? – The interrogation room
"So, after Shiho Suzui, you did it again for someone you barely knew?" Sae summarized as she still sat down with Akira. "You were sent away twice, almost reported to the police… and yet you still wanted to save him?" She then looked up at Akira. "Moreover, you ended up in a museum instead of a castle this time… You're still going to maintain this rubbish about changing someone's heart by stealing their Treasure?"
"Take it as you will," Akira said. "It's all true."
Sae sighed. "Very well, the truth behind this tale of yours will be clear once your conspirators are in custody. Now then, tell me about this new member who joined your group."
Akira looked away in silence with closed eyes.
"There's no point in being stubborn," Sae said to Akira. "It will only damage your position. The identity of Madarame's pupil can be easily discovered with a little investigation."
"Go right ahead," Akira replied. "I'm not telling."
"So you won't sell out your accomplice?" Sae asked as she sighed for a second "...Fine. There's still much more that I want to hear. It was around this time that the Phantom Thieves began to gain popularity truly. Lies flooded the internet—things like 'The Phantom Thieves saved me too' or 'I got a calling card'… For heaven's sake… those lies made the collection of intel take almost ten times longer. Now, your next target was this man..."
Sae pulled out yet another photo. It was of a short and overweight man wearing a higher-up cheap suit and gold jewelry.
"Junya Kaneshiro," Sae continued. "He doesn't compare to the previous two. Even the police had been struggling to apprehend him. So, exactly how did you take down such a well-guarded criminal? Tell me."
"Well, in case you hadn't noticed, we had a little help from someone," Akira said as he continued his story. "Someone very close to me, someone you might quite recognize, one I kinda had deep feelings for…"
6/6 – Monday
"Morning!" Ryuji exclaimed happily as he called out to Akira and went up to him. "The response to Madarame's press conference was tremendous! Everyone's talking about the calling card. Girls are checkin' me out today… Maybe they can't help but sense my overflowin' phantom thief charisma?"
"As if!" Akira said, teasing.
"Oh shit, am I finally startin' to be popular with all the fly hon- ...Oh no!"
"What's wrong?" Akira asked.
"We're supposed to switch uniforms today!" Ryuji answered when he noticed Akira's summer clothes. "I knew people were lookin' at me… Oh, goddammit! I gotta go home and change, so you go on ahead!"
As Ryuji left quickly to change clothes, Akira sighed.
Meanwhile, at the principal's office in Shujin, Kobayakawa asked the summoned Makoto Niijima, "How are things going regarding that matter we spoke of earlier?"
"I have nothing to report yet…," Makoto answered.
"Nothing at all? How many students are there who could provoke a teacher?"
"I've already narrowed it down. I just…can't get any concrete evidence," Makoto added. She then grew a little suspicious when she noticed the principal sighed as if he knows something. "You knew, didn't you? About Mr. Kamoshida sexually harassing students."
Principal Kobayakawa looked away at that question.
Makoto was shocked. "Sir!"
"What will come of you asking that?" The principal asked.
"This investigation is for a just cause, correct?" Makoto asked.
"I believe I understand how flustered this must be making you," The principal said. "I'm sure it was truly shocking for you as student council president to see a peer attempt suicide..."
"Yes...," Makoto nodded.
"We must provide a school environment where all students can feel at ease. That is the most pressing issue we have to tackle at the moment."
"So that's your reason behind this investigation on the Phantom Thieves of Hearts?" Makoto summarized. "We don't even know if they truly exist. Why are you suddenly interested in that?"
"You heard about the incident with that Madarame fellow, I assume?" Principal asked, getting straight to the point.
"...They said there was a similar calling card to the one used in Mr. Kamoshida's case," Makoto answered.
"I wish to believe that this is unrelated to our students. That is where I stand. I suggest you devote your energy to the task at hand, not unnecessary questions."
Makoto nodded and left the principal's office.
During lunchtime, Ryuji couldn't help overhearing the excited students talking about Madarame's conference and the Phantom Thieves as he smiled.
"Did you see Madarame's press conference?" One excited student asked.
Another student noticed, as well. "You mean that guy who was all like, 'How could I possibly… apologize for what I've done… Aaaah...'?"
"Think it was those phantom thieves? You know, the whole stealing your heart thing."
"There's no way. But then again, it seems too convenient for it all to just be a coincidence."
Ryuji smiled a bit. "Hehe…!"
"How's it going?" Ann asked the others when she went up to them. "Have you found the next big target?"
"I just started lookin' yesterday," Ryuji answered. "No way I'm gonna find one that quick."
"Oh yeah. I guess that's true," Ann replied. "By the way, I decided on the TV station. What about you two?"
"Oh crap, the social studies trip!" Ryuji remembered as he groaned in dismay. "Ugh, I just wanna ditch it…"
"You'd better go to your school activities," Morgana reminded the others. "Didn't I tell you not to draw attention to yourselves?"
"Wouldn't me suddenly turnin' into a good student stand out more?"
"Quit bickering and go!"
"I heard we're going to get to watch them tape a show!" Ann smiled. "Maybe they'll be actresses there!"
Ryuji, hearing the word, smiled. "Oh, well. It not like I got anything better to do than waiting for info online. Plus, Morgana's right. Showing up will keep the teachers from gettin' all suspicious of me. All right, I'm going to head back." Then, he muttered to himself. "TV, huh… Maybe I should get a haircut..."
"That guy's such an idiot," Morgana sighed. "I hope nothing happens…"
"Feels pretty great having everyone talking about us, huh?"
Then, Akira's phone rang as he pulled it out to see that Yusuke called them.
"What's up, Yusuke?" Akira asked.
"Madarame's the only topic of conversation at my school," Yusuke answered. "And as I'm his pupil, most of my peers have chosen to ignore me."
"For real?" Ryuji asked. "That's bullshit."
"Are you going to be okay?" Ann asked.
"There is no need to worry," Yusuke reassured the others. "They had already been treating me differently from others as it stood. This is nothing new to me."
"Okay then..."
"More importantly, do we have any leads on our next mission?"
"You kidding? There's no way we'd find a target that quick!" Ryuji said.
"We need to wait and see," Akira said. "In the meantime, how's about we go to Mementos?"
"I'll keep myself free," Yusuke replied. "Please tell me if anything comes up."
Ann turned to Akira. "By the way, you haven't heard anything from the student council president, have you?"
"Well…" Akira sheepishly tried to answer. "I mean, I did somehow feel like she's stalking me all of a sudden." Then, he smiled a bit. "I bet she just can't take her eyes off me…"
"I bet Miss Honor Student must be busy kissing ass somewhere," Ryuji muttered.
Akira punched Ryuji in the arm. "Bite your vulgar tongue."
"Yeah, you don't have to be so harsh..." Ann agreed.
"What is this about a student council president?" Yusuke asked.
"The one at our school has kinda been keeping tabs on us," Ann answered Yusuke. "I think it's obvious she's suspicious of us."
"Are you sure it is not merely a result of Ryuji's general misconduct?
"Shuddup!" Ryuji exclaimed.
"Though, to be honest, the three of you most certainly stand out. Do try to be careful," Yusuke reminded them. "I can't be there to look over you at school, you know. That duty rests on your broad shoulders, Akira-kun."
"Got it!" Akira nodded.
"I'll make sure to keep an eye on Ryuji, too," Ann added.
"Why do you got to single me out?" Ryuji asked angrily.
6/7 – Tuesday
Earlier the following day at Shujin, the students saw a notice on the board.
"…What's this? A request to the student body?" A female student saw the notice. "It says they're looking for information. I heard Principal Kobayakawa put it up."
"'Please consult the student council president if you have any details,'" Another student read the notice. "So we can go to her for anything? Why the student council president, though? What does she have to do with Principal Kobayakawa?"
"I mean, Niijima-san is his favorite. Maybe that's why he asked her to do it."
A moment later, Ryuji and Ann went up to Akira, and they called Yusuke on the phone.
"Our name did spread a bit thanks to Madarame," Ryuji said. "But I bet people still wouldn't care if we came out and said we're the Phantom Thieves."
"I'm not so sure," Akira said as he looked down.
"That may seem like a fun idea for now…," Yusuke said. "But what good would come of telling people our identities?"
"Maybe they'd at least start treating us with some respect," Ryuji replied.
"Well, I can understand why you feel that way..."
"That's just how things are now," Ann said. "but if we keep doing stuff like this, that will change."
"We simply need to devote ourselves to the cause," Yusuke said. "Our praise will come later."
"What he said! I'm sure some people out there will understand."
"Ugh," Ryuji groaned. "I guess we just gotta act like modest heroes for now…"
Meanwhile, Makoto was with the student council at the Student Council Room.
"Miss President, what's the meaning of that posting?" A male council member asked.
"Principal Kobayakawa put that up without my permission," Makoto answered.
"Well, we've already received some anonymous information," A female council member said as she reads one of them. "'I heard some students are getting threatened. I'm so scared… Please do something.'"
"What!?" Makoto blinked in surprise.
"'They have dirt on me, and they're demanding money. I can't go to the police… What should I do?'" A male member read another. "Isn't this talking about the crimes that have been rumored to be occurring in Shibuya?"
"So there are victims even at our school…," A female member said. "What should we do?"
"This isn't the responsibility of the student council. This is frightening for us too…," The male council member turned to Makoto. "Principal Kobayakawa called you in yesterday, right? Did he tell you anything about this?"
"Well, no…," Makoto answered. "The principal's out today, but I will ask him tomorrow. Please wait on this for the time being..."
The male council member sighed. "If you say so..."
"...My apologies for the confusion," Makoto said. "Don't worry. I'll do something about all of this..."
Elsewhere after school, the Phantoms visited Mementos when Mona suddenly stopped and halted the others. "Wait, you guys. Something doesn't seem right."
"Really? It seems the same to me," Skull replied when he stopped and noticed the Meta-Nav. "Hold up. It looks like the Meta-Nav's reacting to something…"
"A new area has been confirmed in the depths," The Metaverse Navigator chimed in. "Updating guidance information."
"What's this?" Fox asked.
"It looks like the places we can go has expanded again," Panther answered. "It's because we made Madarame's Palace disappear, right?"
"Most likely," Mona nodded.
"You seem rather uncertain," Fox replied. "How far does this… Mementos run anyway?"
"Uhhh… It's just huge! Extremely."
"You're always so vague when it comes to the important stuff," Skull said. "It's like he's kind of flaky as our chief of operations. Don't you want him to try a bit harder, too?"
"Come on, he does good," Joker replied. "He's totally doing his best."
"At least you didn't have to add that cat part!" Mona cried.
"There, there…," Panther said.
"I don't fully understand, but Mementos and Palaces are related to each other, correct?" Fox asked. "Then, all we must do is continue changing the hearts of evildoers to ascertain its full expanse. I don't believe there's a need to quarrel over it."
"If we keep this up, I'm sure we'll get more supporters," Mona said. "But first, we need a new target. I hope we can find a good one..."
"Everyone online is excited about us," Panther said. "It kinda makes me happy to see the reaction."
And so, the Phantoms managed to perform minor changes of hearts in Mementos' path of Aiyatsbus.
6/8 – Wednesday
The next day during lunchtime at Shujin, Ann was in the courtyard, getting herself a drink and a snack from a vending machine, when she overheard two students gossiping.
"Sounds like the principal is trying to get info on the students," One student said. "Why do you think he's doing that?"
"It's probably because of Mr. Kamoshida, right? Considering what happened with Suzui-san…"
"I heard Principal Kobayakawa knew about the sexual harassment too and just turned a blind eye to it. I bet he wants to snuff out any rumors now. Even the volleyball team was told to keep quiet..."
"That's the worst… So that's what the principal's using Niijima-senpai for?"
"Oh yeah, rumor has it she knew as well. Isn't that horrible? She acts all noble about it too."
"Niijima-senpai knew…?" Ann muttered to herself as she grew very suspicious now that there's a false rumor about Makoto as well.
Meanwhile, at the principal's office, Makoro was already talking to the principal. "What's the meaning of this, Principal Kobayakawa? Why did you post that notice?"
"It was all for your sake," Principal Kobayakawa answered with a smile. "I thought the more information you had, the easier your investigation would become. So? Did any information arise about the case I asked you to look into?"
Makoto sighed. "No, nothing yet. I will pass the details along if anything comes up. Right now, there is a more pressing issue… It appears there are students at Shujin who a criminal organization is threatening."
"What…!?" Principal Kobayakawa blinked.
"A student who saw your posting came to us looking for help… I'd like to request a countermeasure."
"I-Isn't this some sort of mistake? I can't believe this would happen to the students of our academy." But the principal shook his head. "Now is no time for such problems. There is still lingering concern regarding the Phantom Thieves..."
Makoto was shocked. "You're really dead-set on this whole Phantom Thieves business? But we just received a request for help..."
"I-I'm rather busy at the moment," The principal said. "If you wish to do something, you will need to act on your own."
"Are you sure about this? I am still investigating your case as well…"
"Y-Yes, that's correct. It works out perfectly! My intentions have borne fruit," The principal nodded. "This criminal organization must be the connecting factor. If you pursue this illegal issue, you'll indeed find clues about the Phantom Thieves!"
"But that's absurd… We don't even know if they are aligned with them."
"So… let's say this rumor is true. Do you intend to ignore those students in trouble?"
"I...," Makoto was out of words as she tried to speak.
"Your sister would have solved this easily if she were in your position," Principal Kobayakwa said. "My expectations for you are very high. I hope you don't disappoint."
Makoto sighed as she left the office. She felt like she was up against the wall.
"So, what kind of person would be a bigger target than Madarame?" Ryuji asked.
"I wonder," Ann pondered. "I guess it'd have to be someone who's the talk of the town?"
"That's quite a vague prerequisite…," Yusuke replied. "Don't we have any more specific ideas?"
"I bet it would be a celebrity," Akira tried to guess. "Or maybe an evil overlord."
Ryuji laughed at the second idea. "This ain't some kinda video game."
"Either way, we'll need a lead before we can begin anything," Yusuke said.
"We'll just have to look for that as we go...," Ann replied.
"If only there were a big target just lying around for us...," Ryuji muttered.
"Well, tomorrow's field trip is to the TV station, isn't it?" Morgana said to Akira. "Maybe our target will be a celebrity?"
"If you say so," Akira replied.
After school, Akira was walking on the way home to Leblanc when he suddenly had a strange feeling…a feeling that he was being followed again.
Then, he heard a familiar voice. "There are certainly a lot of people in Shibuya… I need to make sure I don't lose sight of—"
Akira turned to see Makoto Niijima hiding her face under a manga as he went up to her. "Hold it right there! You seemed to have taken a pretty well for stalking me, and it's getting pretty annoying at first."
"Oh…," Makoto blinked. "Don't mind me. I was just simply talking to myself."
"Well, I'm going home. Enjoy that manga you got there," Akira said as he then pulled out a red card and put it on Makoto's manga before he walked off.
"That was close," Makoto sighed with relief as she sees a red card on the manga pages and flipped it open to read it. "'Madame Makoto Niijima, you have committed a sin of being a lone beauty that has willingly gone ahead to stalk her prey. Did I steal your heart, Niijima-kun?'"
That made Makoto blushed as she looked to see where Akira went. "Does he really…? He's obviously aware of my suspicions, but…does he really like me?"
Morgana looked at Akira. "Did you seriously just did that? I thought it was a calling card."
"This is, well… I just did that on purpose!" Akira stammered. "…I think."
"Kinda reckless. Are you sure Miss President won't suspect us?"
"You worry too much. Niijima-kun gives me a funny feeling like I have butterflies in my stomach."
"Butterflies?" Morgana repeated in confusion.
"Not the fluttering ones, though. But like, OTHER butterflies."
Morgana slowly understands that idiom as he smirked a bit. "Oh…"
That evening at the attic above Leblanc, Akira got into a phone chat with his friends as he was getting ready for bed in his pajamas.
"You know how we're going to that TV station tomorrow, yeah?" Ryuji asked.
"Yeah, what about it?" Akira asked.
"I think we might find our next target there."
"Oh, that's right!" Ann said. "You always hear about how celebrities are involved in all sorts of shady business."
"With that much money, they've probably got their fingers in all sorts of dirty business."
"That phrasing has quite the immortal ring to it…," Yusuke pondered.
"Dude, you always react to the weirdest stuff…," Ryuji groaned.
"Anyway, we get to observe a live recording of a show, right?" Ann asked.
"Ooh, maybe we're gonna be on TV!" Ryuji smirked.
"We'll just be in the crowd, remember? Any TV appearance would be for, like, two seconds."
"Well, try not to pull any silly stunts to garner attention, okay?" Yusuke said.
"We won't."
6/9 – Thursday
The next day, Akira, Ryuji, Ann, and several students were at the TV station with Ms. Kawakami. A PR woman gave them a tour in the audience area of a daytime variety show being set up.
"…And that's why we recruit sponsors to help make TV shows," The PR woman chirped. "I'm sure you know about commercial breaks? Well, those are sponsor-related product placements. To sum things up, ratings are vitally important for a station's production funding, and..."
Ryuji nearly blinked as if he almost fell asleep.
"This is interesting," Akira said as he then yawned a bit. "So sleepy…"
"Geez, you ain't even listenin'…"
The PR woman continued with the tour. "For example, soap-opera reruns are shown in the day, whereas alluring newswomen are broadcast at night. Thus, the scheduling department is where we decide what time we posted which program. I suppose you could say it's the place where the scheduling is determined."
"Could this get any more obvious…?" Ann asked Akira.
"You're right," Akira answered.
Ann yawned. "So sleepy…"
"Did any of you get any sleep last night?" Akira asked, looking at the others.
"How should we know?" Ryuji shrugged.
"So, the best parts are taken from the footage to cut down the program to the desired length," The PR woman continued. "The place where this filmed footage is edited would be the editing room."
"How much longer does this go on?" Morgana asked, hiding inside Akira's bag.
"I swear, I'm not gonna last a minute or a second…," Ryuji groaned.
Just then, a newscaster stormed in and approached the PR woman as he unknowingly shoved Akira aside. "What's going on? I can't stand all this noise."
"My apologies! I'll have them leave right away!" The PR woman assured the newscaster as she then turned to the students. "Now then, it's time for a bit of hands-on experience."
"Hey, assho—" Ryuji yelled out to the newscaster, but he already left. "Dammit…who does that jerk think he is?"
Just then, a bossy AD looked over to Ann. "Hey there. Do you want to be on TV?"
"Uh…I'm on a school trip," Ann responded.
"Just give me a call if you're interested. I'd greatly welcome a message from you, day or night."
"Greatly welcome, my ass," Ryuji angrily muttered. "It's pretty obvious what that guy's after. Do these rotten adults care about anything other than looks!? I'll yank their stupid hearts out, dammit!"
"Will you quiet down!?" Morgana hissed at Ryuji. "You're supposed to be acting like good students today!"
"And I thought I told you not to come out," Ryuji scolded back at Morgana.
Ms. Kawakami went up to Ryuji. "I understand that you're bored, but please don't cause any trouble, okay?"
Just then, the bossy AD turned to Akira. "Let's have you see what it's like to be an AC."
"AC…?" Akira repeated.
"That stands for Assistant Camera. When we're moving cameras, we need people who'll get the cables from getting tangled up…"
The AD turned to Ryuji. "The blond will do. He seems like he's got the energy to spare anyway." He then turned back to Akira. "Guy next to him, you can come too if you're feeling lonely. Come on, hurry up and grab the cables!"
"Dammit… This sucks!" Ryuji groaned as he and Akira fought valiantly against the long cables. "URGHHH, what a pain in the ass! This is killin' my vibe!"
A moment later, Akira, Ann, and Ryuji were in the hallways of the TV station.
"I'm so pissed off!" Ryuji yelled out angrily as he complained. "Aren't we supposed to be guests? Why the hell do we have to be doin' manual labor!? This is bullshit! And I thought going to the bathroom didn't even make me feel better!"
"It's just how it is," Akira replied.
"Quiet down, will you?" Ann told Ryuji. "I get how you feel, though. That sucked for the both of us."
"We gotta do more of this tomorrow too…?" Ryuji asked.
"No flaking out, Ryuji," Morgana told him as he popped out of Akira's bag.
"I know, I know. I gotta be a 'good boy,' right?" Ryuji sighed. "Bein' phantom thieves ain't easy…"
"That reminds me, we get to go home straight from here today," Ann said. "We don't spend much time in this area, so why don't we relax and check out some shops beforehand?"
"Ooh, I know a place!" Morgana raised his paw. "I wanna go to that huge pancake-looking place we passed on the way here! It looked delicious! What was that?"
"You mean Dome Town?" Ryuji said. "The round part is a baseball stadium, then along the outside, they've got an amusement park."
"It's right in the middle of a business area," Ann added. "but they have some pretty hardcore rides there too."
"Let's go!" Morgana said, feeling confident. "I'll show you just how courageous I am!"
"Going on a scary ride doesn't prove any kind of courage."
"Not like cats can get on anyways," Ryuji scoffed.
"Really…?" Morgana blinked.
"Really. You might be able to sneak in if you stay in the bag, but you'd puke if you did that," Ryuji snickered a bit. "But, uh… Let's just go to Dome Town! I'm really feeling it now!"
"Me too!" Ann nodded. "My stomach's ready for roller coasters!"
"I think I'll pass on the puke rides…," Morgana groaned.
Just then, a pleasant boy, about the same age as them and holding a suitcase, was walking right past them and noticed them right away.
"Excuse me," The boy called out to Akira and the others. "I couldn't help but notice your uniforms. Are you students of Shujin Academy?"
"Yeah, whaddya want?" Ryuji asked.
"I happened to be passing by, so it seemed polite to greet you. We'll be filming together, after all." The boy then forgot to introduce himself. "Ah, where are my manners? My name is Goro Akechi."
"Akechi…?" Ann repeated.
"Filming?" Ryuji repeated. "What, you a celebrity?"
"Only to the extent of appearing on TV a couple of times," Akechi answered.
"Told 'ya," Akira whispered to Ryuji and Ann.
Akechi checked his phone for a second. "My apologies, I honestly was just passing by. I must be going. There's a briefing for tomorrow's recording that I have to attend." He then turned to the others. "So, you're going to go have cake now? I missed lunch today, so I'm quite hungry myself..."
Akira, Ryuji, and Ann looked at each other in confusion, then turned back to Akechi.
"Huh? Cake?" Ryuji repeated. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, am I mistaken? I thought I heard something about delicious pancakes… No matter. Well, see you tomorrow."
As Akechi left, Akira turned to Morgana. "You just had to bring up pancakes, huh?"
"I did, didn't I?" Morgana shrugged.
"That Akechi guy is gotta be some kind of start-up entertainer or something," Ryuji said. "He's never gonna get popular with that kind of hair, though."
Ann sighed. "You don't get it..."
"Eh, it's fine," Ryuji shrugged. "We'll see Akechi again tomorrow anyway. Come on, let's go to Dome Town!"
"H-Hey, can we at least skip the vomit machines and get cake instead?" Morgana asked.
After school, the gang was already in Dome Town in Suidobashi, a college town full of fun places like an all-weather stadium. They enjoyed arcades, rides, and other fun stuff.
"I feel like I'm gonna puke…," Ryuji groaned as he feels queasy. "For real, my stomach's churnin' like crazy…"
"This is why I spoke against it," Morgana replied.
"Dude, it's not fair… Using your cathood as an excuse only at times like this…"
Ann was feeling energetic. "Anyway, are you guys feeling hungry? How about some pancakes?"
"What is with pancakes today?" Akira sighed as he smiled.
"Let's go home. We have another full day ahead of us tomorrow," Morgana said. "They are going to film us at the TV station tomorrow. Try not to stand out too much—that's what Ryuji's for."
"Hey!" Ryuji exclaimed.
6/10 – Friday
That afternoon, Akira, Ann, and Ryuji were sitting down near the middle of the audience section on the second day of their field trip.
"Mr. Akechi's coming on!" A veteran AD called out.
Most of the girls started to squeal in excitement when Akechi walked onto the stage, giving them a wave and a smile before he takes his seat.
"Ain't that the guy from yesterday?" Ryuji asked.
"Of course, it is!" Akira replied. "We're in the audience, so just…play along."
"Cutting back from commercial!" The director called out. "7, 6, 5 seconds 'til start, 4, 3…"
"And now, onto the 'Hottest Meet-and-Greet' segment of our show…," The cute, female announcer greeted. "After his last appearance was so well-received, we decided to bring back this fine gentleman today. It's the high school detective, Goro Akechi!"
"Hello there," Akechi greeted the cheering crowd.
"Thank you for taking the time to join us today, Akechi-kun," The male host smiled. "Your popularity is stunning."
"Even I've found it to be quite a surprise," Akechi said. "It is a bit embarrassing, though..."
"Moving along, we've been told there's a case on your mind right now," The female announcer said to Akechi. "Care to share, detective?"
"Ah, yes. That would be the scandal involving the master artist Madarame."
"There it is! All of this phantom thief excitement has caught your attention, too, Akechi-kun!" The male host said. "Allow me to be blunt for just a second. What do you think of these justice-oriented Phantom Thieves?"
"If they indeed are heroes of justice, I sincerely hope they exist," Akechi answered.
"Ohhh, so you don't deny the possibility that they're real?
"I may not seem like it, but I sometimes wish that Santa Claus actually existed. Although if he did, I'd have to arrest him for breaking and entering."
The audience laughed…while Ryuji cringed angrily.
Akechi continued on as he stated, "But hypothetically speaking if these Phantom Thieves are real... I believe they should be tried in a court of law."
Akira, Ann, and Ryuji were shocked by that statement.
"WHAT!?" Ryuji whispered in anger.
"That's quite the statement," The male host said. "Are they committing crimes? Some people even say that the Phantom Thieves are helping their victims abandon their evil ways."
"What the artist Madarame did truly was an unforgivable crime," Akechi replied. "However, they're taking the law into their own hands by judging him. It is far from justice. More importantly, you should never forcefully change a person's heart."
"You have a point. These people are calling themselves the Phantom Thieves, after all. Amazing as always, Akechi-kun! I could listen to you for days! You have the most radiant charisma!"
"I have to say, though, I would be embarrassed if it turns out these Phantom Thieves don't exist," Akechi giggled a bit. "If that were the case, I'd summarize it into a report as a school project."
Ryuji's face grew red in boiling rage as his teeth gritted. "School project…?"
"Now then, let's try asking some students the same age as Akechi-kun about the Phantom Thieves!" The female announcer said. "First, please press your button now if you think the Phantom Thieves exist!"
"Of course they do!" Ryuji muttered angrily as the audience clicked the 'YES' buttons.
"About 30% or so?" The male host said, seeing the results. "What are your thoughts, Akechi-kun?"
"I'm a bit surprised," Akechi said. "That's higher than I was expecting. I'd love to hear some more detailed opinions on the Phantom Thieves' actions."
"I bet he oughtta pick some random student instead of me," Akira muttered to Ryuji and Ann as he snickered a bit.
"All right, let's try asking this student here," The female announcer said as she turned to Akira, holding her microphone.
"M-Me!?" Akira asked as his eyes grew wide in surprise, noticing that the audience is staring at him, waiting for an answer.
"Hypothetically, what are your thoughts on these Phantom Thieves, if they were real?" The female announcer asked.
"My thoughts…," Akira glanced down at first, but he then stood up. "W-Well, obviously they're necessary justice itself! You just said a moment ago that the Phantom Thieves are heroes of justice, but now you said they should be tried in a court of law?"
The audience was stunned by Akira's words, as did Ann and Ryuji.
Akechi, however, seemed a little unfazed somehow.
"I don't care if you're a high school detective, a special investigator, or an amateur sleuth… All the Phantom Thieves are doing is giving people the courage to stand up against selfish adults. What could you possibly know about them before making that statement? You're the one who's in the wrong here. I mean, they're more dependable than the cops!"
Akechi still stood silently.
"One of the victims, in Madarame's case, committed suicide because that artist plagiarized every artwork he made," Akira continued. "Then, another victim asked the Phantom Thieves to act on his behalf to change Madarame's heart. How could he possibly treat this as a threat when he's out there thanking them for what had just happened? Plus…they saved the life of a pupil who almost suffered the same fate."
"Dude…" Ryuji was surprised, as was Ann.
There short silence when Akechi spoke up, "You say that with such firmness."
"This completely goes against the opinion you had about them being tried by law, Akechi-kun," The male host said.
"Indeed. It's rather intriguing to hear such a long and strong acknowledgment," Akechi said as he turned to Akira. "In that case, there's one more question I'd like to ask… If someone close to you, for example, your friend next to you… If his heart suddenly changed, wouldn't you think it was the work of the Phantom Thieves?"
"No," Akira answered. "Are you even listening to me? They only target criminals!"
"I see. But how can you be so sure? Whether the Thieves' actions are good or not, I feel there is a more important issue at hand."
"What do you mean?" The male host asked.
"The matter of how they change people's hearts. If they honestly possess that ability… it could be used for more than extracting confessions. It could be that what seem to be ordinary crimes are being perpetrated by these methods..."
"You know, you're right." The male host nodded, making Ryuji's jaw dropped.
"Oh, please don't misunderstand," Akechi assured. "This is all purely hypothetical… It is only if people who can use such a power genuinely exist. Either way, though, this cannot be ignored. The existence of the Phantom Thieves would be nothing but a threat to our everyday lives. I'm already working alongside the police to help sort out this matter."
After the show, the audience left as Akira, Ryuji, and Ann stood in silence.
"It kinda seemed like what he was saying might be right…," Ann spoke in worry.
"He made it sound like we're the baddies," Ryuji growled. "I don't like it."
"But that stuff about the police… Do you think it's for real?" Ann asked.
"UGH, who cares," Ryuji scoffed as he then turned to Akira. "That aside, I can't believe you just stood up back there and told Akechi off."
Ann turned to Akira as she scolded him, "Yeah, what was that about? I nearly panicked."
"Sorry, I just snapped," Akira said, apologizing. "Besides, are you still hung up about what Akechi said? We started this Phantom Thieves thing because the police can't tell their heads from their elbows. You think they're going to arrest us for something like that? I don't see them making any progress on the mental shutdown cases. And besides, even if we told them about the Metaverse or Mementos, there's no way they're going to believe us."
"Good point," Ann said, nodding.
"If I'm off-base about this, that's fine," Akira continued. "But if we give up now, that other Metaverse user will be on the loose forever. So, this is not the time for overreacting."
"He's right," Morgana agreed. "Akechi can say whatever he wants. The justice of it all is something we can decide for ourselves."
"The point is, don't let your guard down," Akira reminded the others. "Akechi may be a detective, but he's a detective on the side of the law. He's part of that investigation, so we can't risk him finding us out. This is exactly why I suggest we stay anonymous."
"Uh, why would we do that?" Ryuji asked in confusion.
"A true phantom thief would rather stay hidden. Come on. This is superhero/Robin Hood stuff. Commit to the part. We've risked our necks and lives to come this far, so no backing down. And we promised Morgana, too. In other words, we have ways of preventing any more mental collapses all while catching the guy."
"That's what I'm talking about!" Ryuji cried, feeling pumped. Then, he went to the bathroom. "Oh, sorry, I gotta go take a leak. Can you guys wait here? I'll be right back."
"Oh my god…," Ann groaned. "I'm gonna keep going, okay?"
As Akira was now alone, a voice suddenly appeared. "Oh, it's you…!"
Akira turned to see Akechi walking up to him. "I'm glad I found you. I wanted to thank you in person."
"You're thanking me?" Akira raised an eyebrow as he seemed confused.
"To paraphrase Hegel, advancement cannot occur without both thesis and antithesis..."
"In English, please?"
"Haha, my apologies. What I mean is that our discussion was entirely meaningful. Few people around me are so willing to speak their minds as freely as you did earlier. Adults are only interested in using the young, while they simply do as the adults say."
"I bet you could at least relate to that," Akira replied. "There are just too many who hold grudges against them for no reason, even if you've never met them before."
"It seems you've spoken from experience. I feel like our discussions could prove quite fruitful," Akechi then held his hand for a handshake. "Would you mind talking with me again?"
Akira looked at Akechi's hand and sighed. "Fine by me. If the opportunity arises."
"Thank you. It makes me glad to hear that," Akechi said as he and Akira shook hands.
I am thou, thou art I... Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Justice Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...
"The students from Shujin are truly quite interesting," Akechi said to Akira. "I look forward to seeing you again."
"Uhhh, sure…," Akira nodded, just as Akechi left.
"…Talk about a problematic guy to get involved with," Morgana said as he looked at Akechi. "Looks like you caught the attention of another weirdo. There's probably a lot we can learn from him, though. If we play our cards right, we could get useful info out of him."
"A high-school detective, huh?" Akira said. "He's now taken a liking to me all of a sudden. But still… it almost felt like he completely saw right through me for some reason…"
Suddenly, Ryuji got back from the bathroom. "Sorry for taking too long!" Then, he paused when he looked between Akechi and Akira. "…Wait, was that Akechi talking to you?"
"I guess so," Akira replied. "He just said his piece and left…?"
"I can't stand that high and mighty attitude…! Just breathin' the same air as him makes me sick. Come on, let's go."
Akira looked back for a moment to where Akechi went. That Arcana just now… Was it the Justice Arcana? he thought. It represents law, fairness, and truth. Could it be that Akechi's…
But Akira shook his head and followed Ryuji and the others.
That evening after school, Akira was ready for bed as he, Morgana, and their friends were having a phone chat.
"What a boring field trip," Morgana yawned. "We didn't even find any worthwhile targets."
"That Akechi bastard…," Ryuji muttered angrily on the phone. "Thinking about what he said is just pissing me off again."
"He tried to discredit everything we're doing," Ann replied.
"And he just had to say it on live TV too!" Ryuji added.
"Don't be so sour," Yusuke said. "There are, without a doubt, people we have saved. Those people couldn't have been saved if not for the heroics of the Phantom Thieves. I am living proof of that."
"Awww, what a nice thing to say!"
"Still,…," Ann began to think. "Was what Akechi-kun said wrong? I feel like he had a point."
"Why you gotta bring that up now?" Ryuji asked.
"I mean, is it okay to be doing this to people just because they're criminals? Doesn't it seem a little selfish?"
"We are phantom thieves, Ann," Yusuke reassured her. "I doubt everyone would forgive us for what we did to Madarame. Yet, I still decided that it was a necessary act."
"Kamoshida too," Ryuji added. "We weren't gonna do shit to him through any normal methods."
"That's true, but…," Ann turned to Akira. "What do you think, Akira-kun? Are we selfish?"
"Come on, quit overreacting again," Akira replied. "Akechi may have made me ticked a bit, but I can't deny that. We are helping people."
"I guess I can't think of any other way…"
"I believe our best path forward is sticking to our justice, not that of the law," Yusuke said. "Shouldn't that be enough? And with the unanimous decision rule in place, I doubt we'll lose our way."
"...Yeah, you're right," Ann nodded. "Sorry for bringing that up. And don't worry, I'm not thinking about quitting the Phantom Thieves or anything."
"Just you watch Akechi," Ryuji said. "Someday, you're totally gonna see who was right!"
After ending the phone chat, Morgana spoke up. "That detective Akechi seems to have a lot of influence on the media. It'd be dangerous to get too close to him, but he may prove useful in some situations."
Just then, another phone call chimed in. It was from Mishima.
"God, I'm furious!" Mishima exclaimed angrily. "You heard what Akechi said, right, Akira? How dare he declare the Phantom Thieves are criminals!"
"Yeah, no kidding," Akira replied.
"As the administrator of the Phantom Aficionado Website, I can't stay quiet about this. I'm going to show Akechi how people online really feel! I'll change up the survey question tomorrow morning. Justice is with the Phantom Thieves! Keep on doing what you do best!"
"...Sure thing, Mishima."
As the phone call ended, Morgana turned to Akira. "...Why is Mishima, of all people, getting angry about this? Anyway, he means the survey on the Phan-Site, right? Let's look forward to it."
6/11 – Saturday
The next day, during lunchtime at Shujin, Akira and the others were in the courtyard, hanging out as they were hung up about what happened at the field trip.
"…Man, that detective from yesterday really pissed me off!" Ryuji said in anger. "He thinks we're some kind of threat? I'd like to see him do it, then! It's like if he's so high and mighty, why doesn't he go and save people, huh?"
Akira, however, was feeling unease as he lay his head on the table.
"Will you please keep it down?" Morgana scolded Ryuji. "Lower your voice down already!"
"Shuddup, this was your idea from the start, you know," Ryuji yelled as he pointed accusingly at Morgana. "If that Akechi thinks if someone like him could help people, we wouldn't be doing this whole Metaverse stuff as the Phantom Thieves to start with!"
Ann chopped Ryuji in the back of his head while eating. "You're way too loud."
"Who cares? Everybody's talkin' about this stuff anyway. It'd just be more suspicious if we were whisperin'."
"You guys are too laid back," Morgana said. "The police are getting involved, you know."
"So you think it's true?" Ann asked. "We'll be okay if we keep doing this… right?"
"Of course, we'll be okay," Ryuji said to Ann, assuring her. "How many times do we have to say this before it gets through to your head? We can't let the cops scare us out of bein' phantom thieves."
"But…what about that weird guy from Madarame's Palace? Isn't there a lot we don't know?" Ann then turned to Akira. "What do you think?"
Akira still didn't say a thing as he looked at Ryuji and Ann. "Hmm?"
"You weren't hung up about what happened, were you?" Ann asked.
"I-I don't know…," Akira answered. "After that show, Akechi went up to me and thanked me in person for that little discussion we had. It's like…he's taken a sudden liking to me."
Ryuji couldn't believe his ears. "WHAT!? You can't be serious!"
Just as Akira lay his head back down, a camera flashed as Ryuji and Ann looked over to see Makoto standing there using the camera app on her phone.
"The hell?" Ryuji exclaimed in surprise.
"You three seem to be having so much fun," Makoto said with a smile. "I'm a little jealous."
"Are you still snoopin' on us again?" Ryuji asked Makoto. "We said before. We don't know nothin'."
"Why do you think I'm here to question you? Could it be that you're hiding something? My ears are always open to the troubles of my peers, you know."
"You're really that hungry for a good letter of recommendation?" Ann asked as she glared at Makoto. "...Of course, you are. Nobody would take on your annoying job if they weren't."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Makoto asked.
"...You're student council president, right? Wouldn't you have known about Kamoshida?"
"Of course not! He honestly was a good teacher until that day…"
Ann abruptly went up to Makoto. "A good teacher, my ass! What he did to me wasn't honest. I'm a victim here, too, you know! But you always take the teacher's side. That's what a good council president does, right?"
"Hey, that's my line," Ryuji said, noticing that Ann stole his "my ass" line.
Makoto glared at Ann. "Well, then… how about you? If you knew so much, then what did you do for your friend? You were so much closer to her than I was, so how did you help?"
"There wasn't any way to help!" Ann snapped. "By myself… I couldn't do anything for her."
Akira, who just woke up, can see why things are somehow weird between Ann and Makoto. How could he not have noticed!? But at that rate, he steps in to stop the fight between a beautiful student council president he fell in love with and his model friend over what happened with Kamoshida.
"Will you girls stop it?" Akira told Ann and Makoto. "No need to shout already."
Ann turned to Akira. "But still…"
"You heard him," Makoto said to Ann as she looked at Akira. "There's no need to shout."
"If those Phantom Thieves are out there helpin' people, I root for them, no questions asked," Ryuji said. "They've gotta be more dependable than some people I know."
Makoto nearly flinched as she turned back before saying, "...Just make sure you show up to your classes, all right?"
"Y-Yes, Niijima-kun," Akira spoke up as Makoto left. Then, he turned to Ryuji and Ann. "That was too harsh… Will you quit losing your temper on Miss President over this?"
"Why are you taking on her side for?" Ann asked Akira.
"Huh?" Ryuji's eyes grew wide in realization as he then smiled at Akira. "I see. I get 'cha! You were totally distracted by Miss President, huh? That reminds me…when we were on the rooftop, you were staring at her with that lovey-dovey look."
Akira started to stammer. "Uh, well… That's…"
"I notice that, too," Morgana piped up. "Akira was getting a funny feeling from Makoto when she looks at him. And he even gave her that red calling card that is not like ours."
Ann stared at Akira with her jaw dropped as she looked surprised. "Don't tell me. Was it love at first sight with Niijima-senpai?" Then, she sighed in dismay as she already knows the answer. "Of course, it's something like that."
