HEY GUYS THIS IS KINGNIKEN WITH THE NINTH CHAPTER OF POCKET CHANGE.
FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T READ LARCENY, I JUST WANNA SAY THAT
I KNOW IT'S BEEN A WHILE BUT LIFE, MY FIANCEE, A NEW JOB AND WRITER'S BLOCK WERE A LOT TO CONTEND WITH.
ANYWAYS!
HAPPY AND PROUD TO PRESENT CHAPTER 9!
YOU ALREADY KNOW THE DRILL!
PLEASE DO ENJOY!
Igor chuckled before addressing the prisoner under his care.
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't try to ignore me, Trickster."
Akira scoffed.
"Ignore you? Perish the thought. I was just soaking up this vibrant jail cell atmosphere. "
One of the wardens, a blonde young girl slapped her baton into iron bars of Akira's cell.
"Don't forget your place, inmate! You should be grateful that the warden has taken time out of his busy schedule to acknowledge your presence!"
Akira slowly stood up from his cot, gracing the frowning girl with a genuine smile.
"Ahh, Caroline. Where would I be without your chastings? This humble inmate is always grateful to see your cute little face. You should smile once in a while, it would really light up the room."
Caroline's frown grew into a full scowl, but the red tints on her cheekbones revealed the unspoken truth.
Akira turned to his other prison guard.
"Justine. Ever calm and precise as always. Those ideas you shared with me about the fusion process are still bouncing around in my head. You're ideas are really on a different level."
Justine smirked, also sporting a small blush.
"Happy to be of help."
"If you're finished antagonizing my servants, I would like to begin."
"Ah, sorry old man. This isn't about me using your name to call that housekeeping service, is it? I needed something that sounded a little creepy and mysterious and you're the first person that came to mind."
A wave of power washed over the room.
The twins found themselves trembling under it's invisible weight.
Akira fell down to one knee but the smile on his face and the mirth in his eyes had not waivered in the slightest.
"You're pretty strong, aren't you?"
Igor didn't answer his question but posed one of his own.
"Do I have your attention?"
Akira stood up.
"Of course, Warden. I do apologize for my rudeness, I was only teasing."
"Is that so?... I brought you here to congratulate you for a job well done."
The Metaverse Mercenary narrowed his eyes.
"You're talking about Kamoshida? This isn't the first palace I've erased."
"True but this one was different. This is a first in a long time where your primary motivation was not wealth...your friends are changing you Trickster."
"Friends? Please. They're pawns. At best you could say we're business partners. Once they're strong enough, I'll use them to do my bidding and cut all ties after."
"Even the volleyball player ?"
Akira drew a little closer to the mouth of his cell.
"Why did you bring me here, Igor?"
"Have I not been clear? To congratulate you. Its been such a long time since you've made a new Confidant and soo many at that. Things are developing nicely. You are taking great strides to your rehabilitation."
The Metaverse Mercenary narrowed his eyes.
"Screw rehabilitation! There's somethjng you're not telling me."
Caroline growled.
"Watch yourself Inmate!"
Justine followed up.
"Trickster, please calm down."
Igor chuckled.
"It's alright, I am the one at fault. I thought the Trickster would appreciate my own special brand of...'teasing' ."
Akira took a deep breath before speaking again.
"More confidants mean more power for my Personas, right?"
"If the social links are nurtured properly...then yes. As you will soon discover there is much to gain and lose by opening your heart to others."
Akira frowned.
"I don't intend to lose anything else."
Igor smirked.
"Unfortunately your rehabilitation might very well require it. Goodbye Trickster."
Akira could feel his connection to the Velevet room being slowly undone. Igor spoke one last time before allowing his ward to slip back into sleep.
"...And to answer your inquiry, Trickster. There's plenty that I haven't told you. Good luck on your exams."
...
Akira's eyes popped open.
He was back in his bed.
In his room.
In Leblanc's attic.
Morgana snoozed happily on his chest despite the curly haired male's objections to the feline's preferred sleeping spot.
The digital clock on his nightstand showed that it was far too early for him to even consider getting up.
