AN: I hope you all enjoy the chapter.
AO3 – Thank you Jacob6446. Nobody, be they gods or humans, can control the rampaging gremlin that is Urano/Myne/Rozemyne. At most, they can manage the fallout.
Museum of Vanity — Epilogue
June 6 – Monday
Ryuji Sakamoto's PoV
With Madarame's change of heart complete, Ryuji was back to his normal life. In other words, being bored out of his mind at school.
"By the way, I decided on the TV station," said Ann. "What about you two?"
During class, Ryuji stealthily used his phone to search for any targets bigger than Madarame, only to come up empty. By lunchtime, he'd gotten tired of failing and decided to take a break, going over to Urano and Ann's class to hang out with them and Morgana.
(That was where he was now.)
"Unfortunately, Ms. Kawakami shot down my request to add a library option," replied Urano, sounding peeved. "So I guess I'll also go with the TV station."
Although, what were they…?
"Oh crap, the social studies trip!" remembered Ryuji. He grimaced. "Ugh, I just wanna ditch it…"
"You'd better go to your school activities," shot down Morgana instantly. "Didn't I tell you not to draw attention to yourselves?"
The not-cat did. And then Urano did, singling him out. As did Makoto. And Ann and Futaba. Everyone except Yusuke, who hadn't known Ryuji that long. Err… not that Yusuke would've said something if he'd known Ryuji better. Because Ryuji didn't have a problem with 'being discrete' or 'not talking about secrets loudly and publicly'!
"Wouldn't me suddenly turning into a good student stand out more?" questioned Ryuji, genuinely confused.
"Quit bickering and go," retorted Morgana. The not-cat didn't even bother to answer his question, which felt a little rude.
"Then you should choose the TV station, too," suggested Ann before Ryuji could complain again. "I heard we're gonna get to watch them tape a show! Maybe there'll be actresses there!"
Actresses, huh? Maybe he wouldn't ditch the social studies trip after all. Who knows, they might even end up on TV. He told the others about his decision, and they seemed relieved that he wasn't skipping. Morgana also looked a bit exasperated for some reason, but he didn't make any snarky comments.
"Maybe I should get a haircut…" whispered Ryuji to himself. He started to walk back to his class, thinking about what style he should get.
"Just don't forget about the hot pot party this evening," called out Urano as he left.
Yeah, yeah. He gave her a thumbs up without looking back, letting the bookworm know that he'd heard her. There's no way he'd miss a chance to celebrate and stuff his face!
(Wait, did that make him sound like a… uh… what was the word? Heronist? Hedoner?)
Yusuke Kitagawa's PoV
The welcome/victory/hot pot party went well. Yusuke felt both welcomed and victorious, and the hot pot was delicious (even if they didn't have any porridge or udon afterward).
"I feel like I can sympathize with your passion for art," said Urano. "It's not all that different from my devotion to books, and I know that I wouldn't mind being thought of as a total weirdo too as long as I get to read."
Also, the artist was able to deepen the bonds between him and his fellow phantom thieves. Case in point, Yusuke learned that Urano was unaware of her reputation as a 'total weirdo' (which she was, according to Ryuji and Morgana).
"Does that mean you would be willing to model nude for me?" asked Yusuke hopefully. He felt so excited that he didn't even mind the bookworm implying that he was a total weirdo, too.
"No!" refused Urano immediately, sounding irate.
Yusuke's head drooped. After witnessing the Phantom Thieves of Heart's glorious leader in action, a desire to paint her had stirred within him.
"But," continued the bookworm, calming down. "If it's not a nude painting, I wouldn't mind serving as your model, as long as I can read while you work. Heck, even if it's not me you're painting, I wouldn't mind being there reading while you painted. You know, in case you want the company as you work."
Yusuke raised his head, smiling lightly.
"Yes, both of those options sound good. Although, I can't help but notice that you'd be reading either way."
Was this how Yusuke appeared to others? It was… intriguing to view it from the outside. Perhaps he should take Urano up on her offer and paint her while she was reading.
