Ren

After one extremely eventful year, the day had finally come for me to go home.

To be honest, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, this whole experience started when I just tried to save a woman from being assaulted, only for Shido, the assaulter, to convince the cops in his pocket that I was at fault, effectively ruining my life at that moment and turning everything upside down. In a way, I considered myself fortunate that the God of Control decided to turn the last person Shido had wronged - me - into a piece of his twisted game that ultimately saw his defeat, by me, no less.

…heh, still, old Yaldy underestimated the stubborn determination of a trickster willing to put everything on the line to make the world right. Then again, I wouldn't expect a god born from the distorted wishes of complacent city-dwellers to understand a hard-working, independent country bumpkin. I lost my future, only to win it back and then some. In the process, I helped countless others reclaim their futures too, not just my friends but also the public. It only took almost dying a few times and getting beaten up by the cops, but my sheer force of will and hope kept me from cracking in the end.

Honestly, this year made me realize parts of my character I had never considered before. I'd be going home a stronger, smarter, kinder, braver and, most importantly, sexier man than I was when I was sent off to serve my probation. I had a close circle of friends and associates who would jump to my aid whenever I needed it, and I even got myself a girlfriend.

Still, even after all that, I was left with more questions than answers. What was Maruki's ultimate fate after his palace collapsed? Even though he was our final opponent, I couldn't really consider him an enemy, not after all those counseling sessions which felt more like hangouts after a while. Maruki was a broken man, one who I really wanted to guide back to a hopeful future. Even if his "perfect world" came to pass, he would ironically have been the only person still suffering in it, something I tried to make him realize with my harsh words. Part of me hoped that he made it out somehow, and hadn't perished at the hands of that strange, zealous girl.

Of course, she herself posed a whole different set of questions, not least because of her association with "Gensokyo." We said we were officially disbanding the Phantom Thieves, but over the past month since my release from jail we all showed some interest in shining light on this new mystery, which showed itself right when the curtain closed on the Metaverse and offered a rabbit hole far deeper than Mementos ever did. Furthermore, the abandoned shrine linked to the mystery was near my home, close enough that Morgana could go check it out. Perhaps the Phantom Thieves weren't truly gone. Our job had simply changed.

Then there was Goro Akechi. A friend, a rival and a foe all at once. A man who had everything I did not, yet at the same time lacked everything I had. We were pitted against each other and one was forced to lose, yet we should never have been enemies to begin with. He pulled the trigger on the parents of two of my friends, but I couldn't really consider him to be their killer - that was Shido, the man who abandoned his son and forced him into doing evil deeds, and whose evil was made possible by the apathetic masses and the megalomaniacal god born from their collective desire for control. Akechi… no, Goro was a unique, special and talented person. One who I was sure had died, but now I wasn't so sure, if 'Reimu' was to be believed.

I still had his glove. Maybe the chance to duel him again would come eventually.

I got ready to leave the cafe behind. I had already shipped back most of my belongings, and my bag only had my bare essentials and last night's dirty clothes. It didn't even have Morgana, who went with Futaba last night for some reason. As I came downstairs, I saw Sojiro washing dishes and getting ready to open the shop for the day.

"Hey," he said. "You got everything?"

"Yep," I nodded.

Sojiro smiled. "When I took you in, I thought I was the one helping you… but it turns out, it was the other way around." He looked at the journal on the table. "You still sure you want me to keep this?"

"I want to start a new chapter in my life," I told him.

"I see. Well, after everything that's happened this year, I don't blame you." He looked at the door. "Oh, by the way, I wanted to have Futaba see you off too, but I haven't been able to find her since this morning. Same with that cat. But, if you end up back in the city, come on by. I'll at least treat you to a nice cup of coffee."

"Thank you," I said. "Thank you for everything."

"...yeah."