He closed his eyes and hoped sleep would claim him again but his conversation with Igor was still fresh in his memory banks.
Needless to say, it would be a while before the Phantom Thief finally got a few more hours of sleep.
Sojiro casually flipped another page of the day's newspaper, after the lunch time rush and visits from the early evening crowd things were finally slowing down at Leblanc.
He'd probably give it another hour or two before he would consider closing early.
There were a few customers that would sometimes drop by late for some homemade curry or one of Akira's fancy milkshakes.
Speaking of the kid...
Sojiro tilted his gaze upward, watching the aforementioned teenager as he polished Leblanc's main counter as if his very life depended on it.
"Hey kid."
Akira didn't stop but he did answer.
"Yeah Boss?"
"What's on your mind?"
"Nothing."
"Uh huh. You're doing that thing again."
"Cleaning the cafè? It's kinda one of the reasons you keep me around."
"Yeah but you're using it as a distraction. I like my counter clean and sparkling but if you don't stop rubbing there won't be any counter left."
Akira stopped, trying his best to mask the storm raging behind the windows of his soul.
He didn't want to put that stress on Sojiro. The man had done so much for him already. It was best to talk to him about something else, something they would need to talk about anyway.
The young man sighed.
"I'm...gonna be out for the upcoming weekend."
Sojiro perched an eyebrow.
"Out? As in you won't be sleeping here?"
"Uh...Yeah."
Sojiro cleared his throat, before scratching the back of his head.
"Well you are gonna be seventeen soon. Are you sure that Shiho is ready for that step in your relationship?"
Akira blinked.
Akira blinked again.
Then ladies and gentlemen, the great and mighty Wild Card... devolved into a blushing stuttering mess.
"N-n-no, I'm not going to be doing anything with Shiho!"
Sojiro groaned.
"Ah crap, Futaba was right! You are screwing that back alley doctor!"
Akira's brain almost had a meltdown.
"I'm not sleeping with Dr. Takemi! Or anyone else for that matter!"
Sojiro scratched his beard.
"Oh? My mistake. I was thinking that with you were finally putting your charm and looks to good use. I had this whole speech prepared about-."
"I've already had 'The Talk' , thank you very much. It's a little late for that."
"Perhaps, but have you ever had the 'An older woman wants to make you her personal chew toy' talk ? I assure you it's just as important."
Akira's mouth fell open a little.
"I don't know what you think happens when I visit Dr.Takemi but I'd appreciate it if you stopped believing Futaba's crazy theories about my love life."
Sojiro shrugged.
"You're one of our favourite topics, so we gossip just a little while we have father-daughter bonding."
Akira rubbed his forehead. He could almost hear Futaba's evil chuckling echoing in his mind.
"Well for your information, there's nothing going on between us. We're just friends."
Sojiro shook his head.
"You poor blind fool."
The older man continued.
" Well if you're not going to be with any of your lady friends, where will you be?"
"I have some work to do..."
"Work? Like the Beef Bowl shop?"
"No. My oldest job."
Sojiro slowly placed the newspaper down. The curry maestro was now leaning forward. His voice akin to a whisper.
"Akira...you promised me that you would stop after what almost happened on your last big adventure."
"No. I told you I wouldn't put myself in any unnecessary danger, which I haven't."
Sojiro frowned.
"So you're saying that going into these 'Palaces' isn't dangerous anymore?"
"No, I'm saying that I can handle this one with ease. I'm a lot stronger now. I've been training."
"Training?...Did you ever stop going into that world?"
"I took a few breaks here and there but no, I never really stopped."
Sojiro grit his teeth.
"This stuff is dangerous, Akira. Those things you claim to fight could really kill you. Do you know what that would do to me? To Futaba?"
"I would never want that to happen! I don't have a death wish and I'm not biting off more than I can chew!...Well not anymore. If I couldn't handle it, I wouldn't force the issue."
"How do you know for sure that you're getting stronger?"
"It used to take me weeks to deal with an average Palace. I can now crush one in three days, I can even do it in two if the right conditions are met."
