Chapter 1: The Shujin Cultural Festival
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“So,” said Ren, pushing up his glasses. “Where should we visit first?”
All of the Phantom Thieves stood in the entrance hall of Shujin Academy. The school’s cultural festival was in full swing, with tons of colorful crepe paper festooned across the crowded hallways and the air smelling faintly of cheap festival food.
Ooh, I’m so excited! It’s the school festival! said Ryoji. Minato could practically see Ryoji in the back of his mind, bouncing in excitement. I wonder if there’s a haunted house? Or maybe a group date cafe! We have to visit all the food stalls as well!
Minato had to suppress a huff of laughter, but he couldn’t help a small, wry smile. We’ll look around for some, he thought.
You better! Now let’s go!
“Hey Minato!”
Minato startled out of his thoughts. “Hm? What?”
“Jeez, pay attention. You’re worse than Ren sometimes.” Ann huffed, ignoring Ren’s protest at her statement. “I said you should stay close to us, since you don’t have a phone on you.”
“Oh. Sure.”
Futaba huddled closer to Ren. “Woah… t-there’s a lot of people here, huh?”
“Yeah,” Ryuji muttered darkly. “This school got famous and all.”
Ann gave Futaba a warm smile. “Don’t worry, Futaba! Compared to the beach, this’ll be a breeze for you.”
Futaba stood a little straighter. “Y-you’re right! I beat the final boss already! This is just low-level grinding!” She gave a small ‘eep’ when a group of first-years wandered a little too close to their group. “Make that mid-level…”
“You’ll be fine Futaba. Just stick with us, we know where everything is anyway,” said Ann.
“Yeah, we’ll show you guys all the good stuff!” said Ryuji.
“Looking forward to it,” said Minato.
“Very well. Lead the way,” said Yusuke.
The group wandered down the hallways for a while, talking amongst each other and taking in all the brightly decorated classrooms.
“It’s a shame Makoto couldn’t join us,” said Ann.
Ren nodded. “She said she was busy with student council work. I’m glad Haru decided to be with her, though.”
“Mmhm. Yeah, Makoto has it tough. I think having Haru around will be nice for her right now.”
Ren paused in the hallway. The others followed his line of sight to see a classroom decorated to look like a haunted maze.
A Joker-like smirk grew on Ren’s face.
“I’m going to check out the haunted house.” Before anyone could stop him, he made a beeline for the classroom.
Ryuji and Ann exchanged a glance.
“...I’m gonna go with him,” he said, following behind him.
Ann rolled her eyes. “I’ll sit this one out. You guys have fun.”
“H-hey, wait up!” said Futaba, already heading in after them and pulling Yusuke along by his sleeve. “Inari, come on! You wanna get left behind?”
“I did not agree to this-!” Yusuke was cut off as Futaba followed them into the classroom, pulling him along.
Ann glanced at Minato, who hadn’t moved yet. “You’re not going?”
He shook his head. “Pass.”
Ann glanced at the haunted house classroom. “Well, I don’t know how long they’re going to be in there. You wanna look around a little while we wait?”
“Sure.”
The two wandered up and down the hallway to pass the time, exploring what the other classrooms had to offer. Eventually, Minato paused in front of a small booth that caught his eye.
The booth was very small and unassuming, set up in the hallway itself rather than in one of the classrooms. It was draped in swathes of rich blue cloth, with a sign that advertised fortune-telling in front. A long blue curtain covered the entrance, hiding the inside from view. It looked rather out of place surrounded by the colorful paper flowers and streamers that decorated the rest of the hallway.
Minato glanced down the hall; Ann was busy looking at a sweets cafe a couple classrooms over. He shook his head. His curiosity was piqued now, and he wasn’t going to bother trying to drag her over here for something this trivial.
Minato moved to push aside the curtain; As soon as his hand touched the curtain, a blue-gloved hand shot out, grabbing his wrist and pulling him inside.
“What— oof!”
It was dark inside the booth, and the woman who grabbed him immediately pulled him into a rib-crushing hug.
“Well, this is a surprise for the ages!” she laughed. She let go of him, putting her hands on his shoulders. “I knew something big was happening, but I never would have guessed this!”
As his eyes adjusted to the darkness of the booth, he could begin to make out a small round table, draped in a blue tablecloth with a tarot deck stacked on top.
The lady who had pulled him in was decked out in a blue dress, with a matching blue cap and boots. Her platinum blonde hair was cropped short, and her yellow eyes almost seemed to glow in the darkness of the booth.
There was something so very familiar about her that he just couldn’t place yet.
“...Who are you?”
Her smile fell, and some unnamed emotion flashed across her face. It was quickly replaced by a small frown as she narrowed her eyes. Minato had a feeling he said something very wrong.
“Wait...” She leaned in closer as she continued to scrutinize him.
Minato leaned backward, away from her. “Personal space.”
She ignored him. After a moment, she sighed sadly. “Ah. I see what the issue is.“
“Issue?”
The lady poked him squarely in the forehead. “You don’t remember, do you?”
Minato tensed. “How did you know about that?”
She smiled wryly. “I have my ways, of course.” Her smile fell and she gave another dejected sigh. “But I’m afraid it’s not something I currently have the knowledge to fix. What a shame. I was truly looking forward to seeing my guest again,” she lamented. She placed her hands on her hips. “Well, we certainly can’t have our reunion like this. This won’t do at all.”
Minato blinked in confusion.
Ryoji, please tell me you understand what’s going on, he thought.
I’m sorry, but I’m just as lost as you are, he said. But it sounds like she knows you.
“Oh, don’t worry! I have the utmost faith that you will understand in time,” she said, interrupting their internal conversation. She clapped her hands together. “Anyway, this is a fortune-telling booth, is it not? And I’ve got something special in mind just for you!”
She ducked behind the table and brought out a massive leather-bound book. She placed it on the tiny round table with a thump and flipped it open. From between the first few pages, she drew out a card and held it between her fingers; it looked like a tarot card, one with the number zero on it.
She took his hand and placed the card in it, placing her other hand flat over his. “I believe this belongs to you, yes? Consider it a good luck gift. Or a welcome back gift. A welcome-luck gift!”
She pulled her hands away; the card had now disappeared.
What— Hey! It’s gone!
She waved Minato away, ignoring his stunned silence. “Now shoo, both of you. We’ll certainly meet again soon enough. I’m looking forward to a proper reunion next time!”
He looked up at her again, finally finding his voice. “Wait—”
Before he could protest, she grabbed him by his shoulders, turned him around, and shoved him out of the booth with inhuman strength. He stumbled across the hallway, nearly falling flat on his face.
“Good luck, you two~!” she called out with a small wave before disappearing behind the blue curtains.
That was… weird. Did she really know him? From what little he could make sense of, it definitely sounded like she recognized him.
Ryoji then spoke up. Minato.
What?
She said ‘both of us’.
Minato froze.
She meant both me and you, didn’t she?
I believe so.
Well now Minato definitely had questions for the blonde lady. He stepped up to the booth and pulled open the rich blue curtain, showing the interior; the lady from less than a minute ago was nowhere to be found.
What? Where did she go?!
Minato didn’t have an answer. It should have been impossible for her to just disappear.
“Hey, there you are! I was wondering where you went.” Minato looked up to see Ann approaching him. “Hm? What did you find?” she asked. “Is this a fortune-telling booth?”
“Yeah.” He frowned, looking at the booth again. “Did you see a lady in a blue dress?”
“Huh? No. Why?”
“She was in the booth earlier.”
She leaned in to look. “Aw, looks like nobody’s here now... I guess it’s closed. Too bad.” She elbowed his arm lightly. “What kind of fortune would you have hoped for?”
“Uh… dunno,” he said. “You?”
“Hmm… I hope things get better for us, I suppose. And I wouldn’t say no to lots of sweets in my future,” she said, smiling at the latter.
“You could make that second future happen yourself,” he added dryly. Minato hadn’t known Ann for long, but he’d definitely noticed her sweet tooth.
“Haha! You’re right about that,” she admitted. “Hey... if that’s true, do you think we could do the same for the first one?”
He shrugged. “I guess.”
She nodded, brightening a little. “Yeah, I’d like to think so too.” She gestured down the hall in the direction she came from. “Heck, let’s do it right now! I actually came over to show you a sweets cafe just down the hall. They have some good stuff!” She waved for him to follow. “Come on, before the others get back!”
The two of them left the booth behind, with Minato almost jogging to keep up with Ann. He pushed the encounter with the blonde lady toward the back of his thoughts, trying not to let the lingering feeling of disappointment show.
“Dude, I cannot believe you did that.” Ryuji deadpanned.
The entire group had reunited outside of Ann and Ren’s classroom and gathered themselves around a makeshift table, made of several desks pushed together. The area around them was relatively deserted compared to the rest of the hallway.
Ren grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry. I got caught up in the moment.”
“I thought that girl was gonna have a heart attack!”
Futaba snickered. “It was pretty funny.”
“It was less amusing when Ren was asked to leave,” said Yusuke. “However, watching him sneak up on the ones dressed up to scare us… it reminded me of the way he ambushes shadows in the Metaverse. It certainly gave me ideas for a new painting.”
“Everything gives you inspiration for a new painting, Inari,” Futaba muttered, low enough that Yusuke couldn’t hear.
“Other than getting kicked out, it sounds like you guys had fun,” said Ann. “We just explored the classrooms.”
“Did you two happen to hear any more of those rumors while you looked around?” asked Makoto. “Haru and I heard some on our way here.”
Ann’s smile fell, and her expression darkened a little. “I did.” She stabbed her plastic fork into her takoyaki with more force than necessary. “I even heard someone say Kamoshida was a victim. After everything he did!”
Ryuji scowled. “Seriously? For real?!”
“Yeah! Ugh, just thinking about it makes me want to gag!”
“Yeah, me too. Wish I was surprised, though,” he muttered sourly. “School rumor mill’s always been shitty like that.”
Minato glanced at Ren. “Kamoshida?”
Ren’s expression darkened. “Long story. He was Shujin’s volleyball coach.”
“Yeah, and he was a total asshole!” Ryuji bit out. “I still can’t believe people here are already forgettin’ that part!”
Makoto frowned. “Compared to that, I don’t know if hearing people talk about Akechi’s appearance tomorrow is better or worse.”
“Well, he is rather popular lately,” said Yusuke.
“All thanks to the Phantom Thieves!” Futaba grumbled.
A voice interrupted their conversation. “Oh, I was hoping I would run into you all.”
Ren glanced up. “Speak of the devil. Hey, Akechi.”
Minato looked up to see a smartly-dressed boy with long, brown hair walking toward them. Akechi gave a polite smile as he approached the group.
“Hello, Amamiya-kun. I see everyone’s all here.” Akechi’s gaze sharpened when he saw Minato. The group tensed a little. “...As well as a new face. A friend of yours, I assume? I don’t believe we’ve met.” He turned to face Minato. “I’m Goro Akechi. Though I assume you already knew that.”
Minato gave him a blank stare. “I didn’t.”
Akechi’s smile faltered a little at his blunt statement, while Futaba tried to hide her snickering laughter. “M-my apologies. My fame as a detective tends to precede me,” he explained. Minato saw Ryuji roll his eyes. “I shouldn’t have assumed. Though I didn’t catch your name..?”
“Are you investigating me?” he deadpanned. It was… mostly an honest question, but he couldn't deny that he was dodging giving him an answer.
Minato could hear that Futaba was definitely struggling to keep her laughter contained now. Out of the corner of his eye, Ren shot him a wicked smirk.
Makoto interjected before Minato could continue annoying Akechi. “What are you doing here, Akechi? The assembly isn’t until tomorrow.”
To Minato’s secret relief, Akechi finally relented. “Oh, well, I simply came to check out the venue. A lot of people are coming tomorrow, after all, and I wouldn’t want to make any mistakes.” Akechi sighed. “Unfortunately I was recognized, and people kept asking me questions, so I escaped to someplace more quiet, where I ran into you all here.”
Akechi glanced at the table, where Ren’s takoyaki sat mostly untouched. “That looks delicious. Mind if I steal one?”
Ren shrugged. “Go ahead.”
“Thanks.” He then grabbed the piece on top that was bright red.
Ann sat upright. “Wait… that’s…”
Haru gasped. “The special one!”
Akechi raised an eyebrow. “Special one? Well, since I’ve already taken this one, I suppose I’ll see what’s so special about it then,” he said, before eating it all in one bite. “Mmm. This is…” He trailed off. His pleasant smile rapidly morphed into shock as he began to hyperventilate. “...Hot. Hot! Oh, my throat..! This is…”
Minato saw Ryuji trying to hold in his laughter.
Haru shot upright. “Are you alright? Do you need water?”
Akechi tried to plaster on a smile, though it looked more like a grimace. “No, no, it’s fine! I’m fine! I just… really love spicy food..!” he wheezed out. He turned to leave, giving a wave as he left. “Well… I-I’ll see you all… tomorrow… G-goodbye!”
The group watched him quickly walk away, bolting down the stairs. As soon as he was out of sight, Ryuji and Futaba burst out laughing.
“Wow,” said Ann. “He’s really trying to hold it together.”
Ren’s smirk widened as he glanced at Minato. “I’ve never seen anyone else annoy our favorite detective that quickly. I’m almost proud.”
“Forget that! Did you see the look on his face when he ate the special takoyaki?” Ryuji said as soon as he calmed down. “It was priceless!”
“You are all such children,” Makoto scolded, looking at them with disappointment.
“Regardless, did he really come to simply check the venue..?” said Yusuke, looking downcast. “This is not good. I keep suspecting every little thing.”
“I know what you mean,” said Makoto. “I’ve been doing the same. But we need him to be our source of intel tomorrow.”
Futaba’s smile fell, and she fidgeted in her seat. “Hey, guys… didn’t he say ‘everyone’s all here’?” she asked.
Ryuji looked a little apprehensive. “...You’re prolly just imagining things.”
Makoto shook her head. “I don’t know if he’s onto us, but he’s been suspicious of us before, especially whenever someone joins us. Did you notice how he focused on Minato?”
Minato looked at Makoto. “I did. I wasn’t sure of it at first.”
In fact, something about Akechi set him on edge. Minato couldn’t put his finger on exactly what, though. Maybe he was thinking too hard on it. After all, all the others were tense towards Akechi as well, and Minato didn’t enjoy the feeling that he was being analyzed underneath that benign smile.
Ren nodded. “He definitely was. I’ve gotten to know him long enough to tell.”
“Then we’re going to need to make a cover story for how we know Minato if people start asking too many questions,” said Makoto. “Especially Akechi.”
“Yeah, I doubt anyone’s going to buy that we found him in a subway tunnel with amnesia,” said Futaba. “And I still haven’t found anything about him yet, either. If anyone else goes digging, that’ll be pretty suspicious.”
Makoto blinked in surprise. “You still haven’t found anything?”
Futaba pushed up her glasses with a frown. “ Yet. ”
“Well, we can’t say we know him from school. He obviously doesn’t go to Shujin,” said Ann.
“Perhaps not Shujin, but I could claim that he is a friend of mine from Kosei,” Yusuke suggested.
Futaba sat up. “Hey, that’s not a bad idea, Inari. Actually, let’s go with that cover story. I think I’ve got an idea how to really sell it.”
Ren raised an eyebrow. “Care to elaborate?”
She grinned. “Nope! I’ll have to work on it when we get back home, so it’ll be a surprise! I should have it ready by tomorrow. Maybe the day after, at the very latest.”
Morgana looked unamused. “Does that include sleep?”
“No promises, kitty! This is important!”
“I’m not a cat! And sleep is important, too!”
