said as they rounded the final corner.
"No, because it sounds completely absurd, even having done it."
"Man, if we licensed out the Phantom Thieves story out as an anime, it wouldn't look nearly as wacky as what actually happened" remarked Futaba.
"Oh, do you think La Blanc would become a themed anime cafe then, if only for a while?" Haru asked
Futaba snorted very loudly with laughter, while Ren smiled even more broadly
"Oh, man! Getting Dad to do anything anime related is…"
"Guys! We're about to enter the Portal Room!" snapped Morgana, "Professional faces on!"
The group quieted as they went through the doors of the Portal Room, where ROB was standing to greet them, "Recruit name, Goro Akechi. Recruit location, Big River, Montana. Smashers handling the recruitment are The Phantom Thieves of Heart."
"Excuse me…uh…ROB, do you know why Akechi ended up there?" Morgana piped in
"I have been informed that Akechi's current place of employment, Mary's Inn, was named one of the best producers of pancakes in your United States of America."
"THAT SON OF A-!" Ryuji shouted, but Makoto held up a hand, all while stifling her laughter.
"Of course, he would give police a big visible hunch like that, and then dissolve his paper trail so no one could ever find him," Makoto said.
"Even if he did con the public on the mental shutdown, he never missed a trick," Ren added.
"ROB, does he know about our powers?" Haru asked.
"Negative," droned the robot, "This would be logically impossible as well, as he has only been there for a few months, so it is doubtful he could've discovered the Metaverse reincarnation."
"Alright guys," Ren began, " We need to be extremely careful about how we approach this. Things could really go bad if he discovers he can use his powers outside of Momentos. That said, I believe in all of you to do your best. ROB, fire up the portal!"
"Affirmative. Something you also should know, if Akechi joins us, we can help him get the criminal charges against him."
"Woah, for real?" shouted Ryuji, "Which one of you is a lawyer?"
"Isabelle!" Haru answered.
"What? The dog's a lawyer? You've gotta be kidding me!"
"She has several other degrees of study as well. It's really quite fascinating," said Haru
"It sounds like she and Makoto would get along quite well," Yusuke responded as Makoto rolled her eyes
"Guys focus! Going through the portal all together now, in three, two one!" commanded Joker
With this, all the Thieves jumped through the portal.
Big River, Montana,
Sunday morning
Some people say a man is made outta mud
A poor man's made outta muscle and blood
Muscle and blood and skin and bones
A mind that's a-weak and a back that's strong
Goro Akechi bit his lip as he bussed tables at the old restaurant he called his job. Mary's Inn was modeled on the inside to look like a log cabin, which gave the illusion of a warm, family environment. Of course, that was unless you were a lowly busboy who hated American country songs from the 1950s, as Akechi had come to. He hadn't minded any type of music in particular before this part of his life., but hearing songs like this one on a fairly limited playlist was grating at him. Every day since he'd began working at Mary's he cursed the day he'd decided to use the money he'd siphoned from Shido to move here of all places.
You load sixteen tons, what do you get
Another day older and deeper in debt
Saint Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go
I owe my soul to the company store
No, thought Akechi, I will not sell my soul to this rotten place.
"Hey, whatcha thinkin' about Goro?" asked a Montana-accented voice.
Akechi looked up from the table he was wiping down with a smile. It was Magdalene, or Maggie, as she preferred to be called. The blond, buxom, 18-year-old granddaughter of the owner and chef, Benjamin, looked like something out of a wartime American propaganda film.
"You doing okay hun?" she asked
"Oh. Just thinking is all," said Goro
"Well don't be thinking too much! Sunday service just ended at the church, and we've got a stampede of hungry customers coming our way!" warned Maggie.
"Hungry…and racist."
"I know it's rough hun, and I know these people have a bug up their butt about you bein' here from a foreign country, but they're good people who respect hard work, and they'll come to see you as that eventually."
"Yeah…thanks," said Akechi
As if on cue, the doors opened, as the town's denizens flocked in for an after-church breakfast. At the front of the door was a musclebound, completely bald man wearing a flannel shirt, jeans, and boots, "Hey! JAP!" screamed the man, pointing at Goro.
"Oh no…" groaned Akechi
" Bradley, it's too early to start this crap." shouted Maggie, "Now sit down an' behave!"
"I'll behave if the Jap boy shines mah, boots," growled Bradley, taking a seat at the table.
"Bradley, stop!"
