Chapter 32
The Casino Of Envy
Wednesday, October 26th, 2016
"I still can't believe you yelled that for all of the school to hear," Futaba snickered, grinning at Ren.
Ren just grinned back at her. He didn't know what had possessed him to yell, "I've always loved you!", but the look on Anne's face had been just… priceless. Absolutely priceless.
"It offered a good distraction, yeah?" Ren shrugged before pressing his hands against the back of his head.
Though Anne dragging him up to the rooftop was nice too. He would never say no to stealing some time alone with Anne.
"Uh huh." Futaba stared, unimpressed. "Suuuure. That's totally why you did it."
"I didn't say it was the only reason," Ren quipped with a smirk.
"You act like we've been partying," Morgana grumbled out, before sticking his head out of Ren's bag. "Sheesh, it wouldn't kill you to take this a little more seriously."
Futaba just responded by sticking her tongue out at Morgana. "Oh shush, Morgana!" she huffed out. "It wouldn't kill you to find some entertainment in all this. We haven't forgotten what Akechi is doing…"
"And we're back to LeBlanc again…" Morgana commented. "I do get why Ken's being cautious…" And then he heaved out a sigh. "…I don't know if we can trust Akechi."
"Can't forget his comment about pancakes back in June," Ren reminded. "And besides that, Ken thinks that his story about that black masked Persona-user attacking him was… fishy."
"What do you mean?" Futaba asked.
"Ken told me a little more in depth about his encounter with the guy," Ren said, after glancing around if anyone was lurking about. "He attacked Ken without any prompting. Said some things to Ken that… triggered him to awaken to his Persona again. Sorta."
"Again?" Morgana echoed.
"Yeah, Ken's Persona was a bit different before he got into the Metaverse," Ren explained. "He could use electric skills and apparently he only had the instant-kill light spells from before. But him forming a 'contract' with Kala-Nemi caused him to develop differently, from the looks of it."
"That really is strange…" Morgana remarked. "But no matter… it's late. We should get Futaba home-"
"But I'm hungry!" Futaba all but whined out. "Let's get Sojiro to make us some curry, Ren!"
"Honestly, why didn't you eat more at the festival then?" Morgana huffed out.
But Futaba completely ignored Morgana, making a beeline for LeBlanc. "Sojiroooooooo!" she called out.
There was something… off. Sojiro was sitting by the bar, and the angle shadowed his face.
Futaba faltered at his silence, before she began to fidget. "S-Sojiro…?"
Then he sat up and the thing he held in his hand made Ren's blood run cold. "I was cleaning up…" His voice was neutral, but his expression just screamed what the hell is this?
Fuck. Fuck. They were in deep shit.
"…And I found this," Sojiro finished.
Futaba gasped, taking a quick step backwards.
"This is a calling card…" Sojiro continued, in that eerily calm voice. That was when his eyes narrowed dangerously on the two of them. "…Right? I've read about it online."
"Y-You went into my room without permission?!" Futaba squeaked out.
"I'll apologize as much as you want later," Sojiro said curtly. "So… what is the meaning of this?"
"That's…" Futaba whimpered, before she began to wring her hands.
"Is it really something to get flustered over?" he demanded. Then he bowed his head. "…I knew it. This just isn't some game you're playing." Futaba began to shake as Sojiro continued with his interrogation. "…Why aren't you saying anything?"
"You haven't been letting us," Ren interjected, and the glare Sojiro threw his way was cold enough to make his blood freeze.
"Why did you keep it?!" Morgana hissed out.
"I… I mean…" Futaba continued to wring her hands, biting her lip. "It was memorable…"
"Explain," Sojiro snapped out, before he slammed his hand on the counter.
"It's complicated," Ren began.
"Complicated?" Sojiro echoed. "So you can't explain it?"
"Stop putting words in my mouth!" Ren exclaimed. "Dammit, Sojiro, we… we have an explanation, I swear!"
"Ex… plain…" Futaba whimpered out. Ren turned his head to see that Futaba had her arms wrapped around herself. "I…"
"Futaba!" Morgana exclaimed. Then he winced. "If this keeps up… then Futaba will…"
"I'll get to the point," Sojiro said briskly. "Is this a real one? Did they… trigger a change of heart in you?"
That was when Futaba began to sob, tear welling in her eyes before spilling down her cheeks. "Ever since… Mom died… there was no exit…"
That was when Sojiro wavered the moment Futaba said "Mom". So that was how it was, huh… Ren did have a niggling suspicion that when Sojiro had spoken of Futaba's late mother… he had feelings for her.
"I was trapped in a labyrinth of my own heart," she choked out. "I knew I had to leave it but I couldn't do it by myself…" She then pulled off her glasses and began to wipe at her face.
"Futaba…" Sojiro's expression softened. "Sit down… both of you. I should at least listen to what the two of you have to say."
So they sat down, only for Futaba to blurt out: "The Phantom Thieves saved me… from my own messed up heart…" She then leaned forward, gripping the edge of the table. "It's the same as Mom's research… they changed my cognition!"
"Seriously…?" Sojiro sighed, before his lips pressed into a thin line. "Wakaba's research… altering one's cognition. I wondered about it myself too. But still…" He stared down at the table.
"So… you always knew?" Ren asked.
"I thought it was really weird that she wanted to go to the beach all of the sudden," Sojiro admitted. "Even the doctors had thrown in the towel."
Futaba couldn't stifle her sobs again and Ren gently rubbed circles in her back. To his relief, it was soothing her.
"I had just thought… other kids could've been the support she needed. Better than any adult could offer her. But as I watched the tabloid shows, day in and day out… I couldn't help but wonder. Futaba changed so abruptly… It seemed similar to what these Phantom Thieves are doing."
Futaba let out a little gasp. "Wow…"
Sojiro readjusted his glasses, cracking a smile. "I'm still your guardian, you know. I'd never overlook such a drastic change in your behavior."
"Sojiro…" Futaba breathed.
"But still, to think that what the Phantom Thieves have been doing… and Wakaba's research… they're seriously connected—basically the same thing?" He then heaved out a sigh. "…Back in the day, I used to be a government official."
"You were with the government?" Ren said in disbelief.
"My job was to be the bridge between the government and the lab Wakaba worked at. She had quite a resume under her belt… She used to work for the Kirijo Group, you know."
"…We know," Ren said.
"…You do?" Sojiro frowned at that, before shaking his head. "…But anyhow, that's how I got to know her. One night, we were out drinking and she said something… odd to me. She said… 'I feel I'm going to die soon. In an odd way.' Who wouldn't take that as a joke…?"
"So… Mom knew…?" Futaba asked.
"I just laughed it off." His expression darkened. "But… it happened. Exactly as she said. If I had just listened to her, then maybe she would be still…" He trailed off for a moment, only for his jaw to tighten. "If anything were to happen to you, Futaba, I'd… I'd feel like I've let her down. But there's something I want to ask you…" Ren sat up as Sojiro turned his gaze to him, "judging from your reactions, you knew about this calling card, didn't you? You should've known that a change of heart would have happened to Futaba." Sojiro's eyes then narrowed. "Is there a connection between you and them?"
"Wellll…" Ren lowered his head, rubbing the back of his neck. He couldn't talk his way outta this. "You… You're looking at the leader."
"You're the leader?!" Sojiro sputtered out. "But then again, now that I think about it, you kept collecting friends who seemed to be connected to the people whose hearts that had been changed." He then rubbed his chin. "I just can't place your friend… the brown haired one, from Port Island."
Ren winced. "He's… the reason why we knew about Futaba's mom working for the Kirijo Group," he admitted. "Ken's acquainted with the Kirijo Group head. I… I know it sounds crazy, but with how we change hearts is by… entering a world represented by someone's cognition."
"You have that power?!" Sojiro inhaled sharply. "The power of Persona?"
"You know about that?" Futaba yelped out.
Sojiro nodded. "The government wanted to keep tabs on the Kirijo Group… and Persona-users in general." Then he shook his head. "What's a kid your age doing, connected to Kirijo like that?"
"Er…" Ren winced before mentally apologizing to Ken. "Well… Ken's actually had his Persona for… seven years."
"And he lived on Port Island during that?" Sojiro demanded. Then he sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead. "Good god… it was during that incident, wasn't it?"
"You… you know about that?" Ren asked.
"He told you?" Sojiro sighed, shaking his head. "I… I don't know if I'm okay with this. Especially you, Futaba."
"Sojiro, please don't tell me to stop!" Futaba abruptly stood up. "B-Becoming a Phantom Thief is one of the best things that has happened to me!"
"Futaba…" Ren breathed.
"I… I have friends! Friends who have stood by me, seen the labyrinth of my heart…" Futaba laid a hand over her heart. "They've seen my Shadow, like Jungian psychology describes! They helped me remember the truth about my mom! And Mom…" Tears pricked at Futaba's eyes. "I… I have to find out the truth! I will make sure that Shido's gonna suffer for what he's done to Mom… No matter what… I swear… I'm going to make sure he regrets even thinking about hurting her! And her research… her life's work! He's going to pay for stealing it away!"
