Seeing their leader regaining her spirit inspired the rest of the team, pushing back against Sae much harder than before.
"Everyone, charge!" Futaba cried, strengthening everyone up.
Ryuji and Yusuke charged straight ahead, striking Sae with their weapons.
"Get out of my way!" Sae shouted, swatting them away with her sword.
"Try this!" Haru cried, launching a grenade right at Sae, causing a large explosion.
Before the dust could clear away completely, a hail of bullets fired out of it, some of them striking Haru.
"Now I'll- GAH!"
Morgana climbed atop Sae's body, carefully avoiding the spikes while trying to cut at the gaps in her armor.
"GET OFF OF ME!" Sae cried, unable to shake him off with both hands wielding weapons.
While Sae was distracted, Makoto prepared to launch an attack until…
*RrrrRrrrRrrr*
"That sound… I can barely hear it, but-"
"Queen! The ball's still moving!" Ann shouted.
Makoto's eyes widened, seeing the ball move into a pocket with a green wind icon.
"Wind?" Makoto questioned.
"YAHHH!"
Sae decided to fall onto her back, causing Morgana to quickly jump off to avoid being crushed, but she managed to grab Morgana's tail after dropping her sword.
Yusuke and Akechi tried to charge in and rescue Morgana, only for Sae to blow them away with a gust of wind.
Sae tossed Morgana into the air, aiming her gun right at him.
"T-Tetrakarn!" Haru cried.
She created the barrier just in time, reflecting the bullets back at Sae. It did little damage, but Morgana was safe.
And it also gave her an opening!
"Skull, use lightning now!" Makoto commanded.
"What are you-AHH!" Sae cried, Ryuji having struck her with a powerful Ziodyne spell.
"Not so tough now are you?" Ryuji taunted.
"Barong!" Makoto shouted. "Let's do the same!"
She struck Sae with a 2nd Ziodyne spell, damaging her even more.
"Enough of this!" Sae snapped.
The ball started to roll again, but before they could see where it landed, Sae slammed her sword into the ground, causing pillars of flames to rise near the edges of the arena, cutting off their view of the roulette.
"My ice is useless against these flames." Yusuke frowned, not even a Bufudyne able to extinguish them.
"Seriously?!" Futaba exclaimed. "She's cheating again!"
"Then we'll cheat harder!" Makoto declared.
She activated her third eye, seeing past the flames and spying the ball continuing to roll before landing in a pocket with a strange black and white pattern.
"That one must be almighty." Makoto realized. "But then what would it be weak to?"
Before she could think about it anymore, Sae immediately started charging at her, sword ready to strike.
She had little room to breathe, Sae chasing her down without end.
"F-Freidyne!" Makoto shouted.
She fired off a nuke spell, hoping to buy her some time and gain some distance.
Luckily, the attack connected, and seemed to deal decent damage.
"RAAAAAGH! You'll pay for that, you little brat!" Sae snarled.
Sae aimed her guns, firing a blast of almighty energy too fast for Makoto to dodge.
"Ahh!" Makoto screamed as she was launched into the air.
She landed dangerously close to the fire, Sae already having caught up to her.
As Makoto struggled to get up, Sae raised her sword into the air.
And stopped.
"I… I…"
"The shadow… is hesitating?!" Akechi exclaimed, completely baffled. "But why?!"
Makoto wasted no time taking advantage of this, dashing away from her sister, the sight of which seemed to break Sae out of her hesitation.
"W-Wait! Get back here, yo-AHH!"
Yusuke shot out freezing waves of ice, freezing Sae's feet to the ground.
"Sukunda!" Ren shouted, attempting to lower the shadow's speed even more.
"Both ice and nuke spells worked…" Makoto muttered. "Alright then! Everyone, hit her with everything you've got!"
She fired off another Freidyne spell, watching as the others fired off their own strongest spells.
Sae quickly fired another blast of almighty energy, all of the spells colliding together and causing a tremendous explosion.
"Is everyone alright?!" Makoto shouted.
"Y-Yeah. All good." Ren nodded.
The others had gotten blown back by the explosion, but thankfully hadn't been seriously injured.
Sae, on the other hand.
"Urgh… I… I won't…!"
Sae had taken the brunt of the explosion, barely managing to force herself to her knees.
While Morgana and Ann were busy healing the others, Makoto calmly made her way over to Sae.
"G-Get away!" Sae shouted.
Sae tried to back away, her body trembling in pain.
"It's over, Sis." Makoto declared. "You lose."
