Pre-chapter notes: Sorry for the long wait. It was pointed out to me that Naoto and Yu getting back together seemed like an unlikely event. There was just too strong a divide, which is what I intended, so initially I thought of it as a compliment. After some contemplation and rereading, I realize that's not true. It's actually a bad sign.

I intended to give the 'interpretation' that the divide was too strong for the purpose of breaking Yu. From Yu's perspective, the audience would understand why he falls apart. However, as this story will progress, readers are supposed to realize there's something going on and Naoto never gave up on him at all. Unfortunately, I designed this realization to begin in the second story, but at that point, readers would be convinced it wouldn't work out for them, which isn't what I want. As such, I've been trying to rework the story to accommodate that. This is the first step of that despite initial signs would appear otherwise.

Chapter 25

The pounding in Yu's chest drowns the hum of the train as it dashes through a tunnel. His leg bounced up and down in his chair as a sweaty hand held up his phone for his eyes to pursue the screen, which his thumb continued to flick over every second. His jaw nibbled on the bottom of his lip while slow, deep, raggedy breaths flowed in and out of his nostrils. The search engine on his phone was showing results for 'Naoto Shirogane.'

Discovering that his favorite detective has been searching for him for all these years, his emotions have been flying high. He couldn't think straight or focus on anything else. She meant everything to him, and the overwhelming surge kept him up, pacing the attic for hours before getting in bed. Despite his lack of sleep, he felt more awake than he had throughout yesterday. The news articles and posted comments all over about her only fueled him better than all the coffee Sojiro has taught him to brew.

It was baffling why he didn't think to look her up sooner. That oversight slapped him in the face. The sting only worsened as a special website caught his eye and seized his diaphragm to a halt. Shirogane Investigations, The Narukami Initiative. His lungs sprung back to work, and he pulled the screen closer as he loaded the website and began reading.

Ryuji glanced at the group's leader from across the train, then shifted his gaze to Ann, who had Morgana in her bag, and Yusuke, showing an equal interest in the teen as Ryuji. Ryuji shrugged. "See what I mean? He's been like that since last night."

Ann bit her bottom lip. "Sure, but... I don't know if that makes it true."

"But it'd explain everythin' we know about the guy. Back me up here, Morgana. You were there."

"The moment the journalist mentioned this Narukami, he got all emotional. His posture even changed. He was more alert and stiff. That name meant something to him."

"Yeah, and I got to lookin' it up. Narukami was this high-schooler from Inaba. Some leader of this Investigation Team, and, surprise, Naoto Shirogane of all people was a member. But that ain't all. Guess what mystery they solved."

Ann's eyes widened. "Don't tell me. It was the Inaba murders."

Yusuke rubbed his chin. "He did perpetuate that those mysterious murders were linked with the metaverse. If true, and he was involved in that case as well, it would certainly explain his knowledge of the other world."

"That's not what he's getting at!" Ann snapped. "He's saying Ren is actually Narukami!"

"Is that so?" Yusuke observed their leader once more. "Then he is a man inside a boy's body. A certain reincarnation of sorts. Fascinating." Yusuke raised his hands, creating a finger frame and staring at Ren through it. "Two bodies with one soul."

"Stop trynna turn this inta some painting!."

"Back to the whole... reincarnation thing." Ann waved her hand in the air. "How would that even work? Look..." She pulled out her phone and showed the screen to everyone. On it was the image of Yu Narukami with his silver hair and tall body. "This guy looks nothing like Ren, and he disappeared six years ago. How's he looking like... that now?"

"Dunno. But we've seen weird crap like that before. What's the difference?"

"The difference is we've seen shadows changing their shape not a human."

"Not to dissuade you, Ann, but have you considered the circumstances of Narukami's disappearance?" Yusuke was on; his phone, scrolling as he continued, "According to official reports, the train car he was riding in had a camera that views him growing visibly light-headed. Then, the whole car was engulfed in a blue flame, which vanished within seconds of its appearance. Not only was Narukami gone, but there were no traces of an accelerant or a flame afterword."

Morgana bowed his head. "Like a persona."

"Sounds like the metaverse to me." Ryuji turned to Ann. "Sure, we're wrong about this?"

"I... don't know. I mean, it would explain some things, but... how would something like that happen?"