"I mean, with how focused you get on painting, it's not like we'd be talking while you worked," defended the bookworm. "And I (probably) stay still while I read, so it should be perfectly fine if I had a book while modelling for you. I think."
…Or perhaps the second option would be better, after all.
Futaba Sakura's PoV
"Ahh, this is the life," said Urano, enjoying the bathhouse experience.
When the hot pot party ended and everyone else went home, Urano suggested that the two of them visit the bathhouse by Leblanc. They'd talked about it before, and now felt like a good time to finally go.
"You got that right," agreed Futaba, relaxing as the heat from the water soaked into her.
Futaba's only complaint would be that Ann and Makoto weren't here too, partially to 'appreciate' their naked bodies and partially because their reactions to bathing with Urano – the dense harem protagonist who they were both clearly crushing on – would've been hilarious.
On the bright side, the girls' absence saved the hacker from a scolding for being a pervert.
"…So our theories about the mental shutdowns, psychotic breakdowns, and their deaths being the work of a Persona user were right," stated Urano. The light mood was extinguished, instantly replaced by a somber atmosphere. "Hopefully, Persona users are drawn to one another like Stand users."
"Technically, we've only confirmed the existence of another Persona user," corrected Futaba. "We don't know for certain that Black Mask did all those things. He could be a red herring, or part of a team, or the real killer's right-hand man-slash-apprentice."
The hacker threw a bunch of tropes out there, but in her heart, she already knew that Black Mask was the culprit. She just didn't want to confirm it; not with how Urano got when the subject of Mom and Shuu's killer came up.
"Urgh, I hope not," moaned the bookworm, grimacing. "One enemy Persona user who's strong enough to cow a Palace Ruler is more than enough."
It wasn't that Futaba was scared of Vengeful Urano, but rather for her. What would happen if, in her rage, Urano finally made good on her promise to give Mom's killer a bloody carnival?
All the books, games, manga, and anime agreed that killing a man changed you! Not to mention the possibility of prison! Futaba didn't want to lose her sister, not when she'd only had a sister for two months! Heck, Futaba didn't want to lose her sister, period!
…
…And yet, at the same time, Futaba couldn't bring herself to stop searching for her mother's (and Shuu's) killer.
"I'll just have to make sure Big Sis doesn't go for the headshot," whispered the hacker, feeling guilty. And that was something the bath couldn't wash away.
June 9 – Thursday
Ann Takamaki's PoV
The social studies trip was officially a bust. The tour was boring, the only famous person Ann saw was an arrogant newscaster, and an assistant director hit on her while blatantly undressing her with his eyes.
(Maybe Ryuji had been onto something with his idea to ditch the trip.)
On the bright side, they at least got to go home straight from the TV station. She, Urano, Ryuji, and Morgana talked about stopping by Dome Town after before going back.
"Excuse me, I couldn't help but notice your uniforms," spoke a guy, approaching them. He looked to be about their age, though he was dressed in a suit and carrying a briefcase. "Are you students of Shujin Academy?"
Ann was pretty sure she'd seen him before. Was he some sort of teen celebrity, maybe?
"I happened to be passing by, so it seemed polite to greet you," he continued. "We'll be filming together, after all." Definitely a celebrity. "Ah, where are my manners? My name is Goro Akechi."
"Akechi…?" repeated Ann. She'd definitely heard that name before. But where?
"Filming? What, you a celebrity?" asked Ryuji.
"Only to the extent of appearing on TV a couple of times," answered Akechi.
"That certainly sounds like a celebrity," commented Urano dryly.
Oh! He's the Detective Prince! And, unlike that newscaster from earlier, his personality wasn't as rotten as week-old sushi.
"I suppose so," chuckled Akechi. His eyes lingering on Urano for an instant, then he checked his watch and frowned. "My apologies, I truly was just passing by. I must be going. There's a briefing for tomorrow's recording that I have to attend."
On second thought (or would it be third thought?), the trip was a bust. Ann was still getting used to the fact that she was in love with Urano. She didn't need a rival, much less a celebrity rival!
(Then again, the bookworm probably wouldn't go gaga over any celebrities other than a famous author or librarian. Well, assuming the latter existed.)
