Chapter 18: Setting the Board

Yukari quickly caught up with Isako outside of Leblanc. "Mom, wait!"

Isako kept walking until she came to a bench. "I'm sorry, I just... this is so overwhelming..."

Yukari bit back the acidic barb she wanted to say, rather she remembered how she felt when she first learned about the Dark Hour and Tartarus. Overwhelmed was putting it lightly. "I get it, Mom. But right now, Ren and his friends have to do this. They're the only ones that can."

"Why? Why does it have to be Ren?" Isako slumped forward. "He's suffered so much, the arrest, the trial, Akira disowning him... why..." She dug into her purse and pulled out a stick of nicotine gum after a few moments of chasing it around. She'd quit smoking years ago, but she still kept some of the gum around for when she got stressed. "Why him?"

It finally dawned on Yukari what her mother was asking. She sat down next to her and sighed. "To be honest, Mom? I don't know. Even with everything Mitsuru's figured out about Personas and all this crap, that's the one thing we've never figured out. How Wild Card's are chosen is still a mystery. Maybe it always will be."

Isako frowned. "Wild cards?"

"That's what Ren is. Every time a heroic team of Persona users comes together, it's because a new Wild Card is chosen, and there's some world-ending catastrophe they have to stop."

"So, Ren's going to save the world? Like you and your friends did back in high school?" Isako asked.

Yukari laughed. "Probably. Problem is, we don't exactly know from what yet. It's... ugh. The god or godlike being that's behind everything always shows up at the very end. Usually as a surprise."

Isako chewed on her gum as she mulled over. "What exactly is a Persona?"

"Do you want the short version or the long version?" Yukari asked.

Isako looked at her oddly for a moment. "I just want to understand what Ren and his friends are doing, and what you and your friends did."

Yukari settled in. They were going to be here for a bit. "So, at the most basic level, the Persona is you. Everyone has two sides to themselves, the side they show everyone, and their true self. By gaining mastery over that true self by... whatever method is most convenient due to the circumstances, you awaken your Persona."

Isako was nodding along at least. That was progress. "How did you... awaken yours?"

"By acknowledging the inevitability of death but choosing to fight it all the same." Yukari smiled sadly. "During that whole mess of a year... I did learn something that I never should've kept from you."

Isako sharply turned to look at her daughter. "What?"

"Dad. He wasn't at fault for the accident. He was trying to stop it when it blew up in his face." Yukari sighed, she really hoped Isako didn't ask for more details. "So, I guess I finished what he started, in a way. Even if..."

"It cost you Makoto Yuki." Isako said. After a moment, she flinched. "Wait, is Ren going to..."

"Die? I've got no clue. I've got my trauma in the back of my head saying he will, but the mechanics of how Ren and his friends do what they do is so different than how it was for me... I can't be sure." She clasped her hands together. "But... my gut says he won't."

Isako tilted her head. "Why do you say that?"

Yukari grinned. "The universe wouldn't dare risk the wrath of Makoto Niijima."

As it turned out, being on the School Festival committee was the easiest job ever. Since all the teams and clubs did their own things like food stalls and the like, all they really did was figure out who special guest was as going to be.

It was academic. It was going to be Akechi. It was the perfect opportunity to get him and the rest of the Phantom Thieves in one place. It just so happened that the student body of Shujin decided to agree with them for once.

Makoto had already extended the invitation to Akechi, but he had yet to respond. Ren very carefully refrained from contacting him, if he pushed too hard, Akechi would realize how desperate they were. Ren kept himself busy with preparing new weapons and armor for everyone, while Makoto -with the help of Futaba- undertook a daredevil mission to hack Sae's laptop and clone its hard drive. In a twist of fate that only Futaba found funny, she had modified the tiki head USB drive that Ren had brought her as a souvenir from Hawaii into the device used to do the deed.

Makoto had reported success soon after and said that she would slip the USB to Ren the next day they were at school.

Ironically, that next day also happened to be the day that the SIU investigators descended on Shujin Academy. They were calling out students two at a time to answer questions.

Kawakami knew everything, since she'd been present when Ren told Sojiro everything. She felt that it was just a coincidence the two Phantom Thieves in her class were going to be called at the same time, but could anything be considered a coincidence in this mess? Sojiro had explained the broad strokes of the plan to her, and this was an unexpected wrinkle. "Amamiya and Takamaki, you're next."

Ren was as unflappable as ever, with Morgana leaping into his bag as he stood. Ann was decidedly less steady. "Wait, why both of us? Are they questioning us together?"