"Dunno. Maybe that's why he don't like talkin' about himself. Can't explain it to us outsiders. Couldn't say I'd be any different if it'd happen to me. What's someone supposed to say? I'm not me. I'm someone else in some new body?"

"Hey." Morgana straightened up. "Let's put a hold on this for now. Our stops coming up and I don't think we want this weighing us down when we go in Kaneshiro's palace. If he doesn't want to tell us, he might have good reason. Let's just be patient."

Yu let out a slow breath, his hand holding the phone dropping to his lap while the other covered his mouth in thought. To summarize the Narukami Initiative, it's a program developed by the detective agency, Shirogane Investigations. Suspected human trafficking or kidnapping? Report it via the site or its contact number. It emphasizes contacting the police as well since this is for the agency to compile data. The variables it gathers would lead to any underground cells imprisoning people within.

All that sounded great, brilliant even. Naoto is likely using Rossmo's equation, or a similar formula. However, to him there seemed to be an underlining message overall directed to him. The fact she named this initiative after him says she's asking him to call this number if he finds this site. Knowing her, there's little doubt that was Naoto's true intentions here. She tended to be overzealous like that.

"Shibuya. This is Shibuya."

Yu jumped at the announcement and shoved his phone into his pocket. He'll have to call that number later. He and his team are currently working on a mission. Yu stood up and positioned his bag on his shoulder. It was lighter than normal. With a quick check, he realized it was cat free. His eyes landed on his friends, where Ann raised her hand and then pointed at a cat head poking out of her bag. Relaxing, Yu nodded as the train came to a stop and the doors opened.

The group ascended the stairs and headed for the center, aiming for a circular median with stone walls reaching chest high with a bunch of bushes within surrounding a singular tree. The group stopped there as Yusuke pulled out his phone. "I entered Kaneshiro's name into the Nav- and just as expected, it's a hit."

Morgana hoped out of Ann's bag onto the stone median and looked over to peek into Yusuke's screen. "All we need now are the two other keywords: what he thinks of as his Palace, and where it is. But we don't have any clues other than people falling victim around here... We'll just have to try whatever keywords we can come up with."

"Ergh," Ryuji groaned, "that's gonna be impossible... How many buildings do you think there are in Shibuya?"

"I dunno... maybe fifty?" Yu shrugged.

"You're kiddin', right?"

Ann sighed, shaking her head. "No complaining, you two."

Undeterred, Yusuke rested a hand on his hip as he contemplated, his brow nestled in thought. "If we can figure out what the Palace is, we may be able to guess where it is by association."

"Hmmmm..." Ryuji shoved his thumbs into his belt. "It's prolly somewhere he's got complete control over... Maybe a garden?"

"No candidates found." The app replied.

Ann turned to face the app. "He likes money, so... what about a money bath? I've seen people online with things like that!"

"No candidates found."

Yusuke shook his head. "No... not even close." He turned toward Yu. "How about it, Ren? Can you think of anything?"

Yu took off his glasses, bobbing them on the tips of his fingers. "Considering both Ryuji's and Ann's points, I would say a bank." He looked up at the group, but only blurs filled his vision. He stashed his glasses back on his face and the world cleared once more.

"I see..."

"Candidate found."

"Okay... that's a hit! So, he thinks of somewhere in this city as his own bank!"

"I thought it'd be something less realistic. That's all it is, huh?" Ann shrugged.

"Now then," Morgana looked around at them all, "what location would Kaneshiro think of as his bank?"

Ryuji straightened up. "If we're talkin' about a place where he keeps his cash, maybe his own hideout?"

Ann pinched her chin and tilted her head to the side. "How about... a real bank?"

"No." Yu shook his head. "The money he has is illegal. He'd have to launder it before it could go into a bank."

Morgana glared over at Yu. "His cognition wouldn't be distorted, either."

"That too."

"Dammit, we ain't gettin' anywhere." Ryuji growled.

Yusuke looked around the group. "This may be difficult to explain... but doesn't it seem we're thinking a little too inside the box? Palaces emanate a passionate madness... it feels as though we're missing that aspect."

"The hell're you talkin' about?"

"As Ren said, this palace is a bank for someone who extorts money with criminal acts. It's something more.." Yusuke trailed off.