Walking out toward Shibuya Crossing, the sky was blue, and the air was crisp and clear. People walked all around, talking about bad customers at work, college entrance exams, boyfriends and girlfriends, and the like. The big screens were showing promotions for the Pokemon Sun and Moon anime. There was a poster advertising Rise Kujikawa's next album. It was, by all accounts, a normal spring day in Tokyo… but after several months of witnessing the masses mindlessly worship Shido, and giving in to Yaldabaoth's control, I didn't really know what was normal around here.

I looked up and smiled. We did what we could, I thought to myself. Now, the people of the world need to be the change that they desire deep down.

"Senpai."

I turned around, and saw Sumire. She pointed out to the crossing, to a silver, somehow familiar-looking van, with several figures inside waving at me.

"Yoooooo!" Ryuji called out. "You over there!"

"Look this way!" Ann said.

"After we said we'd disband, my word." I looked over my other shoulder to see Yusuke, who had somehow snuck up on us.

I smirked, then the three of us walked over to the van.

"Sorry about the weird parking job," Ryuji said. "The engine just died on us right here."

Ann looked out the window. "Hey, Morgana, are you done yet?"

I looked over at the hood, where Morgana was messing around with tools using his teeth, tail and paws. "Mmmhh. Why the heck am I in charge of the car again?" He complained while scratching himself.

Yusuke took a seat in the car. "And I thought we were done?"

"It's fine, we're on break," Haru said.

"Exams are done too, right?" Makoto said. "Come on, why don't you let us drive you home?

Sumire got in right beside me. "After all you've done for us this year, it's the least we can do to return the favor."

"You really, really gotta go?" Futaba complained.

Ryuji got in. "C'mon, man, nobody's forcin' you to leave, 'ya know? Wipin' your slate clean ain't so easy, see what I mean?" He gestured over his shoulder, and I looked out the back to see an unmarked cop car camped out on the street, and a shaggy-haired man in a suit with glasses watching them in turn.

"Things must be slow these days," Yusuke said.

"Don't mind them," Makoto said. "What they think of us doesn't really matter.

"Yeah, she's right," Ann said. "We can totally do whatever we want to do."

At that moment, Morgana jumped onto my lap. "The car's fixed. Just had to borrow a plug."

Makoto started up the car. "Nice job, and on the first try!"

"Alright, let's roll!" Ryuji said. As we pulled out onto the road, I saw the cop car having trouble starting up, along with the shaggy-haired man stifling a chuckle.

"Aaaanyways, now that we gotcha, we ain't takin' 'ya straight home!" Ryuji said again.

"Hey," Haru said, "can I ask something? My friend's in trouble, and I'd like everyone's input."

"Ooh, that sounds like fun!" Futaba said.

"If this is any more work, count me out," Yusuke said.

"You know you want to, Inari!"

"I'm getting out," Yusuke replied while attempting to open the door.

"Why'd you open the- WE'RE ON THE TOLL ROAD!"

The gang decided to take a scenic route along the sea which ran right past Mt. Fuji, where we stopped for lunch to get one last group photo op in. From there, we got onto the Chūō Expressway, passed by Yatsugatake and into Nagano, hung a right onto Inaba Cutoff and then onto the 299 and worked our way through town before eventually reaching my home near the eastern edge of the city.

"Oh, wow…" Haru marveled.

"You didn't tell us your hometown was so pretty!" Futaba exclaimed.

"And we got to pass by friggin' Mt. Fuji on the way here!" Ryuji added.

"I can tell the air is much fresher here," Sumire noted. "There's no haze, and I can see the individual trees on the hillsides."

"That's mountain life for you," I said.

"I read that Chino has the highest city hall in all of Japan," Makoto said.

"Then I guess you could call it Japan's top town," Morgana said. "A natural home for our talented leader."

I heard my phone go off; it was Google telling us we had arrived at our destination.

"This is it," I said, pointing to my house.

"Alright, then I'll just find a spot to pull over and park," Makoto said.

Walking up to my house felt… surreal. It was my house, yet after one year in the city meeting all sorts of people, and hacking and slashing in the Metaverse, I felt like a stranger in my own home town. I hadn't seen my family in person for a year either, only calling them from time to time. And as much as I struggled to adapt to city life at first, I had just managed to get accustomed to it, only to be thrust back here.