"I… lose…?" Sae muttered. "I… lose?!"
The words sound twisted and unnatural, as if they were utterly foreign to her lips.
"I… LOSE?!" Sae exclaimed.
Her body began to tremble, not out of pain or fear… but anger.
"No… I never lose! NEVER!" Sae snapped.
Sae rose to her feet, a look of pure rage on her face.
"S-Sis?!" Makoto gasped.
Sae let out a feral scream, raising her sword into the air.
Black flames began to spread, increasing her offensive prowess exponentially.
She slammed her sword into the ground once again, causing a wall of flame to surround herself and Makoto.
"W-What?" Makoto gasped.
"Queen!" Ren shouted.
"It's just you and me now…" Sae coldly stated.
The black flames coiled around Sae's sword, like a sinister sea serpent.
"Yeah…" Makoto nodded. "Let's finish this, then!"
Even despite her armor, Sae moved blindingly fast, and was on her in an instant.
Makoto lept to the right at the last moment, the heat from the sword still scorching her legs as she jumped.
Blood red eyes glared at her as Sae swiped at her diagonally.
Makoto ducked, then quickly slid between Sae's legs before she could fire at her with the gun.
Even being near the flames caused her skin to burn, but she pushed past the pain and fired off another Freidyne.
"AAAH!"
Sae cried out in pain, her armor hissing and groaning from the pressure.
It was then she understood.
The black flames were deadly to her… and just as deadly to her sister.
They were making a desperate effort to strengthen her offence, at the cost of her defense.
If she could just land a few more hints.
"MAKOTOOOOOOOOO!"
Sae charged at her with sword ready.
"Okuninushi!" Makoto called. "Heat Wave!"
She met Sae's charge, her Persona raising its sword.
The swords clashed…
And Sae's sword shattered.
"WHAT?!" Sae cried.
"Okuninushi, again!" Makoto shouted.
She struck with her Persona's sword again, Sae barely managed to bring her gun up to block in time.
… Only for said gun to be sliced in half.
"Let's see just how well you can fight without any weapons!" Makoto taunted.
Undeterred, Sae grabbed Makoto and lifted her into the air before slamming her fist into her stomach, causing her to go flying across the arena.
"Very… well, apparently." Makoto muttered.
She had landed just a few feet away from the barrier of flames. As she slowly picked herself off the ground, her eyes widened when she saw Sae leap into the air and attempt to crash down on her.
She quickly rolled out of the way, getting into a fighting stance as Sae did the same after landing.
"Seth!" Makoto called.
She needed a way to deal with Sae while nullifying the black flames. Seth would work for just that purpose.
"You know… I've never lost a spar with you before." Sae grinned.
"… Good thing this isn't just a regular spar, then." Makoto replied.
"I don't need weapons to beat you. Those useless attacks of yours won't even scratch me!" Sae boasted.
Makoto said nothing, instead charging forward and unleashing a flurry of punches.
"ORAORAORAORAORA!" Makoto shouted, letting out a battle cry.
"Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless!" Sae shouted, delivering several punches of her own.
Their fists collided over and over again, neither of them able to land a solid hit on the other.
Both sisters had been utterly exhausted, and it was only a matter of time before one of their attacks would connect.
Sae saw an opening first, going for a punch on Makoto's right side.
To Sae's shock, however, Makoto caught her wrist right before her attack connected.
"Wha-"
Makoto flipped Sae over by the wrist, slamming her onto the ground.
"URK!" Sae groaned as she hit the ground.
Makoto tried to slam her fist into Sae's face, but Sae quickly kicked up, nailing her in the chin.
Sae quickly got up, creating some space between her and Makoto.
Both sisters eyed each other warily, on their last legs.
"I think it's time… we finish this." Makoto stated.
"I couldn't agree more!" Sae grinned.
Right as Sae was about to attack again, however.
"Hold it!" Makoto commanded. "Why don't we decide this… with one last game?"
Instantly, she got Sae's attention. "...What kind of game?"
She pointed to the flaming barrier.
"We both back up as far as we can, and then charge at each other one more time." Makoto explained. "The one who's able to land their fist on their opponent's body first wins."
"Hahahaha… sounds good to me!" Sae said, her grin growing even larger. "So, we'll back up to opposite sides?
"Exactly." Makoto nodded. "That way the game will be fair and square."
"Alright then. I agree with those terms. Let's do it then!"
Both of them backed up to the edge of the arena, walking several paces before turning to face each other.