"And what about the ones that are above average? Ones you can't handle."
"Those cases are rare but as I said I'm no hero. I walk away."
"I find that a bit hard to believe. I've seen you charge headfirst into danger."
"That was for Futaba. It was the only Palace I was willing to die in to ensure it's end. I owed all of you that much."
"Akira..."
"Please Sojiro. I know I've made mistakes and I shouldn't have kept so many secrets but believe me when I say I have to do this."
Sojiro sighed.
"Tell me this, why do you need to be away for the weekend? Haven't you been exploring Palaces while you were still living here?"
"My newest target is in Inaba."
"Inaba? Why Inaba?"
Akira sighed.
"Remember Dr.Isshiki's theory that I wasn't the only person that could go into the cognitive world?"
Sojiro nodded as his adoptive son continued.
"Some of my schoolmates also have the ability. I'm not sure how or why but they can. They took on a Palace that was too much for them and I had to save their lives. We made an agreement to work together."
"So you're some kind of superhero team?"
Akira shook his head.
"We're working together on a temporary basis. When our contract is over, I'll dissuade them from continuing for their own safety. Sooner or later they're going to encounter something bigger than them."
Sojiro's sarcasm could not be missed.
"How responsible...I still don't see why you have to go to Inaba."
"The Palace we erased belonged to a Shujin teacher. He was...physically and sexually abusing the students."
Sojiro's expression softened. His mind flashed back to the first time he saw Shiho.
Those bruises...
"Oh no..."
"As you would remember, in order for me to defeat the Palace ruler, I have to let them know that I'm gonna steal their 'desires'."
Sojiro nodded.
"Well those idiots did it publicly. Once that story fully breaks and the police start investigating-"
The cafè owner finished Akira's sentence.
"They'll be looking for whoever posted the message. So you're trying to throw them off?"
"Exactly. I'll do just enough to get them doubting."
Sojiro sighed.
"I don't like this plan of yours, Akira."
The Persona user rolled his eyes.
"I won't take any extra risks and I'll retreat at the very first sign of things going sideways."
"What about Futaba? Is she a part of your team?"
Akira took a deep breath before answering.
"She only provides me with technical support and advice. I would never endanger her like that. My schoolmates don't even know about her involvement."
"Good. Keep it that way, I would be failing her mother's memory if I allowed any harm to come to her."
"You know I feel the same way. That's one of the reasons I'm doing this. By answering her questions and observing the cognitive world for her, she would never have to go there herself."
Sojiro grunted.
"She hasn't given up on completing that research, has she?"
Akira shook his head.
"Not at all. She's patient but determined. Sojiro, you know how she gets when she's focused on something."
"Yeah, she gets it from Wakaba."
"I know you may not want to hear it but this is our best option, all things considered."
"Don't try that on me kid. I know all the tricks in the book."
Sojiro scratched the front of his forehead.
"I'm gonna need a smoke..."
Akira wisely chose to remain silent while Sojiro processed everything he had been told.
"Fine. I'll cover for you but I need you to keep me up to date on everything. Everything!"
"Yes sir."
"Akira..."
"Hmmm?"
"You...can't spend the rest of your life doing this."
"I don't intend to. Once we come to an adequate conclusion with Dr.Isshiki's research and I accomplish my own objectives, I'll stop and never return to that place."
"I'll hold you to that."
Akira went around to the other side of the counter.
"Can I interest you in a drink? All this talking has gotten me thirsty."
"Sure...Akira?"
"Yeah Boss?"
"Are you still having those dreams? The one where you're in prison?"
Akira's smiled.
"No. I haven't had one of those in years."
"I can't believe that I'm actually inside a luxury hotel room with you."
Becky, the beautiful maid for hire looked out of the window for the upteenth time.
"Are you sure that no one from those high rise buildings can see us?"
Akira smirked before taking a sip of the complimentary champagne.
"They will if you keep opening the curtains."
Needless to say that those curtains were quickly pulled back into their original place.
Becky narrowed her eyes as she walked over to her seated student.
"That better not be alcoholic."