"It's okay, we understand," Ryuji said to Akira with a teasing smile. "Just don't go overboard, man."
"You know what I said earlier about whether we'll be okay if we keep this up?" Ann asked. "I take it back. I'd be ashamed to let it end now… Giving up now would feel too much like losing."
"Hell yeah!" Ryuji exclaimed. "It's about high time we started to find our next target, too."
Akira looked back for a moment to where Makoto went.
Elsewhere, Makoto sadly muttered to herself, "If only I could…"
At nightfall, Akira, Morgana, Ryuji, and Ann met up with Yusuke and told him what happened after school.
"Comments are coming in at an alarming rate," Yusuke said. "However, negative ones seem to be more prominent." Then, he read one of the comments on his phone. "'A criminal group with unknown goals that does whatever it wants in the name of justice.' Huh…"
"It's probably because of Akechi…," Ryuji said. "TV's got some crazy sway."
"He's free to deny our actions," Yusuke replied. "but being cursed by his influence is another thing entirely."
Ann groaned. "Just when we were starting to get people to believe in us too…"
"All we gotta do is take down another hotshot, yeah?" Ryuji said to the others.
"Well, do you have any ideas who this next 'hot shot' could be?" Yusuke asked.
"I ain't got a thing yet… Dammit, this is real irritatin'…," Ryuji scratched his head as he then noticed Yusuke's luggage. "By the way, what's up with that luggage?"
"I decided to leave the school dorms," Yusuke answered. "They were not only filthy but too noisy as well… No true art could come from such a place."
"What're you going to do then? You can't go back to that shack, right?"
"I was planning on staying at Takamaki-san's— I mean, Ann's house. I've even prepared a thank-you gift. I hope it's to her parents' liking."
"WHAT!?" Ann blinked in surprise. "There's no way that is gonna happen!"
Yusuke's jaw dropped as he was stunned. "Impossible..."
"You're the impossible one!" Ryuji said.
"But I spent everything I had on these delectable Japanese sweets..."
"That's not the issue here!" Ann said as she then turned to Akira. "Seriously though… what're we gonna do about him?"
"Well, we can't let him crash on the streets…," Akira said. "What about Ryuji's place?"
"Sorry, my place is a no-go!" Ryuji replied. "It's way too small. Plus, my folks never agree to it."
Morgana popped over at Akira's shoulder. "Well, seeing as Yusuke is an essential member of our team… I'll lend a hand!" He then turned to Yusuke. "Come stay at our place! It's dirty, but at least you'll have somewhere to sleep!"
"WHAT!?" Akira exclaimed.
"Why're you the one calling the shots?" Ryuji asked.
"Don't you two live in a cafe?" Ann asked. "I've been wondering about that for a while. Yongen-Jaya is not too far, is it?"
"Nope!" Morgana answered. "And the cafe's only a minute walk from the station."
"How about we go there now? We can have a party to celebrate Madarame's change of heart!"
"Ooh, good idea!" Ryuji nodded. "We can make it a welcome party for Yusuke too!"
"All right, it's decided!" Ann cried happily as she and Ryuji headed toward the direction of Leblanc.
"W-Wait, but—" Akira tried to stop them but looked down in dismay.
"Sorry to cause you trouble," Yusuke apologized to Akira as he catches up to Ryuji and Ann. "By the way… I prefer sleeping in a futon."
Morgana turned to Akira. "Now, it'll be up to you to convince the chief."
Akira shook the bag, making Morgana yelped.
"You just had to go and say it, Mona…" Akira groaned as he sighed. "Okay, okay, I'll at least ask."
A moment later, Akira returned to Leblanc – with Ryuji, Ann, and Yusuke in tow.
"Whoa, classy!" Ryuji exclaimed.
"What a nice smell…," Ann sniffed around the café's smell with a smile.
"This place looks so outdated…," Ryuji replied. "I can't say I hate it, though."
"People refer to that as 'retro.'" Yusuke said.
Just then, Sojiro turned and noticed some company Akira brought along. "Hm? Who're they?"
"Hello!" Ann greeted Sojiro.
"A girl, too?" Sojiro noticed Ann right away. "Akira did tell me he was bringing friends over, but to think that one of them would be a young lady…"
"Akira has really helped us a lot lately," Ann said to Sojiro.
"Heh, I bet you're the ones doing all the helping.
"No, really, he's been great."
"Very well, then… Sit down. This round's on the house," Sojiro gave the others some seats, then he turned to Akira. "You're helping, though."
Akira and Sojiro were serving the rest of the gang coffee as Ann took a sip. "Wow… It's delicious."
"Indeed," Yusuke agreed. "there's great depth to its acidity."
"Oh yeah, I remember now! I think I've seen Leblanc mentioned in a magazine before..."
"That was a long time ago," Sojiro chuckled.
"For real? Gimme a taste," Ryuji said as he took a sip of coffee, but then he took a spit take by how it tastes. "Blech!" Then he quickly chugged down on a soda. "It's so bitter! This has gotta be cruel and unusual punishment!"
"Eh, I didn't drink coffee when I was a kid either," Sojiro said to Ryuji. Then, he turned to Akira. "These are your friends, yeah? Go on and take them up to your room. No need to stay down here."
"Ooh! I wanna see it!" Ann cried out.
"It's only an attic," Sojiro assured the others.
"Man, that bitter taste just won't leave my mouth…" Ryuji said.
"Thank you very much for the drink," Yusuke thanked Sojiro.
"Up these stairs?" Ryuji asked as he turned to Sojiro. "...oh, and thanks for the soda!"
As Ryuji and Yusuke followed Akira upstairs to the attic, Sojiro turned to Ann. "So, you're, uhh…"
"Ann. Ann Takamaki."
"Ann-chan, huh… That's a nice name. You got a boyfriend?"
"Nope. Never have, either."
"Well, how's Akira at school? He isn't causing trouble for you, is he?"
"Of course not!" Ann answered. "It's the opposite, really. He's been a big help. He doesn't talk much, so sometimes I have to wonder what he's thinking. But he's a great guy at heart, always there for us."
"Hey, you gotta get up here!" Ryuji called out to Ann. "This place's freakin' insane!"
"Go on," Sojiro said to Ann.
"Oh, right. Thank you for the coffee!" Ann said as she grabbed Morgana in the bag and walked up the stairs to join the others. "Sheesh. They had to leave the Mona bag down here?"
As Ann made it up to the attic, Ryuji and Yusuke looked around the cleaned-up attic as Akira leaned on the wall, welcoming them.
"What do you think of this room?" Ryuji asked Yusuke in surprise. "I don't know where to begin…"
"It seems quite ordinary to me," Yusuke answered.
"For real?" Ryuji blinked as he then turned to Ann. "See? Ain't this crazy?"
"It's cleaner than I thought it would be," Ann replied.
"What!?"
"Well, sit wherever you like," Morgana said to Ann, being a gentleman.
A few minutes later, as the gang settled in, Yusuke checked his phone for the news and showed it to the others. It was about their Phantom Thieves group.
"We're all over the news," Yusuke said. "Even those who previously believed in us have been influenced by the comments made on TV."
"This is all that effin' Akechi's fault!" Ryuji exclaimed in anger.
"Keep it down," Yusuke warned Ryuji. "We don't want anyone hearing us."
"At this rate, we're just going to worry everyone instead of giving them courage…," Ann said.
"We need to find a way to make our rightfulness known to society," Morgana said. "It's time we think about our next move. You were planning on discussing that today, right?"
"Yes," Yusuke answered. "First, we need to search for a candidate."
"It's not like we're just gonna stumble upon some critical target, though," Ryuji said. "You guys don't know anyone, do you?"
"I don't..." Ann shook her head.
"Me neither..." Yusuke answered.
Ryuji turned to Akira. "Whaddya think, leader?"
"Well, what about the news?" Akira suggested.
"Well… there probably are a lot of famous targets on TV…," Morgana replied.
"However, the suspects on the news are already being pursued by the police," Yusuke said. "Even if we make them confess their crimes, the police will take the credit. That won't do."
"Dammit…," Ryuji groaned. "We're never gonna prove Akechi wrong at this rate!"
Just then, an immense growl came from Yusuke's stomach, surprising the others.
Morgana looked at Yusuke in surprise. "What the..."
"Sorry…," Yusuke apologized. "I haven't eaten anything since yesterday…"
"And you spent all your money on that box of sweets!?" Ann replied.
"Dude, how much did you have?" Ryuji asked.
"Anyway, we'll just sit tight until we find another target. So…" Ann then smiled. "How about that welcome party?"
Ryuji rolled his eyes. "Someone's excited."
Ann giggled. "I think I might found something. Can't we make a hot pot on a portable stove?"
"That sounds great!" Morgana agreed. "I've heard eating hot pot together brings people closer!"
"Anything with meat is fine by me!" Ryuji said happily.
"I only ask that we finish it off with porridge," Yusuke suggested. "Extra parsley, of course."
"So, what do you say?" Ann asked Akira.
"Hot pot in this weather?" Akira said. "Fine by me. In the meantime, we'll finish it off with porridge."
"Whattt!?" Yusuke exclaimed in surprise.
"Whattt, my ass! You don't have any cash!" Ryuji said. "Come on, let's go buy ingredients."
"We'll take care of the shopping," Ann said to Akira. "Could you borrow a pot from downstairs while we're out? We can split the cost later."
"Looks like this welcome party is going to turn out quite lively," Morgana said to Akira. "We should go grab that pot and set up the portable stove too."
"Sure thing," Akira answered as the others left.
"That Akechi guy seems pretty influential," Morgana replied. "Someday, we'll make him eat those words, though… But let's forget about him for now and just focus on having fun."
"Okay, then," Akira nodded as he went downstairs.
"Oh, and by the way… who's going to be seasoning the hot pot?"
As Akira went down, Sojiro turned to him. "I heard you're all having a hot pot for dinner."
"Yeah, I'm totally looking forward to it," Akira replied.
"As you should be. Food always tastes better with friends. By the way, her name was Ann, right? She's a nice girl."
"She is. Why'd you say that?"
"I just had a chat with her. She said your friend doesn't have anywhere to go. She asked if I could take him in for a bit. I guess she thought it'd be too pitiful for you to ask since you're already freeloading. Anyway, I should have a big pot somewhere around here."
Akira found an old earthenware pot in a cabinet. "Found it."
"It's almost time for the others to get back from their shopping trip, so I'll leave you be," Sojiro said. "I'll be down here for a while, though… Just be careful with the fire, okay?"
Elsewhere, at the Niijima residence, Sae and Makoto were having dinner while watching the variety show recorded on the day of the Shujin Academy's social studies trip.
"A lot's happened, but it seems your grades haven't dropped," Sae said.
"School's been going fine. I'm more worried about you, Sis," Makoto replied. "Are you tired? You probably lack sodium."
"Do I seem so?" Sae asked as the two Niijimas looked at the show on TV where Akechi talked to the male host about the Phantom Thieves.
"But hypothetically speaking, if these Phantom Thieves are real… I believe they should be tried in a court of law," Akechi said on TV.
"That's quite the statement," The male host on TV replied. "Are they really committing crimes? Some people even say that the Thieves are actually helping their victims abandon their evil ways."
"What the artist Madarame did truly was an unforgivable crime. However, they are taking the law into their own hands by judging him. It is far from justice. More importantly, you should never forcefully change a person's heart."
"...Is it really a crime to manipulate someone's heart?" Makoto asked.
"...Depending on the means, yes," Sae answered. "He's absolutely right."
"Even if it makes someone admit their evil deeds and helps make them pay for their crimes?"
"Why the sudden interest?" Sae asked.
"It's nothing...," Makoto answered.
"Do you believe that these 'allies of justice' exist?"
Makoto shook her head. "...Of course not."
"You don't need to think about such unnecessary things," Sae told Makoto. "...You understand what I'm saying, right?"
"Study hard and go to a prestigious college...," Makoto memorized.
"Moving up in the world is complicated as a woman," Sae said. "Yet, you can't do much if you don't have the authority. I'll use every method necessary to make it happen. All you need to do is remain focused on what must be done now for your future's sake."
Makoto sadly sighed. "...Sorry."
Suddenly, Sae's phone rang as she got a phone call. "Now?"
As Sae left to answer the phone call, Makoto pondered to herself. "What must be done… Justice…" She then recalled what Ryuji said before.
If those Phantom Thieves are out there helpin' people, I root for them, no questions asked.
"What do I want to do?" Makoto asked herself, questioning her decisions, as she then turned to the TV and suddenly noticed a familiar face – Akira's.
"I don't care if you're a high school detective, a special investigator, or an amateur sleuth…," Akira said to Akechi on TV. "All the Phantom Thieves are doing is giving people the courage to stand up for themselves against selfish adults and even society in general. What could you possibly know about them before making that statement? You're the one who's in the wrong here. I mean, they're more dependable than the cops!"
Hearing those words made Makoto pondered even more.
Back at the attic above Leblanc, the gang's welcome party was already underway as they managed to finish off their meal.
"I can't eat another bite," Ryuji groaned as he finished his food.
"That was delicious, Lady Ann," Morgana said. "I'm sure you'll make a wonderful bride someday."
Ann, however, yawned as she laid down. "Sorry. I'm going to have to borrow the sofa."
When Ryuji and Morgana try to look at her, Ann noticed and waved them away.
"What's wrong, Yusuke?" Morgana asked as he looked at him.
"We haven't finished our meal," Yusuke replied. "What about the porridge, or even udon?"
Ryuji sighed. "Just leave it for next time, man..."
Suddenly, Ann began snoring.
"She's asleep already…!?" Morgana blinked in surprise.
"It'd be weird if she weren't so tired," Ryuji said. "We should let her sleep."
Yusuke turned to Ryuji. "By the way, Ryuji… how do you know Ann?"
"Oh, we went to middle school together," Ryuji answered.
"What was Lady Ann like back then?" Morgana asked.
"Not so different from now. Once we got to high school, we ended up in different classes and stopped talkin'…" He then looked at Ann. "I don't think she had many friends. I mean, she grew up overseas, plus there's her looks. The popular kids hate her; the quiet ones stay away."
"I see…," Yusuke nodded. "So, what about you two?"
"Us?" Ryuji asked as he and Akira looked at each other.
"This is an excellent opportunity to get to know each other better. You know every detail of my past at this point. So, it's only fair that you tell me every detail of yours."
"So you got nothin' to lose, huh?" Ryuji smiled. "All right, I'll tell you. It's just a typical story about a rotten kid, though."
Ryuji took a deep breath and slowly began his story. "My dad left when I was young… And ever since then, it's just been my mom and me. I was actually tryin' to get a track scholarship so I could make things easier for her. But in the end, I just screwed it all up. It turns out I'm a pretty bad son, huh?" He then let out a sad chuckle as he continued his story. "Back when I was a first-year, my mom got called out to school for me raisin' my hand at Kamoshida. All the teachers kept houndin' her for what I did, but she just stayed quiet through it all… I'll never forget the look she had on her face, though. On the way home, she… she apologized to me. For bein' a single mom and all…"
"So that's what happened…," Yusuke said. "They say that everyone is equal at school, but in reality, that's a gross oversimplification… I understand how you feel."
"Well, when it comes to gettin' labeled," Ryuji said as he then gestured to Akira. "Nobody's got it worse than Akira here. I mean, he takes the cake."
"Is this about his past?" Yusuke asked as he turned to Akira.
Morgana looked at Akira as well. "Now that I think about it, we never have heard the details of what really happened."
"I don't wanna talk about it…," Akira said as he sadly looked away.
"Come on. It's your turn to tell us," Ryuji said with a smile, eager to know more.
"I said I don't wanna talk about it!" Akira angrily snapped, making the others flinched. "You don't get it! My past isn't like any of yours. It's complicated. I once did something – something I believed in. Something I thought was right. But it still cost me my home. That night, my life was turned upside down."
"Do you mind telling us about it?" Yusuke asked.
"Yeah… It's fine," Akira sighed as he closed his eyes, beginning his story. "It all happened that one night, back in my hometown…"
Soon before my record became common knowledge, I had no idea where and what I wanted to do with my life. I thought of going home early to drown my feelings of unease. I also hadn't reached my parents at all, and that didn't help either.
"Come on… where are you?" Akira muttered as he checked his phone to call his parents. Then, he looked at the time on the clock. "It's gotten pretty late."
My parents had such a history together before they had me. They had excellent jobs, and they're remarkable as I am. To think I would cause trouble for them someday. I wanted to at least talk to them about my days at school, but I couldn't even do that while they were so busy… I was inept at making friends, but I yearn for a place to belong. I thought that someday, I would leave the nest that is my hometown.
That very night, I had to go home early at an incredible pace with the new school year approaching or something in particular. My first year in my old school wasn't so productive, but I'm now a second-year with my parents encouraging me, and so forth, so my thoughts were on some studies.
Suddenly, I came to a complete stop as I heard a commotion in the quiet streets.
"Just get in the car!"
"Stop it!"
"What the…?" Akira muttered as he walked to where the voices were coming from.
I heard a man and a woman arguing in the distance just up ahead. But as it turns out, it looked like a drunk man was bothering that woman. There was no one else around witnessing the commotion, and I tried to call someone on the phone for help, but there was little reception.
"Don't give me that shit…!"
"Ow! P-Please, stop!"
The woman looked as if she was being assaulted by that drunk man in front of her. She was in danger and called out for help. I couldn't just ignore it, so I had to rush in to save her. But…
"You think you're worth causing me trouble?" The drunk man slurred.
"I-I'll call the police!" The woman said.
"Heh, call them if you want! The police are my bitches! I own them. They're not going to take you seriously, let alone listening to a word you say."
"No… Stop…!"
"Get in the car! Incompetent fools like you just need to shut their mouths and follow where I steer this country!"
"H-Hey!" Akira called out to the drunk man. "You heard her. Stop it!"
"Hm?" The drunk man turned to Akira. "…What're you looking at? Get out of my face!"
"Just leave the woman out of this," Akira said to the drunk man.
"This ain't a show. Get lost, kid!" The drunk man sneered as he and Akira heard a police siren in the distance. "Someone called the cops, huh? You see? This is because you're so damn slow!"
The drunk man turned back to the woman. "Stupid commoners like you need to shut your mouths, do what you're told and follow where I steer this country."
The woman called out to Akira with pleaded eyes. "Please help!"
That caused Akira to leap into action as he tried to put his hand on the drunk man's shoulder to pull him away from the woman. But the drunk man pushed Akira away when he stumbled backward and fell on the rough floor in the face.
Akira was surprised as he looked at his hands. He didn't mean to hurt anyone, even though it was just an accident.
But before anything else, the drunk man got up on his feet as he held his head and face that was bleeding a little while he glared threateningly at Akira. "Damn brat…I'll sue you! Your life is over, you hear me?"
Just then, the woman turned to the drunk man. "If you keep this up,… Then I'll report about the money! Is that fine with you!?"
"All I have to say is that you did it on your own, and it's over."
"B-But… I just did as I was told..."
"Who do you think I am?"
"No…," The woman flinched in fear.
"Hey," The bald man ordered the woman once more. "Make this statement to the cops. 'This kid suddenly attacked me.' Got it? If you even try to say anything else, you know what'll happen to you, right?"
"Huh? But—"
"What!?" Akira protested. "But you fell on your own!"
"Shut up. You're done for. You're going to learn what happens when you cross me..."
Things escalated quickly when the police recognized the drunk man. I tried to speak, but it was like the police didn't even care.
"Excuse me, folks," The policeman called out as the two cops walked up. "We received a complaint about an argument here. Is something the matter?" He then noticed the drunk man. "Oh! It's you, sir!"
The drunk man turned to the woman. "So, what happened? Explain it to the good officer."
"That young man suddenly attacked him…," The woman stated, pointing at Akira. "He shoved this gentleman to the ground. And this man…got injured…"
"What!?" Akira's eyes grew wide in shock.
"You heard the lady," The man turned to the cops. "Make sure you deal with this, so my name isn't mentioned at all. You understand what that means, correct?"
"U-understood," The cop nodded as the two cops grabbed Akira by the arms.
"What…!? Wait, I didn't-" Akira cried as he turned to the man sneering at him and the woman who just stayed quiet and looked down sadly for being threatened to lie about the commotion.
"Yeah, yeah. You can tell us all about it at the precinct," The cop said to Akira. "You're under arrest."
And with that, I was arrested on the spot…
Back in the present day, Akira continued with his story while Ryuji, Yusuke, and Morgana looked on. "I was shocked…I just couldn't understand what just happened. I thought maybe the world was a better place, but in the end, I now see that it was a lie. Everyone around me was such a jerk… I made one rightful thing, and they all got on my case. The next day after the court sentenced me, I wanted to forget what happened that night. But the following afternoon, I was transferred on the spot, as I expected. But that wasn't what broke me, though…" He then clenched his fist in anger. "It was that man who accused me and ruined me. And not just that, it had to have happened in my hometown."
Akira cast his eyes downward as he resumed his story. "I was dumbstruck, but later on…my parents got called out to my old school for me being transferred because of my record. I'll never forget the faces of sorrow they made, though. I wanted to apologize to my parents, but I couldn't do it. They apologized to me for being a mess and all… I then remembered what the police had said to me while I was arrested, 'It's how society works. Either you follow or get trampled.' I didn't understand it because I thought it was something out of a fairy tale, so I tried to forget that night… But I couldn't turn a blind eye or act like it didn't happen. I thought I was doing the right thing… But was I wrong? Was there really no way to stop the injustice of it all? …That's how I felt."
"And eventually…you were thrown out of your hometown and ended up here on probation for a year," Yusuke summarized softly. "Is that why you…?"
"All I did was saving someone from getting raped, and now they sent me out here as punishment," Akira replied as he almost sobbed.
"A lot's happened to you, huh?" Ryuji asked.
Akira nodded. "But now I blame myself, thinking there must've been something I could've done… There was no one who depended on me. Nobody at my old school… Not even the people around me. My parents still accepted me for who I was, or so I thought." His voice nearly breaks as he sobbed in tears. "But now I was… I was all by my lonesome and beside myself. I just couldn't forgive myself for doing nothing."
"You really did try to do the right thing," Morgana said to Akira sadly.
"According to society, I guess the people around me were scum." Akira wiped his tears away as he continued his story. "That night, when I was asleep, I had a weird but strange dream…"
In the dream, I found myself in pitch-black darkness, trying to find a way out. I tried to call out someone, but I thought there was no answer.
And then, I heard a faint voice.
"Who's there!?" Akira called out as he jumped to his feet, then he turned around and saw a butterfly fluttering above him.
"There isn't much time," The voice responded. "Society has been wishing for someone to lead, to make decisions for them. Mankind's cognition can be a powerful force… Distorted ideals have given birth to a being wearing the husk of man."
"What are you talking about?" Akira asked as he blinked.
"An impending force is trying to take control," Another voice appeared, sounded like a young girl. "If all were to be given up their will to those who took advantage of others, it will lead to an eventful ruin as they are robbed of their futures. Humanity's last stand lies within."
I wanted to ask that voice about much, but I was too baffled to understand.
"Ruin?" Akira repeated. "What are you trying to tell me? That it was society at fault? Is that it?"
"If no one fights against the oppression of society, all will be a victim to a dictatorship of cruelty," The voice continued. "There will be no true justice, no real freedom. We will all become prisoners of fate."
"Prisoners of fate…!?" Akira repeated.
"Do you have the resolve to challenge the distortion of the world?" The voice asked Akira. "Will you help reform society, Trickster?"
"Reform…society? Trickster? You're talking like this is some kind of supernatural thing going on in reality, and I'm some kind of chosen one."
And that's when it hit me. I apparently had been given the task to erase the distortion of the world and reform society… Then, what if everyone will stop treating me like an outcast if I succeed? It felt as if everything was starting to come together in my mind…
"If society can be reformed, there's no chance of knowing that all my troubles will go away," Akira pondered to himself. "I can't let anyone suffer because of some selfish jerk, like that bald man. This time, I'm going to make him pay for accusing me."
My opponent was a man in a suit who left no clue to his identity… Could it be that the voice in my dream gave me a chance to prevent any more people from falling victim to him? Was it really my gifted mission or my destiny to do so?
But there was a problem… If I explained that stuff to someone, they wouldn't understand. I couldn't even do that, even if it was all a dream or not. But if I had the power to do something about it, I'd be down for it.
"Okay," Akira nodded. "I'll do it…"
"Excellent. You have a strong resolve," The first voice replied. "You will experience a lot of hardships in your path to salvation. Society will push you down, but you will not resist the oppression alone."
Just then, out of the empty air, several tarot cards fluttered around Akira.
"Are these…tarot cards?" Akira asked in surprise.
Akira can see that each of the cards has its major Arcana: The Fool, the Magician, the Priestess, the Empress, the Emperor, the Hierophant, the Lovers, the Chariot, the Hermit, the Judgement, and many more.
"They are the key that will unlock the strength in the confines of your heart, as well as your future companions," The first voice responded. "Use the strength of bonds to set free the will of rebellion – the power to oppose the binds of the dark cognition of society."
As Akira looked at the tarot cards, he started to ponder once more. "The strength of bonds… Will of rebellion… Society's dark cognition. This seems like it's all fallen into place anyway."
"Lift the dark veil of how corrupt justice can become," The voice finished. "The world will open up to you upon your resolve to fight for what you believe is right."
Just then, a bright light glowed from the butterfly, spreading it out of the darkness as Akira woke up from the dream.
And then, the next day, I said goodbye to my parents as they called a friend of theirs on the phone to take care of me as my guardian during my probation.
And the next thing I know, I was now on a train to Tokyo, and you all know the rest.
After finishing his story, Akira looked at his friends. "All that aside, I want to make that man pay for what he did to me. He just keeps going on like nothing happened, even after what he did to that woman… I'll never forgive him."
Yusuke pondered about Akira's dream in his story. "So, since you thought the voice told you that society and the world are on the verge of an uneventful future, you decided to oppose its oppression and dark cognition in order to solve your troubles."
Ryuji became even madder. "Just listenin' to the long version pisses me the hell off… Goddammit!" He then turned to Akira. "But mission!? Destiny!? Give me a break! You never stopped and wondered about any of this!? You got an assault on your own record just for something like that? You didn't do a damn thing!"
"That is definitely a story to make my blood boil," Yusuke said. "And I assume the woman sounded quite horrible as well. But to think she just stayed quiet this whole time…"
Morgana looked over to Akira. "That man is just the kind of person whose heart we should steal! Who is he, and where can we find him!?"
"I don't know…," Akira answered. "I don't remember, okay? It was pretty dark, and I didn't get a good look at his face… But in particular, I wanted to ask that woman her name and apologized to her, but I guess I forgot about that."
Akira looked down sadly as he thought of something. "Now that I think about it, the way that woman said she'll report about the money must've meant that man told her to do something, and I didn't know who called the police either. I had some suspicions, but I couldn't do anything about it. But no, I didn't assault anyone. If I hadn't cared or thought enough, I could've done save her life."
"Well, it was at night, and I'm sure you were in shock after getting arrested," Morgana said to Akira sadly. "I understand all too well the pain of not being able to remember important details of your life."
"The victim's personal information is always kept secret. Identifying that man will prove difficult…," Yusuke pondered as he then turned to Akira. "Besides, the courts already made their ruling, didn't they? And your case was already decided. Even if you manage to find your accuser and get revenge, your past record won't just go away. That charge will never disappear either."
"I know," Akira sighed. "But still…"
"I can't stand it…," Ryuji growled in anger. "No wonder something that seriously wrong is what made this world all so messed up! The weak are left to fight for themselves, while rotten adults get away with whatever they want!"
"And those in power can't do anything to help out the situation," Morgana added.
"But can't we fix this, though?" Yusuke asked as he insisted. "No one would even know… We just need to show the world what true justice is and open the eyes of the world, just as Akira's dream described. We'll make them come to their senses."
"Yeah! You're right, Yusuke!" Ryuji said as he stood up with a determined smile. "That's gotta be what our powers are for! That's the whole reason we've been given this power of Persona, I'm sure of it!"
"Sounds good to me," Morgana nodded. "The flashier our missions are, the cooler we end up looking!"
"You've all taught me so much," Yusuke said as he smiled.
Just then, Ann got up on the sofa. "…What are you guys getting all excited about?"
"Oh, sorry… Did we wake you up?"
"Nah, not really. I've been up for a while now."
Akira looked at Ann in surprise. "Whhaaatttt!? Were you even listening to my long and complicated backstory?"
"Yeah, it's really messed up that I missed all of that," Ann said. "Still, this weird feeling came over me while I was listening to you guys… I couldn't help but think that it almost feels like I've known you all forever… Do you think it's because our backgrounds are so similar? We all met only a handful of weeks ago, but somehow it feels like we've known each other for ages."
"Well… it sure ain't 'cause of anything good," Ryuji said to Ann. "Not that what we've got in common is anything to brag about."
"Similar, huh? I'm the only one who doesn't fit in...," Morgana said sadly as the others turned to him. "I don't have any past to look back on… No memories..."
"Whaddya mean? We could search the whole world, and we wouldn't find a bigger misfit than you," Ryuji said to Morgana. "And the reason we're goin' to Mementos is to get your memories back, right?"
"I'm sure your past will be just as troubled as ours," Yusuke agreed.
"No doubt."
Morgana smiled. "Hmph, we'll see about that!"
"I actually feel like I've known Morgana for a really long time, too," Ann said. "It's so strange… I can't put it into words."
"You just said that now?" Akira replied. "We've known Morgana here for quite a lot already, head to toe. We're hoping he'll regain his human form, ain't that right, Mona?"
"I wouldn't bet on that! I've always been a well-mannered and polite gentleman!" Morgana said. "Look, I'm helping you guys out for my own sake. Don't get me wrong! If you don't get stronger, investigating Mementos won't be anything but a pipe dream!"
"That sure was a quick turnaround," Ryuji sighed. "One second you're depressed, the next you're actin' all tough...
"All joking aside… let's take this seriously," Ann said to the others. "We should go as far with it as we can… I want to punish those corrupt adults and give hope and courage to people in trouble… It's something only we can do!"
Ryuji nodded. "Ha! You bet! You can say that again!"
"Of course," Yusuke nodded. "Being a Phantom Thieves member will surely help me grow, both as an artist and as a person."
"Of course. You're under my tutelage, after all," Morgana said. "I'll train you in all the best tricks, personally! There's nothing we can't accomplish!"
"Well… I hope we can keep this up," Ann nodded as she then turned to Akira. "We should be all right with you as our leader."
Akira slowly nodded. "Yeah… Leave it to me."
"I guess now's a time to call it a night!" Ryuji said as he stretches himself.
"Oh, that reminds me!" Ann remembered as she turned to Yusuke. "The owner said you're free to crash here, Yusuke."
"That's… very kind of him."
"You convinced him, didn't you?" Ryuji teased Ann with a smile. "You go, Miss Older-dude-charmer!"
"What kind of nickname is that!?" Ann yelled angrily.
"Hm, I won't be able to sleep unless I take a bath…" Yusuke insisted.
"There's a bathhouse nearby, so you can go there," Morgana said. "I won't be able to join you, though."
"Ooh, that sounds great! I wanna come too!" Ryuji exclaimed. "How 'bout you, Ann?"
"You guys go on ahead. I should get going," Ann said as she got up and left Leblanc. "Well, good night, Morgana!"
As Ann left, Morgana muttered to himself, "I need to turn back into a human soon. I can't let her get taken by someone…"
"If by someone, you mean she'll be taken by some pervert," Akira said to Morgana.
A moment later or two, Akira, Ryuji, and Yusuke were already at the bathhouse, enjoying themselves in a giant bathtub… while an older man is continually turning the faucet.
"Ahh, huge bathtubs are the best," Ryuji sighed heavenly. "Ann's missing out."
"You still thinking about that?" Akira asked Ryuji with unease. "You just want to get a steamy, hot look at her silky body, like all the others."
"You know what, that ain't true."
"You know, I couldn't help but ship you two."
"Wh-What are you getting' at!?"
"It's a bit hot, though…" Yusuke said, feeling the water's temperature.
Ryuji looked over at the older man. "Old guys like it hot, for some reason. …I'm sure he'll stop eventually." He then turned over to Akira. "You know, I've been wonderin' for a while now… But what do you think about Ann? As a 'girl,' I mean."
"She's a great teammate," Akira answered.
"No, that's not what I meant…" Ryuji replied. "C'mon, can't you act a little more like a guy our age? Doesn't she at least look better than a celebrity?"
"I'll be sure to share what you've said with Ann," Yusuke said to Ryuji.
"Please don't. Seriously...," Ryuji stammered. "Come to think of it, we never much heard about your high school, Yusuke. Kosei, was it? What's it likes?"
"Our school traditionally places value on the individuality of each student," Yusuke replied. "Its art program is intertwined with university preparation and aims to foster diverse skillsets."
"That's not what we're talking about," Ryuji sighed. "I'll be straight up – how are the girls!? Any of them pop the ol'…'aesthetic radar'?"
"Aesthetic radar…," Yusuke pondered. "Indeed, that occurs rather frequently."
"Well, fill us in," Akira said.
"All living beings hold undiscovered beauty. Only in fleeting moments is that beauty exposed. As an artist, I refuse to allow even the slightest glimpse of it to escape my gaze… It is for this reason that I carry my aesthetic antenna high in the air. With this approach… my radar is always going off!"
"I wonder if it explains why you went after Ann on the day we met," Akira reminisced.
"You're missing the point!" Ryuji groaned. "Ugh… Let's try this again. Are the girls cute!?"
"I see… So that was your intention," Yusuke said, slowly understanding. "If I were to use my own definition, the answer may not be relevant to you. I must know your tastes."
"My tastes?" Ryuji repeated as he pondered a bit. "Let's see… If I had to choose, I guess I would go with a toned, fit girl with a nice tan." Then, he turned to Akira. "But I gotta say, it's hard to pass up the shy, bookie type with glasses, too…"
Akira's jaw dropped. "I resent that remark! I would never be that shy, and I would never be a bookie type because of my glasses. It helps out my knowledge."
"I wasn't even referring to you, man."
"So, in summary, you have no preferences at all…," Yusuke told Ryuji. "Simply put, you're a desperate scavenger."
"Do you have a say it like that?" Ryuji asked in dismay.
"Let us move on from such pitiful convictions," Yusuke said as he then turned to Akira. "Akira-kun, what qualities do you value in a woman?"
"The qualities I value in a woman?" Akira repeated, then he decides to answer with an embarrassing smile. "Well, I'll take anything."
Yusuke smiled. "So, you would accept any and all with open arms? You are the very portrait of a gentleman."
Ryuji couldn't believe his ears. "What the hell? He said the same thing I did! If anything, it was even worse!"
Akira turned to Ryuji. "Well, if it bothers you, Ryuji, I prefer her sweet personality."
"Showoff…," Ryuji muttered. "It's okay, to be honest, you know…"
"Internal beauty cannot be overlooked," Yusuke said. "It is an essential quality of a fine woman. Shall I go next? The kind of woman I desire would surely be—"
"All right, enough out of you," Ryuji interrupted.
"I bet the woman you're looking for would share your love of art…really," Akira said.
"Man, it's kinda nice getting to have some normal-ass guy talk," Ryuji smiled.
"Indeed," Yusuke nodded. "Our work as the Phantom Thieves kept us so occupied, and we sorely lacked this kind of opportunity. All that aside, we need to hurry and find our next target."
"About that, though… Are targetin' famous people enough? Seein' people's reactions these days has been makin' me think twice about what we do…"
"Well, that's true," Akira said.
"Pursuing only what's best in the short term may end up becoming fruitless for us," Yusuke said. "We need a strategy to appeal to the public..."
"Oh? Whaddya got in mind?" Ryuji asked.
"Do I look like someone who could come up with such a thing?"
"I was an idiot for askin'," Ryuji sighed. "I'm more like the charge commander… and Morgana's a specialist of that world… Hmmm… Hrmm… Still…"
Suddenly, Ryuji yelped as he jumped out of the water. "...Ughhhh! It's frickin' hot!"
Ryuji, Akira, and Yusuke soon got out of the bathtub, wrapping themselves in towels as they turned to the older man, who is still turning over the faucet.
"How much do you have to add until you're satisfied, gramps!?" Ryuji angrily yelled at the older man who didn't listen.
Akira giggled for a bit as Ryuji groaned and turned to him and Yusuke. "...I can't stand it anymore! Anyways, let's meet up again early next week. I'll contact everyone!"
Akira and Yusuke nodded.
After their time at the bathhouse, Akira was already on the bed while Yusuke began to lay down on the sofa couch as the two were getting ready to sleep.
"I'm going to protect my sleeping beauty, no matter what it takes!" Morgana said.
"Good luck with that. Ann will be fine, so don't worry about it," Akira said to Morgana. He then turned to Yusuke. "Are you okay to sleep on the couch?"
"I will be fine here," Yusuke replied. "I sleep in my studio on occasion, so this is luxurious in comparison. You don't need to worry about breakfast for me tomorrow. I'll be fine with some grilled fish and miso soup."
"Grilled fish and miso soup for breakfast?" Akira repeated. "Yeah, sure…"
And just like that, Akira went to sleep.
When Akira opened his eyes, he found himself in the Velvet Room once again.
"The prisoner has returned," Justine said as Akira got up from his feet.
"You're in the presence of our master. Stand up straight!" Caroline ordered Akira.
"The bonds that you have reeled in are quite intriguing…," Igor said to Akira. "In other words, they all have been unfairly labeled by society and are standing up against such fates."
"Yeah," Akira nodded.
"Have you noticed? Your heart seems to inspire theirs," Igor chuckled. "Outcasts of society… In other words, you're picaresque. Deepen your bonds with them. Those will become the strength behind your rehabilitation. I look forward to it. May you continue devoting yourself to further rehabilitation."
Akira nodded as his bond with Igor grew deeper.
6/12 – Sunday
The next day, at the university, Makoto was there when Akechi walked in.
"You're Sae-san's younger sister, correct? May I ask you for a moment?"
"Is it about the Phantom Thieves… Akechi-kun?" Makoto guessed.
"...You're quite perceptive," Akechi said. "I was wondering if there were any points in common between Kamoshida's and Madarame's cases. There have been victims, after all. The Phantom Thieves need to be pursued."
"You criticize the Phantom Thieves, yet you don't doubt their actual existence."
"Oh, you saw that show on TV," Akechi said. "Common sense can get in the way at times when pursuing the truth. Many details become logical if I think about the premise that they do exist."
Makoto couldn't believe it. "Is this…because my sister told you to do so?"
"It was just a coincidence," Akechi smiled.
"Why do I get the feeling that you're enjoying this?"
"...You may be right."
Makoto narrowed her eyes. "Huh?"
"Phantom thieves that use calling cards and succeed in their crime… As the so-called 'Charismatic Detective,' it'd be hard for me not to see them as my rival."
"You have such high self-esteem," Makoto said. "So the Phantom Thieves are evil, and you are just?
"Compared to people who manipulate others' hearts as they see fit, I believe I'm on the side of justice. Besides, I'm only using my natural-born talents for the sake of serving the world. Don't you think the same about yourself too?
"But I—" Makoto tried to speak but was out of words.
"…Oh, that's surprising. So you're just the good-girl type of pushover," Akechi said as he then checked his phone. "…Looks like it's starting soon. See you later. Give Sae-san my regards."
As Akechi left for class, Makoto sadly muttered, "Why does everyone get on my case?"
Meanwhile, at Leblanc, Yusuke enjoyed his morning coffee served by Sojiro as he said to him, "It's such a delight to enjoy coffee of this quality."
"You could stay until you find a place, you know," Sojiro replied. "I can't promise it'd be comfortable here, though."
"Thank you, but I'll return to the dorms. I realized something after talking with everyone last night. Perhaps it's due to my upbringing, but I don't know anything about the world, let alone other people. If I'm to depict people in my art, I need to learn more about them; I must interact with them more. I'll return to the dorms and start over by talking with the people closest to me."
"I see," Sojiro nodded. "Good on you for realizing that yourself."
"There's no need to exaggerate," Yusuke said. "May I come again sometime to enjoy your coffee?"
"My doors are always open."
"Akira's been through a lot, too, from what I've heard… Are you related to him?"
"Oh… How would I describe it…," Sojiro pondered as he answered. "We're just acquaintances. Not family or anything."
"I may be overstepping my bounds, but why did you decide to take him in?"