Kawakami shrugged. "They're just having us go by seat order. One of you will wait outside while they question the other, as you would know if your head wasn't in the clouds when I explained this three hours ago." She shook her head, "Honestly, I don't know how your grades have improved so much while you're still this much of an airhead..."

Ann supposed it would be a bad idea to let slip that Kasumi was taking advantage of her praise kink to aid in their study sessions, so she tried a different tack. She shrugged and let out a giggle, "Oh, I've just been doing notecards, y'know? Ha ha..." When no one laughed with her, she quietly followed Ren out of the classroom. "Ugh, I'm a bundle of nerves."

"Just stay calm, and it'll be over before you know it." Morgana said.

"it's not that simple." Ren muttered, "If anything, Me, Ann, and Ryuji are all going to be given extra questioning because of our proximity to Kamoshida."

"Oh, crap. We're doomed." Morgana deadpanned. "Farewell, Lady Ann."

"Not helping!" Ann snapped.

All too quickly, they made it to the Student Council room, where the questioning for the second years was set to take place. The SIU man at the door nodded to them. "Amamiya and Takamaki?" After they confirmed their identities, he gave them further instructions. "In one of you go. Doesn't matter who first."

"I'll go first." Ren said. Hopefully Ann would be able to get her nerves under control before her turn.

"Fine. Just so you're aware, don't be alarmed when it comes to the agent in there. Yes, he's from PubSec. We needed the extra manpower for questioning, and he was in the area."

"I promise to only wet my pants a little." Ren snarked.

The SIU man stared at him, unimpressed by his rapier wit.

Ren sighed. He almost missed Kaneshiro. He may have been reprehensible and sorely tested the limits of his self-control, but at least the man appreciated a good joke! He entered the room to find a skinny man in a suit with long hair and glasses. "Hey, kid. Take a seat." As he did so, the man introduced himself. "I'm Inspector Zenkichi Hasegawa, with Public Security. I've got a few questions for you. First, your name?"

"Ren Amamiya."

The SIU man sitting beside Zenkichi cleared his throat meaningfully. Zenkichi rolled his eyes at the man. "Oh, so you're the one on probation? How's that going?"

Ren shrugged. "Fine, best year of my life, if I'm being honest."

"Idiot!" Morgana yowled, "Don't volunteer information!"

Zenkichi paused. His notes did say that Ren had a rather willful emotional support cat, so this wasn't outside of what he expected. "Why do you say that? I mean, you come here, and get the shit beat out of you by your gym teacher. Doesn't sound like a recipe for success to me, but I'm a terrible cook."

"Well, after getting the shit beat out of me by Kamoshida, I met the girl I'm dating now. Silver linings and all that."

Zenkichi hummed. "I see. Did you have anything to do with Kamoshida's heart growing three sizes that day?"

Ren laughed at the joke. Finally, someone who spoke Japanese! Metaphorically speaking. "Nope. I was just trying to keep my head down and stay out of Kamoshida's way after the aforementioned beating."

Zenkichi jotted that down in a notebook, then peered at Ren again. "The Phantom Thieves. What's your take?"

"I..." He averted his eyes. "After Kamoshida spilled the beans, I was a fan, through and through. Then, by complete chance, they saved Makoto from Kaneshiro forcing her into... the oldest profession." Zenkichi cringed at that. Most decent people would. "But the thing is, up till this last time, they never killed. Ever. Even if their targets deserved it." He hesitantly looked back at Zenkichi. "Look, my best friend here is dating Haru Okumura, so I've had a front row seat to the pain that the Phantom Thieves have caused by killing Okumura-san. They lost me with that."

Ren thought he saw a flash of disbelief in the man's eyes, but he proceeded anyways. "Last question. Do you think the Phantom Thieves are students here?"

Inwardly, Ren groaned. They still needed to bait Akechi into playing ball, so there was only one answer he could give. "Yeah, I do."

Zenkichi leaned in. "Does that scare you? I mean, you are a criminal."

"I did one assault, and it was to save a woman from being harassed." He smiled ruefully, "No good deed goes unpunished and all that." He laughed nervously, "I think I'm a bit out of their weight class at this point."

Zenkichi gave him an odd look, like he didn't completely believe him. "Sure. Well, that's all the questions I have for you. Unless you have any hunches on who the Phantom Thieves are?"

"Sorry, that's above my pay grade." Ren deadpanned.

"But you're a student, you don't get paid anything." The SIU man said.