"So, this is your house?" Futaba asked.

"Indeed," I said.

Ryuji looked up. "Dude, why is there a door on the second floor? Ain't nobody gonna use it!"

"Sometimes it snows enough that the regular door is blocked off," I said. "If that happens, we can use that door to leave instead."

Everyone else looked surprised. "Wait," Sumire said. "It can snow that much?"

"I didn't think it was possible to get that much snow," Ann said. "That's probably more snow than I've ever seen in my life, and I lived in Finland for a while."

"I have heard Finland gets quite cold," Yusuke noted.

"It is one of the farthest north countries in the world," Makoto said.

"Yeah, living in the Great White North just isn't for me," Ann frowned. "I was only there because my grandpa's family lives there, and we were helping him go through and manage great grandma Margatroid's remaining stuff after she died."

"Margatroid?" Haru asked.

"His mom," Ann explained. "They met after the war ended."

"I see…"

Ryuji looked at the door. "Well, enough of that. Let's head in."

I nodded, then tried the door. It was unlocked, so I just opened it.

"I'm home," I called out.

"Welcome home, sweet cheeks," came my mom's voice, before she came into the room. "Oh my, are these all your friends?"

Ann giggled. "Nice to meet you."

"Well, come have a seat! Chouko's been waiting all year to see you all!"

"Chouko?" Yusuke asked.

"She's my little sister," I said.

"Wha?!" Futaba exclaimed. "You didn't tell me you had a little sister!"

"Oh, I see," Morgana snickered. "Is someone having little-siser jealousy?"

"I-er," Futaba blushed. "Stupid Mona."

"Hm?"

"Oh, it's nothing," I shrugged.

We seated ourselves around the coffee table in the front room when Chouko came barreling down the stairs.

"Big bro!" she cried out as she glomped me. "I haven't seen you in forever!"

I laughed. "Well, it's been one crazy year without you all."

"That's your sister?" Makoo asked.

"She's even got the same frizzy hair as him!" Futaba said.

"It's nice to meet you, Chouko-chan," Sumire smiled.

"Oh?" She looked at Sumire. "Wait, are you his girlfriend or something?"

"Thats-"

"Oh, right, where are our manners?" Makoto stood up and bowed. "I'm Makoo Niijima. I was a third-year student at his school."

"My name is Haru Okumura," Haru said. "I was also a third-year at Shujin."

"Huh… Okumura?" Mom said. "As in-"

"Yes, I am the heiress to Okumura Foods," Haru said.

"My name is Yusuke Kitagawa," Yusuke said. "I attend Kosei High on a fine arts scholarship."

"He also survives off of bean sprouts," Futaba said.

"Is that… so?" Mom turned to her. "And you are?"

"Oh! Um, uh…" Futaba stood up on the chair. "I'm Futaba Sakura, Sojiro's kid and a friend of this guy also I'm a computer nerd!"

"Calm down, it's not an interrogation," I said.

"Oh, so you're Sakura-san's daughter," Mom said. "It looks like you two get along well."

"Well yeah, we'd play games in his room until morning, also he'd take me to Akihabara so I could get stuff for my rig and all sorts of nerd memorabilia!"

"I was basically the big brother she never had," I said.

"Er-"

"But he's already MY big bro!" Chouko pouted. "You can't take my big bro from me?"

"Oh yeah?" Futaba dared her. "Well, I challenge you to a game of Gun About over it!"

"Don't bother," I said, "she's better than the King."

"Huh?"

Mom chuckled. "Yes, you two really seem to get along." She turned to Ryuji. "How about you, young man?"

"Eh? Oh, I'm Ryuji Sakamato. I was his first friend at Shujin. We used to go to the gym and get jumbo beef bowls and ramen all the time."

"And I'm Ann Takamaki," Ann said. "I was also one of his first friends, and I'm a model too!"