"Holy hell, can you stop dropping bombs on me?" Sojiro moaned out, burying his face in both hands. "How the hell do you know about Shido?!"
Futaba just laughed nervously. "Um… Ken told us?"
Sojiro dropped his hands so he could stare incredulously at them. "Just how much does this kid know?!"
"He's close to Mitsuru Kirijo," Ren said. "It took him a while for him to trust us with that kind of info, though."
Sojiro just sighed. "…You're really determined, aren't you?"
Futaba nodded furiously. "I can't look away. Now that my vision is clear."
"I can't either." Ren shook his head. "There's no turning back… The ship has sailed, a long time ago."
"I still can't believe it…" Sojiro sighed. "I housed the leader of the Phantom Thieves for months…" He then looked to Futaba. "…But you did help Futaba. I can't overlook that."
"Sojiro…!" Futaba bit her lip.
"…I won't lie, I was wracked with guilt after Wakaba died…" Sojiro said quietly. "I kept asking myself… what if I had done something? My past regrets about Wakaba… they keep gnawing at me in the back of my mind." He then cleared his throat, looking at Futaba. "So… in a way, I took Futaba in as a way… to atone for that."
Futaba shook her head furiously. "It's not your fault, Sojiro."
"And yet, I ran away. But here you are… standing up to people abusing authority." He took off his glasses to rub at his face. "I should be ashamed, really."
"Well… if there were more people to question things… we wouldn't be the Phantom Thieves," Ren said. "We started with Kamoshida because he was waltzing around the school like he owned the damn place… he wanted to rape Anne, all because he wanted her…"
His hands tightened around his knees at that.
"And… nobody knows?" Sojiro asked incredulously.
"There are some people," Ren admitted. Kawakami, Yoshida, Takemi… "Most of them are people who helped me out here and there…"
"But no parents or guardians?" Sojiro asked.
Ren just squirmed in his seat. "Well… there's one…"
Sojiro eyed him. "…Let me guess. It's Ken's guardian, isn't it?"
"We have a winner?" Ren asked weakly.
Sojiro sighed. "Ask him if I can talk to him about all of this… I can't get my head wrapped around this." He then stood up. "Come on, Futaba. Let's go home."
"Aw, but…" Futaba pouted, only for her stomach to start rumbling.
"I'll fix up something for her, and I'll walk her home after all of this," Ren offered.
After a moment, Sojiro nodded. "Thanks. I really appreciate it."
So he left, shutting the door behind him.
Futaba threw herself into a bar seat, letting her head flop down onto the table. "I… I thought my heart was about to explode," Futaba moaned out.
Ren chuckled, before pulling out ingredients from the fridge. "But we managed to talk our way out. That's a huge relief."
"You're telling me…" Futaba grumbled out.
"You're really determined to make Shido fall, aren't you?" Morgana asked.
Understandably, he had stayed quiet during the whole "explanation". Sojiro wouldn't have a freaking clue what Morgana was saying.
Futaba nodded furiously. "Of course! It's not just Mom, though… What he did to Mom was awful… but just look at all the crap he's pulled. He killed Haru's dad all because he was in the way and needed someone to die to blame us… He stopped the few people who could've stopped him two years ago… I want to take him down so that all of the people who have suffered because of his crap… won't have to anymore…"
Ren looked at her in surprise. "Futaba…"
"I… I have had a lot to think about," Futaba confessed. "I thought we were untouchable… It was like I was sitting behind a computer and being Medjed all over again. But… all of this was a wake-up call."
"It has been for all of us," Morgana said solemnly.
Futaba nodded. "And what Inari had been telling me, Morgana, Makoto, and Ken got me thinking… We were so confident that things were going dandy for us because so far it had. We thought it'd get us even more approval. But that's not why we should be Phantom Thieves. I… I know that I'm still not the best person I can be. Talking to strangers still freak me out. But…! I want to! I want to be the one to save people this time!"
Ren smiled at her. "We're with you… all the way."
Futaba grinned back at him, only for her to close her eyes. Then her lips parted, a word slipping out.
"Prometheus…"
"Prometheus?" Morgana asked.
"Prometheus," Futaba repeated, opening her eyes. They were bright with excitement. "That's my new Persona! It changed! Like Anne and Inari!"
"So another one for the books," Ren mused.
So far it's been three of them… He couldn't help but wonder who would be next.
"Rennn! You promised me curry!" Futaba's voice snapped him out of his musings. "Hurry before I pass out from hunger!"
Ren just chuckled. "Yeah, yeah, just you wait. This curry will knock your socks off, I promise."
Thursday, October 27th , 2016
"So… last meeting at Ken's place for a while, huh?" Ryuji flopped onto the larger couch. "Back to LeBlanc, I'm guessin'."
"Pretty much," Ken said. "I don't trust Akechi, despite all of his claims. Not to mention we have a few things around here that could implicate us."
"Like what?" Makoto asked.
"Well, our Evokers for one," Ken answered. Then his hand went into his blazer's pocket, pulling out a bronze badge. He held it up, so everyone could see it. There was a S above two crossed rapiers. "This is the badge of the Shadow Operatives. All members, including the Special Suppression Unit, carry one."
"The… Special Suppression Unit?" Yusuke asked. "What is this exactly?"
"Oh, right, sorry…" Ken shook his head. "It's a division that Mitsuru-san established within the Shadow Operatives. It's like… a back-up squad for emergencies. I was on it along with Yukari-san, Junpei-san, and Shinjiro-san four years ago. But I decided to leave it entirely because I kept trying to focus on the past and it was hindering me."
"Jeez, you must've been a serious fourteen year old," Ryuji grumbled out.
"You talk like he's not serious now," Ren quipped.
Ken huffed at the two of them for a moment, before speaking again. "Anyways, Mitsuru-san gave it back to me when I agreed to the mission." He rolled the badge in between his fingers for a moment. "But since then… they've made it… a bit more important that members carry it."
"What do you mean by that?" Anne asked.
"Mitsuru-san, Akihiko-san, Aigis-san, and Minako-san were kidnapped during the incident where we met the Investigation Team four years ago. It was only luck that we saw that we were taken. So Mitsuru-san decided to have it so that the badges had a chip imbedded inside of it, so we can track a GPS signal."
"She really pulls no stops, doesn't she?" Morgana asked.
Ken nodded before slipping it back into his pocket. So Ken carried that badge on him wherever he went, huh… Ren had no idea. "…Anyhow, Ren and I talked it over during lunch and we've agreed that it's too risky to continue meeting here. So when Akechi asks to meet, and I imagine it will be soon… we will at LeBlanc."
"We could've just discussed this over text, though…." Anne said, her eyebrows scrunching together. "Why call this meeting?"
Makoto coughed. "A-Actually… I have another reason for this. B-Because you see… There's something I need to tell you."
"Whataya mean, Makoto?" Ryuji asked.
"J-Just let me show you." Makoto reached into her bag, her hand trembling for some reason. Ren stared at her. What was Makoto doing? For a moment, her eyes met with Ken's. She then inhaled shakily, drawing out her phone. "Sae Niijima." Her voice was barely audible as she spoke.
"Result found."
Ren felt a pit form in his stomach. No… way…
"That's the Nav!" Haru gasped, her eyes wide. "Mako-chan… then that means…!"
"I know…" Makoto's voice had taken on a timid tone. "I'm so, so sorry… I just… I had hoped that Sis wasn't too far gone… that she could change on her heart on her own. I-I know that you and Yusuke went against your father figures… I should have done the same. E-Especially since Sis was threatening Boss with taking away Futaba from him." She looked over to Futaba, bowing her head. "I'm so sorry, Futaba… I should've spoken up. Probably would have saved you and Boss some grief."
Futaba was silent for what felt like ages. But then she spoke.
"…I get it."
"Y-You do?" Makoto stammered out, her eyes wide with shock.
Futaba slowly nodded. "I could've approached you guys way before than I had," she said, chewing on her bottom lip. "But… I didn't. I was scared… a-and embarrassed about asking for help."
"Futaba…" Makoto said quietly, her voice slightly above a murmur.
"So um…!" Futaba began to wring her hands. "I-I'm still mad at your sister, for threatening Sojiro like that… B-But I can understand why you couldn't speak up about it."
"And besides, everything kept piling up and up," Anne added. "We were worrying about Medjed, then we found out about Shido and then Okumura happened…"
"Furthermore, I can understand why…" Yusuke said quietly. "I know not if your sister is too far gone, as I've never met her… But if it was possible, I would have avoided fighting Sen—Madarame."
Ren winced in sympathy. After all of this time, Yusuke still have conflicted feelings about Madarame.