In her current form… Sae had a significantly longer reach than her.
Even so…
"Alright then, on the count of three!" Makoto shouted. "1… 2… 3!"
Both of them charged forwards, rearing back their fists.
Dakini!" Makoto called. "Charge!"
She felt a rush of energy begin to flow through her body.
"It doesn't matter how strong you make yourself!" Sae yelled. "You won't touch me!"
They both continued to charge at each other, now only a few feet away from each other.
And then… Makoto stopped.
And pulled out her gun.
"It's over!" Makoto shouted.
She blasted Sae at point-blank range, the extra boost from the charge strengthening the shot.
Sae's armor shattered to pieces, Sae flying out of it and landing hard onto the ground.
Sae began struggling to try to get up. But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get off the ground. All of her energy and stamina had been completely spent.
"You… you cheated…!" Sae weakly said.
"I don't recall ever saying that we only had to use our fists." Makoto pointed out.
Makoto slowly walked up to her sister.
"N-No… get away!" Sae cried.
Makoto stood over her, raising her fist into the air…
She said so many awful things to you!
Make her feel all the pain that you've suffered!
… And gently tapped Sae's head with it.
"I win." Makoto said softly. "Fair and square."
Sae said nothing for a few moments before realization crossed her face.
"Ha… I see. So… I've finally lost." Sae muttered.
The flames surrounding them began to recede more and more until they finally died.
"Queen!" Ren shouted. "Are you all right?!"
"I'm fine. I… ugh…" Makoto trailed off.
That battle had completely worn her out. She was almost completely spent.
"Hold on, Queen, we'll heal you!" Morgana yelled.
"Don't worry, Fox and I will get the treasure!" Ryuji promised.
"Right… the rest of you stay here, just in case." Makoto ordered.
"There you go, Queen." Morgana nodded. "You should be all healed up now."
As they went off to grab the treasure, Makoto nodded to Morgana before kneeling down next to Sae.
"What are you doing?" Akechi questioned. "That's just a shadow."
"Quiet!" Ann snapped.
"Ah, sorry." Akechi apologized.
"Makoto… why did you join the Phantom Thieves…" Sae asked.
There wasn't any malice, suspicion, or bitterness in her tone.
"You were… always such a good girl." Sae mentioned.
She sounded genuinely confused.
"I don't think it's wrong to bring light to evils which can't be judged by law." Makoto pointed out. "That's all that we've been trying to do."
Sae said nothing, watching and listening to Makoto.
"But these aggressive interrogations? Twisting the truth for your own personal gain…?" Makoto continued. "If not for my sake, then for the sake of this country… You have to think back to the feelings you had when you first wanted to be a prosecutor. Think about your justice, Sis!"
"It's just like my father…" Haru whispered. "What causes them to become like this?"
"It's a cruel world, I suppose…" Akechi trailed off.
"Makoto…" Sae murmured "Let me… look at you for a moment."
She allowed Sae to get a better look at her, neither of them exchanging a word for a few moments.
"I've been… gone for a long time… haven't I?" Sae whispered. "When did you… get so mature?"
"I had to do… a lot of growing up." Makoto said. "I didn't have any other choice."
"… I'm sorry." Sae muttered.
Makoto paused, not quite sure how to respond.
"Hey, we've got the treasure!"
Yusuke and Ryuji came running back, now with a briefcase in their possession.
"A briefcase?" Akechi questioned. "I wonder what's inside?"
"Best not to mess with it right now." Morgana mentioned. "Sometimes treasures can change form in the outside world!"
"Is that so? I see." Akechi nodded.
"And besides, the palace will start collapsing soon." Ren warned.
"Then we'd best escape." Akechi nodded. "Thankfully, it seems with Sae-san dealt with, the suspicions against you will be lifted. I must say… this has been quite the experience."
"It's not over yet." Makoto mentioned. "We still have the conspiracy to deal with."
"Indeed." Akechi nodded. "We shall work together until then, and not a moment longer."
"Then we'd better get moving!" Morgana mentioned. "Say… Queen, are you…?"
"I'm all right, Mona." Queen confirmed. "Let's go."
"H-Huh?"
Futaba gasped, suddenly looking very worried.
"Oracle, what's wrong?" Queen asked.
"Enemy readings?! But how did they- ah!" Futaba cried. "They're gathering outside, and there's a bunch of them!"
"For real?! The hell's goin' on?!" Ryuji exclaimed.
"A bunch of them… is this some sort of last-ditch effort to stop us from escaping?" Yusuke asked.