"So, you're going to go have cake now?" asked Akechi. "I missed lunch today, so I'm quite hungry myself…"
Ann exchanged glances with Ryuji and Urano, who were equally confused by the Detective Prince's statement.
"Huh? Cake…? What're you talking about?" said Ryuji, voicing what they were all thinking.
"Oh, am I mistaken?" replied Akechi. "I thought I heard something about delicious pancakes…" Huh, was he a bit of a weirdo? Then again, so were basically all of her friends nowadays – especially her crush – so she didn't really have room to judge. "No matter. Whelp, see you tomorrow."
The Detective Prince walked away, leaving the quartet free to head to Dome Town. Ann soon forgot about the encounter with Akechi, more interested in the amusement park's rollercoasters.
June 10 – Friday
Urano Motosu's PoV
"Huh, so that's the Detective Prince," I murmured, hearing the other girls in the audience (minus Ann) squeal. I remembered hearing about the Detective Prince's exploits from Shuu, though I couldn't remember the name attached to the title.
I didn't pay much attention at first. I cared more about whether anyone would notice if I took out a book and started reading than about a stranger's interview. But then, Akechi began talking about the Phantom Thieves.
"If they truly are heroes of justice, I sincerely hope they exist."
"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."
"But hypothetically speaking, if these Phantom Thieves are real… I believe they should be tried in a court of law."
So rude! The Detective Prince was simultaneously joking about whether we existed and deriding us for our actions! We might've taken the law into our own hands, but that was only because nobody else was helping the victims!
"Alright, let's try asking this student here. Hypothetically, what are your thoughts on the Phantom Thieves, if they were real?"
Fortunately, I got an opportunity to voice my opinion. When the time came to hear from the audience, one of the announcers chose me to speak and walked over with a microphone.
"Is it really wrong for them to change the hearts of criminals when nobody else was doing anything?" I asked into the mic. "Should they have just let Kamoshida and Madarame's victims continue to suffer?"
Akechi sidestepped my questions, simply commenting on how firm and unexpected my opinion was before asking me a question of his own.
"If someone close to you, for example your friend next to you…" The Detective Prince pointed at Ann. "…If her heart suddenly changed… wouldn't you think it was the work of the Phantom Thieves?"
"Why would I?" I responded, confused. "There are a lot of reasons why a person's heart would change without being stolen. Besides, the Phantom Thieves only target criminals, and Ann isn't a criminal, Ms. Akechi."
"I see," replied Akechi. "But how… wait… Ms. Akechi?"
"Ah, my bad," I said, feeling embarrassed. It didn't help that I could hear the rest of the audience laughing at me. "I guess I shouldn't be using an honorific for someone who's about the same age as me."
"That's… not what I meant," said Akechi, triggering another chorus of laughter.
Huh? Then what did she mean?
"Um, Akechi is a boy," explained the announcer who'd chosen me to speak.
"Bwuh!? She is!? Err… I mean, he is!? But I could've sworn hearing that the Detective Prince was a girl!"
No wonder everyone was busting a gut. My cheeks felt like they were on fire.
"You may be thinking of my predecessor, Naoto Shirogane," offered Akechi, throwing me a lifeline. "Though she was a bit tomboyish, she was most definitely a girl."
Wow, Akechi was a pretty nice guy. Why was I so mad at him again?
"Back to what I was saying before our little misunderstanding," continued the Detective Prince. "If your friend's heart changed suddenly, how can you be sure that it wasn't the work of the Phantom Thieves?"
Oh, right. That was why.
"Although, whether the Thieves' actions are good or not, I feel there is a more important issue at hand – the matter of how they change people's hearts," he proceeded as the announcer with the mic went back up front. My chance to speak was over. "If they honestly possess that ability… it could be used for more than extracting confessions. It could be that what seems to be ordinary crimes are actually being perpetrated by these methods…"
That jerk! He's dragging our names through the mud, implying that we're using our powers for personal gain!
