Ren's POV

It's been 3 days since me and the Phantom Thieves joined the search for the keys, and we've found them all, we're almost ready to head back in. We're just sitting outside of Junes, waiting for them to come back.

Me and the Phantom Thieves are staying at the Amagi Inn with S.E.E.S. It's beautiful there, they have some of the best open aired baths I've ever experienced. I wonder if Narukami Kun ever stayed there?

"Signs of Love overshadowed by dreams

Baby, don't worry 'cause you ain't alone."

Is that Narukami singing?

Me: "Narukami? Is that you?"

Yu: "Huh? Oh no sorry I was in my own world."

Makoto: "What song was that?"

Yu: "It's uhhhh... alright I'll tell you but you can't tell anyone."

What's up with him?

Makoto: "Sure I don't really care."

It sounds mean but that's just how he is.

Me: "I won't tell."

Yu: "It's a song I'm writing okay."

Narukami writes songs?

Me: "Wow really? Since when Narukami Kun?"

Yu: "Just Yu is fine, both of you. And I started a few months ago."

Makoto: "It's pretty good Yu."

Me: "Was you thinking of Rise when you wrote it?"

Yu's face looks both scared and shocked at my question.

Yu: "Wha what? Where did that come from?"

Makoto: "Yu even I can tell you like her."

Me: "If even that guy knows... it's clear as day buddy."

Yu: (Sighs) "it's complicated."

Me: "We have all day."

He sighs even louder.

Yu: "Alright fine. Me and Rise have been going out for about 4 years now, we started in high school."

What? They always seemed to like each other but never like a couple?

Yu: "About 4 months ago we broke up though."

Me: "Why what happened?"

Yu: "She's an idol. She has to go away all the time for long periods of time, and our relationship had to be a secret. Only our team knew about us... At the beginning it was fine, fun even, we were together then when she left it just meant we had more to do when she came back. But when the days started to become weeks, and so on, and her replies started getting slower I started to worry."

You mean...

Makoto: "You think she was cheating?"

Yu bursts into laughter.

Yu: "I know her better than that, she would never. No I started to worry that I was becoming a burden to her, she already has so many fans and all they wanted to see was Risette, and I just wanted to see Rise, I started to wonder if the two were so different in concept. And I was hurting, I hated being away from her, so we talked and decided to put our relationship on hold for now."

Me: "You mean like a break?"

Yu: "I don't know what we are man, I just miss her, but I don't want things to go back to the way they were, but she may have already moved on."

Makoto: "I was gone for 6 years Yu. 6 years. My team did move on, I'm glad they did, but I still held a place in their hearts. When we all saw eachother for the first time do you know what they all said? 'This is a dream', and they called it a miracle. They wanted me to come back, they missed me. I think Rise misses you too."

Yu: "You might be right. But speaking of your team, one person in particular missed you the most right?"

Makoto: "What do you mean?"

Yu: "You and Aigis? You think I didn't know?"

Even I suspected.

Makoto's normally calm demeanour has shaken... it's quite a sight.

Makoto: "Wha- ho- alright you got me, I love her you happy?"

"Yes." Me and Yu say at the same time.

Makoto: "She tried to kill me you know."

Me: "Because she thought you were a shadow?"

Makoto: "Yeah... how'd you know?"

Yu: "We kinda suspected, we almost ended up fighting too actually... Till Takamaki San blew the door up."

Makoto: "Wow."

Back to nonchalant I see.

Makoto: "We basically had a heart to heart, and I told her how I felt. And I kissed her... or she kissed me."

Dang I haven't kissed no one yet.

Yu: "I'm proud of you Makoto, so are you going out now?"

Makoto: "I think we deal with the Palace first and find the Answer to everything before we get to that."

Fair.

Makoto: "Alright Ren your turn."

Me: "Who's doing what now?"

Yu: "We talked about our girls, your turn."

I was afraid of that.

Me: "There's not much to tell, I had a shot but I turned them all down."

Yu: "Why?"

Me: "Because I don't know. I'm quite fond of all of my teammates, but to date one of them? I don't know."