Ren stood and shook his head. "That's the joke." He walked out and was relieved to see that Ann had calmed down. Knowing that out of the group she was the one that talked with her Persona the most, it was reasonable to assume that Hecate had talked her through it.

Ren took a deep breath as he leaned against the wall and idly gave Morgana some headpats. One trial done, just a million more to go.

Futaba let out a deep breath. When she'd asked Sojiro if she could visit her mother's grave on her own, he'd been very skeptical. Not that she couldn't handle it, she'd more than proven that she could handle things that a mere three months ago would've filled her with sheer terror. Sojiro was more concerned about whether or not it would be safe. With the SIU starting to close in, he didn't want any overly ambitious hotshot agent to get ideas.

In the end, Kawakami proposed a compromise. Futaba would go to the church on her own, while Sojiro would follow at a discreet distance.

It didn't matter to Futaba. She got to go on her own. That's what mattered here. Getting here had been a nightmare. She'd almost had three separate panic attacks. Luckily she'd passed the quick-time event-

She stopped her inner monologue to correct herself. She used the breathing exercises that Kasumi had taught her. Technically a real life quick-time event, but now that she wasn't a shut-in she had to draw a line between fiction and reality. If she didn't, eventually she'd be right back where she started.

She walked into the cemetery adjacent to the church in Kanda. She didn't put much stock in religion, not when she saw Ren and the rest of her friends fight representations of gods and god-like beings every day. But she wouldn't disparage those who found hope in it.

She knew where she was going, so there was no point in rushing it. She walked slowly through the cemetery. "Query: Why do you delay?"

Futaba swallowed. Talking to her Persona still creeped her out. Probably because of all the hallucinations she endured. She glanced around awkwardly. There was no one to notice, and it wasn't like someone talking to themselves in a cemetery was overly weird. "It's the last thing on the list, Necronomicon. I don't want to rush it."

She took a notepad and pen out of her coat pocket and flipped it open. It was a list of promises that she'd made to her mom shortly after her change of heart. Ren and Makoto had helped her with some of them. Not just them, everyone had helped in their own way.

Finally, it was time to cross the last one off. Visit Mom. She decided to draw a slash through it now. She was here and her nerves were holding. She wasn't going to run away.

Soon enough, she was face-to-face with her mother's gravestone. "Hey, Mom. It's been a while."

"Query: Your mother is dead. Why do you insist on speaking to her? She cannot hear you."

Futaba frowned. She had been the first to ask her Persona where it came from. The answer was maddeningly esoteric. The sea of souls that dwelt in the hearts of humanity. Futaba chose to believe that her mother's soul, spirit, heart, or... whatever had returned to this sea of souls and could hear her through her heart.

She was probably wrong. She found that she didn't much care.

"A lot's happened since you died. Your brother's a dick, by the way. Sojiro took me in, but..." She sighed. "The people that killed me told me a bunch of lies about how you died, said it was my fault. For two years, I believed it. But some people helped me figure it out. My friends helped me." She laughed as she wiped a tear from her eyes, "Yeah, I've got friends. I'm not a shut-in anymore."

Futaba paused for a moment, hoping to feel some sign that her mother heard her somehow. It was foolish, a childish fantasy. She knew that, and yet...

"Sojiro's doing okay too. He's found someone... or re-found them, I guess. Sadyo's alright. She's good for him, but... I don't know if I'll ever call her mom. Because that's you. It's dumb, I know..."

(Music Start: Our Beginning - Persona 5 OST)

She steeled herself. "Mom, me and my friends are going after the people that hurt you. We're going to expose every crime they've used the Metaverse for, and I'm going to reclaim your research and make sure it's used for good. I know that... wherever you are, you'll worry about me. Sojiro does, and he's part of the team. Right now, we've got about a one in a million chance." Futaba grinned. "If my memory's right, that's what they said the chances of your research being correct was. So how could I call myself your daughter if I didn't take that chance?"

"Declaration: Your heart has grown much stronger. You have overcome the reversed Hermit. Stand by for Persona upgrade."

Futaba gasped. "Upgrade? What?" She trailed off as she could feel Necronomicon changing. Becoming something better- no. Becoming what it was meant to be all along.

Prometheus, the Titan that gave fire to humans in Greek mythology!

"Whoa, I had no idea I still had this much room to grow!" Futaba said. She looked up to the sky and grinned. "Don't worry, Mom. We'll give 'em hell." She clenched her fists. "Shido won't know what hit him."