"Oh, please don't misunderstand," added Akechi. "This is all purely hypothetical… It is only if people who can use such a power truly exist. Either way though, this cannot be ignored. The existence of the Phantom Thieves would be nothing but…"
The Detective Prince kept talking, but I stopped paying attention. Despite his disclaimer, Akechi wouldn't have mentioned the hypothetical unless he wanted to turn public opinion against the Phantom Thieves of Heart. He felt more like a politician than a detective, and not the honest kind like Yoshida.
…Although, that being said, the Detective Prince certainly lived up to his reputation. He pieced together a lot even though he knew nothing about the Metaverse. Luckily, there was no way for him to find out about the Metaverse or our actions, much less our identities.
Goro Akechi's PoV
The filming was over, few people remained in the studio, and Urano Motosu was alone. It was the perfect time to have a conversation with the leader of the Phantom Thieves of Heart.
"Oh, it's you!" called Goro, approaching her. "I'm glad I found you. I wanted to thank you in person. To paraphrase Hegel, advancement cannot occur without both thesis and antithesis…"
Motosu looked at him with unconcealed disinterest, to the point where he could almost hear her saying 'get on with it.' It was unusual – but not wholly unexpected – given their conflicting viewpoints.
"What I mean is that our discussion was quite meaningful," explained Goro. "Few people around me are so willing to speak their minds as freely as you did earlier." He grew serious. "Adults are only interested in using the young, while they simply do as the adults say."
Internally, the Detective Prince frowned. Even after complimenting her and letting a bit of his true personality show, Motosu still looked at him with nothing but annoyance.
"Thank you," she replied emotionlessly. "It was nice meeting you. Goodbye now."
Motosu immediately started walking away.
(Wait, 'meeting' him? Did she not remember that they met yesterday?)
"Hold on!" exclaimed Goro. When she didn't stop, he started following her. "I think our discussions could prove quite fruitful! Would you mind talking with me again?"
Motosu stopped walking, almost causing him to crash into her. She whirled around and glared at him.
"I'm not interested in being a part of another publicity stunt," replied Motosu coldly.
"Publicity stunt?" he repeated, feigning confusion. "Pardon me, but what are you referring to?"
"I'm talking about how you went out of your way to drag the Phantom Thieves' name through the mud," she said bluntly. "You joked about them being a hoax despite clearly believing they existed, denounced them as criminals without explaining what laws they allegedly broke, and implied that they were changing people's hearts in malicious way!"
Huh. It seems that the Phantom Thieves' leader was more perceptive than he gave her credit for. It looked like he'd have to try a different angle.
"I was simply worried about the general thinking too highly about a group we know so little about," defended Goro. He lowered his voice. "I didn't want to say it earlier, not without proof, but I fear that the Phantom Thieves may be connected to the recent psychotic breakdown incidents. If they are involved, then I fear that a rise in their popularity could interfere with our investigation and efforts to end the phenomenon."
The Detective Prince knew from his research that Motosu's childhood friend recently died in a psychotic breakdown incident. By pretending his actions were motivated by a desire to prevent more incidents, he'd be able to improve her opinion of him.
"Really? Because for somebody so concerned with stopping the psychotic breakdown incidents, you've been spending an awful lot of time on television."
Or not. Motosu was certainly a tough nut to crack.
She left after making her retort, and Goro didn't follow her this time. It was clear that another attempt to connect with her would only make things worse. He would need to reconsider his approach before trying again.
However, a part of him was excited. He'd been a little curious about Motosu after the rage she showed toward 'Black Mask' in Madarame's Palace, and the way she saw through his 'Detective Prince' character and called him out on it only further increased his interest.
If nothing else, Goro would enjoy being challenged for once.
June 11 – Saturday
Makoto Niijima's PoV
"…More importantly, you should never forcefully change a person's heart," said Akechi on television. Makoto and Sae, who wasn't working late today, had been eating dinner and watching the news together when the Detective Prince came on screen.
His interview from yesterday was being rebroadcasted. Though it was Makoto's first time seeing it, she already knew the details from the others. Luckily, that meant she was able to keep most of her frustration from leaking out in front of her sister.
"…Is it a crime to manipulate someone's heart?" whispered Makoto, although Sae heard her and responded.