"My reason, huh…," Sojiro looked down as he tried to think of an answer. "I guess it's because he kind of reminds me of my old self."
"That's all?"
"Doesn't take much when someone takes into consideration someone else," Sojiro said. "Your 'former' art instructor must've felt something for you, too, besides just stealing your talents."
"Truth be told… I cannot hate him from the depths of my heart, either," Yusuke said as he got up and grabbed his suitcase. "I should probably get going..."
"Hey, um, are you about this?" Sojiro asked as he looked at the painting of 'Sayuri' that was hanged up on the wall. "The painting, I mean. It would be a waste to keep it there."
"Even if I kept it at the dorms, it'd only be met with skepticism," Yusuke said. "I doubt it would want that. Adding a hint of color to an otherwise ordinary day… I'm sure my mother would've done the same."
"...I see. I'll hold onto it for you then."
"Thank you for the coffee," Yusuke thanked Sojiro as he left Leblanc.
At the same time in the attic, Akira got up from his bed, as did Morgana.
"…You're finally awake," Morgana said to Akira.
"Where's Yusuke?" Akira asked as he yawned and looked around.
"That reminds me, I haven't seen Yusuke around. Maybe he went downstairs?"
"Speaking of which, I am already getting hungry."
"That's the second thing you have to say, huh? You guys sure do eat a lot…"
Akira went downstairs to see that Yusuke is gone.
"…You're finally up," Sojiro said to Akira. "You know it's past noon. That kid ended up going back to his dorms." He then turned to the 'Sayuri' painting. "He left this painting before he took off, though. Supposedly to thank us for taking care of him."
"How nice of him," Akira said. "By the way, don't sell it."
"Don't be ridiculous," Sojiro said, chuckling. "I'd never let go of a beauty like this. This painting is fantastic. Not only is the mother stunning, but the expression on her face… The regulars will probably freak out when they see it in here. Still… I feel like I've seen it somewhere. It's a bit different from how I remember it, though."
"Maybe you just imagine things."
"So, where'd you meet that kid? He's from a different school, isn't he?"
"Coincidence."
"Yeah, right," Sojiro nodded. "Well, you look like you're on good terms. As long as you don't cause problems, it's fine. If you're up for the day, go on and get dressed. I opened shop hours ago, so go take the cat out somewhere."
Around the daytime, Akira, Morgana, Ann, Ryuji, and Yusuke were hanging out.
"Thank you again for letting me stay for the night," Yusuke said to Akira.
"Sure thing," Akira nodded.
"And apologies for leaving so quietly, but your rest seemed peaceful. After a great deal of inner struggle, I have decided to return to the dormitories. Furthermore, I've entrusted the 'Sayuri' to your protector, Sojiro. That painting should no longer exist in reality… but it is indeed what my mother painted. I am simply satisfied that we were able to obtain it. And it was all because of you guys. I cannot thank you enough. PS, I still believe porridge is the best way to end a hot pot."
"So, you went home, huh?" Morgana said. "Oh well, guess that's best."
"Well, I just checked the Phan-site," Ryuji said to the others. "There's some kinda thread on there looking for info about burglars using the Phantom Thieves name. Sounds pretty lame to me."
"Oh, I saw that too," Ann nodded. "They target restaurants, right? I actually found a fascinating post on there. 'My brother has suddenly started acting violently towards everyone. I might end up getting killed at this rate… I wonder if it's because he got caught up with all those weird people in Shibuya.'"
"You think he means those burglars when he's talking about the 'weird people'?" Ryuji asked.
"I guess so…," Akira answered.
"It may be too soon to assume that," Yusuke said.
"The post said he started spending a bunch of money lately, too…," Ann said. "Isn't that kind of suspicious? I wonder how many burglar groups there are in Shibuya…"
"Damn, things are really starting to get serious," Ryuji said in surprise.
"Let's look into it soon," Akira insisted. "It's probably a false tip."
"I thought you'd say that," Ann said to Akira.
"Although how exactly will we go about investigating?" Yusuke asked.
"We'll go to Shibuya in the middle of the night and catch them red-handed!" Ann said, but she shook her head at that idea. "No way. The police would totally nab us if we were out that late."
"Plus, it would be wrong if the chief knew you were out in the middle of the night," Morgana added as he turned to Akira.
"Hm, if they target restaurants…," Yusuke pondered. "Aha! What if we drew them to Leblanc?"
"What!?" Ryuji asked in shock.
"There's no way…," Morgana said. "Who would go after a shop like this?"
"Wouldn't that cause a lot of trouble for Boss?" Ann asked.
"'Leblanc Targeted!'" Yusuke pondered. "It seems like a visible plan for me."
"Yeah, no," Akira said. "That's a horrible idea. Crazy…but horrible."
"Yeah, I mean, you'd get kicked out of Leblanc if we failed," Ryuji said to Akira.
"Oh, I suppose I left the 'Sayuri' there as well," Yusuke said. "I had forgotten."
"How'd you forget something that important!?"
"Either way…," Ann said. "I don't really want more thieves to be posing as us in the future. I wish there were some way we could make an example of these ones..."
"A violation of our group rights can't be tolerated," Akira replied.
"At the moment, our lack of info means we will just have to wait," Yusuke said. "We can continue searching for more information wherever possible, though."
"Yeah," Ann agreed.
"I'm gonna try looking for stuff too!" Ryuji said.
Just then, the group looked up at the newscaster on the screen.
"Up next, we discuss looming dangers approaching our city," The newscaster announced. "Since the year started, scam victims have been on the rise, mainly in the Tokyo metro area. A massive mafia group is rumored to be behind these scam incidents, but…"
"A mafia group?" Morgana pondered. "I wonder who they might be."
"You think that'll be our next big target?" Ryuji asked.
"Well, that's sudden," Yusuke answered.
"Well, after what that guy said, sitting around doing nothing pisses me off!"
"You're talking about Akechi-kun, right?" Ann asked. "I know how you feel."
"Ah, that high school detective," Yusuke noticed them mentioning.
"He'd have to shut up if we changed another person's heart," Ryuji said.
"You think so?" Akira asked.
"C'mon, you gotta be more confident about this kinda stuff!"
"But he did mention that the police are starting to mobilize…," Ann said. "Either way, I don't think we should leave Akechi-kun be."
"This is the perfect time to meet and discuss what our strategy should be going forward," Yusuke said. "Let us gather at the hideout tomorrow."
The others nodded in agreement.
6/13 – Monday
The next day after school, Ms. Kawakami went up to Akira. "Oh good, you haven't gone home yet. Niijima-san's looking for you. Could you head to the student council room right away? She says there's no report of a lost item, so she wants you to start filling out some paperwork."
"Niijima-san?" Akira blinked in surprise as he recognized her.
"Makoto Niijima is the student council president of Shujin," Kawakami said. "Telling me that isn't going to get you out of this."
"Oh, no, no! I already know who she is. I'm just surprised that she asked me," Akira nervously replied.
"The student council room is on the third floor, next to the library. Got it?" Ms. Kawakami then turned away before she muttered, "Why am I running errands for a student? I know she's the principal's favorite or whatever…"
"Niijima's that girl who keeps following you around, right?" Morgana asked Akira as he feels suspicious. "What could she want?"
"All I know is…it's gonna go south," Akira replied, feeling unease.
Morgana then noticed a drawing of Akechi on the giant chalkboard. "Seriously!? Everyone here is definitely on the Akechi bandwagon!? They even gave him all the nice sparkles."
A moment later, Akira made his way to the Student Council room as Morgana looked over on his shoulder. "This is the student council room," he said. "What were we called here for? This is rather strange. I wonder if it's about that love card you gave her."
"Give it a rest, will you?" Akira said as he entered the room.
Once inside, however, the air seemed more than a little chilly as Akira looked around.
"I feel a chill down my spine," Akira muttered to himself and Morgana as he feels worried.
Suddenly, Akira heard the door closed shut behind him as he turned to see Makoto standing there with her arms crossed and narrowed eyes.
"Earlier than expected," Makoto spoke. "…Have a seat."
The two sat down at a table as Akira put his bag down in a chair next to him.
"I'll get straight to the point," Makoto said to Akira. "Mr. Kamoshida and Madarame. Won't you tell me the truth behind the Phantom Thieves' incidents?"
Akira's eyes grew wide in surprise, along with a fearful expression. "Are you serious?"
"Can't answer that? Of course. There's no way you would admit to such things."
Makoto pulled out her phone and played a little recording. "Have a listen."
That's when Ryuji's voice was heard on the recording. "If that Akechi thinks if someone like him could help people, we wouldn't be doing this whole Metaverse stuff as the Phantom Thieves to start with!"
Ann's voice was heard as well. "So you think it's true? We'll be okay if we keep doing this… right?"
Makoto leaned forward to Akira with narrowed eyes. "…What could all this mean?"
Morgana hissed with worry. "We screwed up…"
"Was it blackmail? Hypnosis? How do you corner someone into making them confess? Won't you tell me how you did it?"
"That's…," Akira tried to speak up but couldn't. "I'm not sure what you mean."
"...You want to say that this doesn't prove anything, don't you?" Makoto said. "I believe that you three are the Phantom Thieves. Now, what would the police think if they heard my recording?"
"It'd be bad if we're put under police surveillance," Morgana said. "There's no telling what'll happen to you, too!"
"If you confess the truth, I don't mind just leaving this between the two of us…," Makoto gives Akira a sly smile as if she tried to charm him. "You'll tell me, won't you?"
"Wha-!?" Akira's face suddenly turned red. "Did you really just-? Ummm… P-Please, don't toy with me! It is not suitable for my heart! I have the right to be silent."
Makoto narrowed her eyes. "Why are you blushing?"
"Again, I don't know what you're talking about."
"My, how unexpected. That's the same as admitting to it, you know."
Akira couldn't contain himself. "This is all too ridiculous! Not only did you found out we're the Phantom Thieves, but blackmail and hypnosis? We only wanted to change the hearts of selfish adults! We just want to punish those corrupt adults and give hope and courage to people in trouble! It wasn't an act of cornering someone; it was something else entirely. If we hated Kamoshida and Madarame so much for preying on the weak, we would never have used standard methods to make them confess! And I'm the one leading the group that is doing that. I'm saying your two suggestions aren't true, so it's beyond that."
"So, you don't deny it, then?" Makoto asked Akira, leaning even closer.
"That…That's not what I mean!" Akira tried to hesitate. "I had no one in my hometown when Ryuji and Ann looked up to me and appointed me to what you see now! If you and everyone at Shujin continue to ridicule the team that I've been leading, you will rue this day and—"
But Akira stopped when he noticed Makoto stared at him in surprise.
"You seriously think that?" Makoto asked.
Just then, Akira's phone rang, and he answered it as Ryuji's voice popped out. "Hey, where you at? Taking a leak? Let's meet up at the usual spot to hold our Phantom Thieves meeting!"
"That idiot…!" Morgana hissed in anger.
"Not now, Ryuji!" Akira yelled at Ryuji on the phone. "I'm already at the student council room because Niijima-kun found out who we are, and it's all thanks to you not keeping your mouth zip!"
"As loud as always…," Makoto said with a smile as Akira ended the phone call. "But his timing is perfect. I would like everyone else to hear this as well. Won't you take me to your friends?"
"I guess it can't be helped now…," Morgana sighed.
At the Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway, Ryuji, Ann, and Yusuke were waiting for Akira.
"What's taking Akira so long?" Ryuji asked. "I heard him saying he's in the student council room when he totally yelled at me."
"The student council room…," Ann repeated as she gasped in shock and realization. "Don't tell me…Niijima-senpai found out about our identities already!?"
"I'd never thought it would be the case," Yusuke said with concern.
"Will Akira-kun be all right!? What if Niijima-senpai drags him outside the school and tries something funny to him?"
Ryuji looked at Ann. "That's what you're worried about?"
"Well, that's what you get for being too loud!" Ann scolded Ryuji angrily. "It's no surprise she overheard our conversation the other day, considering how loud you were. Morgana and I told you over and over to keep your mouth shut."
Suddenly, Yusuke noticed Akira right away. "Oh…"
"Is he here?" Ryuji asked as he noticed as well.
"Is that girl a friend of yours?" Yusuke asked, noticing someone behind Akira.
"I'm gonna kill you!" Akira yelled out as he walked up to the others.
"Akira, what's gotten into y—" Ann said to Akira, but her mood changed when she noticed that Makoto was with him. "You are here as well? What's the meaning of this!?"
"Wh-What the hell?" Ryuji blinked in surprise as he, too, noticed Makoto.
"I had him lead me here," Makoto stated as she patted Akira's head while looking at Ryuji and Ann. "Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki…" She then turned to Yusuke. "And you're Kitagawa-kun, correct? Second-year at Kosei High and former pupil of Madarame?"
Makoto pulled out her phone. "I wanted to ask you all about this." She played the audio recording of Ryuji and Ann on her cellphone, which shocked the others.
"An extremely similar technique was used for both Kamoshida and Madarame…," Makoto said, looking at the group. "While those affected by their acts were just coincidentally meeting up…" She then looks at them with a sincere expression. "How could that not raise suspicions?"
The others looked at each other, then at a conflicted Akira, who didn't say a word.
"What do you intend to do?" Yusuke asked Makoto with concern. "Have you come here just to say you're going to report us?"
"I bet someone at school told you to find us," Ann said, glaring at Makoto. "It's not our fault the school can't have ties to criminals, after all! And yet, they are the ones who turn a blind eye when it comes to suicide and sexual harassment." She then closed her eyes in dismay. "Can't you see those adults are just using you? I feel sorry for you."
Makoto remained silent until she spoke up. "I… I know…"
Ann opened her eyes in surprise as she looked at Makoto. "Huh?"
"That's why I would like to verify the justice you and your leader spoke of."
"What?" Ryuji was stunned but confused.
"I'm the only one who knows about you," Makoto said. "If you prove what you're doing is just, I'll erase this."
"She wants to make a deal...," Morgana said over Akira's shoulder.
"There is someone whose heart I'd like you to change," Makoto said.
"Who?" Yusuke asked.
"Hm, so you're not saying it's impossible. However… I cannot tell you that just yet. Let's continue our talk after school tomorrow on the roof." Makoto then turned to Akira. "Assuming you accept my offer, that is."
Akira sighed. "I…I accept…"
"Dude…," Ryuji was stunned.
Akira tried to beg for Makoto's forgiveness. "But please, Niijima-san! We only want to give people courage, is all! You can't turn us in for something like that!"
"No need to be so formal," Makoto said as she touched Akira's nose and left the others.
"This is turning into a real pain…," Ryuji sighed.
In response to that, Akira gave Ryuji real pain by punching him in the arm hard.
A while later, the group went to the same usual restaurant down Main Street of Shibuya to recap their current situation. Akira became quiet and broken as he held his forehead poorly while his friends were bickering.
But this was no time to be pointing fingers because they are up a creek without a paddle.
"…You were careless," Yusuke said to Ryuji, scolding him. "I don't think you truly understood how high the stakes were. Anything to say, Ryuji?"
"Why are you singling me out?" Ryuji scowled. "Ann got recorded too, you know!"
"I'm so sorry...," Ann apologized.
Ryuji sighed. "Hey, what should we do? That girl's got dirt on us…"
"A recording seems to be insufficient evidence, though," Yusuke said. "And even with that, there's no way they could prove our methods."
"Considering who we're dealing with, I think it might be a trap," Ann said.
"Regardless, Akira would be in real trouble," Morgana said as he looked at Akira. "He's on probation, after all."
"Things would get rough if we didn't have our leader…," Ryuji replied. "And I totally don't wanna deal with the police..."
Yusuke looked down. "Then… we have no other choice but to go along with it."
"Yes, it's best we agree, at least for the time being," Morgana said. "We made a crucial mistake… but not a critical one. We'll just have to recover from here on out."
"Yeah, yeah. My bad," Ryuji said as he turned to Akira. "So…we doin' this?"
"Huh?" Akira looked up at the others. "Y-Yeah, if everyone wants to."
"Akira-kun, are you okay?" Ann asked with worry.
"Yeah," Akira nodded as he sees the others staring at him with mixed emotions.
"You weren't hung up on Niijima-senpai, were you? You were a bit silent when we spoke to her."
"I bet it's because he still has the hots for her," Ryuji guessed with a tease.
"Oh, shut up!" Akira shouted.
"Whatever you're so insistent on about, it can be quite useful," Yusuke said to Akira. "If you know anything, tell us."
Akira deflated in his seat as he sighed. "I…I kinda told her about the Meta-Nav."
The others were stunned.
"What!?" Ann blinked in surprise.
"For real!?" Ryuji exclaimed with his jaw dropped.
"I think I can explain," Morgana said as he began telling the others what happened.
A few minutes earlier…
"I guess it can't be helped now…," Morgana sighed.
"Now then, shall we get going?" Makoto asked as she grabbed her school bag and got up from her seat to leave the student council room.
"Wait!" Akira halted Makoto as he apologized. "That was discourteous of me… I'm sorry. I think you'll believe me if you saw the app."
Akira pulled out his phone again as he showed Makoto the Meta-Nav. "See? It's called the Metaverse Navigator, the Meta-Nav for short. It appeared on my phone recently."
"The Meta-Nav?" Makoto repeated as she looked at the app on Akira's phone.
"This app kept showing up when I tried to delete it back then. It's the reason we made it this far. I don't know if you heard about it or exactly how it works, but this app took us to a place that is supposedly a 'realm formed by human hearts.'"
"By heart?" Makoto repeated. "Like…someone's world inside a heart?"
"I guess so…"
"So, you three physically entered another reality? Through an app, no less?"
"To be honest, I didn't understand it at first," Akira said. "But because of Kamoshida, it created his whole world in the form of a castle, and I got my special skills because of it. We go to the Metaverse, where we called them Palaces, to steal the core of their desires – their Treasure. And those who have their Treasure stolen have a change of heart."
Makoto folded her arms with a troubled look as she listened to Akira's explanation.
"If we erased their Palaces, there was no doubt that their desires will be erased, too," Akira said to Makoto. "If they were to vanish, they'd be no different than someone who has suffered a mental shutdown. They may even die if they're not given any proper care."
Makoto couldn't believe it. "So, that's why…"
"So we persuade the owner's Shadow without killing it, and then send it back to its real self. That way, our targets won't undergo a mental collapse."
"Why did you do all those things?" Makoto asked with concern.
"I had a weird dream once," Akira answered. "I was told to erase the distortion of the world and reform society. That's why we were getting back at society in general. We also wanted to give courage to those who were suffering because of those people. Besides, those people who had no other choice but to deal with it are thanking us. If we ignore people in trouble, Ann will go back to being the same as before. To put it bluntly, it's for a just cause."
Makoto looked down sadly, acting strange. "A just cause…"
"Something wrong?" Akira noticed.
"N-Nevermind, it's nothing," Makoto shook her head. "But you're still going to take me to your friends."
"Huh?" Akira's jaw dropped. "Don't tell me… Are you not going to let it slide after I just told you the whole truth? I can't believe this! And you were going to report me in, even though I just fell over heels for you?"
"That's cute and all, but I did say we let this conversation between the two of us, did I? I saw you on TV the other day. You were pretty ticked off about that Akechi-kun."
Akira blinked in surprise. "Wha—the nerve! Is it because I'm the silent type? Because of my leaked record? Is that why you've been following me!?"
"I was hoping you would pull off something like that," Makoto said to Akira as she pulled him from the student council room. "Now, take me to them."
"Hey! What are you-!?" Akira exclaimed as he quickly grabbed his school bag with Morgana inside. "Ugh, seriously!? Why are you acting like everything's going your way!? Oh, come on! Let's talk about this!"
Now…
"Talk about spilling the beans," Ryuji said after hearing what happened.
"That's not all," Akira added. "Niijima-kun was ordered by the principal to investigate the Phantom Thieves."
"Wait, what!?" Ryuji blinked in shock.
Ann was shocked as well. "Are you kidding me?"
"She didn't tell me that. I can only tell by her eyes, is all," Akira replied. "Not just that, but it was because of that letter Ann mentioned. What was it? That letter of recommendation?"
"I KNEW IT!" Ann hissed. "Is the principal out of his mind? I can't believe Niijima-senpai is doing this because the adults told her to do it!"
"Hold on, Lady Ann," Morgana piped up. "She did say she wanted to verify our justice, right? Akira's hunch could be right, after all."
"But Niijima-kun knew the adults are using her," Akira sadly replied. "Is there a need to do this?"
Ann looked at Akira in shock. "Then, what? You're fine with being reported in!?"
"I am not!" Akira protested.
"Either way, this is turning into a real pain in the ass," Ryuji said to Akira. "I can't believe the principal is using Miss President to spill the beans about our group. You're telling us that we should just ignore how she's being treated horribly like the rest of us?"
"No," Akira answered as he looked down sadly. "I mean, it is hardly frustrating or rather sucks to leave this alone, even if Niijima-kun is fine with it herself or not."
Yusuke looked at Akira with a sad look. "And you couldn't leave her be because you've endured it a lot yourself, with your past life."
"Yeah," Akira nodded.
"Not to mention that he likes Miss President," Ryuji said. "He has the hots for her and all."
"A love so strong you forget about the world around you," Yusuke said to Akira.
"Anyways, we're meeting on the school rooftop tomorrow, yeah?"
"What about me?" Yusuke asked. "I could always sneak in if necessary."
"That'll draw too much attention. You should just wait outside, Yusuke," Ann said as she pondered to herself. "What could Niijima-senpai be scheming?"
"Still, I'm so effin' pissed," Ryuji growled. "Do we just gotta do what Miss President said?"
"Considering what has happened, it seems we have no other choice," Yusuke replied.
"I wonder whose heart the student council president would want us to change," Ann pondered.
"Doesn't matter to me," Ryuji said.
"But there might be a reason behind who she picks, right?"
"I wonder who it is," Akira pondered.
"I am curious myself…," Yusuke replied. "She mentioned how she wants us to prove our justice, did she not?"
"Yeah, she definitely did.
"Then, there must be some reasoning behind her choice. Please contact me immediately if you find anything out. And don't go picking any fights, OK?" Yusuke then turned to Ryuji. "Do you understand, Ryuji?"
"Why're you singling me out!? I ain't dumb!"
"Because it's your fault this would happen," Akira scolded. "And let me add that if you or Ann ever said or do anything to condescend Niijima-kun because she's the student council president… I will tell her, and you two will feel an unbearable pain that even death won't alleviate. Or maybe I'll have Yusuke to create a nude painting of you two together – even though he gave up on that already!"
Ryuji shook his head in fear. "P-please, don't! Seriously!"
"This is too sudden!" Ann stammered in shock.
"Well, since things got to this point, we'll just have to prepare ourselves and deal with it," Morgana told the others as he looked up to them. "We'll see our way through somehow."
The others nodded in agreement as they disband for the evening.
6/14 – Tuesday
Earlier this morning, Akira was waiting for the train to Shujin when a camera-wearing Ohya walked up to him. "Hey, it's you!" she greeted Akira, stretching her whole body. "Going to school now? I'm just heading home! The morning sun is too bright…"
"What about your job?" Akira asked.
"I pulled an all-nighter. Journalist Ichiko Ohya works around the clock, you know! Well, you work hard on your studies."
A moment later, after school, Akira, Ann, and Ryuji met up with Makoto at the school rooftop.
"You came!" Makoto said to Akira with a smile. "I thought you might not show."
"Um…yeah," Akira nodded.
Makoto turned to Ryuji and Ann with a changed mood. "You really came."
"What did you expect when you called us up here?" Ryuji said.
"So, whose heart do you want us to change?" Ann asked, getting right to the point.
Makoto slowly answered, "…A mafia boss."
"MAFIA!?" Ann repeated in shock, but she reminisced that they heard about it before.
"What're you talkin' about!?" Ryuji asked.
"That's what they call themselves," Makoto replied. "This group seems to be the cause of the rise in phishing scams. What's worse? Once you're in their sights, they won't stop threatening you until they get what they want. They'll force you to take part in their scams, threaten your family, and ultimately destroy your life."
Ryuji was stunned. "Holy shit..."
"It appears that their victims include some of our students," Makoto continued.
Ann couldn't believe it. "No!"
"They primarily target juveniles," Makoto added.
"What's their boss's name?" Ryuji asked, being straightforward.
"Nobody knows," Makoto answered. "The victims are being threatened not to testify, so even the police can't get a grasp of the situation."
"That's where you want us to start!?" Ann asked angrily.
"You should be able to pull it off… If you're really the righteous Phantom Thieves. Or is Akechi-kun correct when he says you act without justice?"
"What!? That effin' Akechi even got to Miss President?" Ryuji said in anger.
"Can't you say something witty back at her?" Morgana asked Akira inside the bag.
"We'll do it," Akira answered. "Even if it takes something that witty."
Morgana groaned. "I knew you were gonna say that!"
"Give us the details," Akira said to Makoto.
"Their main hub of activity is in Shibuya…," Makoto informed them. "That's all the information I have. You have two weeks. Once that has passed, I'll submit all the evidence I have to the police and the school. I hope you don't let me down."
"If it is for your sake, Miss President, I won't stop even if my punches were to pull," Akira said to Makoto as she left the rooftop.
"She really had the upper hand in that exchange…," Morgana said.
"'Don't let me down,'" Ryuji muttered angrily. "Dammit, she was just bossin' us around…"
Akira turned to Ryuji and hit him in the head. "I don't care if you're pissed off about all of this! When someone asks us to help, we help! We're not backing away on Niijima-kun's request! Or need I remind you of the punishment for questioning Niijima-kun and her position? And trust me, it'll be much worse! Got it!?"
Ryuji groaned. "Good to know."
Ann almost giggled. "You've got told!"
"Hey, Akira said both! That means you, too!"
"He's right, you know," Morgana agreed. "Come on. We should get in touch with Yusuke."
? – The interrogation room
Sae's eyes grew wide in shock and realization after hearing Akira's story. "The student council president…from Shujin Academy? Are you telling me that Makoto was sticking her nose into this Phantom Thieves business?"
"You never noticed?" Akira asked.
Sae looked down. "But why would Makoto…?" But she then looked back at Akira with a scowling look. "Bringing up my sister to upset me, are you? It seems there's no limit to your duplicity."
"I'm not upsetting you," Akira protested. "You and everyone else made her go through such pressure. And when I learned about what happened between you two, you don't even know exactly how she feels."
Sae sighed. "Fine. I'll listen to everything you have to say before I decide the truth of your statements, considering how much you cared about my sister."
6/14 – Tuesday
"Urgh…I'm so mad!" Ann growled in anger as she, Akira, Ryuji, Morgana, and Yusuke were already at the Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway after school.
"The mafia? Hm…," Yusuke pondered after hearing the news.
"Can we really do this?"
"No complaining, Takamaki!" Akira told her. "We're not backing away someone's request, even if that someone is Niijima-san. It's our duty as phantom thieves, got it?"
"We know already," Ryuji groaned. "You don't have to remind us that!"
"Either way, we have almost no information on our target," Morgana said. "This guy's a crime boss, so I wouldn't be surprised if he had a Palace. Still..."
"Isn't this a prime opportunity for us, though?" Yusuke asked.
Ann turned to Yusuke. "How is it an opportunity!? We're in huge trouble!"
"Even after we punished an evil man who seemed to be fair and good, the public did not acknowledge us. However, if we take down an actual criminal, let alone a target that the police don't have answers for..."
"Oh, right!" Ann nodded. "That might make people believe in us!"
"I get it! That means even Akechi'll have to acknowledge us as the Phantom Thieves!" Ryuji smiled as he then turned to Akira. "Whaddya say, leader?"
"Let's go prove our justice, I guess," Akira said. "I mean, this is our chance."
"Hell yeah!" Ryuji exclaimed. "We just gotta do what we always do!"
"Our time limit is two weeks, correct? We can't afford to waste too much time," Yusuke said. "...I'll ask around Kosei and see if there are any victims."
"OK, I know some girls who go to Shibuya pretty often," Ann said. "I'll check with them about it."
"All right, then I'm gonna see what I can find on the net," Ryuji volunteered as he then turned to Akira. "That leaves our school up to you and Morgana. You figured out what to do during the whole Kamoshida thing, right?"
Akira nodded. "Sure thing."
"I'll back you up," Morgana said.
"All right, let's get back together at the end of the week once we've got all our info! I'll get in touch with you guys later!"
A moment later, Akira went back to Leblanc with Yusuke in tow.
"The 'Sayuri' seems to suit this café quite well," Yusuke said, looking at the 'Sayuri' painting. "I'm glad I chose to leave it here." But then, he looked down. "Akira…I fear I have found myself in quite a horrible mess!"
"What are you talking about?" Akira asked in confusion.
"To put it bluntly, I need your assistance… Please listen to what I must say."
"I'm all ears."
"Through my artistic career, there have been moments I've struggled with particular motifs or techniques… However, those struggles came to pass on each occasion. Yet now, I find myself in a similar situation, but the more I try to escape it, the worse it becomes. It seems I'm trapped in what we in the art world call a 'slump.'" He then turned to Akira. "Are you aware that I am attending Kosei on an art scholarship?"
"Of course you did," Akira nodded. "I mean, you're that good."
"Such coveted grants are not given as charity," Yusuke replied. "I must continually achieve within my field to remain eligible… Were I to lose my scholarship, I would likely have no choice but to leave school as well. In the earlier days of my career, I would exclusively paint what I desired when I desired it. The only goal I had in mind was the pursuit of pure beauty. That goal is what drove me onward. I wanted nothing more than to attain the lustrous allure of the 'Sayuri' in my own work. Yet what reason do I have now? Holding on to my scholarship? Keeping a roof over my head? Worldly desires are all that spur my brush to move…and the resulting work reflects such impurity of mind. To be honest, I am unsure as to whether I can even call myself an artist anymore..."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Yusuke," Akira tried to calm him down. "You're so tough on yourself. You seem stressed."
"...My apologies," Yusuke apologized. "It seems I got somewhat carried away there. But… I simply cannot accept this lack of purpose in my work. That is why I am so upset with my own indecision. Such vague ambition is, in essence, a sin of sorts. Though I suppose allowing my young career to come to an end here would be even more sinful. I only wish to create a work I can be genuinely proud of…"
Yusuke then gestured to Akira to the 'Sayuri' painting. "Please look over there at the 'Sayuri.' Her incandescent figure, alluring gaze… That is the meaning of pure beauty! Yet no matter how hard I try to replicate it, an elegance so sweet remains elusive to me…!"
"Why?" Akira asked.
"It is undoubtedly because the painter behind the work differs… Because the soul differs…! But if my estimations are correct, the 'soul' is nothing but another way to speak of the human heart. What, then, is the heart? How does it bring forth such beauty? I must understand…!"
Yusuke took a deep breath as he then turned to Akira. "To be perfectly frank though… I am unsure of how to do so. Would you be able to provide me assistance? You have already brought profound change to my world. Hence, I believe you, of all people, may be able to get me closer to the truth."
"I'd be glad to!" Akira nodded. "I can't leave you hanging.
"At the moment, my art teacher has yet to notice any drastic changes in my work… But I cannot hide forever. Impurity of the heart will undoubtedly seep onto an artist's canvas eventually."
And with that, Akira took Yusuke to the station before returning to Leblanc, only to find Sojiro muttering.
"I hate the rain," Sojiro sighed. "It always brings me down."
"Perhaps it's the rainy season," Akira replied.
As Akira went upstairs to his attic room for rest, he and the others were having another phone chat.
"So, I checked online, and people are talking about it all over," Ryuji spoke first.
"What did you find?" Akira asked.
"Well, in my expert opinion, Iida of Class 2-D is guilty."
"You mean Iida-kun from our class?" Ann remembered. "Wait, start at the beginning. What is he guilty of?"
"Supposedly, he's been spending money left and right recently," Ryuji replied. "Said it's because of some tremendous part-time job he got."
"I see," Yusuke said. "That may very well be worth looking into."
"Right? Can you try asking him about it, Ann? I don't think he'd be cautious around a girl."
"In that case, yeah. I don't mind giving it a try," Ann said. "Although I've rarely talked to Iida-kun before. I'll be counting on you to back me up if something happens, Akira."
"Leave it to me," Akira said. "But only if it's necessary."
"Thanks, that's a huge help."
"I'm hoping for some great things this time from Takamaki-san's world-class wonderful acting," Ryuji teased.
"Shut it," Ann said to Ryuji angrily.
"I hope this will get us even marginally closer to their so-called boss," Yusuke said. "I leave this Iida to you two. And I have high hopes for your acting as well, Ann."
"You're both missing the point!"
"Is it true that Iida guy's guilty?" Morgana asked. "Well, we'll need to dig up some dirt first thing in the morning."
6/15 – Wednesday
The next day, during lunchtime, Makoto was already summoned to the principal's office as Principal Kobayakawa looked frantically panicked and worried.
"Niijima-kun, what is going on here!?" Kobayakawa asked Makoto. "Apparently, the damage done by this so-called mafia has even reached our student body!"
"Well...," Makoto tried to speak up. "This 'mafia' is that criminal organization I was trying to tell you about."
Principal Kobayakwa couldn't believe his ears. "I thought this absurdity was nothing but a joke! Not only are there victims, but there are rumors that some students are involved with such crimes… I've even received inquiries from their guardians. Why is this happening?"
"Unfortunately, I do not have the answer to that...," Makoto answered.
"This is the greatest disgrace in the history of this academy… If it were to be discovered…," Kobayakawa muttered as he then looked at Makoto. "This is a vital issue for the student council! Did I not ask you to resolve it!?"
"I'm… doing the best I can," Makoto said.
"A-And I can trust you!? You must do something about this at once! You're the only one who is reliable around here… Don't let me down..."
"Yes, sir," Makoto nodded as she grew silent.
"From what I've heard, even the other students are starting to be dissatisfied with you," Kobayakawa scolded. "At this rate, you and I will both lose our roles at this school. Do you understand?"
"I do. Please, just give me a little more time..."
A few minutes later, Akira managed to have some interesting intel from a few students about the mafia when he turned and noticed an upset Makoto.
"What's wrong?" Akira asked.
"Ah… It's nothing," Makoto replied as she noticed Akira. "I was just looking at the bulletin. Anyways, how's the investigation going? I don't believe there's much time left at this point."
"It's going well," Akira answered. "I mean, it's not so good at first, but it's going well. Do you have any info?"
"Not quite," Makoto shook her head, but she smiled a bit at Akira. "Perhaps I misjudged you and your ability? Anyway, this is a fundamental matter for our school. I hope you can return with good news. And don't worry… I'll keep my promise as long as you uphold your end of the bargain."
Akira nodded. "I'll…be relying on you."
After school, Akira managed to talk to Iida somewhere quieter.
"Tell me the truth," Akira demanded.
"I already told you, I don't know...," Iida tried to deny it.
"Sorry, but Nishiyama told me everything."
"He did!? That bastard…" Iida sighed. "What's up with you? Especially in front of everyone…"
"Is it true you took a part-time job?" Akira asked.
"Yeah, I got a job! So, what? Isn't that normal? …What are you getting at?"
"You're a drug smuggler, aren't you?"
"How do you…? I've only told one person about that…," Iida stammered. "Y-You're right… They told me they had an easy part-time job for me, and I ended up smuggling drugs… All I had to do was put envelopes into coin lockers, and they said they'd give me a hefty paycheck. I didn't know what was in the envelopes, though! Still, this is what came out of it..."
"Are you being threatened?" Akira asked even more.
"They started threatening me right after they deposited the money into my bank account…," Iida explained. "They had pictures of me carrying the goods. Said they'd expose what I did unless I paid them off…" He then looked at Akira. "You know… why are you even asking me this stuff? Are you just going to use my job to blackmail me too?"
"Nope," Akira answered.
"I see… Well, even if you were planning on doing that, I don't have any money I could give you… If you're really interested in that job, try heading over to Central Street. That's where they told me about it…" Iida then turned to leave. "I-I told you everything you want to know, right? Can I go?"
As Iida left, Akira already called the others.
"How'd it go?" Ryuji asked. "Did Ann's acting help at all? I'm thinking probably not."
"It went perfectly, I think!" Ann replied. "More importantly, were you able to find anything, Akira?"
"Oh, it's definitely the drugs," Akira answered.
"So, they ask you to deliver drugs…," Yusuke responded on the phone.
"That's serious," Ryuji said. "I just searched for 'Shibuya drugs,' and it got tons of hits, too."
"So, they're making people traffic drugs, then threatening them…," Ann pondered.
"That must be what I heard people talking about in Shibuya," Yusuke said. "They seem to be going about this quite openly during the daytime. What bold methodology."
"I would've imagined they would do it at night…," Ann said. "I wonder why they chose the day."
"They go for high schoolers," Akira replied. "So, I bet they need to blend in."
Yusuke nodded. "I see. Yes, more students will be out during the day, while the police will be more cautious at night."
"Ryuji, you're over in Shibuya now, right?" Ann asked. "Do you see anyone like that there?"
"Yeah, I'm at Central Street," Ryuji answered. "It's tough to tell, though. I mean, there are just way too many people. The goddamn rain is not helping out either."
"The sun will be setting soon," Yusuke replied. "What should we do?"
"Let's do this tomorrow," Akira suggested.
"Yeah, that seems like our only choice now," Ann agreed. "We can split up and search separately then."
"In any case, we have some new intel," Yusuke replied. "Let us call that progress for today."
"Whoever asks us to take on that job should know who their boss is too," Ann said.
"All right, I'll get in touch with you guys later tonight, and we can come up with a plan."
"We have to find them tomorrow for sure," Ann replied. "This is the only lead we have right now."
"Yes. Likely, this part-time solicitor is somehow related to the mafia," Yusuke nodded. "If we tail him, he may lead us straight back to his boss."
"He talked to Iida and Nishiyama over at Central Street, right?" Ryuji asked.
"Indeed. It seems that's where our target waits. But then…who should be the one to go?"
"Leave it to me," Akira sighed as he volunteered.
"That's not a bad idea," Ann said, agreeing to that suggestion.
"Tricking people and using that as blackmail…," Yusuke pondered. "These people are true cowards."
"It's kinda scary to think people like that are all around us in this city," Ann said.
"Well, guys, we better brace ourselves," Ryuji said. "We're up against a serious criminal here."
6/16 – Thursday
The next day after school, the gang regroup at the Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway.
"Okay, we're all here," Ryuji said.
"There sure are a lot of high schoolers during the day," Ann replied. "They must be targeting them somehow."
"It will be quite challenging to figure out how given the number of people around, though," Yusuke said with concern.
"We have to do this," Akira said with determination.
"Right!" Ryuji nodded in agreement. "We're gonna grab 'em by the tail!"
"As we discussed yesterday, you should head over to Central Street, Akira-kun," Ann said to Akira.
"Sweet, let's get goin'!" Ryuji said. "Lemme know if you find any shady people!"
"All right, guys, let's go! Just as we planned!" Morgana said. "We might end up running into the mafia. Be ready for anything!"
As the day goes by, the gang split up and started searching all over Shibuya, but no luck on their end as it progresses so far. Eventually, Akira found a lead as he went to a back alley.
Just then, a familiar girl's voice appeared. "Hello."
Akira turned around in relief to see Makoto. "Oh, thank goodness. I thought you'd really came."
"Are you investigating here with your friends today?" Makoto asked.
"Yeah," Akira nodded.
"Have you made any progress toward finding their boss?"
"Things may or may not going well. I mean, Shibuya's a big place."
"Well… You aren't wrong about that… That's good to hear."
Suddenly, a man's voice appeared. "Hey, you two got some time?"
A suspiciously-looking stranger walked up to Akira and Makoto. "I have a great job for you. It's real easy. Guess you could call it a delivery job."
"It seems we didn't have to look very hard in the end," Makoto said to Akira.
"You're high schoolers, yeah?" The suspicious guy asked. "Don't you want something more than just your allowances?"
"By delivery, do you mean that of suspicious materials?" Makoto asked.
"Heh, you're a funny girl."
"So, you won't answer me? Then, I was right…"
The suspicious man went up to Makoto. "What's up with you, anyways? Why are you asking all these questions, huh?"
"Hey, um, violence is not the answer," Akira spoke up as he stood behind Makoto to defend her.
Makoto looked at Akira in surprise.
"…It was all a joke," The suspicious guy said as he turned to leave. "Why would I get worked up over some dumb kids? Anyway, I can't hang around. Seeya!"
