Thursday - June 9th
Apart from all the colourful sets, lights and intriguing looking bits of equipment, it was safe to say that they had made the wrong choice.
Ryuji, Ann, Shiho and Lynn stood in frustrated silence as they listened to a woman. She rambled off completely surface level information that anyone with half a brain would know. Commercial breaks, scheduling, sponsors, editing and basically everything fundamentally boring about the TV industry.
Sadly, they couldn't really complain. It was a corporate job after all. Despite the product seemingly filled with creativity, the reality was, most of the time, it was just trying to sell something else.
"And that's why we have a special, dedicated team of editors to trim off the fat of all our footage. Otherwise, our programming would be a complete mess for the viewer at home!" The woman continued her rambling, gesturing toward a communal work area. It was cordoned off from the rest of the studio and those that were working seemed to have given up on life.
In the tour guide's defence, this whole trip was likely dumped on her at the last possible minute.
She was just doing her job and Lynn couldn't fault her for it.
"How long is this supposed to go on?" A familiar weight pressed on Lynn's shoulder and the texture of Morgana's fur brushed against her cheek.
The tiny thief had been a little off since returning from his mission with the V Team. When anyone tried asking him about it, he did everything he could to avoid talking for too long. So, Lynn figured that whatever had happened, Morgana would talk about it in his own pace. Still, the curiosity was ever nagging at Lynn.
Ryuji groaned and gave Morgana a knowing glance of solidarity. "I don't think I can last…"
"I think this is all pretty interesting," Lynn whispered.
It earned her a perked eyebrow. "For real?"
"No. This is a complete waste of time." Good old British sarcasm. The teen giggled to herself before joining in on the bored groan. She would have much rather spent her day doing maintenance on their equipment or checking in with Yusuke. Instead, legal obligations forced her to be here. "So sleepy…"
Looking out across the crowd of students, Lynn briefly locked eyes with Kawakami. They shared the same feeling. Boredom. Yet, in the teacher's case, she had a duty to not show it. Granted, it was impossible for Kawakami to not look bored out of her mind.
Suddenly, an impact on Lynn's back knocked her out of her thoughts. She almost lost all balance and very nearly acted as a human domino.
A portly, tall man had - quite bluntly - shoved her aside. Even Mona had a hard time keeping himself stable.
He walked toward the front of the student crowd and growled angrily. The tour guide - who up to this point had maintained a pretty pleasant disposition - suddenly shifted into a vaguely scared and submissive demeanour. It sent alarm bells into overdrive in the heads of Lynn, Ann and Shiho. Quietly, they gave each other concerned looks. "You know I can't stand all this noise! What the hell is going on here!?" The man grunted.
"I'm sorry, sir! It's the school trip you approved. They're here to learn about our work."
"School trip?" His nose flared for a second. Was he about to get physical? It certainly looked like it. He eventually huffed. "Whatever. Just get them out of here! We have a recording soon." With that, he waved a dismissive hand and stormed off. All the while, Lynn could see he was muttering to himself.
The tour guide sighed and let her shoulders relax. "Yes sir! Alright, people, it's… uh… ah! Time for some hands-on experience!"
"Experience, huh? Sounds like free labour to me." Ryuji definitely had a point there.
Despite that, the group failed to notice they had gained the attention of a young looking individual. His smarmy grin almost looked drawn on with permanent marker as he approached. Before long, he stood directly next to Ann and Shiho. Judging by his ensemble, he looked like he worked in the sound department. Either that or the fancy bits of equipment hanging off his belt were just for show.
"You three wanna be on TV?" He sneered. All three girls turned with confusion. They weren't expecting to be suddenly spoken to by an employee, so the wheels in their heads hadn't started turning just yet.
"Excuse me?" Shiho muttered, instinctively stepping back.
"You girls have slammin' bods. I could make you famous, what do you say?"
"I say 'Piss off, asshole.'" Lynn growled.
The foul language looked to take him aback. Clearly, he wasn't expecting any kind of resistance. Three highschool girls seemingly in awe about being in a real TV studio? Easy mark, he likely thought. Even still, the shock was quickly dismissed and the grin returned. "That's not very nice. I could make you three rich! Here, my card. Give me a call, any time. Day or night."
He handed out slips of paper to all three girls.
For a few seconds, they glared at each other in silence. Then, all at the same time, they ripped up the slips and discarded the shreds in a nearby trash can.
A vein bulged on the man's forehead. He was losing his composure, yet the message still hadn't gotten across. All Lynn could think about was how desperate the man probably was. He looked like a low ranking errand boy. Likely trying to find some way of moving up. Then again, for all she knew, he could have just been a straight up creep. Either way, the girls were done with the conversation.
"Man… talk about needy." Ryuji shrugged. "Take a hint, dude."
Just as the employee was about to say something in response, none other than Kawakami interrupted.
"We're grouping up now." She addressed the teens and not so subtly ignored the creep. "You two," she gestured at Lynn and Ryuji, "you're going to help the camera crew for a bit. The two of you," she motioned to Shiho and Ann, "you'll be helping out the hair and make-up team. I know this is all boring for you, but… try not to cause trouble, alright? I have enough work to do as it is. Incident reports are a pain to file."