The two continued to bicker for a minute, before the conversation moved on to lighter topics. The group eventually finished their takoyaki, and they explored the festival a little while longer.
Eventually, Futaba decided she had seen enough of the school festival and asked if she could head home early to work on her idea. (“Secret,” she said when they asked what it was.) At that, they all decided to call it a day, so Minato left with Ren and Futaba, riding on the train with them back to Leblanc. The three of them even managed to grab seats.
The silence between them wasn’t a completely comfortable one like before, though. While Ren looked unperturbed and Futaba a little tired out, Minato was uneasy about tomorrow, and the group’s plan to get information from Akechi. It was a solid plan, but it was risky. Akechi seemed sharp, and to be honest, the boy unnerved him a little.
Jeez. Three days, and he was already running with a group of vigilantes playing cat-and-mouse with a detective while evading the police, all in a mission to regain his memories. What had he gotten himself into?
You never were that good at staying out of trouble, said Ryoji.
Minato felt a reassuring presence brush against the back of his mind, and a sense of calm radiated towards him, easing his worry just a little.
Thanks, Ryoji, he thought.
...That’s not me.
Minato paused, sitting upright in his seat. Ryoji was right; the persona’s presence was familiar, but it wasn’t Thanatos. In fact, it had felt so natural that he hadn’t even noticed it until now. Just as he had known Thanatos’s name the moment he awakened, he knew the other persona’s name as well.
“Orpheus…” Minato mumbled.
Ren glanced at Minato with an odd look. “What?”
No way! Ryoji said in shock. When did you appear? You definitely weren’t here before!
Minato felt more than heard Orpheus’s response. Memories of the blue fortune-telling booth and the lady in blue came forward, accompanied by one word from the silent persona:
Elizabeth.
Minato held his hand up. The same one that the lady— no, Elizabeth had held earlier that day.
The card, Minato thought. This was her gift.
Orpheus was silent, but he didn’t need to speak to confirm Minato’s suspicions.
Jeez. I can’t believe I didn’t even notice, said Ryoji. But I guess we were pretty distracted… and you do have the same kind of presence as Minato. He brightened again. Well, in any case, it’s good to have you back!
Orpheus shied away from Ryoji. Personal space.
What?! You’re so mean!
“Hey. Is something up?”
Minato tuned out Ryoji’s complaints and snapped his attention back to his surroundings. Ren was giving him an odd look.
“Nothing,” he lied. That was a complicated explanation he didn’t feel like navigating at the moment.
Ren stared a little longer. He clearly wasn’t buying it.
Minato pointedly ignored his stare. “Akechi seems smart. You should be careful tomorrow.”
Ren nodded. “I know. We will be,” he said, determination in his voice. “Things are a mess, but we’ll work things out.”
“For your sake, I hope so.”
They were quiet as they made their way back. Ryoji was happily chattering away to Orpheus, who was listening silently.
Minato returned to his thoughts on what Orpheus said. Elizabeth… he definitely knew her. And it wasn’t in a bad sense; even without giving him Orpheus, she was definitely a friend. Once again, the familiar sense of frustration with his memory simmered beneath the surface.
He hoped she was right that they would meet again soon.
“This ain’t no deal, it’s blackmail!”
“Call it what you like, but I stand by my decision.”
The Thieves were all gathered in the PE faculty office the next day, along with Akechi. Tension was running high in the group, especially after watching the assembly and listening to the deal he was now offering them: help him uncover the truth and disband afterwards, or be turned in to the police.
“The hell! You can’t be serious!” said Ryuji.
“I am very serious about this,” Akechi said calmly. “The police are only concerned with settling the case. Sae-san is in charge of the Phantom Thieves case, and the higher-ups are putting more and more pressure on her to find the culprits.”
“What about evidence?” asked Yusuke. “How do they intend to prove that we did it?”
“Yeah, it’s not like they can use the Metaverse as evidence,” said Ann.
Akechi shook his head. “That won’t matter if they’ve established that you are the cause behind it,” he explained. “Sae-san is growing impatient under the pressure that’s being put upon her. With that kind of desperation... without evidence, she may even go as far as making up a confession.”
Several of the Thieves protested at that.
“Disgraceful,” said Yusuke.
“So they’re just gonna say it’s our fault just because they can?!” said Ryuji.
“We didn’t kill anyone!” said Ann.
Makoto’s face fell. “Sis...”
Minato said nothing, only quietly fixing Akechi with a dark look from where he stood at the back of the group, leaning against the desk. The reality of their situation was truly sinking in as he quietly listened to all of this. He had heard the gist of what happened with the Phantom Thieves and Okumura, but this… this was all coming to an ugly head, and very quickly. Minato glanced over at Ren, who looked pensive as he thought over all this new information.
Akechi held up a hand defensively, silencing them. “Whether you did it or not does not matter now. If you are caught, you will be found guilty, with or without evidence.”
“Game over,” Futaba said grimly.
Akechi nodded and looked over everyone. “So... will you accept my offer?” Minato noticed that Akechi’s gaze lingered on himself and Ren a little longer than everyone else, which did nothing to soothe the unease he felt.
Ren looked up, looking a little lost. “This is a lot to ask, Akechi. Will you let us think about this?”
He nodded. “Very well. You don’t have to make a decision now, but I would advise you to make it as soon as possible.” Akechi checked his phone, then looked to Makoto. “I believe we are out of time. You invited me to get intel, correct? My apologies, but would it be acceptable to end the panel here?”
“It would be unwise to continue it now, with the direction it was headed,” Yusuke commented dryly.
Makoto nodded. “I’ll deal with it somehow.”
“Then I will take my leave,” he said. He paused in the doorway. “I hope you will all make the right decision.” He then stepped out into the hallway, already making his way back to the auditorium.
The rest of the group filed out of the classroom, save for Morgana and Ren; the former called out to him to talk in private. They all made their way back to the auditorium, wandering the now mostly empty halls. The cheerful paper decorations did nothing to improve their spirits.
The mood continued to tense when they arrived back at the balcony they’d been watching from before. Minato gripped the railing tightly as they watched Akechi excuse himself from the assembly early, cutting off any remaining questions with a deceptively sheepish look and an offhand joke. It betrayed none of the seriousness he’d spoken to them with not five minutes ago.
His unease only continued to grow. In the back of his mind, he could tell Ryoji felt the same.
“Was this really our best course of action..?” Haru asked.
Yusuke looked grim. “This is bad. We were supposed to gather intel, but instead we played right into his hands.”
“He totally used Makoto’s idea against us,” Ann lamented. “Are we really going to accept his deal?”
“He has photo evidence,” said Minato. “Unless you count being arrested, there isn’t another option.”
“Dammit! He was practically toying with us!” Ryuji was fuming, his hands clenched tight into fists.
“Calm down, Ryuji! You need to keep your voice down!” Ann hissed.
“How am I supposed to stay calm about this? What are we gonna do?!” he shot back, fear and desperation clear underneath the hard anger in his voice.
Minato glanced at Ryuji before looking to the others. “The panel’s over. We should leave before we’re overheard.”
“I agree,” said Yusuke, turning to face Ryuji. “While I cannot deny that I feel the same, we need to cool our heads and avoid attracting unnecessary attention.” He turned to look at the others. “What’s done is done. We cannot change what has happened. But we will have to keep our heads clear and make our decision before Akechi contacts us again.”
“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” said Morgana. Ren approached the group, with Morgana perched in his usual spot over his shoulder.
“There you two are. What kept you?”
Ren anxiously tugged a lock of hair from his messy bangs, glancing around. “Not here. We’ll explain later.” Ren nodded toward Ryuji. “Come on, let’s head to the roof. I could use some air myself.”
“Me too. I think I’ve had my fill of people for the rest of the year,” said Futaba, following them out.
Ann leaned against the balcony. “Honestly, I don’t know if I can enjoy the rest of the festival after this. I kind of just wanna skip out and go home.”
Yusuke nodded. “I’ve had my fill as well. I would consider leaving, but I suspect there is still yet more to discuss. Ren did say he and Morgana would explain their brief absence later.”
“But what Akechi-kun’s asking of us…” Haru trailed off. “If we disband… What about Mona-chan? And Minato-kun?”
Minato blinked, slightly dumbfounded. Why would she be worried about him? His situation wasn’t any more dire than theirs; if anything, she had to have it worse than everyone else.
Ann’s eyes softened. “It’s okay, Haru. We’ll... figure something out.”
Minato looked up. “You haven’t disbanded yet. We’ll work with this for now.”
Ann nodded in agreement. “Yeah! Don’t count us out just yet.”
Haru blinked before giving a faint, tired smile. “I suppose that’s true. We still have each other. But...” Haru looked to him. “Minato-kun… you could get arrested for something you had no part in. Are you sure you still want to help us?”
He did not hesitate; he looked at her, a hard glint in his eyes. “Yes.”
He inwardly frowned at the thought of what she suggested. Minato had already decided he would help them in any way he could. Even if he wanted to, Akechi already knew he was a part of the group, which meant his fate was tied with theirs. There was no turning back now.
She nodded. “I understand.” She turned to leave. “I’m going to find Mako-chan.”
“Yeah. I think she could use the company right now,” said Ann.
With that, Haru left, leaving the three of them alone. None of them made any motion to leave, or to rejoin the throng of students wandering about. Instead they all stood near the balcony, watching the auditorium being set up for the next student panel, all of them wondering the same thing.
What were they going to do now?
Notes:
Finally starting on the next arc of The Ghost of Mementos! Wow, y'all, the reception on that fic blew me away. I had never posted p5 fic before, and I'm really really glad y'all liked Phantom Thief Minato as much as I do :D
Also, wow, this first chapter is a monster. I don't normally post this much in a single chapter, but it didn't feel right to cut it halfway through the school festival.
I'm still figuring out this arc, so please expect updates to be sporadic!
Thank y'all for reading! (ノ◕ヮ◕)ノ*:・゚✧
Chapter 2: Suspicion
Summary:
The group gathers after the school festival to discuss some new information.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It was the evening after his appearance at the Cultural festival, and within the first five minutes Akechi’s plan already had a hitch.
Everyone else in the Phantom Thieves Akechi had already known about or guessed, even the damn cat. But he hadn’t been expecting a ninth member in their group when he walked up to them on the first day of the school festival. The brief looks of panic on some of their faces when Akechi asked about the blue-haired boy were more than suspicious; however, he decided to let it go that time, seeing as he could have merely been an acquaintance of theirs.
(No matter what anyone asked, it was not because of the mortifying encounter he had with Ren’s spicy takoyaki.)
As it turned out, the blue-haired boy turned up with the rest of the Phantom Thieves the next day, which meant he was definitely a member. The group was just as tense then, but that was when he’d cornered them, so that didn’t say much. During the brief intermission, he’d finally been introduced to the newest mystery member as well: Minato Arisato.
He would have liked to learn more, but he needed to sell his story to the group and he had precious little time to waste. So he shelved his curiosity for the time being, and they parted ways.
Shido had not been happy to hear about Akechi’s oversight, of course. As soon as he had mentioned an unexpected additional member of the Thieves in his report, Shido had immediately ordered him to learn everything he could about Arisato, spitting a thinly veiled insult about his incompetence in the same breath that had Akechi secretly grinding his teeth. But as much as he hated the man, Akechi grudgingly agreed with the demand this time; a single member unaccounted for could ruin his entire plan.
So here he was, sitting in his sparsely furnished apartment, going over his carefully organized notes.
From what he had observed from their first encounters, Arisato was rather quiet, often choosing to listen instead of speak. On the rare occasion he did speak, his opinions and observations were rather blunt and straightforward, almost rudely so; Arisato’s comment about Akechi investigating him when he asked for his name was a bit of a shock, especially since he had actually been correct in his observation.
Arisato’s entire demeanor gave him the appearance of a bored, carefree teenager, but there was the possibility that he was much sharper than he appeared. Akechi was going to have to keep an eye on him just to be sure. If Akechi was being honest, Arisato was a lot like Amamiya in that sense.
He was certainly almost as irritating as him.
Akechi hadn’t seen Arisato with the group in Okumura’s palace either, and he hadn’t been with them in the real world before the Cultural Festival (that he knew of), which meant that he had to have joined very recently. And unlike the others, the reason for him joining was all but impossible to guess, since there was no obvious context to draw from. It was like he’d just appeared out of thin air.
Akechi frowned. Normally, he would never give someone like him a second thought. However, he didn’t like having such a large gap in his knowledge of the Thieves.
For a moment, he glanced at his phone and briefly considered texting Amamiya, passing him a question or two under the guise of innocent curiosity. He had already met the rest of Amamiya’s group of friends before, and they both knew it.
...No. That was best saved for another time. Amamiya might consider him a friend, but he had pushed them far enough for one day, and asking too many questions too soon would look suspicious. Better to simply continue observing for now.
Besides, if the group was as driven by their childish sense of justice as he believed, they would no doubt accept his deal.
The Thieves were gathered in the attic of Leblanc that night, at Morgana and Ren’s request.
“Well, we’re all present. What did you two wish to discuss this late that was so important?” asked Yusuke.
“Couldn’t this have waited until tomorrow? I mean, I’m not sayin’ that whatever this is ain’t important, but I’m still kinda pissed off after dealin’ with Akechi,” said Ryuji. He sat on Ren’s futon, bouncing his leg in irritation.
Ren shook his head. “I don’t think this should wait. Morgana and I figured something out about Akechi when he was telling us how he entered the Metaverse yesterday.”
The others perked up at that.
“What do you mean?” asked Makoto. “Are you saying there’s something he wasn’t telling us?”
“You two stayed behind in the faculty office to talk after he left,” said Minato. “Is that why?”
Ren nodded. “It was. And he wasn’t just omitting the truth either,” he said. “He was lying.”
Minato sat upright on the couch. He could tell that in the back of his mind, Ryoji was now listening with rapt attention as well.
“Seriously!?” Ryuji burst out.
Makoto’s gaze sharpened in anger as she took in this new information. “How do you know?”
“The class trip at the TV station,” said Morgana. He looked at Ryuji and Ann. “Do you guys remember when you first met him?”
“Yeah…?” said Ann. “Wait, yeah! He asked about pancakes!”
Pancakes? Ryoji questioned. Minato gave a mental shrug.
“Really?” A lightbulb seemed to go off in Ryuji’s head. “Oh. Ohhh, yeah! With everything happenin’ lately, I totally forgot about that,” said Ryuji. He balked when Morgana shot him an exasperated look. “Hey, don’t give me that look! It’s easy to forget somethin’ like that!”
“What do pancakes have to do with this?” Minato cut in.
“Indeed. I’m not seeing a connection,” said Yusuke.
Morgana turned to them. “I was the only one who mentioned pancakes. And the only way anyone can hear me is if they’ve been in the Metaverse.”
“And this was back in June,” said Makoto, the gears already turning in her head. “Which was months before he would have been dragged into Okumura’s Palace with us, like he said. He would have already been in the Metaverse by then. The timeline doesn’t fit.”
“Akechi-kun…” said Haru, looking downcast. “He was the only one besides us to enter my Father’s palace. And he said that the Black Mask was there.” She wrung her hands in her lap. “If he was really lying… Do you think that he could have…? That he might be…?” Her voice cracked a little, unable to finish.
The mood in the attic darkened at that revelation.
“Oh, Haru,” said Morgana. Ann wordlessly slid in next to her on the couch, wrapping her in a hug. Haru leaned into her embrace, seeking the much-needed comfort.
“...We were clearly set up when we targeted Okumura. If Akechi was lying, there is the distinct possibility that he could actually be the Black Mask,” Yusuke admitted. “This is not good.”
