11/12 Tuesday
Days Until Investigation: 8
"I have to send the calling card."
"I have to send the calling card."
"I have to send the calling card!"
Now matter how much she said it, there was still a small amount of hesitation when it came to changing Sae's heart.
At the end of the day, she was still her older sister…
And then there was the matter of how her desires had become so distorted in the first place. She had entered the legal system full of confidence, hope, and a strong goal of improving the justice system of the country.
And it had all been crushed. Trampled on. Destroyed.
Would that be her one day? Despite how rebellious she was now, would she also become just like that?
The thought was a bit much for her at the moment, especially on top of everything else that she was going through at the moment.
So that was why, after class, she decided to head to Leblanc for the day, to hopefully grab some coffee, and relax, even if just for a little bit.
"Ah, Makoto-chan, hello there!" Akechi greeted.
… Sometimes it felt as if there was a God out there manipulating and mocking her.
"... Hello, Akechi-kun." she greeted. "Enjoying some coffee?"
"Yes, I thought that this would be a nice place to wind down." Akechi told her. "And it seems like we had similar ideas."
"I suppose so." Makoto nodded.
She sat down across from him, enjoying her coffee.
"Since you're here, I think I might call the others here too." Makoto said. "Care to stay for a meeting."
"Of course." Akechi grinned.
The two of them went to the attic, waiting for the others to arrive.
"While we're waiting, would you care for a game of chess?" Akechi asked. "I'd like to see how your skills have progressed."
"Chess? Sure, alright." Makoto nodded.
"Excellent." Akechi grinned.
The two began their game of chess, but Makoto found Akechi a surprisingly simple opponent. Perhaps all of her training with Hifumi had paid off.
"Impressive! I figured you had plenty of crafty strategies!" Akechi grinned.
"Were you really giving it your all back there?" Makoto asked.
"Ahaha… it seems I've been discovered." Akechi grinned. "Then, shall we have a rematch, holding nothing back?
"Alright. Sure." Makoto nodded.
Akechi set up the board again, and this time, he quickly overwhelmed her.
Akechi: One king, controlling a board of pieces to take out key targets remaining in the back lines… I suppose it might be similar to criminal organizations, in a way.
Was he alluding to the conspiracy, perhaps?
One by one, her pieces fell, and while she had managed to take out several of his as well, he clearly had an advantage.
She managed to capture one of the Black Bishop, but it left her with her Queen trapped in a perilous situation, surrounded by Akechi's pieces, and it seemed there was no way out.
And if the Queen fell, the other pieces would soon follow.
"Looks like you're trapped." Akechi commented.
She took a moment to examine Akechi's Pieces…
The Black Queen on A3, Black Pawns on D6, E7, and H6, a Black Rook on F2 and A8, Black Knights on F6 and E5, a Black Bishop on D4, and the Black King on D8.
As for her pieces…
The White Queen on H4, a White Pawn on G7, a White Knight on B6, a White Rook on C5, and the White King on B1.
It seemed hopeless… but she had one final trick.
She moved her Queen over to F6, capturing his knights.
"You protected your other pieces but left the Queen open." Akechi grinned. "Was the sacrifice worth it?"
He moved his Rook up to F6, capturing her Queen.
She smirked.
He had taken the bait.
"Check."
He moved the pawn she protected forward, creating a Queen, which, along with her knight and rook, had surrounded his King.
For a moment, Akechi was completely shocked, glancing over the board.
He had only one move, which was to move his rook to block the queen, but it was fruitless, as next turn, she simply captured his rook with her new queen.
"Checkmate." Makoto smiled.
I see… the first Queen wasn't a sacrifice, but a decoy." Akechi chuckled. "The second Queen and your other pieces went after my King in the meantime. Clever…"
"It was close, though." Makoto admitted. "Between your Rook, Queen, and Bishop, you could have checkmated me quite easily."
"Indeed, but it seems I neglected to notice." Akechi acknowledged. "Still, this was a fitting enough end to the game."
"How so?" Makoto asked.
"I suppose that it's only fitting you won with that piece, right Queen?" Akechi chuckled. "It's no wonder you manage to make such an effective leader!
"... Yes, of course." Makoto smiled. "Coming up with effective strategies are necessary for taking care of our work, and our enemies."
"You certainly have become quite skilled since last time." Akechi noted.
"I was really determined not to lose again." Makoto said.
"Quite the competitive streak, huh?" Akechi chuckled. "I suppose we're quite similar in that regard… and in others as well."