In her own way, Kawakami was helping them out.
As they split off, Lynn swore she could make out the creepy employee mutter under his breath. "That teach ain't a slouch, either."
Ryuji grunted. "Do adults only care about looks? It's so effin' annoyin'." Lynn could only shrug. She then felt her will to live flee her body as a particular sight came into view. Cables. Lots and lots of cables. Tangled like the secrets of the cosmos. Interwoven between different, huge cameras.
"Oh… great."
"You gotta be kiddin' me…"
"I'm so pissed off!" Ryuji stamped and growled.
After what felt like an eternity of what essentially amounted to unpaid labour, both Lynn and Ryuji were exhausted. Thankfully, their misery of shifting cables around, fetching coffee and cleaning sets had come to an end. Though it didn't stop a certain blond delinquent from ranting and venting his frustrations.
"Aren't we supposed to be guests!? Damn, why do we have to do all this effin' labour?" The boy looked like he desperately wanted to punch something. At the same time, he was clearly too tired to muster the energy.
"I just saw it as a work out." Lynn shrugged. It certainly was enough to count as one. "Still, pretty lame. I heard the group who chose the kids hospital got to spend all day playing games. It makes me wish I went with that, instead."
"I kind'a wanted to check out the artisan market, but the group was full. So I just went with whatever you guys were doin'. Talk about lame sauce." He sighed and, once again, Lynn was surprised at just how interested Ryuji was getting in gardening. Lynn had even gotten the chance to taste test the very first tomato he had grown successfully. All things considered, it was pretty tasty.
"Will you too stop complaining! It sucked for us too…" Ann rounded the corner of the hallway Lynn and Ryuji had taken refuge in. Closely followed by Shiho, the four had finally regrouped. "Ugh… I thought being the one in the make-up chair sucked."
Modelling was apparently hard work.
It was definitely not something Lynn fancied trying her hand at. The only two times she had ever had her photo published were for Airsoft magazines and the newspaper around the time of her assault trial.
Not exactly thrilling.
Ann, however, was all over various fashion magazines.
"We gotta do this again, tomorrow? Lame…" Ryuji slouched and let a long groan slip through gritted teeth.
Morgana popped up and gave a cheeky snigger. "You better not flake out, Ryuji!"
"Shaddap, damn cat!"
They locked eyes for their routine fake argument. Even if it was routine, it was still getting a little old. Lynn huffed and tuned the two boys out. Shiho then spoke up, halting them. "Kawakami said we'll be an audience for a recording session tomorrow." At least that sounded somewhat interesting. It beat having to contend with camera cables and bossy adults.
"We get to go home straight from here, right? Want to go somewhere?" Ann swung her arms gently with a small hint of apprehension. "Shopping, maybe?"
At that, Morgana lightly tapped a paw against Lynn's shoulders. He excitedly leant forward and purred for a second. "Oh! What about that pancake looking place we saw on the way here?" The three Tokyo natives looked confused for a few moments. "You know, that big round looking place!" Ryuji snapped his fingers in recognition.
"Oh, you mean Dome Town?" The name sparked a wave of familiarity between Shiho and Ann. Lynn, however, had no clue what he was talking about. "Yeah, the big buildin' in the centre is… I think it's a baseball stadium. There's an amusement park surroundin' it though. Seems legit!"
"Oh, yeah. It's slap bang in the middle of the business district, but there's a bunch of awesome shops and restaurants." Of course, the prospect of sweet treats had completely enticed Ann. Before any plans had been set, she was already beaming with unbridled joy and anticipation.
"The rollercoaster looked like fun, too!" Shiho added.
"Oh? Perhaps I can show just how brave I am!" Morgana grinned as much as his feline features would allow.
"Yeah right. You could prolly sneak through in Rin's bag, but you'd just throw up." Ryuji's point looked to conjure up a displeasing image in the cat's head. His ears drooped and he gave a shudder.
"Nevermind. I think I'll pass on the puke rides. Give me pancakes!"
Just then, an unfamiliar figure rounded the corner. A boy no older than the thieves themselves. Quickly, Morgana ducked back into Lynn's bag and out of sight.
Although the boy was definitely the same age as Lynn, he wasn't wearing a Shujin uniform. It was a different uniform from another school. Shoulder length brown hair framed a friendly, approachable smile. His hair could have been described as messy, but it was clearly groomed and meticulously styled to look exactly how the boy wished. For a highschool student, he was incredibly put together. He even wore dark brown leather gloves and held a sleek, steel briefcase.
"Hello!" He smiled a sweet, friendly smile. Unknowingly, Lynn had tensed up the moment he rounded the corner, but his smile seemed to put her at ease. It was an odd feeling.
Regardless, he approached without anyone replying.
"You're students of Shujin, correct?" Ann, Ryuji and Shiho had gone silent. So, Lynn gave the affirming nod. He chuckled quietly. "Pardon my intrusion, I was just passing by and thought I should greet you. We will be recording together tomorrow, after all."
"You a celebrity or somethin'?" Ryuji perked his brow.
"A celebrity in the sense I've appeared on TV a few times." Lynn wasn't quite sure if that was meant as a brag or not. His casual tone didn't seem to hold any smug intent. "Allow me to introduce myself, I'm Goro Akechi."