"If you don't want to deal with us, we could always go see your boss ourselves," Makoto said.
"You're really going to say that, knowing who he is? Heh, no way I believe that. Well, I'm out of here. You guys are annoying me."
As the stranger left, Makoto turned to Akira. "I'm pretty sure he's part of the mafia we're looking for."
"I'm amazed you figured it out," Akira replied as he sighed with relief. "Should we go after him?"
"I think we should get some proof before we do that. I tried to trick him into saying something, but he dodged all the traps I was laying down."
"Yeah, no kidding."
"By the way… thanks for standing up for me," Makoto smiled. "I'm going to go now."
As Makoto left, Morgana popped over Akira's shoulder. "That boss seems tricky… It looks like he's taught his subordinates well, too. No wonder the police are having trouble catching him." He then turned to Akira. "Anyway, you have some serious guts. You didn't back down at all against that hooligan."
"So, you noticed?"
"Although we still didn't end up with any new information… Let's stop here for today."
Akira's phone suddenly rang as he answered it.
"How about it? Wanna meet up?" Ryuji asked.
"Yeah, um… Let's not," Akira answered.
"That would be the best," Ann replied. "We did ask tons of people, so there's a chance we're being followed."
"Just to be safe, we should refrain from doing anything to make ourselves stand out," Yusuke said. "The sun will be setting soon, so let us disband for today and report on our findings tomorrow."
"Why don't we meet at karaoke tomorrow?" Ann suggested. "We can talk in private, and it'll be cheap after school."
"Ah, that must be what they call hustle hour."
"Dude, it's muscle hour," Ryuji replied. "Wait, is that wrong, too?"
"Um, hello? Happy hour. Muscle hour just sounds sweaty…," Ann sighed in dismay. "Anyway, see you guys at karaoke tomorrow."
That evening, Akira returned to Leblanc for the night when his phone rang.
"It's an unknown number…," Morgana said.
Akira picked up his phone, and a familiar voice appeared. "Kurusu-kun? This is Niijima, Makoto Niijima…"
"How did you get my number?" Akira asked as he almost gasped in excitement.
"…I dug it up," Makoto answered. "Also…I wanted to apologize. I got a hold of your number without asking you, so…"
"No, no, it's okay," Akira reassured her. "I wanted us to exchange contact info anyway."
"I realize I'm apologizing after the fact, but… It just didn't feel right, keeping it from you, so…"
"Please don't… I-It's okay…"
"…Yeah, you're right. That's all. Bye."
As Makoto hung up, Sojiro looked at Akira. "You talking to a woman? I heard her voice. Speaking of, some girl called looking for you around noon. Said she's the class president. Said she's got something that belongs to you."
"She seemed to know you, so I gave her your number."
"Thanks," Akira nodded.
"She must've looked up Leblanc's address trying to contact you," Morgana said to Akira as the two went upstairs for bed. "That Niijima sure is thorough! Then again, she called you just to apologize… It's a bit weird, but maybe she's not so bad after all."
"Of course, she's not so bad… That's what I've been trying to say," Akira said.
"You still trying to get with her, huh?" Morgana teased.
"Yeah…," Akira answered as he lay down on the bed, drifted to a peaceful sleep.
6/17 – Friday
After school, Akira and the others were already at the karaoke bar, sitting down and speaking about the information they gathered yesterday.
"So, to sum it up…," Akira said. "There was no new information… The end?"
"For real!? We didn't get anything!?" Ryuji groaned.
Ann listened to the horrific karaoke noise. "God, they suck…"
"Man, we're going nowhere with this…," Ryuji groaned. "Can't we just ask Miss President to change it up?"
"You mean… change our target?" Ann asked.
"We just gotta show our justice to satisfy her, right? There are tons of shitty adults in this world. It's not like it matters who we're goin' after. She says this is for the students, but I bet it's just so that she can go brag about it on college apps."
Akira elbowed Ryuji. "I'm not letting my chances with Niijima-san be ruined because of a change of targets, okay?"
"There's no need for you to get all antsy, though," Ann said to Akira.
"Why do you care what Miss President wants!?" Ryuji asked Akira. "It's not like she'll find out."
"That's not the point!" Akira told the others. "We've been asked to act directly on behalf of Niijima-kun. Besides, if we just go around changing targets while the mafia is still out there, we'll never be acknowledged by the public and Akechi-kun."
"Akira's right," Ann agreed. "That mafia is stealing money from kids. We can't just accept that! It doesn't matter who the target came from anymore."
"We want to give courage to the weak," Yusuke said. "Isn't this the perfect target to accomplish that goal?" He heard the continuing horrific karaoke noise in dismay. "They really have no talent…"
"I never thought it'd be this noisy if you weren't singin'…," Ryuji groaned. "Anyways, I'm sure we'll shut Akechi up if we pull this off, but—"
"That's precisely why we should do it," Yusuke said.
"It all comes down to intel in the end…," Morgana said. "If we don't start finding tips on that front, we'll never get any further than this…"
"There has to be someone who has what we need," Yusuke pondered.
"What about the media?" Akira asked.
"…That's right!" Ann remembered. "What about that journalist?"
"You mean the woman who was staking out at Madarame's house?" Morgana asked.
"Oh, yeah. I completely forgot about her!" Ryuji nodded. "Didn't she give you her card?"
Akira pulled out a card in his pocket. It said, 'Ichiko Ohya of Maiasa Newspaper.'
"…This is a rather major publication," Yusuke said.
"You think we can trust her?" Ryuji asked.
"There's no other way," Morgana replied.
"Okay, let's contact her!" Ann said. "By the way, our time is up."
"Happy hour's over, yeah?" Ryuji shrugged. "Come on, let's just go."
"How wasteful!" Yusuke said as he chugs down his own drink, then started to cough.
"Anyways, guess we just got to wait for that journalist to email us back," Ryuji said. "Let us know ASAP when she responds!"
Akira nodded. "Got it!"
That evening, Makoto was at home after school when her sister called her.
"I just received a call from your school today," Sae said. "They were asking if you've made any lifestyle changes recently. I gave them a suitable enough answer, but…is there some kind of issue at school?"
"No… It's nothing," Makoto sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry to worry you."
"…You've been coming home late these days. I doubt you would do such a thing, but try to avoid wandering around Shibuya late at night. I've heard stories of girls your age throwing their lives away out there. They got involved in criminal acts and were blackmailed into working at illegal establishments..."
"I've heard rumors about that as well," Makoto said. "People have been mentioning it at school."
"...These aren't mere rumors," Sae assured. "I know of a few such cases. Well, it should be nothing for you to worry about. Just concentrate on your studies for now."
As Sae left the room, Makoto can't help but muttered to herself, "They're unforgivable…"
6/18 – Saturday
"Yo, did that reporter get in touch with you yet?" Ryuji asked Akira that afternoon.
"Not yet," Akira answered.
"We only just emailed her the other day," Yusuke said on Akira's phone. "Why are you so hasty?"
"I dunno. I've been looking for info, but I can't find a damn thing…," Ryuji sighed. "We only got two weeks left, man. Duh, we're in a hurry."
"To be more precise, it's for ten days."
"We ain't gonna have much time, even if we start right after she responds."
"Looks like this battle will have to be a quick one then," Ann said.
"We must also consider what we do in case she fails to respond entirely," Yusuke said.
"Hey, don't jinx this!" Ann cried.
"I am merely discussing all the possible outcomes."
"Ain't you nervous about this?" Ann asked.
"Nervousness will not help us solve anything at this point," Yusuke replied. "Were that the solution to our problem, I would be much quicker to turn to panic."
"Wow, he's like some kind of philosopher…"
"I think he's just an idiot...," Ryuji muttered.
"We'll just have to wait for any word," Morgana said to Akira, hiding in his desk. "Let's just prepare the plan in the meantime."
Elsewhere, after school, Makoto was at the student council room with one student.
"Niijima-senpai… Aren't you going to help me?" Iida pleaded. "You said you would keep it a secret, but rumors have started getting out… You didn't leak that information, did you!?"
"Calm down…," Makoto said. "They're still targeting you?"
"Even that delinquent found out. He might try and threaten me too… Why is this happening to me? I can't afford to keep paying..."
"I've found some clues regarding your incident. I just need you to wait a bit longer."
"You're really going to help? Everyone thinks you're just doing it for a letter of recommendation..."
"That's not true. My goal here is to protect the students of this school…"
"Then please… please hurry..."
Makoto sighed under her breath. She can't even imagine this would keep happening.
After school, Akira and Yusuke went to visit Mementos in their phantom thief attire. Yusuke was having a hard time grasping his need to understand the heart and how he'll reach the truth of pure beauty, so Akira suggested that they go to Mementos.
"This distorted realm, teeming with Shadows…," Yusuke said, amazed. "The physical embodiment of the desires of the human heart… The same thing which brought forth the beauty of the 'Sayuri' can also create such morbid fabrications. But I actually find that aspect to be quite fascinating. The heart is akin to an abyss." He then brought his blank canvas and art brush. "Now, regarding the source of my slump, I actually have an idea. In that other dimension, I saw the perversion of Madarame's heart. At that moment, the art realm I had so much faith in was distorted by greed and unchecked desires. That is when the world's real ugliness became clear to me, and from that point forward, my brush has been stayed by crippling hesitation…" He then turned to Akira. "Does pure beauty indeed exist? And if so, can hand tainted by Madarame's depravity capture it? Considering such intense questions only served to distance me from reality. Doubt filled my mind. I struggled to find a reason to move my brush again… And honestly, I still have yet to discover a suitable answer."
Suddenly, Akira thought he heard something. "Uh-oh…"
"What's the matter?" Yusuke asked. "Have you been overcome by an urge to paint?"
"Just hurry it up," Akira said.
"Please, do not rush me. I only need a little more time…"
Yusuke started to begin to paint as he muttered, "Hm. The lingering uncertainty present in this place seems to be sharpening my senses…" Then, his eyes grew wide with anticipation as he drew more. "I feel a revelation approaching… Hm, yes! Inspiration has struck! That must be it! Such a brilliant composition! Ah, my heart races!"
Suddenly, a Shadow appeared in front of Akira and Yusuke.
"We've been spotted!" Akira exclaimed.
"Hmph, how inelegant!" Yusuke said. "You wish to carry out your distorted will, foolish Shadow? I shall cut you down for interrupting my work!"
Yusuke and Akira managed to take care of a few Shadows. After that, Yusuke was about to finish his art piece.
"Seems I've become too passionate," Yusuke said as he turned to Akira. "I'm glad you were here. You have my thanks. You're like Theo."
"You caught me," Akira replied, catching his breath. "Wait, what are you talking about? I'm my own person."
"…I worry that you may not get what I mean. It was a figure of speech. I was referring to Van Gogh's brother, Theo. Van Gogh did not achieve fame in his lifetime but found an admirer and supporter in his brother."
"Thanks."
"Well, there aren't many who are willing to deal with my… eccentricity."
Just then, Akira and Yusuke noticed a blank card the Shadow dropped. Having the urge to draw something on it, Yusuke made a satisfactory result as his picture turned into an actual skill card.
"This will prove useful," Akira said.
"If I can overcome this slump, I should be able to aid our group like earlier—perhaps even more so. I know…" Yusuke turned to Akira. "Why don't we act as the thieves we are and strike a deal?"
"I'm counting on you," Akira nodded, sensing Yusuke's trust in him.
I am thou, thou art I... Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Emperor Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...
That evening after helping Yusuke, Akira returned to Leblanc to rest when he received a response from Ichiko Ohya, the journalist, about her current location.
"The Crossroads Bar…," Morgana said. "She wants to meet you there now? It looks like this Crossroads place is in Shinjuku."
"Shinjuku?" Akira repeated. "What's it like?"
"Let me see… I guess to put it simply, and it's a nightlife district for adults. We should send everyone a message and let them know what you're up to."
Akira nodded. "Right."
And with that, Akira had already sent the message out to the others.
"Shinjuku at night, eh?" Ryuji pondered after getting the message.
"That sounds rather dangerous," Yusuke said.
"Where should we meet up?" Ann asked.
"Stand by, Ann," Ryuji told her. "It'll be easier to move around with less of us."
"My apologies," Yusuke said. "I don't have the money to take the train there."
"Then you're on standby, too. Akira and I will go, okay?"
"Got it!" Akira nodded. "That leaves Ryuji and me."
"If Akira's going, I guess there's no need to worry," Ann said. "We'll leave it to you then."
"Well, I guess that's that," Ryuji said to Akira. "Let's meet up in Shibuya."
"Be careful, you two."
"I shall be sure to save money for situations like this from now on," Yusuke said.
As Akira ended the call and was about to head out, he suddenly realized something. "Are we really going there in our school uniforms?"
"It'd be bad for you to stand out," Morgana said. "You should change before you go."
A moment later, Akira quickly changed clothes as he and Morgana met up with Ryuji at the Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway that night.
"You're still in your uniform!?" Morgana cried in surprise, seeing Ryuji in his red shirt.
"No choice," Ryuji replied. "I didn't have the time to go home. People aren't going to notice anyway with this t-shirt over it."
"You oughtta stand out," Akira said.
"That's not the issue!" Morgana sighed. "Are you both idiots? I'm just saying now. I won't be to blame when you get caught by the cops."
"Don't worry about it. That place is not so different from Shibuya. Come on. I'll guide you. If we're goin' to Shinjuku… we should probably hop on the JL. Just get out of this building, and then the ticket gate should be on the right. It's go time!"
As Ryuji lead the way, Morgana turned to Akira. "Is this really going to be okay…?"
It wasn't long before Akira and Ryuji were now in Shinjuku, another heart of Tokyo with active nightlife and downtown shops.
"Whoa…," Ryuji exclaimed as he looked on in awe. "Even at night, this place is bright as hell! I guess that's Shinjuku for 'ya!"
"Stop looking around so much," Morgana scolded Ryuji. "You look like a tourist."
"I-I was just tryin' to find that place we're lookin' for," Ryuji replied. "Crossroads Bar's right up ahead. I'm sure we'll get there if we keep goin' straight."
But as Akira and Ryuji went on further into Shinjuku, a patrolling officer halted them and hardly recognized them as high school students. Luckily, Akira and Ryuji managed to get away.
"This is why I said uniforms were a bad idea," Morgana scolded. "…How much longer until we get to Crossroads?"
"Hey, it ain't our fault we had to deal with that detour!" Ryuji yelled back. "Our school's gettin' real famous!"
"E-Excuse me!" A voice appeared.
Akira turned to see a fortune teller with long, blonde hair, purple eyes, and a cute pink dress while sitting down at her little table filled with cards overlaying.
"For the blond one, I can sense impending woman troubles," The fortune teller said, reading fortunes. "Or…perhaps it's something else? In any case, a horrible disaster is coming for you! Please let me examine your future further!"
Ryuji blinked in surprise. "What!? Me?"
"Yes, I suggest you get your fortune told! What I say will surely come to pass!"
"More of this shit…?" Ryuji sighed. "Sorry, but we're in a hurry. I don't believe in that stuff anyway."
"I see. My apologies," The fortune-teller apologized. turned to Akira. "However… if you change your mind, I'll be waiting here in this spot at night. May your fortunes be well..."
"Thanks," Akira said as he waved the fortune-teller goodbye and walked on forward with Ryuji.
A while later, they finally found the Crossroads bar.
"Whoa, man…," Ryuji looked in awe. "We ain't old enough to hang out here." He then turned to Akira and Morgana. "You sure this is the place?"
"Beer, whiskey, wine…," Morgana listed. "Looks like nighttime is bar time."
"Goin' in our uniforms is probably a bad idea… We got caught last time too..."
"Just wait outside," Akira told Ryuji as he and Morgana went inside Crossroads bar.
"I came all the way to Shinjuku and can't even go in?" Ryuji complained. "Fine. I'll kill time somewhere nearby… Just let me know when you're done."
Once Akira went inside, he found Ichiko Ohya talking to a bartender named Lala Escargot.
"Welcome, welcome!" Lala greeted Akira. "How old are you, boy?"
"Sorry, Lala-chan. He's with me," Ohya replied.
"Ooh, you picked up a real young one this time," Lala said. "Just don't let a minor drink alcohol, okay?"
"I'm going to borrow the seats in the back."
Ohya turned to Akira. "Go on back there. I'll treat you to some water."
Akira and Ohya were now sitting in the back just as Morgana groaned by smelling Ohya's breath. "Ugh, she reeks of alcohol…"
"Haha, what a surprise. I thought you were joking, yet here you are," Ohya said to Akira. "I respect that bravery, so I'll listen to what you have to say. What do you want to know?"
"I want to know why Shibuya's dangerous so suddenly and who's controlling it," Akira replied.
"Why that?" Ohya asked.
"I need intel on their boss," Akira explained.
"Well, I do happen to know something about that. I could tell you, but…"
"But what?"
"Do you know the Phantom Thieves of Hearts? You know, that case the public has been focused on lately. I was pursuing the issue of people randomly entering into a shut-down state, but I lack intel… That's why I'm currently looking for new material to write about. So, do you have any info on these Phantom Thieves?"
"Are those your terms?" Akira asked.
"Something like that," Ohya replied as she recognized Akira. "You're a Shujin kid, right? I remember you wearing their uniform the last time we met. I thought maybe you might have some insider knowledge on the Phantom Thieves because of it. Their first incident was that of Kamoshida, you know? Ideally, I'd like to get some exclusive coverage from a student who suffered from Kamoshida's abuse. I'd love an introduction if you know of someone who fits the bill. After all, it seems like handling this matter in the open would be an inconvenience to us both..."
"Hm, a student who suffered from abuse…," Morgana pondered. "...Oh! What about that Mishima guy? He always seems to be on the side of the Phantom Thieves."
"I think I know someone," Akira said to Ohya.
"It's a deal, then," Ohya smiled. "Send me your friend's contact info later."
"You better be thankful," Morgana said. "My quick wit is the only reason we're getting this far."
"I am thankful," Akira whispered to Morgana.
"Now that I think about it, those mental shutdowns and the Phantom Thieves both seem supernatural," Ohya pondered. "Could they be related? Or am I just hoping for a coincidence…?"
"Uh…excuse me?" Akira asked as he and Morgana looked at each other.
"Oh, sorry," Ohya apologized. "I tend to talk to myself on occasion. Well then, you can't exactly consider this an upfront payment, but..." She then took a sip of her drink before she answered, "Junya Kaneshiro. I think he's probably the guy you're looking for. You should check him out further if you're curious… But I'm not responsible for what happens next!"
After he finished his water, Akira and Morgana left Crossroads. They met up with Ryuji in front of a movie theater.
"How'd it go?" Ryuji asked.
"Nailed it," Akira answered.
"For real!? Awesome! You got any dirt on our next target?"
"Junya Kaneshiro," Akira answered.
"Junya Kaneshiro!?" Ryuji repeated.
"Not so loud!" Morgana angrily scolded.
"Junya Kaneshiro…" Ryuji muttered as he pulled out his phone and said the target's name on the Meta-Nav. "Aaaand enter! Here we go! Now we have to get some info on the distortion. Once we know that, it's Palace time!"
"Let's try tomorrow," Morgana insisted. "It'll be better when we have the whole team together."
"Right. I'll tell everyone to meet up in Shibuya. This is totally crazy, though, but it's a huge catch! I'm pumped."
After a short trip, Akira and Morgana got back to Leblanc to call the others.
"Did you find any clues?" Ann asked.
"I have the name," Akira answered.
"You did it! Well then, let's meet up at the hideout tomorrow!"
"Understood," Yusuke agreed. "Ryuji seems to be absent from this conversation. Should we contact him separately?"
"I'm sure he'll figure it out when he checks his phone later.
"We're pretty much already in Kaneshiro's Palace!" Morgana said to Akira. "That was surprisingly easy! Shinjuku sure was crazy, huh…"
Just then, Akira's phone rang as he pulled it out to see that it was Mishima calling.
"Hey, some girl just messaged me saying you told her about me?" Mishima called. "She said she's interested in me! What's this about!? And what kind of girl is Ohya-san? Is she cute, or is she not?"
"You'll see," Akira answered. "You can say she's hot."
"For real!? You're not pulling my leg, right? She said she wanted to talk. How much more forward can a girl get? Is this really what I think it is? Could it be?"
"Yup," Akira nodded. "Good for you. You'll find out."
"Looks like my time in the female limelight has finally arrived…," Mishima said. "This is all thanks to you. I feel like starting the Phan-Site has changed me. Anyway, I can handle this. You introduced me, so I'll make sure I don't embarrass you. And I'll totally let you know if we end up hooking up!"
As Akira ended the phone call, Morgana couldn't help thinking about Shinjuku. "Shinjuku, the city that never sleeps… It is a fascinating place, don't you think? We should go back sometime."
"And get attacked by those homosexuals? No way!" Akira said as he changed into his pajamas for bed. "I would consider that run-in we had with them as Ryuji's little punishment."
"Punishment?" Morgana repeated. "To think we just leave him like that!? But that's what he gets for being so vulgar. His karma caught up to him."
"After what happened with Operation Maidwatch? And him getting careless about us being phantom thieves by Niijima-kun's recording? I don't know. But truth be told, I would've sent two more maids after him."
"Man, that would kill him," Morgana nodded. "Wait, were you talking about that maid incident with your homeroom teacher!?"
"Ms. Kawakami and I don't even want to remember it...," Akira said.
"Now that you mention it, it's Ryuji's fault for bringing up that maid stuff, though."
"It's not like Kawakami ever thought anyone would wave that flyer around in front of the class!"
"Well, as long as we know who we're aiming for, we'll figure the rest out somehow. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day, so let's get some shut-eye."
And with that, Akira and Morgana closed up Leblanc, turned off the lights, and went to sleep.
6/19 – Sunday
The next day, Akira, Ann, Morgana, and Yusuke gathered in Station Square at Shibuya when Ryuji caught up with them.
"I can't believe you guys ditched me yesterday!" Ryuji complained to Akira and Morgana. "I almost entered a world I want nothing to do with!"
"...What are you talking about?" Ann asked.
"…Nothing!" Ryuji didn't bother to answer her question. "Just start it up, Yusuke."
"Okay, I entered Kaneshiro's name into the Nav," Yusuke said as he had his phone in his hand. "and just as expected, it's a hit."
"All we need now are the two other keywords: what he thinks of as his Palace and where it is," Morgana said. "But we don't have any clues other than people falling victim around here... We'll just have to try whatever keywords we can come up with."
"Urgh, that's gonna be impossible...," Ryuji groaned. "How many buildings do you think there are in Shibuya?"
"If we can figure out what the Palace is, we'd be able to guess where it is by association," Yusuke said.
"Yeah, sure. That is some good thinking, Yusuke," Akira said.
"It's probably somewhere he's got complete control over...," Ryuji pondered. "Maybe a garden?"
"No candidates found!" The Meta-Nav chimed in.
"He likes money, so...what about a money bath?" Ann suggested. "I've seen people online with things like that!"
"No candidates found!" The Meta-Nav chimed once more.
"No... Not even close," Yusuke said as he turned to Akira. "How about it, Akira? Can you think of anything?"
"It's obviously a bank," Akira said.
"Candidates found!" The Meta-Nav chimed on the phone.
"Okay... That's a hit!" Yusuke said. "So, he thinks of somewhere in this city as his bank!"
"I thought it'd be something less realistic," Ann said. "That's all it is, huh?"
"Now then, what location would Kaneshiro think of as his bank?" Morgana asked as he pondered.
"If we're talkin' about a place where he keeps his cash, maybe his own hideout?" Ryuji suggested.
"How about... a real bank?" Ann asked.
"His cognition wouldn't be distorted in that case," Morgana said, clarifying.
"Dammit, we ain't gettin' anywhere..." Ryuji said.
"This may be difficult to explain...," Yusuke pondered. "but doesn't it seem we're thinking a little too inside the box? Palaces emanate a passionate madness... It feels as though we're missing that aspect."
"The hell are you talkin' about?" Ryuji asked, being clueless.
"This Palace is a bank for someone who extorts money with criminal acts. It's something more..."
"But what other ways can we think about it?" Ann asked. "Oh, could it mean a place you withdraw money?"
"Hold on! I see you and Yusuke are getting at, Lady Ann," Morgana piped up. "Do you think it might have something to do with the victims? He's taking money from his victims' wallets, right? That means his bank is wherever they are!"
"That's terrible... but you may just be right."
"Oh, come on!" Ryuji exclaimed. "How many people do you think Kaneshiro's taken advantage of in all of Shibuya?"
"Results found!" The Meta-Nav voiced out.
"Wait a second!" Yusuke noticed. "...I have a hit."
"Huh...?" Ryuji blinked in confusion. "Wait, what!? D-Did I say something right?"
"The place that Kaneshiro thinks of as a bank is... 'All of Shibuya.'"
"What!?" Ann was shocked. "Like... the entire city?"
"Way to go, Ryuji," Akira said to him. "You accidentally became smart."
"I see," Morgana said. "That's certainly where his victims are... It turns out he is a terrible criminal."
"But wait, is it okay for us to go into the Palace right out of a crowd like this?" Ann asked as she noticed a lot of people in their surroundings.
"Eh, nobody notices if a piece of trash disappears from a trash can," Ryuji said to Ann. "This ain't any different."
"That has nothing to do with it," Akira said, unamused.
"In that case... let's go," Yusuke said as he activated the Meta-Nav.
"Beginning Navigation!" The Metaverse Navigator voiced out as the area around the group began to distortedly warping once more.
The Phantoms were now in Kaneshiro's cognitive world when Panther spotted something. "What are those?"
The others turned to where Panther was pointing, only to see walking ATMs.
"Walking ATMs…," Fox said. "That must be his cognition of people. So this is what Kaneshiro considers a 'bank'..."
"I never thought it would be the entire district," Mona said as he and the others looked around. "Look around us… The distortion is affecting the whole of Shibuya."
"Huh? Whaddya mean?' Skull asked.
"Oh, that's right!" Panther began to understand. "Even when we were in the castle and the museum, the city outside looked normal."
"He sees everyone in Shibuya as his patron," Fox said.
"No surprise for a mafia boss," Skull replied.
"It's best we focus on finding Kaneshiro's location and stealing his Treasure as soon as possible."
"Yeah, his hideout's gotta be somewhere around here. Let's go look for it."
"In any case, let's look for a bank," Mona said. "There should be a huge one around here somewhere…"
As the Phantoms traversed further into the distorted Shibuya, they realized that all these walking ATMs are Kaneshiro's victims once they tried talking to them.
"This is terrible…," Panther said, seeing broken ATMs. "All of these ATMs are real people, right?"
"What the hell..." Ryuji muttered.
"I don't think we can talk to any of the ones here...," Mona said.
"That would appear to be the case," Fox said. "but there is nobody we can speak to, let alone a bank anywhere…" Then, he looked at one ATM in particular. "Excuse me, can we have a word?"
"It's no use…," The ATM spoke weakly. "It's all over… I'll end up just like them..."
"What happened?" Joker asked.
"Can't you tell? I've fallen… fallen so far… From a place where Kaneshiro leaves no tracks..."
"Hm, what could that mean?" Yusuke pondered as the ATM collapsed.
"Wait a second…," Mona pondered. "They had 'fallen' from a place that Kaneshiro doesn't leave any tracks? Could that mean…they were actually thrown down from somewhere high up?"
"What, you mean like a skyscraper?" Skull guessed. "Uhhh, there ain't any of them around here, I don't think..."
Just then, Panther looked up and spotted something. "W-Wait…! What's that!?"
The others looked up as well, and to their surprise, a floating bank was above the sky like a UFO, abducting money.
"Is that it!?" Skull asked as he looked on in surprise.
"Up in the air," Fox said, looking at the flying bank. "No wonder we couldn't find it.
"'Kaneshiro doesn't leave any tracks,' huh? Figures it'd be floating," Mona said.
"So, how do we get up there?" Panther asked Mona. "Can you turn into a helicopter?"
"No, just a car," Mona answered.
Skull groaned in dismay. "You're useless! Come on, don't you have some kinda secret gadget or something!?"
Mona turned to Skull. "Shut it! I'm not some robot cat! I mean, I'm not a cat at all!"
"Will you leave him alone, Skull?" Joker scolded him. "He's only trying…"
"This may be the limit of what we can do today," Fox said.
"We gotta find a way to get up there…," Skull said.
"Let's think about it some more tomorrow, OK?" Panther insisted.
"All right, we should get out of here for now!"
And with that, the Phantoms left Kaneshiro's cognitive world for the day.
That evening, Akira got a new message from Ohya as he answered his phone.
"Evening!" Ohya's voice had heard from the phone.
Morgana recognized that voice. "It's that woman who reeks of alcohol…"
"I have a bit of advice for you," Ohya continued. "It's about that Kaneshiro guy. He's more dangerous than I thought! The police haven't tracked him down, so I dug a little deeper… It turns out he has some real shady connections. I won't say any more than that."
"Shady connections...," Morgana repeated.
"He's not someone a teenager like you should mess with. You should really back off, OK? Well, that's all I wanted to say. See you!"
After ending the call on his phone, Akira sat down on the bed with many thoughts on his mind.
"Proving our justice isn't going to be easy. We'd better discuss this with everyone tomorrow," Morgana said to Akira. "And just when we find the Palace, it's up in the sky… What a pain. I'm sure the police are tired of this guy, too."
"Yeah," Akira nodded in agreement. "I'll try contacting Niijima-kun. I might be able to tell her about Kaneshiro and asked her for a little help."
Morgana looked at Akira in surprise. "Wait, you're gonna do that!?"
"Don't tell the others, okay? I'm just…concerned for her, is all. We need to tell Niijima-kun at least what we saw in Kaneshiro's Palace is true..."
Elsewhere, at the Niijima residence, Makoto and Sae were eating dinner when something came to Makoto's mind. "I've been thinking lately," she said. "About those Phantom Thieves, I mean. If Dad were still alive, he would've been on their side…" Then she noticed that Sae was listening. "Sorry, I… I shouldn't bring this up while we're eating.
"It's OK. Keep going," Sae said.
"I just wonder if he would've been on their side… That's all..."
"The only reason you have time to think about that is that you depend on someone else," Sae said with a severe tone.
"That's not what I meant!" Makoto protested.
"You don't have to do a single thing, and you're provided with food, clothes, a home… I've had no time to think on such ridiculous thoughts. Would Dad have been happy with them? I don't care. He died upholding some lofty sense of righteousness, leaving all his responsibilities on us."
"A-All I was trying to say was—"
"Isn't it about time you grew up and acknowledged our situation!?" Sae yelled. "Right now, you're useless to me! All you do is eat away at my life!"
Makoto gasped as she heard enough. "What is the matter with you!?"
There was an awkward silence between Makoto and Sae.
"Sorry, that was uncalled for," Sae tried to apologize. "I'm just…exhausted. ...I'll be eating dinner out from tomorrow on."
As Makoto ran to her room, her phone rang as she answered it. It was from Akira.
"Yo, this is Akira Kurusu! I like messages, so leave me one!"
6/20 – Monday
A day later, after school, the group was at Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway with absolutely no idea of getting to Kaneshiro's distorted bank in the sky.
"We ain't got nothing…," Ryuji groaned.
"Are we out of luck?" Ann asked in dismay.
Morgana sighed. "It's no fair his Palace is up in the sky…"
"If only we could contact the real Kaneshiro…" Yusuke pondered as he turned to Akira, who was looking at his phone. "Hm?"
Looking at his phone, Akira finally got a message…from Makoto.
Makoto: Hi, Kurusu-kun. It's Makoto. I'll be with you later today about the mafia boss...
"All right, I got a response from Niijima-kun," Akira said to himself. "She said she wants to see me after school today. She should be here any minute now…"
And right on cue, Makoto walked to the group.
"What do you want?" Ann asked Makoto harshly.
"Nothing in particular," Makoto answered. "Akira-kun responded to me to come here, and I notice you all together."
"That so?" Ryuji asked, but then he suddenly turned to Akira in surprise, as did the others. "Wait… you called her!? Seriously!?"
"I'm sorry…," Akira apologized to Makoto. "Did I call you at a bad time?"
"No, not at all," Makoto replied. "You seem to be having quite a bit of trouble."
"Well, actually, that's the thing—" Akira was about to answer to Makoto.
"Oh, hell, no!" Ryuji interrupted angrily. "How many hours did you want her to make us wait!?"
"Guys, shut it!" Akira snapped at the others as he turned back to Makoto. "I'm sorry… I had another reason for seeing you today… I needed to talk to you. It's about Kaneshiro."
"Is that so?" Makoto asked, intrigued.
"Remember what you said about him teaching his subordinates to dodge questions about him and where he is? He's got shady connections, and he leaves no track as he takes advantage of people in all of Shibuya. That includes Shujin as well."
"Are you serious?" Makoto asked in surprise.
Akira nodded. "So, I was hoping that you might learn of this and—"
Just then, Ann interrupted the conversation as she abruptly went up to Makoto. "So you're here to check up on us? You may be the student council president, but when it comes to what we do, you're useless."
"TAKAMAKI!" Akira hissed at her.
"Useless?" Makoto repeated, remembering Sae's words.
Right now, you're useless to me! All you do is eat away at my life!
"To be frank, yes," Yusuke said.
"Just stay on your high horse and watch," Ann said to Makoto. "Or do you wanna eavesdrop since you're so good at it. Those selfish adults are using you, and the principal sent you to snoop on us after what happened with Kamoshida?! That's why he doesn't give a damn whether or not he thinks we're doing our act as a prank to get the media's attention instead of giving people hope and courage. I'll make this clear; you have no right to snoop around in our business under some selfish adult's orders."
Makoto scoffed. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You couldn't go against them, could you?" Akira asked Makoto as he looked at her sadly. "I'm sure we could at least help you out, though…"
"Don't…," Makoto said. "It's just as you said before. It's for a just cause." She then looked at Akira straight. "But don't misunderstand me, though. My goal here is to protect the students at the school. As such, it's not about some letter of recommendation."
"So, then… what did you want to do?"
Makoto sighed sadly under her breath. She asked herself that question back then.
"Niijima-kun…" Akira waited for Makoto to answer as he looked at her sadly.
"Then why are you still around!?" Ann asked Makoto angrily. "All the other students got targeted by the mafia! And you're supposed to be helping!?"
Makoto looked at Ann and the others in anger. "What's wrong with a student council president trying so hard to help her peers!? I'm not the problem or the victim here! Stop pushing your self-centered emotions on me!"
"And you're fine with this?" Yusuke asked with concern.
Ignoring the others, Makoto turned to Akira. "So, you wish to get in contact with Kaneshiro. That is what you were just discussing, weren't you? You just needed to find out where he is."
"That's the only way," Akira sincerely answered.
"Dude, you don't get to answer her honestly," Ryuji said to Akira in surprise.
"Yes, I do!" Akira said, looking at the others. "I'm supporting Niijima-kun as a student and more than a friend. Where's the wrong in that?"
"She only came to us for our sake and hers," Morgana scolded as well. "We should at least be thanking her after this!"
Akira looked at both Ann and Makoto. "Will you two please put what happened with Kamoshida behind you?"
Makoto thought back to the words Akechi and Sae said to her.
So you're just a good girl type of pushover.
Right now, you're useless to me.
"I'm not…," Makoto muttered to herself coldly.
"What was that?" Ryuji noticed.
"I'm not useless, you hear me!?" Makoto scolded the others. "Don't ever tone with me again… If you do, I will regret our deal."
"Hold it! We're not done talking here!" Ann yelled angrily.
"Then you leave me with no choice…," Makoto said as she turned and took off.
"Hey!" Ann called out to Makoto.
"I'll help you meet Kaneshiro," Makoto said to the others. "Akira-kun asked me to help find him today, but I didn't come here to be called useless by any of you three!"
"What the eff, girl!?" Ann snapped.
"Takamaki! Stop it!" Akira yelled as he turned to Makoto. "Calm down, okay?"
But Makoto was already gone.
"What exactly is she planning on doing?" Yusuke asked.
"She had a dead-serious look in her eyes...," Ryuji said.
"Does this mean she has an idea as to where Kaneshiro is?"
"I highly doubt that," Ann said.
"I didn't like her stern face…," Morgana said.
"Hrrgh!" Ann groaned angrily. "What is up with her!?"
"What's up with her!?" Akira repeated in anger. "She's trying to help us, idiot!"
"Why are you all pissy?" Ryuji asked Akira as he and the others were startled.
Akira looked at the others in anger. "You guys just don't get it, do you!? I asked her to help us, and you guys just had to go and messed it up!"
Ann blinked in surprise. "You can't be serious!"
"Am I!? You should've said those things to begin with!"
Akira went on ahead after Makoto as the others followed suit. They exited the accessway and ended up in Station Square as they looked around.
"There's way too many people here!" Morgana said.
"We're never gonna find her!" Ryuji groaned.
Just then, Akira's phone rang as he answered it…and heard Makoto's voice.
"Hello? It's me, Makoto," Makoto said on the phone. "Just stay on the phone and listen. Make sure you record the call as well." She then walked up to some men, convinced that they're with the mafia. "Do you guys know Kaneshiro!?"
Ryuji freaked out. "That idiot! What's she doin'!?"
"I heard I could find someone named Kaneshiro if I came to Central Street," Makoto said.
"Central Street!" Ann repeated in realization.
"She's too rash!" Yusuke said as he and the others continued further while hearing the conversation on the phone.
"What are you getting at?" Another man asked Makoto.
"He's blackmailing the students of Shujin Academy, isn't he? Tell him if he doesn't want me talking to the police about it, he'd better agree to meet with me."
"You got a death wish or something?"
Simultaneously, Akira and the others saw Makoto getting in the car in the alleyway as the two men drove off.
Ryuji thought he recognized the men. "Hey, wasn't that—"
"It's those guys that messed with us the other day!" Morgana said. "So, they were connected to Kaneshiro!"
"Is she still on!?" Ann asked.
"Of course, she's still on!" Akira replied as his phone recorded more voices.
"Contact Kaneshiro-san," A man said to another. "Tell him we got a good one."
"Where are we going?" Makoto asked.
"I guess we can't do anythin' to her if she's Kaneshiro-san's customer," Another man replied, ignoring Makoto.
Makoto didn't get an answer. "Hey, I asked a question here. Where are we going?"
"We gotta go after them!" Ann cried as she and the others headed toward the road.
"We can catch a taxi!" Akira said.
"Ryuji, get a taxi!" Yusuke said as he pulled out a notebook and quickly scribbled the license number. "Okay, I've got their license plate. My sketching skills have come in handy, after all."
"Argh, he totally ignored me!" Ryuji said as he suddenly stepped into the traffic, holding his hands out to stop one taxi. "Dammit, I said STOP!"
"Ryuji!" Ann cried.
"Hurry up and get in!"
Akira pushed the others into the taxi and asked the driver to follow the mafia's car.
"Makoto…please hang in there…," Akira mused aloud.
Yusuke tried to calm Akira down. "Akira-kun, don't get reckless about this. We understand how you feel, but…"
"YOU DON'T!" Akira snapped at the others. "You guys don't know EXACTLY how I feel about her. Makoto is trying to help us, for crying out loud! Besides, I wasn't lying about supporting her."
"Like we didn't know that already," Ryuji said, smiling a bit.
"When we get off, I'm going on ahead," Akira said as he then turned to Ann. "And you better apologize to Miss President when this is all over!"
"I know that already," Ann said, feeling bad. "And why are you pinning it on me!?"
"He's got a point right there," Ryuji muttered.
Once they managed to find a building that may be Kaneshiro's hideout in Shibuya, Akira already went ahead with full speed and pace while the others followed suit.
As he went inside, Akira tried calling out to Makoto as he ran towards the hallway. "Makoto! Niijima-kun, where are you!?" He then stopped for a moment and muttered sadly to himself while taking a look around. "Please, hang in there, Makoto…"
But just then, at that moment,…
"So…you're the student council president of Shujin. You know what happens to anyone who snaps at me, don't you?"
A voice that Akira didn't recognize at all broke him from his reverie. He and the others instinctively walked into the mafia's hideout that almost looked like a bar.
To their surprise, they found Makoto held hostage.
"No…," Akira muttered with a sad look.
Then, they turned to see a man with slick, brown hair, wearing leather clothes sitting down on a couch with a pretty woman next to him.
That man must be Kaneshiro.
"So, who's number is this? Your boyfriend?" Kaneshiro asked Makoto as he had snatched and looked over at Makoto's phone.