Morgana jumped out of the bag and onto the table. "I'll say, Lady Ann is so gorgeous, no one can match her…"

"Is that Morgana?" Mom said. "He's kind of noisy."

"He talks," I said. "Also, he really likes fatty tuna."

"I see. Well, we already got you a litter box outside your room. It'll be up to you to clean it out and feed him."

"L- litter box?!" Morgana said in dismay.

"I don't think he likes that proposition," I said, "not that he has any say."

"Ren!" Morgana complained. We all laughed.

Sumire got up and bowed. "I'm Sumire Yoshizawa, a gymnast at Shujin." She smiled. "And, Ren is my boyfriend."

"Nice to meet you, Yoshizawa-san," Mom said. "I'm sure dad will be delighted to meet you all."

As if on cue, the door opened then shut. "I'm home."

"Speak of the Devil," she said. "We're in the living room, honey."

Dad came into the room and hung up his jacket. "Ohoho, we have quite the crowd today." He turned to me. "I knew you said your friends were taking you home, but I didn't think they ALL would."

"It's nice to meet you, Amamiya-san," Makoto said.

"Oh, are you his girlfriend that he told me about?"

"Urp!" Makoto blushed up, and all of us laughed. "Nonono, we're just friends!"

"A pleasure to meet you, sir," Sumire said.

"Pleasure to meet you as well." He took a seat. "Well, I'm sure you all have lots of crazy stories to tell me. So, how did you all treat my boy?"

Futaba smirked. "Weeelllll…"

Later that evening, everyone else went home, but Sumire chose to stay the night, and I would walk her to the station in the morning. Mom cooked up some okonomiyaki for dinner, figuring that I would probably want comfort food on my first night back.

"This is delicious," Sumire said. "Judging by the texture, you used mochi in this."

"It's my mother's own recipe," Mom said. "Our family's been in this town for generations."

"I grew up in Nagoya," Dad said, "which is also where both of us went to school. I took her family's name when we married since they own a historic farm."

"The farm is a couple kilometers up the road from here," I said. "We grow all sorts of things there, eggplant, cabbage, carrots, the works, and we sell it all at the local farmer's market."

"That's impressive, Senpai," Sumire said. "Back in Tokyo, we don't have local, farm-fresh produce like you all do."

"You city-slickers need to come out here every once in a while and appreciate all the gifts Izanagi created for this country to have us all enjoy," Mom told her.

"There is that," Sumire said.

We were silent for a moment, before Dad broke the silence. "So, Ren, I… I just wanted to say that we're so grateful that you stuck through this year. I knew it was tough, and I wish we could have done more to help, but with you being charged with assault, I…" He shook his head. "I was so worried about your future, especially once I heard it was Shido, that rat-bastard. When you got sent to jail, we feared the worst, but it sounds like you made some really good friends this year who all helped to clear your name."

"And you testified against Shido and got him locked up," Mom said. "I have to say, we can't express just how proud of you we are that you managed to pull out of everything unscathed, and we wish we could have done more to help."

"You did what you could, considering the circumstances," I said. "I was very scared and shaken for a while, thinking about what all happened and how my life was ruined, but in the end I fought against it and came back home a better man than I left."

"And he really helped all of us too," Sumire said. "All of us had problems that he helped work us through." She looked downcast. "Especially… myself…"

"We heard about it," Dad said. "Your sister sacrificed her life to save yours? That must be a heavy burden to bear."

"Yes, it was," Sumire said. "I kept blaming myself, blaming myself for killing her, ending our dream to take the world of gymnastics together." She looked up and smiled. "But, then he came into my life and showed me how to live again. I'm doing much better now, both for his sake, and for hers."

"You did very well, having him as a boyfriend," Mom said. "And hers wasn't he only life you improved?"

"Far from it," I said. "All of my friends earlier had problems in their lives which I helped work them through, like helping Ann and Ryuji get past Kamoshida's abuses, Haru with her father's passing, and Futaba with her depression. I also helped get a washed-up diet member reelected, my teacher out of a blackmail scheme, and a reporter to be able to clear her partner's name, among other things."