Ann hummed, furrowing her brow. "Akechi…?"
"That's me."
However, Ann didn't follow up.
The buzzing of a phone caught Akechi by surprise and with a quick check of the message, he gave a resigned sigh. "I'm sorry, I truly was just passing by." He straightened himself up before he spoke one last time. "By the way, you're going for cake, right? I haven't had any lunch myself…"
Was he inviting himself along with them?
That said, something didn't sit right. "What are you talking about?" Lynn raised an eyebrow. At that, Akechi gave an equally confused glance at the group.
"Oh? Was I mistaken? I could have swore I heard something about pancakes. Nevermind, then. If you'll excuse me!" With that, Akechi turned heel and left with a cheery wave. The whole encounter left Lynn incredibly confused.
Every single thing was calculated and fabricated for that strange boy. His hair, his clothing, his speech. It all felt too perfect. Too clean. That's what didn't sit right with Lynn.
Was it just in her imagination?
The experiences she had gone through in such a short time was beginning to take their toll on her mental health. She found herself overthinking every single thing that came along. It made her feel sick, sometimes. That said, she packed any suspicions she had deep inside and put her uneasy feelings down to being stressed. Akechi was a celebrity, after all. Of course he would need to put effort into looking perfect.
It helped that he was pretty good looking too. At least he was to Lynn.
Though that part of his appearance barely crossed her mind. A fleeting thought in an otherwise turbulent inner monologue.
"Uh… Rin, you comin' or what?" Ryuji snapped her out of her head and before she knew it, her friends were already halfway down the corridor.
"W-wait up!"
"Let's go again! Let's go again!"
Shiho and Lynn chanted in unison with arms over each other's shoulders. They cheered and marched around Ryuji who - despite talking a big game - looked like he was about to lose the copious amounts of hot dogs he had eaten earlier. Ann, meanwhile, was sitting on a bench, keeping guard over their bags.
Roller Coasters were apparently not her speed. Morgana wasn't complaining as he got to be alone with his infatuation.
"Please… stop doin' that, you two." Ryuji wretched and groaned.
The girl's circling was having the intended effect.
"Dome Run! Dome Run!"
"What idiot eats that much before going on a ride like the Dome Run." Ann smirked, taking quite a lot of glee from Ryuji's suffering.
"For 250 yen a dog, how could you… ugh… not go all out?" He struggled to reply, finally breaking from the two girls who were still cheering and chanting. To be perfectly honest, rollercoasters weren't Lynn's thing either, but teasing Ryuji vastly outweighed the negatives. Plus, it was always good to see Shiho having fun. The only thing wrong with the moment was the lack of a certain troubled artist.
Since Yusuke had moved out of the movie theatre's attic, he hadn't been in contact much. Other than a few updates and idle chatter, Lynn didn't know what was going on.
At least he was with Kimiko.
Now that the teasing was over, Lynn allowed the giggling to die down before chugging from a water bottle. "Joking aside, it's getting late," she looked up at the amber hue of the sky, "we should probably start heading home."
"Yeah, yeah. We got another day of borin' bull tomorrow, huh." Ryuji slouched deeper than normal.
That was partially the reason, but there were a few things Lynn wanted to do before turning in for the night. Things that were best left done alone. Or at least partially alone. Morgana had been a lot more clingy since yesterday.
With that, the teens bid each other farewell and went their separate ways.
"Ah, you're back."
Familiarity filled the coffee scented air. Sojiro casually leant against the counter with a newspaper in hand. Much like usual, the patronage was minimal. Only a single older couple - who Lynn had come to know as Tomoya Sakaguchi and his wife Sakura Sakaguchi - sat at the furthest booth. Although Sojiro was grateful for any customer, he certainly made quite a few sarcastic quips.
"Three hours and only a single cup of joe."
Still, the Sakaguchi's kept returning. They obviously liked this place.
Regardless, Lynn gave her greetings to both Sojiro and the old couple. "No surprises tonight? Good." Sojiro smirked with his usual sly expression. Even if he was only teasing, Lynn still felt a little bad. Since landing in his care, Lynn hadn't exactly been the easiest girl to look after.
"Nope, just me and the cat."
"Not a cat!"
Morgana's outburst elicited a hearty laugh from Mr. Sakaguchi. "My, my. That little thing fits perfectly in your bag. Adorable! He reminds me of my cat when I was a little boy. Ah, little Mittsy. Named because she was quite the little missy. Would meow for hours in hopes of extra food. I hope you're taking good care of him." The old man's fond reminiscence brought a smile to Lynn's lips.
Partially out of the feeling of nostalgia coming from the man and partially because Morgana was pouting up a storm. Or at least, he was trying to pout.
All he managed was a long, frustrated groan.
"No need to worry, sir. I make sure to give him all the scratches and baths he deserves." She gave her feline companion an evil grin. To which he recoiled back into the safe and dry confines of her bag.
"I'll give you scratches, Rin!" He muttered from within.
Once the duo was safely up in the attic and out of earshot, Lynn gave Morgana a half joking, half serious apology. The tiny thief simply pouted and puffed up his furry chest. Not even Lynn's dexterous fingers massaging his scalp seemed to relieve his tension.