"Both victims of awful people?" Makoto asked.
"Yes, but we now have the power to take them down." Akechi added. "Although, our methods are quite different. You, a Phantom Thief, and I, a detective."
"Still, as you said, sometimes it's necessary to take drastic measures. That's why you teamed up with us." Makoto pointed out.
"For now, yes." Akechi conceded. "But soon, that partnership will end, and things will return to how they were."
"I suppose so. The problem is, lately I've been worrying about whether things will really be ok with some force like the Phantom Thieves."
"It's true that things have gotten to a terrible point, but you should keep in mind that a massive part of why they got this bad was because of the Conspiracy abusing the Metaverse for their own gain." Akechi pointed out.
"I suppose you have a point." Makoto frowned. "But that brings up the question of what should be done about the Metaverse after this is all over?"
"That is a concern, but I'm sure that we'll be able to bring things under control, at least to the point where we won't have to worry solely on the Phantom Thieves, if at all." Akechi mentioned. "Perhaps, when this is all over, you could partner up with me instead."
"With you?" Makoto asked.
"You would, of course, have to disband your team as we discussed, and leave your teammates behind." Akechi noted.
"I… I'm not sure if I could do that." Makoto admitted. "Disbanding the team is one thing, but leaving them behind…"
"I figured that you would say something like that." Akechi said. "I admit, it is hard to understand why you are so committed to them, when you seem to far surpass them in usefulness and talent."
"I think that's enough." Makoto warned. "They're all very talented in their own way, and even if they weren't, they're still my friends."
"Of course. I didn't mean to offend." Akechi grinned. "For the moment, we are teammates, and I'll do my best to be useful to you."
She felt like she understood Akechi a lot better than before…
JUSTICE CONFIDANT: RANK 7
"The others should be arriving soon, correct?" Akechi asked.
"Yes, let's wait for them so arrive, and we can have our meeting." Makoto suggested.
The two of them waited for a bit before the others arrived.
"Alright, are we ready?!" Ryuji grinned. "It's time we send the calling card and steal the treasure!"
"Actually, I think that it would be for the best if we waited until the last moment to send the calling card." Akechi suggested. "Right before the time limit."
"And why is that?" Makoto asked.
"Yeah, wouldn't earlier be better?" Ryuji asked.
"Sae-san… is a very logical person." Akechi answered. "Even if she believes that the Phantom Thieves really do exist, she will likely think your methods involve something like blackmail or violent threats."
"But we don't do anything like that!" Ann protested.
"True, however, she would certainly have no way of knowing the truth." Akechi pointed out.
"It is kinda out there…" Ren shrugged.
"That said, she might consider the possibility of herself being targeted." Akechi noted. "In which case, her heart would already be ready for the possibility, the calling card might not have enough effect?"
"Do you really think so?" Haru asked.
"I say it only hypothetically, but it is a possibility." Akechi warned. "Hence, it would be prudent for us to wait until we are driven into a corner to act."
"You mean to lure her into a false sense of security then?" Yusuke asked.
"Actually, I was moreso expecting her to be very agitated right before the investigation begins. That, plus the shock of the calling card will surely cause the calling card to show up." Akechi reasoned.
"I see… so you think that'll make it most likely to show up." Morgana noted.
She personally didn't believe a word that he was saying. But for now, she would just play along.
"I see. That's some very impressive reasoning, Akechi-kun." Makoto praised. "It almost seems like you know sis better than I do…"
"Well, that's simply because of how much I've worked with her." Akechi grinned. "So, with that in mind, don't you think my plan is a sound one."
He was most certainly planning something… but maybe they could lure him into a false sense of security.
"Alright, that sounds like a good idea. I can see that you put a lot of thought into this." Makoto replied. "Alright then. We'll be sure to do the operation at the end of the deadline."
"I'm glad to hear it." Akechi grinned.
So it was decided that they would be sending out the calling card on the 18th, everyone being available on that day, thankfully.
After everyone had left Leblanc, and she had gone home for the day, she texted the others in the group chat.
The separate group chat that she had specifically made to not include Akechi.
Makoto: Everyone.
Makoto: I've got him.
11/13 Wednesday
Days Until Investigation: 7
Even if she had figured out Akechi's goals, there was still the matter of planning for what was to come.
She had given a lot of thought as to what their plan could be, but hadn't come up with anything solid yet.
There was one plan that she had, but it was extremely risky…
The buzzing of her phone startled her out of her thoughts.
Yusuke: I thought perhaps we could knockout two birds with one stone.