"Whatever it is, it doesn't look good." Ann frowned.
"But we defeated the Palace ruler, and even stole her treasure! So why are the shadows still so restless?" Morgana frowned. "It just doesn't make any sense! What's going on?!"
"Ugh, I hate ambush spawns!" Futaba muttered. "Why did all these guys just pop in out of nowhere all at once!"
"You don't think that the conspiracy is onto us, do you?" Ren asked. "Did Sae tell anyone about the calling card?"
"Ah, of course! That must be the reason why!" Akechi exclaimed. "Can you confirm, Leader?"
"Sis did call her boss." Makoto nodded.
"Queen, we can't let them surround us." Ren said. "We might have to resort to splitting up."
"But if we do that… wouldn't we need someone to act as a decoy to distract them?" Haru asked.
"... Go, everyone." Queen commanded. "I'll handle this."
"Queen, are you seriously planning on distracting them all yourself?!" Ren exclaimed. "That's insane! Trying to do that when they have numbers like that is…"
Ren's acting was very convincing… but maybe it really wasn't entirely acting at all. Maybe there was still a small part of him that didn't want her to go through with this crazy plan.
"Let her go, man." Ryuji insisted, placing a hand on Ren's shoulder. "You know she's got this."
"... Don't worry, Joker. I'll be fine." Makoto promised.
"Right, yeah… I know you will." Ren nodded.
"Yeah, you got this!" Ryuji grinned, handing her the treasure.
"Please don't do anything reckless." Haru pleaded.
"I won't forgive you if you don't make it back!" Ann warned.
"We still gotta fulfill our deal, you know?" Morgana grinned.
"This is a rather reluctant parting… let us be sure that we will meet again." Yusuke noted.
"Queen…" Futaba whispered. "Be careful… I'm getting a strange reading. I'm not sure if they're an enemy or not."
A strange reading? What could that mean?
"We had best hurry." Akechi stated.
"Yeah." Ren nodded. "We'll… definitely see you later, Queen!"
She split from the rest of the group, making her way back to the main lobby.
"Up there!"
"Phantom Thief spotted!"
The officers on the ground immediately spotted her, moving to intercept.
She placed the briefcase for the others to grab, and then quickly started to guide the officers away from the main lobby, giving the others a chance to escape.
It wasn't long, however, until a shadow intercepted her.
They hadn't actually stolen the real treasure, only a fake, so perhaps the shadows must still be willing to attack them…
The shadow morphed into a bipedal bull-like creature with a long tail.
You have done well so far.
Makoto's eyes widened as Anat appeared before her.
You have progressed far in the past months, gaining much power. Now, use that power to crush those that would oppose you!
"Got it! Freidyne, Anat!" Makoto called.
She launched off her attack, striking the shadow right in the chest.
It attempted to retaliate with a pillar of fire, but she easily dodged before it hit, and retaliated with her fist.
The shadow fell to the ground, dissolving into nothing.
Anat appeared before her once again.
Your fate will soon be determined… you must remember everyone who has helped you reach this point. And the bonds you've forged with them. Should you overcome this trial, we shall surely meet again.
She nodded to Anat, no more words needing to be exchanged between the two.
"Queen, there's a door above your location. Go there."
Futaba was thankfully still able to communicate with her.
She made her way up to a higher floor and into a door, moving juuuuust slow enough for the officers to be able to see where she was going.
"Careful, Queen, I'm seeing that strange reading again. It's heading in your direction. And there are lots of shadows too!" Futaba warned.
Makoto opened the door, only to be greeted by a large number of shadows that slowly began to close in on her.
"Damn it, I don't have time for this!" Makoto snapped.
She blasted through the shadows with a Freidyne spell, but more quickly took their place.
"At this rate, I'm not going to be able to-"
"LOOK OUT BELOW!"
Several rays of light shone down from the ceiling, striking any shadow unfortunate enough to have gotten caught in the blasts.
One of the shadows glanced upwards, only to get a spear lodged into its head.
As the shadow dissolved into nothing, the mysterious figure hopped onto their 'spear', floating a few feet off the ground as they kicked their legs back and forth.
"What's up, Queen?"
"Ei-Witch, what are you doing here?!" Makoto gasped.
"Well, that's a weird way of thanking someone for saving you, ya know!" Eiko pointed out.
"R-Right, sorry, I just… I'm just surprised, that's all." Makoto admitted. "Did you follow us here?"
"Ummm… maybe?" Eiko whispered.