Eventually, Lynn fell back onto her bed and patted next to her. "What's really going on, Mona? You've been acting a little… forced since yesterday."
It took a few minutes. Morgana avoided looking at Lynn for those minutes before hopping up next to her. "I'm… not sure it's a good idea to keep hanging around with V and the others. They're… dangerous." Out of all the possible issues, Lynn didn't see that one coming. Though in Morgana's defence, he had the most experience with the V team. Perhaps he saw a side to them that they tried hiding from the rest of the thieves.
"What makes you say that?"
"Our excursion yesterday. We ran into a group from their side. The ones responsible for those soul syphon machines." If Lynn recalled, the corporation responsible was called Night Corp. She nodded and gestured for him to continue. "Well, V killed them all. Or… I suppose it'd be more accurate to say Leanan Sidhe forced them to kill themselves."
The image of the bewitching Shadow crossed Lynn's mind. An evil spirit that played with the desires of men like toys.
With that said, weren't Night Corp the bad guys? Or at least they could be considered as much.
"They really don't seem like the kind of people to kill without good reason." Of course, killing in any capacity was pretty damn serious. It was unthinkable. Lynn knew she could never do something like that. At least not willingly.
Yet, her brief time in V's Palace showed her that she was - in fact - capable of it.
"I know that, Rin. But… they just decided like it was no big deal. Like it was a fact of life. I got the same sense back when V took me on a job on her side. She was just… so… casual about killing. I don't like it. Not one bit." It was odd. Morgana and the other thieves already knew how V, Judy and River saw things. On their side of the Metaverse, it really was just a fact of life. That said, the culture shock was clearly getting to the feline.
Likely because he was the only one to experience the V Team in their entirety.
"We know they're dangerous. We know they're perfectly fine killing people. But we also know they're good people. V might seem a little… abrasive, sure. But she's not a monster." Having said that, the dragon in the Palace begged to differ. Even if that was only a representation of how V saw herself.
Morgana wasn't convinced.
Or perhaps that wasn't the real issue, here. Something else was on his mind. If the violence V, Judy and River were used to really was the main issue, Mona would have brought it up a lot sooner.
His brow furrowed and his feline eyes wandered anywhere that wasn't Lynn.
"Seriously, what's wrong?"
For a few moments longer, the cat struggled to muster up a voice. Finally, he took a deep breath and locked eyes with Lynn. "All I did was stand by and watch. I barely did anything to help them. Maybe there was some way I could have prevented the need for killing. I just feel so… useless. Ryuji's right. I am just a useless cat."
"Ryuji never means that, though!"
"I know that. But it doesn't make it any less true. You've all grown so powerful in such a short time. You're especially incredible, Rin. Your ability isn't like anything I've ever seen. Not… that that's really saying anything. I still have no clue who I really am nor where I really came from. I act like this all knowing, amazing person, and yet, I've barely been able to keep up."
What Morgana was saying hit Lynn hard.
For a while now, she had a nagging suspicion that the thieves were just taking advantage of Morgana. Perhaps not knowingly, but that didn't excuse it.
Lynn's first instinct was to list all the things only he could do. However, that list was precisely why she thought they were taking advantage of him. It was things he could do for them. Things that made him useful.
That wasn't what he needed to hear, right now.
"You can't spell 'us' without 'U'," Lynn said, gently placing a hand on Morgana's paw. At first, he pulled back slightly. Then, he lowered his body and rested against the hand which began carefully massaging his fur. "I think I speak for us all when I say that we need you. And not because of the things you can do for us. We might have started our relationship on a transactional pretence, but… honestly, I see you more like family than just a partner in crime. I see everyone as family. V Team included."
"You're way too nice for your own good."
"You're way too hard on yourself. We'd probably just fall apart without you in the picture."
Morgana gave a haughty huff. "You're right. You're all helpless without me!" Despite the usual condescending tone, his purring and affectionate pressing against Lynn's fingers painted an entirely different image.
His issues might not have been solved with a few words of kindness and genuine truth, but it seemed to make him feel at least a little better.
And that was enough for now.
Lynn knew that it wasn't easy to overcome these kinds of things. For now, she took out her phone and ordered from Morgana's favourite sushi place.
"When we made our deal, I didn't think you'd call so soon." Kawakami sat and shifted uncomfortably on the old bench in Lynn's room. Clad in the same maid outfit as the last time she was here, she looked completely out of place. "I don't have anything planned."
"I didn't know you were into this kind of thing, Rin." A certain cat was barely holding in a stifled giggle in between mouthfuls of sushi.
Kawakami spared him a curious glance and after a few seconds of hesitation, reached over to pet Morgana. He huffed and protested, but like usual, he poorly hid the fact he liked the affection. Meanwhile, Lynn laid on her bed and casually flipped through a magazine. "You looked tired at the studio, so I thought you could use a break." Lynn didn't actually have any intention of studying tonight. In fact, she didn't particularly know exactly why she called Kawakami to begin with.
By now, Morgana had completely surrendered to the pets. He was happily purring and pressing against Kawakami's hand earning him an adoring smile from the maid.