"What in the world…?" Ann gasped at the situation.
"Makoto!" Akira cried, catching attention.
Makoto looked up to see Akira in surprise. "Kurusu-kun!"
The pierced man looked at Akira and his friends. "Who the hell are you!?"
"Niijima-san!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"The hell did you do to her!?" Ryuji asked the goons in anger.
Kaneshiro recognized the group as he realized the bigger picture. "Oh, I get it." He muttered as he then turned to his men and yelled, "You got followed, you dipshits!"
Akira stared at Kaneshiro with fear, but he decided to speak up. "Are you that mafia boss? If you are, let go of Makoto-chan and stop blackmailing our school!"
Makoto was stunned by Akira standing up for himself.
"So, you're that transfer student, Kurusu-kun, right?" Kaneshiro said to Akira. "I suppose you came to rescue your pretty lady with help from your sidekicks here?"
"I'm not a sidekick!" Ryuji and Ann protested in unison.
"Quiet!" Yusuke told the two.
Just then, Kaneshiro opened a briefcase, revealing stacks of money and cash.
"Holy frijoles!" Morgana exclaimed, noticing the money.
Kaneshiro turned to the young, gaudy woman next to him. "That bag you saw the other day- the crocodile one. How much was it?"
"Hmmm, about three million?"
Kaneshiro handed a few stacks to the woman as she squealed happily. "For reals!?"
"Better thank those guys," Kaneshiro said as he gestured to Akira and the others.
"What?" Ryuji blinked.
"I'm royally pissed right now. Can you tell? You know how spending money relieves stress? It's you goddamn brats sniffing around like dogs and barging in here like you own the joint!" He then turned to the briefcase. "See this empty space? I'm so pissed that now there's a three million yen gap here. It pisses me off even more if I don't fill it up. I'm a perfectionist. So, good luck."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yusuke asked, ranting.
Just then, Kaneshiro took a picture on his phone. "I think I'll call it... 'Debauchery of Minors at a Club.' So, can I send this to your school?"
"That's—" Makoto tried to speak.
"Oh, I got booze and cigs in the shot! Maybe some drugs too?" Kaneshiro laughed. "Ahh... This is so hilarious. I feed on dumbshits like you... Understand, pretty little student council president? Now listen up. Run your mouth to the police, and I'll break all of you, starting with your families."
Akira and Makoto both look at each other with worry.
"I want to give you the usual month," Kaneshiro said. "but well, you have such a large group here... You have until…July 9th. Bring three million yen by then—no less. Summer bonuses are around the corner, you know? It'll be easy if you beg your mommies and daddies."
Everyone laughed at the whole group as Kaneshiro continued, "Now get out of my sight. I'm about to have some fun."
"What!? To hell with that!" Ryuji yelled, but Akira pinched him to shut him up.
"Don't bother with him," Morgana scolded. "Makoto's safety is more important right now."
Makoto got herself up as one of the goons let go of her and pushed her to Akira. Kaneshiro gave her back her phone as the group left.
As night began to fall, a painfully awkward silence grew in as Akira, Ann, Ryuji, Morgana, Yusuke, and a guilty Makoto left the hideout and wandered around.
"I'm so sorry…" Makoto apologized. "I didn't mean to drag you in like this."
"For real," Ryuji said as he and the others looked at Makoto.
"I was stupid…"
"I must agree," Yusuke said sternly. "You should've easily imagined this happening."
Ann looked at Yusuke with a scowling look. "Hey, Yusuke..."
"I was so caught up in trying to be useful…," Makoto said.
"All right, enough of the blame game!" Ryuji said to Makoto. "What's done is done."
"I'm going to cause trouble for Sis, too...," Makoto sadly muttered.
"Sis?" Ann repeated.
"You're referring to Sae-san, right?" Akira asked.
Makoto nodded at Akira's answer. "My older sister has a commendable job, and she's a much more remarkable person than me… A lot happened after we lost our father three years ago, so now it's just us living together… But I'm still a child, so all I am is a burden to her..."
"Niijima-kun…" Akira sadly muttered as he looked down.
Yusuke, getting the gist of things, turned to Makoto. "...And that's why you were so reckless?"
"I just wanted to prove to you that I can be useful in some way to someone…," Makoto said.
"You know, I might not get your whole situation," Ryuji said to Makoto, scratching his head. "But ain't it a bit off saying that you're useless to her?"
"It's the truth, though…," Makoto said as she turned to Ann. "And in particular, I have to apologize for what happened to you."
Ann blinked in surprise. "Eh?"
"Now that I think on it, the truth about Kamoshida must've already been covered up by the whole school. I had my suspicions, but…I couldn't do anything about it. ...No. I didn't do anything. Had I cared enough, I could've done something..."
Ann looked down sadly as she sighed under her breath.
"People like me…must really be what others call scum of the earth," Makoto muttered sadly.
"Niijima-kun…," Akira looked at Makoto sadly.
"Real scum wouldn't call themselves that," Ann said to Makoto.
Makoto looked at Ann in surprise. "…Huh?"
"I'm the same. It's just like you said before: I was closest to Shiho, but I didn't do anything… Besides, Kamoshida's the one to blame. Shiho understands that, and I do too."
Makoto was surprised. "Takamaki-san..."
Yusuke looked at Makoto for confirmation. "You didn't have a place to belong either… Isn't that right?"
"Me either…?" Makoto repeated in surprise.
Hearing Yusuke's question, Akira looked at Makoto in shock, feeling heartbroken. "Don't tell me… Are you being treated like a pain in the ass by those around you, including your sister!?" He then looked down in shame. "I thought I met a goddess who had captured my heart, but now I didn't understand what you were going through... I-I'm sorry..."
Makoto looked at Akira in surprise. "Akira…"
Akira still looked down in shame as tears were almost in his eyes. "I was always fond of you, Makoto. You seem like a nice girl, but you still feel so lonely! I wanted you to understand what we were going through, what with the Metaverse and us being phantom thieves, but it was me who understand you. I didn't know that you can't do everything right on your own because you're still way too serious for trying so hard. If you hadn't led us to Kaneshiro, we wouldn't know what to do..." He then looked at Makoto. "You're not useless, Makoto! You're not…"
Makoto was touched.
"We won't let anyone fall victim again," Ann said to Makoto as she then turned to the others. "Now, what should we do from here?"
"I'll do something about the money!" Makoto volunteered. "So, can we please just drop the case with Kaneshiro?"
"No can do," Ryuji said, shaking his head. "We're all caught up in this."
"We can't have you go rushing things on your own anymore and making the situation even worse," Yusuke replied to Makoto.
Ryuji sighed in frustration. "Man, if only we could do something about that bank..."
"Ryuji…!" Yusuke hissed as he and the others flinched, looking at Ryuji.
"Bank?" Makoto repeated in confusion.
"Oh, right, the bank!" Morgana remembered as he smiled in realization. "She isn't useless at all! She may be our key in!"
"Our key in?" Ann repeated. "What do you mean?"
"A cat?" Makoto noticed Morgana as she looked at the others. "Um, are you all okay?"
"We've become Kaneshiro's targets, right?" Morgana said. "That means we've become customers of Kaneshiro's bank!"
"I see," Yusuke nodded as he slowly understands the unintended truth in what Morgana said. "So, you're saying the reason we couldn't get up there before…was because we weren't his customers…"
"And wouldn't you say if I told you that Makoto, in particular, is a special customer?"
Akira's eyes grew wide, realizing what Morgana is saying. "Oh, no… Don't tell me…"
Morgana turned to Akira. "Take her with us. She is responsible for our current situation."
"Is it really an option!?" Akira asked in surprise, freaking out over that idea. "I mean, you guys are not giving me any much confidence in this plan!" He then paused to look at the others staring at him in silence. "Do we really have to bring her along…?"
"You want to support her, do you?" Ann assured Akira with a smile. "Then, stick with her, just in case."
"Plus, you did tell her about the Meta-Nav," Morgana added in dismay.
Akira groaned. "Why couldn't I ask Ann or Ryuji to be the bait to Kaneshiro?"
"Why would you pick us all of a sudden!?" Ryuji asked, stunned.
"Because you should've called Niijima-kun useless in the first place!" Akira snapped.
"Whoa, I don't follow this at all..."
"Makoto risked her very right doing something so reckless," Yusuke said to Akira. "At the very least, she has the right to know."
"You make it sound so calm," Akira replied. "But if there's no other way… I don't… I don't… We don't have a choice!" He then let out a frustrated groan. "All right! Fine!"
Yusuke turned to Makoto. "Won't you come with us?"
"What?" Makoto blinked, hearing the whole conversation. "...Wait. To where?"
"Yeah, where are we going?" Ryuji asked, scratching his head.
"Beats me," Ann shrugged.
"We're going back to Kaneshiro's Palace, remember!?" Akira scolded the others, reminding them. "How stupid and moronic can you be?"
Morgana couldn't help but laugh. "Snrk…"
A moment later, Akira activated the Meta-Nav as the world around the group began to warp once again. Once the warping of red and black stopped, their phantom thief attires had returned as they arrived back to Kaneshiro's distorted reality – with Makoto in tow.
When Makoto noticed the group's change of clothes, she was startled. "What the!?"
"Calm down, Niijima-kun! It's me!" Joker said to Makoto, trying to calm her down by taking off his mask, revealing himself to be Akira.
Makoto looked at Akira in surprise. "Akira-san?" She then turned to Skull and Panther, who she recognized as Ryuji and Ann. "That means you two are…"
Makoto turned to Yusuke as Fox. "A canine!?"
"It's Fox…," Fox corrected Makoto by showing her his tail.
"Quiet," Mona spoke up. "The Shadows are going to notice us."
Makoto looked at Mona in surprise. "A monster cat!?"
Mona couldn't stand it. "I'm noooooot!"
"That's Morgana, the cat that was in Akira's bag," Panther introduced Makoto to Morgana. "This is what happens when we come here."
"That voice…Takamaki-san?" Makoto recognized as she then looked around the strange area around her. "Where are we?"
"We're inside Kaneshiro's heart," Joker answered.
"Well, technically, the 'world' inside his heart," Panther added.
"…What? Inside…Kaneshiro's heart?" Makoto blinked in confusion. She turned to Joker. "I'm sorry, Akira-kun…but are you sure you're feeling okay?"
"He's not lying," Fox said to Makoto. "This is another reality in which Kaneshiro's distorted desires have materialized."
"...Another reality?" Makoto repeated as she looked up to see a floating bank in the sky. "It's floating in the air!? Th-This is reality!? My goodness…" She then looked at Joker with a sincere look. "I'm sorry, it's just…since this really exists, I can't doubt it…"
"Makoto…"
"A reality that one's heart shows…," Makoto pondered. "Is it like the application of optical illusions in social cognitive psychology?"
"That's something we have no idea about…" Panther said.
Makoto slowly remembered what Akira said back in the student council room about the Metaverse and cognitions. "I see, so 'stealing one's heart'… That may be like overwriting their cognition… I think I kind of get the logic behind it..."
"Ain't she more amazing than you?" Skull asked Mona.
"W-we're about the same!" Mona protested.
"Will you quit doubting Mona for a second?" Joker scolded Skull.
"Then, does that mean there's an ATM version of myself somewhere in this world too?" Makoto asked.
"Perhaps," Mona answered. "Regardless, we can change Kaneshiro's heart and make him confess if we steal his Treasure. ...If it all goes well, that is."
"We'll make it go well," Skull said. "Everyone will notice us for sure if we take someone like Kaneshiro down!"
"Our justice will also become resolute," Fox nodded.
"We'd be able to give courage to those in need if it happens!" Panther said.
"For the sake of those in need…," Makoto muttered. "...You sound like my father."
"Your father?" Panther repeated.
"...No, don't mind me."
Joker looked at Makoto. "If we could at least show you the Metaverse and this Palace, I knew you would realize the bigger picture... Realizing that I was telling the truth and that there was a greater cause."
"I see," Makoto nodded. "So, you want to go to that bank, right? Let's go then. If I've become a customer of that bank, then they'll have to let me in."
As Makoto walked toward the floating bank, it lowered down to her.
"For real!?" Panther blinked in surprise as a staircase made of cash came down.
"It came to us!" Skull exclaimed.
"It's just as I calculated," Morgana smiled.
And with that, the Phantoms and Makoto made their way up to the bank.
"You know how you can use your card to get into banks during after hours?" Makoto said to the others. "I thought that I'd be able to get in since I have the same identity as such customers. I'm Kaneshiro's source of revenue, after all."
"Ah, that makes sense," Fox nodded at that statement.
Panther looked at the vast bank in front of them. "But wow… This place is huge."
"I rarely gotta go to the bank," Skull replied. "This is makin' me kinda nervous."
"Being in a bank with costumes like these is so obvious—we're totally robbers."
"You got that right..."
"It seems there will be a lot of Shadows from here on," Mona said.
"Huh? What's that about?" Makoto asked.
"Enemies attack us here," Skull answered.
"I see… I've trained in aikido. Don't worry; I can defend myself."
"Normal attacks like aikido won't be necessary," Joker said to Makoto. "Shadows are beings born from people's hearts. The reason they turned into enemies is that they spawn from the human psyche. The Palace's distortion draws them here, and once there, they change forms and become underlings for the Palace's ruler. That ruler is the Shadow of someone whose distorted desires took form here, a reflection of what they tried to hide. It's Metaverse 101."
"So, that's how…," Makoto nodded. "You seem to learn a lot, huh?"
"What Joker meant is, self-defense won't do much good against Shadows," Mona said. "But then again, it's better than nothing."
"We have to go in from the front, don't we?" Makoto asked. "I'm an honorary customer, so I better act like one."
"Okay, then. Just be careful, though."
"...I will be useful for you guys."
Once the group went inside, Shadows in the form of security guards in riot gear and gas masks stood before them.
"What business do you have here?" The security guard Shadow asked.
"I had a feeling this would happen," Panther said in dismay.
"Come at us!" Makoto said to the Shadows as she's in her fighting stance.
"No, no! Wait!" Skull halted the Shadows.
Fox gestured to Makoto. "She's one of Kaneshiro's customers."
"I'd like to speak with the bank president," Makoto said to the security guards.
"Excuse me, but do you have an appointment?"
"I need to talk to him. Now let me through!"
Just then, a familiar voice echoed, ordering the guards. "Let them pass."
"That voice…," Makoto recognized. "It's Kaneshiro!"
"You mean a bank has a president?" Skull asked, surprised.
"How should we know!?" Joker asked as he shrugged.
"They make good money," Fox said.
"Reception is further into the right," The security guard said, giving the Phantoms directions. "I strangely advise that you don't attempt to go elsewhere."
Joker sighed. "So much for securing our infiltration route."
"An infiltration route?" Makoto repeated as she looked at Joker.
"A path to the Treasure's location."
"This place is gigantic…but to think such a large bank is floating in the sky…"
"I guess anything goes in a Palace," Skull said.
As the Phantoms and Makoto were in the reception office, they stood around a table with a small mountain pyramid of cash on it.
"How many beef bowls could I eat with this?" Skull wondered with excitement.
"Don't even think about it, Skull!" Joker scolded Skull while Mona nodded.
Just then, a voice that almost sounded like Kaneshiro suddenly appeared. "Unauthorized entry, property damage, and other disturbances. That comes to three million yen in total. You're here regarding that, correct, Miss Beautiful President?"
Everyone turned to the screen, and appearing on it was Kaneshiro's Shadow – violet skin and mustache while wearing a silver business suit.
"It must be quite tough gathering so much money," Shadow Kaneshiro continued. "I would be willing to give you a loan, you know."
"You're gonna call it off, then?" Skull asked.
"No – just a loan," Shadow Kaneshiro answered. "That interest is 10% a day."
"10% interest a day…," Panther repeated. "That means…one day is…"
"It's 30,000 yen," Makoto answered in surprise.
"There's no need to be alarmed," Shadow Kaneshiro said. "I have a more manageable option for people like you."
"That was your plan from the beginning, wasn't it?"
"Quite the impressive insight, Niijima-san. Or should I say, the younger sister of the beautiful prosecutor Sae Niijima?"
The Phantoms, except Joker, looked at Makoto in surprise while Makoto herself was surprised and shocked at the same time.
"Am I the only one who already knows?" Joker asked, unfazed.
"How do you know that!?" Makoto asked the Shadow in surprise.
"Please don't underestimate our intelligence network," Shadow Kaneshiro said. "My, what wonderful goods have come falling into my lap."
"Don't be ridiculous!" Panther exclaimed in anger.
"Young women are such great useful assets," Shadow Kaneshiro said. "They lack physical strength and are dumb – be it social, physical, or mental. It's as if they only exist to be devoured by the strong. That just might be the rule since the dawn of history."
"You truly are despicable…," Fox said to Kaneshiro's Shadow.
"You better be ready, Kaneshiro!" Skull agreed. "We're gonna snatch your Treasure from you!"
"Don't make me laugh, you petty thieves," Shadow Kaneshiro said. "My citadel has the highest security installed in it. Anyone will do anything for money. I'll rob you of your lives as easily as I breathe air."
As Shadow Kaneshiro snickered, he ordered more Shadows. "Get them!"
"There's no end to them," Mona said as he and the Phantoms tried to beat them one by one, but more of them keep backing up. "Have they really been hired with money!? We're in trouble at this rate! Let's run!"
As the Phantoms escaped the reception room and headed for the exit, Makoto turned to the others. "Why did the security guards turn into monsters!? And what were those supernatural powers!? Could those have been the Personas and Shadows you mentioned!?"
"Yep," Joker nodded. "I did tell you this stuff before, did I?"
"Does it really now look like the time to be asking that!?" Mona said to Makoto with a severe tone. "We need to retreat! And Makoto, make sure you don't get separated from us!"
As the Phantoms ran through the main hallway, they can see the exit.
"Hurry, guys! The exit is right over there!" Mona said.
But just as they were almost free, more Shadows appeared, blocking their path.
"There's no end to them!" Panther groaned.
"Guys!" Makoto exclaimed.
"You seem to be in quite of a pickle…," Shadow Kaneshiro said as he finally appeared in person.
"How dare you sneak around, Kaneshiro!" Mona said to the Shadow.
"Those would be my words," Shadow Kaneshiro replied. "However, I do thank you for providing me with such wonderful goods… But it's high time you disappear."
Shadow Kaneshiro clapped his hands, and more Shadows cornered the Phantoms as Makoto began to panic as she gasped.
"No!" Joker cried, seeing the fear in Makoto's eyes.
"Managing a bank is tough—that's why I make it a case to kill troublesome customers," Shadow Kaneshiro said. "It's my policy to kill clients who are more trouble than they're worth. Having one impertinent brat disappear is enough to set an example in that other world."
"You little…!" Skull growled in anger.
"All you ever talked about is money, money, money," Panther said to Shadow Kaneshiro. "No wonder you ended up with this insane bank!"
"You call yourself a mafia!? You've been stealing money from kids and blackmailing students for your phishing scams!" Joker said to Shadow Kaneshiro. "You're a sick man; you know that!"
"You dare insult me!?" Shadow Kaneshiro snapped at Joker as he ordered his Shadow underlings to pin down Joker.
"JOKER!" The others shouted in shock.
Joker tried to break free as he hissed at Shadow Kaneshiro. "Rgh… You piece of—"
Makoto looked at Joker in shock. She didn't know it, but he was in the exact same position she was in when she was held hostage in Kaneshiro's hideout in reality. She then turned back to Shadow Kaneshiro in anger. "Please stop!"
"Oh, I wouldn't damage an asset like you," Shadow Kaneshiro said to Makoto. "I'll eliminate others besides my goods. They're dead men walking, but you'll be just fine. You've no need to worry." But he then added something with a taunt. "Your sister is quite a beauty, though. I'll make sure to make her my personal slave. Once I get bored, I'll just sell her off. Oh, poor Sis… She could've been successful if only her younger sister wasn't so dumb."
"My sister has nothing to do with this!" Makoto angrily protested.
"Oh, really? Then you better start taking customers tomorrow. All you gotta do is endure it and do as you're told."
"Endure it…," Makoto repeated in defeat. "Do as I'm told..."
Joker needed to back up Makoto as he tried to call out to her. "No! Niijima-kun…look at me! Don't lose heart!"
When Makoto turned to Joker, she looked like she was losing hope.
"Listen to me! Don't you want this to end already!?" Joker continued talking to Makoto, who snapped herself out of her depressing thought. "Are you really giving in to him? That is not the mindset of a girl that made my heart go wild. What about your own path, your own decisions, your real goals? To help others? I bet you'd be happier, getting into a good college without that letter or your sister making decisions for you?"
There was an intense silence as Makoto was surprised by Joker's words, as did the others.
Joker sadly looked down in shame. "I wanted so hard to believe it wasn't true, but I had clouded my head for this long. I just didn't realize the sad truth behind you, Niijima-kun. If only I understood you better… No, I slightly believe in you."
Joker looked at Makoto straight in the eyes. "But no matter what people said to you back then, I'll never stop liking you. So, please…you can't deny who you are. You can show everyone that you're more than just a student council president. That you're a woman…that can go beyond everyone's expectations!"
"Akira-san…," Makoto was surprised by Joker's inspiring words once more. From the look on his face, she realized that he expected her to feel better now.
But before she could thank Joker, Shadow Kaneshiro stomp his feet, interrupting the moment. "Stop getting in the way!" He then looked at Makoto. "You'll earn three million yen in no time. Although, your life and everything along with it will be a complete wreck by then! Gwahahahahaha!"
As Shadow Kaneshiro laughed hysterically, Makoto's anger grew to new heights thanks to Akira's words, giving her the unfounded strength to show everyone the person she has become.
"I have been listening to you go on and on…" Makoto growled, clenching her fist as she pointed at Shadow Kaneshiro. "Shut your damn mouth, you money-grubbing asshole!"
Everything went silent as the Phantoms were stunned by Makoto's words.
Just then, a voice echoed within Makoto.
Have you decided to tread the path of strife?
"Yes…," Makoto answered. "Come to me!"
Very well. Let us proceed with our contract at once.
Suddenly, just like the others, Makoto's eyes turned yellow, and the pain had already filled in as she clutched her head and subconsciously hearing the voice within her.
I am thou, thou art I…
You have finally found your own justice…
Please… Never lose sight of it again.
As Makoto yelled in anger, she stomped the ground hard, leaving a crack on the tile floor. Panting heavily, blue flames engulfed Makoto, and an iron mask appeared on her face.
This memorable day marks your graduation from your false self…
Makoto finally ripped the iron mask off of her face as she screams out in anger, feeling an epic surge of power as the blue pillar of flames engulfed her entire body.
When the blue flames died down, Makoto's clothes changed into a dark blue and black skintight suit, along with a long scarf, a dark gray leather breastplate, shoulder and knee pads with spikes, metal heel boots, and white gloves.
Suddenly, a powerful sound of a motoring engine was heard because Makoto's very own Persona, Johanna, was way different than everyone. It had taken the form of a sleek, silver chrome motorcycle, with Johanna's face on the front of it as black chains flew around it.
"A Persona?" Fox asked in awe.
"No, dude…," Skull said in surprise. "That's a motorcycle…"
"I can feel it… My 'self'… Me…!" Makoto said, feeling her inner self's power flowing within her as she looked at the enemies with a glare. "Gun it!"
Makoto drove right toward the Shadows before striking them with the tail end of her motorcycle-like Persona, sending the enemies flying.
"Wow…," Panther smiled with amazement. "Nice!"
Mona was amazed as well. "Wh-what is that!? I've never seen anything like it…"
Mona managed to take care of the Shadows that hold Joker hostage as he helped him up.
As Joker got up, he looked at Makoto in awe with his widened eyes, captivated and allured in a way he had never imagined, something that he couldn't resist. "This can't be real…"
Shadow Kaneshiro became terrified at this, but he pulled himself together as he turned to his underlings. "You better earn your keep, or else I'll kill you!"
"I will not lose heart again, ever," Makoto said, relishing her new strength. "I'll go full speed, non-stop! Right, Johanna!?" She then turned to Joker and nodded.
Joker and the other Phantoms ran to Makoto's side as she continued, "Don't get cocky just because I usually behave myself! I am DONE playing nice! Let's go, Johanna! Full throttle!"
With Makoto's help, the Phantoms managed to beat the Shadows.
As they did, Mona spoke up. "We know how to get in now. Our objective's been accomplished!"
"But how are we getting out?" Panther aked.
"How!?" Joker repeated. "We used the front door to get in, remember?"
"And there's only one exit, right?" Makoto added.
"'Sup, Miss Post-Apocalyptic Raider," Skull said with a smile. "You're becoming the fist of the Phantom Star now, huh!?"
"Do you want to get smacked?" Joker and Makoto said to Ryuji in unison as they then looked at each other in surprise.
"I'm going on ahead, so follow me!" Makoto charged and thrashed the Shadows away with Johanna while causing the doors to break down.
"Daaamn…" Skull stared in surprise.
"Okay, we have a path!" Mona said as he turned into vehicle mode. "Get on!"
As the Phantoms got on board the Mona-car and drove off, Shadow Kaneshiro watched with ease.
"So, you'll stand against me, no matter what," Shadow Kaneshiro sighed. "Very well. I'll wait for you all. There's no escape in reality, nor will you break through the security system here. There's not a snowball chance in hell that a bright future lies ahead of you! It doesn't matter what you do. You can kiss your bright futures goodbye!"
As they escaped Kaneshiro's Palace in the Metaverse and returned to reality, the group gathered at the Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway. Makoto crouched herself on the ground, taking a breather while Yusuke, Akira, Ryuji, Ann, and Morgana stood.
"Man, talk about wild…" Ryuji said in utter shock as his mind was blown by what had just happened. "That was no aikido – that was some hardcore ass-whooping!"
"I am SO not pissing her off…," Ann said. "I feel like she'll rip off my arm."
"You better not," Akira told Ann.
"She does exude that aura…," Yusuke said in awe.
"…Oh, stop it!" Makoto said as she got back up. "This is the most exhausted I've ever gotten these past few years…" She then looked at Akira. "But…it felt pretty great."
"Makoto…," Akira noticed with his face blushing red, but he snapped himself out of it. "Well, we've all been there, and now, here you are."
"I never thought I'd become part of the Phantom Thieves I was after," Makoto said, smiling. "Sis might faint if she found out. She'd probably drop dead."
"You mentioned her earlier," Yusuke said.
"She's a prosecutor for the district—and she's investigating the Phantom Thieves."
"Wait, what!?" Akira blinked in surprise, as did the others. "First, Akechi and the police are onto us, and now a prosecutor, too!?"
"Wait, ain't that bad!?" Ryuji asked Makoto.
"No need to worry," Makoto reassured. "A normal investigation would never lead them to a world like that. Then again, it must've been fate for this to happen…"
"Fate?" Akira repeated.
"What do you mean?" Ann asked.
"I can't be like my sister, no matter how I try," Makoto replied. "I had a feeling that there would come a time when we wouldn't see eye to eye anymore. I'm thankful to have a sister who works so hard, but… there are times I feel sorry for her too. And after hearing my Persona's voice, I clearly understand how I feel now. Plus…" She then turned to Morgana. "I can understand what the cat's saying now, too."
"I'm not a cat, you know," Morgana said, unamused.
"It appears you're not as reserved as you make yourself seem," Yusuke said to Makoto.
"I was just doing whatever the adults told me to," Makoto replied.
"I see," Yusuke nodded as he turned to the others with a suggestion. "Won't she be perfect as our advisor? A strategist, perhaps? She's fearless and has a sharp mind."
"Sounds good to me!' Ryuji nodded. "We've needed someone like that for a while now! Right, guys?"
"It's a deal, then!" Morgana said with a smile.
"We have a new member of the Phantom Thieves now!" Akira smiled at Makoto with glee. "I'm just glad to have you on board. I hope we can get along, Niijima-kun."
"Yeah, a little 'too' get along," Ryuji muttered to the others as he snickered.
"I'd be honored if I can help out," Makoto said with a smile.
"Well, our leader here is glad," Yusuke replied to Makoto. "After all, he did ensure Ryuji and Ann of a little punishment for condescending you because you're student council president…and that they will feel a pain so unbearable that death couldn't alleviate."
Makoto looked at Akira in utter surprise. "You told them that!? That's entirely…something, Akira-kun."
Ann tried to explain to Makoto as she pointed at Ryuji accusingly. "I didn't mean to! It was Ryuji and his big mouth, I swear!"
Ryuji couldn't believe his ears as he turned to Ann. "What else was I supposed to say and do!? It was, like, completely out of context!"
"A-Anyways, we finally have someone smart on the team," Ann said, reassuring and getting to the point. "We had way too much testosterone anyway, so I feel much better having another girl on the team."
Just then, Makoto's phone rang as she pulled it out to see a message. "It's from Kaneshiro. He's reminding us of our debt." She then looked at the others for confirmation. "So the Kaneshiro over here doesn't know what happened inside the Palace."
"That's right," Morgana answered. "but his Palace will be affected if the real Kaneshiro's cognition changes. We can't be lax."
"It seems it'd be best to avoid unnecessary contact with him until then," Makoto said.
"Three weeks left, huh...," Ryuji sighed in dismay.
"There's that security system too," Yusuke added.
"But if we pull this off, it'll definitely be great!" Ann said.
"We'll crush him like a fly," Makoto said. "I'll make him regret making me angry..."
"Anyways, let's begin our operation tomorrow!" Ryuji said.
"First, we need to secure a route to the Treasure like always.
"You guys are finally starting to get used to this," Morgana said with a smile.
"I'll be waiting for the call to meet up," Makoto said.
"But damn, motorcycles are so cool…" Ryuji said as he couldn't contain his excitement. "I wish my Persona was like that."
"Yours is a pirate on a ship, though," Yusuke replied.
"Dude, you kidding!? Motorcycles are way cooler than dumb boats! It'll be just like the song! 'I'm a phantom, on a steel horse I ride...'"
"Don't say such things," Makoto scolded Ryuji. "And for the record, I am most certainly not 'wanted.'"
"Honestly, I'm mostly just surprised you know how to ride a motorcycle at all, Niijima-senpai," Ann said to Makoto.
"Do you got a license?" Ryuji asked.
"A regular one, yes," Makoto answered.
"Niceee… I can't wait to get my hands on one too."
"That aside, mind if I change the topic for a moment?"
"What's the matter?' Yusuke asked.
"I'm sorry, everyone," Makoto apologized. "I know I'm not in any position to be saying that. I truly do… However, I must apologize. It was my actions that dragged you into this mess. On top of that, I misunderstood your true intentions in this. If only I could have realized what was happening to Suzui-san too…"
"Come on, we don't need to talk about that now," Ann said to Makoto.
"It seems there are still lingering issues on everyone's minds," Yusuke said.
"Now's not the time to be talking about that shit, though!" Ryuji said. "Don't we gotta be doing something about Kaneshiro?"
"He's right," Ann nodded.
"Very well, I understand," Makoto said. "Anyway, I'll do my best to make sure I don't slow you all down."
"Well, we were at odds with each other until just a while ago…," Morgana said. "But Ryuji's right. We need to work together to overcome this!"
The others nodded in agreement, and they exchanged contact info with Makoto.
As the others disband and left for home, Akira looked at Makoto. "Hey, Niijima-kun? Thanks for saving the day."
"No need," Makoto politely replied. "You helped me realized that I could get into a good college by my own merit. Anyway, I'll be fine. By the way, what you said on TV was…very inspiring."
As Makoto left, Morgana said to Akira, "Makoto seems like she'll make a reliable advisor."
That evening, at the attic above Leblanc, Akira was on the bed for the night while Morgana couldn't help contain himself nor his excitement.
"A motorcycle-shaped Persona, huh…," Morgana mused aloud. "You know, I can turn into a car too, so it's like…I feel a sense of familiarity?"
"Motorcycles are cooler," Akira replied.
Morgana shrugged. "Well, they're nice too, but they can't carry large numbers of people. I really am special after all…"
"You're more than special. You're reliable, too."
Morgana began to ponder. "There's something that just crossed my mind…" But he shook his head. "...It's no use. I can't remember at all…"
"They're still nothing you can remember?" Akira asked.
"There's nothing I can do about it if I can't remember," Morgana said. "Anyway, we need to concentrate on Kaneshiro for now. Unlike you guys, Makoto's clever so that we can expect great things from her." He then looked at Akira. "But you do have something special."
"I guess I got lucky somehow…," Akira smiled. "…I think."
"Looks like I better step my game, too!"
Akira nodded, feeling his bond with Morgana growing deeper as he drifted to sleep.
"After we deal with Kaneshiro, I should tell Makoto about Mementos, too," Morgana pondered. "I'm sure her brain can be helpful as well."
Morgana looked at the sleeping Akira as he pondered about something. "We got Yusuke, and now Makoto… This guy has quite the luck… Could there be some reason for it?"
But Morgana shook his head at that theory. "Nah, that can't be..."
6/21 – Tuesday
"Good morning," Makoto greeted Akira as she walked up to him.
"Morning," Akira greeted Makoto back as he looked at her.
"I've been thinking a lot about Personas and Palaces since yesterday…," Makoto said. "That floating bank reflects Kaneshiro's personality. He's flying around, so no one can trace his steps… He doesn't trust anyone. I bet security's tight in there too. That's why we should get moving soon. Why don't we go to the Palace today?"
"Good idea," Akira answered. "Let me think about it."
"Understood. I'm sure you have your reasons as the leader. I'll leave my schedule open after school."
During lunchtime at Shujin, Makoto and Ann were in the student council room.
"I'm sorry for asking you here like this," Ann said to Makoto, apologizing.
"Oh no, it's not a problem…," Makoto replied. "I find it refreshing to be asked to the student council room. Although it's somewhat nerve-racking as well."
"...I think I'm a bit nervous myself."
There was a short silence when Ann suddenly stood up from her chair. "Anyway, um… I wanted to apologize. I'm…sorry about everything."
"What do you mean?" Makoto asked.
"You know how I blamed you for Kamoshida's sexual harassment? Well, I wanted to apologize for that… I've honestly been meaning to this whole time."
Makoto was surprised. "Takamaki-san..."
"I was super close to Shiho, but it wasn't until afterward that I finally realized later that she was calling out to me for help…and I wasn't there to help her…. I should've been able to do something for her, but I didn't want to admit my guilt… That hurt. I was stupid and dense, but I didn't want it to be my fault, so I took it out on you, Niijima-senpai."
Ann bowed her head apologetically. "That was wrong and unfair, and I'm…very sorry."
"There's no need for that," Makoto said. "I think the two of us are pretty similar."
Ann looked at Makoto in surprise. "Huh…?"
"I was unable to save anyone," Makoto continued. "Not Suzui-san, and not any of Kaneshiro's victims. But I kept telling myself that I wasn't at fault because I was simply following orders… But that was all a lie. It felt like I would be admitting my own worthlessness had I not shifted the blame off of myself. The fear of that worthlessness was probably why I acted so harshly toward you and your friends. ...I'm deeply sorry as well."
"I see…," Ann nodded. "…In that case, wanna call it even?"
"Even?" Makoto repeated, then she chuckled. "You're right… How about we leave this conversation in the past?"
"Mm-hm!" Ann nodded. "But one more thing. You're not worthless. You were a bit reckless, but at the end of the day, you're the reason we found a way into Kaneshiro's Palace. And not only that, you even obtained the power to change people's hearts. You did that all yourself, Niijima-senpai."
Makoto chuckled. "Thanks. That way of thinking is very much like you, Takamaki-san. When you confronted me about Suzui-san, I realized how dishonest and small I was. You're always very direct… That's what helped me finally discover the error of my ways. It turns out I'm a little slow on the uptake at times…" She then looked at Ann straight. "Hey… Can I call you Ann?"
"Um, yeah! I'm going to do the same, Makoto…," Ann said, then sighed out of embarrassment. "Ugh, that's so embarrassing!"
Makoto chuckled. "How about we get something to eat before we go home for the night?"
"Ooh, I know a place!" Ann suggested. "There's a crepe shop at Central Street that totally stuffs their crepes! I want one with double-extra whipped cream!"
"Do you want to split one?" Makoto asked.
Ann nodded. "Mmmm, let's each get a whole one, and then we can go half and half on those!"
"Well, shall we?"
After school, the group was at the Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway.
Yusuke looked at Ryuji with concern. "You were the most excited for this, and now you're late?"
"Sorry," Ryuji apologized. "The trains were running late…again."
"Still no sign yet of Kaneshiro acting on his threat," Yusuke said.
"He probably thinks his money's just gonna come rolling in," Ryuji replied.
"He does have the upper hand on us, after all..."
"If that picture got out, who knows what would end up happening to Akira-kun," Ann said with worry.
"Guess worst-case scenario would be him getting expelled," Ryuji said.
"No, there is a more severe alternative…," Makoto spoke up as he looked at Akira. "He's currently under probation, meaning…"
But Makoto shook her head. "...I'm so sorry. This whole situation is my fault."
Ryuji tried to reassure Makoto. "Come on, stop that. I mean, you're the one who's in the most trouble right now."
"My sister is a prosecutor…," Makoto replied. "That'll be a problem for her as well. What should I do?"
"Kaneshiro must surely be taking aspect into account, too…," Yusuke said.
"We need to stop him," Akira said to everyone.
"For sure," Ryuji nodded in agreement. "Even the police are having trouble with that bastard. We'll be heroes if we catch him!"
"High risk, high reward..." Ann muttered.
"You're all so positive..." Makoto said to everyone.
"In a way, your recklessness is the only reason we can now pursue this change of heart," Yusuke added.
"Totally," Ryuji said. "We're in deep shit, so we're gonna do whatever we can to get out of it."
"I… never thought of things in that way before," Makoto replied.
"It is quite strange hearing something so positive from Ryuji," Yusuke said.
"Shuddup!" Ryuji exclaimed as everyone laughed.
6/22 – Wednesday
The next day, Akira and Morgana were at Shinjuku when Morgana mentioned something. "That popular fortune-teller must be the same one that predicted horrible misfortune for Ryuji, right?"
"Yeah," Akira nodded.
"She must have some kind of trick. Maybe we should check it out... Are you going to get your fortune read?"
"Sure, why not? I could use some good 'fortune.'"
As they walked further, they found the cheerful fortune teller in her usual spot.
"Oh, hellooo!" The fortune-teller greeted Akira. "Please take a seat!"
Akira sat down as the fortune-teller continued. "This is your first time here, yes? It's not often I get young men stopping by my stand. Anyway, my name is Chihaya Mifune. I will be reading your fortune today. You can begin by telling me your name."
"Akira Kurusu," Akira answered.
"Ah, Akira Kurusu-san… I see. Your name is quite lucky. That aside, what type of consultation can I interest you in today?"
Akira began to ask Chihaya. "How'd you read fortunes?"
"I use tarot cards to foretell the future," Chihaya answered.
Akira looked at the tarot cards, thinking they are from his dream long ago.
"Now then, let's start with an initial reading to test the waters of your fate," Chihaya said as she chanted some prayer. "O divine power… Bring forth this boy's fortune!"
As Chihaya reads Akira's fortune, she was surprised. "Yes, I've seen everything. A stream of light obscuring the sun…like an arrow tearing through the sky…"
"That's good," Akira said.
But Chihaya's smile faded as she reads more of Akira's fortune. "How strange, Kurusu-san, the general flow of your future seems to indicate… Ruin? And an inmate locked away in a lonely cell…"
Akira's eyes grew wide in surprise. Was Chihaya talking about the Velvet Room?
"You seem to be a good person, Kurusu-san…but are you perhaps mixed up with the wrong crowd?" Chihaya continued. "Beyond that… My… It seems…continuing on your current path will lead to your death."
"D-Don't be ridiculous!" Akira stammered. "How can I avoid that?"
"I can't offer advice to that end…," Chihaya replied. "If the divination is coming to me this clearly, the truth of it is simply undeniable."
"Undeniable, huh?"
"Now that I think about it, there may be a way you can attempt to counteract your destiny."
"What is it?" Akira asked, intrigued.
To answer Akira's question, Chihaya pulled out what seemed to be a stone. "All you need is…my special spiritual object: the Holy Stone! With its power in your control, you can avoid even the most unfortunate of futures…probably."
"Probably?" Akira repeated in confusion.
"I typically only recommend this to my more experienced customers, but your situation is too dire to ignore. You see, the stone itself is imbued with an aura of joy that will sap away all the horrible energy surrounding you. All you need to do is keep it wrapped in cloth and be sure to recharge its power in the moonlight every three days."