Haru nodded as well. "Father pushed me into drastic action. He just… would not listen to me and what I wanted… He didn't care that Sugimura was such an awful man. I don't know what your relationship with your sister is like… but I understand. Fighting your family… is not easy."
"…But if your sis's got a Palace, that's gotta be why Akechi's enlisted us," Ryuji said.
"What's he got to gain from all of this, though…" Ren said. "That's what we need to find out."
Anne nodded. "He's definitely up to something. He's been badmouthing us this whole time. He can't just do a complete flip like that…"
"So…" Morgana hopped onto the coffee table, arching his back for a moment. "Futaba. Is it possible to eavesdrop onto Akechi's phone? So we can monitor him for a bit?"
"Hmm…" Futaba chewed on her bottom lip. "I don't know… That's a bit tricky, even for me."
"Modest as always," Yusuke sighed.
"Zip it, Inari!" Futaba glared at him briefly. "But… I would have to bug his phone directly." But then her face lit up, like a metaphorical light bulb went off. "Wait! I've got it!" She began to rub her hands together. "Mwehehe, just you wait.. Akechi won't know what hit him!"
"…Are you planning on telling us, Futaba-chan?" Haru asked.
Futaba just grinned, before pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Nope! You'll find out soon enough."
"Why am I not surprised?" Ken deadpanned.
"We should make a new chat though," Ryuji said, taking out his phone. "So we can talk without Akechi lookin' at our texts."
He tapped at it for a moment, before all of their phones went off.
"…The Real Phantom Thieves of Hearts?" Anne read alone, an eyebrow raised.
"What?" Ryuji huffed, folding his arms over his chest. "You know it's true!"
"…It works, doesn't it?" Haru offered.
Ryuji just hung his head. "You don't have to say it like you pity me…"
"Well, if the shoe fits…" Morgana began.
"Ugh, shuddup, Morgana!"
"That's enough, you two," Makoto sighed, shaking her head. "But since we seemed to have covered everything… what do you say to going out for dinner tonight?"
"I'm game!" Ryuji exclaimed.
"Sojiro is talking to Shinjiro-san," Ren said. "What do you think, Futaba?"
Futaba's head bobbed, her eyes filled with eagerness. "Let's do it!"
"I'd never say no to having a meal together with my friends," Haru declared. "There's just something about it… don't you agree?"
"I ask for hotpot," Yusuke said. "The weather calls for it, wouldn't you say?"
It was getting chillier. Hotpot really would hit the spot…
"Oooh, yeah, that sounds awesome!" Ryuji nodded vigorously.
"Well, it's not like we have enough food to cook for so many people," Ken said. "Just let me drop my bag in my room."
Makoto followed him with her eyes for a moment, before she cleared her throat. "Um, I actually need to freshen up. I'll be back soon."
Anne watched her leave for the hallway that Ken had disappeared into, frowning a bit. "…Is it me or are Ken and Makoto acting a little… different?" Anne turned to look at Ren, her blonde brows furrowed together.
"What are you talking about?" Ryuji scoffed. "Makoto's giving Ken goo-goo eyes again. Nothing new." He then smirked in Futaba's direction. "You're so gonna lose."
"…Lose what?" Yusuke asked.
Futaba snickered, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "Wellll… we may have bet on when Ken and Makoto get their act together." Then she pointed at Ryuji. "And you can't talk. You thinking that they'll be taking all the way 'till graduation is just stupid."
"You bet on them?!" Anne demanded before whirling around to glare at Ren. "REN!"
"I mean, aren't you curious when it'll happen?" Ren quickly defended.
"You don't have to bet on it!" Anne hissed between her teeth. "Ugh, I'd expect this from Ryuji-"
"HEY!" Ryuji protested. "What the hell, Anne?!"
"You know it's true, Ryuji," Anne huffed out, shooting him a sharp look. "But seriously… when it happens, it happens."
"It seems like such a… trivial thing to gamble on," Yusuke said.
"…At least it's not hurting anyone?" Haru offered.
Morgana just sighed. "We really should get going if we're going to get to the restaurant before rush hour," he reminded. "Someone should get Ken and Makoto to hurry up."
"You're such a nag sometimes, Morgana," Futaba sighed out.
"I am not!"
Shinjiro had to admit—begrudgingly—that Sakura knew how to brew coffee. His coffee completely blew Chagall Café's out of the water.
But he didn't want to be here, sitting across from Sakura at a booth and nursing a cup of coffee. Waiting for Sakura to demand answers. But this silence was as thick as pea soup. He had to break the ice…
So Shinjiro lowered the cup to the table. "So, you know."
"I do," Sakura said, a certain tightness to his voice, "…Mister Shadow Operative."
Shinjiro snorted. "I help out Mitsuru when she needs me but I'm not a Shadow Op."
"Is Kirijo involved in this, then?" he demanded. "This Phantom Thief business?"
Shinjiro couldn't help but bark out a laugh. "Trust me, if Mitsuru could come here without Shido dangling blackmail over her head, Shido would've been a popsicle ages ago. And I'd be here, watching on the sidelines. With popcorn." He eyed Sakura. "Ken and I moved out here because Shido was stirring up shit, to keep an eye on things. This was a last resort."
"And his solution was to join the Phantom Thieves?" Then Sakura's voice suddenly broke. "He… He's only a kid. It's not right. How could you just turn a blind eye to all of this?!"
Did Sakura just imply what Shinjiro thought he was?
"You think I agreed to this without thinking?" Shinjiro snapped. He could feel his patience wearing thin. "Jumped to the call? Hell no."
Sakura just stared at him, his jaw working but nothing came out.
"You think I don't worry?" Shinjiro practically snarled out. "Do you really think I think everything's fucking dandy?"
"I-" Sakura began, but Shinjiro didn't let him continue.
"Ken's mine just as much as your daughter is yours." Shinjiro narrowed his eyes at Sakura. "And you probably think Amamiya as yours too. If you dare imply that I don't give a shit 'bout Ken's been up to again, I don't care if you've got two decades on me. I. Will. Kick. Your. Ass."
Sakura's jaw worked again, but this time he seemed to have found his voice. "Has anyone told you that you're very blunt?"
"Many times," Shinjiro said flatly, fighting the urge to roll his eyes.
"…How can you not go crazy out of worry though?" Sakura asked. "Just thinking about it is enough to give me a heart attack. Especially Ren! He's been doing this for half a year!"
"They may be young, but they're not exactly kids anymore," Shinjiro said. "The shit they've been through… stole their innocence. Besides that, I've seen them together. They may argue and fight, but they'll be there for each other thick or thin." Shinjiro raised his cup to his lips, only to grimace at the lukewarm drink. "Have some faith in them."
Silence suddenly stretched out. Shinjiro studied Sakura's face closely, but he couldn't read the older man's face. Well, he wasn't exactly as good as Minako in that department…
And then he spoke.
"First Ren and Futaba try and comfort me, and now I'm having a twenty-something lecturing me." A wry smile suddenly spread across Sakura's face. "I guess… I'll have to trust these kids, then."
Shinjiro then scoffed. "Yeah, like you can stop them."
"Is that a crack about my age?!"
Friday, October 28th, 2016
They were meeting with Akechi today.
Makoto sat in the booth closest to the door with Ken seated beside her. Haru was across from her. Yusuke was lounging against the bench where Haru sat. On the other side, Ren and Anne sat together. Sitting across from them were Ryuji and Futaba.
"…So we're gonna play dumb with 'im, right?" Ryuji asked.
"Essentially, yes." Makoto nodded. "We need to know what Akechi-kun wants, but if we give him an inkling that we know about Sis's Palace beforehand… he may look at what else we know more closely."
"I think that you can say that you knew, Makoto," Yusuke stated. "It is the truth, after all."
Makoto's heart clenched at that. There wasn't an ounce of malice in Yusuke's words. But it was a reminder that things might have gone south. Futaba might not have forgiven her.
She was already dreading when they actually went to Sae's Palace… She didn't want to see how warped her sister had become. She hadn't been there for Madarame's Palace. But she had seen how hurt Haru had been as they continued to explore Okumura's Palace, as more and more of her father's sins were unveiled.
Ken suddenly slipped his hand into hers, giving it a light squeeze. They were sitting close enough so that nobody would notice that. But it was a quick motion. Makoto inhaled as Ken drew his hand away.
She had to focus on the positive.
"Are you okay, Mako-chan?" Haru asked hesitantly.
"I'm… I'm fine." Makoto tried to smile at her friend. But before she could speak again, the door swung open and in walked Akechi.
"My, what a quaint café," he mused, looking around LeBlanc. "And yet it's so… comfortable. It feels like you could live here."
Ren coughed. "Well, I do."
"You do?" Akechi's eyes widened with shock. "That… That honestly comes off as a surprise."
"I am on probation," Ren said. He tried to sound nonchalant about it, but there was a certain tightness to his voice.