"I'm confused. Are you being my teacher or my maid? Because I'm sure I paid for-"
"Finish that sentence and I will get every teacher at Shujin to fail you."
Akira chuckled.
"It's non-alcoholic per my request. I must admit that I'm a littlle surprised that you actually showed up."
"You called and offered to pay triple my rate. My boss said he'd fire me if I didn't come out here."
Akira winced.
"Sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen. I wanted to get in contact with you and we have to keep our distance while at school until this whole thing blows over. Keep in mind that I don't have your cell number."
The truth is Akira could have easily gotten Futaba to find and call Kawakami's cell phone but...
Where was the fun in that?
Plus he still wanted to do his best to help his teacher and friend.
Something deep within his heart and soul was urging him. Something he had not correctly identified yet.
Becky sat down.
"Well I guess it's a good thing you did do this. After my confrontation with Kamoshida in the gym, I got a visit from the student council president, Makoto Nijima."
"What did she want?"
"Information. She thinks Kamoshida was blackmailed into revealing his secrets."
"Does she suspect you?"
"I don't know. She asked me a few questions about Kamoshida, Ann and Shiho."
"Nothing about me or Ryuji?"
"Not yet. She seemed to have more to say but had to leave because she had a meeting."
"I'll look into her after we get exams and my mission out of the way."
"Your mission?"
"After exams are finished on Saturday, I'm leaving for Inaba. I'm going to erase a Palace there while making a commotion. It should throw off the police a bit. My guardian will cover for me if I'm not back by Monday but it shouldn't take too long."
"Can you really do it so quickly?"
"It should be a minor one. I can find the treasure in a few hours and have the calling card sent out the same evening. I take the treasure on Sunday and get back home in time to catch the nightly news."
"You sound so confident...it still sounds dangerous to me for you to be doing this alone."
"I'm not new to this , I'll be fine. Plus Morgana's coming along to give me backup."
Becky nodded.
"Oh...is it weird that I feel bad about not being able to help?"
Akira smiled.
"No, it's not weird to feel that way but there is a way you could help us."
"What's that?"
"Do you think you could get me out of school as soon as I'm finished with the exam?"
"You're gonna rush it?"
"I'll get at least an A-minus, it's just that the more time I have in Inaba, the better."
Becky chewed on her bottom lip as she thought about it.
"Well you're not allowed to leave in the first forty-five minutes but I'll see what I can do after that. Make sure your guardian is prepared in case the school reaches out to him."
"He will be."
"Oh and by the way. I expect you to stand by your word and continue to take your school work seriously. If you don't, I'm ratting you out to the police."
Akira chuckled.
"I know. A good teacher always puts her students first."
The words were meant to compliment Kawakami but they turned out to be a blade that cut into very being.
Would Akira think the same of her if he knew the truth?
If he knew about Takase-kun?
Kawakami stood up, pulling on her face mask.
"I should go."
"Uh...Sensei?! Is it something I sai-"
"My name is Becky...and it was a pleasure to be of service to you today Master. Byeeee."
Kawakami didn't even allow Akira to get another word in before she bolted out the door, slamming it behind her.
Akira sighed.
Futaba had discovered that Kawakami was making monthly payments to a couple from.
But he had no idea why.
There were ways to try to find out but Akira felt like this was an explanation he would need to hear from Kawakami herself.
The bespectacled male walked over to the phone on the bedside table.
"Might as well cancel room-service."
Saturday Afternoon
Just like every other Shujin high school student, Shiho was beyond grateful that another exam week had come to an end.
But it was not necessarily the tests that Shiho was so happily rid of. She was sure she would maintain the B plus average required for her to retain her spot on the volleyball team.
In all honesty, the brunnette beauty was just happy that she could start living again, Kamoshida had stolen so much joy and life from her and it felt like she owed it to herself to make up for it.
Hanging out with the Phantom Thieves was without a doubt breath of fresh air.
Ann had of course been her best friend for years but this business with Kamoshida had created a gap in their relationship. She was happy to have it back on track.
Ryuji and Morgana felt like two little brothers that she had to constantly keep an eye on, even though both males were so kind and caring to the others. They always found a way to get on the other's bad side.