Makoto: "Well maybe it doesn't have to be a teammate, was there anyone outside your team?"

I doubt that, it's just safer for me not to...

Me: "There was a few, but I never really felt it with them. It's like, I'd be happy to date them, but I don't feel the need to ask."

Yu: "There's some truth to that, but that's not the whole truth. I'm good at seeing that."

Am I lying to myself? Why would I? After everything I just can't trust...

Yu: "I think there is someone Ren. But you're holding yourself back, why?

That's right. I've known all along, but...

Me: "I've been hurt, and I've been betrayed, a lot. We told you about my story. The police arrested me for a crime I didn't commit, then I was tortured by them, then a man who I considered a friend came to kill me. We gained the upper hand but..."

Yu: "The society meant to protect you had failed you, then a man you called friend betrayed you, you don't want to be betrayed again."

That pretty much sums it up. I do know who I love, but I'm afraid that...

Me: "I was doubtful of you guys too when I first met you, I wanted to be sure. But with you guys I just knew you were genuine, and I feel bad for doubting you, but I can't help it."

Makoto: "I understand, I've been betrayed too."

Yu: "So have I."

Me: "How do you keep going?"

Makoto: "You have to learn to trust in your bonds, the difference between enemy and ally is when push comes to shove, and things get difficult, a friend will be there by your side."

I do trust my team, I trust them with my very life... but who do I trust with my heart?

Yu: "Absolutely, and you know you can truly trust someone when you've seen them at their lowest, but they rise above it. Fighting them helps too, at least from past experience."

It was never even a question. I know who it is.

Aigis' POV

I noticed Makoto-san, Narukami-san, and Amamiya-san talking over there.

Ren: "Hey Aigis, Makoto-kun here was telling us about how you weren't a wild card user when you fought together."

"That's correct, it was only after you die-... after we lost you that I awakened to that power."

Makoto: "Oh Yeah, you summoned Masakado when you attacked me."

Makoto-san holds my hands.

Makoto: "Do you mind if you tell us about it?"

Me: "N-no! I-I don't mind." I responded.

Makoto: "Aigis it's ok if this is a bit too much."

Me: "No Makoto, I want to, I just... need a second."

I... don't have the heart to tell them, especially Makoto-san, but... here I go.

Me: "Right after your passing, I... thought I had lost all purpose... that I wished for death to end it all..."

Makoto-san gasps.

Me: "I had nightmares of you leaving me for many nights. And right before March 31, I stopped having them."

Ren: "Sounds rough."

Me: "There's this girl named Metis, right before she swatted me to the side and nearly killed Amada-kun, I saw a vision of Makoto-san before I awakened Orpheus. It turns out that me being a Wild Card user strained my relationship with the rest of SEES, especially Yukari-san the most."

Makoto: "Hey, Aigis? Why are you crying?"

Crying? I was so wrapped up in the memories I didn't even notice the tears.

Me: "Even... I never wanted to fight any of them, we nearly... killed each other. Especially that shadow version of you..."

Makoto-san started hugging me.

Makoto: "It's okay now. You can let it all out."

This is the second time he's had to console me, it's embarrassing... but I feel more at home than I've ever felt.

Yu: "Hey, Joker. If Wild Card users like us awakened through our most negative emotions, would we... be any better than Akechi or Adachi?

Ren: "..."

Me: "Or Minazuki or Takaya?"

There's a long silence... until Makoto breaks it.

Makoto: "It's not about how our powers started though."

He's still holding me, but we all look at him.

Makoto: "Ren and Yu, your literal big bad's are the ones that gave you your power, Aigis, your loss brought yours, and I had death inside of me, but none of us let those things define us. We tore up our fear."

Ren: "We chose our own fate."

Yu: "We found the truth."

Me: "We burned our dread."

Makoto: "We decide who we are, and we chose to be better, that's the difference between us and them right?"

He's right, we all made a choice, and I don't regret mine. I'm sure that's true for them too.

I hear a voice in my head.

"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 Fool, granting thee infinite power..."