(Music End)

Ren cracked his neck as he walked back to Leblanc. The Phantom Thieves had just finished a long training session in Mementos that had ended with them reaching the deepest level they could reach for now. Sojiro hadn't joined them due to Leblanc actually being busy for once.

"Hey, Ren?" Morgana asked. "Is it okay if we find out that I'm not human?"

Ren rolled his eyes. Morgana really did have one-track mind sometimes. "Yeah, it's like I've been saying when the whole cat thing comes up. You're you, and you're part of the team. That's all that matters in my book."

He let out a soft meow. "Thanks, Ren."

He walked into Leblanc, his arrival heralded by the ding of the bell. A smirk soon crossed his face when he saw who was waiting for him. None other than Goro Akechi. This called for the proper greeting.

"Honey, I'm home!"

Akechi glanced at him, smiling genuinely for a brief second before adopting his usual smirk. "Hmph. You're back awfully late."

Sojiro raised an eyebrow. He'd been around Ren long enough to know he was just bantering, but Akechi... the jury was still out there. Interesting if true. The Detective Prince himself... Kid, you've got to learn how to turn the charm off. "Ren, you're in charge. I need a smoke break." He swept out of the café and lit up a cigarette. After a moment's deliberation, he switched the open sign to closed.

Ren glanced at the other booths and was happy to see that they were alone. Morgana wisely stayed hidden and quiet. No need to let the cat out of the bag yet.

Ren was extremely annoyed that only he would be able to experience that moment of comedic genius. He grabbed his apron off of the hook -it had been a joke from Futaba, as it read if lost, return to Makoto Niijima- and went behind the counter. "So, what brings you to my part of town, Akechi?"

Akechi's eyes flickered down to the writing on the apron, and a flash of annoyance marred his features before it vanished again. "I received a request to be the keynote speaker at Shujin Academy's school festival. I wanted to let you know that I'll be accepting the request."

Ren folded his arms. "Why are you telling me this? Shouldn't you be telling Makoto?"

Akechi waved his hand dismissively, "Yes, yes, I've already let your dear Queen know."

Ren barely kept himself from reacting to his use of Makoto's codename. Had Akechi need spying on them during their time in Okumura's Palace? That would've been the only time he could've done it, as that would've been the only target he could've had pre-knowledge of. "So why come tell me?"

Akechi leaned forward. "I think you know."

Ren opened his mouth to say something, when the TV began to spit out a speech from Masoyoshi Shido. Strangely, Akechi gave his full attention to it. He tuned it out and focused on his adversary, although certain points came through. Namely Shido's determination to hunt down the Phantom Thieves. Oddly, despite the neutral look on Akechi's face, he had a white knuckle grip on his coffee cup. "Careful there."

Akechi looked at him quizzically, then down at his hand. "Ah, apologies. I..." He sighed, "Everyone is so convinced that the Phantom Thieves are guilty. It makes me something of a pariah right now."

"You think they're innocent?" Ren asked.

"Well, innocent is a bit of a stretch." Akechi laughed, "But I don't think they killed Okumura. They only change the hearts of criminals, and they don't kill. From what I've seen of the medical reports, Okumura is as good as dead."

Ren knew that Akechi was full of crap because of the conversation they'd had months prior, but he didn't need to know that, "Why's that?"

"I empathize with them." Akechi finished off his cup of coffee and stood. "They always fight for their justice, no matter what society tells them. It's admirable to an extent." He looked at Ren, and presented a stare that could bore through solid granite. "We'll be having another discussion soon. One that should prove most enlightening."

"I'll be looking forward to it, Akechi." Ren said.

Akechi paused at the door. "Oh, and if I'm wrong about the Phantom Thieves..." A sickeningly gentle smile appeared, "If Niijima-san should suffer a mental shutdown, I'll be here if you need me."

The door was closed and Akechi was gone. "That bastard..." He clenched his fists and forced himself to stay calm. Akechi was just trying to worm his way into his head.

Morgana popped his head out of the bag. "I heard everything. You okay?"

"No." Ren admitted. "If he keeps shit like that up, I might actually kill him."

Morgana regarded Ren for a moment before speaking again, "And nothing of value would be lost."

Ren laughed. He knew Morgana didn't really mean that and that he was just trying to cheer him up. "Thanks, buddy. I needed that."

He trudged up the stairs and went to bed. The pieces were in place, now all they had to do was execute the operation, like they had so many times before.

It was time for the Queen's Gambit.