"Tired's an understatement."
"I guess I wanted to thank you, too."
"Thank me? For what?"
"Saving Ann, Shiho and I from that weirdo." Lynn flipped a page and let herself grimace at the thought. Although the encounter wasn't anything harrowing or dangerous, it still left a foul taste in her mouth.
Kawakami shrugged. "Oh, him. The PA warned me about him beforehand. He accosts random people in hopes they'll help him become a big shot showrunner."
"And the studio just… allows him to harass people?"
Another shrug. "I guess so."
The two fell into a silence that hung in the air uncomfortably. Even if Lynn was essentially paying Kawakami to take a break, it looked like the situation was just causing more stress for the teacher.
Lynn peeked over the top of her magazine and frowned.
"Can I get you some coffee?" She asked, to Kawakami's surprise. It stalled the teacher's brain.
Eventually, however, she grinned. "Shouldn't that be my job, Master?" Her features twisted into an overly exaggerated attempt at being cute. Her voice shifted into a higher octave and her back arched, pushing out her chest.
Meanwhile, Lynn looked wholly unimpressed.
"Sadayo, please never call me Master again."
The act was immediately dropped and Kawakami sheepishly chuckled. "Yeah… I hate it too. But… it's part of the damn package. Anyway, sure, coffee sounds lovely."
A couple of minutes later, the two were enjoying freshly brewed beverages and sat at a low standing table in the centre of Lynn's room. Even still, the drinks didn't seem to help with the awkwardness. The maid outfit and the implications behind it just made Lynn feel worse. Still, at least Kawakami was out of harm's way for the time being.
"Can I ask why you wanted to become a teacher?"
The question was sudden, even for Lynn - and she was the one to ask it. She glanced up to see Kawakami quietly cough up a small sip of hot coffee.
"That was a little random."
"I'm just curious. Did you always know? Did you stumble into it?"
"Hmm," Kawakami gently placed her mug down and rubbed her chin, "I've always been the friend everyone came to for help with studying. I guess I just have that kind of draw, y'know?" She laughed, only to groan. "That makes me sound like I was a boring know-it-all. Did you know I was actually the captain of my high school's Kendo team?"
Now that was a surprise.
"I did not."
"I won a bunch of awards, too. But… I haven't even touched a shinai in years." The image of Kawakami dressed in full gear facing off against an opponent was - unfortunately - quite foreign. It really didn't suit the apathetic, semi-permanently annoyed woman Kawakami usually presented herself as. Then again, it would have been very interesting to see her in her youth.
Honestly, the idea of sparring with her immediately flashed across Lynn's mind.
Sadly, that thought would have to be placed to the side.
Kawakami shrugged and continued on with her train of thought. "Anyway, don't mind my humble bragging. I guess I've just always liked helping people learn. It just felt natural, I guess. Which is at least one good thing. Have you seen how little we get paid? Ugh… I barely have anything left for groceries after… well…" she fell silent and hung her head in a solemn sense of resignation. "It's nothing I don't deserve."
Lynn wasn't having any of that talk. Not when she was paying for the time.
Instead, Kawakami went back to giving Morgana affection. After a few minutes of silence - only broken by Morgana's purring - the teacher huffed and shook off the depression as best she could.
"What made you ask, anyway?"
Lynn shrugged. "I was asked a similar question recently. I have no idea what I want to do with my life, so I just thought hearing someone else talk about their career would help."
"I get it. Well, whatever you do, don't make the same mistakes I did."
"So I shouldn't care about others? That's a pretty crappy piece of advice, Sadayo." Lynn smirked, trying to lighten the mood. It at least earned a short giggle.
"You know what I mean, Rin."
The two shared a quiet laugh. A glance at the clock elicited a frown. The time slot Lynn had bought was quickly approaching its end. The thought that Kawakami had other clients that night turned her stomach.
Then an idea popped into Lynn's head.
The V Team. Or more specifically, one particular member.
As such, just after Kawakami left, Lynn was on her phone immediately.
[Rin-Tin-Lynn - Hey Jude, don't suppose I could hire you for something?]
[PunchinJudy - Oh? What's up, kiddo?]
[Rin-Tin-Lynn - It's just a night's work. I can pay.]
[PunchinJudy - Fuck that. You've earned more than a few free gigs, kid. What do you need?]
[Rin-Tin-Lynn - I need you to keep someone safe for the night. Kind of like a bodyguard, but I don't want them knowing you're there.]
There was a short pause. Then, after a couple of minutes, the little icon signifying a reply popped up once again.
[PunchinJudy - That's more V's thing, y'know? I'm not a merc.]
[Rin-Tin-Lynn - But you are a Mox.]
Another pause.
[PunchinJudy - Oh.]
Friday - June 10th
Without the tyranny of annoyed cameramen and stressed directors, the studio actually seemed pretty interesting.
Even if the students were confined to the audience seating area.
The programme being filmed was some sort of talk show. The bright lights and over the top set design was well in line with the usual Japanese daytime TV. Something Lynn didn't particularly have much need to watch. As she and the others sat and listened to the hosts prattle on, she felt herself nod in and out of consciousness.