Akechi winced. "Ah… I beg your pardon, but I didn't know of that…"
Makoto pointedly cleared her throat. "Let's not dance around the subject, Akechi-kun." She looked at him squarely in the eyes, but Akechi just stared back, his expression almost… serene. "What exactly do you want from us?"
Akechi straightened up. "…You're aware of Sae-san's behavior, are you not, Niijima-san?"
Makoto's fingers curled around the edge of the table. "She is my sister," she said stiffly. "I'd have to be blind to not notice how she's changed."
Akechi winced again, before brushing his bangs out of his eyes. "Ah, forgive me. It's just… Sae-san is more than just a partner to me."
"…So, you've got the hots for her?" Ryuji asked.
Makoto opened her mouth but the only thing that came out was a strangled sound.
Sae… and Akechi? Sae… Sae would never date him!
…Right?
Good god, how could she not know… She felt like a failure of a sister for not knowing Sae's taste in partners, aside from Sae's demands that they'd excel in well… everything.
Akechi let out a nervous laugh. "You misunderstand me. Don't get me wrong, Sae-san is a very beautiful woman. But she is seven years my senior. I just meant that I've grown to care for her."
Makoto let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. That was a relief.
Akechi then let out a short cough. "But anyhow, I digress. Sae-san has put a bounty of any information she can find on the Phantom Thieves."
"…They're getting desperate," Ren noted, somehow so, so calm. "They must really hate our guts."
"Hate is a strong word," Akechi said.
"But I think Ren is rather accurate." Yusuke's voice was even. "I assume that the police was rather embarrassed of Kaneshiro's fall. Upstaged by us."
"Well… Sae-san did say that you did make us look foolish," Akechi admitted. "And as the months passed by, not to mention with…" He looked hesitantly towards Haru, looking like he was ready to speak but he was afraid of upsetting Haru.
"…My father's death." Haru's voice trembled, but only just slightly. "Please go on, Akechi-kun."
"Thank you." Akechi nodded. "…They're getting extremely desperate to close this case… no matter what. Forced confessions, falsified evidence… you name it."
"Dammit!" Ryuji hissed out, before pounding the table hard enough for it to rattle loudly. "Eff the police! They're all full of crooks! Every last one of them!"
"That's… That's not entirely true, Ryuji…" Ken said with a wince.
"Yeah, yeah, your senpai's a cop," Ryuji grumbled. He didn't seem to be in the mood to be comforted about this subject. "He's like one effin' drop in a barrel!"
"Oh?" Akechi tilted his head. "Who would this be?"
"I don't see how this is relevant," Ken replied coolly. "We're deriving from the subject."
Makoto's hands dropped down to her lap. "Sis…" she murmured, her hand tightening over her knee. "Why would you…?"
"Makoto…" Anne's voice was sad as she looked to her, her eyes filled with sympathy.
"But what do you want us to do, then?" As he spoke, Ken placed his hand over Makoto's, gently rubbing circles onto the top of her hand.
"I've heard many things of Sae-san's actions," Akechi said. "Blackmail… coerced confessions… Lately she's told me a few times that she's determined to win… no matter the cost. So, after I ventured inside the Palace… I grew curious. I entered Sae-san's name in the app and got a hit."
"Yeah… I know a little about how she likes to blackmail," Futaba mumbled out.
Makoto winced.
Futaba…
"You're not answering Ken!" Ryuji retorted. "Answer us, Akechi! This is all good and dandy, but this does jack shit unless you tell us what the hell you want us to do about it? Or do you want us to just talk about the issues like how you kept blabbering about how we kept 'disrespecting' justice? While you did shit to punish the real crooks!"
"R-Ryuji…" Morgana mumbled out. "Calm down…"
"Why the hell should we trust you?" Ryuji spat out, his voice filled with bitterness. Makoto hadn't heard him sound so bitter since…
She was at odds with everyone, back in June.
"You're all talk but you never put it into action," Ryuji finished. "You're always justice, justice, justice! I bet you have a high and mighty sense of justice because it's for the good of the people or whatever other crap you've been spouting!"
"Come on, Ryuji…" Anne mumbled out.
"You know it's effin' true, Anne!"
Anne fell silent. She had no rebuttal. But then Akechi spoke once more.
"Allow me to explain… Sae-san's sense of justice has become warped. You see, Sae-san was not always like this. When I met her roughly two years ago… she had told me her aspirations. She was well aware of the criminal justice's reputation, that it's so skewed towards the prosecution. Sae-san desired to change it from the inside."
"…Sounds like someone else I know," Ren said evenly, giving Makoto a meaningful look.
"But… she's going around blackmailing people now," Futaba said. "You're saying her cognition has been distorted? That's why she's been acting the way she has?"
"In a way, yes." Akechi nodded. "Women working in criminal justice have a great disadvantage. There's a reason why the original Detective Prince, Naoto Shirogane, masqueraded as a male years ago. Perhaps Sae-san has grown jaded and frustrated due to this."
"…So we go for her heart, then?" Morgana asked. "Well… it's not the first time we've gone after a family member."
"Ah, you must be referring to Okumura…" Akechi noted, a sad smile coming across his face.
"Not just Haru," Ren said. "Yusuke thought Madarame as a father…"
Makoto just stared down. "I…" She then bit her lip. "…So Sis's sense of justice has become warped," she said. "Or has she lost it completely?"
"I know not," Akechi admitted. "I just know that Sae-san's heart… it must be changed. For everyone's sakes." Then he looked over to Ryuji. "…You challenged me on my views of justice." He then shifted his weight, so he wasn't leaning against the counter anymore, now standing upright. "It's simple, really. A man… utterly despicable had wronged me… and my mother. It had led to her premature death. I absolutely despise that man and people of his ilk. My contempt of such people… that fuels my justice."
Ryuji was silent. Akechi had… shocked him into silence.
"You have accomplished a miracle, Akechi," Yusuke intoned. "You've silenced Ryuji."
Futaba nodded furiously. "Wow, that's pretty amazing, Akechi!"
Ryuji then snapped back to reality, whipping his head back and forth so to glare at the two of them. "Ugh, shuddup, both of you…!"
Futaba just responded by sticking her tongue at him.
"But an awful adult…" Haru mused. "I had no idea you had to deal with such a thing."
Akechi just smiled sadly. "I know the media believes that I live a charmed life… but it's far from the case." Then he coughed. "But anyhow, this arrangement will also protect Sae-san," Akechi continued. "For… she is in danger."
"Danger…?" Ken asked. "What do you mean?"
"It's simple, really." Makoto fought the urge to grimace at his words. Why did Akechi always have to say something like that? He sounded so… arrogant when doing so. "You see, the culprit… will most likely target her. A mental shutdown. And then it would be pinned onto the Phantom Thieves, for they would've acted out of 'desperation'."
Even though she contemplated it before… hearing it on Akechi's lips made her heart clench. She squeezed her eyes shut. She could not cry. She could not. Ken's hand slid over hers, gently rubbing circles on the top of her hand. Makoto inhaled.
"I… I see," she whispered.
"Do you have to say it so… so…!" Anne stood up from her seat, glaring at Akechi. "God, for someone who people gush over for being so polite, you have no tact!"
Akechi winced. "Forgive me, Niijima-san, but you must understand the severity of this situation. If we take Sae-san's heart… she will both come to her senses and she'll be protected from a mental shutdown. It is a good deal… is it not?"
"I… I don't know…" Makoto mumbled out.
"Come now, don't you want to protect your sister, Niijima-san?" Akechi pressed, stepping forward. "I know you care for her a great deal."
"It… It's not that simple," Makoto said sharply. "We jumped the gun with Okumura and he paid for our mistake with his life. Do you blame us for trying to think on it first?" She then looked towards her friends. "…What do you think, Ren? You are our leader, after all…"
Ren was silent for a moment, twirling a finger around one of his curls. Then he rose to his feet to look at all of them. "I don't know if your sister is still capable of reformation, Makoto," he said flatly. "She's not shy of trying to force people's hand by blackmail. And well…" His calm smile suddenly turned brittle, his eyes turning stony. "…I'm an example of how prosecutors can screw people up so easily."
"Ren-kun…" Haru said softly, twisting around to look at him.
"I am grateful for coming here. I wouldn't have met all of you if it hadn't. But damn…" Ren shook his head. "It's messed up. Really messed up."
Morgana coughed. "…What were you getting at, Ren?"
"Huh?" Ren blinked, shaking his head. "Sorry, I got sidetracked." Ryuji and Futaba started to snicker at Ren's admission. "Hey, don't forget I'm the leader!" he huffed out.
"A dorky leader," Futaba quipped through her snickers.
"HEY!" Ren protested.
"Futaba, that's enough," Ken sighed out, shaking his head as laughter bubbled from both Ryuji and Anne. They were undeterred, even as Ren glowered at the both of them. He fell back into his seat, pouting like a little child even as Anne leaned in, quickly pecking his cheek.