Sagging, Ann replied, "But what other ways can we think about it? Oh, could it mean a place you withdraw money?"

Morgana snapped his head toward her. "Hold on! Do you think it might have something to do with the victims? He's taking money from his victims' wallets, right? That means his bank is wherever they are!"

"That's terrible... but you may just be right."

"Oh, come on!" Ryuji ruffled his hair. "How many people do you think Kaneshiro's taken advantage of in all of Shibuya?"

"Results found."

Everyone's heads whipped to the phone. "Wait, a second!" Yusuke peered down at his mobile smartphone. "I have a hit."

"Huh?... Wait, what!? D-did I say something right?"

"Chie would be proud."

"What's that supposed ta mean?!"

Yusuke looked over at the flustered Ryuji. "The place that Kaneshiro thinks of as a bank is 'all of Shibuya.'"

"What?!" exclaimed Ann. "Like... the entire city?"

Morgana sat down on his perch as his brow furrowed at the idea. "I see. That's certainly where his victims are... It turns out he really is a terrible criminal."

"But wait, is it okay for us to go into the Palace right out of a crowd like this?" Ann looked around the bustling hoard around them.

"Eh," Ryuji shrugged, "nobody notices if a piece of trash disappears from a trash can. This ain't any different."

Yu flinched at the mention of 'disappear.' The very mention caused his stomach to churn. He rubbed the back of his neck and twisted his head from side to side. He cannot let this chain him down again.

As Yu was recollecting himself, Yusuke nodded to the group. "In that case... let's go." His thumb hit the screen.

"Beginning navigation."

Red and black warbles of waves surrounded them in ripples. The vibrant colors faded to gray and blue sky turned overcast with heavy, yellow clouds. The walking crowd around them vanished to shadows until the teens were left alone in their Phantom Thieves' gear.

Panther turned and recoiled as she stared down the street. "What are those!?"

The group turned. All around them were strange computer contraptions that looked like ATMs. The letters 'ATM' were placed on a sign standing over a screen. but their black arms and black legs took the group's attention more.

Fox was the first to comment. "Walking ATMs... That must be his cognition of people. So this is what Kaneshiro considers a 'bank.'"

Mona came around Fox's legs to gaze around the whole plaza. "I never thought it would be the entire district." He looked up at his compatriots. "Look around us... the distortion is affecting the whole of Shibuya."

"Huh?" Skull tilted his head at the non-cat. "Whaddya mean?"

Panther's eyes lit up in realization. "Ohhhh, that's right! Even when we were in the castle and the museum, the city outside looked normal."

Fox crossed his arms. "He sees everyone in Shibuya as his patron."

"No surprise for a mafia boss." Skull grunted.

"It's best we focus on finding Kaneshiro's location and stealing his Treasure as soon as possible." Fox uncrossed his arms, looking at the others for support.

"Yeah," Skull grabbed his right shoulder and began rotating his right arm, "his hideout's gotta be somewhere around here. Let's go look for it."

Joker hummed, peering over the bipedal ATMs circumventing them. "How do you question an ATV? Do we tap the screen?"

Panther's face deadpanned, slowly turning to face him. "How about talking to them first?"

"Or maybe," Mona hopped up and down, "we look for a bank. There should be a huge one around here somewhere."

"But interrogating an ATM... it's kinda funny. Mister ATM, do you go through withdrawals?"

"Move it, 'Jokester.'"

The group began trekking down the street, the once familiar street now rendered unrecognizable by the atmosphere. The glass windows and doors were overflowing with money, about ready to burst from the walls and flood the street. Cash appears from the ground to wave up into the sky that the dim lights failed to illuminate for a glimmer of hospitable air.

Down one alley, Panther spotted two ATM men. One stood while the other lied but both had their screens smashed and 'ATM' signs torn where the 'M' was. The one on the ground was still and unmoving while the standing one trembled and smoked bellowed from its screen. She pointed at the one still standing to the rest. "Look at that person trembling over there... Do you think he's a victim? We should talk to him!"

"Uh," Skull walked up to it, appraising their 'victim,' "do these guys even have mouths?"

Ignoring him, Panther wandered up to the ATM man. "Excuse me, can we-?"

A shriek emanated from the machine, sending the group back in shock. Then, in a broken voice, the ATM screamed, "P-please forgive me!"