It may have been funny to see the brutish man from yesterday - who turned out to be one of the presenters - act friendly, chatty and welcoming to his guests, but the amusement quickly wore off.
The subject the two presenters were talking about had all but faded into the back of Lynn's mind. Sleep was doing its damned best to take her, and it was a fight she honestly didn't particularly have any interest in fighting.
Then, Lynn felt a sharp impact on her right side.
It was Shiho.
"We're bringing in Mr. Akechi, now. Commercial break ends in thirty seconds." A showrunner spoke loudly over a speaker and the gathered students began to mutter and murmur about the upcoming guest.
"It's the guy from yesterday." Shiho whispered. Sure enough, the auburn shock of perfectly messy hair came into view. Unlike yesterday, he wasn't holding his briefcase, yet everything else about his appearance was exactly how it was yesterday. It was almost unnerving how immaculate the boy kept himself consistently.
Still, his disarming smile charmed the hearts of all the other students.
The presenters returned to their seats and gestured to Akechi to sit in preparation for the upcoming segment.
"Quiet on set. Commercial break ends in five. Four. Three…" The final two counts were silent before the lights on set sprang back to life. A prompt card above the audience called for polite applause.
What the studio got was a bunch of swooning students and mutterings of fantasies. Still, the students calmed themselves and allowed the presenters to begin the segment.
"Welcome back!" The female presenter happily chirped. "Following on from our previously well-received guest appearance, we've invited the high school detective prince Goro Akechi back to the studio. Welcome back, Akechi!"
"It's a pleasure."
"It amazes me to see how popular you have become," the male presenter smiled, though it was obvious he hid no small amount of envy for the youth, "care to share your thoughts on that?"
Akechi gave a warm, polite chuckle. "It's really rather embarrassing, but I appreciate the support the public deems me worthy of."
"Such humble words. Now, you've been mulling over a case recently, correct? Are you able to enlighten us?"
At this, Akechi rubbed a finger against his chin. "Ah, yes. The recent scandal involving the master artist; Ichiryusai Madarame." Silently, Lynn, Shiho, Ann and Ryuji shared a concerned look. Or rather, the girls did. Ryuji looked almost excited that their exploits were getting talked about. Still, the interview continued on with the male presenter clapping in delight.
"Oh! The recent Phantom Thief excitement has swept you up as well, I see!" The presenter flashed a grin. "If I may be so bold, what are your opinions on this mysterious group?"
"If they truly are heroes of justice, then I sincerely hope they exist."
"So you don't deny the possibility they are real?"
Akechi chuckled again. A light blush dusted his cheeks. "Believe it or not, I sometimes wish Santa Clause existed." He paused before shrugging with a hint of remorse. "Although, if he did, I would have to arrest him for breaking and entering."
The student audience laughed at the little joke. All save for the four thieves.
Lynn glared at Akechi and noted that his demeanour had switched in an instant. His brow furrowed and his jaw stiffened. "However, hypothetically speaking, if these Phantom Thieves are, indeed, real, then I believe they should be tried in a court of law." There was a distinct weight behind his words. A muted intensity that held far more meaning than what he was verbally saying.
"You believe they're committing crimes?" The female presenter tilted her head. "Some people believe they're helping wrong-doers abandon their evil ways."
Akechi nodded solemnly. "What Madarame is guilty of is truly unforgivable. However, these Phantom Thieves are taking the law into their own hands and judging him under their own - unrecognised - authority. That is far from justice. Furthermore, you should never forcefully change someone's heart."
With great effort, Lynn was able to stop herself from speaking out. That said, the bubbling anger was still there. She dug her nails into her knees and let her frustrations out through a quiet growl.
"Quite the bold proclamation. Impressive as always, Akechi. Now, let's get the audience's opinions on the matter. Please, if our studio audience would press the appropriate button on their devices; do you think the Phantom Thieves exist?" The woman presenter beamed a welcoming smile toward the students. Sure enough, there was a small device tucked in a compartment on each chair.
Ryuji's frustrated "Of course they do!" thankfully went unnoticed by anyone else.
After a few seconds, the male presenter hummed at the results. "Oh, about thirty percent say yes. Your thoughts Akechi?"
The boy detective looked genuinely shocked. "That's quite surprising. It's a lot higher than I expected. I would love to hear more detailed opinions from some of our present audience members." Just like that, Akechi appeared to have taken control of the segment. The female presenter rose to her feet and began to wander into the audience.
One of the cameras followed her movements.
She was making her way closer to Lynn and the others. Lynn desperately didn't want to be called upon, but the more she tried avoiding eye contact with the approaching presenter, the more the presenter seemed drawn to her.
As if she were a moth to a light bulb, the presenter stopped at Lynn's side and gave her a friendly smile.
"Let's ask this lovely young lady," she turned to the camera that was following her before raising her microphone to her lips. "Hypothetically speaking, what are your thoughts on the Phantom Thieves?"
Without even thinking about it, Lynn replied. "They've done more than your precious court of law has." She flinched at her own words. They were a lot more accusatory than she had intended, but on the other hand, she didn't feel she was wrong. Perhaps it was just her own issues with authority that bled through.
"You say that with such firmness. Interesting." Akechi was looking right at Lynn with a curious gaze.