"Killjoy!" Futaba called out, which just made Ken roll his eyes.
"But anyways…" Ren interjected. "Akechi's right. We'll be able to protect your sister from a mental shutdown, get her off our backs… The pros really outweigh the cons. It's really a win-win situation."
"Except for Morgana…" Anne said softly. "We… We need to find out why he's stuck in this form."
"Lady Anne…" Morgana sighed. "I appreciate your concern, but… when Ren lays it out like that, I can't deny it. We need to join forces with Akechi."
"I must concur, as well," Yusuke said. "This is our best option, and perhaps we'd be saving other people from Makoto's sister. If she's so intent on securing wins… then perhaps she has…"
"…Wait, are you saying that she basically sent innocent people to jail?!" Ryuji yelped out.
Akechi winced. "…Unfortunately, that is a high possibility." Then he shook his head, his eyes landing on Ren. "…Though, I must commend you for your… words. You certainly have a silver tongue. And a way with your friends."
Something flashed in Akechi's eyes. And maybe she was imagining it but… it almost sounded like there was a tightness in his voice.
He then pulled out his phone from his jacket pocket, staring down the screen. "Might we be able to go inside the Palace today?" he asked. "I would like to see for it myself…"
"We should really do it tomorrow," Ren said. "For one, we need time to get to where Niijima's Palace is. And it's getting late…"
Akechi sighed softly. "Well… I have to concur with that," he admitted. "So, tomorrow we will meet at the courthouse. I believe that's the most likely spot for Sae-san's Palace to form."
Makoto stood up. "If that's all, please excuse me," she said flatly.
She made it halfway to the station when a voice called out to her. "Mako-chan! Please wait!" She turned to see a panting Haru skid to a stop right in front of her. She pressed a hand against her chest as she caught her breath. "I'm… glad I caught you…"
"I'm fine, Haru…" Makoto said quietly.
"You're not," she persisted. "Mako-chan, we… we're friends, aren't we? I just… I just wanted to let you know that I'm here for you… like you and everyone else did for me. Let me return the favor…"
Seeing her earnest expression hurt. How could she accept things so easily…? Her, Yusuke, and Futaba…
"I don't understand…" Makoto said quietly.
"Don't understand what, Mako-chan?" Haru looked at her quizzically, tilting her head slightly.
"You… You accepted that you had to fight your father. That his sins were just unacceptable," she murmured. "Yusuke as well. And you still worry about me… I… I…"
I don't really deserve it.
"Mako-chan…" Haru's eyes softened. "I can't speak for Yusuke-kun, but I would've given anything so that my hand was not forced. That I did not have to fight Father. In the last few years, our relationship has soured but… I still have so many good memories of him. He was the only parent I've had, for most of my life." She suddenly grabbed onto Makoto's hand. "…I understand your conflict," she said softly. "I had to be reassured by Yusuke-kun that this was the right course of action, after we carved our path to the Treasure." She then gave Makoto a gentle smile, before pressing her free hand against her chest again. "…It's okay, Mako-chan. I understand."
Makoto bit her lip. "…It's not fair that you lost your father after all of that," she said softly. "It's really not. Especially since you wanted to make amends with him so badly."
"…That's why this is important to me," Haru said. "It may be too late for me and Father but it's not for you and your sister."
"Haru…"
Makoto's heart swelled as she looked at her friend. Haru was truly kindhearted. She couldn't think of anything else to say except… "…Thank you, Haru."
"Anytime, Mako-chan."
"Things have really escalated… haven't they?"
Shinjiro let out a weary sigh, before rubbing his face. He then looked back to Fuuka, her teal eyes filled with concern. "…Yeah. That's putting it lightly, Fuuka."
Fuuka bit her lip, suddenly silent. "What… What do you think he wants?"
"Nothing good, that's for sure," Shinjiro said flatly. "Ken and Amamiya agreed that it'd probably be better if they acted like LeBlanc was their meet-up spot. Akechi's entire story is fishy. Pretty damn close to what happened to Ken when he first found the Metaverse."
"…But Akechi… working for Shido?" Fuuka said slowly, before chewing on her bottom lip again. "Or maybe we're jumping to conclusions… He's just… so unexpected, being a detective."
Shinjiro just scoffed. "It's not like this is the first time it's happened. There's Adachi, remember?"
"That is true," Fuuka agreed.
"But look… Fuuka…" Shinjiro said slowly. "I was thinking…"
"…About what?" she asked.
Shinjiro sighed heavily. "I know you've been visiting like once a month…" he said quietly. "And I do miss you like hell when you're not here. But I don't think it's a good idea for you to do that anymore. With all this shit coming out, Shido purposefully trapping the kids… Akechi may be workin' for him… I dunno if it's safe for you to come to Tokyo anymore."
If Shido ever got ahold of Fuuka… he'd sic Aeneas on the bastard. And then punch him in the face for good measure.
"Oh," Fuuka said faintly, before her face fell. "I see… I… I can see your point…"
Shinjiro grimaced. "I… er… sorry 'bout this, Fuuka…"
"Don't apologize, Shinji," Fuuka suddenly spoke sharply, staring sternly at him. (Well as sternly as Fuuka can muster.) "I won't lie… it is disappointing," she admitted, before her eyes softened. "But you're just concerned about my safety." Then she winced. "…Besides, I'm pretty sure that my boss hates me for all of the time I've asked off. Maybe this is for the best…"
Shinjiro scowled. "He doesn't know who exactly he hired. You're worth of ten of his other employees."
Fuuka laughed softly. "That's sweet of you to say, Shinji, but… it's not true. I have a long way to go. I've only been in the workforce for a year, after all. Or even compared to Futaba-chan."
"Yeah, well, Sakura is sorta one in a million." Shinjiro rolled his eyes. "Then again, I could say that of all of the Phantom Thieves…"
"Speaking of that…" Fuuka cocked her head. "…Mitsuru-senpai's schedule cleared up enough that she was able to get dinner with everyone today… Ken-kun is dating Makoto-chan now?"
Shinjiro just groaned. He really wished that he could erase the image from his mind. "Walked in on them suckin' face…" he grumbled out.
Fuuka bit her lip, looking like she was holding back a laugh. "I see."
"Stop laughing." Shinjiro glowered at her.
"Your reaction is just very funny, Shinji," Fuuka giggled, her teal eyes now sparkling. "Have you gotten to talk to the two of them since then?"
"Well…" Shinjiro-san hesitated for a moment. "…I was thinking of askin' Ken to invite her over sometime. Y'know, for dinner."
"I think that's a wonderful idea," Fuuka said with a smile. "It'd be nice to get to know Makoto-chan, wouldn't it? Since, um… Ken-kun can't exactly get to know Makoto-chan's sister right now…"
"Lucky Ken," Shinjiro said under his breath.
"You've met her, then?" Fuuka asked, even as she shot Shinjiro a look for his small crack.
"Yeah and she's… something." Shinjiro grimaced. "But still, can't hold that over Niijima… Ken really likes her."
Fuuka just giggled. "I'm glad that Ken-kun's found someone. Though I can't imagine Junpei-kun was happy to find out that he lost the bet he had with Minako-chan."
Shinjiro just rolled his eyes. "Iori losing a bet to Minako? You act like it's something that doesn't happen every day."
"Speaking of Minako-chan… she's really curious about Makoto-chan."
"Of course she is." Shinjiro scoffed. "Maybe I should prepare Ken's will, then," Shinjiro said dryly. "He's definitely gonna to die of embarrassment once Minako-chan can get ahold of Niijima."
"Minako-chan's not that bad."
Shinjiro stared at her.
"…Okay, she can be pretty bad," Fuuka relented. "So, when do you think you'll invite her over?"
Shinjiro then shrugged. "I guess I could ask Ken to invite her tomorrow night," he said. "Ken said that they were meeting with Akechi again tomorrow, so they can crack the code of Niijima's Palace. Ken can bring her over after they were done with all of that."
Fuuka just nodded, smiling. "That sounds good to me."
…Though, he'd better make Ken help him with dinner. Because he really did not want to see them suckin' face again. He really wished that mind bleach existed.
Sunday, October 29th, 2016
"I rarely get to see Sae-san directly but…" Akechi trailed off for a moment. "…I think I've figured out her course of action." Akechi seemed to pause dramatically. "On the twentieth, an investigation will be done at Shujin Academy, as well as the Sakura residence."
"No!" Futaba's hands clenched into fists. "Y-You can't be serious!"
"She has looked into Sojiro-san before…" Ken said quietly.
Makoto just stared down at the ground silently. She had gone completely rigid. Ken sighed quietly to himself. He wished he could take her hand or something… Comfort her… somehow.
"But that means our time limit is November twentieth…" Yusuke said through pursed lips. "Roughly three weeks."
"However… Sae-san will be pulling no stops," Akechi continued. "This has led me to believe that she won't have enough manpower until the twentieth."