Yusuke: Another trip to Mementos would provide both training and inspiration.
At times, she thought that perhaps she pushed them a little too hard, but she was glad that they seemed to be willing to accept more training.
Makoto: Alright, let's do that.
She quickly met up with Yusuke, the two of them heading off to Mementos together.
After dispatching several shadows, Yusuke stood in silence for a moment, seemingly contemplating Mementos, and many other things.
"No matter how many times that we come here, it never fails to amaze me…" Yusuke whispered. "All of these winding passages and portals… where do they all go? It feels like just gazing at them will suck me right in."
"There's something… haunting, yet inviting about it at the same time." Makoto observed.
"Such is the heart of man…" Yusuke noted. "It is ugly… yet beautiful as well. Such duality is what makes humanity so interesting as a subject."
"Is that what you've come to realize recently?" Makoto asked.
"Yes, I suppose I have. I had struggled to find the answer of why I created art for so long. Was it for pure beauty? For fame and acknowledgement? Each seemed correct, and yet incorrect at the same time." Yusuke went on. "And eventually, I began to think of my mother. Of the Sayuri."
"I'm sure that your mother was thinking about how much she loved you when she made it." Makoto said.
"Love… it's a bit embarrassing to think about, but you're certainly right." Yusuke nodded. "That said… I do not believe that was the only emotion meant to be conveyed."
"Really?" Makoto asked. "What other emotions do you think were there?"
"Regret, loneliness, anxiety, calm… and hope." Yusuke claimed. "All of the emotions that my mother felt, conveyed to the viewer. My paintings thus far have paled in comparison."
"But despite that, it's that painting that's kept you going all this time, isn't it?" Makoto asked.
"Yes… it was like a ray of light, cutting through a somber darkness." Yusuke confessed. "I hope that I might one day be able to create a painting that inspires people in the same way."
"I think that's a very noble goal." Makoto praised.
"It was only thanks to you that I was able to realize such a goal." Yusuke smiled. "The world is a dark place, but I shall paint a light of hope in said darkness."
"I'll look forward to seeing it." Makoto beamed.
She could feel the strength of Yusuke's resolve.
EMPEROR CONFIDANT: RANK 9
After conversing with Yusuke for a little while longer, they left Mementos, and she went home for the day.
11/14 Thursday
Days Until Investigation: 6
After classes had ended for the day, she walked down the halls for a bit before seeing Ann leaning against a wall, a concerned look on her face as she glanced at her phone.
"Ann, is something wrong?" Makoto asked.
"It's… about Shiho." Ann answered.
"Ah. Did something happen?" Makoto asked.
"She was going to come here to pick up the last of her things." Ann answered. "I offered to help her, but she wanted to say goodbye to everyone."
"I see…" Makoto muttered. "Goodbye, huh?"
"Yeah, she won't be attending Shujin anymore. She… might be moving far away." Ann muttered.
"We could both be there for her as she grabs her things." Makoto suggested.
"Y-Yeah. Thanks…" Ann smiled.
They waited for Shiho by the gates of the school, helping her and grabbing her things and saying her goodbyes to all of the other volleyball club members and a few others.
"Thanks for being here for me, you two, but, um…" Shiho trailed off.
"Was there something else?" Makoto asked.
"Was there anyone else that you wanted to say goodbye to?" Ann asked.
"But there was one more thing." Shiho confessed. "If you two could bring me to the roof, I would appreciate it."
"T-The roof?" Ann gasped. "But Shiho, that's-"
"I know, but… please, can you do this for me?" Shiho asked.
"... Alright, we will." Makoto nodded.
They had, at the very least, installed safeguards on Shujin's roof to insure that what had happened with Shiho wouldn't happen again.
Slowly, the three of them made their way back to the roof of the school.
"Great job, Shiho." Ann beamed. "You climbed up those stairs like they were nothing."
"Yes, it… wasn't that bad." Shiho whispered.
Shiho approached the tall railings that had been installed on the roof, glancing down below.
"We're so high up…" Shiho whispered.
"Shiho, why did you want to come here?" Ann asked.
"I suppose I just wanted to settle things." Shiho answered. "I wanted to come here just one more time, just like on that day, and see how I feel."
"And how did you feel back then?" Makoto asked.
"There was a part of me that desperately wanted to live, but at the same time… I needed to escape." Shiho replied. "It was like a voice in my head was screaming at me, telling me to come up here… almost like it was trying to kill me."
"Shiho, I…" Ann trailed off.