Most of the school festival was a blur to Ren, it just felt like it didn't matter. He was happy everyone could be together and have fun -Sojiro even closed Leblanc and came, since they needed the full team when they cornered Akechi- but all the stalls and activities... just felt like they didn't matter. Had Akechi's subtle threat on Makoto's life affected him more than he thought? Or was knowing that he was about to be staring down the "ruin" that Igor kept going on about making him nervous?

He didn't know, and that worried him.

It was finally time for Akechi to address the student body, and then field questions curated by Makoto. If everything went according to plan, she would lead him with the question of the Phantom Thieves' real identities, then Futaba would call him on a burner phone and a pre-recorded message from Ren would tell him to say he needed to step away for a few moments. Then they would have their chat.

"First off, thank you for coming, Akechi-kun." Makoto said, "Second, I'll ask you the question that I'm sure most of the student body wants answered, given the rumors that they're among us. Do you know the identities of the Phantom Thieves?"

"Oh, come now, Niijima-san! You know as well as I do that I can't comment on an ongoing investigation!" His answer was met by sounds of dismay from the crowd. One person even shouted you suck.

Ryuji had paid off a member of the now reinstated track team to say that. They may hate his guts, but money talked.

"So you know then?" Makoto pressed. "You wouldn't give that kind of a non-answer if you didn't."

"What makes you say that?" Akechi turned to her, his eyes dancing with a spark of curiosity.

Makoto smiled. "You forget, my sister is Sae Niijima, who I know you work with frequently. I know enough about your habits and speech patterns from her to know that you know more than you're letting on."

For a fleeting moment, Akechi's facade faltered. "Well, then I suppose I have no choice but to answer. But are you sure you want to know?"

Makoto's eyebrow twitched. "What do you mean?"

"Because if you don't know, then I am about to bring you unimaginable pain, the betrayal of trust that can only come from a lo-"

Just in the nick of time, Akechi's phone went off. He took it out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID. "Hmm, just a moment." He answered it and raised it to his ear. "Hello?" He lowered after a few seconds. "I'm sorry, I need to take this. Is there somewhere I can is that?"

"The PE faculty office." Makoto said, "I can show you where it is." As soon as Akechi's back was turned, she caught Ren's eye and gave him a small nod. Ren then ushered the rest of the Thieves towards the same location.

In mere moments, they were all face to face with Akechi. "Ah, I see." He said. "So, you have me cornered in the former lair of your first victim. How poetic."

"How'd you know it was us?" Ryuji asked.

Akechi leaned against what had been Kamoshida's desk. "That... now that is a harrowing tale. Put simply, I tailed your group as you went to Okumura Foods HQ, and I was a little too close to you when you entered that other world." He looked at the assembled Phantom Thieves. "I can't say I expected you, Sojiro-san. But I believe your party is still one short. If my memory is correct there was a talking monster cat?"

Morgana popped out of Ren's bag and hopped onto a table. "I am not a cat. My name is Morgana."

"You'll forgive me if I'm.. ah... skeptical." Akechi continued to weave his tale. "Tell me if this sounds familiar. I encountered some of the monsters that inhabit that world, then I heard a voice in my head that offered me a contract in exchange for the power to survive, and the power to see my justice done. Then a mask appeared on my face, and upon violently removing it... I'm sure you know the rest, right down to the strange red eye app on your mobile devices."

"He has the Meta-Nav?" Yusuke asked.

Futaba pushed her glasses up her nose and peered at Akechi. "What's your Persona?"

"Robin Hood."

Ren chewed on the inside of his mouth. That fit, considering all of the Thieves' first Persona were some sort of fictional trickster.

"More to the point though..." Akechi pulled out pictures of them running away from Okumura Foods the day that they'd changed his heart, "This evidence would give the SIU enough to implicate causality, especially with the surveillance camera footage."

"Ah, hell..." Ryuji swore under his breath.

"Oh no..." Kasumi whispered.

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ann said, "Since when did we get that sloppy?"

"I don't think you ever did. I mean that truthfully." Akechi said with a poisonous smile. "This simply was the first time that real world security measures were a factor, one you failed to take into account."

"We wouldn't be having this conversation if you didn't have an angle, Akechi." Ren said. "What's your game?"

"I believe you're innocent, and have come bearing a get out of jail free card. As I'm sure you're aware, the SIU is now the agency in charge of the Phantom Thieves investigation." Akechi began to explain.

"We're aware of their..." Makoto trailed off as she searched for a proper turn of phrase. "Injustices. We also know that my sister is leading the investigation."