"…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?" questioned Makoto, thinking about Kamoshida, Madarame, and all the people in Mementos whose hearts the Phantom Thieves changed.
Sae's eyes narrowed. Makoto gulped, recognizing as her sister shifted into Attorney Mode.
"Why the sudden interest?"
This wasn't good. Makoto was a bad liar under pressure, and Sae's job was literally putting people under pressure to expose the truth. And Sae was great at her job!
"…It's about…" started Makoto, her mind racing to think of a way to avoid giving away that she was part of the Phantom Thieves and had participated in changing peoples' hearts. "…Principal Kobayakawa! The… the truth is that I approached him about the rumors surrounding Kamoshida shortly before the… suicide attempt, but he told me to drop it."
Sae grimaced in anger and disgust. If Makoto remembered correctly, her sister had been involved in Kamoshida's case.
"…And so you want the Phantom Thieves to force your principal to confess, too," concluded the prosecutor. Makoto nodded, not trusting her voice to remain steady. "Well, you don't need to rely on such unscrupulous methods. The SIU is already investigating Shujin. If there's any evidence of his crimes, we'll find it. Rather than worry about him, you should just remain focused on what must be done now for your future's sake."
When she mentioned Makoto's future, Sae undoubtedly was referring to her sister's education; studying diligently, keeping her grades up, and participating in extracurriculars. But what came to Makoto's mind was continuing to reform society by changing people's hearts.
(Also, briefly, a certain bookworm's face flashed through her head, but Makoto pushed that thought aside before her face could turn red.)
"I will," promised the phantom thief. "I won't stop until I've achieved my goals."
June 13 – Monday
Morgana's PoV
"Fancy seeing you here," said Akechi to Urano.
Morgana groaned from within his sister's bag. Running into the Detective Prince at the train station on their way to Shujin? The not-cat wasn't sure whether Akechi suspected that Urano was in the Phantom Thieves of Heart or if he was simply trying to flirt with her, but either way he didn't like having the jerk around.
"I didn't think we used the same station," continued the Detective Prince. "Meeting here must be fate. How are you doing?"
Blech! Morgana couldn't wait for Urano to reject this guy!
"…Sorry, but do I know you?" asked the bookworm, genuinely confused.
Akechi went quiet for a few seconds, which the not-cat could only assume was a stunned silence.
(Morgana couldn't see from inside Urano's bag, and he didn't want to risk poking his head out when her student pass didn't cover the subway's pet fee.)
"Pff!" went the not-cat, wishing that he could see Akechi's face right now. He tried to contain his laughter, but it was a losing battle. "Hehehehahaha!"
"…I suppose that's better than remembering me poorly?" Akechi finally said, though it sounded more like a question. "Although, how do you not remember me after mistaking me for a girl on television and disparaging me for my actions afterward?"
Morgana could guess the answer. It was because Urano didn't like the Detective Prince but didn't see him as a threat when he knew nothing about the Metaverse. The bookworm wasn't that good at remembering people who didn't matter to her, preferring to instead use the storage space in her memories on books.
"Ah, right!" went Urano. Her voice took on an annoyed tone. "You're the Detective Prince, Naoto Shirogane."
"hehehahaHAHAHAHA!" laughed the not-cat. His dying laughter revived and became even stronger than before, like a Saiyan.
(Was Futaba starting to rub off on him?)
"…Goro Akechi," corrected the Detective Prince, a hint of irritation in his voice. The frustration vanished instantly, though, making Morgana wonder if he'd imagined it. "Anyway, I just wanted to apologize and say that you were right. In truth, participating in the interview and taking such a strong stance wasn't my choice. It was a request from… from somebody I owe a lot to. And I dearly want to pay him back everything, plus interest."
Was it just Morgana, or did the 'plus interest' part sound a bit… off?
"Alright then," replied Urano, sounding disinterested. "Good to know."
"And here," said Akechi. Morgana hear a rustling, most likely the Detective Prince reaching into a bag. "I've been carrying this around in case I ran into you again. Take it as a token of my apology."
"Apology accepted!" declared Urano, suddenly very enthusiastic.