Akira...
Shiho blushed.
She had missed Akira most of all.
She wasn't as lucky as Ann to be in the same class as him. She had only seen Akira once this whole week.
That just felt wrong.
A few students called out to Shiho as they passed her in the hallway. She returned their greetings before packing away the rest of her text books into the locker.
Well she would have to wait until after the weekend to see her favourite troublemaker.
Even though she couldn't help but be a little worried, she trusted him to be smart and safe on his mission.
Shiho had no doubt that both Akira and Morgana would return safely.
"Shiho Suzui? May I have a moment of your time?"
Shiho turned around to face the person addressing her.
Makoto Nijima presented a warm smile.
"I'm Makoto Nijima, the student council president."
" Uh...yeah.What can I do for you Nijima-sempai?"
"I just had a few questions about your...new friends."
Shiho's eyes narrowed.
"My new friends?"
"Yes. Ryuji Sakamoto and our new transfer student, Akira Kurusu. I hear that you've been seen in their company recently."
"Ryuji has known my best friend Ann since middle school. It's only natural I'd hang out with him from time to time."
"And Kurusu? I'm not sure if you've heard but he is a criminal on probation. He could be dangerous."
Shiho scowled.
"For your information, Akira is one of the few persons who noticed the pain I was in while that monster tormented me. The very same teacher you all so often times praised."
Makoto frowned, her eyes conveyed a genuine melancholy.
"Suzui-san...I..."
"Maybe if you spent your time asking about the real dangeous people in our school you would have been chasing down that perverted douche bag and not my friends."
"I didn't-"
"May I go, Nijima-san? I have some errands to run before going home."
Makoto sighed, lowering her gaze to avoid Shiho's fiery expression.
"Yes, of course. My apologies for taking up too much of your time."
Shiho quickly excused herself leaving the Student Council president to meditate upon the several questions bouncing about her mind.
"Does everyone really think I knew about Kamoshida? How did things end up like this?"
(QUICK AUTHOR'S NOTE)
I LOVE THE PERSONA GAMES AND FROM TIME TO TIME I MAY REFERENCE A PLACE OR CHARACTER BUT I WON'T BE MIXING OFFICIAL GAME TIMELINES.
SO ANY CHARACTER MENTIONED IS PLAYING THEIR PART IN THIS PERSONA 5 REALITY.
THIS IS STILL A P5 STORY. NOT A FULL ON CROSSOVER, IF YOU GET WHAT I MEAN.
(AUTHOR'S NOTE END)
The Amagi Inn was considered by many to be the pride of Inaba. The beautiful inn was a popular spot for tourists due it's natural hot springs and rich cultural background.
It had seen it's fair share of celebrity guests over the years including actors, athletes and pop stars and it was up to each new generation of the Amagi family to keep the inn relevant, attractive and welcoming.
Yukiko Amagi, the current manager of the institution was enjoying the challenge.
The brown eyed woman knocked softly on the door in front of her.
She had made it her personal duty to greet each guest personally if she had not been the one to check them in. It was one of her methods to leaving a favorable lasting impression.
A voice responded from the other side of the door.
"Yes?"
"Hello Shocho-san? This is Yukiko the manager of the inn. I just wanted to welcome you again and let you know that the staff is here to make your stay as smooth as possible."
The door opened.
A smiling blond young man stepped out.
"I truly appreciate your dedication Amagi-san."
"Please call me Yukiko."
"Then you can call me by first name...Igor."
Yukiko blinked.
"We don't hear such unique names often in this region."
"My father comes from a Russian background, thus the name."
"Oh how interesting. You may be the first person with Russian heritage to ever stay here."
Igor chuckled before speaking.
"While you're here. I was wondering if there was anywhere in the town I could get some souvenirs and some food. I know you have some here but I promised myself I'd visit a few of the places in town before leaving."
Yukiko smiled as she provided a few suggestions. Igor made a mental note of the names.
"Meeeeeeooooowwwww."
A black cat curled itself against one of Igor's legs.