Akechi inclined his head towards her. "Indeed, but what you don't know is the lengths that Sae-san will go to. The higher-ups only care about a swift end to the case, and pinning all of the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdown cases on the Phantom Thieves. While they'll never be able to prove the existence of that other world, they will not shy away from fabricating whatever evidence they need to. They may even fake your own confessions."

"That's bullshit!" Ryuji swore. Haru laid a hand on his shoulder to calm him before breaking her silence.

"So you're saying they'll just pin father's death on me?"

"Yes."

"Okay..." Ann said, "Okay okay okay. There's got to be a way out of this, there always is."

"Help me change Sae-san's heart." Akechi said. "You do that, and then I'll be able to steer the investigation away from you and back to the true culprits."

Ren extended a hand. Everything was going according to plan. "Welcome to the Phantom Thieves."

Akechi shook the offered hand. "I do have one condition, however. For this ploy to work, this must be your last job. The Phantom Thieves will need to disband."

"As you wish." Ren replied.

"Good. As always, Ren, our conversations are a genuine pleasure. I look forward to collaborating with you in the future." He looked at Makoto, "It would be best to end the panel here, I think."

"I'll make it work. Ren will add you to the group chat so we can coordinate when we'll be meeting up."

Everyone filed out until Ren and Morgana were left alone. "Well, we know he's lying through his teeth now." Morgana said.

Ren nodded. "Yep, the operation is good to go." He grinned. "It's showtime!"

Kasumi was no stranger to pressure. Gymnastics, by its very nature, was a high pressure sport. Between every other competitor praying for you to fail and the judges waiting to punish even the smallest error with failure, it was second nature to her by now.

She didn't know if it was the added pressure of the operation to deal with Akechi or some other stressor, but she was starting to notice things that were off. Sometimes, if she wasn't paying close attention, the edges of her vision would worsen. It even seemed like she had astigmatism with how streetlights would look more like four point stars.

That wasn't even mentioning that whenever she looked at something that had her name on it, it would always shimmer, almost like a mirage.

She looked over at Ann who was busy doing some squats. They'd decided to get a light workout in after the meeting with Akechi. Well, light for Ann. To Kasumi it may as well have been a walk in the park. It was fine, they were spending time together, that was the important thing.

Ann finished and noticed Kasumi staring. She winked at her girlfriend and cocked her hips. "Like what you see?"

Kasumi playfully swatted her girlfriend's arm. "You're incorrigible."

Ann laughed. "I'm just glad that you came around to the idea of slowing down when we work out together. I mean, when I first mentioned it, you nearly bit my head off."

Kasumi frowned. That didn't sound right. After all, she remembered it pretty clearly. That discussion had happened about two weeks after they'd started dating, and there hadn't been any animosity. "I don't remember us ever arguing about that?"

"Haha, very funny." Ann said. I guess it didn't help matters I asked you that when you had a fit of pining about Ren."

That... didn't sound right? "What are you talking about? Ren's just a friend, I've never had those sorts of feelings about him. It was always you, Ann."

Ann knew that wasn't true. Hell, the whole reason they'd got together in the first place was because they'd both been suffering from heartbreak, and they'd been each other's rebound and caught all the feelings in the middle of it. "Kasumi... how do you think we got together?"

"You asked me out after my first meeting with everyone. We went to get crepes, then got to talking. By the time we realized how late it was, I couldn't get a train home, so I stayed at your place and we ended up getting... intimate." Kasumi smiled. "And the rest is history."

Ann shook her head. "Kasumi... that isn't what happened."

Kasumi took a step back. "What are you talking about?"

Ann gently sat her down and began to explain. How she'd had a crush on Ren. How they'd really started dating, and their argument about workout intensity. As soon as she explained each event, Kasumi would remember that the version that Ann told her was what actually happened.

But that begged the question, who was editing Kasumi's memories? And how? One thing that was clear, was that in every case it seemed to be done for the sole reason of removing potential suffering. That was technically benevolent, but it was still wrong.

"How did this happen?" Kasumi asked. "Could a Shadow have done this to me somehow?"

"I doubt it." Ann said, keeping her voice low. "Shadows just kill you, not mess with your mind. Is there anything else abnormal you can think of?"

Kasumi shook her head. "No, I mean... I go to therapy every week, but that was the same as always."

"Wait, you go to Maruki? That hack?" Ann said. She knew that Ren went to him on occasion, but both her and Ryuji had done their school-mandated sessions with him and then ghosted him. Something about this was fishy... "Can I come to your next session? Just to make sure that nothing's... screwy?"