Chihaya then added something. "As for the cost, it's only 100,000 yen! Not bad for an item that can change your very future, yes?"
"This seems suspicious…," Akira said. "I doubt it'd work."
"I-It's legitimate, I promise! What a shame it will be to see the flames of youth snuffed out so soon…" Chihaya sighed. "Well, come see me again if you change your mind. I really can help you if you'd like."
And with that, Akira and Morgana soon left Shinjuku, waving goodbye to Chihaya.
"So… does this mean that fortune teller was right?" Morgana asked. "She even got the amount spot on! That Chihaya lady can seriously read into the future!" Then he paused for a moment. "Wait… This is bad! Didn't she say you're going to die!?"
"I think so," Akira replied. "This is kinda scary…"
"Come on. We need to go talk to her again and figure out what to do! And maybe I can have her read my compatibility fortune with Lady Ann."
Akira gave Morgana an unamused look. "Really?"
"U-Um, never mind!"
Akira then pondered to himself as he thought, Seems like Chihaya Mifune can actually see into the future. Maybe I should go back and have her reread my fortunes…
6/23 – Thursday
The next day, Ryuji called Akira on the phone. "Hey, you see the article?"
"Nope," Akira answered. "What article?"
"It's an interview with some kid from school. 'Boy M tells all: Rampant abuse in the Kamoshida case!' That's what it said. It's mostly about physical punishment. You think this Boy M is Mishima?"
"Probably," Akira answered.
"Guess it might be him, after all. I mean, that Phan-site thing has been an enormous help, too… It's probably fair to leave him be. He ain't doing us any harm."
"That article," Morgana pondered. "Do you think that reporter we met at Crossroads wrote it?"
Akira and Morgana looked at the article, and as they thought, the author is listed as Ichiko Ohya.
"I see," Morgana said. "This article might be useful for us."
"How so?" Akira asked.
"If the Palace ruler sees it and his cognition of the Phantom Thieves changes…," Morgana pondered as an idea hit him. "We would be missing out if we didn't use this to our advantage. If we have Ichiko paint us in a positive light, the public's opinion of us will change for the better!"
"Is that possible?" Akira asked, surprised.
"You should go try and get her to write some more articles about the Phantom Thieves!"
That evening at Shinjuku, Akira visited the Crossroads bar to see Ohya talking to Lala.
"Hey, where's my glass? Didn't I order to refill?" A drunk Ohya said to Lala. "How much did I drink today?"
It seemed that Ohya was so drunk, she didn't notice Akira was still there.
"If we have Ichiko write articles, it'll affect the Metaverse," Morgana whispered to Akira. "We might be able to ask her if we do it right. Keep in mind that she's drunk. Now, do a good job negotiating, okay?"
"Okay," Akira nodded.
Suddenly, Ohya turned to see Akira. "Oh! It's you! So…what's up? Got anything new on the Phantom Thieves? Or maybe…you're just falling in love with me, hm?"
"No, not that," Akira replied. "By the way, I've already in love with someone else."
"Oh…," Ohya blinked in surprise. "Well, then you at least have some news on the Phantom Thieves, yeah? My publisher just assigned me to be the beat reporter for the Phantom Thieves. Man… this will reaaally help me out."
"Are you seriously going to use this child as a source of information?" Lala asked.
"Oh, don't be such a killjoy," Ohya replied. "These kids nowadays know about things we adults don't have access to. Besides, what's most important is that I now have a reliable third-party source for my stories."
Lala sighed in dismay. "Whatever..."
Ohya turned to Akira. "So, what do you want from me this time? Information about someone? Cold hard cash?"
Akira shook his head. "Not really."
Ohya chuckled a bit. "Lucky me! My very own golden goose appeared. Now I can take it easy… Maybe I'll take a little vacation, with all my free time..."
Akira blinked in surprise. "R-Really?"
Ohya raised an eyebrow. "…As if. What do you want? The last time you were here, it was info on Kaneshiro, right? The office has been abuzz lately… I think it's Kaneshiro-related. Something's fishy..."
"I support them," Akira said.
"Support the Phantom Thieves?" Ohya repeated as she smiled. "...I see what's going on here. A hardcore Phantom Thieves fanboy, huh?"
"Hey, I'm not gonna let you use this kid so you can take a vacation...," Lala said.
"A vacation? Oh, I was just kidding. I'm conducting a private investigation during my off-hours. No one at work knows about it."
"Don't tell me you're..."
Ohya turned to Akira with an idea. "Hey, how about we do this… You supply me with info on the Phantom Thieves… And I'll write articles based on what you tell me about them. You know, the Phantom Thieves who you love oh-so-much… Deal?"
"Sounds great," Akira nodded. "Write something good."
"I will, I will," Ohya said. "But the quality of the articles will depend on the info you provide me. I can create a lot of positive PR for the Phantom Thieves, so be sure to give me some good scoops. Oh, and don't tell anyone about this, okay? I don't want people to know that my source is a high schooler."
"My lips are all sealed, Ohya-san," Akira nodded.
I am thou, thou art I... Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Devil Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...
After making a deal with Akira, Ohya turned to Lala Escargot. "OK, Lala-chaaan! Time to celebrate our agreement! Bring out my bottle! And two glasses, please!" She then stopped for a moment as she feels queasy. "Ugh, I gotta use the bathroom..."
As Ohya ran ahead to the bathroom, Lala sighed in dismay as she turned to Akira. "She's going to be here a while. You should head home."
"Okay…" Akira said as he left Crossroads bar.
6/24 – Friday
That evening, Akira and Ms. Kawakami had a chat in the attic above Leblanc.
"I talked to my boss about picking up more shifts…," Ms. Kawakami said. "But he said that he prioritizes 'younger' women!"
"How rude!" Akira said.
"Seriously, he didn't have to say that right at my face! I mean, age has nothing to do with cleaning a room! And I look damn good for my age if I do say so myself. The girls in my neighborhood always tell me I'm pretty. And the latchkey kid who lives next door always asks me to tie up her hair. Thanks to that, I'm an expert with these pigtails now. So I'm damn good for—" She then paused for a moment. "...Wait, don't tell me I'm the only one who thinks this way?"
Kawakami then looked at Akira. "I look pretty good as a maid, don't I?"
"You need to love yourself," Akira replied, trying to reassure his teacher.
"I don't feel like I'm worth being loved," Kawakami said. "But…you're right. What the heck am I saying? You're my student… My double life as both a teacher and a maid is so exhausting. Maybe I let my guard down because you know both sides of me. The more I come here, the more I feel like I can relax. I'm supposed to help my master relax…but instead, I'm the one who's being allowed. I'm such a terrible maid."
Akira can feel his homeroom teacher's kindness as he asked, "By the way, why did you lie about having a sick sister?"
"I can't get requested unless I make up those types of stories," Kawakami answered. "Nothing good will come from involving yourself with a terrible person like me. It's a good lesson learned." She then turned to leave. "Thanks for using our service…"
"You're welcome," Akira replied as Kawakami left Leblanc.
6/25 – Saturday
That afternoon at Shujin, Akira and the others were talking.
"Is Kaneshiro still demanding we pay up?" Ryuji asked the others.
"Yes," Makoto answered. "every single day."
"Man, it's gotta be tough dealing with that daily...," Ann sighed.
"I'm used to it by now," Makoto said.
Ryuji looked at Makoto in surprise. "You are? You're amazing..."
"It hasn't been too difficult to put the matter out of my mind," Makoto replied.
"Who knows when he may resort to more extreme measures, though," Yusuke said on Akira's phone.
"We can't trust that guy," Akira said.
"Yeah," Ann nodded. "If Kaneshiro sends out that photo, we're totally done for. It would probably be a good idea to handle this sooner rather than later."
"Well, since we've reached a decision, how about we continue this at our hideout?" Akira asked.
"I was thinking the same thing," Morgana agreed as the others nodded.
A moment later, after school, the gang assembled at the Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway.
"My fellow thieves, we are back in action and back in business!" Akira proclaimed. "Our target this time is Kaneshiro! We finally found the way to his Palace, but we'll pay dearly if we assume it's just going to be like the last two. Furthermore, that jerk will spread pictures of us if we're done for. And Makoto's role as student council president is on the line, so does the lives of all the students at Shujin!"
Makoto looked at Akira in surprise for mentioning her position. "Oh…!"
"We'll do what we always do," Akira continued. "First, we go and secure an infiltration route in the Palace. After that, we send out our calling card. And finally, once the Treasure has revealed itself, we go and steal it, and Kaneshiro will confess!"
"You're learning already, Akira," Morgana smiled. "Well done!"
Makoto sighed. "I've never imagined that I'd end up helping the Phantom Thieves. Things would get interesting if my sister ever found out..."
"There's no time to be getting sentimental here," Morgana assured Makoto.
"Yes, I understand," Makoto nodded. "I do have one request about all of this, though. Can you teach me how to be a phantom thief? Like… about the Metaverse, for example."
"Simply put, that world is formed of a person's cognition," Yusuke explained. "There, you can change people's hearts."
"Yeah, I've gathered that much just from going there once. But back to what Akira told me about the Meta-Nav, the transportation method still eludes me… I mean, it's a smartphone navigation app..."
"You only need a name, a location, and a distortion. After the first entry, the Palace is bookmarked," Yusuke quickly explained.
"You really just make it sound like an ordinary app…," Makoto replied. "Aren't there any dangers associated with it?"
"Don't worry about that!" Ryuji said. "We've already been a bunch of times and—"
"That's not what I mean," Makoto interrupted. "It's a navigation app, right? Couldn't someone easily access our history on the server?"
Everyone looked at Makoto in surprise.
"Wait, why are you looking at me like that?" Makoto asked. "Has nobody thought of that before!?"
"I…," Yusuke tried to answer, as did the others.
Ryuji sighed in dismay. "Great! Now she's catchin' me off guard too..."
"I don't think the Meta-Nav has a server," Akira said. "It's basically something supernatural."
Makoto was surprised. "And we don't know where it came from, right? It showed up on my phone without any input from me…" She then turned to Akira. "Do you know anything about it, Akira-kun?"
"A long-nosed man," Akira answered.
"What?" Makoto blinked in confusion.
"Uh, no need to worry about that," Akira assured Makoto, giggling nervously. I want to tell her the truth, but it's tough to explain that Igor has been sending out the app...
"...I don't fully understand, but I don't think we have to worry about people accessing our data," Morgana said. "From what I can tell, this app is extraordinary. It wasn't made by any ordinary means."
"True… An app that allows you to enter another world isn't exactly commonplace…," Makoto replied. "Well, Sis doesn't know who the Phantom Thieves are, so I suppose our information is safe for now."
"We're still learning things ourselves. I hope your sharp wit can help us with that."
"Thank you. I'll do my best."
"So, what's our time limit this time?" Morgana asked. "I doubt we have much time to spare at this point."
"Kaneshiro's henchman said the deadline is July 9th," Makoto answered.
"There's no way high schoolers could bring in three million yen...," Ann said.
"And that's why he's threatening us. If we can't pay, he'll do much worse than just blackmail." Makoto then showed the others the pictures Kaneshiro took. "But for now, we need to stop him from releasing those photos. If the public got a hold of them…"
"I could only imagine what would happen then…," Ann said.
"Come on, we just got to take care of Kaneshiro before the time limit," Ryuji told the others. "We'll bounce back from this."
"Yeah, this is the perfect opportunity," Morgana agreed. "We have to succeed, no matter what!"
Once they returned to Kaneshiro's Palace, the Phantoms had one thing in mind.
"So, what am I going to be called?" Makoto asked the others. "You were all using code names, weren't you?"
"You're quite perceptive," Fox said, smiling.
"This time's a hard one…," Skull pondered. "Maybe somethin' like 'Shoulder Pads'?"
Mona looked at Skull angrily. "Why in the world did you focus on that, you idiot?"
"I refuse to be called that," Makoto scolded Skull.
"What about 'Rider'?" Fox suggested.
"Sounds too much like a smuggler," Makoto said. "Next."
"'Fixer'?" Panther suggested as well.
"I'm not a mastermind, though," Makoto sighed in dismay. "Won't you give me something better to work with?"
"She reminds me of an empress." Morgana pondered as he then turned to Joker. "You got anything, Joker?"
"Ummm," Joker tried to think of a code name for Makoto, but by looking at her skintight leather phantom thief attire, he feels flustered as his face turned red.
Makoto noticed Joker's flustered face in surprise. "Joker?"
Skull laughed hardly, realizing why. "Aaaahhaaa! Don't tell us you're too embarrassed to look at her new phantom thief attire. What are you, a monk!?"
Joker snapped himself out of it, trying to keep his hormones in check as he scolded Skull. "Sh-Shuddup! You stared at Panther's attire once!"
Mona nearly giggled at that remark.
Joker turned to Makoto. "Fine, it's decided, then! Makoto-chan, you're Queen!"
"Whoa, I totally see it!" Panther said, nodding. "Why Queen?"
"Like my code name, it's named after another playing card," Joker answered. "And knowing that Makoto is our advisor and all, I decide to make her vice leader for a bit."
"It fits so well that I'm at a loss for words here," Mona said.
"Queen…," Makoto smiled, loving her code name. "It has a nice ring to it. I like it. Let's go with that." She then turned to the others. "Now then, could you explain to me the strategy for this mission?"
"...Strategy?" Skull repeated in confusion.
"You don't have one?" Makoto asked as she suddenly realized. "Wait. The Phantom Thieves were acting without any plans!?"
Mona tried to explain. "Well, uhh,…we pretty much look around the area, I provide navigation when needed, and then…"
"If we run into Shadows, we beat the shit outta 'em!" Skull added with a smile.
Joker sighed in dismay as he gives Makoto an obvious yet easy answer. "Actually, we go and secure our infiltration route to the Treasure's location first. I'm sure you know that."
"Very well, then. I feel like I'll be useful for sure," Makoto nodded. "It seems my role is to be the brain of this team. I'll analyze Mona's information and give out orders. Any objections?"
"None, Queen!" Skull answered.
Panther sighed. "I bet Skull's definitely the type that will be under a girl's thumb."
Makoto, now known as Queen, turned to Mona. "Mona, will you begin navigating us?"
"Y-Yes, Queen!" Mona answered.
"Him too, it seems…" Fox sighed as he and the others were back on track. "Seems we were able to use the same method as last time to get here. Apparently, we are acknowledged as customers."
"...That's fine," Makoto said. "We can take advantage of his negligence."
"Though I will say, it's a little scary every time," Panther replied as she sighed.
It didn't take the Phantom Thieves long enough to make their way inside Kaneshiro's distorted bank. Once there, they made it through the central part of the bank and used an elevator to find Kaneshiro's Treasure.
But to their shocking surprise, the Treasure is located in a large, distinct vault shape. Even though the problem seemed dire and complicated, its size and scale are like a vast labyrinth.
"Wh-What the hell!?" Skull exclaimed. "Are these all vaults!? How messed up is this guy?"
"We're supposed to check all of these for the Treasure!?" Panther asked, complaining.
"Hold on, this distinct shape…," Queen pondered as she thought of something.
"What's the matter?" Fox asked.
"If my prediction is correct, we won't need to check every single one of these small vaults."
"For real!?" Panther asked.
"...That is, I hope. I'll explain why once I've confirmed my theory."
"I seriously hope so too..." Mona said.
As Queen deduced, the Phantoms had cracked the three locked areas by entering the PIN codes on the entry panels one by one. As they did, they now seem to see the bigger picture.
"This entire floor…is the cylinder of a lock," Queen deduced once more.
"Wh-What do you mean?" Panther asked. "Can you explain that a little more?"
"The cylinder is the mechanism that judges if a key is a proper shape," Queen said. "If you use the correct key and all the discs align, the lock opens."
"Now that you mention it, while the walls rotate, the path forward has remained facing the same way...," Fox said.
"So you're saying the whole floor is just one giant lock?" Mona asked.
"That's right," Queen nodded. "All the smaller vaults in here aren't necessary. There has to be an area further in, locked away by the room itself."
"And that's where the Treasure's gotta be!" Skull said. "Sweet, let's get goin'!"
As the Phantoms made it to the third area of the vault, they heard Shadow Kaneshiro's voice. "This gold sheen… This is the fruit of all my hard labor!"
"He thinks robbin' people is something to celebrate?" Skull said as he growled in anger. "That guy needs to get his brain checked..."
"With this much, I will be invincible! Omnipotent!" Shadow Kaneshiro's voice continued as it echoed throughout the bank. "I've changed… I'm no longer the person I used to be…"
"The person he used to be?" Panther repeated. "What could have happened to make him so distorted?"
"I don't know," Mona said. "But no matter what kind of past he had, his actions are unforgivable."
"That's right," Queen said, nodding. "Now, if my deductions are accurate, that should've been the final mechanism. More importantly, did you hear all those things Shadow Kaneshiro was saying?"
"Oh yeah, I was wondering about that!" Panther said. "Didn't he seem kinda… insecure or something?"
"Exactly. He kept bringing up how rich and powerful he wants to be."
"So if he's insecure about that shit, he thinks he's just some poor weakling, huh?" Skull deduced.
"Maybe by thinking he would be a strong, wealthy man, he convinced himself it was true," Queen said.
"I wonder…," Fox pondered a bit. "Well, we will discover the truth for ourselves when we change his heart. Let us hurry, Joker."
"Right," Joker nodded.
Once they found the location of the Treasure, Mona pointed to it. "Found it."
"I don't see anything," Queen said.
"From here on out, we're gonna need the calling card," Skull replied.
"A calling card…," Queen repeated as she then remembered. "I see… Making the target believe that the Treasure is in danger will cause it to materialize. That's quite a bold trick."
Panther looked at Queen in surprise. "Huh? She understood it?"
"Honestly, I can't wait to send it," Queen said. "I want to put an end to Kaneshiro's nasty crimes as soon as possible."
"I agree," Joker nodded as his hand was on Queen's shoulder. "But don't be hasty."
"I won't," Queen smiled.
"Calm as always," Fox said to Joker. "Well, we'll leave it up to you."
"We'll be ready to go whenever you are!" Panther replied.
"Got it!" Joker nodded but then noticed his hand on Queen's shoulder, so he lets go.
After the infiltration and the route secured, Akira visited the Velvet Room to see the twin wardens and fusing more Personas.
"The inmate has grown considerably since we first met him," Justine said.
"True…," Caroline nodded. "I guess we've gotta at least admit that." She then turned to Akira. "Your Personas are starting to get pretty damn strong too."
Just then, something was bothering Justine. "Is fostering Personas… truly rehabilitation?"
"What're you saying that for?" Caroline asked.
"It is a thought I had," Justine replied. "Will the inmate truly be rehabilitated if we help cultivate power within him?"
"Keep it together, Justine," Caroline said. "This is the job our master ordered us to do. Or…are you going to try and disobey your orders?"
Justine shook her head. "That is not what I meant..."
"Don't worry yourself over one measly prisoner," Caroline replied. "All we gotta do is get the most out of his wild card thing and make him work hard at his tasks."
Just then, something like a realization hit Justine. "The wild card… The more I consider this list, the stranger it seems. Its writer must have known that the one carrying out these tasks would possess the power of the wild card…"
Caroline was stunned. "You've gotta be kidding me. How would somebody know that? I mean, even our master didn't know the inmate had that wild card thing before we met him!"
Akira looked at the twins in confusion. "Are you confused?"
"No one asked you!" Caroline retorted at Akira. "Either way, this will all get resolved if you just hurry up and finish your rehabilitation already!"
"O-okay…" Akira nodded as he fused more Personas before leaving the Velvet Room.
6/26 – Sunday
The next day after school, the group met up at their usual hideout.
"All that's left is the calling card," Makoto said. "We should send it out at once."
"I would agree," Yusuke replied. "But it will not be an easy task this time."
Ann nodded in agreement. "Yeah, nobody actually knows him..."
"There's so goddamn much I wanna write on the calling card too…," Ryuji said.
"The question is, how do we deliver the calling card to Kaneshiro?" Yusuke asked.
"Yeah, we don't know where he lives…," Ann replied.
"How!? Why not just use the same method as before?" Akira suggested.
"Fancy you say that, Akira-kun," Makoto nodded. "I was thinking the same thing."
6/27 – Monday
The next day at Kaneshiro's hideout, one of his goons went up to him with a calling card in hand. "Excuse me, sir, but I found this calling card in the car. There's something written on it."
"Read it," Kaneshiro demanded.
The goon cleared his throat as he read it aloud. "'Sir Junya Kaneshiro, the money-devouring sinner of gluttony. You indulge in scamming others with horrendous methods that target minors exclusively. We have decided to make you confess all your crimes with your own mouth. We will take your distorted desires without fail. From, The Phantoms...'" He then gulped in fear. "I-Isn't this bad?"
"What of it?" Kaneshiro asked impatiently.
"If something happened to you! I mean, if the higher-ups find out about this…"
"Don't waste your time worrying about this. Just keep quiet for now."
"B-But it's…posted all around the city… People are talking about it online too..."
Kaneshiro growled in anger. "Very well, then… All of you, bring me your earnings! If you don't surpass your quota… I'll kill you."
"Y-Yes, sir!" The goon answered.
Just then, the calling card's effect caused Kaneshiro's Shadow to raise his Palace's security level. "Phantom Thieves? Don't make me laugh."
Meanwhile, Akira and the others were at the hideout, knowing full well that the calling card has been sent.
"The calling card has been posted all over Shibuya," Morgana said.
"A good idea, no?" Makoto replied. "Given the theatrical nature of this one, Kaneshiro must surely have been contacted about it."
"You truly are the brains of this Phantom Thieves operation!" Morgana smiled. "Ryuji, you should follow her example!"
"You know I'm the one who went postin' it everywhere, right!?" Ryuji said. "I even had to get all dressed up so they wouldn't notice me!"
"Come now. We don't have the time for idle chitchat," Makoto said. "Let us get moving."
"We're going up against a truly horrible criminal this time…," Ann said.
"That dick ain't gonna stop us now that we got our awesome new member!" Ryuji replied. "Makoto! You remember how all this works?"
"Once we steal the Treasure, the Palace will crumble, and the Palace ruler's heart will change," Makoto memorized.
"You got that quick!" Morgana said. "I think Ruji's still struggling to comprehend it all..."
"Evil adults are nothing more than garbage, and I am no better…," Makoto said with determination. "I will resolve this, I swear it! The old me is dead. Makoto the sycophant is gone…and the corrupt adults who controlled her are next!"
"Sounds like you're fired up!" Morgana said. "All right, Joker! Give us the signal!"
"Let's do this!" Akira proclaimed.
Once the Phantoms are in Kaneshiro's Palace, they headed for the underground vault where the materialized Treasure is, using their infiltration route.
However, Queen spotted Shadow Kaneshiro right up ahead. "Is that Kaneshiro!?"
"He was waiting for us!" Skull said as he spotted something unexpected – a vast, gigantic safe. "What the hell!?"
"A safe!? This wasn't here the last time we came!" Mona said. "He changed the entire room so quickly… Tch, I guess this Palace isn't a bank for nothing."
Just then, Shadow Kaneshiro appeared before the Phantoms. "Greetings. Welcome to my private city bank. I'm surprised you made it here alive. It seems you're quite lucky."
"Lucky?" Queen repeated. "Don't be ridiculous."
"We're gonna change your heart and make you confess everything you've done," Skull said to Shadow Kaneshiro. "That'll save all those people who're suffering 'cause of your shitty actions. Even the police are strugglin' to deal with you, so that'll make the public believe in us too!"
"Those in power work the ones below them to the bone for money. Such is the hierarchy of the world," Shadow Kaneshiro said. "Just accept your fate as a source of my wealth!"
"We'll never agree to that!" Fox refused.
"And hierarchy? You have to be out of your mind," Panther said.
"All of that was forced on me too, you know!?" Shadow Kaneshiro said. "I went through a lot until I crawled out of the dregs! Now it's my turn to profit on everyone else!"
"Profit?" Joker repeated.
"Still! Don't you think you're getting back at the wrong people?" Panther asked Shadow Kaneshiro.
"What a pitiful man," Queen said.
"It doesn't matter whether you're clean or dirty! Only the clever come out on top!" Shadow Kaneshiro said. "The strong and the smart devour the weak. That is the natural order of things. You brats who think you know the world through the shit you read online will make perfect prey."
Queen scoffed. "Hmph. He is utterly hopeless."
"It's always the fools who get tricked! Fools who have to pay for their foolishness," Shadow Kaneshiro continued. "And if those fools don't learn, they have to suck it up and stay as plain, stupid fools!"
"Will you just shut it already!?" Skull yelled angrily.
"Do you even know what you're saying?" Joker asked Shadow Kaneshiro.
"It's been a long day, okay!?" Shadow Kaneshiro replied. "Sheesh! I guess there's not much point saying anything to you fools! This is where my gracious lecture ends. I hope you're ready to work as slaves here for the rest of your lives."
"That's outrageous!" Fox exclaimed.
"Outrageous or not, I'm gonna swarm all over you…and squeeze out every last penny!"
"This ain't good! Get back!" Joker warned the others.
Just then, Shadow Kaneshiro's transformation was unlike the others. His eyes became large, orange compounded ones of a fly, grew insect wings on his back and developed a fly-like behavior by rubbing his hands.
Shadow Kaneshiro had transformed into Bael, representing the sin of gluttony. "I can take care of this myself! What's up, yo!? Now come get some!"
Queen looked on in anger. "You filthy fly on dirty money… Get the hell out of my face!"
Shadow Kaneshiro laughed. "Gyahahaha! All right, here we go, yeh pieces of shit! Being young is such a crime! They're naïve, reckless, and on top of that, they don't even realize how stupid they are."
"Let's get 'em, Joker!" Mona said. "This moneygrubber is getting a one-way ticket to redemption!"
"Right!" Joker nodded.
"You punks are stronger than you look…," Shadow Kaneshiro said. "Looks like I got to bring out my big guns!"
"You're all buzz and no bite!"
"We'll see about that… Time to roll out! My guardian robot!"
Shadow Kaneshiro converted his Palace's safe into Piggytron, a giant mech that resembles a piggy bank.
Mona blinked in surprise. "A pig!?"
"It ain't just a pig, yo!" Shadow Kaneshiro replied. "This is my Palace's swine-model defensive mechanoid, Piggytron! Going against me is a real, bad crime, you know? It's time for you all to go to hell!"
"I didn't expect he would have something like this up to his sleeve!" Mona said.
"Me neither," Joker nodded in agreement.
"Joker!" Queen called out to him. "That thing is a giant… If it attacks us while we're at low stamina, we won't survive!"
"Kaneshiro's a money monger," Mona said. "Tossing an expensive item might draw him attention and serve as a distraction!"
"Okay, good call!" Joker said. "Okay, everyone! Let's do it!"
As Mona instructed, Joker and the Phantoms managed to distract Shadow Kaneshiro with expensive items and cash lying around and eventually defeated him with ease as Piggytron lost control. With one finishing blow, the mechanoid exploded and came down.
But that explosion sent Joker flying and farther away from the others.
"Ooooohhhhh, that had to hurt," Joker groaned as he got himself up. "Looks like we managed to beat him. I guess Kaneshiro wasn't picky about his money or anything."
Before Joker can go back to his teammates, a voice appeared. "There you are."
Joker turned around to see someone in a dark outfit and a dark enclosed knight helmet, resembling a sharp beak. But he's in the shadows so that he won't reveal his identity.
"That look…," Joker noticed. "You're the guy in the black mask."
The black-masked intruder nodded. "Yes. I see you have dealt with my associate, Kaneshiro."
"Oh, we've met all right," Joker replied. "But back to you. Are you the guy that Madarame's Shadow spoke about?"
"You might have the utmost idea."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I have indeed met his Shadow, but that doesn't mean we have the same goal. Had I known you had erased his Palace, I would've seen it. You have my word."
"Those are meaningless words," Joker said. "Anyway, I have to insist that you come with me back to reality so I can find out who you really are."
"I can't do that," the black-masked intruder refused. "But if you insist we join forces, I won't argue."
Joker blinked in surprise at that response. "Wait, what!?"
"If left to their own devices, there will be more mental shutdowns than the one you prevented just now. Do you not wish to do so? With that power you've held, these incidents would not be a threat to society."
Joker looked down, not saying another word. Is the black-masked man telling the truth?
"Pity, but I expect as much," The black-masked man said. "I hope you don't regret the choices you made."
And with that, the black-masked stranger vanished without another word.
"He's gone," Joker said as he shook his head and ran back to the others. "What was that all about? What did he want with me, though?"
It seemed hard for Joker to trust someone without knowing how they're connected to all of this. If the blacked-mask man's words were valid, his objective is still unclear.
But that intruder might've been an accomplice when he refused to return with Joker and the others to reality.
A moment later, Joker joined up with the others. He noticed Shadow Kaneshiro in utter defeat, sitting down on a pile of gold coming out of Piggytron.
"Kaneshiro…," Joker said.
"I'm not gonna let anyone have it…," Shadow Kaneshiro said. "This is my money…"
"You stole it all from innocent people!" Queen told him in anger.
Joker calmly asked Shadow Kaneshiro, "Are you gonna call it quits now?"
The others turned to Joker in shock.
"Fine," Shadow Kaneshiro answered as he nodded. "I'll call off the debt..."
"Fine?" Skull repeated, not convinced. "You're still soundin' pretty condescendin'."
"You're right… I'm a poor, ugly…idiot… How am I supposed to live a normal life like this?"
That caught Joker's attention. "A normal life?"
Shadow Kaneshiro nodded. "It's all because of our society! Weak people can't lead a happy life, no matter what they do! I'm a victim too, you know!? Yeah, none of this is my fault!"
Joker looked down sadly as if he somehow memorized those words before, knowing full well what it was like for him back in his hometown…
"The more you talk, the more pathetic you sound," Fox said to Shadow Kaneshiro.
"I just wanted a place where I can belong!" Shadow Kaneshiro cried. "You get that, don't you!?"
"That may be the point," Joker spoke up. "But…you can't just go and victimized other people for something like that. It pains me to admit, but I wholeheartedly understand wanting to get back at society for not letting me lead a normal life before all of this. I can't forgive you for what you did, but I can at least sympathize with wanting a place to belong."
Queen looked at Joker sadly.
"But what you did was bullshit!" Panther said to Shadow Kaneshiro angrily. "All you did was surround yourself with people you could use, solely for some easy money!"
"And you think you're the only one who's gotta deal with bein' labeled?" Skull said to Shadow Kaneshiro. "Me… and all these other guys… We're all fightin' against that!"
Queen joined in as well. "But don't worry. I'm sure you'll finally have a place you belong. Somewhere you can make amends, for the rest of your life."
Skull nodded. "We're going to do something about that distorted heart of yours… Free of charge."
Joker smiled at the others.
"I'm glad you understand," Fox said to Shadow Kaneshiro. "Now hurry up and return to the real Kaneshiro."
Shadow Kaneshiro turned to the Phantoms. "Seriously? You guys don't have any tact. Especially with that kind of power… These Palaces could net you loads of cash! You could do whatever you wanted to people's hearts!"
"We're not like you!" Skull protested.
"You guys are so naïve. Where do you find meaning in that naive sense of justice? But you know, there's already someone out there taking full advantage of what Palaces have to offer..."
Queen was in shock, as did the others. "What?"
"I'll let you in on a little something…," Shadow Kaneshiro said. "There's a criminal who is using other people's Palaces to accomplish whatever they damn well please. They don't care about the consequences. Psychotic breakdowns, mental shutdowns… Anything goes."
"Is that… the same person Madarame's Shadow spoke of?" Fox asked.
"Spill it! Who're you talkin' about!?" Skull demanded.
Shadow Kaneshiro just snickered. "Don't even bother. You are nothing compared to them… Better be careful… A chance encounter with them could prove fatal... Beware of the man in the black mask. He knows this place by the back of his hand. Your powers are nothing but children's toys compared to his."
As Shadow Kaneshiro vanished, the entire Palace began to shake as Joker's eyes grew wide, remembering the black-masked stranger from before. "It can't be… Was that…?"
Fox looked at Joker. "We can think about that later! Grab the Treasure; there's no time!"
"Oh, right!" Joker nodded, snapping himself out of it.
"In that case, we should take the large one…," Queen said as she then noticed Mona being frenzy over the pile of gold. "What's gotten into him!?"
"T-Treasure…," Mona said in awe and excitement. "This is sooooo coooooool! Wowwweee, being human is greatttttt! It's…it's shiny golddd!" Then, he suddenly leaped onto Panther's face.
"Hrgh!? L-Let go of mee!" Panther angrily yelled at Mona as she threw him like a football.
Luckily, Mona transformed into his vehicle form. "You shouldn't throw animals, dammit!"
"Enough, already! Let's get in, everyone! HURRY!"
As the Phantoms got in the Mona car with the gold, Skull spoke up. "All set! Time to hurry!"
Mona growled. "Grr… Fine!"
The Mona car speed out of Kaneshiro's Palace as he suddenly realized something. "Wait, there's no road!"
Everyone screamed as they warped out of Kaneshiro's Palace…
…and landed smack-dab with a thud right in the middle of Shibuya in reality.
"You guys are so careless," Morgana grumbled.
"Owww…," Ann screamed in pain.
"I think I cracked my ass…," Ryuji groaned.
"Ann, are you all right!?" Yusuke asked as he turned to Ann. "Is yours cracked as well?"
"Of course not!" Ann yelled in anger.
"Isn't it supposed to be, though?" Makoto asked.
"Urgh, that's not what I mean!" Ann groaned. "More importantly, it's dangerous for us to just charge out like that!" She then panicked as she noticed people staring at her and the others. "Ack! Everyone's staring at us!"
"Thank goodness nobody was hurt," Makoto said.
"Uhhh, I wouldn't say nobody…," Ryuji replied as he and the others turned to Morgana in his cat form…with a golden briefcase under him.
"That briefcase…" Ryuji noticed.
"It appears to have been the cause of Morgana's demise…," Yusuke said.
"That's not what I meant! Isn't that Kaneshiro's…"
"You mean his Treasure!?"
"Hey, the light's red!" Akira said, noticing the traffic lights.
As they made it to the sidewalk, Makoto began to ask, "Where should we open it?"
"How about at the karaoke bar?" Ann suggested.
"We'd have security cameras to worry about there."
"Oh, I got the perfect place," Ryuji said as he turned to Akira with a sly smile, as did the others.
"That's right!" Ann nodded in agreement.
"What!?" Akira exclaimed, knowing exactly where Ryuji and Ann were referring to.
"I was just in the mood for some coffee, too," Yusuke said.
"And we need to fix Morgana up!" Ann added as she looked down at Morgana.
"So…warm…," Morgana said weakly.
Moments later, the group was at Akira's attic room above Café Leblanc.
"This place is oddly calming," Makoto looked around Akira's room as she then turned to the others. "Have you learned anything new?"
"A rotary lock seals it," Yusuke replied. "We'll need the combination to open it."
"A rotary lock, hm?" Makoto pondered as she managed to open the case. "…I knew it."
"How did you get that?" Yusuke asked.
"I memorized the combination," Makoto answered. "I saw Kaneshiro open and close it so many times, after all."
"W-Well, that's… scary," Ryuji said. "But amazin' too!"
"Urghhh, that burns!" Morgana screamed from Ann's medical treatment as he turned to the others and the briefcase. "Hey, hurry up and open it."
The briefcase opened, revealing stacks of cash as everyone gasped in awe.
"How much is this!?" Ryuji asked in excitement.
"I believe one stack is one million yen…," Yusuke answered.
"One, two, three…," Ann counted. "Uhh, there's thirty of them in here!?"
"Thirty million yen…," Makoto said. "Even after splitting it, we still each get five million!"
Ryuji couldn't contain his excitement. "Holy shit… It's going to be a deluxe pork soup combo for me from here on out!"
"You have to think more significant than that...," Morgana scolded Ryuji.
But Yusuke noticed something odd about the money. "Not to bring down the excited mood…but does this money look real to you?"
"What!?" Ann looked at the money closely, and to her's and everyone's surprise, it was actually…
"Children's Bank!?" Ann cried.
Ryuji's jaw dropped. "F-For real!?"
Makoto looked on as well. "I guess this represents…how everything he did was all an act to make himself seem tough?"
"Nooooooooo!" Ryuji yelled in despair.
Akira looked at Ryuji. "What, were you expecting real money in that case?"
"Like you can talk!" Ryuji snapped.
"Well, there's no doubt that this fake money has affected Kaneshiro's personality quite a lot. His entire Palace disappeared, after all."
Ann reassured the others. "Well, hey, at least it feels like we totes busted this case, right?"
"What do you mean?" Makoto asked. "Is busting a case good or bad?"
"Both!"
Makoto started to chuckle, then she laughed. "Ahahahaha! To think the reward for the Phantom Thieves is the feeling that they 'totes busted' the case… Ahhh… How funny!"
"Hold on a second," Yusuke said. "Even though the contents were nothing more than trash, the case itself is quite nice."
"All right then, let's sell it!" Ryuji said. "Glad we got that sorted!"
Yusuke turned to Morgana. "By the way, Morgana, have any of your memories returned?"
"No, not at all…" Morgana answered.
"C'mon, did that hit to your head made you forget even more?" Ryuji asked.
"It's easy for you to talk. You're not the one who lost your memories."
"You have amnesia?" Makoto asked Morgana in surprise.
"Something like that," Ann replied. "He does remember searching for Treasures, though."
"Well, I hope your memories return soon then," Makoto said to Morgana as she then turned to a resting Akira. "Are you feeling okay, Akira-kun?"
"I'm fine," Akira answered as he sighed. "It's just… What a crazy day. We just took Kaneshiro's Treasure, and not a speck of Morgana's memories are coming back… I don't need this headache… Not only the police, a high school detective, and a prosecutor are getting involved in our Phantom Thieves business, but now there's another Metaverse user besides us. What are we supposed to do…?"
The others shared reluctant looks, knowing that there are still a lot of unanswered questions.
Makoto walked up to Akira as she sat down with him. "It's okay. There's no need to get worked up, Akira-kun. Things may look a bit rough for now, but everything will blow over."
"You're a real glass-half-full gal. I'm just glad you got confidence," Akira replied. "Nothing's been going right. I mean, you've been pulled into our mess, too…"
"Ah-ah-ah! I'm just here because you want to be with me, right?" Makoto said to Akira. "I've indeed been trying too hard to do everything on my own, but after what happened today, I'm glad you're all with me. Especially you, Akira-kun!"
That made Akira smiled as his face nearly turned blushing red.
"So… what happens next?" Makoto asked the others.
"First, we wait for Kaneshiro to have his change of heart," Morgana answered.
"It's gonna be big this time," Ryuji said. "People are gonna make a huge deal out of it, for sure."
"Hey," Ann spoke up. "You know what Kaneshiro said at the end there? About that criminal using the Metaverse…"
"Yes, I was bothered by that as well," Yusuke replied.
"No point mullin' over it now," Ryuji said. "Let's wait and see how Kaneshiro's change of heart goes first. We should probably just lay low for a while."
"I never thought I'd hear those words coming from you," Makoto said.
"We did all we can, right?"
"All we need to do is await the results," Yusuke said.
"I wonder what's gonna happen when Kaneshiro has a change of heart," Ann replied. "Do you think he'll turn himself in?"
"That seems likely," Makoto replied. "I hope he spills everything to the police…"
"Well, there are still a few lingering worries," Yusuke said. "But I believe we did well."
"We did," Akira said with a nodding smile.
"Right? We were going up against a real criminal, after all," Ann smiled.
"Yes," Yusuke agreed. "We managed to steal the heart of a notable lawbreaker."
"I can't wait to see Akechi's face when he hears the news!" Ryuji said with a grin.
"Honestly, I just hope that people who see it get some courage from the news," Ann said.
Just then, Makoto pondered. "There's still one thing that worries me, though."
"You mean how someone's using the Metaverse for evil?" Yusuke guessed.
"It would be seriously unforgivable if someone were really doing that…," Ann said.
"We can think about that later. For now, let's just wait for Kaneshiro's change of heart."
"Very well. Nicely done, everyone!" Makoto smiled.
"We did great today, though!" Morgana said. "Public opinion of us should skyrocket after this!"
The others nodded as they disbanded for the day and went home for the evening.