…Akechi just gave her a book, didn't he?
"Perhaps we can get together again once you've finished reading it," suggested the Detective Prince. "We could discuss the story, as well as some other things."
Morgana groaned. Even if he didn't know whether Akechi's ulterior motive was investigatory or romantic, that didn't make it any less blatant. And yet, he already knew what his sister's response would be.
"Sure," agreed the bookworm in a distracted tone. She had undoubtedly already opened the book and started reading.
Yup. As expected of his foolish sister. If he had hands, Morgana would be facepalming right now. Urano would truly be lost without him, would she?
Speaking of which…
"Hey! Sis! Hurry up and take your head out of that book! The train is arriving!"
.
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…
.
Confidant: Goro Akechi. Arcana: Justice. Rank: 1.
Urano Motosu's PoV
"Thank you, Urano," said Haru as I helped her move several bags of fertilizer after school. "I know you'd rather be reading."
"It's no problem," I replied. "Friends are supposed to help each other, aren't they?"
I'd coincidentally run into Haru as she was struggling to push a platform truck loaded with bags of fertilizer. I was supposed to meet up with the rest of the Phantom Thieves, but I figured that helping her wouldn't take too long.
(Morgana had gone on ahead in Ann's bag. He hadn't wanted to stick around the fertilizer since he had a not-cat's sense of smell, not to mention the blatant ulterior motive of spending time in his crush's bag.)
"…I'm sure I won't be that late," I muttered to myself.
I was instantly proven wrong when my phone started to ring. I checked caller ID and saw that it was Ryuji.
…The others wouldn't be too mad at me, would they?
Gulping, I mentally prepared myself (in case I was wrong again) then answered the phone.
"He–?"
"Hey, where are you at?" asked Ryuji loudly, sounded irritated. "All the rest of us are here at the usual spot for our Phantom Thieves meeting! You really shouldn't be so late considering that it's the attic of your dad's café, Urano!"
I froze. Not because of the scolding – well, not just because of it – but because Haru was now staring at me, wide-eyed and with both hands brought up to her mouth.
"Oh my," she murmured in an awestruck voice.
It had finally happened. Somebody had finally overheard Ryuji talking about the fact that we were the Phantom Thieves of Heart.
Well, at least it was Haru who found out. She was my friend. Maybe we'd get lucky and Haru would be willing to keep our identities a secret. I hope…
"…Hello? Urano? Are you still th–?"
Without looking away from Haru, I hit the 'end call' button on my phone and put it away. A few seconds passed without either of us saying a word. Then, we both spoke at the same time.
"Please don't tell anybody!" I blurted out, driven by fear and panic.
"Please change my father's heart!" cried Haru, sounding oddly desperate herself.
…Huh? I paused, processing my friend's unexpected request.
"…I'll have to ask the others first," I answered slowly, nervous about how Haru would respond. "We only go after people who we've unanimously agreed to target."
"Can I come with you?"
"…Sure."
AN: Yup, the next Palace is Okumura. I've been planning this for a while, to the point where I had Futaba unceremoniously crush Kaneshiro at the beginning of Chapter 4. Out of curiosity, did anyone pick up on the fact that I was talking about Kaneshiro there?
Anyway, next chapter is probably going to be another Confidant chapter. Until then, bye!
Confidants: Morgana (Magician, Rank 10), Igor (Fool, Rank 5), Sojiro Sakura (Hierophant, Rank 10), Ryuji Sakamoto (Chariot, Rank 10), Tae Takemi (Death, Rank 3), Futaba Sakura (Hermit, Rank 3), Makoto Niijima (High Priestess, Rank 3), Shinya Oda (Tower, Rank 1), Caroline and Justine (Strength, Rank 2), Toranosuke Yoshida (Sun, Rank 3), Ann Takamaki (Lovers, Rank 10), Haru Okumura (Empress, Rank 1), Sadayo Kawakami (Temperance, Rank 1), Hifumi Togo (Star, Rank 2), Chihaya Mifune (Fortune, Rank 1), Yuuki Mishima (Moon, Rank 1), Goro Akechi (Justice, Rank 1).