"Makoto, this is the weird reading I've been getting!" Futaba shouted. "Are they…?"
"Yeah. They're an ally." Makoto confirmed.
"And a pretty helpful one too, huh?" Eiko grinned.
"I told you it was dangerous." Makoto frowned. "There are police swarming the entire palace now, ready to take down and arrest any of us."
"Yeah, there seemed to be a lot of them in the main area… and I guess we can't just beat them up, huh?" Eiko frowned.
"Absolutely not." Makoto answered. Certainly not with your Persona. Just get out of here as fast as you can, ok?!"
"Got it!" Eiko nodded. "But are you sure you don't need a ride?"
"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Makoto promised.
"Ok, then I'll see you on the outside, Queen!" Eiko grinned.
She zoomed off on her broom-like lance, looking a little winded as she left the room.
"A magic broom would be pretty handy right about now." Makoto muttered.
Anat could still turn into a motorcycle, but she would rather not have to explain that to the police officers.
She rushed back into the main lobby, the officers immediately spotting her dashing along the giant chandeliers.
She continued to dash along the chandeliers until she came upon a giant window.
Seeing no other option, she chucked an explosive, shattering the giant window before jumping through.
She landed outside of the building, only for dozens of flashing lights to shine on her…
… and an entire blockade of police officers.
She made a show of trying to run away… climbing a nearby ladder as they all gathered underneath.
The moment she reached the top of the ladder, however…
She saw several officers already there, one of which slammed the butt of their rifle into her face, causing her to fall to the ground.
The other officers quickly grabbed her, handcuffing her and pinning her to the ground.
"Didn't expect to find some girl..."
One of the officers approached her, grabbing her hair and lifting her head up.
"You've got one of your teammates to thank for this." the officer said. "You were sold out."
They dragged her off, disappearing from the Metaverse…
"I can't believe this! None of this was supposed to happen!"
Akechi dramatically gazed at the sky, Ren standing right next to him with the retrieved briefcase.
They had seen the eternity of Makoto's capture themselves from a vantage point up above.
As the 'second-in-command' of the group, he had been given the second most important job.
"Keep an eye on him, and don't let him out of your sight."
That was what she had told him to do. And he would do it as best he could.
"This mission was supposed to be your last." Akechi stated. "I know I wanted to eventually put a stop to the Phantom Thieves, but I… never wanted it to end like this."
Ren forcefully gripped the metal railing, trying to stay calm.
"I wanted justice." Akechi frowned. "Not this!"
Akechi… made that very hard.
"... Let's get going." Ren said.
"Aren't you worried about her?" Akechi asked. "There's no telling what the conspiracy will do to her.
"Of course I am!" Ren exclaimed. "But we can't let her sacrifice be in vain! If we get captured too, then everything she, and the rest of us, have worked so hard for would be for nothing!"
"... Yes, you're right." Akechi agreed. "It's not over. I'll make sure of it."
11/20 Wednesday
Justice.
The quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral righteousness.
A very simple word at first glance, but one that everyone had a different interpretation of.
One that had been studied, debated, morphed, and implemented since the dawn of man.
Used to justify numerous systems, but numerous crimes and atrocities as well.
But who decided what was just? A crime?
Was it a majority of their society?
What if they were wrong?
Who decided if they were wrong?
Her, apparently.
Her sense of justice was strong, yet simple.
That strength, that desire to see justice done was the only thing keeping her going…
As pain coursed through her body from numerous bruises.
As the injected drug began to take effect.
As she drifted in and out of unconsciousness…
"I said wake up!"
She gasped as ice cold water splashed onto her.
She shivered as the water soaked through her uniform.
Glancing upwards, she saw a police detective glancing down at her, glaring.
The detective began listing her various crimes, handing her a sheet on a clipboard for her to sign.
She had half a mind to take a page from her boyfriend's book and write down something provocative that she figured he would write in this situation.
Thankfully, she was the leader, not him, so a scenario like that only existed in her mind.
She decided against it, however, and simply gave him a defiant glare, which only seemed to make him angrier.
He slammed his foot down into her leg, causing her to cry out in pain.
"We need your arm to sign this… but I don't care if you lose a leg." the man threatened. "You've caused us a lot of trouble, makin' us look bad…"
So that was it. Revenge. She knew all too well the many morally questionable interrogation methods that didn't involve violence. But this man was just taking his anger out on her.
She glanced upwards, spying a camera in the room, filming them.