“Guys, we don’t know that for sure,” said Ren, who was now fiddling with his bangs. “He could have been telling the truth about getting dragged in and seeing the Black Mask, just not about it being his first time in the Metaverse.”
“But then what was his reason for pretending he couldn’t hear Morgana before?” Makoto shot back. “You two have spent plenty of time together, and Morgana’s usually with you.”
“She’s got a point, Ren,” said Morgana.
Ren glanced away bitterly. “We don’t know anything for sure. All we know is that he was lying. We just don’t know why.”
Minato noted Ren’s discomfort on the subject. Was Akechi a close friend of his? He mentally filed that away for later. Perhaps he would be willing to talk about it when they didn’t have an audience, but right now they had more pressing concerns.
“So we need information,” Minato cut in. “To figure out what he isn’t telling us. Where do we look for it?”
Futaba’s hand shot up. “Oooh! I know! I can bug his phone!” she said. “Buuut I’ll need to get my hands on it to do that.”
“Can’t you just hack into his phone?” Ryuji asked.
Futaba shrugged. “Doesn’t always work like that, unfortunately. His phone’s got surprisingly good security on it. I mean… I could , but if you guys really don’t want him to notice, it’d be way better for me to just install the bug directly.”
“And we only get one shot at this,” said Makoto. “We can’t afford to tip him off if he has an ulterior motive.”
Futaba nodded. “Exactly.”
“There’s only one problem,” says Yusuke. “How will you access his phone without raising his suspicion?”
“He never leaves his phone lying around,” says Ren. “We’ll have to get creative.”
Futaba wilted a little. “Uh… we’ll think of something?”
“Then I suggest you do it as soon as possible. After all, we still have to give him an answer within the next few days,” said Yusuke.
“Do we really have a choice, though? We won’t find any answers if he turns us in to the police,” said Ann.
“We’ll have to take his offer,” Ren confirmed. “It’s our only option.”
“Still pisses me off, though,” Ryuji muttered. “I don’t like this.”
They all murmured their agreement.
“Are you alright, Haru?” Ann asked.
“Oh... yes, I’m fine. Thank you for asking,” said Haru. “Like Ren-kun said, we don’t know anything for certain yet.”
Ryuji leaned backwards across the futon, looking worn out. “Man, first the school festival, now this. Today’s just been nonstop, hasn’t it?”
Minato nodded. “This is a lot to take in for one day.”
“Yeah, no kiddin’,” Ryuji replied. “Especially on your first day.”
“Hey, that reminds me,” said Ann. “Since we know Akechi’s been to the Metaverse, maybe we don’t have to worry about your cover story anymore.”
Minato shrugged. “I guess.”
Ryuji grimaced. “Eh, do ya really wanna tell him about that, though? I don’t trust him.”
“I don’t either,” Makoto cut in. “But I don’t think we should outright lie to him more than necessary unless we have a good reason to do so. The cover story of being Yusuke’s classmate will be flimsy at best to a detective like Akechi. We can’t let him suspect that we’re hiding things from him.”
Ryuji scowled and sat up. “He’s still blackmailin’ himself onto our team! Just ‘cause we’re goin’ with his deal doesn’t mean I’m gonna act all buddy-buddy and spill all my personal shit to him, even if he wasn’t lyin’ to our faces!”
Ren adjusted his glasses, thinking. “Both of you have good points, but I think we should see what Futaba’s bug digs up first.” He looked at Minato. “It’s your decision to share if he asks. Sound good?”
Minato nodded. “Yeah.”
“Good, because I’ve already got my surprise ready!” Futaba cut in. “I worked hard on it, you know!”
Ryuji looked up at her. “What is your surprise, anyway? You haven’t said anything about it since yesterday.”
“Oh, nothing much. Just a little something that I think will help solve several problems at the same time,” Futaba said as she pulled out her laptop. She looked over at Minato, a mischievous grin on her face.
Minato simply stared at her. “...What?”
Notes:
Sorry I took so long with this chapter, guys! I kind of got sidetracked with polishing an older Runescape fic. I know this chapter's shorter; I'm not used to going significantly over 2k in a single chapter, but the next one will definitely be a little longer :>
I'm still trying to strike a good balance with this AU? Like, it's very obviously going to be Minato-centric and focus more on moments involving him, but I want to avoid pushing it too far in that direction. He's still only one member out of a team of nine, and the group's got bigger things to worry about at the moment.
Thanks for reading!! :D
Chapter 3: Moving Day
Summary:
Futaba unveils her surprise.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
It was a beautiful day in Tokyo. Not many people were walking around this particular street at this time of day, save for one figure standing on the sidewalk.
Minato stood in front of the dorms, faked papers in one hand. He had a small duffel bag slung over his shoulder— empty, of course, save for his old school uniform jacket. Ann had him borrow it to help sell the image of him being a student who was actually supposed to be there.
Minato looked up at the dorm building and recalled his conversation with the others during their meeting last night at Leblanc.
“So Inari gave me an idea yesterday at the Cultural festival when he suggested Minato being his classmate.” Futaba looked at them over her laptop. “I had to do some extra stuff to make it work, but nothing I can’t handle. As of today,” said Futaba, pointing at Minato, “you are now a student who is transferring into Kosei on a scholarship. Since I listed you as an orphan with no legal guardian, you’ll get to move into the school dorms with Inari.”
“What?” said Minato, eyes widening a little.
Makoto’s jaw dropped. “You did not.”
“Yes I did,” Futaba replied, almost smug with pride.
Ren looked at her in surprise. “That's… not a bad idea, actually.”
“I know, right?”
“Wait, hold on guys! Is this even legal?” Makoto asked, a note of worry in her voice.
“Mwehehe!” Futaba pushed her glasses up, the glare flashing across her lenses much like one of her beloved anime characters. “It’s for a good cause!”
Makoto visibly deflated a little. “You know, that doesn’t make me feel any better…”
Yusuke looked over at Futaba’s laptop. “It says here that it is Kosei’s general scholarship. I have heard a few students say that it isn’t much, but it seems to be offered to a number of general education students in the dorms. It mostly provides a small weekly stipend for food expenses.”
“Well... I suppose we were eventually going to have to figure out your living situation at some point,” said Ren, running a hand through his hair as he thought about it. “I’d like to think Boss would keep letting you stay over if I asked, but I don’t want to push it.”
“Exactly! It’s the perfect solution!” said Futaba. “The obvious catch is that you have to keep your grades up to stay on the scholarship. But I put you as a first-year student, so the material should be easy. Hopefully. It depends.”
Minato had to admit, it was a brilliant solution.
It was also a little crazy, but he kept that opinion to himself. Minato later asked Futaba how she had pulled it off, but when she only responded by giving him a wicked grin, he pointedly decided that he did not want to know.
A bright voice chimed in from the back of his mind, interrupting his thoughts.
Well don’t just stand there, said Ryoji, giving him a mental nudge. Let’s go in! I want to see your room!
Minato smiled faintly; he could almost see Ryoji bouncing in excitement.
Sorry, Minato thought back. I just can’t believe Futaba managed to do something like this.
Ryoji hummed in agreement. Yeah. She’s already done a lot for you, hasn’t she? We should think of something nice to do for her.
Agreed. I’m not sure what she likes though… I’ll think on it.
He took a deep breath, and then walked through the front door. The small common area was decorated in a minimalistic look, and an older boy in a student uniform sat at the front desk, poring over a homework assignment.
The boy looked up when he heard the door open. “Oh, hello. Can I help you?”
Minato held up the paper file. “I’m a new transfer.”
The boy looked mildly surprised. It made sense; it was the middle of the year, after all. “Okay, uh… let me get Saito-san, she’ll be able to help you out.”
He stood and went into a back office, and returned with a kind-looking old lady. Saito seemed a little surprised as well, but she was more than welcoming to Minato. After about half an hour of discussion and having him sign several forms, she gave him a numbered key with a kind smile before taking the files back into her office.
The boy from the desk led him up to his dorm room, explaining a number of the dorm’s rules— curfew, quiet hours, and so on. They stopped in front of a door, marked with the same number that was on the key Minato held.
“Here’s your room. Let me or Saito-san know if you need anything.” With that, the boy left Minato standing in the hallway.
Minato unlocked the door, and was greeted with a small, empty dorm room. The walls were painted a pale green, and the afternoon light streamed in through the single window. The room held a faint musty smell from lack of use, but it was fairly clean, and it was outfitted with a bed, a desk, a set of folded blankets and sheets, a small dresser, and nothing else.
Minato hung up his old uniform jacket on the closet rack, deposited the empty duffel in the corner for now (with a mental note to return it to Ann at their next meeting), and looked over the room in silent approval. He then flopped onto the bare mattress.
“Nice,” he said aloud. Considering his circumstances, this was better than anything he could have hoped for.
Wow, it’s pretty nice in here. I can’t believe Futaba managed to do this. She’s amazing! And a little scary, too.
“Yeah,” Minato agreed with a nod.
A thought occurred to him, and he paused. Yusuke lived in these dorms as well. The others were still busy with their school’s cultural festival, but Yusuke and Futaba weren’t Shujin students, so Yusuke would likely be here today. Should he stop by and visit? Would Yusuke expect him to?
That train of thought was interrupted when his stomach rumbled.
I’ll do that later, then , he thought, sitting upright. First things first, he needed to get some food.
Minato’s question was answered an hour later. He was walking back toward the dorms, plastic bag in hand, when he saw a familiar tall figure carrying multiple large canvases as well as his school bag towards the dorms. Yusuke seemed to be having some difficulty carrying the canvases, and hadn’t noticed Minato yet.
Minato strolled up to him. “Need help?”
Yusuke paused and turned around, finally noticing him. “Oh. Hello, Minato-san.” He glanced at the canvases. “And yes, I suppose I would appreciate the assistance.”
Minato wordlessly picked up one end of the stack of canvases. Yusuke shifted to holding the other end, and the two easily made their way up the dorm’s front steps.
“Forgive me, but I had forgotten you were arriving today. Are you currently moving into the dorms?” he asked.
“No. I came earlier,” said Minato. “I was out getting food.” He moved one elbow to wave the grocery bag hanging off of it. Calling it food was a stretch, since it was mostly instant yakisoba. Ryoji hadn’t entirely approved of his choice, but it was cheap, filling, and he didn’t feel like trying to figure out the dorm’s shared kitchen just yet.
“Ah, yes. That is understandable.” He nodded sagely. “I would eat as well, but I’m afraid it will have to wait, as I was struck by a wave of inspiration after our last venture into Mementos and I must apply it to canvas before it disappears. I have some bean sprouts that I am saving for later.”
Minato frowned slightly at that last bit, but decided not to comment.
The two eventually hauled the canvases all the way up to Yusuke’s dorm room. The place was… well.
It was certainly something.
His desk was piled high with painting supplies and sketchbooks, all of it organized and clearly well-cared for. An easel stood in one corner of the room, where they set down the stack of canvases on the wall next to it. Some paint stains marked the floor around the easel. A small electric kettle sat next to a couple boxes of tea on the desk.
None of these were out of the ordinary in the slightest. What stood out to Minato was some of the bizarre artifacts that decorated the room. It looked like an antique store and a flea market had a head-on collision.
A pair of masks hung on the wall next to the window, the kind that wouldn’t look out of place at a fireworks festival, and hanging next to it was a whole string of paper lanterns. Next to that was an art piece made out of seashells that definitely looked like something from a flea market. There was an old spinning wheel shoved in the corner near the bed, decorated with beautifully intricate carvings and gold leaf, that was also broken and completely useless.
The bookshelf also hosted a bizarre assortment of items, including clay sculptures, glass sculptures, a random anime figurine he suspected to be a gift from Futaba, a picture of Vincent Van Gogh, a plastic swan boat, an extremely convincing wooden carving of a lobster, a dull knife with an intricately decorated handle, and even an animal skull he couldn’t identify. (Where Yusuke got it, Minato wasn’t sure he wanted to know.)
“...Nice place,” said Minato.
It’s definitely… unique? Ryoji offered.
Yusuke nodded. “You have my thanks for the assistance.” He then turned to face him. “If you don’t mind me asking, will you stay for a moment and model a few poses for me? I believe it will assist me with my latest painting,” he explained.
Modeling? Well, it wasn’t like he was busy.
“Okay.” Minato took an instant yakisoba out of the plastic bag and held it up. “Can I use your electric kettle?”
His eyes widened. “Ah! Yes, of course. I apologize if I interrupted your dinner plans by asking so suddenly.”
Minato shrugged. “I don’t care.” Honestly, this was more convenient anyway.
He recalled Yusuke’s earlier comment about bean sprouts. He then grabbed another instant yakisoba from the bag and held it out to Yusuke, who looked at it in mild surprise.
“Are you… giving this to me?”
“Obviously.”
“Oh,” he said, gently taking the styrofoam container. “Well, if you are offering, then I will not decline. Thank you very much,” he said, with a small, polite bow.
Minato raised an eyebrow. It was just instant yakisoba. But with the way Yusuke was acting, one would have thought he’d given him a home-cooked meal and not the cheapest thing he could find at the corner store.
He suddenly had a feeling he was going to end up visiting Yusuke with food a lot more often.
Minato busied himself, setting up the kettle with water and leaving it to heat up. When he turned back to Yusuke, the boy was holding up both hands, framing him with his fingers.
“Pardon me, but would you mind holding your arm out in front of you, like this?” He held out his arm in a sweeping gesture, adopting a wider foot stance.
“Er… okay.” Minato mimicked him.
Yusuke framed his hands in front of him again. “That’s perfect! Hold that pose, please!” He grabbed his sketchbook and began sketching rapidly.
A couple minutes passed before Yusuke paused in his sketching. He rummaged through the clutter in his room before handing Minato what looked like the handle of a broomstick.
“Now hold this above your head, as though you were raising up a sword.”
Minato complied with his request.
Yusuke continued to sketch with a feverish energy. “Yes… that silent, yet commanding presence! The flashing of lights all around, like stars before a supernova!” He chuckled to himself. “I can see it perfectly!”
He seems enthusiastic, Ryoji chimed in from the back of his thoughts.
A little too enthusiastic, Minato thought.
They were interrupted by a beeping sound from the kettle.
“Ah. I will pause here, then,” said Yusuke, looking almost disappointed. “That is all I needed from you. Thank you, Minato, for indulging me.” He gave a small, polite nod before returning to his sketching.
“You’re not having yours?” Minato asked. He set the broom handle aside.
Yusuke paused again, thinking for a long moment. “Well… since you were kind enough to offer me this, I suppose I can pause for a moment.” He set down his sketchbook.
The two of them spent the next few minutes in relative silence as they ate. Without any conversation to distract him, Minato couldn’t help looking around the strangely decorated room.
I wonder where he gets all this stuff, said Ryoji.
Well, the only way to find out was to ask.
“What’s all this stuff for?” said Minato, pointing to some of the clutter with his chopsticks.
“Ah, yes. These are various items I have collected since I moved to the dorms. From the moment I laid eyes on them, I was simply captured by their aesthetic,” he explained, placing down his chopsticks. “Just the other day, I was walking to Shibuya to save on the train fare when I met a gentleman selling antiques. I was saving money for dinner, but I felt compelled to purchase one of his wares when I saw the intricate design etched into the wood.” He gestured to the spinning wheel shoved in the corner. “I couldn’t help but marvel at it, and I was overcome with a wave of inspiration.”
Minato blinked. “...It’s broken.”
“Indeed.”
“Do you even know how to use it?”
“I do not, but I will not need to for such purposes. It is merely for aesthetic.”
“You spent your dinner money on that thing.”
“Ah, yes. Do not worry, Ren and Futaba were kind enough to share some of Boss’s curry with me.”