…Manpower. That word made the situation more… real?
"We'll take your word for it, Akechi," Ren spoke up, before pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Let's just focus on what we're here to do… infiltrating the Palace."
"I can't believe how late it is…" Anne said. "It took us ages to get here…"
"Which is why we should make haste." Akechi reached into his pocket, pulling out his state-of-the-art phone. "Shall we-"
Futaba suddenly gasped. "No way…!"
Akechi blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
Futaba suddenly jumped, snatching Akechi's phone out of his hands. "This is the model I wanted!" she gushed, her eyes shining as she lovingly stared down at the device. "You're so lucky!"
Anne then coughed. "Uhh, sorry about this, it's just…"
"It's okay." Akechi flashed her a quick smile even as Futaba exclaimed over Akechi's phone in the background. "…Sae-san told me the gist."
Makoto then looked up. "Oh, Akechi-kun, maybe we should exchange contact now? I added you to the group chat, but it'd be best if you have everyone's phone numbers, in case you need to contact just one of us.
"Maybe I can—" Akechi tried to reach for his phone but Futaba just danced out of the way. Even though Futaba was much older, Ken was reminded of how the twins would hold on tight when they wanted to play with a phone.
"…I'll message you everyone's numbers later," Makoto said with a sigh.
"Futaba-chan is certainly… unique," Haru said, lightly giggling.
"You can say that again," Yusuke sighed, shaking his head.
Though Ken noticed Morgana's eyes were affixed onto Futaba. Hmm. Was there more than what met the eye, then?
"Mmhm, you can say that again," Akechi said with a sigh. "I just hope I'm not out of a phone…"
But then Futaba stepped forward. "But man, you've got it all… good looks, state-of-the-art phone… talk about cheating."
"Um…" Akechi blinked at Futaba uncertainly.
"She's saying you're a catch," Ryuji said, before making a long pause. He then scratched the back of his head. "…At least, I think that's what it is."
"But anyways, now that's settled…" Ken folded his arms over his chest. "…We do need to figure out the keywords of Niijima-san's Palace."
Makoto closed her eyes, clasping her hands behind her. She then let out a soft hum. "Sis has called the courthouse… a place of competition where she must always win," she stated, before opening her eyes.
"…No surprise there," Ren said. "With how aggressive she's been… and I haven't even seen her in the courthouse."
"It does sound like Sae-san," Akechi agreed. "Ever since I've met her… she's fought tooth and nail to be the best… so that she may prevail."
"A competition is a match of some sort…" Yusuke said. "Perhaps a martial-arts ring?"
"Well, Sis does know kickboxing…" Makoto trailed off.
"Jeez, and with how tall she is?" Ren winced. "She must kick some serious ass."
"Well, she is Makoto's sis," Ryuji snickered.
"Come on, boys, save the banter for later!" Anne chided, before pulling out her phone. "Let's plug it in… Sae Niijima… Courthouse… Martial Arts Ring?"
"Conditions have not been met."
"How about an arena then?" Haru suggested. "Or a stadium?"
Annnd another negative.
"There are other competitions where fighting is not involved," Akechi said. "I feel that is the case here."
Futaba perked up. "It's gotta be gambling, then!"
"Racetrack?" Ryuji suggested. "Oh, maybe pachinko!"
"Does that even count as gambling…?" Ken asked.
"It better!" Ryuji huffed. "You have any idea how much money I used to blow at the arcade on those?!"
Gambling… There had to be something they had missed.
"You played cards at the school trip," Morgana said. "What was that game called…?"
"Blackjack," Ren supplied.
"Don't forget poker," Anne chimed in.
Wait a minute…
"It's a casino," he and Makoto said in unison, only to stare at each other for a moment. They then quickly whipped their heads away.
"Candidate found."
"Ah, you got it!" Haru clapped her hands together. "Good job, Mako-chan, Ken-kun!"
"That's… a bit of a trip," Akechi commented, before looking to Makoto. "I certainly see Sae-san in you," he said admiringly.
Makoto just winced. "…Let's just go inside, already."
"Sheesh, someone's impatient today." Futaba clicked her tongue.
But they slipped into the Metaverse. They were forced to sneak to the actual Palace, though. The casino was bright and flashy, almost blinding their eyes with the light.
"How odd…" Akechi mused. "Everywhere else seems to be a normal cityscape."
"Look at that…" Yusuke pointed over to the building next to the casino.
"Looks like a police station to me," Ren said.
"It is," Makoto confirmed. "I'd recognize that anywhere."
"I had no idea they were right next to each other…" Haru breathed.
"It does make sense," Ken said. "Transporting the accused to the courthouse… It'd be easier if the station is closer."
"I suppose you're right on that," Morgana said. "Still… a police station… never a good sight for a Phantom Thief."
"Our attire hasn't changed, though…" Akechi mused. "Does that mean Sae-san doesn't see us as a threat yet?"
"…You seem to have picked up fast," Ryuji said, staring at Akechi.
Akechi let out a nervous chuckle. "Forgive me, this is just my observations…"
"Correct observations," Ren said. "Kudos to you, Akechi."
"Why thank you."
"Maybe when we step inside the actual Palace, we'll transform," Morgana said. "You know that I always transform when I enter the Metaverse, so the rules don't apply to me."
Makoto then cast her gaze towards Akechi. "…Though that reminds me, we do need a codename for him."
"A name for myself…" Akechi let out a thoughtful hum. "What about all of you?"
"Well, I'm called Joker," Ren said.
"Joker?" Akechi asked, tilting his head. "Why is that?"
"Well, it's because he's like our trump card," Morgana said. "His ability to adapt… change… it's part of why he's our leader!"
"Yeah, he's amazing," Anne agreed, smiling at Ren.
"I see…" Akechi pursed his lips, before his face suddenly lit up. "Aha! I have it!" Then he smiled proudly. "I want to be called Ace."
…Well, this was awkward. Ken couldn't help but fidget a little. He looked so proud too…
"Well, Akechi-" Ren began.
"Allow me to explain!" Akechi interrupted, holding up a hand. "I have been called an ace detective, after all. And the ace playing card… it can be the highest or lowest of the card deck. The joker and ace… we'll be a perfect team!"
Maybe Akechi should be an actor instead of a detective. That was… really dramatic.
…Even if it bordered arrogance.
Ryuji scoffed. "Someone's got his head up his a-"
"Ryuji, that's enough," Makoto quickly reprimanded, before she turned to Akechi. "I'm sorry, Akechi-kun, but you can't have Ace as your codename."
"Oh?" Akechi's brow furrowed at that. "Why is that?"
"It's kinda taken already," Morgana said, before pointing at Ken. Ken just gave an awkward little wave. "And he's been Ace for months now. You need a different codename."
"Oh." Akechi seemed to… deflate. "I see. That's a pity." He then seemed to study Ken. "May I ask why you have the codename Ace, though?"
Crap. How could he talk his way out of this? He didn't want Akechi to ask questions on why he was experienced with Personas and Shadows.
"Well, it's obvious once you get a second look," Ren said silkily. He looked like he was smothering a smile. "You see, Ken's talented in many departments. He's smart, athletic, and he can even cook. He even tied with Makoto in the last two exams." He then suddenly smirked. "The only part he's a bit iffy on is his experience with g—yowch!"
"Reeeeen…" Anne said through gritted teeth as she yanked harder on Ren's ear. "That's enough."
"Thank you, Anne," Ken said dryly before staring flatly at Ren. It was hard to ignore the way Makoto fidgeted nervously at Ren's words, though. And how Futaba was snickering at said fidgeting. "Moving on…"
"It's difficult to decide on when we have not even seen the costume in question…" Yusuke sighed.
"I see…" Akechi said. "So you used your outfit as a basis for the codename?"
"Yes, several of us decided on our codenames based on our appearance." Haru nodded. "Like you saw Anne-chan… her outfit resembles a cat so she goes by Panther."
"Oh, that does explain a lot." Akechi then rubbed his chin before letting out a thoughtful hum. "How about… Karusu, then? For raven."
"Are your clothes all black then?" Yusuke asked, raising an eyebrow.
"The reverse, actually," Akechi stated. "If our codenames are to hide our identities… wouldn't that be better?"
"That makes no sense," Futaba said bluntly before she jabbed a finger in Akechi's direction. "And besides, if you saw us in action, you have to know that we all have English codenames!"
"Raven, then?" Akechi suggested.
Anne let out a nervous giggle. "I don't think I'd be able to take that seriously… There's a superhero in a show I really liked watching as a kid. Her name was Raven." She then tilted her head. "If you want a bird that's black all over… why not go with Crow?"
"Crow…" Akechi tested it, before nodding. "How fitting. Crows have a reputation of being intelligent and adaptable, you know. It suits me perfectly, does it not?"
"…Ugh," Ryuji grumbled to himself, looking away with a huff.