"My, my. This goes quite against your own stance, Akechi."
"Indeed. Your conviction is intriguing," Akechi gave a nod of genuine respect and acknowledgement. "Allow me to ask you another question. If someone you know - say… your friend next to you - were to suddenly change on a fundamental level, would you think it was the Phantom Thieves?"
Lynn gave Shiho a glance. The girl was trying to make herself as small as possible, clearly hating the sudden attention by everyone on set.
"What would you think? Would you even know if your own heart had changed?" Lynn replied, earning her another curious look from Akechi. He smiled and cupped his chin.
"Very interesting," he muttered almost to himself. Whatever he was looking for, he seemed satisfied. "Well, here is my opinion on the matter; whether the Thieves' actions are good or not, the bigger issue is exactly how they go about their methods. If they really possess the ability to change someone's heart - or rather their very state of being - then what else could they do with this ability? Something like that is far too dangerous to be trusted to an unknown organisation. In fact, if the Phantom Thieves do - in fact exist - then it would be a considerable threat to our everyday lives."
"Would you prefer that power be given to the Police?" Again, Lynn spoke up without thinking. It surprised not only Akechi, but the presenters as well.
"Well… yes."
"And what do you think they would do with it? They barely use the power they already have."
"And that's all we have time for!" The female presenter withdrew the microphone and before Lynn knew it, the segment had ended and the presenters quickly moved right along into another commercial break.
Lynn could feel the glares from her fellow students. Especially the other girls.
She tried not to let it bother her.
So, when the students were finally allowed to get up and take a break, Lynn found herself retreating into a corner and out of sight. She wanted to kick herself hard. She was too obvious, too combative. It definitely hadn't helped her reputation as a violent delinquent.
Ryuji, Ann and Shiho had wandered off elsewhere. Likely to look at the various sets in the studio. The talk show wasn't the only programme being filmed today, after all.
"Hey, Mona, do you think Akechi has a point?" Lynn whispered. Her bag shuffled slightly before Morgana popped his head out. He huffed and seemed almost offended.
"It doesn't matter what he thinks. We're doing so much good!"
"But… he made it sound like we're the problem…" Lynn shook her head and clenched her fists. "Never mind. Forget I said anything." Questioning their actions now would just make everything pointless. After all, Akechi had applauded her conviction. If he found out she was second guessing herself, that respect would disappear.
Granted, she had no clue why said respect even mattered to her to begin with.
"Oh! It's you!"
As if on cue, the one voice Lynn didn't want to hear spoke up.
Akechi approached with the confidence of an old friend. His smile never once changed from the friendly, perfect image of charm.
"It sure is me." Lynn replied. Earning a short chuckle.
"You know, it's quite refreshing to have someone speak their mind. I wanted to thank you in person. I was quite disappointed the presenters cut our discussion short." That caught Lynn's attention. She turned to him and perked up an eyebrow. "To quote Hegel; progress can't be made without both thesis and antithesis." He paused and seemed to catch himself on something. "Sorry, what I meant to say is our exchange was quite meaningful."
"I know what Hegel Dialectics is," Lynn grunted. Even if it was only a surface level understanding, she couldn't help but feel he was talking down to her. "You're either naive, or just delusional."
"Oh?"
Ignoring the repeated nudges from a certain feline-adjacent individual, Lynn continued. "You preach that we should leave everything to the authorities. The court of law is the arbiter of justice and should be trusted. Bullshit. Madarame's case dates back almost three decades. And that's just the stuff available to the public. So, forgive me when I say that I trust these Phantom Thieves a little more than your precious authorities."
And that wasn't even mentioning her own experiences with the law.
She let out her frustration with a long exhale. She expected a rebuttal, but instead, Akechi was putting in genuine thought about her words.
"I suppose certain perspectives would lead to that outcome. Perhaps my own views on the matter are a little biassed." He rubbed his chin and hummed to himself. It was pretty irritating to watch him when Lynn was this worked up. "You've proven to be exceptionally intriguing. May I ask your name?"
"Amamiya."
He caught on to the cold tone and offered an apologetic grimace. "Thank you again, Amamiya. I can tell you have personal experiences that have led to quite the distrust of people like me. In fact, I believe I've seen your name before."
Was that some kind of threat?
Lynn's fist clenched tight. The mere mention of her own record was enough to boil her blood once again.
However, she calmed herself. Showing him anything more was just giving him ammunition for the future.
"Anyway, it's a pleasant change of pace to meet someone who is willing to speak their mind so openly. It's been quite some time since I've had an honest debate." This was a debate? It hardly felt like one. It was more like Lynn venting her anger and Akechi espousing flowery language without actually saying anything. "Would you be open to more discussions at a later date? I would love to pick your brain a little more."
"Uh… sure."
As soon as she said it, she wanted to immediately retract it. However, it was too late.
Akechi beamed with delight. "Excellent! I look forward to it. For now, I must be off. Good bye, Amamiya."
An all too familiar pulse of strength thumped deep in Lynn's chest.
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, thou hast attained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power.
Even still, watching Akechi walk away with a spring in his step, Lynn couldn't help but let out a long, exasperated sigh. Once he had left and was out of sight, Morgana wriggled his head free from the bag. He softly hummed. "Don't you think you were a little hard on him?"