"HEY!" shouted a booming voice from the back. Akechi winced, realizing that Benjamin, the positively enormous, ancient man, had abandoned his post at the stove and was starting over there his grease stained apron clinging to his hairy frame, his bald head turning an unhealthy shade of red, "You startin' shit kid?" he snarled at Goro
"No, Grandpappy he…" began Maggie
"Why do you stick up for that boy woman?" demanded Bradley, "You stuck with me after high school, you coulda inherited my daddy's land but ya had to go an' be a crazy…"
"Don't speak to her that way." warned Akechi, "The reason why she left you is that you treated her poorly. I can deduce that simply on how you speak to people."
"What was that Jap?" snarled Bradley, standing up and grabbing Goro by the uniform.
"Bradley, stop!" pleaded Maggie,
"No honey, if we don't let Brad do what he wants his daddy will just sue us. I can't let him take your Grammy Mary's pride 'an joy away. If yer gonna beat him up Brad jus' take him out back." explained Benjamin, shuffling back to the kitchen.
As if on cue, the Phantom Thieves entered the restaurant, "Put him down, now! We have business with him." Ren commanded
"Amamiya-san… Wait, your clothes.'
Akechi concentrated hard, as he did when they summoned their Persona and saw a spark of blue flame.
"Yes…" hissed Akechi
"What's gotten into you Ja-?"
"Goro don't…" Makoto began.
But it was too late.
"LOKI!" screamed Akechi
In a brilliant burst of light, Loki appeared, Akechi's demonic Persona, his body patterned with psychedelic black shapes which moved and pulsated as it stood awaiting its owner's instructions, What's more, Akechi was in his black Metaverse attire, a wicked smile on his face.
If you see me comin', better step aside
A lotta men didn't, a lotta men died
One fist of iron, the other of steel
If the right one don't a-get you
Then the left one will
Bradley through a slow, lumbering haymaker at Akechi, which he blocked easily. Akechi punched Bradley square in the stomach.
"Goro no!" screamed Maggie.
With a violent, retching cough, the air left Bradley's body. Akechi shoved him so he was splayed out on the nearest table, not even registering Maggie's cries, and began to pummel his face with lefts and rights. On the third punch, Akechi felt the blood splatter onto his face. With maniacal laughter, he fired more punches, faster, stronger
"GORO WHAT THE HELL! WHAT'RE YOU DOING?" cried Maggie,
"Jesus Christ…" Makoto gasped, a hand clasped to her mouth
Akechi looked down at the damage. His face looked almost liquified, with several very important bone structures beaten down into a pulp. Most horrifying was his nose, which didn't appear to exist structurally, only a spout for the now fast forming pool of blood
"AKECHI-SAN! WE HAVE TO GO NOW!" screamed Ren.
Akechi nodded, not even turning back to look at the horrified customers as he and the Phantom Thieves fled out to the parking lot. Ren wordlessly punched in a combination onto his wrist communicator, which opened a portal to the Smash Mansion, closing the door to Big River, Montana behind them.
"Magdaline…" whispered Akechi, "I ruined everything for that woman…"
"It's okay…I mean it's not but…we can help." Ryuji said in between gasps of breath.
"We?" Akechi asked, his eyebrow-raising, "And where are we anyway?"
"The Smash Mansion," explained Morgana.
"Smash? What, like Smash Brothers?"
"Yep!" Ann said, "You're one of us now!"
"I…I don't belong anywhere. You just saw that."
"Nonsense Akechi. We know you're a good man, and if you join us, we'll help you absolve your crimes." Haru said
"If it'll help me turn a new leaf on life, I'll accept it," Akechi said, holding out a hand
"Welcome my friend," said Ren, shaking Akechi's outstretched hand, "Makoto, I saw the rooms list that just came up, and I think he's got the room with Villager, next to Megaman and ROB."
"Okay cool," nodded Makoto, " Goro, let's go"
Goro nodded, as the two-headed up the stairs to the dormitories, there was a moment's silence before Akechi spoke up, "Makoto."
"Yes?"
"I missed you."
Makoto gasped, blushing, "I-I missed you too. S-so, you were in America? You know English?"
Akechi smirked, "Yes. I know several languages."
"Oh! I've always wanted to learn French."
"That's one of them! We'll study the subject over dinner someday."
"Yeah, I'd like that." she said, stopping in front of a door, "This is your room. Your clothes have been moved here already."
"Oh great!" Akechi said with a cheerful nod, "See you later Makoto!" he said, opening the door, stepping in, and closing the door behind her.
Makoto waited to round the corner before announcing to herself "Ugh, what's wrong with me?" as she went to rejoin the Phantom Thieves.
(AN: Song is "16 Tons" by Tennessee Ernie Ford. Next one up is Cuphead!)