The detective scoffed. "Do you really think that's going to help you?"
"No, I don't." she muttered. "I know that you won't be held responsible for anything that happens to me."
As if to prove her point, he slapped her across the face- hard.
"Glad you understand." the man sneered. "I could have a little fun with you right now, and you wouldn't be able to do anything about it."
He held out the clipboard once again.
"I would suggest that you cooperate." the detective said. "We've already captured all of your teammates, and one of them already sold you out!"
She couldn't help but let a little bit of fear show on her face.
Had they really captured the others? Mona, Joker, Skull, Fox, Panther, Oracle, Noir, and even Witch?
"I can't let him get to me…" she thought. "He could be lying to me. I just… need to… stick to the plan."
The plan…
What was the plan again?
She needed to remember.
She took the clipboard from his hands, writing her name with a shaky hand.
Makoto Niijima.
The detective snatched the clipboard from her hand, looked it over, and roughly sat her down at the table.
She already knew what would happen next.
Someone would come in and interrogate her, and she would need to convince that person that the Phantom Thieves were just, and to help them with their crazy plan.
That 'someone' being her elder sister.
She wasn't sure if that made her chances better or worse, only that the idea of speaking to her sister in a situation like this filled her with dread.
Although, if she were being honest, any interaction with her sister made her feel this way recently.
As she continued to think about it more, she could have sworn she heard a voice in her head, and a blue butterfly flying near her.
What on Earth did they put in those drugs?
The door to the interrogation room opened, and she nearly froze when she saw who entered.
Prosecutor Sae Niijima.
Her sister.
"Well done on making it this far, Makoto." Caroline greeted.
"I'm… back here?" Makoto wondered.
"Now that you've traversed your long, perilous recollection, you have arrived at the present day." Justine informed.
"The effects of that drug are gonna wear off soon." Caroline pointed out. "So this is a golden opportunity! You have to grasp the truth that will save you from ruin!"
"An evil influence is fast approaching." Justine warned.
"If you want to win this unreasonable game…" Caroline trailed off.
"If you wish to take back your stolen future…" Justine continued.
"Recall the bonds that you have forged with your allies." they both instructed.
"I understand… thank you." Makoto nodded. "But I have a question."
Hearing the two of them speak at the same time reminded her of something.
"We have time… but only for one." Igor warned.
"There was this blue butterfly… was that you two speaking to me through it?" Makoto asked. "The butterfly sounded so similar to you two… and yet, different at the same time.
"A… blue butterfly?" Justine muttered.
"Sounded like… us?" Caroline repeated.
The twins clutched at their heads, and just for a moment, the wide grin that she had never seen leave Igor's face seemed to… falter, but only for a moment.
"Disregard that." Igor ordered. "It is of no importance."
"Master?" Caroline questioned.
"Are you sure?" Justine wondered.
"It must have merely been a hallucination brought on by that drug you were injected with." Igor excused. "Nothing more."
"... I see. Alright then." Makoto nodded.
"And… Good luck, Makoto." Caroline whispered.
"... Be safe." Justine mumbled.
She reached through the bars, placing her hands on each of their heads.
"Ah-!"
"What do you think you're doing-"
"Don't worry. I'll be safe." Makoto promised.
She went back to the bed in her cell, closing her eyes…
"...I see. So that's how you ended up here." Sae mentioned. "What a disappointing end to the hero of justice."
"It doesn't have to end here." Makoto pointed out.
"... There's a lot more that I'd like to ask, but my allotted time is nearly up." Sae sadly said.
"What now, then?" Makoto asked.
"... Care to strike a deal?" Sae asked. "If you cooperate with me, I might be able to lighten your sentence."
"... A deal? With me?" Makoto wondered.
"I have a responsibility to solve this case." Sae stated. "I will win, even if I have to broker a deal with you. Do you understand the situation you're in right now?"
"From the moment I became a Phantom Thief, I knew." Makoto answered.
Sae took a moment to look at her younger sister.
Beaten…
Battered…
But not broken.
A look of defiance and determination on her face.
"Then you understand that your operation was leaked, and you failed to change my heart. There's no point in being obstinate now." Sae reasoned. "You've corrupted the order of this country and-
Order?
Was that just a preservation of the status quo at all costs?
Was father dying because he got too close to the truth a necessary part of maintaining that status quo?!
Makoto took a deep breath. Now really wasn't the time to antagonize her.
"If you don't accept my proposal, you'll most likely be given life imprisonment… or the death penalty." Sae mentioned.