"But now I know that that person was actually a part of me. My weakness." Shiho admitted.
"Shiho, nobody should blame you for what you went through." Makoto assured her.
"I know, but… still wanted to come back here." Shiho replied. "I wanted to see if that weak side of me would show up again."
"She's gone, isn't' she?" Makoto smiled.
"Yeah… she doesn't exist anymore." Shiho beamed.
"Hah… I figured. You're so strong, Shiho." Ann praised. "You're able to stand here today all because of how hard you worked during your rehab."
"I was only able to be that strong because of you two." Shiho pointed out.
"R-Really?" Ann gasped.
"I saw that the two of you were working so hard too." Shiho elaborated. "Working so hard to help out the others at the school, but also… in your case, Ann, I saw you trying so hard to be strong and cool. To be a better model and even become an actor…"
"She really inspired you, didn't she?" Makoto smiled.
"Of course." Shiho nodded. "When I saw how hard she was working, I knew that I couldn't afford to just sit in a hospital bed and waste away. That's why I wanted to walk again."
"Shiho, I… I'm not strong." Ann muttered. "I'm nothing without you. I'm just a lonely, scared girl! I… I don't know if I can keep going without you!"
"Ann, I'm sorry… for deciding to transfer schools."
"It's alright, Shiho. We understand." Makoto told her.
"Shiho… I promise that I'll become an amazing famous model." Ann assured her. "So that you'll always be able to see me giving my all! That I'll always be able to inspire you! I'll star in a bunch of magazines, do a ton of interviews, so… so…
Ann wiped at her eyes, fighting back tears.
"Make sure you stay healthy and work hard, but not too much… and keep in touch." Ann said, smiling despite her tears.
"Ann…" Shiho whispered.
Shiho wrapped Ann into a hug.
"I love you, Ann." Shiho whimpered. "Once I can smile again from the bottom of my heart, I'll be sure to come visit!"
"Y-Yeah!" Ann agreed. "And on that day, we can meet up together and talk about everything we've accomplished!
After releasing her, Shiho walked over and enveloped her into a hug as well.
"O-Oh!" Makoto gasped.
"You should come too, Makoto!" Shiho giggled. "I'm sure that you'll have accomplished quite a lot after I leave."
She was surprised for a moment, but happily returned the hug.
"Of course. When are you leaving?" Makoto asked.
"At about the end of the month." Shiho confessed.
"Then let's promise to spend at least one more day together. The three of us, ok?"
"I'd love to." Shiho beamed.
Having made a promise, she and Ann said their goodbyes as Shiho left the school one final time.
"I have to become the number 1 model around!" Ann exclaimed. "I'll do it for Shiho! There's no turning back now.
"Before that, though, we need to take down this conspiracy." Makoto pointed out.
"Don't worry, Makoto. We'll think of a plan for that." Ann promised. "And after that, I'll have to work really hard for the future. I study everything I can about dieting, exercising, and feeling confident in myself."
"You want to keep inspiring her, huh?" Makoto asked.
"I do. But… I feel like I can do even more than that." Ann brought up. "I'm not sure what exactly, but the sky's the limit!"
"Just do your best, and I'm sure you'll be able to do whatever you set your mind to." Makoto encouraged.
"Yeah!" Ann cheered. "I'm sure that if I do that, Shiho will… She'll… definitely…
Ann's body began to shake again, tears freely falling onto the ground as she tried to bury her face into her hands.
"Damn it, I told myself that I wouldn't cry…" Ann whimpered. "But the tears… just won't stop. It feels like I'm… all alone again."
"Ann…" Makoto whispered. "It's going to be ok. You two promised to keep in touch, right?"
"I know, but… not being able to see her is going to be hard. She's my best friend, Makoto." Ann wept.
"I know, I know." Makoto nodded. "I understand that no one's going to be able to replace Shiho, but for what it's worth… you still have us."
Her words thankfully seemed to have sunk in, Ann calming down as she wiped away the last of her tears.
"Yeah… you're right." Ann nodded.
Ann managed a weak, but genuine smile.
"I have the team now. You, Ryuji, and all of the others." Ann smiled. "And there are other people out there who are suffering just like Shiho was. Waiting for us to save them."
"That's right." Makoto smiled. "You'll never be alone."
"I know." Ann nodded. "I'll be sure to do my best, for you, for Shiho, for the team, and everyone else that would need our help!"
She could sense the resolve in Ann's heart strengthening even more!
LOVERS CONFIDANT: RANK 9
She spoke with Ann for a little longer before heading home for the day.