Joker straightened up, walking forward. "What happened?"

"I-I don't have any more, please! I'm telling you, not even one yen!"

"Whoa, cool it." Ryuji raised his hands. "We're not tryin' to mug you or anything."

"Please, I don't want to end up like the others!"

Fox waved a hand in suggestion. "Were you assaulted?"

The ATM shrieked once more.

With a sigh, Skull slumped over with a solemn expression under his mask. "There's no doubt he's a victim, but he can't even hold a goddamn conversation. Let's try someone else."

Joker leaned in, his gloved hand hovering over the cracks and the tears. His eyes then turned to gaze upon the fallen ATM next to them. That one seems dead and the other still lives. Considering the smoke and the trauma, it was a recent assault. Makes him think of the case his uncle dealt with back in Inaba. The one where someone destroyed an ATM with an earthmover and stole the money. Dojima had to give up spending Golden Weak with him and Nanako to help solve it. The guy was caught, but this scene felt too different from it to ignore.

Someone destroyed the ATM in Inaba to access the cash inside. This ATM was relatively intact. Only the screen and sign show damage. That suggested someone took the money, and then, considering the psychological trauma this ATM exhibited, they damaged it. Except it couldn't have been a random beating. The top part of the machine wouldn't be the only thing damaged then. With that in mind, he looked over at the 'dead' ATM.

"Hey, dude." Skull stepped up to him. "You good? Or is there something you wanna say to the guy?"

"It better not be a stupid joke!" Panther snarled.

"I mean, I could, but I'd rather not overuse a joke." Joker turned to the group. "I'm just wondering about their... injuries."

"What about?" Skull leaned in. "I mean, looks the same. But that one's dead."

Fox rubbed his chin in thought. "But that may be what he's implying. Why the same injuries in separate cases?"

"You got something?" Mona stepped up to Joker.

Joker intertwined his fingers before pushing them out before him and then raise them over his head to crack his back. Uttering a satisfied grunt, his eyes gazed upon a dollar appearing from the street to float up and fly to the sky. He watched it float away. "Kaneshiro is extorting money, right? So, the money is flowing toward him, and since they're both damaged from the top, they each were hit in the same manner. Maybe they were dragged off and thrown head first off wherever the money is going."

"Then we should be looking up." Mona tilted his head back to face the sky. The others followed suit, each looking in different directions.

Panther jolted back, "Look! Over there!"

Everyone looked in the distance. A flying round disk was flying over the buildings, heading toward them. The base was like a target, a black dot in the center followed by blueish-green rings, then a single black ring before jumping back and forth between black and white rings all the way to the outer edges. Its sides were a glowing, blue-green sections reminiscent of a skyscraper with glass windows as its walls. Over the lip, they could just make out a large building with some trees in front of it. All the surrounding money was flying up right toward it.

Skull gawked up at the flying saucer. "Is that it?"

"Up in the air..." Fox mused. "That would make it quite difficult to find."

Mona huffed in amusement. "Nice thinking Joker. Who knows how long it would have taken us if you hadn't mentioned anything."

Joker pulled out his phone and held it up. His face then fell, and he re-pocketed it.

"Do you always try to create chaos?" Panther glowered at him.

"You don't know what I was going to do!"

"Take a picture and post it online."

"I wasn't going to post it. I was just going to keep it and share it with..." Joker stopped, waving his hand as if the gesture would carry on his explanation. "Okay, maybe it's spreading a little chaos."

Rolling her eyes, Panther turned to Mona. "So, Morgana. Can you turn into a helicopter and fly us up there?"

Mona's ears flattened out and his expression fell as he landed on his hands in knees. "No... just a car."

Skull rounded on the non-cat in an instant. "You're useless! C'mon, don't you have some kinda secret gadget or somethin'!?"

"Shut it! I'm not some robot cat! I mean, I'm not a cat at all!"

"What if you thought really hard and really, really wanted to be a helicopter?" Joker asked.

"That's not how it works!... I think."

Fox peered over at the group. "This may be the limit of what we can do today."

With a sigh, Skull scratched his chin while he stared in earnest at their floating bank. "We gotta find a way to get up there."

"Let's think about it some more tomorrow, okay?" Panther offered.

Mona nodded. "All right, we should get out of here for now! Run for it!"