Yukiko cooed.
"Oh what a beautiful cat . What's his name?"
"Bruno...anyways thanks for the help. I'm gonna get cleaned up before heading out for the evening. It was a pleasure meeting you Yukiko."
Yukiko bowed.
"Pleasure was all mine, Igor."
Kinshiro Morooka was still rather new to the position of Mayor. He had spent his earlier years as a teacher at Yasogami High and then would eventually become it's Principal.
It seemed that his views and speeches of morality, principles and the 'good old days' were enough to convince the voters to choose him instead of the incumbent.
The man was no slimy politician but he did have his own shortcomings.
To Akira's experienced eyes Morooka's Palace was nothing grand nor special. The cozy electoral office he worked from was distorted to become a classroom where he lectured his staff and some of the town's important figures about how to live an 'upright socially acceptable' life. He actually 'expelled' any student who seemed to disobey or struggled to comply.
In truth it was just another Shadow forcing his own outdated and twisted beliefs on to those too weak to resist him.
Hmmm.
"Maybe Morooka is more of a politician than I give him credit for..."
Mona folded his arms in disbelief as the duo gazed upon the Treasure, the Palace's very core.
"Well that was quick. I barely got warmed up. How is this Palace so small?"
Joker had no problems sharing some knowledge with the feline.
"Most Palaces start out small. They grow as the Ruler's distortion worsens. The larger the Palace, the stronger the Shadows it attracts. Kamoshida is an example of what happens when a Ruler gets really comfortable with his distortions."
"I see...why do I feel like I should know that?"
"Maybe you do? You did say you were recovering from amnesia."
"Perhaps...so is Kamoshida's, the biggest Palace you've ever seen?"
Joker smirked. If there was one thing he knew about his feline companion, it was that he was always on the hunt for information.
"Panther still having you grill me for info?"
Mona chuckled.
"No. This is for me. You can decline to respond if you wish."
Joker thought about for a few seconds before turning to walk away.
"No. I've erased larger Palaces."
Mona followed close behind.
"Interesting...how are we gonna send the calling card for almost everyone to see? We are here to cause a distraction after all."
Joker smirked.
"You'll see."
Mona looked back up at his colleague.
"It's weird seeing you with blond hair and green eyes."
"A little hair dye and a pair of contacts goes a far way if you need a disguise."
"No wonder Skull thinks you're a spy."
Joker laughed.
Sae Nijima needed another dose of caffeine.
The famous prosecutor had her eyes glued to the reports on her desk as she politely ordered an intern to refill her coffee pot.
Her plate had already been full with the psychotic breakdowns case but this Phantom Thieves business could not be ignored...
Especially when there could be a connection between the two.
First a former Olympian that had been employed at her little sister's school and now this...
Inaba's mayor.
According to reports, a text message was sent to every cellphone in the small town.
A message from the Phantom Thieves openly condemning Kinshiro Morooka and his unlawful actions. The group then promised to steal the mayor's heart and make him confess.
Of course the local citizens, news station and police force considered it to be an elaborate prank or tasteless joke.
An investigation was carried out by a Detective names Dojima but no evidence was found to suggest that anything else was on the horizon.
Skip ahead to Saturday evening, the mayor calls a press conference and on live television...confesses to everything.
His disorderly conduct and illegal practices.
A tearful, ashamed Morooka then tendered his resignation before turning himself in.
It didn't take long after that for persons to recall the disturbing message that had been seen the prior evening.
The biggest question was 'Why?'.
Why blackmail a former Principal turned politician?
What was the connection?
Sae noticed someone pouring coffee into her mug. She expressed her gratitude without shifting her gaze from the reports.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it."
Sae recognized the voice. The silver haired woman slowly lifted her head to confirm her suspicion.
"Akechi."
"Nijima-san."
"You solve crimes and deliver coffee? You're a man of many talents."
Akechi poured a cup for himself before setting the pot back in it's proper place.
"More than you know Nijima-san. I saw one of your interns with the pot and volunteered to bring it to you. I'm curious. What are your thoughts on this new case in Inaba? Some of the detectives at the police station think it's all been doing been by the same person."