"And that proposal is?"
"I will read a list of names of people who were closest to you and this case." Sae stated. "Tell me honestly whether or not they were involved with the Phantom Thieves."
She said nothing, waiting for Sae to continue.
"Ren Amamiya, Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki, Yusuke Kitagawa, Futaba Sakura, and Haru Okumura… those were your accomplices, weren't they?" Sae inquired.
"No… None of those people were involved." Makoto lied.
"So you won't sell them out…" Sae frowned. "Then what about this? Were there other people who, while not being Phantom Thieves themselves, still aided your group or encouraged your crimes?"
Makoto shrugged. "We didn't have any contact with people like that. If anyone supported us, I wouldn't know."
"... I see. In that case, let's discuss one last person. Goro Akechi." Sae continued. "From your story, it seemed like he was working alongside you as well."
"I told you. Goro Akechi… isn't one of us." Makoto answered.
"Makoto… please." Sae answered. "Talk to me! I know that you want to protect them, but what about me? Would you really go this far?! I can't protect you if you don't cooperate! You could be sentenced to death! I… I can't lose…"
"The case?" Makoto asked.
"No… you." Sae whispered, barely audible. "I can't… lose you too…"
Makoto winced, forcing herself not to give in. The guilt was so painful, but she knew for certain that she would die if the plan failed, which would hurt Sae even more.
So she had to be strong… for just a little longer.
"Your teammates sacrificed you!" Sae argued.
"On my orders." Makoto countered. "I distracted the officers. What I'm wondering… is if you actually have any concrete evidence on me."
"Even if we don't… even if your story sounds like a fairy tale… people have died, Makoto!" Sae exclaimed. "We have to find out the truth!"
"The truth, huh?" Makoto asked. "You mean… who killed Kobayakawa? Okumura? Wakaba? Our father? All of the countless victims of mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns over the years?"
"You still insist there's a true culprit?" Sae asked.
"How would I kill the principal from Hawaii? How would we be responsible for deaths that occurred years ago if our group only formed this year? Why would I KILL MY OWN FATHER?!" Makoto yelled.
"That…
"Why would we kill Okumura right before he reveals his collaborators… which would involve all the people involved, directly or indirectly, with my father's death?!" Makoto continued.
"... Regardless, you were caught in the act. The officers wouldn't have even known you were there if one of your teammates hadn't sold you out." Sae mentioned. "My time is up… so please, Makoto, if you have anything to say…"
"About the person who sold us out?" Makoto asked. "Well…"
"Do you know something?!" Sae asked.
"... Let's make a deal." Makoto answered.
Sae's eyes immediately widened, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
"Yes, yes, of course! If you know something, you have to tell me!" Sae pleaded.
"First, the phone." Makoto said, gesturing to a cellphone on the table.
She had made sure that it was among her belongings when the police captured her.
"That phone… we haven't unlocked it yet." Sae mentioned.
"I'll unlock it for you." Makoto mentioned. "On one condition."
"Name it."
"I need you… to show it to the true culprit." Makoto demanded.
"The true culprit?! Are they the one who betrayed you?! Tell me who they are, please!" Sae demanded, slamming the desk.
"Listen carefully." Makoto said. "The true culprit is…"
"Yes, yes?!"
"... Not one of us."
For a moment, Sae's expression twisted into frustration…
"Makoto, that doesn't… help… Oh my God…"
… And then into horror.
"You… can't be serious?!" Sae gasped. "I don't-"
"Please… will you show it to them?" Makoto requested.
"... Very well. I've gone along with your story this whole time… I suppose I'll let this play out until the end."
Makoto nodded, grabbing the phone and unlocking it.
Making sure that it was out of the camera's view, she typed a quick message and showed it to Sae.
'After you show them the phone, view the most recent recording. Make sure you're alone.
"Alright. Thank you for opening it." Sae nodded.
Sae took one last glance at Makoto.
"... That honest look in your eyes." Sae muttered.
"You used to look at the world just like this." Makoto brought up. "Maybe you still can."
"Maybe so…" Sae trailed off. "Maybe it's why… I want to place my bet on you."
Maybe… the two of us were finally beginning to understand one another…
JUDGEMENT CONFIDANT: RANK 7
The sounds of banging on the doors interrupted the two.
"My time is up. I'll do as you asked." Sae promised.
"Thank you." Makoto nodded.
"But what good will it do…?" Sae wondered.
Sae exited the room, entering the hallway and immediately running into someone.