"Wait, why?" Joker turned, watching everyone dash toward the train station in a hurry. He turned to look back at the sky before spinning around and sprinting after them. "Why are we running?!"

The entire team returned to the center of the plaza, where Yusuke pulled out his phone and tapped it once more. Warbles reappeared in their visions and between each ripple, color flourished back into the area. The sky welcomed them with its blue hue, and the sun's warmth graced them. The impassive crowd returned and the bustle of human life sounded all around them.

Morgana jumped up onto his stone ledge and turned to face the group. "Alright. We'll hold off our reconnaissance for now. In the meantime, we should all think about ways we can enter the palace that DOESN'T include me turning into a helicopter. Once we have something, we'll reconvene here. Sounds like a plan?" After a round of assent from everyone, the non-cat nodded. "Good. Then we've got the rest of the day to think."

Yu's heart began hammering again as the phone in his pocket began burning his leg. The previous thoughts from earlier creeping in on him.

"Yeah, sounds good. I'll try and think of somethin'." Ryuji turned and walked off, followed by Ann.

Yusuke turned to look back at the two. "I will attempt to concoct something myself. What about you, Ren? You seem preoccupied."

"Hm?" Yu pushed in his glasses. "Don't worry. I'll think of something. Can you watch Morgana for a bit? I need to make a phone call."

Blinking, the teen nodded. "I will wait with him for you."

"Thanks. I owe you." He slapped the artist on the shoulder and turned to run off, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

After a few meters away, he pulled up Naoto's website again and pulled up the contact information. He tapped the phone number, which pulled up the dial pad with the number at the ready. His breathing labored, finger shaking as he hit the call button. His legs felt like jello ready to collapse any second as he held up the phone to his ear. The ringing on the phone twisting its way into his skull and charging his heart.

His heart almost stopped as a click sounded and a young female voice said, "Shirogane Investigations, Dojima speaking. Do you have something to report to us?"

The world stopped. Yu's voice died in his throat as the image of a certain smiling child came to his mind. A nine-year-old girl he knew so well, a little sister to him. Swallowing, he placed a hand on his chest, a smile forming on his face. "N-Nanako?"

"Huh?"

"N-Nanako! It's me! I... I..." His mind stalled. All the words he wished to say flooding in, overwhelming him until he lost everything he wanted to say. He was at a loss, and yet he was happier than he's ever been in so long. Someone he knew. Family he knew. "Nanako. It's been so long, I-."

Click.

Yu stopped, pulling his phone away to look at the screen. 'Call Ended,' flashed on the screen before it faded away. Yu's uplifting hope plummeted to the floor. Did she just hand up on him? Pressure built behind his eyes while confusion plagued at his mind. Maybe... maybe there have been prank calls from others claiming to be 'Yu?' In hindsight, he sounded different. What was he thinking? She was a teen now. He can't just expect her to accept it was him from some phone call.

Clearing his throat, he pocketed his phone and repositioned his glasses. Perhaps he should wait, maybe until someone else was on the line. Develop his story and explanation first before just trying to convince them it was him. He forgets this whole situation was confusing and strange. Maybe the next one will be Naoto herself.

With that thought, his down development jumped back up. Hearing her voice again would mean everything to him. If that's what's coming, he most certainly can wait. It was senseless in dwelling on the pitfalls. Sniffing, he turned and made his way back to Yusuke and Morgana. Right now, he needed to think of something to help his current team. That's what Naoto would want him to do. Beat a crime lord. That's something she would be proud of. In fact, remembering her gave him a great idea... but if they did it Morgana was going to be his cat-alarm for the rest of his life.

From behind him, a shadow loomed. Makoto stood there, her eyes glazed over and empty. She was looking at him with her mouth agape, a strange raspy breath escaping her lips. "T... tomorrow." She muttered, turning around and stumbling away. "I should... come back tomorrow. Find... Kaneshiro tomorrow."

The light returned to her eyes, and she stopped in her tracks. Her face paled as she jolted around, her eyes searching the crowd for whoever it was. A presence that overcame her the moment she saw Ren holding his phone up to his ear. Whatever it was next to her was gone now, but the thought she needed to go home remained. With rapid breaths, she pulled her bag up onto her shoulder and rushed toward the train station. It may be best she waits for tomorrow.