As she went home, however, she began to think…
It seemed like the others had started thinking really hard about their futures. It was to the point where she began to think… What did she want to do in the future?
11/15 Friday
Days Until Investigation: 5
As classes ended for the day, she felt her phone beginning to buzz.
Hifumi: Excuse me, are you free to talk for a moment?
Makoto: I am. Would you like to practice more shogi?
Hifumi: No, actually. It's something else. I'll be at the church.
It was hard to tell over text, but something did seem a bit off about Hifumi. She decided to head down to the church in order to investigate.
The moment she arrived, she saw Hifumi with a downtrodden expression.
"Everything alright?" Makoto questioned.
"Ah, hello there." Hifumi greeted. "I'm sorry, but I'm not really in the mood for shogi right now."
Hifumi let out a sigh.
"I'm… at checkmate right now. It feels like my only option is to concede… and yet, I can't seem to give up." Hifumi said.
"... To be honest, I've been feeling that way myself." Makoto confessed. "Would you like to talk about it?"
"I think… that might help." Hifumi agreed. "Alright then."
She sat down next to Hifumi, ready to hear her out.
"You remember my upcoming exhibition match, don't you?" Hifumi asked.
"Against that professional, right?" Makoto questioned.
"Yes, them. My mother… told me that I should throw the match against them." Hifumi frowned.
"Throw the match?" Makoto repeated. "Why would she ask you to do that?"
"It's a 'strategy' that she devised…" Hifumi began. "She told me that if I lose to a man, I'll get sympathy from women, and gain a lot more female fans. Then I can make a comeback and become a symbol for strong women everywhere."
"I see… It seems like, to your mother, all that matters is fame." Makoto noted.
"She was hoping that I could use a weekly's magazine's popularity against the professional." Hifumi added. "It's not that I'm against inspiring others, but…"
"I suppose people do love an underdog making a comeback." Makoto stated.
"Yes, my mother's planned this out rather well." Hifumi admitted. "She used to work in the TV industry, so she knows a lot about this sort of thing. But…"
"You don't agree with her methods, do you?" Makoto asked.
"No, I don't. I actually got into a fight with her." Hifumi confessed. "And what really made me sad… was that I realized that she didn't view me as a shogi player. She said there was no need to put that much effort into shogi."
"Why would she say that?" Makoto wondered.
"She said once I became famous enough, I could quit shogi and make money off of my looks." Hifumi whispered. "She's only supporting my shogi career right now so that she can profit off of my becoming an idol."
"... She's exploiting you." Makoto bounty stated.
Hifumi gasped, her eyes widening. "That… I mean…"
Hifumi glanced down at the ground, a conflicted look on her face.
"I suppose she is, isn't she." Hifumi said. "Even if it would ease my family's burden to become famous, I don't want to give up shogi. Not when my father and I love the game so much."
"Your father is a big inspiration for you, isn't he?" Makoto smiled. "To be honest, it's the same for me. I've always admired my father for what he's done."
"Yes, and I really want to follow in his footsteps." Hifumi replied.
Follow in his footsteps…
Maybe she could also…?
"I'm glad that you understand." Hifumi smiled. "Could you… maybe think of a way to convince my mother to support my career? She's normally not the type to change her mind."
It seemed as if Hifumi's mother was trying to live through her own daughter.
It looked like things would only get worse if she didn't intervene. In that case…
"What's her name?" Makoto asked.
"Huh?" Hifumi questioned.
"What's your mother's name?" Makoto asked.
"It's… Mitsuyo Togo." Hifumi answered. "Why?"
"I was just curious." Makoto lied. "I'll try to think of some way that I can help, alright?"
"Thank you." Hifumi expressed.
Even with their deadline fast approaching, she couldn't ignore Hifumi's plight. Knowing that, she knew that she would have to do everything she could to help her.
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 8
THE TEMPERANCE - Naoya Makigami: Rank 8
THE STAR - Hifumi Togo: Rank 7
THE DEVIL - Mitsuhide Matsuoka: Rank 6
THE HANGED MAN - Munehisa Iwai: Rank 7
THE DEATH - Yohei Kiritani: Rank 9
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 7
THE PRIESTESS - Kasumi Yoshizawa?: Rank 6
THE FORTUNE - Phantom Thieves of Heart: Rank 7
THE JUDGMENT - Sae Niijima: Rank 6
THE COUNCILOR - Takuto Maruki: Rank 9
Are the Phantom Thieves just? Yes 32.5%