Kasumi swallowed, she couldn't deny that someone had tampered with her memories. The thought of it being Maruki was... not good. "Okay. Should I let him know?"

"No." Ann said. "If he had something to do with it, let's not give him time to be ready for us."

Kasumi checked her phone. "Next Wednesday after school."

Ann steeled herself. "Alright. Don't worry, I'll be right there with you."

If Maruki had somehow altered Kasumi's memories, he needed to be stopped. How? She had no idea. They'd figure it out.

Ryuji had made a decision. He hated hospitals. Only bad things happened there. He went there after his leg was broken and was stuck there for three painful and humiliating weeks. Now... Haru was about to pull the plug on her dad.

Yeah. Only bad things happened at hospitals.

Some Okumura Foods suit had met them at the hospital. Haru had explained that he was her father's right hand man, Takakura by name.

Takakura explained that with changes to his will that he had made before his coma, Haru legally was the majority shareholder in Okumura Foods and its CEO. Now, this was real life, and no one was going to expect a teenager to run multinational corporation. As such, until such time as Haru was ready to take over, Takakura would maintain the business. Basically just keep the seat warm and nudge the company in the direction Haru wanted it to go. Also, all verbal agreements Kunikazu made with Ryuji and his mother would be honored.

Now they just had to let Kunikazu Okumura go. It had taken upwards of fifteen minutes to reach the hospital room where he lay, kept alive by a respirator. Takakura left them alone in the room. Ryuji didn't say anything for a while, simply waiting to see what Haru would do.

"Part of me wishes my father never became distorted, that he never fell in with Shido or that death cult. I could've just lived my life, blissfully unaware of what tragedy could befall me." Haru shook her head, "But then I never would've met you or the others. I never would've found my courage. I never would've taken control of my life back from those who only saw me as a bargaining chip or toy. Even though it's hard, even though it's painful, I must endure it. If this is to be my crucible, then I will forge myself anew, and find the power to push forward!" She took out her handkerchief and wiped her eyes. Ryuji came up behind her and looped his arms around her. She leaned into the embrace with a sigh before taking the switch that would turn off her father's life support in her hands.

"Do you want me to do it?" Ryuji asked.

"No, I need to do it." She replied. Haru took a deep breath. "Farewell, dear father, I am no longer anyone's subservient puppet."

With a click of the switch, the respirator stopped, and Kunikazu Okumura finally gave up the ghost. After a long moment, Ryuji spoke. "Are you gonna be okay? Working with Akechi I mean."

"We're only working with him to ruin him." Haru spat. "That's all the incentive I need."

(Music Start: Our Beginning - Persona 5 OST)

"And just like that, you've learned to overcome what has held you back." Milady said. "No longer do you let others act upon you, instead you claim your own destiny. And through pain and adversity you have found your conviction and have grown stronger for it."

Haru gasped as she saw her Persona began to evolve in her mind's eye. Into...

Astarte? Who was that? She pulled out her phone and did an internet search.

"Eh? What's up?" Ryuji asked.

"My Persona evolved into something I couldn't place. Astarte..."

"You know, you could just ask me, Empress."

Haru laughed nervously, "Oh right, I could just ask..." Who are you, exactly?

"That's an interesting question. I show up in a few different religions. The ones you know the most about would be Egyptian and Abrahamic. Some texts refer to me as the Queen of Heaven. I've been worshiped as a god of war and sexual love among other things."

Haru smiled. She could live with that. Then she had a horrible realization. Wait, am I going to become some kind of... DEVIANT?

It was just another study session. Normally when Ren studied with Makoto it was either very productive or very... reckless. Now, it was neither of those things.

He'd been having nightmares about what awaited him. SIU agents coming in and beating him within an inch of his life, not being able to convince Sae as a result, and then...

Then Akechi walked into the interrogation room and shot him in the head, but not before telling him... telling him...

"You get mercy for being such an engaging rival. Niijima-san though... I'm going to kill her slowly. And you won't be able to do anything to protect her! Hahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Ren?"

Was this just a stupid nightmare? Or was it a warning? Was the plan going to fail? Were all the Phantom Thieves going to die one by one, hunted down by Akechi and-

"Ren!"

It didn't matter. None of it did. The plan was going to fail. He was going to die, his friends were going to die. Makoto... was going to die, and he couldn't do a damn thing to stop-

"REN!"