...I’m a little concerned about Yusuke now, said Ryoji, a note of worry in his voice.
Me too, Minato thought.
He recalled certain moments over the past few days, where the group seemed overly eager to make sure Yusuke didn’t starve. Every time one of them brought him food, it was treated like a common occurrence.
Minato put down his yakisoba. “You really shouldn’t do that.”
Yusuke was taken back by his sudden seriousness. “Do what?”
“Skipping meals.”
“It is of little consequence. I do manage to make ends meet.”
“How often do you manage that thanks to the others?” he calmly shot back.
Yusuke was quiet for a moment. Ryoji hovered at the back of Minato’s mind, listening in.
Jeez, Minato, that was a little harsh.
Well, shit. Minato looked down at his food, not making eye contact. “...Sorry.”
“No. As unpleasant as it is, you are right.” Yusuke frowned a little, looking thoughtful. “I thought it would be rude to refuse their offers of kindness, but I see now how it is improper for me to take advantage of my friends’ generosity as such.”
Minato looked up at him, slightly alarmed. “What? No, that’s not what I meant.” Minato was not going to be responsible for Yusuke starving himself to death.
Yusuke gave him a puzzled look. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”
“I’m not saying that… accepting their kindness is a bad thing.” Minato sighed. Words were not his strong point. He idly tapped his chopsticks with one hand, trying to think over his next words. “Look. Your friends do it because they care about you. Can you just… make sure you have something to eat? For their sake?”
Yusuke was quiet again for a moment before he responded. “I will think about what you have said.”
Minato remained tense. “...Sorry if I overstepped.”
Yusuke nodded. “Apology accepted. I have received similar opinions from the others in the past, but I suppose I still need to hear it again every so often. I do appreciate your honesty with me, at least.” Yusuke looked a little distant. “Some truths are often difficult to say, even when they are what we need to hear the most.”
Ryoji seemed to bristle a little, but Minato didn’t pry. He had faith that Ryoji would talk when he was ready to. “...Yeah.”
Yusuke finished his meal and set the plastic bowl aside to throw away later, picking up his sketchpad.
“I find you rather curious, Minato-san.”
Minato paused eating. “How so?”
“The other day, when you joined us, I asked you if you shared our goal to help others.”
“What about it?”
Yusuke glanced up. “I confess I have thought about your answer. You explained how you do not feel particularly concerned with helping strangers, only those you felt you cared about. And yet, you were willing to help us in Mementos even when you didn’t have a Persona. You could have considered us strangers then, yet you didn’t.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
Yusuke looked down at his sketchpad again and resumed sketching. “No reason. It was merely an observation.”
An odd but not uncomfortable silence settled between them. Minato finished eating and gathered up both his and Yusuke’s trash to throw away, then quietly gathered his things to leave.
“You know, I originally decided to move into the dorms to make an effort to connect to my peers,” Yusuke said before he reached the door. “Sharing a meal together was… not an unpleasant experience, overall. If you wish, I wouldn’t mind doing so again.”
Minato paused in the doorway, and nodded in agreement. “You know where my room is.”
“You know mine as well,” he said. “Goodnight, Minato-san. Thank you again for the meal.”
Minato only gave a lazy wave in response as he left.
Notes:
Aaaaand the third chapter is done! The only reason this came out as quickly as it did is because the section with the dorms is something I’ve had half-written for a while. I was originally going to have it as a “Minato bonds with Yusuke” oneshot, but I decided to graft it into this story arc.
I keep writing stuff for this AU that would only occur way, way later. Like for every hundred words in the next chapter I end up writing a thousand around the end point. Which is nice for having a goal! But I have to figure out the middle to get there. Hoo boy.
Anyway, idk if the Kosei student idea seems odd, but Minato can’t exactly stay in Leblanc forever. I mean, Sojiro was nice enough to let Ren keep Morgana and even let Yusuke stay over, but Minato’s not exactly a stray cat. The way Futaba sees it, it provides a stronger cover story and also solves where he’s staying for the longer term. (I was actually thinking of him staying with Haru at one point, but I didn’t think I could pull it off without it feeling a little too forced.)
The broken spinning wheel is based on a true story. A friend bought one secondhand at a yard sale despite not a) knowing how to use it or b) having the room to store it. It was so odd, but it absolutely screamed “Yusuke”, so I had to use it.
I ALMOST FORGOT TO MENTION but Saito is a cameo from the fic Marigolds! its a good fic
We'll get back to the main storyline next chapter! Thanks for reading! :D
Chapter 4: The Casino of Envy
Summary:
The Thieves enter Sae's Palace.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Futaba flopped back on her chair, glaring at her screen.
Nothing.
A whole week, and Futaba had found nothing on Minato Arisato. Who the heck was this guy? He was practically a ghost!
(The irony of that statement was not lost on her.)
Granted, dealing with Akechi and developing the bug for his phone had forced her to put this project on the backburner, but at this point it was a welcome distraction as they waited for Akechi’s next contact with them at the courthouse. She had long since finished the new bug, a tiny backdoor innocently disguised as an added feature to Ren and Akechi’s online chess app. It would be quick to install, and Futaba would be free to poke around unnoticed so long as Akechi didn’t close the app completely. Which he never did, if his matches with Ren were anything to go by.
God. Chess. Maybe Futaba could convince Ren to get Akechi into Featherman, or something.
Anyway, she had idly scoured social media for Minato’s name, only to find that none of the online profiles with the name matched his description. Most of them were folks that were way older than Minato would be, from their late twenties to totally ancient. She’d even found a guy by the name who was in his sixties.
Okay, so Minato had no online presence. Or if he did, it was anonymous. No biggie.
Futaba could crack her way into any system she wanted, but the internet was a big place; she needed a lead if she was ever going to find anything. But Minato had no phone full of personal info to hack, and no online presence that he knew of; the only useful info she had to go off of was his name.
So when social media turned up nothing, she decided it was time to get her hands a little dirty. Nothing she’d break a sweat doing, obviously. She cracked her way into private servers and civilian databases, rifling through hundreds of government files trying to find his name with a description that matched. She had even gone over every current missing person file she could find in Japan’s police databases.
Nothing. Zip. Nada.
She leaned back into her chair and groaned loudly, burying her face in her hands. How was it so hard to find this guy’s info? He was just a high schooler! It wasn’t like the information was blocked or anything, it was simply nowhere to be found. The only explanations she could think of were that either he was actually from the Metaverse, or he hadn’t given them his real name.
If that was really the case, then she was going to strangle the guy herself. He was short enough that she could reach.
Wait. She paused and backtracked her line of thought. A high schooler… he was wearing a high school uniform, right?
Didn’t it have an emblem on the front?
She groaned again. That kind of thing wasn’t something she could search through text; finding the school that emblem belonged to was going to have to be done the old-fashioned way, through lots of research and cross-referencing. She was hoping it wouldn’t have to come to this, but she was still stuck at square one and had no other ideas. If she could find where he went to high school, then she would crack the case like an egg.
Though… Futaba had to admit, this side project had caught her attention. Most of the time, the stuff she looked for ended up being all too easy to find, and without that challenge she lost interest in them quickly. It wasn’t often she found something that eluded her like this; this was a puzzle, and she was determined to crack it. If not for her curiosity’s sake, then at least for her own pride as the original Medjed.
Nothing could stop a determined Alibaba. When she wanted info, she was going to get it.
Alright, she thought, stretching her hands out in front of her. The slow route it is, then. Ignoring her exhaustion, she scooted her chair forward and opened up another tab on her computer.
The next couple of days passed by quickly as Minato settled in. During that time, Ren informed everyone that they would be meeting with Akechi at Leblanc to discuss their next course of action.
Minato didn’t officially start classes at Kosei until the Monday afterward, which left him plenty of time to prepare for that. He had plenty of second thoughts about whether Futaba’s ‘brilliant idea’ was more effort than it would be worth, but it was already done, so he would just have to go through with it.
Minato already saw Yusuke at least once a day after his offer the previous night, and since he had no cell phone, Yusuke only became a more common sight in the dorms in an effort to stay in contact with the group. (Futaba had relayed more than one annoyed message about him being a digital ghost over it.)
Ryoji had been… worryingly quiet over the past few days, too. Not entirely absent, but the reduced amount of chatter from him was enough to be noticeable. Minato couldn’t be sure that he wasn’t just giving him the mental space to work out his new situation these past few days, but he had the feeling something was on Ryoji’s mind. Especially after he’d promised to talk about what he knew, when he was ready to.
Soon enough, a few days after the cultural festival, the time to meet up with Akechi finally came; the group arranged to meet with him at Leblanc. During their meeting, Akechi informed them of Sae’s palace and proposed his plan for them to steal her heart, both to protect her from the Black Mask and the Thieves from the police.
Minato was present for the meeting, but remained silent the whole time. Instead, he subtly observed Akechi as he talked, still thinking of what they discussed the night after the school festival. If Akechi was lying as much as they suspected, then he was frighteningly good at it. He genuinely seemed serious about his plan, and gave away no hints of an ulterior motive. The only thing that didn’t escape Minato’s notice was how Akechi stole the occasional odd glance towards him.
In the end, they settled on a meeting time the next day, and the meeting ended with little fanfare.
The next day, they met up with Akechi down the street from the courthouse to make their first exploration of Sae’s Palace.
“I see everyone is here already,” said Akechi, glancing around the area. “Let’s move on to the Palace, so we can discuss more privately.”
Ren nodded. “Care to do the honors, Akechi?”
Akechi pulled out his phone and opened the Metanav, holding it up flat in front of him, and began to speak.
“S-”
“Holy crap, no way!” Futaba’s excited shout made them all startle in surprise. “Is that—” Futaba shot towards Akechi, specifically zeroing in on the phone in his hand. “It’s the newest model?! That’s the one I wanted! Gimme, gimme! I wanna see!” she said, snatching it from his hands and scrolling through it.
“I…” Akechi stared, at a loss for words.
Makoto stepped forward. “I’m sorry about this, Akechi. Futaba was a bit of a shut-in before she met us,” she explained, watching Ren step forward to ‘intervene’.
“She looks pretty excited,” said Minato, making Akechi startle slightly and turn towards him. Good, Akechi’s focus on Minato was working to their advantage, keeping him too distracted to think about what Futaba was really up to. “Must be some phone.”
“I assure you, it really isn’t,” said Akechi.
“The specs on this thing are way better than my old model! Talk about cheating!” they heard Futaba exclaim.
“I think she disagrees,” Minato said plainly.
Akechi sighed. “I only have that phone because of all the case work and interviews I do. I’m afraid having an old, cheap model doesn’t fit the image of the Detective Prince.”
Minato shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I don’t have one.”
Makoto subtly shook her head, but Akechi’s gaze sharpened on him. “You don’t have a phone? That’s rather unusual.”
Minato internally cursed his slip-up as he fumbled for an answer. “I, uh… it broke.”
Akechi frowned. “You… How did you originally access the Metaverse, then?”
“...It broke earlier this week,” Minato corrected. “Don’t really have the money to replace it yet.” Minato internally sweated, hoping he wouldn’t call out his lie.
To his relief, Akechi seemed to accept it. “...I suppose those things tend to happen,” Akechi said carefully.
At that moment, Futaba moved forward to return the phone to Akechi. “Maaan, I’ve heard so much about that model, but, I haven’t met anyone that had it yet ‘cause it’s still new. I’m super glad I finally got to see it in person!”
“Thanks for indulging her, Akechi,” said Ren, slightly apologetic.
“It’s fine,” said Akechi, plastering on a smile. “Let’s just move on.” He held up the phone again to speak. “Sae Niijima. The courthouse. Casino.”
The world around them rippled slightly, but didn’t change. They looked around, only to find the streets around them empty.
“Uhhh, did we do it right?” asked Ryuji.
Akechi nodded. “We’re currently outside of the Palace, yes.”
“How do you know?” said Ann. “Nothing really changed.”
“That’s because the actual palace itself appears to be strictly centered around the courthouse,” Akechi explained. “My apologies; I took the liberty of looking outside Sae-san’s palace beforehand. You’ll see in just a moment.”
They did. A short walk down the street later, and they stood before the massive casino in all its gaudy glory. Neon and incandescent lights lit up the area within several blocks, making the casino stick out among the surrounding buildings like a fluorescent beacon.
“Holy crap, this looks like a postcard from Las Vegas!” said Futaba.
“It is rather excessive, in the same manner most palaces tend to be,” Yusuke agreed.
The group continued to make their way towards the casino, taking care not to be seen by any possible stray shadows or cognitions. They ducked into a pathway off to the side, tucked out of sight from any prying eyes wandering the streets but still open enough to see the casino.
A couple of the others were remarking about the nearby police station as they walked, but Minato’s attention was elsewhere. Minato had instantly spotted the bright blue glow of the jail door, the same one he’d seen before in Mementos.
You saw that door before in Mementos? Ryoji asked.
Oh, right. That had been right before he awakened Thanatos, so Ryoji wouldn’t have seen it.
Yeah, I did, Minato replied. It looks familiar.
Like that lady, Elizabeth?
Minato hadn’t been thinking about that, but now that he was, he definitely felt the same sense of deja vu. Yeah, exactly like Elizabeth.
“Are you alright, Minato-kun? You’re starting to fall behind the rest of the group.”
Minato startled a little out of his thoughts, turning to see Haru.
“Yeah. Sorry.”
Minato quickened his pace to keep up with the others, ignoring the strange look Ren gave him after he caught up.
The group searched for an alternate way inside. Eventually they made their way up a fire escape and onto the roof, finding a set of doors that allowed them entry. As soon as they stepped inside, blue flames flashed across their bodies, and their clothes changed into their thief outfits.
“Guess we’re seen as a threat now, huh?” Ryuji commented.
“That’s some outfit you’ve got there,” said Minato.
The others turned to Akechi. Sure enough, he’d changed into a white and red outfit with gold braided trim, with a long, pointy red mask.
“That’s just his mental image of a rebel,” Morgana explained.
“Doesn’t look all that rebellious to me,” said Ryuji.
“That’s because this is how I’d imagine someone that sticks to their justice,” said Akechi, smiling patiently.
“Your mask seems more apt for piercing rather than sticking…” said Haru. Her eyes widened in realization. “Oh! We almost forgot! Now that we know what his outfit looks like, shouldn’t we come up with a codename for Akechi-kun?”
“A codename?” asked Akechi.
“Yeah!” said Morgana. “A Phantom Thief always hides their identity, you know!”
“Is this truly necessary?” Akechi asked. “We’re merely allies. I’m not formally a member of your group, nor do I want to be.”
“If you’re going to be working with us, you’ll still need one. We don’t want to risk the palace ruler subconsciously identifying us as Phantom Thieves by letting their shadow hear our names,” Morgana explained.
Akechi looked at him in mild surprise. “They can do that?”
“Yeah!” Morgana paused. “...I think.”
“You think?” he echoed.
“We haven’t tested that theory,” said Ren with a shrug.
Akechi gave a small, defeated sigh. “Very well then. What are all your codenames?”
“Mine is Joker.” Ren gave a small lazy wave.
“And I’m Mona!”
“Panther!”
“Skull.”
“I am Fox.”
“Queen.”
“The mighty Oracle!”
“Mine is Noir.”
“Ghost,” Minato finished.
Akechi glanced around. “I see more than one of those codenames are based on your new appearances.”
“Yep,” said Ren. “Any suggestions for Akechi’s codename, guys?”
“Cape,” Ryuji immediately suggested.
“That’s the second time you’ve suggested that name, Skull,” Ann said, unimpressed.
“What? Maybe it’ll stick! And he’s got one, doesn’t he?” Ryuji gestured to Akechi, who looked like he was already regretting this.