Sae studied the young man as he took a seat.
"I'm reviewing the information but it seems the Phantom Thieves have struck again. The story about Suguru Kamoshida is everywhere and now this. My superiors will be expecting us to produce some answers or at least a sensible theory."
"True. But before we can solve this, there are several questions we have to answer. For months key figures within our society have been somehow blackmailed into confessing their crimes. In each and every case they claim to have received an e-mail or text message detailing their deeds and shortly after they have a...'change of heart'."
Sae joined in.
"And in each case the e-mail or text message mysteriously vanishes from their inboxes after their confession."
Akechi smirked.
"Yes. The person who has been doing this has always been so secretive, so careful, so mysterious. Why risk it all now by plastering tacky, grammatically incorrect and childish calling cards all over a school's notice board?"
"Perhaps they've grown overconfident and have become sloppy?"
Akechi frowned.
"To be honest I'd be disappointed if the answer was that simple."
Sae looked back down at the report.
"So you believe that there is another person or group who has discovered the same method that our first suspect has been using?"
"Yes. I also believe that this new group might be high schoolers or young adults who felt they've been mistreated by the education system. Both targets are teachers after all."
Sae made a note in her journal to check for students who may have passed through both Yasogami and Shujin. She spoke as Akechi took a sip of his coffee.
"Any ideas as to why the Phantom Thieves send these public calling cards? Why not move in secret like our first suspect?"
"Some criminals desire the love, adoration and appreciation of the public. They want to feel that they are on the side of justice. They crave the attention."
"But then their progression wouldn't make sense. They started with a former Olympian teaching at a prestigious high school in Tokyo and then a mayor from a backwater town? Shouldn't they be going after higher profile targets?"
"Yes. I do agree. I actually have two theories about the purpose of their Inaba mission."
"Let's hear them."
"One. The Phantom Thieves are just as naive and stupid as we hope they are and aren't planning their targets properly. They're so high off their initial victory that they did another one to get better at it without considering the implications...I'll admit that I doubt that this one is correct."
Sae made a few more notes in her journal before urging Akechi to continue.
"And your second theory?"
"The Inaba job was a distraction."
"A distraction? What would they be trying to distract us from?"
"It's not them doing the distracting."
"...The original blackmailer?"
"Exactly. He or she could be protecting the Phantom Thieves."
"But why?"
"Think about it, by some miracle they've figured out the blackmailer's method or something close to it and they're using it as their own. The blackmailer knows that if we find and arrest the Phantom Thieves..."
"We'll learn the method and maybe trace it back to original mastermind."
"Yes, that is one possibility."
"You have a theory within a theory?"
"Complex minds often produce complex ideas...another possibility is that they have either joined forces or that the original blackmailer is teaching them. Their first job was with those calling cards and all of a sudden they're hacking cell phones? It doesn't make sense."
"Yes, I did notice that as well...So we could have a whole group of troublemakers on our hands with an untraceable method. Self righteous, clever and their own twisted view of...'justice'."
Akechi smirked.
"Don't be so distraught, Nijima-san. This could work to our advantage."
"I'm listening."
"One of the disadvantages of working in a team is that there's oftentimes a weak link...and when that weak link crumbles or makes a mistake, we'll be there to catch them red handed. We only need to be patient, observant and ready."
"You make a good point. I'll still have to work with the police in Inaba as they send more information over, I'll have some detectives canvass Shujin again."
"That would be wise. I firmly believe that we will catch these criminals, Nijima-san. True justice will prevail in the end."
Sae nodded in agreement as she started typing away on her laptop. If she looked up again she would have seen Akechi's expression switch from happy to sadistic glee.
"I finally have a lead! These Phantom Thieves are just guppies...but they'll lead me to the real prize...him."
BANG!
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE!
THAT WAS ANOTHER CHAPTER OF POCKET CHANGE!
LOOK OUT FOR NEW UPDATES IN THE FUTURE. THEY MAY BE SLOW BUT THEY ARE COMING!
PEACE.
KINGNIKEN.