He was finally shocked out of his downward spiral by Makoto yelling at him. "Huh? What?"

She looked at him with concern. "Are you okay? You don't usually space out like that when we're studying."

"I'm fine." Ren lied. "Just tired I guess."

Makoto didn't believe him for a second. She looked him up and down, hoping for some sort of tell. "Ren, your hands are shaking."

He looked down at his hands, then back at Makoto. "I... it's nothing." He averted his eyes. "Let's just get back to studying."

She reached out and gently tuned his face to make him look at her again. "Please talk to me, Ren."

He swallowed as tears began to pool in his eyes. "I said it's fine..." One last lame attempt at bravado.

Makoto rubbed her thumb along his cheek. "Please, Ren. Let me help you bear your burdens."

He leaned into her hand and let out a sob. "I don't know if I can do this." He choked out. "I'm... I'm scared."

Makoto had no illusions about what he was talking about. She began to pull his head down towards her lap. Before Ren knew it, his head was resting comfortably on her. He adjusted his body so he could lay comfortably as she began to stroke his hair. He looked up at her and saw only care and devotion in her eyes. "Makoto..."

"Shhhh..." She said softly. "Don't sorry about a thing, my darling thief. Don't fret, don't speak. Just breathe."

She laid her other hand on his chest. One of his hands captured it immediately. At any other time, his eagerness for her touch would be an endless source of teasing, but now it was just more evidence of how badly he needed this.

Makoto was no great singer. She rarely had occasion to since the days when she would happily belt out the Featherman theme song. For whatever reason, she felt moved to sing now. She knew that she was reaching for something, anything to comfort Ren.

She started with the third verse of the song, because that was the point she wanted to get across. Her voice rang out loud and clear in the attic of Leblanc, by some miracle her voice rivaled even the likes of Risette. That could be explained away by the intent. A one-time performance for an audience of one, who she cared for deeply.

There's a moment that changes a life when we do something that no one else can.

And the path that we've taken will lead us

To one final stand

There's a moment we'll make a decision, not to cower or crash on the ground.

The moment we face our worst demons, our courage found.

Where we stand with friends, and we won't retreat.

And we stare down death, and the taste is sweet.

I may fall but not like this, it won't be by your hand.

Not this place, not tonight

Bring it all, it's not enough to take me down.

I may fall...

When she finished and looked back at Ren, he had fallen asleep. For the first time in a long while, his face was unmarred by worry, stress, or concern for others. He was simply at peace. She gently removed his glasses and picked him up in a bridal carry. Taking care not to wake him, she placed him on the bed.

He would probably be distraught if she wasn't there when he woke up. It was a good thing that she brought pajamas whenever she came over to Leblanc. Just in case. She quickly changed and snuggled into bed with him.

Tomorrow, they'd have to begin, otherwise Akechi might grow suspicious. For tonight however, they could have this.

Guarded as he was, Ren's sleep was not troubled by anything, be it restlessness or nightmares.

A/N: I really did want to start the Palace this chapter, but sometimes the characters take on a life of their own and my unofficial beta readers demand more character interaction.

Yukari explains certain things to Isako. How Personas work, and that Ren... probably is going to be fine. Probably.

Zenkichi spotted! I'm toying with the idea of a Strikers arc for this fic, so I wanted him to show up once. He won't show up again until Strikers properly happens.

Futaba's Persona evolves. I largely had the events of her SL happen offscreen, but as with all the others, it happens without Ren because these are Persona 3 style awakenings.

Akechi, you poisonous little devil. Yep, it's the "honey I'm home" scene. What else is Ren gonna say?

Then comes the meeting, where Akechi basically shouts "I'm the traitor! It's me!" Bro's so busy trying to play 3D chess that he doesn't realize that Ren and Makoto are playing 4D chess.

Yes, I am in fact foreshadowing the Maruki arc. Don't worry, it'll be fiiiiine.

Haru evolves and says goodbye to her father. Astarte is actually pretty obscure, as far as party member Personas go, so I thought it would be funny for Haru to try to look it up. Also for her to panic about if she'll become a sexual deviant because one of Astarte's things is in fact sexual love.

As if she didn't already mommy dom Ryuji back in Hawaii...

I find the most unrealistic thing about Persona 5 to be that Ren never flinched once during the Casino arc. He practically has to walk into hell, and he didn't even so much as voice a single concern. And he was just... fine after. After being best half to death and drugged, he just kept on trucking.

Nah. There's going to be a recovery period. There will be angst.

Next time will actually be the Palace, I swear.