Haru tilted her head in thought. “Your mask is red, and it looks like a bird… perhaps Robin?”
“...That’s not a bad suggestion,” said Akechi. “However, my persona’s name is Robin Hood, and I would prefer to avoid confusion if possible.”
“Ehhh… Maestro?” said Ann. “He looks like he belongs in a marching band.”
“Nah. Too fancy,” said Futaba.
A brief pause.
“...Shrimp,” Minato suggested.
Ryuji, Ann, and Futaba both looked at Akechi for a moment, and audibly suppressed a snort.
Akechi’s smile never faltered, but it tensed a little. “Absolutely not.”
“No, no, it fits! It’s the pointy red mask!” said Futaba.
“This is a waste of time. If these are the best ideas you can come up with, I think I would rather choose my own codename,” said Akechi, cutting them off before they could continue. “I will go by Karasu.”
“The Japanese word for crow?” said Ann. “Well, we all chose English codenames, so why not just ‘Crow’? That way, you can match everyone else.”
Akechi looked thoughtful for a moment. “...Very well. Crow, then.”
“If I may ask, why Crow?” asked Haru. “Crows are all black, and your outfit is quite the opposite.”
Akechi simply flashed her a knowing smile. “True. But Isn’t the point of codenames to hide our true identities, Okumura-san?” he explained. “And I admit, I am partial to the name because crows are known for their intelligence compared to other bird species.”
More than one of the Thieves rolled their eyes behind his back.
“I see what you mean, Crow.” said Haru. She looked over the balcony, observing the atrium below. “Strange… the people here look completely normal.”
Futaba stepped up to follow her line of sight. “You’re right. But we’re in a flashy casino though, so there’s no doubting that we’re inside the palace.”
Minato’s eyes widened slightly with concern. “There are people in here?”
“Oh, right. They wouldn’t know about cognitive beings, would they?” said Ann, pointing at Akechi and Minato.
“Nope,” said Futaba. She turned to the others. “So, we’ve got two newbies! Care to show them the ropes, Mona?”
“With pleasure,” said Morgana. “Alright, listen up, rookies!”
Akechi looked at Minato with surprise. “Wait, Arisato-san-”
“Ghost! We use codenames here, Crow!” Morgana reprimanded him.
“Ghost-san-”
“You don’t need the honorific for codenames, dude,” said Skull.
“...Ghost. This is your first time as well?” asked Akechi.
Minato nodded.
Akechi narrowed his eyes. “How did you get your powers, then?”
Minato shrugged. “Mementos.”
Akechi started to nod in understanding, but then paused and frowned. “Ah. My apologies, but… what is Mementos?” he asked.
“It’s a different kind of palace,” Morgana explained. “Instead of only one person, it’s everyone’s palace.”
Akechi placed a finger and thumb over his chin in thought. “And instead of one ruler, it’s ruled by the shadows of everyone but those who have a Palace?”
“Yeah!” said Morgana. “...I think.”
“You think,” said Akechi. “Pardon me for saying so, but you don’t sound completely certain.”
“W-well, It’s the cognition of the general public! It has to be!”
Akechi frowned. “...I suppose you are correct,” he admitted.
“A-anyway!” Mona huffed. “Cognitions are just distortions, shaped by the Palace’s ruler’s views. If something in the real world leaves a strong impression on the Ruler, it can appear in their palace as a cognition,” he explained.
Yusuke nodded. “Ah, yes. In a similar manner to the distortion around the landscape, cognitive people can appear based on the ruler’s perceptions of them.”
Minato blinked. Akechi looked thoughtful at the explanation.
“That explanation prolly didn’t make sense because of the fancy terms he used, huh?“ Ryuji glanced at Akechi with a vindictive grin on his face.
“So if cognition’s appearance also depends on how they view them, then since the people down there look normal, that means Sae-san’s views of others are relatively undistorted?” Akechi clarified.
“Exactly!” said Mona.
Ryuji’s grin fell, briefly replaced with mild disappointment. Minato, on the other hand, nodded along, beginning to understand.
“And the ruler’s Shadow?” Minato asked, genuinely curious.
“Good question,” said Morgana. “A person’s shadow represents their repressed negative thoughts and emotions. You could say it’s their true other self. Palace rulers have a strong distortion, so even though their Shadow will still be recognizable as them, their appearance will reflect their distortion,” he explained.
“Trust me,” said Ren. “You’ll know it when you see them.”
The group slowly made their way deeper into the casino, silently hopping across the light fixtures above the heads of the unsuspecting cognitive crowds. Despite his status as the newest member, Akechi never once slipped. Meanwhile, Minato nearly had a couple of missteps climbing across the light fixtures. Despite all the strange feelings of familiarity Minato had experienced in the Metaverse with the group, the Phantom Thieves’ stealth and agility while exploring palaces took some getting used to.
The group found a vent to crawl through at the other end of the room, leading them onto an overhang overlooking a massive lobby area with a circular glass elevator in the center.
“I know you’re there. Come out and face me instead of hiding like cowards.”
They all nearly jumped as a distorted voice addressed them, almost seeming to resonate from everywhere in the Palace itself. Were they already caught so easily?
They looked around, quickly spotting who the speaker belonged to. There, standing tall in the center of the balcony below—
That’s Makoto’s sister!? Ryoji blurted out.
Looks like it, Minato thought, feeling a bit of red creep on his face as he pointedly tried not to stare at her revealing outfit. Now I know why Ren said I would know it when I see her.
“Damn, Queen,” said Ren. “Your sister’s Shadow has one hell of a fashion sense.”
“I’ll say!” Futaba added.
“Can we please not talk about Sis like this?” Makoto replied, a dangerous note in her voice.
Futaba deflated a little. “Sorry.”
Akechi looked down to see Sae standing below. “If Sae-san knows we’re here, there’s no point in hiding any longer. We may as well speak to her directly and see what she wants.”
They dropped down from the ledge to the floor where Sae’s Shadow awaited them, flanked by two masked shadows.
“Ah. The Phantom Thieves.” Disdain dripped from her stern voice. “I suppose I should have expected to find you all sneaking around in here.”
“Si- I mean, Sae-” Makoto started, hoping she didn’t catch her slip-up. Sae quickly cut her off.
“Save it. You’re after my Treasure, are you not?” she asked, hard yellow eyes burning into all of them. Makoto nodded, unsure what else to say. Sae smirked. “Very well, then. I’ll even tell you where it is. You’ll find the Treasure on the Manager’s floor, at the very top of this casino.”
They exchanged looks. She was just telling them where to find her Treasure? It was too easy to be that simple.
Morgana’s fur bristled. “What?! Like we’ll fall for a trick like that! Does she think we’re that dumb?”
“Why are you telling us this?” asked Makoto, sounding apprehensive.
“Simple. I wish to do this in the fairest manner possible,” said Shadow Sae.
“Somehow I doubt that,” said Oracle. “She’s gone completely off the deep end.”
Shadow Sae gave a vicious smile. “I am the manager of this casino, as well as its top player. If you want to steal my Treasure, you’ll have to earn it. And I play to win,” she said, lifting up a gloved hand. “Come up to the Manager’s floor. We will continue this there… if you can make it, that is.” She then snapped her fingers, and she and the two flanking shadows alongside her disappeared in a blinding flash of light.
“Flashy exit,” Minato muttered.
“Hey!” Ryuji ran forward to the balcony and pointed to the elevator in the area just below. “Over there, guys!”
They all followed Ryuji, just in time to watch the elevator’s glass doors close with Shadow Sae standing inside. The elevator car then shot up to the floors above, out of sight and far beyond their reach.
“It seems that the elevator will allow us to reach the higher floors,” said Akechi.
The group made their way down the stairs to the elevator to follow her. However, the elevator doors refused to open, regardless of Ryuji’s button-mashing.
“Authentication required. Please insert your member’s card,” a recorded voice chimed from a speaker.
“Dammit,” said Ryuji. “How else are we gonna get up now?”
“We can look for an alternate route up, but if the upper floors require special access, it’s unlikely that we’ll find one,” said Akechi. “Many casinos have ranked membership systems like this, with areas cordoned off for certain ranks.”
“So it’s kind of like a VIP area, but you have to play your way up to the necessary ranks?” asked Haru.
He nodded. “Precisely, Noir-san.”
“So we need to get a member’s card,” said Minato. “How?”
“Ain’t it obvious?” asked Skull. “C’mon, let’s go sign up for that casino membership thing.”
“I doubt it will be that simple,” said Akechi. “But it’s worth a try.”
The group continued to explore until they found what looked like a front desk.
Ann walked up to the bowtie-wearing shadow manning the desk and tried to smile politely. “Uh… hi! We were just wondering if we could sign up for a membership here..?”
The shadow looked at them. “I’m afraid not. Suspicious mask-wearing characters such as yourselves are not permitted to register. Please leave.”
Ann sputtered. “What? You can’t do that!”
The shadow began to melt and morph. “If you will not leave, then you will be escorted off the premises.” The shadow melted to the floor, and reformed into a tall, leopard-like shadow with a green cape.
“The hell is their problem?” said Ryuji.
“As I suspected. Sae-san is determined to win by any means necessary. It looks like they won’t let us register that easily.” Akechi seemed to contemplate his options for a second. “Ghost. As a fellow novice of the group, would you be willing to help me?”
Minato blinked in surprise. What was he up to? “...Okay,” he said.
Akechi nodded. “Thank you.” He then stepped forward to face the tall leopard-like shadow. “Joker! Let us handle this. I still need to prove my worth, after all.”
Minato only gave Akechi a brief exasperated glance, but said nothing.
Ren hesitated briefly at Akechi’s words, but then gave a nod. “Alright, but we’ll be ready. Show us what you’ve got.”
Akechi grinned. “Very well, then. Come… Robin Hood!”
Minato stepped forward, just beside him. “Thanatos!”
The shadow moved to strike, but Robin Hood leveled his bow at the shadow and fired, piercing it with a strong bless attack. Minato followed up with a curse attack, with Thanatos moving in to strike with his curse-infused blade; to his annoyance, his own attack had no effect.
The shadow took the opening and moved to strike. The battle continued, and Akechi continued to pepper the shadow with arrows while another one of Minato’s attacks didn’t make a scratch. Thanatos growled in annoyance at the lack of damage his spell caused before disappearing.
“Curse attacks won’t work on this guy,” said Futaba.
She’s right, Minato heard Ryoji say in his mind. Fortunately for us, that’s not the only skill you’ve got.
Minato didn’t think. He simply acted on instinct, shuffling his power to bring a new part of himself to the surface.
“Orpheus!” he called out.
Orpheus appeared in a pyre of blue flames. His expression was somber as he locked his gaze on the shadow, and he began to pluck a mournful melody, filled with burning grief. Fire struck the shadow in response to the melody. The effect was reduced, but this time his attack did some damage to the shadow.
To the side, Minato saw Akechi’s attacks falter as he stared in shock.
“WHAT?!” Futaba’s voice practically yelled in his head, and he winced at the volume. “What the heck, Ghost! You didn’t tell us you were just like Joker!”
Akechi sputtered. “What do you mean, like Joker-”
Minato saw the shadow charge at Akechi, taking advantage of his momentary distraction. Orpheus swung his lyre in an overhead arc, bashing the shadow in the head and knocking it down.
“Yeah! Give ‘im the chair!” Futaba whooped.
“We’re not done. Pay attention,” Minato told Akechi.
A scowl flickered across Akechi’s expression before it was quickly replaced with a carefully neutral look. “Believe me, I will,” he responded. He turned to the shadow. “Robin Hood, finish him!”
Several arrows of light shot from Robin Hood’s bow, each striking the shadow with pinpoint accuracy. The shadow dissipated under the barrage of bless magic, leaving behind a small pile of yen.
“Nice job, both of you,” said Ren, approaching the two.
“Thank you, Joker,” said Akechi, looking away from Minato. “But I did not help as much as I would have liked in that encounter.”
Ren shrugged. “There will be plenty of others,” he reassured him.
Futaba rummaged around the desk. “No membership cards here. We’ll have to check in the back rooms,” she said. “But first…” Futaba whirled on Minato. “You! Multiple personas! Start explaining, mister!”
“I also want to know,” said Ren, folding his arms. “I’ve never met another wildcard before.”
Minato simply shrugged in response.
“Don’t just shrug!” Futaba huffed. “Come on, tell us! When the heck did you recruit a new persona?”
Minato blinked. “Recruit?”
“Yeah, like Joker does!” she explained. “Don’t give me that look, you’ve seen him do it in Mementos!”
Minato looked between her and Ren. Off to the side, he could see the others looking at him with varying looks of surprise, excitement, and confusion. Makoto herself looked somewhere between unsure and suspicious.
“I… didn’t recruit Orpheus,” Minato tried to explain.
“But- but that’s impossible! The only way Joker’s gotten multiple personas is by recruiting shadows and fusing them,” said Morgana.
(They’re not wrong about one of your personas being a shadow, Ryoji quietly thought to himself, too quiet for Minato to hear.)
“Guys.” Ren’s voice was stern, cutting them off before they could continue. “Don’t gang up on Ghost. If he says he didn’t recruit a persona, then he didn’t,” he said firmly. Futaba, Morgana, and Makoto shared guilty looks at that. Ren glanced briefly at Akechi, who seemed to be listening to the unfolding conversation with interest. “I know we’re all stressed out by our situation, but we can’t start jumping at each other’s throats like this. Besides, you called it Orpheus, right?” Ren asked. Minato nodded. “We’ve never encountered a shadow that looked like that, and none of the persona’s I’ve recruited were named Orpheus.”
“Oh,” said Futaba. She smacked herself on the forehead. “Oh, wow. That’s so obvious. Way to go, navigator,” she berated herself.
“I think you’re doing a wonderful job, Oracle,” Haru chimed in. “It was quite the surprise, and a welcome one if I say so myself.”
“But… how is it possible for you to have more than one persona like that, though?” asked Morgana.
Minato simply shrugged again.
Yusuke took that moment to cut into the conversation. “I admit I’m also curious about Ghost’s new ability, but shouldn’t we be focusing on the task at hand?”
“Fox is right. We should talk more about this later,” said Morgana. He then paused, flattening his ears. “This feeling… I think that fight might have set off the security levels of the palace.”
“Hold on a sec.” Futaba summoned Necronomicon, swiping through several holographic screens of incomprehensible data. “Yeah, Mona’s right. It looks like the security level’s already skyrocketed thanks to that fight. At this rate, we’ll only end up walking right into a ton of shadows if we decide to keep exploring.”
“I’d rather prepare for our next infiltration than walk right into an ambush,” said Makoto. “We should head back. We made good progress for the first day.”
“Good call,” said Ren.
The group made their way back out of the palace, Futaba peppering Minato with a million questions about his powers while Ren listened with clear interest. The others were either chatting between each other or listening in on their conversation, but Minato could feel Akechi’s stare almost burning a hole in the back of his head.
Eventually, they made it a block down the street before shifting back to the real world, and the group parted ways for the night. Minato walked with Yusuke back to the Kosei dorms in what he hoped was a comfortable silence. He watched Yusuke pause several times to frame the sunset-colored sky and the streets of Tokyo between his fingers.
After a while, he broke the silence.
“Am I really that suspicious to you all?” Minato suddenly asked.
The quiet stretched for a few moments. Minato glanced over to see that he was deep in thought.
“Things are… uncertain,” said Yusuke. “We have been rather careless and made mistakes in the past, and Akechi has shown well that he is not to be trusted. That your abilities are like Ren’s was certainly a surprise for all of us. But I would like to be able to place my trust in you, Minato-san.”