Meanwhile, the SIU Director had a tough phone call with someone. "About my request… How long is it going to take? This incident happened at the school you're supposed to be presiding over…"
Just then, a male public prosecutor knocked on the door. "Excuse me, sir? We need to speak with you at once regarding the phishing organization operating out of Shibuya…"
"I'll be right out," the SIU Director called out as he returned to his phone call. "...Fine. I hope you remember who gave you that position to begin with. Our other operative gave us a list of candidates without delay. How different from a certain someone…"
The SIU Director calm himself down as he finished his talk with Shujin's principal. "...Yes, of course. Please continue your investigation."
That evening at the attic above Leblanc, Akira was getting ready for bed as Morgana hopped in, joining him.
"That Kaneshiro truly was an evil stain of society," Morgana spoke first. "Same goes with Kamoshida and Madarame, too. They hurt and exploited others just to satisfy their desires…" He then turned to Akira. "Still, there were people around them who noticed their terrible deeds, weren't there? I wonder why they turned a blind eye… Why doesn't anyone help?"
"They can't," Akira answered. "They probably want to, but maybe they're scared."
"And yet they don't have the courage? Humans are so weak. Humans…" Morgana turned to Akira. "Hey, do you think I'll really be able to become a human?"
"Why do you ask?" Akira asked.
"When I touched the Treasure, some memories came back. I tried to force myself to forget, but… I really may not be human..."
Akira assured Morgana. "Just be confident already. I bet you've trained enough, hoping to someday score with Ann. …I think."
"You think?" Morgana repeated. "Who do you think you're talking to? Now that I think about it, I gotta be human. I am the core of the Phantom Thieves, after all!"
Akira nodded, feeling like his bond with Morgana is growing deeper.
Morgana yawned. "Come on. It's not good for you to stay up this late. Let's go to sleep."
As Akira soon drifted asleep, he was summoned to the Velvet Room once again as he woke up to see Igor and the twin wardens.
"Our master wishes to speak with you!" Caroline told Akira. "Heed his words!"
"You've defeated the repulsive fiend of gluttony this time," Igor said to Akira as he chuckled. "Well done. I am glad to see you have devoted yourself to your rehabilitation."
"Thank you," Akira said.
"You're not worthy of such kind words, Inmate," Justine said. "I suggest you treasure them."
Igor continued looking at Akira. "Do you recall the whispers about that strange man?"
"About the other Metaverse user?" Akira guessed.
"Even a chicken could remember something that important!" Caroline retorted. "Don't sound so cocky about it!"
"This is about the cases of those people who shut down, is it not?" Justine asked.
"Indeed…," Igor nodded. "I speak of another with powers similar to yours. If you are to complete your rehabilitation, you may encounter him eventually…" He then chuckled a bit. "Yet another thing for me to look forward to. I shall grant you an ability befitting of your newfound growth. Consider it a gift."
Akira feels his bond with Igor growing more resonant as a spark of energy burst within him.
"It would be immensely troubling if you were not to strengthen your capabilities," Igor said his final words.
"It's time, Inmate!" Caroline said.
"Return to your world," Justine said.
6/28 – Tuesday
Earlier the following day, Akira woke up when his phone rang as he answered it.
"Hello? It's me, Makoto…," Makoto answered on the phone. "Were you sleeping?"
"Oh no, it's fine. I was still asleep," Akira yawned. "What is it?"
"I assume it's OK if you're able to make such jokes. There's something I feel I should let you know. Kaneshiro contacted me."
"Kaneshiro!?" Morgana repeated as his eyes grew wide in surprise.
"He said he's calling off our debt. It seems he's disposed of all the photographs as well. And, um… My sister and her team have taken him into custody."
"Wait, what!?" Akira and Morgana exclaimed in unison.
"It appears they did not want him to disappear, if you know what I mean."
"His group was called a mafia, after all…," Morgana replied. "I wouldn't put silencing him past them."
"Does this mean we were successful in changing his heart?"
"It's hard to say for sure yet," Morgana said.
"You worry too much, Niijima-kun," Akira assured Makoto. "Of course, we were successful.
"I see…," Makoto nodded. "What about those psychotic breakdowns that Kaneshiro mentioned?"
"I'm not sure…," Morgana answered. "But I assume he was talking about the incidents that have been all over the news lately. It really may be related to the other person who has been entering Palaces…"
"True. That said, all we can do now is wait until Kaneshiro's change of heart becomes clear to us. Thank you."
The following day after school, Akira got a call from Makoto once again.
"Hey, Akira-kun," Makoto greeted on the phone. "I think you may know already, but Principal Kobayakawa has ordered me to look for the culprits."
"Culprits?" Akira repeated. "Is he on to us?"
"We seem to be fine for now, but we can't let our guard down. All we can do now is wait until our time limit… I ask that you try not to stand out for a while. By the way, I usually spend my time in the student council room. If there's ever an emergency, feel free to come to find me."
"Sure," Akira nodded. "By the way, are you free by then? I want to make up for our…rough start. I can lend a hand, too."
"Thanks," Makoto nodded. "Let's meet in the courtyard."
A moment later, Akira and Makoto walked over to the courtyard near the vending machines.
"I'd like to talk to you about something," Makoto said. "Do you have a moment?"
"Sure," Akira answered as he nodded.
Makoto took a deep breath. "Up until now, I've been the quintessential honor student. I believe I've been handling my position as student council president with ease as well. And I don't mean that in a boasting way. That's simply how I've thought about it. But in the end, I was unable to make any kind of impact with either Suzui-san or Kaneshiro. It turns out there's no use for a rule-abiding honor student when things get rough."
"Makoto…," Akira looked at her sadly. "You seemed a little conflicted with yourself. You're worried about disobeying orders from the adults. This may be tough stuff but look at it this way. This is all part of having a rebellious will inside of us, going against hardships and stuff. Does your sister deserve it yet, though?"
"No, not really," Makoto answered as she shook her head.
"Would this blow her mind when she finds out? Who knows? But you just gotta do it."
"You're right," Makoto nodded. "Now that I'm a team member, I want to do everything I can to help you all. All my studying up to this point has kept me quite narrow-minded. I think… I-I will need to broaden my horizons somewhat."
"Way to go, advisor!"
"Advisor…? Hmph, all right."
"So, what do you plan on doing?" Akira asked.
"My first step will be to learn more about other students," Makoto suggested. "But… I struggle with that. There seems to be a disparity between my tastes and those of my peers…"
"That's not true," Akira replied.
"Really? I hope you're right… But I don't even know where people like to go for fun… It would be nice to have a grasp of such concepts. Plus, the student council must be responsible for understanding the student body they serve, right?"
"Of course," Akira nodded.
"I-I don't mean that in a surveillance way. I just want to know them as people. I may be a phantom thief, but that's no excuse for me to start ignoring my presidential duties. Now, back to the topic at hand… Where do people usually go for fun?"
"Well, how about the arcade?" Akira suggested.
"I often hear people talking about going to the arcade," Makoto said. "To be perfectly honest, I've never been to one myself… Do you think you could take me? I'm not sure if it'll broaden my horizons per se, but simply studying won't get me anywhere."
"Of course. Let's go now," Akira smiled. "It'll be like…a field trip."
"Thank goodness… I think I would've been lost in there had I gone by myself. Well, let's get going."
A while later, Akira escorted Makoto to the Shibuya Arcade.
"So, this is where everyone comes to enjoy themselves," Makoto said, looking around. "There are more girls here than I expected." She then noticed one game in particular – with guns. "Hey, over there…"
Akira looked at the game as well. "You mean that one?"
"You play by aiming the gun at the screen, right? That seems somewhat realistic."
"Want to try it?" Akira asked, encouraging Makoto. "You can do it. It'll be an experience."
"I-If it's okay with you… Do you think you could teach me?"
Akira nodded. "Sure."
The two grabbed the guns and started playing the game as Makoto shot one of the enemies on the game's screen.
"I did it!" Makoto exclaimed as her loud play caught quite a bit of attention, but her smile faded as she was engrossed in the game. "Huh!? No way! Ahhh!"
After the two finished the game, Makoto smiled. "Oh, so this is how it is."
"Well, what did you think?" Akira asked. "You were really into it… You're a real gamer."
"Of course, that was just a game, but… I wonder if I could apply some of the techniques I learned here during the battle."
"You're so sharp. That might just work."
"Perhaps going somewhere I don't normally frequent is what helped me come up with that idea," Makoto pondered. "You know, it may only be a little bit… But I think I'm starting to understand how people pass the time. Interesting. I would've never even thought about coming here before."
"You really stood out," Akira said. "That was a new side of you."
Makoto looked surprised by that response, but then an idea hit her. "Hey, do you think you could help me out again later? I might be able to give the team more ideas if I can gain increased knowledge outside of my studies."
"I look forward to it."
"I need to live up to your expectations now that I've taken up your time," Makoto said. "Perhaps it won't be immediately… but I'm sure I can be of use."
Akira, sensing a firm resolve from Makoto, nodded.
I am thou, thou art I... Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Priestess Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...
"The Priestess…," Akira muttered as a hovering card of the Priestess Arcana flowed through an unnoticed Makoto. "It represents intuition and subconscious, but also about knowledge…"
"By the way," Makoto began to ask. "You went to that red-light district when you were chasing after Kaneshiro, right?"
Akira nodded. "Yeah, why?"
"I'd like to go there, as well."
"What!?" Akira blinked in surprise.
"To tell you the truth, I got a report that one of our students was spotted there…"
"Seriously?"
"I'm skeptical, but… I would like to confirm firsthand for myself."
"Okay, then," Akira nodded.
"Well, it's getting late. Let's go home," Makoto said as she and Akira left the arcade. "Thanks for setting aside some time for me today. It's always hard for me to come to places like this on my own, so you've been a big help. I've had all kinds of new experiences today…and it's even been a little fun."
"It's a new you," Akira said.
"Was I acting that different than usual? Maybe I got too into it…," Makoto looked surprised. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to keep you. Careful on your way home. I'll call you later."
"Okay, then…," Akira nodded, waving Makoto goodbye.
That evening, Akira and the others were having a phone chat.
"You know, I've been curious…," Ryuji began to ask. "I always wondered what Kosei is like. Is it filled with cute chicks and guys like Yusuke?"
"I imagine there are a lot of 'different people' there," Ann replied.
"Now that you mention it, I have one very interesting classmate," Yusuke said. "She is a female shogi player and seemingly quite the skilled one at that."
"Are you talking about Hifumi Togo?" Makoto asked. "I remember hearing she's a student at Kosei. They say she's the most beautiful shogi player around right now."
"Dude, that sounds too good to be true!" Ryuji said excitedly. "Gimme some more info!"
"I do not know much about her," Yusuke said. "She's not the kind of person to let others close to her."
"It sounds like she only focuses on her shogi pursuits," Makoto said. "After all, it's said she is a lone genius..."
"However, I have heard she is commonly seen at the church over in Kanda."
"For real!? We gotta go!" Ryuji exclaimed.
"You'll probably get struck down by a bolt of lightning if you're going for that ulterior motive," Ann said.
"That ain't it! This is for the Phantom Thieves! I mean, shogi's a kind of battle, right? She's gotta know all sorts of insane strategies and stuff!"
"That is quite the stretch," Yusuke agreed.
"Churches are supposed to be holy," Makoto warned Ryuji. "Don't do this."
"Urgh, you guys are gonna pay for this one day!" Ryuji groaned in anger. "Akira, you go spy on her for me! Find out if she's as cute as they say she is."
Morgana sighed. "Let's ignore that idiot. Anyway, a shogi expert, huh? Striking an enemy with but a moment's inspiration, skillfully strategizing toward victory… Those might be the right tactics to know for our work as the Phantom Thieves."
"That's perfect," Akira nodded.
"They said she's at the church in Kanda, right? We should check it out."
A moment later, Akira visited the historic district of Kanda, filled with famous shrines and churches. There, he found Hifumi Togo, the shogi-playing girl Yusuke mentioned.
"Hifumi-chan?" Akira called out as Hifumi turned to him. "Togo-san?"
"Um…yes? I'm Hifumi Togo…" Hifumi introduced herself.
Akira noticed the game board of shogi. "Playing shogi at a church by yourself?"
"I'm doing some research, so experimenting with new tactics is best to do alone in a place like this church. Well, I suppose that doesn't sound plausible to someone who doesn't play…"
Hifumi Togo seems to take a very tactical approach to play shogi, Akira thought. I feel like I can learn some tactics for the Phantom Thieves from her shogi expertise. I should ask her if she'll teach me...
"Can you teach me some shogi?" Akira asked Hifumi.
"Um, you don't necessarily have to learn from me, you know…," Hifumi said. "There are other options…such as playing online." She turned to Akira. "So…you like shogi?"
"I want to play like you," Akira replied.
"Like me?" Hifumi repeated. "You're a bit strange…but thank you. Just a quick game, then. Twenty seconds per move… If that's all right with you."
"Fine by me," Akira said as the two began to play shogi for quite a while.
Just then, Hifumi slammed the piece down onto the board as she had the upper hand in the game. "Checkmate!"
"What?" Akira was surprised.
"It's checkmate no matter how you look at it. Please concede."
"Concede? I can still keep going."
"To concede is to act of admitting that you've lost, with grace. If you aspire to become a shogi player, I recommend taking your study of the game to heart. Thank you for playing."
"You're welcome," Akira replied.
"Well, then, that will be all for today…," Hifumi said. "If it's all right with you, may I request another match sometime?"
"Another match?" Akira repeated.
"I feel…a gambler's spirit emanating from you. Which is strange since your style of play is that of a complete novice."
"Sorry," Akira apologized. "I'm just a beginner."
"Oh no, I-I'm sorry… However, I'll instruct you under one condition…"
"What's that?"
"You become my playing partner so that I can research new moves. Is that agreeable?"
"Sounds good to me," Akira answered.
"Thank you very much…," Hifumi smiled. "Well then, it's a deal. I'll teach you how to play, and you'll assist me with my new moves… I'll see you again if the fates allow it."
I am thou, thou art I... Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Star Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...
"You know," Hifumi started to speak up. "during a match, I tend to get very aggressive. It's as if I assume the role of a queen of a kingdom..."
"That's interesting," Akira replied.
"I-It is?" Hifumi looked at Akira. "...You're a strange one, indeed. My father had me do image training exercises when I was younger to learn the rules… I gradually began to view the shogi board as if it were my own kingdom… I had fun coming up with stories and strategies for my, um, subjects…" She then looked sadly. "However… I've heard that people make fun of me on the internet."
Akira looked at Hifumi in shock. "Wait, seriously?"
"People think I'm weird, or that I'm an otaku, or that I'm just crazy… I mean, I can't blame them… Indeed, I think I'm weird too."
"Don't worry about them," Akira assured her. "Just have confidence in yourself."
"Your positivity is…a welcome relief. I may be able to learn more from our matches than I thought." Hifumi then turned to Akira. "Oh, there's something I wanted to mention… Do you read weekly magazines?"
"Why?" Akira asked.
"Um, well, I'm doing a photoshoot for one..."
"But you don't want to, right?"
"You're quite respective… I thought you'd be surprised if you saw it on the newsstand, so I wanted to let you know beforehand. In all honesty, I'm very reluctant to do it… But maybe if I can draw more attention to shogi, the sport will become more popular… At least, that's how I'm justifying it to myself…"
"I see…," Akira nodded, feeling like playing shogi with Hifumi helped him with some knowledge as he then got up to leave. "Well, I'll see you later…"
"Until our next match," Hifumi waved Akira goodbye.
6/29 – Wednesday
The next day after school, Akira and Makoto were visiting the red-light district.
"There are so many people here…," Makoto said. "I guess this really is the biggest red-light district. This place was a hotbed for criminals and illegal immigrants before they installed surveillance cameras… I heard there were quite a few brothels as well."
"You're very well informed," Akira replied as he looked at Makoto, impressed.
"Well, I heard a great deal about it from my father…," Makoto said. "This is the first time I've been here myself, though. Regardless, it's become far safer now than it used to be."
"Used to be?" Akira repeated in confusion.
"Of course, the surveillance cameras played a substantial role in that… But it was mainly thanks to the police efforts to clean up the area. Even so, there's no way to eradicate crime. It seems the operations nowadays are only better hidden…"
"I didn't think of that," Akira said. "It might be what I was thinking about."
"Anyway, seeing is believing, yes? Come on, let's have a look around."
At Makoto's request, the two walked through Shinjuku. But countless men tried to start conversations with her, so Akira and Makoto ran off with no turning back.
"…Did we lost him?" Makoto asked Akira.
Akira nodded. "Yeah, I think so."
"That guy was so persistent… He must've been a scout for a hostess club. He mentioned how 'his girls' get paid a lot to wear cute dresses. All I wanted was to ask if any Shujin students worked there, but he dragged me inside with him. If you hadn't been there to rescue me, I…"
"I know, that was dangerous," Akira replied.
"For him, maybe. I thought I would have to knock him out…I'm glad nobody had to get hurt, though. Hm, I guess that's how they do it… I've learned something new today." She then turned to Akira. "Oh, and thanks again. It seems you have a knack for helping me out. I hope I can do the same for you someday."
"Glad to hear that," Akira nodded, feeling a quiet motivation from Makoto.
"That aside… Even though this is a shopping district, there are absolutely no students around here. And no Shujin students… though I guess they wouldn't come in uniform either way. Well then..."
"Wait," Akira halted as he suddenly feels unease when something – or rather, someone – caught his attention when he spotted someone. "I wouldn't say that… What about that one?"
"Hm?" Makoto turned to see who Akira was pointing to. To her surprise, one female Shujin student, in particular, walked by – one she had recognized. "That was… I used to be in the same class as her! But why is she here…?"
"I think that's why…," Akira said as he looked up at the sign, as did Makoto.
"'The After School Salon?'" Makoto read the sign aloud.
"What kind of place is that? Why's it called a salon?"
"I'm not sure…but it seems suspicious," Makoto said. "I'll have to ask her for it. I'd like you to be there, too, as my witness. Would that be okay?"
Akira nodded. "I will, for your sake."
"Well, we've spent quite a bit of time here. Let's head back."
"Right."
"Hey, um… I wanted to thank you again for tagging along today. I guess nothing beats practical experience."
"I couldn't agree more."
"Honestly, I've realized I can't solve these problems on my own. It took what happened today to make that clear. It'd be great if you can help me with that Shujin student we saw there sometime. For now, see you later."
That evening, Akira visited Shinjuku to see Chihaya.
Chihaya noticed Akira. "Oh, you're Kurusu-san…from the other day, right?"
"Yep," Akira nodded.
"I remember you…You had a very abnormal destiny, as I recall. Please take a seat."
As Akira took a seat, he said to Chihaya, "I'm here for that Holy Stone."
"You want to purchase one, huh? Just for 100,000 yen, you can change your fate."
"I'll buy one, just in case."
"Thank you very much," Chihaya smiled as she gives Akira one Holy Stone. "It's already charged with a happiness aura, so you'll feel the effects right away. Don't forget to recharge it with moonlight every three days. Please stop by and let me know how your fate changed. Goodbye…"
"Bye…," Akira waved goodbye to Chihaya as he headed back home to Leblanc.
As Akira and Morgana returned to Leblanc, Morgana couldn't help but feel fascinated. "Last time we went to that fortune teller, the chief won the lottery… I wonder what kind of luck we'll have this time around. It should be awesome, right?"
"Don't lose yourself over this," Akira told Morgana.
"We paid a hundred thousand yen for this Holy—" Morgana paused for a moment as he noticed something odd. "…Wait a minute, Akira. I have a bad feeling about this."
"What do you mean?" Akira asked.
Before Morgana can answer, the Holy Stone suddenly slipped and shattered.
"Th-The stone shattered!" Morgana screamed, but then he started to examine the stone as he…tasted it. "Huh? This tastes…salty!"
"Salty?" Akira repeated as he looked at it as well.
"Hey, the Holy Stone is just salt!"
"…Akira?" A voice appeared as Akira turned to see Sojiro. "What's going on?"
"I'm just a bit salty…," Akira replied.
"You're salty?" Sojiro asked in confusion. "That reminds me, I was just about to head out and grab some salt for the shop. I'll be back in a bit."
As Sojiro left Leblanc, Morgana started to ponder. "I think this is technically some rock salt. I've seen the chief grinding some up before. Wait, in that case…maybe the Holy Stone is supposed to help you get better at cooking!"
"I don't think that's right," Akira replied as he shook his head.
"B-But if that's not it, then what's it for? H-hold on a second, the Holy Stone was supposed to change your future, not improve your cooking skills!"
"I thought so, too."
"So, that Holy Stone was really just a Phony Stone in the end!" Morgana said. "That fortune teller's name was Chihaya, right? She has some kind of mystical power…but this is just unacceptable. We need to go a complaint to her!"
"Right," Akira nodded as he suddenly yawned. "But for now, let's just go back to bed and sleep. We'll ask about the Holy Stone later."
"Right behind you," Morgana agreed as they went to bed for the night.
6/30 – Thursday
The next day after school, Akira was with Makoto in the student council room. They called in the student they saw at the red-light district the other day, the one Makoto identified as Eiko Takao, a third-year.
"Eiko Takao-san," Makoto spoke to her. "You've been spending time in the red-light district lately, haven't you? Both myself and Kurusu-kun here saw you there. Based on where you were heading, we assume you're working at a store called the After School Salon. How is it, working there?"
"Whaddya mean? It's just a regular café," Eiko replied. "They make me wear a costume and stuff, but that's it. Oh, and I don't have to do anything weird if you know what I mean. It's all totally legal."
"Legal, huh?" Akira repeated.
"Hm. So you're sure nothing strange is going on?" Makoto asked.
"Yup, yup," Eiko answered. "The worst I get is some weird old guys gawking at me."
"I see… Beyond that, though, why are you working there? ...How's your financial situation?"
"Uh, fine? I mean, I can just ask my parents for cash whenever I want."
"O-Oh, I see..." Makoto slowly nodded.
"But they'd totally bug me about what I'm buying if I did that," Eiko continued. "That's why I work at the salon. I got some good spending money, plus the guys who come in there like, mega pamper me."
"Mega…pamper?" Makoto repeated.
"It's nice having people treat you like you're special, you know?" Eiko said. "I'm sure a super honor student like you gets that all the time, though." She then looked at Akira and Makoto straight. "Anyways… are you going to tell on me? You even brought a witness today…"
Suddenly, Eiko's eyes grew wide in surprise. "Hold up, doesn't that mean you were in Shinjuku together? What's up with that, Miss Prez?"
"You have the wrong idea," Akira said nervously.
"Right," Makoto nodded as she looked at Akira. "It was nothing more than an errand I asked him to accompany me on. At any rate, don't mind him." Then, she turned to Eiko. "As for you… I don't plan on telling anyone."
"Ohhh, I get it! So we're like, protecting each other's secrets?" Eiko said. "Oh crap, and I just realized your boyfriend's that rumored criminal… You're a real badass, Miss Prez!"
"I told you, that's not how it is!" Makoto protested.
"And I'm not a criminal," Akira muttered, feeling like he didn't let it get to him.
"I was just worried you were getting wrapped up in some shady business, so I asked Akira-kun here for support."
"Whatever," Eiko sighed as she then looked at Makoto's pencil case. "By the way, I was wondering… Is that a Buchimaru-kun pencil case?"
"You know Buchimaru-kun?" Makoto asked in surprise.
"I had like, tons of Buchimaru stuff back when I was a kid. What a blast from the past! Why's it so beat up!?"
"Well, it was given to me when I was still in elementary school…," Makoto answered. "I'd like to buy a new one, but they've stopped selling Buchimaru-kun merchandise."
"OMG, this is too hilarious! The student council president has an adorable pencil case? My image of you has done like, a complete 360 today."
"Um… isn't that a full circle?"
"Mmm, I dunno. I'm just really surprised. You don't really look like the kind of person who'd be into that stuff. I mean, I always thought you were kind of like a robot, but I guess I just had to get to know you better. Hey, why don't we trade phone numbers!?"
"O-Oh, um…okay," Makoto said as she pulled out her phone.
"I really wanna talk to you more about Buchimaru-kun… and your boyfriend."
"What!?" Akira blinked in surprise, realizing that Eiko was referring to him.
"Wait, he's not my boyfriend…," Makoto told Eiko.
"Aaand saved!" Eiko said as she then looked at the time on her phone. "Oh crap, it's this late already?" She then looked at Makoto. "I've gotta get to work. I'll send you tons of pics of my Buchimaru-kun collection later, though. Bye-bye!"
As Eiko left the student council room, Makoto sighed. "She was all over the place… Honestly, though, I'm in shock. She thought I was a robot..."
"Don't let it get to you," Akira said. "You can change."
"I won't," Makoto nodded. "I'm aware of how one called perceive me that way. That's why you're helping me."
Makoto looked down, reminiscing. "You know, I believe what Takao-san said about me is how others think as well. I thought I had changed after the incident with Kaneshiro, but perhaps it wasn't enough… That aside, it was almost inspiring to meet someone so distinct from myself. I'm going to try to look at things a little differently from now on. And, well… I think that will help me break out of my shell." She then looked at Akira. "I hope you're ready. I'm going to show you how useful an honor student can be."
Akira, sensing a quiet resolve from Makoto, nodded. "I'm sure you will."
"I'll be interested in speaking with Takao-san some more now that I have her contact info. Perhaps I can correct her misconceptions about you… Thanks for sitting in with me today. It really did help."
"It was nothing."
After school, Akira visited Shinjuku to ask Chihaya about the fake Holy Stone.
"Excuse me," Akira called out. "I want to have a word about my Holy Stone."
"You do!?" Chihaya asked in surprise.
"It's a fake, isn't it?"
"If you keep making false accusations like that, the divine power will rain punishment down upon you!"
"Sorry, but fate is not absolute," Akira said with crossed arms as he sat down.
"What are you, a scam artist? You must've taken some sort of extreme measures!"
"I'm just an ordinary student. I'm not capable of that stuff."
"Well…you certainly do seem ordinary," Chihaya said as she looked at Akira, intrigued. "Yes, quite ordinary indeed." She then looked at the tarot cards on the table. "But there's no way that things could've happened…without you breaking the law. I mean, how could an ordinary high school student change the course of fate?"
Chihaya looked back at Akira. "Fine…I'm just going to have to verify your power – the very power that reversed my tarot card prediction."
"What!? Really!?"
"It's quite a difficult situation for a fortune teller like me, which is why I need to get to the bottom of things. You won't have to do anything. Just sit next to me while I tell fortunes. And if another fate happens to appear, then I'll test your power."
"So, I got nothing out of this," Akira said.
"Well… that may be true," Chihaya replied. "I'll read your fortune! I'll even prioritize your readings over my customers. Besides, I'll be able to provide more predictions once I get to know you better! How does that sound? Is it a deal?"
"All right," Akira nodded. "I suppose you do seem useful."
"You will? Okay, then, I look forward to verifying your 'skills!'"
I am thou, thou art I... Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the birth of the Fortune Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power...
7/1 – Friday
After school, Akira visited Makoto once again. He sees her looking a bit troubled lately, so the two talked more inside the student council room.
"So, my class had a practice entrance exam…," Makoto began. "And my score was significantly lower than last time. I'm concerned…"
"That's not like you," Akira sadly replied. "Is all that Phantom Thieves work distracting you? I'm sure you did better than me."
"I couldn't agree more…," Makoto said, looking down. "The truth is I've started questioning the entire point of my education. What do I stand to gain from getting good grades and living up to my sister's high expectations for me? I spoke to Eiko about this matter as well, but the answer hasn't become any clearer..."
"Eiko?"
"We've been calling each other every so often since we exchanged contact information," Makoto continued. "Because of those calls, we've grown somewhat close. When I voiced my concerns to Eiko, she asked me how to benefit from going to a top university."
"A top university?" Akira repeated.
"But… I couldn't come up with the right answer," Makoto replied. "Eiko's grades are… not the best for her, but she claims she doesn't even think about that stuff. Apparently, her parents can use their connections to find her a job…"
"Is that so?" Akira listened even more.
"But isn't that a little irresponsible? It's nice she can rely on her parents, but this is her life, not theirs. ...I guess that's just a different way of approaching things. Even at that, her vision of the future is still more straightforward than mine."
"What do you mean? Don't you have goals? What about college?"
"…I used to think about doing what others expected of me was the best way forward," Makoto replied. "I was going to major in law, just like my sister did. And after that, I would simply have headed down whatever path society had made for me..."
"Makoto…" Akira muttered as he felt terrible.
But Makoto stood up from her seat as she looked at Akira. "But everything changed when I joined you and the Phantom Thieves. I've realized now that there are more important things in life than being a prim and proper honor student. Honestly, I would have looked down on Eiko's line of thinking in the past… but I know better now."
Suddenly, Makoto's phone rang as she pulled it out to check. "Eiko must've known I was talking about her. Lately, she's been telling me whenever she buys makeup or finds a cute new outfit. That reminds me; she asked me the other day what hand cream I use. I sent her a picture… and it's the same brand they use in the nurse's office at school."
"That's adorable," Akira answered, but he noticed Makoto staring at him, blushing.
"I-I'm not sure about it," Makoto said. "It works wonders for dry skin, and it's valued, too. My father uses it all the time."
"Your father?" Akira repeated.
"...Did I ever tell you he was a police officer? He detested the corruption in our society and worked tirelessly to bring it to justice… But despite the rough exterior, he was too gentle deep down. When I was little, I told him I wanted to grow up to be a police officer, just like he was. He was glad to hear me say that but quick to point out that he didn't want me doing something so dangerous. I had utterly forgotten that dream, to be honest..."
Akira blinked in surprise. "Whoah… I had no idea. I mean, it is a great goal."
"I suppose…," Makoto nodded. "Either way, after everything that happened, I have no intention of working with the police. Besides, they're trying to stop the Phantom Thieves. What am I supposed to do, arrest myself?"
"O-Of course not!" Akira answered.
"I think I need to reexamine what my goals for the future are, outside of just direct studying," Makoto said as she looked at Akira. "You know, it feels like I remembered something important today, thanks to you. I guess you could say my viewpoint has been broadened yet again."
"Really? Thanks," Akira replied, feeling a quiet resolve from Makoto once more.
"When I met Eiko, I realized how narrow my viewpoint really was. I only recently learned that a chemise is now called a camisole, and a button-down sweater is a cardigan... Why does the same thing have to have multiple names? I guess in the end, I'm just becoming more aware of how little I know. So… please, help me keep fighting back against that ignorance."
Akira nodded. "Oh, I will."
"Thank you again for today. See you later."
That evening, Akira went to see Ohya at the Crossroads bar in Shinjuku.
"The authorities are working the Kaneshiro case," Ohya said. "But I guess that doesn't have anything to do with you… Have you heard any good gossip?"
"I might," Akira answered.
"For real? From the look of it, you must have useful info, huh? Give me the details about the Kamoshida incident."
"Well…," Akira began telling Ohya everything that transpires about the Kamoshida incident.
"I see…," Ohya nodded. "So the calling card they used for Kamoshida was different… Now that's a scoop. That kind of information usually doesn't see the light of day. ...You have any photos or videos of it?"
"Mishima might," Akira answered.
"Nice! You have great connections," Ohya said, smiling. "But seriously, the 'Phantom Thieves of Hearts?' They sound like kids on a playground, not valiant fighters for society… I mean, they act all high and mighty, but I'm not sure they're really worth very much in the end."
"What about their justice?" Akira asked.
"You think they're virtuous? There's no clearer sign of deception in my work line than goodwill, like a charitable organization's shady actions or the essential criteria of a peace prize. The same goes for the Phantom Thieves. You just have to learn to take some things with a grain of salt." Ohya then looked at Akira. "Anyway, why are you coming to a bar if you can't even drink alcohol?"
"It's for an article," Akira answered.
"Haha, that's right!" Ohya smiled. "You're a true believer in the Phantom Thieves. Well, at least now I know you're going to be pretty useful. I'm not all interested in the Phantom Thieves myself, but keep the info coming, all right?"
"All right," Akira replied, feeling his bond with Ohya growing more profound. He got her to pique her interest with stories of the Phantom Thieves with charm.
7/2 – Saturday
The next day, Akira met up with Makoto in the courtyard after school.
"There's something I'd like to speak to you about regarding Eiko," Makoto said.
"What is it?" Akira asked.
"Eiko has started dating a host from a club near her work," Makoto replied. "I guess he, um... hit on her one day after shift, and that was that. Since then, he's the only thing she'll about. She even sent me a picture of their date at Destinyland."
"Hate to say it, but this 'host' sounds suspicious," Akira said.
"...You think so as well?" Makoto asked. "For now, it seems he hasn't forced Eiko to spend any money at his club, but I'm still nervous... Beyond that, he calls her his 'Princess' and constantly tells her how special she is. It makes me sick to my stomach. But Eiko refuses to listen to me. She said the idea that all hosts are bad people is outdated..."
"Outdated!?" Akira repeated with concern.
"She even said she was shocked to be getting advice from someone who would 'totally flunk a test about love,'" Makoto replied. "Tests about love aren't a thing, though... and even if they were, I most certainly wouldn't flunk them!"
"Tests of love!?" Akira repeated.
"S-Sorry about that," Makoto apologized. "I'm probably just being biased towards him. I mean, I don't have any proof that he's untrustworthy... But that's why I want to meet him and find out for myself what kind of person he really is. And... if it's not too much to ask, I'd like you to accompany me on this excursion as well."
"Okay, then," Akira nodded, agreeing to help. "So… How do we do it, though?"
"Um, this time, um... you'll have to play the role of my boyfriend."
"Boyfriend!?" Akira repeated, but he pulls himself together. "I mean, I got this! I was born ready."
"It's honestly, okay? You're so reliable, Akira-kun. I think if I have a boyfriend, Eiko might be more inclined to listen to me. To tell you the truth... I already made plans with her and her boyfriend for a double date."
"A double date?"
"It's just going to be at a diner. Nothing particularly fancy, I promise," Makoto reassured Akira. "But... Thank you! You're a tremendous help. I'm so glad you agreed to this. I don't know who else I'd have asked if you had said no…"
Akira, sensing Makoto's trust in him, suddenly feels like she depended on him.
"Eiko… I hope she's not getting herself wrapped in anything dangerous," Makoto muttered. "But just in case, I'll try looking for some info on that host. Well, see you later."
As Akira left for home, Makoto muttered to herself with a smile, "I know he would say that..."
7/3 – Sunday
The next day, Akira and Makoto had gone on a double date with Eiko and her host boyfriend, Tsukasa.
"I heard all about you two from Eiko," Tsukasa said to Akira and Makoto. "I heard you're the student council prez, Makoto-chan. I totally wish I could be one of your council members."
"Y-Yes, I am...," Makoto answered. "Totally…"
Tsukasa then turned to Akira. "And Glasses-kun over here is your boyfriend, yeah?"
"Y-Yeah..." Makoto answered, looking at Akira.
"Nice to meet you…," Akira said to Tsukasa as he feels unease with a thought. So, this is Eiko's boyfriend!? I know Makoto said he was a host, but…he looks like he's about 18 or older, and what is up with that hairdo!?
"Looks like you guys don't get along too well, though," Tsukasa said to Akira and Makoto. "It's like your love level's rock bottom. Are you seriously datin'?"
"We just started to," Akira replied. "I mean, love comes in many forms."
"R-Right!" Makoto nodded in agreement as she plays along. "He doesn't really like it when I get all clingy with him…We've, like, only been dating for a couple of days now! We're so jealous of the love you and Eiko have, though."
"Oh, boy…," Akira groaned, feeling embarrassed, but he knows Makoto is only playing along.
"Ohhh, I get it," Tsukasa said. "You just don't get any affection compared to us."
"Mmmmmm-hm!" Eiko nodded with Tsukasa.
"Hey babe, did you do something special today? I don't remember you lookin' this sexy." Tsukasa said.
"Oh, Tsukasaaa!" Eiko responded.
Makoto remained silent as she then looked at the unamused Akira, knowing that he already can't stand Tsukasa.
"Sorry, I have to use the bathroom," Eiko said as she got up and left the seat.
"Later, lovebird," Tsukasa responded.
Just as Eiko left, Makoto turned to Tsukasa. "There's something I'd like to ask you... Are you serious about pursuing a relationship with Eiko?"
"Aha! I was wonderin' when our honor student was going to show her true colors!" Tsukasa said. "That reminds me, Eiko said you were really pumped about gettin' to know me. Why's that, huh?"
"I just wanted to make sure you're good for her," Makoto replied.
"You really care about your friends!" Tsukasa said. "Good stuff. I always say friends are like super important n' stuff." He then pulled out his cellphone. "Speakin' of which, a friend of my GF is totally a friend of mine. How about you tell me your digits?"
"Huh?" Makoto blinked in surprise.
"What's wrong? Come on, gimme your number."
"I-I, um..." Makoto tried to speak up.
"Don't be pushy," Akira said to Tsukasa as he butted in. "Here, have my number instead. Makoto isn't really—"
"Nobody asked you, Four-Eyes," Tsukasa interrupted, silencing an upset Akira as he turned to Makoto. "Anyways, Eiko already gave me yours, Mako-chan. We good."
"I do have one more question to ask...," Makoto began to ask Tsukasa directly. "You're not going to bring Eiko to your club, are you?"
"What, are you suspectin' me?" Tsukasa said as he started to feel defensive. "I wouldn't dream of it. It's a damn shame people think we hosts are just flirting. But my love for Eiko is pure as snow. Don't twist the story."
"…You really think that?" Akira asked. "You might be lying about it."
Just then, Eiko walked over. "Huh? Is something wrong?"
"Oh, I was just gettin' to know your little friend here, honey," Tsukasa said. "Welp, I should get goin'. I've gotta be at work soon."
"Ah, me too! Byeee!"
A moment later, Akira and Makoto were both left alone.
"I hope he's not tricking her...," Makoto spoke first.
"Yeah," Akira replied. "But that host boyfriend is a certified creep. They must be really crafty when it comes to tricking people."
"But no matter what I might think, I still don't have any proof...," Makoto said. "And above all, Eiko seems really happy. Am I just...getting on the way of their happiness?"
"No, no, don't be like that," Akira tried to assure Makoto. "You're considerate."
Makoto nodded. "I suppose so. I mean, I really am worried about Eiko here… In the end, I know this is just a hunch, but my father always stressed how important it is to trust hunches."
Just then, Makoto's phone rang as she got it out of her pocket to see a notification. "It seems that the host has sent me something already." But then, she looked surprised and shock at the same time. "...What is this supposed to be saying? It's full of emojis."
"What's it say?" Akira asked.
Makoto read the message. "'It's meee, Tsukasa. *heart emoji* I know we just met, but I couldn't wait to call you. I'm so happy to be friends with you, Mako-chan *clapping emoji* *clapping emoji* *hot springs emoji*'."
"What a tramp," Akira said.
"That was barely a coherent sentence, but I'll need to get used to that if I'm going to help Eiko..." Makoto turned to Akira. "By the way, I'm glad you were here with me. I would have really panicked had I been alone..."
"Well, I am super reliable and amazing in a pinch," Akira replied.
"I honestly despise how immature I can sometimes be... But I'm working through that with your help, so... thank you."
"You're welcome," Akira said, sensing Makoto's trust in him once more.
"Anyway, we should get going."
7/4 – Monday
The next day, Akira stepped inside the student council room with a troubling Makoto after school to check up on her.
"Eiko's boyfriend's been sending me a lot of texts recently," Makoto said. "His days and nights are reversed due to work, so he sends me a 'good morning' late at night…"
"Does Eiko know about this?" Akira asked. "You think he likes you?"
"I'm not sure," Makoto answered. "I'd definitely tell Eiko if he asked me on a date… But for now, things are generally pretty normal. Mostly messages like 'how's ur bf' and 'hope u had a gr8 day 2day.'" She then turned to Akira. "...Do you think their relationship could be serious? Was I just biased to think that all he wants from Eiko is her money?"
"He's definitely suspicious," Akira replied.
"I mean, it does sound like a TV show," Makoto said. "A lying host that tricks women into debt then forces them to sell their bodies... But those kinds of things exist in reality as well. Immoral host, human trafficking rings..." She then took a deep breath as she continued. "My father even mentioned to me about gangs of men that look specifically for depressed women in Shinjuku… They take advantage of the loneliness those girls feel to force them into horribly abusive situations... After ensuring the girls are buried in crippling debt, they make them sell their bodies to pay it off."