It earned another sigh from Lynn, who slouched and whined. "Why do I feel like I've just triggered a Death Flag or something?"
Saturday - June 11th
"Allright, class. Settle down."
Kawakami growled as she stood at the front of the class. As always, the annoyed facade she wore was in full effect. It was the final period of the day, so the class was raring to go for the weekend. As such, even her request didn't calm the chatting and murmuring.
Lynn caught bits and pieces.
A few girls were recounting their experiences with the children's hospital. Some were talking about the market. A few were gushing about meeting Akechi.
And of course, Lynn's argumentative comments were the catalyst of even more rumours.
By now, according to the student body, Lynn was a knife collecting, puppy kicking psychopath. A daughter of some crazed Yakuza boss. Someone who ate raw meat with her bare hands. Was she some kind of rabid animal to these people?
"Settle. Down." Kawakami ordered once again.
And once again, she went ignored.
Lynn was about to step in and try to silence the class herself, however, a sudden rush of bloodthirsty malice enveloped the classroom. A quick glance toward the teacher's podium gave Lynn a genuine shock.
Kawakami's eyes gleamed with murderous rage. Her grip on each side of the podium threatened to shatter the wood.
"KNOCK IT OFF!" She barked.
This time, the classroom fell deathly silent immediately.
Lynn swore she saw an otherworldly apparition hang over the raging teacher. A face reminiscent of an old oni mask from folklore. Though, as soon as the class had finally shut up and Kawakami had calmed back down, the mask was gone, as if it was never there.
Under her breath, Lynn whispered, "Sadayo… you're freaking scary."
"Right. Now we've settled down, I've got some things to go over before I let you go." Kawakami cleared her throat and tried straightening herself up. "There's been a recent surge in scams across the district, so be careful about who you talk to and… try not to fall for anything obvious. If it sounds too good to be true, it definitely is." She shuffled a handful of papers. "The sports staff are also starting to reorganise the club advisors, so if you're part of one of those clubs, talk to your club president for more details. Finally, our class is getting another transfer student who will be joining us on monday. Because, apparently one troublemaker isn't enough." She grinned and shot a glance over to Lynn.
In response, the girl did her best impression of a delinquent.
That said, this transfer student was definitely news to her. Curiosity took root and plenty of theories slowly swirled around in her head.
Whoever this mystery student was, Lynn just hoped they had a better time fitting in than she did.
After a few more minutes of routine announcements and lectures, everyone was finally dismissed for the day. As it was Saturday, school was only a half day, which meant Lynn was free to do whatever for the rest of the day.
That said, Ann had a shoot to go to, so Lynn made for the school courtyard. Maybe Ryuji or Shiho was free to hang out.
Before long, she spied Ryuji sitting alone near the vending machines with a rather sullen expression. He gripped a bottle of water and fidgeted with the label. At Lynn's approach, he tried to force himself to smile, but couldn't muster anything more than a frustrated growl. Had she done something to piss him off?
Lynn took a seat on the bench next to him. "What's up big guy?"
"Nothin' huge."
"By the state of that poor bottle label, I'd say you're lying."
"It's the track club. All the sports teams are gettin' new supervisors so the guys from the old track team are tryin' to start the club back up." His grip tightened and the plastic bottle crackled under the pressure.
"And… that's a bad thing?"
"No! It's great! But…"
"Buuuuut…"
"Talk among the sports faculty is sayin' the new track supervisor is gonna be Yamaguchi."
The name was completely unfamiliar to Lynn. Although, it wasn't a surprise. She didn't know a lot of the school's staff. Although, judging from how Ryuji was talking, this Yamaguchi didn't sound like a good person. "I… assume that's… the problem?"
"Yeah. The guy was one of Kamoshida's biggest supporters. The asshole is like a diet version of that bastard."
"Oh boy." Lynn huffed. "What is it with this school and hiring scumbags?"
"Tell me about it."
"You going to join back up with the team?" Lynn already knew the answer to that question. Ryuji shook his head much like she thought he would. "So you're worried about your old teammates?" At that, he nodded. His loyalty was admirable. Despite being blamed by his old teammates and cast out by them, he still wanted to at least help them.
"Somethin's up," he muttered quietly. "No way Yamaguchi's just gonna run the team like he should."
"So, what do you want to do about it? Make him our next target?"
There was a brief moment of contemplation.
Lynn honestly thought he would be all for it. However, he shook his head. "Nah. Not yet, anyway. I need to do some snoopin'. I just gotta know if I can trust him. If not… then… I dunno."
"Look at you being all responsible! Anyway, if you need help, I'll always be happy to lend a hand." At that, Ryuji gave a grateful grin and clapped a hand on Lynn's shoulder.
"Thanks, Rin."
With that sorted, the two decided to head off to Shibuya for a bite to eat. Today, Lynn was craving a Big Bang Burger.
Author's Notes
Sorry this one took so long! I haven't been feeling well for the past few weeks, so writing's been slow. Anyway, we're officially on to the next arc. Look forward to all the shenanigans I have planned. As always, thank you for reading and I hope you continue to enjoy my writings.