“Just because you want to doesn’t mean you do,” said Minato.
“Yes… and no,” said Yusuke, and oh, that admission stung a little deeper than Minato liked to admit. “I truly believe you do not harbor any ill intent, but your unusual circumstances combined with our current situation… It is all too easy to fear the unknown, and there is so little we truly know about you, as we have been reminded today. Even so, I’ve decided to give you the benefit of the doubt.”
“What’s the difference?” Minato asked, unable to keep the bitter note out of his tone.
“The difference lies in the fact that I would like to consider you a friend,” said Yusuke. “I suspect the others feel the same, as well as yourself.”
Minato was quiet for a moment. “I do,” he finally admitted. The thought of remaining distant from everyone was a painful one, more so than he expected.
Yusuke gave a satisfied nod. “Perhaps you should give it time. In my experience with the others, I have learned that friendship is not always a straightforward path. Though I’m certain Ren trusts you, if his earlier comment was any indication.” He suddenly stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, making another frame with his fingers. “Ah! The buildings are at the perfect angle here! I must capture this before the light fades!”
Minato thought about Yusuke’s words all the way back to the dorms.
Notes:
*sees that the last chapter update was three months ago*
…Eeeeeyeah. Sorry about the wait guys. I hit a wall while writing the casino section of this chapter, and between school, life, and being suddenly dragged back into playing Runescape, this fell to the backburner for a bit. But on the upside, I did some major outlining during the break! It actually helped me get unstuck. Hopefully I can keep the ball rolling now that it’s moving again.
Mostly canon storyline happening in this chapter, unfortunately, but they’re finally starting Sae’s palace. Hopefully the higher wordcount makes up for the wait. Woo!
Also, wow guys. 4k hits on Ghost of Mementos?? I’m blown away, y’all!! Seriously, I really do appreciate every one of your comments. Thank you for enjoying my humble little fic so far, I would have never even considered continuing past the first arc of this series without your support.
Chapter 5: Shibuya Scramble
Summary:
Minato explores Shibuya, and has a few things on his mind.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
“I hate to break it to you guys, but you were right to be suspicious of Akechi,” said Futaba, tapping away at her laptop.
The Thieves were all gathered in Leblanc attic after school, minus Akechi. The fact that Futaba had called all of them to a meeting without informing Akechi already had most of them suspecting what it was about.
“So did your bug find something?” asked Ren, unusually serious.
“Uh-huh. And get this,” Futaba said. “All that talk about bringing the black mask guy to justice? A total lie. Not only is he totally planning to stab us in the back, he’s responsible for all the mental shutdowns.”
Most of the Thieves visibly reacted to that news.
“I knew that guy was sketchy!” said Ryuji, shooting up to his feet.
“But wait, Akechi’s mask was red, wasn’t it?” asked Ren. “How can he be the Black mask?”
“I dunno, I haven’t figured out that loophole yet,” said Futaba. “But you guys need to hear this.”
Futaba pulled up an audio file on her computer and played it to the whole room. They listened to Akechi’s voice, uncharacteristically cold and emotionless, reporting his plan to whoever he was calling.
Police forces in the palace on the day they send the calling card and move in to steal the Treasure.
Pinning the blame for the mental shutdowns on them, while the true culprits are hailed as heroes.
Ren, murdered in police custody, his death covered up as a suicide.
Minato felt a deep, numbing chill as he listened to that last part. Ryoji, listening silently, shared the feeling.
“...He’s setting us up,” Makoto said with horror, once the recording clicked off. “Just like with Okumura.”
“That he would go this far…” Haru whispered, anger bubbling beneath the surface. “He told us he had seen the real culprit, but it was him the whole time!”
“So he’s just going to kill Ren?” Ryuji said. His hands were balled up tightly into fists, almost shaking with held-back anger. “That lying asshole! And after all that shit he talked about justice, too! This is a whole new level of shitty, even for him!”
Ren looked conflicted. “Ryuji. Maybe I can talk to him.”
“Dude, did you not just listen to him?! He is going to kill you, and he doesn’t care!” Ryuji shot back, his volume growing louder.
Ren looked like he wanted to argue, but he didn’t. His gaze fell to the floor, away from everyone else.
“We’re not going to let Akechi kill Ren.”
Everyone looked at Minato in surprise, hearing the cold steel in his voice.
“Damn right we ain’t,” Ryuji muttered with a nod.
“Yeah, Ren!” said Ann, looking more fired up. “You may be the leader, but we’ve got your back too!”
Ren looked up at them, stunned at their declaration.
“Couldn’t have said it better myself!” said Morgana, before turning to face everyone. “But to do that, we’re going to need a plan. We have the advantage of knowing Akechi’s true plan without his awareness. If we do this right, we can prevent Akechi from getting that far.”
“Forget that!” said Ryuji. “We gotta take Akechi down! We’ve got that recording as proof, can’t we use that to do it?”
Makoto shook her head. “No. And we can’t just stop Akechi either. Even if it would work, he’s not working alone. Someone’s giving him orders. Someone powerful enough to order a hit in a police station.”
Yusuke nodded gravely. “Even if Ren survives this ordeal, they won’t stop coming after us until we are in prison… or dead.”
Ryuji ran a hand through his hair. “Shit.”
“Whoever they are, they need to be stopped, but unfortunately we don’t know their identity,” said Makoto.
“Someone like that would definitely have a palace,” said Ren, looking more interested in the conversation as they talked. “Hey Futaba, has Akechi mentioned his boss’s name at all?”
“Nope,” said Futaba. “Already checked. He doesn't contact them much, and when he does, he’s avoided letting anything about their real identity slip. Akechi’s probably not going to let his guard down until he thinks he’s won.”
“What if we could fake it?”
They paused, and turned to Ren. “Wait, what?” said Ann.
“If Akechi believes I’m dead, he won’t come after us anymore,” he pointed out. “If Akechi’s trying to trick us, nothing says we can’t do the same to him.”
They all looked at each other, unsure.
“That is a stupidly reckless idea,” said Minato, stating the exact sentiment most of the others shared.
He looked to Minato. “Well, yeah, obviously. But it might be the only way,” he said. “Yusuke’s right. Whatever mastermind Akechi’s working for is not going to just stop coming after us. We have to make them think they’ve won.”
“One problem,” said Makoto. “How exactly are we supposed to do that? This is the real world, not the Metaverse. We can’t use our powers in a police station.”
“The police station…” Futaba stiffened, then shot up out of her chair, nearly toppling it over. “Wait, that’s it!”
“What? What is it?” asked Makoto, startled by Futaba’s outburst.
“Remember the police station we saw in Sae’s palace? It looked exactly like the police station in the real world. And, and, the people inside? The cognitions? They were completely undistorted,” she explained rapidly, as if her words were barely keeping up with her train of thought. “We can’t do anything in the real world, but maybe we can use the Metaverse to our advantage.” Futaba frowned as the gears turned in her mind. She then turned to Makoto. “Makoto! How well does Sae know the police station?” she asked.
Confusion crossed Makoto’s face. “She sometimes works there. I’ve brought her food and changes of clothing while she was there. Why do you ask?”
Futaba ignored her question and barreled on. “Hypothetically speaking, if Ren were caught by the police like Akechi’s planning, would Sae see him there at the station?”
“Sis is leading the investigation against us. She’s definitely going to interrogate him if he were caught,” Makoto explained. “Again, why?”
Futaba’s thoughts were clearly running at a breakneck speed now, drawing from her mom’s cognitive psience research and fueled by her experience navigating the Metaverse. “Cognition. What she sees in the police station is what we’ll see in the Metaverse,” she explained.
“Which means that during her interrogation, a cognition of Ren will be there,” Morgana added, understanding dawning on his face. “And if she’s as sharp as you say she is, it’ll be an exact copy.”
“And we could fool Akechi by switching Ren with his cognitive copy! If we can just figure out how, your idea to use the police station in the Metaverse…'' Futaba whirled around, looking giddy with excitement. “This could actually work!”
“Futaba-chan, that’s amazing!” said Haru.
“Muahaha!” Futaba raised her hands up and flopped back onto her chair. “Yes! Praise my genius!”
“Save the praise for when we actually have a solid, working plan, not half of one,” said Morgana.
“What’s important is that we have something to start with,” Futaba shot back. “We’ll figure out the details!”
“Could ya please slow down and explain things to the rest of us?” Ryuji drooped a little. “I can barely keep up with this shit when you’re goin’ at normal speed.”
“Yeah, you guys lost me too. Like, halfway through,” said Ann.
As the other Thieves reviewed some of the points in Futaba’s idea, someone else got Ren’s attention.
“Ren.” Ren looked up at Minato; his expression was completely serious. “We’re talking about faking your death. If we fail, you could die. Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I’m not the only one at risk here,” said Ren. “I say let’s do it.”
“I don’t know, Ren… I don’t like this either. This is an incredibly risky idea,” said Makoto.
“But we’ve got less than a month before the deadline,” said Futaba. “Whatever plan we decide on, we gotta have enough time to start working on it. And if we want to actually turn the tables on the mastermind guy instead of just dodging them? This is the best idea we got.”
“It’s the only idea we’ve got,” Ren added. “And knowing Akechi… it may not fool him for very long.”
Makoto sighed. “In that case, we could do one thing better. We don’t know who they are, but if they think we’re not a threat, not only will Ren be safe, but they may let their guard down.”
“Okay. And?” asked Futaba.
“Keep monitoring Akechi’s phone after faking Ren’s death. Some clues to their identity might slip. Maybe even a name,” Makoto explained. “We need that name if we want to actually stop them for good.”
“Oooh, good idea!”
Morgana spoke up at that moment. “Okay, so we still need to plan this out, but at least we have some idea of what to do. We’ll work out the details. We can do this, guys. We have to.” He turned to face Ren. “You’ve always had our backs, Joker, so we’re going to have yours. You can count on us!”
“Yeah!” The others chorused in agreement.
Ren gave a subdued smile. “...Thanks, guys.”
At that moment, Sojiro’s voice came up the stairs. “Do you kids mind keeping it down? The store’s technically still open.” The sound of footsteps followed, and Sojiro appeared.
“Sorry, Boss,” said Makoto, a little embarrassed and worried at the idea of being overheard. “We’ll try to be quieter.”
Sojiro’s expression softened a bit. “I’d appreciate it. Don’t worry, no one overheard you or anything.” He looked towards Ren. “I actually came up to ask, can you come down and help with the store for a bit? I’d appreciate an extra pair of hands.”
“Sojiroooo!” said Futaba. “Can it wait? We’re doing secret stuff!”
Sojiro gave her an amused look. “‘Secret stuff’, huh? Is that what we’re calling it?”
“It’s okay, Boss,” said Ren. “We were almost done anyway. I’ll be down in a second.”
“Ren!” Futaba said in mock agony. “How could you abandon us like this!”
Ren huffed, smiling. “I’m not abandoning you guys. I’ll be just downstairs. Yell if you need me, okay?”
Minato watched Ren head downstairs, briefly tuning out the conversation from the others.
Minato was definitely still worried about Ren. He was clearly uncomfortable before when they had been discussing Akechi’s lie at the cultural festival, and the way he reacted to the recording of Akechi’s true plans… he hid it well under a mask, but Minato was intimately familiar with that expression himself, almost as if he was seeing a different version of his own face.
A blank mask to hide how much it hurt. After days of seeing his sharp smirks and quiet confidence, that mask didn’t look right on Ren.
Talk to him, said Ryoji. He definitely needs it.
I will, said Minato. He really did want to try and talk to Ren at some point, but he obviously wasn’t going to talk about it in front of everyone, and he hadn’t had a chance to talk with him in private yet.
“Minatooooo,” Futaba droned, interrupting his thoughts.
He startled slightly, turning to the others. He saw that Futaba had grabbed her laptop and flopped across Ren’s bed, making herself comfortable.
“You alright?” asked Futaba. “You looked like you were mentally AFK for a sec. I was going to tell you that I’m still working on finding that info on you.”
Minato instantly focused on the conversation. It had been a while since she’d mentioned her offer to dig up info on him.
“Have you made any progress finding stuff on Minato?” said Ann. “I just kind of assumed there was nothing out there if it’s taken you this long.”
“I’m going to take that as a compliment to my superior hacking skills,” Futaba said flatly. “And you’re not wrong. His name was a dead end, so I started digging around for that emblem on your old jacket the other day. I even asked about it in a couple private forum threads. Unfortunately those methods take time, and the whole thing with monitoring Akechi’s phone hasn’t left me with a lot of it,” she explained, looking slightly guilty. “Sorry.”
Minato nodded, trying to hide the twinge of disappointment. “It’s fine. I don’t mind.”
“Yeah, yeah, mister I-don’t-care,” she retorted, waving him off. “Anyway, I’m hoping I can find something pretty soon now that that part’s over with. Thought I’d give you a little update.”
“Thanks, Futaba,” said Minato. “For doing all that. Seriously.”
“Of course! I’m the best hacker for the job, you know!” Futaba declared proudly.
“Speaking of monitoring Akechi, is he busy today?” Makoto asked.
“Yeah. Ren said he was doing some interviews today,” said Futaba, rapidly tapping at her laptop. “My bug is showing me he’s still at the TV studio.”
“Well, since he’s busy, I was thinking we could go look at the police station in Sis’s Palace,” said Makoto. “Not all of us, of course, in case Akechi decides to contact us.”
“Good idea,” said Morgana. “The sooner we figure out this plan, the better.”
“Alright, then! Mission… start!” said Futaba, shutting her laptop with a click and picking it up. “Queen, Mona, Inari, Ghost, let’s go!”
“Huh? What about us?” asked Ann, looking toward Ryuji and Haru.
“You’re on Team Keep Akechi Unsuspicious,” she declared, making a beeline for the stairs. “Now come on, guys! This is a timed mission!”
Hours later, Minato stepped out of the subway and into the evening crowds of Central Street.
The others were exhausted from their covert Palace exploration earlier, but Minato wasn’t feeling as drained as the others, so he decided to explore a bit on his own. He had been in Shibuya once with the others over the past week; though he knew he probably shouldn’t be exploring one of Tokyo’s biggest wards on his own, the others were tired or busy, and he wanted to clear his head a bit after everything they'd learned today.
A thin thread tugged in his consciousness, one that he’d been trying not to think about all day. It was the current source of his concern, and the reason he’d decided to wander about Shibuya rather than accompany Yusuke back to the dorms that evening.
Minato… Ryoji started, his voice filled with concern.
I’ll be fine, Minato thought. Really.
Ryoji definitely didn’t buy it, but Minato was grateful he didn’t press.
Minato put it out of his mind and focused on his surroundings. He was grateful that he had been here before with the others; Shibuya Station was practically a labyrinth. He had gotten lost briefly in the underground mall until he managed to find his way up to the street, seeing a line of shops that looked a little more familiar to him. He walked along the street for a bit, looking at the brightly-lit storefronts and examining each one as he strolled past.
It was when he walked past an alleyway that out of the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar flash of blue. Minato paused, peering into the shadowed alley.
There. Tucked away in the corner was a glowing blue cell door. It looked exactly the same as the one in Sae’s Palace, and the one in the entrance area of Mementos. Only this time, two little girls in uniforms stood guard in front of it.
That’s the same door as earlier, said Ryoji. First Mementos, then Sae’s Palace, now here. Don’t you think this feels a bit too coincidental?
Now that you mention it, yeah. It does, Minato thought back. He stood there for another moment before slipping into the alley to investigate, walking directly toward the door.
Wha- hey! Minato, are you sure this is a good idea? Ryoji asked. We don’t know those two girls!
I want to look. I didn’t get to before, and I’m curious.