"Akechi-kun?!" Sae asked. "Why are you here?"
"Why do you seem so surprised?" Akechi grinned.
"I had to call in a favor in order to interrogate Makoto… What about you?" Sae asked.
"That's simple. I was assigned command of the interrogation team, of course. It's only natural that I would be here." Akechi pointed out.
"They assigned you command?!" Sae exclaimed.
"Just a joke." Akechi smiled. "I'm merely assisting with the public security interrogation. Still, this is quite a hidden location, being so deep underground. It could be very bad if a prisoner suddenly got violent."
Sae took a deep breath.
If Makoto was telling the truth, then the person right in front of her was responsible for…!
"Sae-san, is everything alright?" Akechi asked. "You seem quite upset."
She didn't want to alert him, but the thought of him getting anywhere near Makoto…!
"Of course I'm upset! My own sister was a Phantom Thief, and I didn't even know! How do you think I feel?!" Sae snapped.
"O-Oh, of course. My apologies, Sae-san. I hadn't even thought of that." Akechi apologized, taken aback.
"Akechi… when you said that there might be another culprit besides the Phantom Thieves…"
"Simply a lie to lure them into a false sense of security. I'm sorry that I had to deceive you as well, Sae-san."
"Were you the one who sold them out then?" Sae asked. "By pretending to be their ally?"
"Is that a problem?"
"No… capturing them is a great accomplishment." Sae said. "But… there's just one thing."
Sae pulled out the phone, showing it to Akechi.
"Does this look familiar to you?" Sae asked.
"...? No, it doesn't. Why?" Akechi wondered.
"It belonged to Makoto." Sae informed him.
"Ah, I see. Well, I probably won't need it. I was acting alongside them, remember?" Akechi grinned.
"Alright then. I'll leave it to you, then." Sae nodded. "But…"
"Don't worry. Makoto will be perfectly safe in my hands." Akechi grinned.
Akechi walked off, slowly making his way to Makoto's interrogation room.
The moment he saw the guard outside, he spoke up.
"May I ask that you accompany me?" Akechi asked. "We are still unaware of their methods, so I'd rather not go in by myself unarmed."
The guard nodded, following Akechi inside…
"Ah, what are you-"
*BANG*
Akechi swiftly grabbed the guard's gun and shot him without hesitation, the guard collapsing to the floor.
And then, Akechi turned to face the prisoner.
Sure enough, when he turned, he saw her glaring right at him.
She was the same as always. Despite her bruises, she looked exactly the same as she always did.
That confidence, that determination… It disgusted him.
"So it was you…" Makoto muttered.
"Indeed it was… your little group was vital to our plan. You were the perfect scapegoat." Akechi coldly stated. "The fact that you became so popular only made it all the better."
Slowly, Akechi pointed the smoking gun right at her, a sadistic smile on his face.
"Say hello to your father for me… this is where your justice ends."
Akechi fired the gun, Makoto collapsing onto the table, as the bullet entered her head.
Makoto's Confidant Progress:
THE FOOL - Ren Amamiya: Rank 9
THE HUNGER - Igor: Rank 9
THE CHARIOT - Ryuji Sakamoto: Rank 9
THE MAGICIAN - Morgana: Rank 8
THE FAITH - Eiko Takao: Rank 7
THE TOWER - Chiaki Yasui: Rank 9
THE SUN - Shiho Suzui: Rank 9
THE MOON - Takayo Tachibana: Rank 9
THE HIEROPHANT - Sojiro Sakura: Rank 9
THE TEMPERANCE - Naoya Makigami: Rank 8
THE STAR - Hifumi Togo: Rank 8
THE DEVIL - Mitsuhide Matsuoka: Rank 6
THE HANGED MAN - Munehisa Iwai: Rank 7
THE DEATH - Yohei Kiritani: Rank 6
THE EMPEROR - Yusuke Kitagawa: Rank 9
THE EMPRESS - Haru Okumura: Rank 6
THE LOVERS - Ann Takamaki: Rank 9
THE HERMIT - Futaba Sakura: Rank 7
THE STRENGTH - Caroline and Justine: Rank 9
THE JUSTICE - Goro Akechi: Rank 8
THE PRIESTESS - Kasumi Yoshizawa?: Rank 6
THE FORTUNE - Phantom Thieves of Heart: Rank 7
THE JUDGMENT - Sae Niijima: Rank 7
THE COUNCILLOR - Takuto Maruki: Rank 9
Are the Phantom Thieves just? Yes 30.0%