Ugh was right… Should he remind Akechi that crows were also symbols of bad luck?
"So we're settled, then?" Morgana asked. "You will be known as Crow in the Metaverse."
"Got it." Akechi nodded. "Shall we head inside, then?"
Lively music seemed to echo from inside of the casino, but it did nothing to calm down Makoto's nerves.
"All right, so today I'm gonna go with…" Ren scanned from between them. "Well, Makoto's a given." He chewed on his lip for a moment. "Morgana. And… Akechi."
"Understood," Akechi said firmly.
"…Let's do this," Makoto said.
So Ren led them up the rooftop, as their usual method of entry. She just… never expected Sae's Palace to be so… so colorful.
"I must say…" Akechi panted out, "I did not expect this to be so tiring."
"Oh, quit your complaining," Ryuji huffed. "You think this is bad? Just wait until a Shadow blindsides ya."
"That may be but…" Akechi trailed off. "…Don't you feel restricted by your school uniforms?"
"It's not too bad," Ken stated, before he eyed Akechi. (Well, given how he used to run around in a school uniform while fighting Shadows, of course he'd find this easy.) "…But I suppose running and climbing in a peacoat isn't the most comfortable thing to do."
"Well, we are here at least," Yusuke interjected. "Let's get inside."
Ren nodded. "Yeah, we've got work to do."
So he opened the door and they slipped inside. The moment they stepped foot inside, the familiar blue flames flared up, engulfing their clothes. They were left in their Phantom Thief outfits.
"So it appears we are now viewed as a threat." Akechi looked down at his gloved hands.
"…Dude, are you really gonna be wearing that outfit?" Ryuji asked.
"It's just what he views as a rebel," Morgana stated.
"A rebel—" Ryuji scoffed. "He looks like he belongs in a marching band! And what's with that mask?!"
"Uhhh, I think it's more of a fairytale prince," Anne said. "He kinda reminds me of Prince Charming from Destiny's version of Cinderella."
"It looks stupid," Ryuji declared. "That's not gonna help 'im blend in!"
"…Did you really just say that to Panther?" Futaba asked.
"Well… still! I think he looks dumb." He then looked at Ken. "I mean, at least Ace wears black!"
"Please don't drag me into this," Ken sighed.
"Even if he looks a little like Tuxedo Mask," Ren quipped, his usual grin on his face. "Though he could really use a rose."
Ken glowered at him for the crack. "The joke wasn't funny the first or second time, you know."
"Third time's the charm then!" Ren just smirked as Ken's indignant glare intensified.
Makoto coughed. "You look fine in the costume, Ace."
Ken faltered at that, a blush rising in his cheeks. "I… er… thank you," he stammered out, before his blush intensified as Ryuji and Futaba both started to snicker.
Though comparing Ken to Akechi, they… both had a princely look to them. Though their outfits were near flips of each other. Ken wore more black with splashes of white and orange, while Akechi wore white with embellishments of gold and red.
Though she really did prefer Ken's outfit. Ken looked really good in it. He may wear a blazer due to their school uniform, but there was something about Ken's Phantom Thief outfit that was so… dashing.
"…mental image of a person who sticks to the justice."
Wait, Akechi was speaking? Makoto quickly looked back to Akechi. Though out of the corner of her eye, she could see Ren smirking knowingly.
"Well, I think your mask is more apt to piercing than sticking…" Haru said, before she looked down to the crowd. "But that aside, the people down there look completely normal."
"But you saw the flashy signs, Noir," Futaba said. "We're definitely in a casino. This is Niijima's Palace."
"Ah, that's right, we should get Crow up to speed on cognitive beings," Yusuke said.
Ren nodded. "Yeah, that's right. So basically, cognitive beings are like… well, they're how the Palace ruler views people." He winced. "Like Kamoshida viewed Anne as well…"
"A hussy," Anne said flatly, all while scowling. "Who only existed to be Kamoshida's little cheerleader."
"Not to mention how Okumura viewed Noir…" Yusuke said darkly.
"Jeez, you're gonna throw 'im off with all those fancy terms…" Ryuji said.
Akechi let out a hum. "So, what you're saying is that… since these people look like normal people… Sae-san's view of others is surprisingly undistorted."
"You got it?" Morgana asked. "Color me impressed…"
Makoto frowned. That was… fast. Makoto's eyes traveled back to Ken, whose eyes were narrowed. He was also frowning slightly. He thought something was up… didn't he?
"But considering what I see… I find it hard to believe that this is not an ordinary casino," Akechi said. "How curious…"
"But not all cognitions are normal," Yusuke stated. "We had to fight the cognition of Futaba's mother in her Palace—"
"You had a Palace?!" Akechi gasped out, whipping his head towards Futaba.
Futaba pushed up her goggles, revealing a sour expression. "…Yeah," she said quietly. "People manipulated me into thinking that Mom killed herself because she hated me so much. I was stuck in a labyrinth of my own heart."
"They… They did what?" Akechi said faintly. "I… I knew of your mother being dead but I… I didn't realize it was that horrible. I… I'm so, so sorry."
Akechi was… awfully shaken by this. But why? Then again, Akechi had only his mother in his life, if she recalled correctly. But still… something nagged at Makoto. That didn't feel like the whole story.
"It's fine, Crow," Futaba said. "Everyone saved me from myself."
Ken coughed. "…But as Fox was saying, we fought Futaba's cognition of Isshiki-san in her Palace. We also fought a cognitive self of Noir's fiancé as well as Okumura's cognition of Noir herself. And we should be careful. Not everything is what meets the eye."
"…I wonder if Sis has any cognitive beings herself, though," Makoto murmured.
It could be anyone… Maybe Sae's boss, the SIU director. Akechi. Herself. Maybe even…
Their father.
She remembered envying Futaba for getting to say goodbye to her mother. Her father was suddenly ripped away from her too… She longed for the chance to say goodbye.
"…Queen, don't," Haru murmured. Her voice was soft, but there was an urgency to it. "Try to focus on what's important."
"…You're right," Makoto sighed. "It's not… right to focus on that."
"But is this what you have to go through every time?" Akechi asked, turning to Ren.
Ren nodded. "Yeah. Are you ready, Akechi?"
"I am somewhat nervous…" Akechi admitted. "But I want to rise up to the challenge."
"Just don't slow us down," Morgana told him. "Everyone plays their part in the heists."
"I will not allow that to happen," Akechi declared, pressing a hand to his chest. "I will prove myself vital to the operation, just you wait…!"
Makoto exhaled quietly, before her hand clenched into a fist. She couldn't explain it but his tone just… irked her. Ken caught her gaze before quickly rolling his eyes.
But then a movement caught her eye. Haru was twirling her index finger near her temple, before looking towards Akechi and then away. Since Akechi was looking straight at Ren, he wasn't noticing Haru's gestures. Makoto had to bite her lip so she wouldn't start laughing.
Morgana looked at the two of them sharply for a moment, before speaking. "But anyways, we should head inside. We're here to infiltrate, not talk, after all!"
"We do have our work cut out…" Yusuke mused. "We need to cut a path to the Treasure… and we need time to deliver the calling card to Niijima."
"So the calling card is a necessary step?!" Akechi gasped, unexpectantly pumping his fist. "I just thought it was for show!"
"…Yeah, it is," Ren said. "But come on, Mona's right. Let's do this!"
So they took off, jumping from ledge to ledge. They were blocked from using the door they had found, but Ren looked back and forth before running to the wall and crouching. "Vent time, guys," he announced.
"Well, I think math class is a huge pain in the ass," Ryuji said with a smirk.
"Isn't it always?" Ren quipped before diving inside.
"I didn't expect us to do this at all," Akechi gasped. "I must say… it's impressive that you caught sight of that, Joker… Just how did you do that?"
"Trade secret," Ren said, a grin in his voice. "Sorry, can't tell ya."
Akechi looked like he wanted to protested but Ken nudged him in the side, signaling him to enter the vent.
It took them a while to pop out of the other side, but then Sae's voice cut through the air.
"Welcome. Come on out, petty thieves."
"She can see us?!" Ryuji yelped. "Oracle, you didn't sense her?!"
"Hey, I'm not in scanning mode right now!" Futaba retorted.
"You're after the Treasure, are you not?" Sae asked, breezing past their bickering. "Come on down, and I will tell you where it is."
Makoto squinted. Sae was wearing… a black dress. And a big hat.
"That's an obvious trap!" Morgana shook his head. "We're not gonna fall for that!"
Sae then chuckled. "It's not a lie. I want to do this fair and square."
"…There's gotta be some catch," Ken said with a frown.
"You're not going to run, are you?" Sae called up to them.
Ren gritted his teeth. "I guess… we can't really run," he sighed.
So they jumped down and approached Sae, who was flanked by two security guards.
And Sae's Shadow… she looked… er, interesting.