The two girls watched him as he approached. Upon walking closer, the girls’ uniforms were the exact same shade of blue as Elizabeth’s, as was their hair color and golden eyes. They looked like Elizabeth’s younger sisters. Did she have younger sisters?
Minato stopped in front of the cell door. “Hello.”
The girl with the twin buns gave him a surprised look, while the girl with the braids merely gave him a placid stare.
“...Hello,” said the girl with the braids.
“Is that him?” asked the twin buns girl to her sister, before addressing him directly. “Hey! Shorty! How come you can see us?”
Minato shrugged. “Dunno.”
The girl with the braids tilted her head up as she cooly observed him. “Curious.”
Minato looked directly at the cell door and reached out to open it, but jumped back in surprise when the little girl’s baton smacked his hand away with a metallic thwack.
“Ow!” He shook out his hand, wincing in pain.
“Back off, punk! You’re not allowed in there!” the twin buns girl yelled at him.
“What?” he replied, still holding his hand.
“Nobody but the Inmate is permitted through this door,” said the girl with the braids.
“Our master warned us about you.” The girl with the buns jabbed him in the chest with her baton, and he took a step back. “So you want to get in? Well, too bad! Our master won’t allow it!”
Inmate? Their master? Ryoji asked. Who would that be? And why would their master know about you?
Minato couldn’t think of an answer. “Why not?” he asked the girl.
“Your time inside has already passed,” said Twin Braids. “You are no longer in need of our services.”
“Besides, we’re busy with our Inmate anyway! Your presence will only hinder his rehabilitation, and we can’t allow any slacking off from him!”
Minato glanced at the door again. He had been inside before? Somehow it didn’t surprise him; the door’s odd aura felt familiar, in the same way Elizabeth did. And now someone else was currently inside, whoever this ‘Inmate’ was.
And the mention of their master… These girls probably weren’t going to tell him anything, but if their master somehow already knew about Minato, maybe he held some answers about his situation.
“Can I talk to your master?” Minato asked.
The braids girl blinked. “And why would you wish to do such a thing?”
“I just want to ask some questions.”
“Our master doesn’t have time for such trivial requests!” The twin buns girl snapped. “So get lost, Shorty, before I make you!”
“‘Shorty’?” Minato asked. “You’re shorter than I am.”
Twin Buns sputtered indignantly. To the side, he heard Braids give a small, amused huff.
Minato, be nice to the scary little girls, said Ryoji.
What? She is, Minato thought. Minato couldn’t help it; he knew he often came across as blunt, but he simply pointed things out the way he saw them.
Now, however, he was suddenly beginning to regret not keeping his mouth shut. Raw power radiated off of her in waves, and Minato suddenly felt like he was facing off against the Reaper.
She stomped her foot. “That’s it! I’ll show you what real punishment looks like!”
Minato took a step back, suppressing a shiver.
Uh, Ryoji?
I would suggest running now.
Minato turned and broke into a sprint, bolting out of the alley and down Central Street, not even looking behind him. He ducked and weaved his way through the crowd as best he could, narrowly avoiding running into other people as he heard the little girl’s rage-filled battle cry some distance behind him.
“GET BACK HERE YOU COCKY LITTLE PUNK!”
Minato ran across the Shibuya crossing, not pausing to look behind him until he was safely across. He didn’t see (or hear) the little girl anywhere in the crowds behind him, but he still wasn’t sure he was willing to stick around. He took a few more steps before stumbling and leaning against the wall of the old train car in the middle of the square.
Okay, maybe he needed to catch his breath first. He slid down the wall to the ground. The exhaustion from the earlier Palace mission was beginning to feel a lot more noticeable after his mad dash from Central Street.
Are you alright, Minato? Ryoji asked, worry in his voice.
Yes. I’m fine, Minato thought. Just give me a minute.
You know, I did warn you not to provoke them, said Ryoji. Minato couldn’t think of any argument to that. I didn’t think they would be that scary, though. Geez, I think I actually feared for my life for a minute there. And I’m Death incarnate! That’s impressive!
“Oh dear. Are you alright, young man?”
Minato looked up to see a middle-aged man in a suit, wearing a political sash.
Minato vaguely waved a hand, still catching his breath. “Fine… just… need a moment…” he wheezed out.
“Well, as long as you’re not in any sort of trouble,” the man replied. “I saw you running across the square. If I may ask, why were you in such a hurry?”
“Uh… Angry girl,” Minato replied, unsure how to explain the bizarre encounter he just had to a complete stranger.
“Hmm. A girl, you say?” he said, lightly teasing.
Minato made an exasperated face at that implication. “It’s not like that.”
The man looked a bit sheepish at that. “Ah. My apologies, I didn’t mean to assume. I suppose I shouldn’t have asked such a personal question, anyway.” The man held out a hand. “Here, let me help you up.”
Minato took it, standing up a little shakily before steadying himself. “...Thanks.”
“Minato?” They both turned to see Ren approaching. “What are you doing here?”
The man brightened a little. “Oh, Amamiya. Do you know this young man?”
“Uh… yeah. He’s a friend.”
“Oh, a friend of yours?” He chuckled. “Why don’t you go spend some time with him?”
“Are you sure? I promised to help you today,” said Ren.
The man chuckled again. “You’ve already done plenty. Don’t worry, I can handle myself for the evening crowd. You should spend more time with friends your age instead of an old man like myself,” he said good-naturedly, waving them off. “Go on, enjoy yourselves. I’m sure you could use it.”
Ren thanked the man, and they moved to another part of the square, seated on a bench close to the Buchiko statue.
“What are you doing out here? I thought you and the others were looking at the palace,” asked Ren.
“We finished,” Minato explained. “I wanted to look around.”
“You’re not tired after that?”
“We didn’t fight any Shadows,” he replied, looking at Ren. “What about you? That man said you were helping him.”
“Ah… yeah,” said Ren. “That’s Yoshida-san. He’s a friend. He's a former politician, so he taught me how to negotiate better.”
Minato nodded, understanding. “At least he’s not a shady businessman.”
Ren chuckled. “No, he’s not. He’s really nice.”
The quiet stretched between them as they watched people pass by through the square. Not too far, they watched Yoshida give a speech to the crowd.
“Something on your mind?” asked Minato.
“Huh?” Ren startled a bit.
“You seem distracted.”
“Oh.” Ren adjusted his glasses, hiding his eyes a little. “Sorry. It’s fine. It’s just been really busy ever since the Cultural Festival,” he explained. “What about you? How are you handling all this?”
Minato slightly narrowed his eyes at the deflecting comment, subtly shifting the conversation topic towards him and away from Ren. If he were talking to anyone else, it probably would have worked.
Luckily for Minato, Ren was talking to him.
“Something’s bothering you.”
It was a statement, not a question. Ren stared at him, a bit stunned.
“You don’t have to talk if you really don’t want to,” Minato added. It wasn’t accusatory or prying, merely an offer.
Ren chuckled in disbelief. “You are terrifyingly perceptive, you know that?” he said.
Minato shrugged.
Ren seemed to debate it for a moment, then sighed in defeat. “...It’s about Akechi,” he said. “I don’t know if anyone mentioned this to you, but he’s a friend of mine.”
Minato gave a small nod, listening. No one had told him, but he had suspected since Ren had voiced his doubts about Akechi having ulterior motives.
“We’re in over our heads, the police are after us, and now he’s planning to…” Ren trailed off, not wanting to admit it and not wanting anyone to overhear. He sighed. “But… I’m still worried about losing our friendship. I know he probably doesn’t see me as a friend now, and I don’t know if he ever really did, but I can’t stop thinking about it.” Ren looked distant. “...I know it’s stupid.”
“It’s not stupid,” Minato said sharply. Ren looked up; his eyes were hardened with determination, as if he really believed what he was saying and wasn’t just trying to make him feel better.
“...Huh. Can’t say I was expecting that answer,” said Ren.
Minato flushed a little. He hadn’t meant to outburst like that. “Sorry.”
Ren laughed, sounding a little happier. “No, it’s okay. I really appreciate it.”
The two sat there quietly for a moment, before Ren broke the silence again.
“You know, Akechi and I used to spend a lot of time together, before he found out about us,” he explained. “I know what the others think about Akechi. I’m pretty sure Morgana thinks I’m crazy for wanting to keep spending time with him. But I just… want to understand him. Understand why,” he said.
“...You really care about him.”
Ren nodded. He pulled one leg onto the bench and rested his chin against his knee with a sigh. “I don’t know. I’m considering talking to him, but it’ll be hard to without giving ourselves away. It probably won’t make a difference, anyway.”
Minato hummed in thought. “Maybe you should.”
“You really think so?” he said skeptically.
Minato shrugged. “I don’t know if it’ll change anything. But if you want to reach out to him, I think it’s worth trying.”
“You don’t think it’s a waste of effort? Even though he’s clearly planning to… to kill us?” Ren asked.
“Do you want to do nothing?”
“Of course not.”
“Then no, I don’t think it is,” said Minato, looking contemplative. “You have a bond with him. You never know what might happen.”
“Ha. Probably nothing,” Ren said bitterly. “But, uh… thanks for the vote of confidence, at least.”
Minato nodded with a hum. “Sure.”
Ren leaned back against the bench, then blinked. “Uh… sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“Usually I’m the one listening, but I just talked your ear off.”
“So? You needed to.”
Ren opened his mouth, then closed it. Then huffed out a laugh. “Huh. So that’s how it feels, being on the receiving end.”
“What?”
“Nothing,” Ren said quickly. “Anyway… how are things with you?” he asked. “You never did answer my question earlier. I know Futaba’s, uh… surprise is probably keeping you busy.”
“...It is,” Minato admitted. “Nice to know I haven’t forgotten how to do math, though.”
Ren suppressed a grimace. “Yeah, that would be rough.” He glanced over at Minato. “And how are you holding up with your, uh… memory issues?”
Minato was quiet for a minute, his thoughts instantly flicking towards the disastrous encounter with the two strange girls earlier, then to that small thread in the back of his mind. Ren patiently waited, the sounds of the city filling the silence between them.
“I’ll be fine,” Minato finally responded.
“You sure?”
“No point in dwelling on it.”
Ren gave him an unreadable look. “You know, it’s okay if it bothers you,” he said. “If you want to talk about it, I’ll listen.”
Minato went quiet, a pensive look on his face as thoughts drifted to the previous night, after his discussion with Yusuke.
-
Minato was laying on his dorm bed, mulling over the events of the day as he tried to fall asleep. He ended up spending more time with Yusuke that evening after they got back, settling into what was becoming a familiar routine for them both. A moment of contentment between them, one Minato treasured fondly.
Like…
The memory tugged on another, one much older. His thoughts drifted to a beef bowl shop, the image of Yusuke passionately sharing his musings with his sketchbook in hand replaced by a boy with silver hair chatting energetically over their beef bowls.
Minato froze. Was this..?
His mind began to race at the implication, and the mental image began to slip away.
He sat bolt upright, now wide awake. He felt Ryoji and Orpheus startle in surprise, but for once paid him no mind, instead desperately trying to grab hold of whatever memory had just surfaced. No, no no. He couldn’t lose this!
In his desperation to grasp whatever had just surfaced before it faded into muddled static like everything else, he unwittingly grasped something… else, as well. A faint thread, slightly colder than he expected but almost thrumming with power, like a live wire in the back of his mind as he held it tight with every ounce of mental strength he had.
A name for it came to him: The Emperor.
Minato flopped back on the bed, a complicated slew of emotions burning in his chest as he refused to let go of the bond.
Almost no sleep came to him for the rest of the night.
(Somewhere across Tokyo, Akihiko felt Caesar stir restlessly in the back of his mind, making him pause in the middle of his police work. Caesar was never uneasy, always a steady and firm presence.
Akihiko looked at the growing pile of paperwork in front of him and sighed. This was going to be a long night.)
-
Minato glanced at Ren, who was looking at him expectantly. Should he say anything? Futaba was already doing everything she could to help, and Ren had enough to worry about.
Orpheus stirred. He has confided in you. It would be wise to heed your own advice to him.
Well. Minato didn’t have a counter argument to that.
Minato then sighed after a moment. “I think I remembered something again last night,” he admitted.
Ren sat upright, surprise and interest in his expression. “That’s… you don’t sound very happy about that,” he said.
“I just wonder how much I’m missing,” Minato said, slowly. “I’m remembering faces. People that I know are important to me. But when I try to remember anything about them… it’s just out of reach.”
That bond he held, that thread tethered to his heart– it was strong, too. It was proof that whoever it connected him to, there was so much more between them than he knew.
Minato looked up at Ren. “... What if it never comes back?” Minato asked quietly.
“Hey,” Ren said firmly. “Futaba will dig something up. I’m sure of it.”
“That’s not the same. And what if she finds something you don’t like?” Minato asked, thinking back to the previous day’s events. “What will you do then?”
“If that happens– and that’s a big if– we’ll handle it when that time comes,” said Ren. “Past or not, you’re still my friend. Our friend.” He gave a sharp smirk. “And you’re a Phantom Thief now, which means you’re stuck with us.”
Minato relaxed a little, not realizing how much he needed to hear that reassurance. “Thanks.”
“Anytime.”
Another moment passed between them, filled with the nighttime sounds of Shibuya.
“Sorry,” Minato added awkwardly. “For all that.”
“Don’t apologize. You needed it,” said Ren. “You told me the same thing less than ten minutes ago, remember?”
Minato blinked, then gave a quiet laugh. “I did, didn’t I?”
“Yeah,” said Ren, also chuckling to himself. He thought for a moment. “...What did they look like? The person you remembered, I mean.”
“It was a guy. Looked like Ryuji with silver hair,” said Minato. “We were eating beef bowls together.”
Ren chuckled. “Wow, that definitely sounds like Ryuji.”
Minato huffed a laugh. It really did, to be honest. “Being with you and the others feels… familiar,” he admitted. “I don’t have words for it. It just is.”
Ren was quiet for a moment before responding. “I don’t know what it’s like, but… I do know dealing with something like that alone is hard,” he said. “Ryuji and Ann helped me a lot when I came here. So… if you ever need to talk more about it, I’m willing to listen.”
Minato gave a noncommittal grunt. “Thanks.”
Ren felt his bond with Minato strengthen, and decided to drop the topic. He stood up and stretched out a little.
“Hey,” he said. Minato looked up. “You want to go to Big Bang Burger? They give discounts for the challenge this late at night.” He winked. “My treat.”
Minato smiled faintly and stood with him. “Sure.”
Pi pi pi pi. Ren’s phone suddenly went off in his pocket, and he pulled it out, reading a new message.
Ren gave an unimpressed look at his phone. “Futaba, I am not going to traumatize him.”
Minato moved to look at the incoming messages, now curious.
Futaba: DONT DO IT
Futaba: YOULL SCAR HIM FOR LIFE
[NEW] Futaba: you dont know that
[NEW] Futaba: you havent seen the horrors ive seen………
[NEW] Futaba: minatooooo dont do it watching him do the challenge was the worst mistake I ever made and I have seen many cursed things
Minato looked up. “What’s the challenge?”
“Eating a burger the size of your head in under thirty minutes,” Ren replied nonchalantly.
Minato nodded, understanding. “I’ll join you on that.”
Ren’s phone beeped again.
Futaba: NO DONT CORRUPT THE NEWBIE REN
Futaba: YOU TWO ARE DISGUSTING IM LEAVING
“I guess that’s settled,” said Ren, pocketing his phone. The two of them began walking together. “You know, I’m still curious about your wildcard abilities. I actually had an idea for our next infiltration, if you’re willing…” Ren said as they left together, their conversation fading into the noises of Shibuya.