"You've been busy, and it really paid off in the end," Dad smiled.

I took a bite of my food, then continued, "so… I've been thinking. About my future."

"What about it?" Mom asked.

"I've decided I'm going to go into politics," I said. "This past year, I saw and experienced all the corruption in the system, and the apathy of the people which allows it to happen. I realized that I don't want what happened to me to happen to others, and I'm going to do what it takes to inspire others to fix this country. Mr. Yoshida, the diet member, already promised me a job out of school if I want it, and I fully intend on taking his offer."

Dad smiled. "After all that's happened, I don't blame you. We need more young voices in politics, and I'm sure you'd be perfect." He sipped some tea. "There is one last thing we want to ask you… are you really the Phantom Thief?"

"That's a secret," I said.

"Heh," Dad chuckled. "Well, I suppose a real Phantom Thief would never admit to it."

Later that night, all of us went to bed. I already had a double mattress, so me and Sumire could sleep together, while Morgana enjoyed curling up in his new bed atop a cat climber. But while she and everyone else slept soundly, I couldn't sleep, because my mind was racing with thoughts, thoughts and memories about this past year, my friends, my enemies, everything Metaverse related and the mystery of the Hakurei Shrine which tantalized us after everything was said and done…

I decided to get up and go for a walk, since I wasn't getting to sleep anyway. I threw on my jacket, made sure to be quiet going down the stairs and out the door, and from there I just wandered. It was a beautiful night, cold and starry. I walked towards town, hoping that there were places still open at 11PM, unlike back in Tokyo where the convenience stores were kept open 24 hours for everyone coming out of the bars and those paying traffic tickets, Pixiv memberships, or just those looking to finish the night with a cold Slurpee. Maybe the gas station out by the main road was still open, if I was lucky.

My mind subconsciously led me down the streets, past darkened storefronts and under street lamps, until I found myself faced with the spot, where one year ago my life changed forever. The spot where Shido assaulted that woman, and I felt the need to step in.

I paused. Seeing this corner again, after this past year. How everything, from starting the Phantom Thieves all the way to facing Yaldabaoth and Adam Kadmon in their twisted 'ideal' realities, stemmed from a common crime on this unassuming spot which could be found anywhere in the world. All that, happening in just a year, made me wonder what the years ahead had in store for me…

"Reminiscing?" came a woman's voice.

I turned around and saw a blonde woman with a cane. "You… you're the lady who was at LeBlanc that day."

"Indeed I am," she said. "I knew you'd be drawn to this spot, which is why we meet here today."

"You… knew?"

"Of course," she said, "but you wouldn't know, as I work in the background. You may not know it, but I've been watching you and your friends. And I've been watching him, in particular, the man who you were pitted against yet never meant to oppose."

"You mean Goro," I said. "Is he alive?"

She chuckled. "Let's just say that if you stick true to your justice, the two of you will be destined to reunite," she said cryptically.

"What does that mean? Who are you?"

She smiled. "One who operates in the background. You may believe your journey is over, yet the truth is that you have barely turned the first page of an epic novel. Trials even greater than those of this past year will continue to present themselves to you, and you must stand up to them if you wish to see your journey to its true conclusion. So…" She handed me a pair of vouchers to a nearby hot spring resort. "Enjoy this moment of rest, for you may never again have the luxury. Soon enough this country will once more require your rare talents, and your fate and his will become intertwined. Until that time, this is where I take my leave." She walked toward an alley-facing metal door, opened it, and entered; if I looked carefully, there was no sign of life in the shop.

I stood there, right at the same spot I stood when Shido threatened to sue me, wondering what had just happened, who that strange woman was, how she dodged my questions, and, most crucially, how much she knew about Goro. If he really was alive, she didn't confirm it. I didn't even get her name, although something about her struck me as being familiar somehow…

I shook my head. I simply continued to the gas station, bought myself a bottle of tea, walked back home, and collapsed until morning when I walked Sumire to the station, exhausted as though simply talking to that woman physically drained me.