Bold, black eyeliner circled her bright gold eyes. The big hat on her head had bright yellow roses, with a couple of playing cards tucked into the large blooms. And the dress… Sae usually dressed so conservatively. But the dress she wore had a sheer cover, with the cut showing off her clevage.
"The Treasure is located on the Manager's Floor, at the highest point of the building."
Like Ken said, there had to be a catch…
"But why are you telling us this?" Makoto asked.
"It's as I said before…" Sae shrugged elegantly. "I wish to go about this in the fairest manner possible."
Lies. Makoto's stomach clenched, just looking at her sister's Shadow. She wanted to protest—say something—but the words were stuck in her throat.
She wanted to ask: What changed? How could you spit on Dad's ideals so much? Do you even care about Dad anymore? She had so many questions and yet… she couldn't voice any of them.
Sae continued, "First, I ask that you come up to my location. We will continue this there…"
Then she snapped her fingers, making herself and the guards disappear.
Ryuji ran over to the railing, and they quickly joined him. Ryuji swore under his breath as he leaned over. "Dammit, that's cheating!" he shouted as the elevator ascended to the next floor.
"That's enough, Skull," Akechi said. "We must give chase."
"I do feel that something's up though…" Ren said before he heaved out a sigh. He rubbed his face for a moment. "But I guess we have no choice."
They hurried down the stairs and Ryuji pressed the button to go up.
"Authentication required. Please insert your member's card."
"Are you for real?!" Ryuji growled out before furiously jabbing at the button.
The automated voice kept playing again and again, before Ken grabbed his wrist. "…I don't think that will work, Skull," he said dryly before releasing Ryuji's wrist.
"Then what the hell are we supposed to do then?!" Ryuji cried out, before banging the glass door with a fist.
"Hmm…" Akechi rubbed his chin. "Casinos usually have a membership system called a player's club. Some locations are limited, based on your rank. Perhaps it is the same here."
"Where can we get such a membership then?" Haru asked.
"Something tells me it's not that simple…" Yusuke said. "…As it always is."
But then a Shadow suddenly stepped out, making Haru yelp.
"Annnnd here we go," Ren drawled out. He drew his dagger from his belt, tossing it in the air and deftly catching it by the hilt.
"It really won't be easy for us," Akechi mused.
"She must be challenging us… to challenge the security to make it to her," Yusuke stated. He then shook his head. "Bah. I should've known…"
The Shadow then transformed into well… a bipedal leopard, a sword in each hand.
"No need to worry," Akechi spoke up, staring at the Shadow. "I do need to prove myself to you all, don't I?"
"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Ren asked. "We do things as a team, after all."
"Persona!" Futaba called out, summoning her Persona. But a gasp caught her attention.
Makoto turned around to see Futaba disappear into a glowing orb, rainbow flames flickering around it. "Oracle, your Persona!" she gasped out.
"Hehe!" Futaba chuckled. "Prometheus and I have your back!"
"Hah." Akechi smiled confidently. "Your aid is appreciated, but not need. Just watch." He then stepped forward, tearing off his mask. "Take them down, Robin Hood!"
His Persona leapt forward at Akechi's command, swinging his bow to send it crashing against the Shadow's head. The force was strong enough to make the Shadow crumple to the ground.
Ren let out a low whistle. "Damn, impressive." He then looked towards Makoto and Morgana. "Let's destroy him!"
They lunged forward and decimated the Shadow. Morgana then whipped around, giving Akechi a little nod. "Not bad for your first bout."
"And I'm capable of much more," Akechi said with a pleased smile.
"Is modesty part of the list?" Ken muttered under his breath.
"I beg your pardon, Ace?" Akechi asked.
"One victory is all well and good," Ken said dryly, "but you can get too cocky. I assume that you want to go after more Shadows?"
"Well…"
"Ace is right. We'll get ambushed and worn down too easily," Ren said.
"…Very well." Akechi gave a little nod. "I'll follow your lead then. Let's call it a day."
With winter rapidly approaching, it was getting dark faster. So it was nearly pitch black when Makoto and Ken made it back to his place.
She… didn't know what to think about Sae's Shadow. But she knew that it was going to get worse…
Fair and square… Except she didn't intend to… did she? Not with how she wasn't above to falsifying evidence to get the conviction she needed… Not when she so desperately wanted to capture the Phantom Thieves. No matter what the cost.
Ken was just inserting the key into the lock when he suddenly turned slightly. His hand stilled, and he turned to look at her. He didn't speak, just silently stepping forward and hugging her close.
Makoto curled into his embrace, before mumbling out, "I'm sorry…"
"Don't apologize," Ken murmured to her, suddenly cupping her cheek. His thumb brushed against her cheekbone for a moment. "I… I know it's difficult. I saw how hard it was for Haru to see her father's Shadow. And I know you look up to Niijima-san."
"There's so much I want to ask her," Makoto mumbled out as he lowered his hand. "What… What happened to her? I used to admire her so much. Her drive to change things from within… She wanted to punish criminals. And now she… I don't even know. I'm afraid of how she'd react to me being part of the Phantom Thieves."
Ken sighed quietly at that, suddenly smiling sadly at her. "Makoto…"
"I've accepted that she needs to be stopped," Makoto said. She swallowed the lump forming in her throat. "But… god, I don't want her to have gone off the edge. I want to believe that there's still good in her heart. That she still believes in justice… I didn't want it to have to end like this…"
"Futaba changed her heart for the better," Ken said. "Maybe there's hope for Niijima-san still. I don't know. I don't really know your sister that well…"
Though she would have to fix that… eventually. She would have to tell Sae that she was dating Ken at some point but… not now. She didn't even know how Sae would react to that kind of news, if she was being honest.
Makoto gave him a tiny smile. "Thank you, Ken."
Ken shrugged. "I really didn't do anything."
"You're there for me… that's more than enough."
Makoto then pushed herself on her toes, looping her arms around his neck and kissing him.
One of his hands slowly went to her waist, while the other cradled the back of her head. Makoto had to admit that she didn't really see why people enjoyed kissing so much but she… she understood now. His touch felt so good and she didn't want it to end. Maybe she could see why people enjoyed open-mouthed kisses so much-
But then the sound of someone clearing their throat pulled Makoto back to reality. Makoto pulled back to see that Shinjiro-san was staring at them, looking as flustered as she'd ever seen him. No… his expression was more… are you kidding me?
Makoto then let out a nervous chuckle, even as her face flushed at being caught. Again. "H-Hello, Shinjiro-san." Then she cursed to herself for her voice suddenly cracking. She hastily took a couple steps away from Ken. "We… um… we were just…"
He then scoffed. "Yeah. Swapping spit. I got a good eyeball of that." He then sighed heavily, before rubbing his face. "Is this gonna be a thing now?" he asked flatly.
"You're one to talk," Ken grumbled under his breath.
Shinjiro-san glowered at him. "Are you really gonna start this? Now?"
"Let's see…" Ken began to tick off his fingers. "I've walked in on you and Fuuka-san on the couch countless times. And the time you burned dinner because you two were… occupied with each other." Ken then gave his guardian a flat-eyed stare. "…Do I have to go on?"
"I've walked in on you two twice already," Shinjiro-san fired back. They really could go forever, couldn't they? "You've been together for half a week."
"Ah, um…" Makoto cleared her throat. "I-Is there a reason why you left the apartment?"
"Yeah." Shinjiro-san rolled his eyes. "Because someone had texted me that they were entering the building and I was wondering what was holding you two up."
"…Oh," Ken muttered.
"Yeah. Oh," Shinjiro-san repeated snarkily. Then he sighed. "…Just come inside," he grumbled out. "It's getting pretty late and I'm guessing you haven't eaten since lunchtime."
"We had a lot going on today," Ken defended.
"Yeah, yeah…" Shinjiro-san huffed, turning so he can head back inside. "Though I guess I should be glad that neither of you have fainted from lack of food."
Ken rolled his eyes at him, before he slipped his hand into Makoto's. "Sorry about this," he muttered. "Shinjiro-san has a tendency to, well…"
"It's okay." Makoto then squeezed his hand. "…I don't mind."
She really didn't… She was a little nervous about talking to Shinjiro-san almost one on one, but the bickering between him and Ken… alleviated things a bit. Hopefully… this dinner would help her keep her mind off of her sister's Palace.
Sorry about the wait! I got Fire Emblem 3 Houses at launch, and it ate into a lot of my free time. The PQ2 fic is more streamlined (and shorter) which is why it was updated earlier this month. Things also went a bit slowly, because I was working on a couple of Ann Takamaki Week pieces.
And the little joke about Akechi wanting the Ace codename... It's actually a bit of an inside joke with my friend angelrin89. You see, she has a lot of good ideas of tweaking Akechi's writing. And one of them is that his codename is Ace, and some of her reasoning is brought up by Akechi in this chapter.
But I hope this nice and long chapter made up for the wait!