"So, that's how…" Akira mused.
"There are other ways they force girls into it as well," Makoto said. "Blackmail, illegal immigration... There are countless victims of schemes like that... numerous gangs as well. My father was going after a notorious one in particular when..." She then paused in silence.
"When what…?" Akira asked slowly.
Makoto sat down on the couch as she answered, "In the course of his investigation, he was hit by an errant truck... The impact killed him instantly."
Akira was stunned. "For real?"
"At first, it was an accident...," Makoto continued. "But at the funeral, I overheard my father's supervisor speaking with my sister. He was saying my father had likely been assassinated."
"Assassinated?" Akira repeated in shock.
"They suspected that the gang he was investigating hired the driver..."
"What gang was it? Who was their leader?"
"I don't know," Makoto answered. "The driver died on impact as well... but apparently, they found drugs in his bloodstream. Either way, that gang has been pushed back into the shadows thanks to the Shinjuku cleanup operation... I'm not sure any of that would have happened if not for the incident with my father..."
"He's a real glass-half, noble guy," Akira said with a hint of honesty.
Makoto giggled a bit. "He truly was, wasn't he? I wish I could be a little more like him myself... Instead, I've just been hesitant. That's actually why my sister became a prosecutor, to begin with. She couldn't stand by and watch as evil prevailed over justice... That passion undoubtedly came from our father."
"I…I have no idea," Akira said. "But... what about your mom?"
"Our mother passed away many years back, so when my father was killed, we had to survive on our own. The responsibility... The pressure of that all fell on my sister. Because of that, she can't help but talk down on our father at times... She says death is no different than surrender..." Makoto then pulled herself together. "But... I still look up to him. I was often lonely because of how much time he spent at work..."
"A lot's happened to you," Akira was saddened even more.
"But seeing my father tirelessly pursue one case after the next was nothing short of incredible. That was how my father chose to live his life... Trying to bring justice and order to the world around him."
"It's admirable. I'm…I'm sure your dad's happy…"
Makoto nodded. "Yeah… Come to think of it; there was something my father used to say to me all the time... 'The most important part of your life is how you choose to live it.'" Then she began to ponder as she got lost in her thoughts. "How have I chosen to live...? And more importantly, how do I want to live...?"
"You can figure that out right now," Akira answered.
"Now?" Makoto repeated, then she started to smile. "You're right. I can still change my path by going forward… To be honest, I've been determined to follow the path my sister laid for me. After my father's death, I want to lighten the burden on her as much as I possibly could..."
Suddenly, Makoto's eyes widened with realization. "O-Oh, we were supposed to be talking about Eiko here. Sorry for going so off-topic..."
"It's fine," Akira said.
"You know, I've never actually talked to anyone about my father. It's such a painful memory to look back on... But I feel comfortable discussing it with you. And beyond that, I think I understand my life a bit better now... So... thank you."
"Don't mention it," Akira nodded, sensing a deep bond of trust from Makoto.
Just then, the sudden sound of Makoto's phone came as she picked it up to see a text message. "Oh, it's Eiko... gloating again. 'Maybe I'll like, skip college n just get married 2 Tsukasa instead.' I guess she's choosing how she wants to live too. As long as she's sure she'll be happy…"
"Skip college!?" Akira repeated. "She can't be serious!"
"I hope so…," Makoto said as she got another text message. "'U serious about Kurusu-kun?' 'Wanna have a double wedding?'"
Akira's face became red once more. "D-Double wedding!? Well, I'm game if you are—W-Wait, I mean, refuse her, please!"
Noticing Akira's stammering, Makoto giggled. "Right, we need to make sure she doesn't go and reserve a wedding hall for us. I couldn't even begin to think about marriage at this point in my life." She then put down her phone in her pocket as she turned to Akira. "…By the way, can you keep pretending to be my boyfriend for a bit longer? That's the best method I have of keeping tabs on Eiko and Tsukasa."
"Okay," Akira nodded. "I'll continue to do that as long as it takes to help you."
"Thanks for listening to me today. I don't trust Eiko's boyfriend yet, so…can we keep this up until I can make a call one way or the other?"
"Of course," Akira answered. "It's the role I always hoped for."
"What…!?" Makoto began to blush as she felt embarrassed. "Gosh, stop teasing me. I'm counting on you, okay? Let's see how convincing a boyfriend you can be."
7/5 – Tuesday
The next day, as Kaneshiro's change of heart can go any further, Akira went to see Makoto.
"Akira, Eiko contacted me. She said she wants to talk."
"For real!?" Akira blinked. "What happened?"
"I've held off on giving her a solid response yet…" Makoto explained. "Then, when I try to ask for more details, Eiko simply says she wants to talk about it in person. If it's okay with you, do you think we could go see her together?"
"All right," Akira answered. "Let's go see what she wants."
"Thank you. It'll be incredibly reassuring to have you with me, Akira-kun! Eiko and I will meet at Big Bang Burger. I'll go ahead."
A moment later, Akira and Makoto sat down with Eiko at Big Bang Burger.
"So, what did you want to talk about?" Makoto asked Eiko.
"Well, um…" Eiko began. "I was wondering if you could maybe lend me some cash."
Makoto was surprised. "What!?"
"It's nothing really major, but I need it like, right now... I'll pay you back through, honest! Please!"
"…Does this have to do with Tsukasa?" Makoto asked.
"Mm-hm... He dropped a super expensive bottle of sake at work, so the club's making him pay for it... but he needs help."
"I'm not buying it," Akira shook his head. "This smells like a lie to me."
Makoto nodded in agreement. "...He's lying to you, Eiko. Don't give him any money."
"He's not lying!" Eiko protested. "I know this is all weird about the fact that he's a host, but my Tsukasa's not like that! He's really gentle and honest too... He even calls me 'princess' and says it's 'cause I'm special."
"So, he calls you his special princess..." Makoto deduced as she then turned to Akira. "What do you think, Akira-kun?"
"That's how he ropes you in," Akira said. "He says that to ALL the girls."
"I have to agree," Makoto nodded in agreement. "Every girl who gives him money is his 'princess.' That way, Tsukasa can never get their names mixed up."
"Don't accuse him of that stuff!" Eiko retorted. "You don't have any proof!"
"…You're not wrong about that, but did you ask anyone at his club about the broken bottle?"
"W-Well, um... no...," Eiko answered. "He told me not to talk to them about it, though! He's too proud to have me go crying to his boss. ...Please, Makoto. You're the only person I can trust. All my other friends would rather focus on cram school and entrance exams than take time to help me... And who knows what my parents say if I tried to ask them..."
"…I think you should end your relationship with him," Makoto said to Eiko, not convinced. "If you don't put a stop to this, he might try to drag you into a suspicious line of work…"
"Oh, he already got me a job. It's nothing weird, though. I'm just serving drinks at a bar to help him pay off that broken bottle. He said I'll be number one in no time. Maybe I'll just keep doing it after I graduate high school, though. I mean, it's not like I'm going to go to college."
Makoto tried to stop her. "Eiko! You can't just do what he says! He's trying to deceive you!"
"…A smart person like you totally wouldn't understand what it's like," Eiko replied. "You're just going to go to a good college, work at a fancy company, and then what? At the end of the day, your life's going to be totally boring. I mean, is that seriously how you wanna live?"
"I... I'm not sure yet," Makoto tried to answer. "But be that as it may, you should still stay as far away from him as you can."
"...So you're not going to help? Ugh, forget it. I can make it up if I just let some customers take me out on dates after work."
"Eiko, wait!" Makoto halted her. "I didn't want to tell you this, but Tsukasa has been texting me almost always. Recently he's been asking if my sister and I live alone and that I'd be glad to help us out. Even today, he asked me if I'm still happy with my boyfriend..."
"That's the kind of junk Tsukasa would say to justify what he's doing to you," Akira said.
"Listen to me, Eiko: He's not serious about you."
"Don't gimme that crap!" Eiko snapped at the both of them. "Tsukasa's just so lovely that he'd worry about my friends for me…" Then she paused for a moment as she looked at Makoto. "Wait, you were texting him behind my back? What the hell, Makoto!?"
"It was mostly him texting me," Makoto tried
"Ugh! You have the grades, the looks, a cool boyfriend... and you seriously still want more!? Tsukasa is all I have...! You can't take him from me!"
"That's not what I'm trying to do!"
"Yeah, right. Just keep your hands off! If you stole him away, I would never forgive you, Makoto...!"
As Eiko left in frustration, Makoto muttered to herself, "Tsukasa is all she has...?"
Akira sighed. "That…didn't go well."
Makoto turned to Akira. "You know, I think she's exactly the kind of girls those gangs in Shinjuku are on the lookout for. Lonely, depressed girls who have nowhere to vent their frustrations..."
"Are you serious?" Akira asked. "Hate to think about it, but I thought so too."
"Eiko's family is quite well off. Her multi-talented younger brother seems to be the sole focus of her parent's attention, though. I'm sure that's why she fell for Tsukasa in the first place. He treats her like she's special. But... asking a high schooler for money isn't normal boyfriend behavior. She needs to realize that. You're going to help, right?"
Seeing that Makoto depends on him and sensed a deep bond of trust from her, Akira nodded. "Absolutely. Eiko doesn't deserve him!"
"Thank you," Makoto smiled. "It's reassuring to hear you say that. Eiko's blessed to have both money and a family...yet she's still trying to break from them. She's almost the exact opposite of me."
"An opposite of you…?" Akira repeated.
"...But I guess, in a sense, watching her now is almost like looking back at my past self. I was so blinded by my convictions that I never stopped considering other alternative viewpoints in the world. But... that's not the right way to live. I want to show her that, just like you did for me."
"Of course," Akira answered. "So, what now?"
"I know Eiko wants me to stay out of her business, but I would never forgive myself if I let this come to pass." Makoto then started to ponder. "What is the right way to live...?"
"I'm sure you'll find out about it later," Akira assured Makoto.
"Right," Makoto nodded. "...At any rate, we're going to catch that horrible host. Like you said before, we are going to expose him directly in front of Eiko. I'll let you know once I've thought of how to do it."
7/6 – Wednesday
The next day after school, Akira met up with Makoto at the school gate. The two of them went to the red-light district in the hopes of getting some dirt regarding Tsukasa before they can confront Eiko about him.
"I see stories online about horrible hosts like Tsukasa all the time," Makoto said to Akira. "However, we'll need solid proof of what he's doing if we're going to convince Eiko. I believe some of the promoters around here may know something. As my father always said, 'Finding evidence takes serious legwork.'"
Akira and Makoto started to ask anyone around in Shinjuku anyone about Tsukasa, but no luck. But just then, they went over to an irritated promoter at a book store.
"Do you know Tsukasa?" Akira asked.
"Tsukasa?" The promoter repeated. "That bastard… Are you a friend of his!?"
"No," Akira answered.
"He's using the sake bottle trick…? Let me make it straightforward for you: Get that girl out of there. Tsukasa is known for wrecking lives. He 'breaks a sake bottle,' then ends up selling the girls to pay it back. The same thing happened to one of my friends… Dammit!"
"We have proof now," Makoto said with a smile as she turned to Akira. "…Come on, it's almost time for Eiko's shift to end. Let's wait for her in front of the shop."
"Right," Akira nodded.
A moment later, Akira and Makoto stood by the After School salon entrance when Eiko arrived.
"What do you want?" Eiko asked coldly, not in the mood to see Makoto.
"Eiko…," Makoto began to spoke. "Your 'boyfriend' is infamous around here for tricking girls into debt, then forcing them to sell themselves. Moreover, he's probably doing it in conjunction with a criminal gang. You need to get out of there."
"...You seriously came all the way here to tell me that?" Eiko asked as she groaned in frustration. "Ugh, get out of here, Makoto! I've had enough of your lying bullshit!"
"Don't try and hide it," Akira told Eiko. "We already know, and we have proof."
"Akira-kun's right," Makoto nodded in agreement. "I have testimony from one of the promoters in the area. You're not the first girl Tsukasa has lied to about a 'broken sake bottle.' He doesn't ask for much at first, but the interest piles up. He'll ask you to sell your body for money. Please, reconsider this relationship."
"Shut it!" Eiko snapped. "I already have a date planned with him for today. We're going to stop by his club. So stay out of my way!"
Just then, Tsukasa walked up to Eiko. "Yo! Did I make you wait, babe? I came a little late after assign' your text, but I guess you're already here..." He turned to Akira and Makoto with furious looks on their faces. "Hey, I know these guys. Do you want to hop on over to my club with us? It's going to be a total blast!"
"Nope," Akira answered.
"They were saying some bad stuff about you, honey," Eiko said to Tsukasa. "Like how you get girls into debt and then force 'em to sell themselves…They're lying to me, right?"
Tsukasa looked at Eiko in surprise. "Huh? You believe that crap? Listen to me: Nothing like that's happenin' here. I'd never lie to you, princess."
"It's always 'princess' with you," Makoto said to Tsukasa abruptly. "Why don't you call her by her real name, Tsukasa? Or are there too many princesses in your life to remember?"
Tsukasa stood there in silence.
"Tsukasa?" Eiko looked at him with worry.
Tsukasa laughed nervously. "Hahaha, what're you freakin' out for? You just texted me, remember? I could never forget you, Makoto."
Akira became confused while Eiko gasped.
"I knew it," Makoto spoke up with a straight-out glare. "I'm the one who texted you. 'I'll b 5 mins late 2day, bb.' I even added tons of emojis at the end to make sure it seemed like Eiko."
"That's…impressive," Akira said.
"Admit it, Tsukasa," Makoto continued. "Every girl you get money from is your princess, right? You can't even remember names anymore." She then turned to Eiko. "Don't you see, Eiko? This is who your 'boyfriend' really is!"
"B-But... you tricked him!" Eiko said to Makoto, looking at her in anger. "What would you know about love, huh? Tsukasa's all I have! Just leave me alone, bitch!"
Just then, Makoto went up to Eiko…and slapped her in the face.
"Wha…"
"Wake up!" Makoto told Eiko straight. "You already know the truth. You just don't want to believe it! Stop lying to yourself!"
Eiko remained silent as she looked at Eiko, then she looked away. "B-But…Tsukasa is the only one who cares about me...," she said in tears. "Nobody else asks me about my day or how work is going... Nobody else treats me like I'm special..."
Holding back her tears, Eiko turned to Makoto directly. "A perfect girl who lives up to everyone's exceptions could never know how I feel! Stop trying to feed me your honor student bullshit!"
"…This has nothing to do with being an honor student," Makoto said. "I just can't rest knowing there's such evil in the world! And I damn sure won't keep quiet while my friend has her life ruined." She then turned to Tsukasa. "As for you... apologize to Eiko! And stay away from her from now on!"
"You're really starting to annoy me…," Tsukasa said to Makoto. "Don't think I'll go easy on you 'cause you're a chick. I'm going to teach you a lesson you won't forget."
"I dare you!"
"Get away from her!" Akira said to Tsukasa, standing between him and Makoto.
Tsukasa looked at Akira. "Wh-What was that, you bastard...!?"
"Your fight is with me."
"Akira..." Makoto said under her breath as she looked at Akira in surprise, then she walks beside him as she looked at Tsukasa. "I come from a long line of police officers. If you really want to start something, be my guest."
"Wh-What?" Tsukasa, finding himself in a ditch, backed away as he then ran off. "Dammit... I'll remember this!"
"He wasn't so tough after all," Makoto said as she looked on.
"Ugh... This sucks!" Eiko muttered in tears as she then ran inside the salon.
"Eiko!" Makoto called out.
Just then, some pedestrians noticed the whole drama.
"Whoa, did you see that?"
"Was that girl fighting with a host?"
"They were really going at it..."
Makoto looked worried. "People noticed what happened…"
"We should get out of here," Akira suggested. "Follow me."
"Right. Staying here now is only going to cause us more trouble."
As Akira already took off, Makoto looked at the Salon entrance with a sad look, then looked back to where Akira was going and followed him.
A moment later, Makoto and Akira were at the Crossroads bar with some water to drink.
"I can't believe I hit one of my friends…," Makoto said sadly.
"Well, that was the right move," Akira slowly replied.
"Really? I hope so…"
"I mean, it looked like it hurt."
"All I wanted to do was to wake Eiko up to reality. I have a terrible habit of acting at the moment. I can't help but get swept in emotion... That's why I always have to take extra care to keep myself composed. My father was the same way..."
"Really?" Akira asked.
"That's not the proper way to act, though," Makoto continued as she sighed sadly. "There's no telling what would have happened if you hadn't stepped in." She then looked around the bar in surprise. "That aside, this place is...interesting. How did you ever find somewhere like this? You know so much."
"I'm a regular here," Akira answered.
"So, you come here often? It's hard to believe you're really a high schooler. You have so much more life experience than I… But honestly, spending time with you and getting to know Eiko has given me a great deal to think about. There's so much you can miss by living with your head buried between the pages of a book..."
"How do you mean?" Akira asked.
"Well, I thought I knew how the world worked…," Makoto replied. "But the more I spent time with you guys, the more I realized how naive I was. I see now that there are some things I need other people to teach me." She then began to ask, "...Do you remember how Eiko said I would flunk a test about love? Well, um... I don't know how to study that subject."
"Oh…" Akira nodded, slowly understanding it.
"What should I do? I can't learn about romance by myself…"
Akira sighed, knowing that he chose his words carefully. "Makoto… I'll be your study partner."
Makoto stared at Akira in a blushing surprise. "U-Um, I'm not exactly the most well-versed in these matters, so allow me to confirm this…" She became silent for a bit as she stared at Akira, asking him for confirmation. "Do you…like me?"
"Yes, I…I do," Akira nodded, confessing. "That's why I was with you for the past few days to help you out with Eiko."
"…O-Oh," Makoto began to blush even more. "Um, you mean it?"
Akira nodded to answer. "To be honest, I've been feeling weird lately when I first met you on the school rooftop. I just couldn't help being fond of you, so I thought to myself that maybe I might try getting to know you and support whatever you do all the way someday, Makoto. After all, a charming girl like you has gotta have a senpai like me to be by her side, right?"
"Really?" Makoto started to blush and smiled a bit. "Well, then… If it's all right with you…let's start dating, for real."
Akira looked at Makoto. "S-So…I guess that means it's mutual, then?"
"This is embarrassing…," Makoto giggled a bit. "I look forward to, um, growing our relationship, um…together."
"W-Well, um, I mean, I guess that's what I'm hoping for," Akira said as his face nearly blushed.
Akira smiled warmly as he is now in a relationship with Makoto. There was no turning back now as things are finally looking up to him for now. He felt like his sweet life as newlyweds with Makoto Niijima will be a smashing success.
Just then, Lala Escargot appeared. "You kids down with your little heart-to-heart yet?"
"S-Sorry about that," Makoto apologized. "It's rude of us to stay here so long after only ordering tea…"
"Oh, don't worry. Just a glimpse into this new drama of yours is the only apology I need. It's like a nice spritz of lemon in the air. It makes me think back to when I was a wee girl…"
"R-Right. Well, we should be going…"
Makoto and Akira left the red-light district as they exited Crossroads. As they did, Makoto turned to Akira. "Thank you. I think between us…we managed to help Eiko see the truth. I would probably never have pulled this off alone. Thank you so much."
"Don't mention it," Akira nodded. "I'd do anything for you, after all."
"C-Come on, stop that…," Makoto smiled a bit. "But hearing that does make me happy… You're too nice to me. Once Eiko calms down a bit, I'm thinking of calling her. But I wanted to get a courage boost from you before I did…"
"Did it helped?"
"…Yup, that helped. I think I can talk to Eiko properly now. I guess boyfriends really can be reliable… I'll call you later!" Makoto quickly pulled Akira and give him a quick kiss before she left for home. "Okay, bye!"
"Bye!" Akira smiled as he waved her back.
7/7 – Thursday
The next day after school, the Phantoms visited Mementos once more as they see more requests on the Phan-site. Once there, however, Mona paused for a moment.
"I can sense some restlessness coming from below us again," Mona said.
"Oh, yeah, this happened before, too," Panther replied. "If I remembered right, the Meta-Nav—"
"Yup, we got something," Skull interrupted once he pulled out his phone.
"A new area has been confirmed in the depths," The Meta-Nav chimed in. "Updating guidance information."
"How much bigger is this place gonna get?" Panther asked.
Skull turned to Mona. "Yo, Mona, can't you turn into some kind of high-powered radar or something? We'd know how deep it goes if you could."
"That's impossible," Mona scolded.
"It'd be dangerous to wander blindly," Queen said. "We simply don't have enough information."
"Just driving around won't likely do us any good either," Fox added.
"Well, yeah, but the path keeps going forward!" Mona assured the others. "We'll reach the depths eventually! …I think."
"That again?" Skull groaned.
"Hey, Mona is trying, all right?" Joker scolded Skull. "And by the way, cats turning into helicopters or radars is not the kind of overall cognition among everyone."
A moment later, the Phantoms trek into the path of Chemdah and the path of Kaitul, where they dealt with some minor targets and a few more as part of their combat practice. They even took care of Tsukasa's Shadow, too.
After a job well done in Mementos, the Phantoms were about to head back when Queen turned to Joker. "When we get back, there's something I'd like to speak with you about."
"Oh, um, sure," Joker nodded.
"In that case,… I thought that maybe your place would be nice."
"Are you sure?"
Queen, smiling, gave Joker a quick kiss on the lips. "Yes. I'm not only the advisor of the group, but you also entrusted to me as the vice leader."
Joker blushed a bit. He always thought to himself that the Phantom Thieves stick together. But with Makoto, sometimes it feels like it's just the two of them.
At Akira's attic room above Leblanc, Akira and Makoto sat down on the couch.
"So, I finally made up with Eiko," Makoto said as she spoke first. "I think she knew it deep within her heart, and seeing Tsukasa like that helped her realize that."
"I'm relieved," Akira replied.
Makoto nodded. "So am I. Well, I'm glad she didn't get into any danger. She should be out of trouble now… Oh, and she told me she quit her job. Right now, she doesn't know what she wants to do, but she's going to go to college and figure things out. So, in the end, Eiko is going to start focusing on her studies again seriously. I plan on doing the same as well."
"Are you…stressing out over the exams?" Akira asked with worry.
"No, that's not it. This time, I'm not seeking anyone's praise, and I'm not trying to show off my intelligence. I simply want to fulfill my own personal goals and dreams. Before now, I didn't have a clear vision of what that meant. I was lost in life…" Makoto then turned to Akira. "But thanks to you, I've finally come to realize it."
"What are you going to do now?" Akira asked.
"Glad you asked," Makoto answered. "My dream…is to become a police commissioner. That's why I need to study."
"A police commissioner!?" Akira repeated in surprise. "That sounds difficult."
"You're right," Makoto said. "I'll need an extensive academic background."
"Why did you choose that?"
"Because it's the head of police operations. There are too many incidents in this country that are never brought to light. That host was one. Villains who prey on the hearts of the weak with cowardly, legally questionable methods... My father risked his life trying to catch a group of those people. I will never forgive them."
Akira was surprised. "Makoto…"
"But I won't be able to eradicate them all on my own...," Makoto continued. "Instead, I want to head an organization that will destroy the lawless and help rescue victims."
"What an admirable goal," Akira said. "Your father would be proud of you."
"I'm glad you think so. That is the justice I aim for. I also believe it will be a continuation of my father's legacy."
"I see now what you mean."
"Honestly, it's a little strange that I found the true meaning go my studies outside of my studies," Makoto said as she then turned to Akira. "...Thank you for all your help. It must've been difficult babysitting the uptight Miss President, right?"
Akira blinked in surprise. "Wha…!?"
"...Just kidding. Even so, I'm glad I asked you... I think now I'll be able to see the world even more differently."
"I'm glad you did."
Makoto nodded. "Actually, I'm sure I can. Because... I have you."
Akira, feeling a strong bond with Makoto, smiled. Then, he heard a voice inside him.
I am thou, thou art I... Thou hast turned a vow into a blood oath.
Thy bond shall become the wings of rebellion and break the yoke of thy heart.
Thou hast awakened to the ultimate secret of the Priestess, granting thee infinite power...
Makoto's strong will had awakened the true power of her heart. Her initial Persona, Johanna, had been reborn, transfiguring into Anat, daughter of Ugaritic's highest god, El, and the goddess of fertility, hunting, and war.
"I can sense it…," Makoto said. "The power within me has grown… No, it's been born anew!"
Akira had no idea what had just happened, but he now feels a tight bond he had forged between himself and Makoto – a bond that cannot be broken.
Makoto, now feeling this newly formed power, turned to Akira. "By the way, you can rely on me for anything you need. I want us to be equals…"
"Okay," Akira said as he nodded.
"Now then, in order to fulfill my dream, I'll need to be accepted into my first-choice college." Makoto then giggled a bit. "What a funny thought… Studying to become a head of police while working as a phantom thief…"
"It really is," Akira replied. "Just be careful, okay?"
Makoto nodded. "I will. The objective is the same, after all… Exposing the evil lurking in the shadows…" Then she started to blush. "S-So…you see… U-Um…"
"What's wrong?" Akira asked.
"Well…," Makoto tried to reply. "I was thinking…maybe we could study some things we don't have experience in yet… Would that be okay…?" She then turned to Akira with a sincere smile and a blushing face. "…I want to be with you."
Akira's face blushed. "I-I feel the same way. I want to be with you, too!"
Akira gently put his arm around Makoto, who leaned her head on Akira's shoulder and closed her eyes. He then smiled to himself as he rests his head on Makoto. It was a perfectly romantic moment.
"We still have some time before night falls…," Makoto said. "I love you."
"Love you too…"
Akira and Makoto spent some time together. As night began to fall, Akira walked Makoto to the train station to take her home.
7/8 – Friday
Sometime later, Akira and Makoto were at the school rooftop.
"And I bought you lunch, Makoto," Akira said to Makoto as he bought lunch for them.
"Come on, just because I'm with you doesn't mean you have to be my servant."
"I know. I just can't help it."
About further away, Ryuji and Ann were watching the two.
"Okay, I thought it would be romantic," Ann said. "But this is way too much."
Ryuji looked at Ann in confusion. "Why? You hate the fact that Miss President's got a boyfriend now?"
"No, of course not," Ann replied, trying to deny it.
"Sooooo, you jelly?" Ryuji asked with a teasing smile.
"You're missing the point!" Ann scolded Ryuji. "Akira-kun and Niijima-senpai are a thing!"
Ryuji just shrugged. "Ain't nothing wrong with that, is there?"
Ann turned to the couple, and she couldn't help but smile. "Look at them. Akira-kun is our leader. I mean, wasn't he the one who told us not to freak out over things? And now, look at him and Niijima-senpai. He's never felt this way before. It's like…our group is down to two."
"Well, four if you count Morgana and Yusuke," Ryuji said, teasing as he and Ann left.
"Shuddup!"
After school, the gang was hanging out at the Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway.
"The deadline's tomorrow…," Ryuji said. "We gonna be okay?"
"Of course, we're gonna be okay," Akira assured the others. "Kaneshiro called off the debt, remember?"
"The pictures are gone as well," Yusuke replied. "He has no avenue to threaten us anymore. That is if we're able to trust what Kaneshiro said."
Ann looked at Yusuke. "Don't say such scary stuff."
"We can't relax just yet," Makoto said. "Kaneshiro may still end up released from police custody..."
Ryuji looked surprised. "For real!?"
"That is unless they have decisive evidence like a confession."
"It'll be fine, right?" Akira asked.
"True, there does seem to be some movement," Makoto said. "Sis sent me a message saying she won't be home tonight. There's a chance that the police have found their breakthrough."
"Ooooh, does that mean it happened!?" Ryuji asked.
"The timing is perfect," Ann said. "I guess let's hope for the best?"
"I'm going to stay up all night watching the news to find out!"
A moment later, Akira went to visit Ohya at Crossroads in Shinjuku.
Ohya turned to Akira with a question. "I gotta ask. Where do you get this stuff from? True believers are scary…"
"From a fan site," Akira answered.
"…A fan site?" Ohya repeated in realization. "Oh, you mean the Phantom Aficionado Website? I didn't know it was so popular with high school kids. I haven't been paying much attention to it. But if it's newsworthy, I guess I should keep tabs on it. The Phantom Thieves must be really bored if they're going after small-time criminals now. I have a theory that they're all minors, and their leader is some simpleton dying from boredom..."
"You shouldn't make assumptions," Akira said.
"Haha, you're right," Ohya replied. "My theory's definitely half-assed at best. Plus, if it only takes a second to change a person's heart, they totally wouldn't be bored. Well, I'm not really interested in writing entertainment articles about whatever fad's caught on."
"But they do really well, right?" Lala asked. "Some journalists who were in here seemed frustrated about that."
"Don't insult me! People at work call them paparazzi behind their backs… but me? I'm a real journalist!"
"I'm sure you are," Akira said to Ohya. "But what's the difference?"
"Entertainment articles are all about selling copies…," Ohya sighed. "The truth doesn't even matter. Nobody wants to read real news..."
"Why not change careers?"
"…Never," Ohya refused. "That's why I can't quit…and why I'll never give up." She then turned to Akira. "But… thanks to you, I've had more time to focus on my own investigation. I'm going to write an article that you'll really enjoy! Think of it as a sign of my appreciation!"
"Thanks," Akira nodded.
"I can see it now! 'Exclusive: Behind the Incredible Phantom Thieves! Dial 911 for justice!' ...How's that sound?"
"Sounds like a little bit extreme superhero-ish…"
"Haha, don't worry! I'll take it seriously. After all… that's what I promised you." Ohya then took a sip of her drink. "You know, you sure are weird though, coming all this way to Shinjuku at night…"
7/9 – Saturday
Earlier the following day, Sae was at work, looking at her laptop. "No matter how hard they looked, even our organized crime department couldn't catch Junya Kaneshiro…," she muttered. "And yet he simply turned himself in – even confessed all his crimes."
Sae then thought back to the words of her conversation with Makoto. "The Phantom Thieves..."
...Is it really a crime to manipulate someone's heart?
...Depending on the means, yes. He's absolutely right.
Even if it makes someone admit their evil deeds and helps make them pay for their crimes?
But Sae shook her head. "I hope Makoto hasn't fallen under their influence…"
Elsewhere, Akechi was checking on his phone as he seemed pretty irritated somehow. "The Phantom Thieves… Damn it!"
Meanwhile, Akira and the others were at the Shibuya Teikyu Building Accessway.
"Looks like we succeeded in changing Kaneshiro's heart!" Morgana said. "A lot of people are talking about the Phantom Thieves too!"
"Hell yeah!" Ryuji exclaimed. "Kaneshiro finally confessed! People've been makin' a huge deal of it since the police announcement!"
"It's difficult to accept that the authorities are taking all of the credit for his arrest," Yusuke replied.
"People are going nuts about the Phantom Thieves online, though," Ann said as she showed the others more comments and posts on the Phan-site. "Look!"
"It's all comin' together for us!" Ryuji said, smiling.
"This is quite the turnaround," Yusuke smiled. "All of a sudden, people are expressing their long-standing belief in us."
"So this is why Makoto told us to post the calling card anywhere that might stand out," Ann said.
"Pretty smart move on her part," Ryuji replied. "Oh…where is our amazing Miss President?"
Just then, Akira's phone rang, and he answered it to hear who was calling.
"Hello? It's Makoto," Makoto answered as her voice appeared on Akira's phone. "My apologies, but I won't be able to join you today."
"What happened?" Akira asked.
"I've been called into a meeting with the principal. No need to worry, though. More importantly, there is a special on TV about the Phantom Thieves!"
Ann listened in. "Huh? What did it say!?"
"They were talking all about our calling cards."
Ann was surprised with glee. "For real!?"
"Anyway, my apologies about today. I'll have to see you all another time."
As Akira put his cellphone in his pocket, Yusuke began to ask, "Who was that?"
"That was Makoto," Akira replied. "She said there's a special on TV about our group and our calling cards."
"Really!? That's freakin' crazy!" Ryuji said with excitement.
"I hope all this excitement doesn't place us on the police's radar," Yusuke said.
"It'll be fine! There is no way they'd find out about that weird, other world!"
"True, but… Do you remember what the fake Kaneshiro said towards the end?"
"About another Metaverse user…," Akira guessed, remembering meeting the black-masked intruder for the first time at Kaneshiro's Palace. "Yeah, I'm worried…"
"Yeah, he said we're not the only ones who are doing it…," Ann said.
"Eh, not gonna let it bother me," Ryuji replied. "Far as we know, he's pullin' that shit out of his ass."
"I hope that's the case...," Yusuke said, feeling unsure.
"Anyways, in your face, Akechi!" Ryuji smiled with ease. "Now whaddya wanna do about our next target!?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Ann told Ryuji. "Still, people might expect a lot from our next move, considering how excited they're getting."
"We can't just pick any old schmo now."
"There is no need to hurry, though," Yusuke said. "Counting Kamoshida, we've claimed three consecutive victories, right? We should just lay low and wait for all this excitement to blow over."
"In that case, how about we have another celebration?" Ann suggested.
"Good idea!" Ryuji nodded. "We can make it a welcomin' party for Miss President too. By the way, that briefcase is pretty damn expensive! Let's sell it and drop the cash on our party."
"Hey, whatever happened to all that talk of 'laying low' and 'wait for things to blow over?'" Akira asked, scoldingly reminding the others.
Morgana turned to Akira. "Well, it seems like the 'lay low and wait' idea has gone entirely out the window."
"So we can count you out then, Morgana?" Ann asked.
"That's not what he meant!" Akira cried in dismay.
Morgana nodded as well. "Yeah, uh… What're you talking about? I was just saying we should at least try and keep our party on the down-low."
"That's the spirit," Ann said. "Well, I'm gonna let Makoto know!"
Just then, Akira realized something as he halted the others. "HOLD IT!"
"What's wrong?" Yusuke asked.
"I hate to put our party on hold, but don't we have finals coming up next week?"
"Oh, right…," Ann groaned as she had just called Makoto on her cellphone.
"Why the hell did you bring that up, man!?" Ryuji asked Akira in utter dismay.
"Judging how he remembered, I assume he's going to ace this one, too?"
"At least know that patience is a virtue, guys," Akira said. "I mean, Kaneshiro was a way difficult target than Madarame and Kamoshida were. Regardless of that, the police will be after us for sure. We gotta be more cautious from now on."
"Seriously…?" Ryuji groaned.
"We also have to be wary about our man in the black mask," Akira added. "Not to mention our disaster of finals coming next week. If people start to suspect that we're skipping studies to go phantom thieving, then we're all in boiling water."
"He's right, you know," Makoto's voice chimed in on Ann's phone. "Yusuke and Morgana are excluded, of course. If you wish not to stand out, you had best not get bad grades, OK? That is something I simply would not be able to overlook as student council president! For now, behave and concentrate on your studies. We can have fun once finals are over… Understood?"
"Y-Yeah, sure! No worries!" Akira answered with ease.
"Urrrgh…" Ryuji groaned in dismay and frustration, as did Ann.
Meanwhile, Makoto was at the principal's office at the same time after school.
"Care to explain?" Principal Kobayakwa asked.
"I believe in what I wrote…," Makoto answered. "'The Phantom Thieves are just.'"
"Have you figured out who they are?"
Makoto shook her head. "No, I'm nowhere close. However, after considering all the facts, I concluded there are no errors in their acts or principles. Thus, upon deeming them to be on the side of justice, I have decided to end my investigation."
Principal Kobayakwa was stunned. "But that's impossible!"
"Impossible…? May I see the evidence you have that leads you to believe so?"
"W-Well…," Principal Kobayakwa stammered nervously. "I was just speaking to the director of a prestigious college about your letter of recommendation too..."
Remembering Akira's words, Makoto shook his head. "There will be no need for that. I intend on getting into a good college on my own merit. Please excuse me."
As Makoto left the office, Principal Kobayakwa sighed in dismay, and then he made a particular phone call. "Sir, it's me. I apologize for bothering you like this…"
"About my request? How long is it going to take again?" A mysterious caller asked.
"About that… I am making progress. However, I have stumbled upon some difficulties…"
"Difficulties!? This incident happened at the school you're supposed to be presiding over…"
"I know," The principal said. "But still, why would someone as important as you be interested in a petty case like this?"
"Are you seriously questioning me!?" The mysterious caller asked in anger.
"N-No! That's not what I meant!"
"...Fine. I hope you remember who gave you that position to begin with. Our other operative gave us a list of candidates without delay. How different from a certain someone…"
"Please, I will investigate with all the resources available to me," The principal begged. "I should be able to let you know relatively soon."
The mysterious caller sighed. "...Yes, of course. Please continue your investigation."
"Yes, I will bring good news… Well then, thank you for your—"
The mysterious caller abruptly hangs up as the principal sighed in dismay.
That evening at the Niijima residence, Sae called out to Makoto. "…I'm home."
Makoto, who was sitting down on the couch, watching TV, turned to her sister. "Hi, Sis. You look tired… Is everything okay?"
"Don't worry about me. How about you, Makoto? Have you been keeping up with your studies?"
"Yes, of course. Though…what is the point of studying?"
"...What do you mean?" Sae asked.
"I was just wondering what will be waiting for me at the end… Even if I manage to push through tough entrance exams, I'm still thrust into a competitive society."
"What else is there besides success? Don't ask me such childish questions."
Makoto turned to the TV, and on the screen was Kaneshiro. "Isn't this the man who the Phantom Thieves sent a calling card? I heard he confessed all his crimes."
"Yeah, even the police couldn't figure out why," Sae said. "It really…was out of nowhere. This would only make sense if his personality changed, but that would be impossible."
"Why does it matter?" Makoto asked. "The police still caught him in the end, right?"
"I had plans set for a promotion," Sae said sternly. "but no one can take credit for his arrest now with that confession." She then turned around to leave. "...Not that a child would understand."
As Sae left, Makoto muttered to herself, "So, she's pursuing the case, after all. Promotion… You've changed, Sis." She then closed her eyes and smiled, thinking about Akira and the others. "But I'll be okay. …I finally found a place where I belong."
Elsewhere, at the attic above Leblanc, Akira was getting ready for bed once more as he and the others were having a phone chat.
"The reaction is incredible," Makoto said. "I'm honestly shocked to see it."
"It is only natural that people are surprised," Yusuke replied. "Even the police were struggling to catch him."
"Yeah," Ann nodded as she then asked Makoto, "By the way, you said the principal called you in? Did something happen?"
"It was regarding my investigation of the incident with Mr. Kamoshida," Makoto answered. "Don't worry. I didn't mention a word about any of you. I essentially told him I was unable to find any information."
"Thanks, Makoto-chan!" Akira said. "Are you gonna be okay?"
"I will," Makoto said. "I've graduated from my role as an exemplary honor student. From now on, I'm going to be more honest with myself. It's quite a refreshing feeling."
"What are you gonna do now?" Ryuji asked. "Wanna stay with the Phantom Thieves?"
"That is my intention, assuming it wouldn't be any trouble."
"Welcome aboard, then," Akira smiled.
"It would actually be a big problem if you didn't stick with us," Ryuji said.
"We should allow her to join us," Yusuke replied. "It would be greatly convenient."
"Well then, I hope I can continue getting along with all of you," Makoto said. "Especially you, Akira-kun."
"Uhhh, sure," Akira nodded.
"Wait, what did she mean by that?" Ann asked in confusion.
"Oh, ho, I knew it!" Ryuji exclaimed happily. "You two are a thing now, are you!?"
"Ryuji!" Ann exclaimed angrily.
"Haha, I can get it now… The sister of a public prosecutor and the infamous transfer student with a criminal record… Hoho, the flame of forbidden love!"
"Come on… Don't start this again," Akira groaned in dismay.
"Hey, we were all thinking it here," Ann said.
As Akira hung up, Morgana mused aloud. "An advisor, huh…? This new teammate of ours is pretty promising! We'll be able to do even more now!"
Akira nodded as he then yawned and drifted fast asleep.
But as Akira woke up, he wasn't in the Velvet Room, but somewhere different this time. He didn't see Igor or the twin wardens, Caroline and Justine.
"Where…am I…?" Akira asked as he looked around in the deep, black darkness. Suddenly, he sensed that he wasn't alone as he turned around in fear.
There stood a woman with short black hair and glasses.
"Who are you?" Akira asked the strange woman.
But the woman only smiled for no reason and said nothing.
As Akira could ask the woman in front of him more questions, his consciousness slowly returned to the light.
TO BE CONTINUED