Notes:
minato: *finishes the big bang burger challenge with ren*
ren, on the verge of tears: “finally someone who understands me”uhhh if this is a confidant then maybe he gets something like being able to recall old skills. Idk, I never focus too hard on game mechanics unless its for plot.
Anyway, the Emperor bond reemerges! :) Was debating between that and the Lovers, but Minato’s been spending a lot of time with Yusuke lately.
Dang, this is a chunky chapter. A little less linear than my usual style, but the flashback was actually a scene I ended up cutting. Also, the scene with the twins was one of the first scenes I had actually written for this arc. (Not saying Yaldy didn’t take measures to keep him from accessing the Velvet Room, but I thought it was funny and really wanted to keep it lmao)
Chapter 6: Membership Dues
Summary:
The Thieves tackle the Member’s Floor of the casino.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Ryoji remembered that awful night on the Moonlight Bridge, when his world fell apart.
The night he remembered everything and instantly wished he hadn’t.
He recalled how that same night, he had to tell his best friend that he and his teammates were all going to die. How he was Death incarnate, the Appraiser of Nyx, made for the sole purpose of drawing her down to Earth. How despite being a part of Nyx, he was powerless to stop it, and it was all going to be his fault.
Ryoji had never seen Minato so utterly devastated. He never, ever wanted to hurt him like that again.
The last thing he remembered clearly was the moment he became part of Nyx, the same moment where Minato’s persona evolved into Messiah and formed the unbreakable seal that would keep Erebus and Nyx separated for good. So when Ryoji suddenly reawoke as Minato’s persona again, he couldn’t bear to tell Minato the truth of what happened, so soon after he was alive again by some twist of fate. How could he? Minato had died sealing Nyx, and while his death wasn’t directly at Ryoji’s own hands, it might as well have been. Ryoji couldn’t burden him with the knowledge that he was not supposed to be alive, and that his presence was probably a sign that something was very, very wrong.
...But that wasn’t what Minato wanted, was it?
Even knowing the truth, he and the rest of SEES had pulled themselves together in the face of their own imminent deaths. They had fought their way to the top of Tartarus, and Minato performed a miracle at the cost of his own life. If it ever came to it, there was little doubt that Minato would be willing to give up his life a second time to protect those he cared about.
Ryoji wasn’t sure he could take it if he did.
It wasn’t like Ryoji didn’t want him to know the truth, either. Of course he did! But every time he worked up the courage these past few days to explain, he would recall that awful December and lose his nerve before he could even speak up. It didn’t help that Minato had other things to worry about, especially now that he and the Phantom Thieves were trying their best to make sure Akechi didn’t figure out that they’d caught on to his plans to kill Ren. Things had taken a turn for the worse very quickly, and they could not afford to be distracted.
…And yet, even now, he could sense the distress Ryoji’s silence was causing him, knowing that there was something missing. Minato, never prying but ever patiently waiting for him to open up when he was ready.
Hah, he thought sadly. He hasn’t changed a bit. Then again, I guess I haven’t either. Only difference is, this time I haven’t given him a choice.
“What am I supposed to do, Orpheus?” Ryoji lamented aloud in the mental landscape they shared, echoing his constantly spiraling thoughts.
Orpheus’s hand paused over his lyre. “You already know.”
Ryoji felt a flicker of that fiery will of rebellion that had reawakened him in the first place before it died out again. “I know I need to tell him. I just… I don’t know how.”
“Then think about it.” Orpheus returned to plucking a soft tune.
“I…” Ryoji was at a loss for words. Orpheus said it like it was so simple… And he was right, of course. It just wasn’t going to be easy.
He ran a hand over his face and groaned quietly to himself. Orpheus gently placed a hand on his shoulder, a comforting gesture he appreciated.
“Panther!”
“On it!”
Ren passed the baton to Ann with a high five as they ran past each other, dodging the attacks of a shadow that looked like a floating woman clad in pink adornments. Ann tapped a hand to her mask, and it disappeared in a burst of blue flames.
“Dance, Carmen!” she called.
Carmen appeared with a swirl of her dress, the lingering flames that summoned her trailing along her hem; her eyes and the tip of her cigar glowed brightly as she cast Agidyne on the shadow. The shadow shrieked in pain and fell, hovering mere inches above the floor.
The shadow heard the audible click of a pistol and glanced up to see the four of them pointing their guns at her: Joker, Panther, Crow, and Ghost. She looked at all of them and gave a laugh of contempt.
“I should have figured a bunch of thieves sneaking around were nothing but trouble. What do you want from me? People like you always want something, so spit it out,” she demanded. Her frown grew deeper as Ren tried to think of an appropriate answer. “Well? Answer me!”
Ren gave a playful smirk. “Sorry. Couldn’t help trying to impress a pretty face,” he said.
The shadow gave him a thoroughly unimpressed look. “Really. You won’t even respect me by taking this seriously.” She looked over the others holding her up with their weapons. “And what about the rest of you?” Her gaze paused on Akechi, who stood next to Ren. “I don’t suppose you have anything to say for yourself, either?”
Akechi startled, seemingly surprised to be addressed directly. “Ah- my apologies. I assure you, we have no ill intentions and don’t actually wish you harm,” he tried to explain, giving her a pleasant Detective Prince smile.
Her nose wrinkled in distaste. “Liar. You’re just saying that to satisfy me. If that were really the case, why would you fight me in the first place?” she shot back.
“We wanted to recruit you,” Minato explained.
The shadow paused and looked towards Minato, considering his answer. “Why?”
Minato shrugged. “You seemed pretty tough during that fight.”
She chuckled softly, obviously pleased. “Oh, I like you.” The shadow hovered closer to examine him, mere inches from his face; Minato leaned away in response. “Hmm… something about you seems… familiar. I feel almost as if we have met already, in the distant past. In that case, I think I’ll give you a little something to remember me by.” She placed her hands on his shoulders and gave him a quick kiss on the forehead, causing Minato to turn beet red under his mask. In the back of his mind, he could hear Ryoji sputtering in shock.
The shadow began to glow bright blue. “...I remember now. I am Kikuri-hime… and now, I am thou, thou art I.” She then disappeared, a new, warm presence joining those of Orpheus and Thanatos.
Nobody spoke for a moment.
“Wow,” said Ren, grinning like the devil as he holstered his weapons. “Who knew you were a ladykiller.”
Ann rolled her eyes at Ren’s bad joke, and Akechi stood off to the side as he simply pinched the bridge of his nose with a small sigh. Minato only pulled the hood of his cloak up over his head and down over his bright red face, trying to hide his embarrassment and forget the past minute.
He wanted to die.
Die.
“I can’t believe my idea worked. At least now we know that recruiting shadows works for you too,” said Ren.
“I got lucky,” Minato protested flatly.
“Whatever you say, Ghost,” Ren said, still grinning. He then shoved his hands in his pockets. “But damn, I misjudged that shadow. I thought she would like that answer.”
“Forget that!” Futaba cut in. “It’s official: we’ve got two wildcards on our team! Count em’, two! This’ll be cake!”
“I am not doing anything like that again,” said Minato.
“Oh come on, don’t be a wet blanket!” she protested.
“Actually, I agree with Oracle,” said Makoto. “Joker’s versatility in fights is invaluable, especially against difficult opponents. You should try to recruit more to help us hit shadows’ weaknesses; it will definitely help us finish fights more quickly and make more progress through the palace.”
Minato looked at her, considering her suggestion, then let out a defeated sigh. “...I’ll try. But I’m not good at talking.”
Makoto nodded. “That’s fine. Every bit helps.”
“If I may interrupt,” said Akechi, “We need to keep moving. We shouldn’t stay where we’re likely to get caught by more stray shadows.”
The group dispersed after the fight, resuming their wandering around the Members Floor.
When the Phantom Thieves returned to Sae’s palace that day, they quickly finished their business with the cards after making a membership card (technically two, but Futaba decided to toss out the first one and put a better fake name on the second). They then headed back to the elevator and went up to the newly-accessible Member’s floor, briefly encountering Shadow Sae before she disappeared, leaving them alone again.
The Members Floor, they had found, was made of two areas: slot machines and dice games.
The group had elected to explore the slot room first, wandering between the rows of slot machines as they searched for a way to turn the odds in their favor; to advance to the High Limit Floor, they had to get fifty thousand tokens by gambling in the casino, but they all knew the games were rigged. The only way to win was to cheat.
Ren noticed that Akechi stood some distance away from the others, choosing to search the room alone rather than with anyone else. The way he avoided talking to them unless it was necessary hadn’t escaped his notice either.
Ren recalled the conversation he had with Minato in Shibuya Station the other day, and how Minato had actually encouraged him to reach out. It was the obvious choice, in hindsight. Ren drew up as much of his confidence as he could muster, and before he could lose his nerve, he sidled up to Akechi.
“Something on your mind?” he asked, causing Akechi to startle slightly.
“No. Apologies, I was simply thinking. But thank you for your consideration,” he replied with a practiced smile.
Ren gave a small pout. “You know, we’re a team now. Even if there really isn’t anything bothering you, you can talk to us. We don’t bite.”
Akechi stared at him, his mask only mostly covering the confused frown on his face. “We are hardly a team, merely temporary allies. I do not expect any of your teammates to see me in a positive light, especially after our meeting at the festival,” he explained. “We will only be completing this palace together, and then we will part ways. And if you all are fortunate, we will not cross paths again.”
“Even me?”
Akechi paused. “What?”
Ren shrugged. “If you really don’t want to be friends with the others, fine. I won’t force you to hang out with them. But we’re already friends.”
Akechi narrowed his eyes. “Are we?”
“...Well, yeah,” Ren replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Even when you knew I was working with the police tasked with hunting you down? Even after I told you to disband your group?” Akechi asked skeptically.
“Even friends disagree, you know,” he pointed out.
“That’s not…” Akechi trailed off, looking distant. “I don’t understand you sometimes.”
“That’s just part of my mysterious charm,” Ren commented playfully. “But I’m being serious. You know you can talk to all of us, right?”
Akechi simply smiled pleasantly. “And if they wish to speak to me, they are perfectly capable of doing so. I am not a member of the Phantom Thieves, and I will respect your teammates by not imposing on them more than I already have.”
Ren frowned a little. He should have expected Akechi’s stubbornness. This was going nowhere.
He caught a glimpse of a few of the others across the room; Minato was with Haru and Ann. The two were chatting while he mostly listened. Ren thought again about his conversation the other night, and decided to take the plunge before he could reconsider what he was about to say.
“Look. If avoiding everyone and parting ways at the end is what you want, fine,” said Ren. “But whatever you decide to do… after all of this is over, I would still like the two of us to be friends.”
A moment passed between them, Akechi seemingly at a loss for words. “After all of this is over, it’s extremely unlikely that such a thing will be possible,” Akechi admitted, not looking at him.
“So? You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” he quipped, before inwardly wincing at his choice of words. Akechi seemed to tense almost imperceptibly. “...Just think about it. Please?” Ren asked.
Akechi continued to look ahead, away from him. “...We should concentrate on our current objective.” He pulled away, walking further ahead. For a moment, Ren considered catching up to him, but thought better of it, instead watching as he walked away.
He wasn’t giving up, though. Not yet.
Their exploration of the palace was going smoothly, Akechi noted.
None of the Thieves suspected a thing, as far as he could tell. To them, he was simply a detective determined to learn the truth behind the mental shutdowns. None of the Thieves except for Amamiya seemed inclined to enjoy his company, but the irony was how that actually made it easier to hide his true intentions.
He would have to be more careful around Amamiya than anyone else, but the other boy was still absolutely certain that Akechi was his friend, even though Akechi himself saw their relationship more as rivals. Amamiya was even strangely determined to drag Akechi into his circle of friends, whether any of them wanted it or not.
If only Amamiya knew how terrible an idea that would be. Akechi absolutely refused to spend more time with Okumura or Sakura than necessary. It was an irrational feeling, but a part of him always expected them to take one look at him and know.
He knew he was a murderer, but that didn’t mean he enjoyed the uncomfortable reminders.
Akechi kept to himself during the palace excursion, and fortunately, he was mostly left to his own devices, which meant that he had more opportunities to gather information. Finding out that his unique ability to wield multiple personas wasn’t as unique as he believed was a gut punch he hadn’t expected. Amamiya, he at least understood on some level. Stupid, perfect Amamiya, whose teammates somehow saw a known criminal as someone worth something, as a trusted friend. He already had everything else practically handed to him, and he was Akechi's rival. No one else was fitting of such a special power.
But Arisato? Seriously? He was just a worthless nobody… at least as far as Akechi knew. Arisato’s background was still unclear, but he had observed enough. A skilled fighter who was difficult to read, quiet but always listening, and much more perceptive than he looked? That was a dangerous combination… not unlike Amamiya, now that he thought about it.
Arisato was an unknown factor, one that stubbornly refused to give him any information to work with. And Akechi hated not knowing all the information; without it, he was taking more risks than necessary, risks he could not afford now of all times.
Loathe as he was to admit it, trying to figure out Arisato was beginning to drive Akechi crazy.
After confirming his ability by recruiting a persona— another surprise for Akechi, he hadn’t known that was how Joker did it— Arisato had been busy recruiting various others, at Niijima’s request. Fortunately very few shadows took to him, but he had already managed to gain Queen Mab, Rangda, Power, and Norn. Akechi mentally noted each one Arisato gained, just in case; his newfound ability already gave him a tactical advantage in most fights, and it never hurt to be prepared.
Arisato wasn’t the only person he was gathering information on; he was watching the others as well. Sakura’s information-gathering abilities were as useful as they were a threat, and he was surprised to admit that Okumura’s ruthlessness was almost as impressive as his own, sharply contrasting her kind personality.
Ha. He could respect that, at least.
And then, there was that conversation he had with Amamiya earlier…
No. He firmly shoved those thoughts aside. He was not going to think about that.
The group had finished their business in the slot room, rigging the machinery and gathering as many tokens as possible. However, they had still come up short of their goal, so the band of thieves moved on to the dice area to see if they could have similar success there.
The hall of the dice game area was opulent, lined with a series of rooms where the rigged dice games were held in relative privacy; it didn’t take long to find the staff hallways that led to the back room after they walked in. Sakura made short work of the computer terminal, turning one of the rigged games in their favor. Most of the thieves were gathered in the room Sakura had re-rigged, watching their token count climb higher and cheering the players on as it did. Akechi did not care to watch, so he stayed out in the hallway, lingering just outside the doorway.
Evidently, Arisato felt the same; Akechi spotted him leaving the room not too long after they started playing. Normally Akechi would be content to not interact with any of the others, but he had never seen Arisato apart from the Thieves before, and he knew a golden opportunity when he saw one.
“I’m surprised to see I’m not the only one out here,” said Akechi.
Arisato shrugged. “They’re winning every game. And it was crowded in there.”
Akechi gave a nod of agreement. “I can see how knowing the result makes it less interesting. I admit, being in there was a bit overwhelming for myself as well. They’re rather loud, and it’s a small room.”
Arisato nodded with a hum. The two of them stood together, a brief lull in the conversation passing between them.
“That’s quite a useful power you have,” said Akechi, choosing his words carefully.
Arisato turned to glance at him, giving him a look Akechi couldn’t read. “It is,” he replied simply.
Honestly, even the way he talked was irritating. Arisato spoke as little as possible, leaving no room to hold a simple conversation. It was like talking to a brick wall.
Akechi was not one to quit in the face of resistance, though. Perhaps a different approach would fare better.
“May I ask you something?” Akechi asked, risking a hint of honesty.
“...Okay,” Arisato replied after a moment.
“I admit I’m curious as to why you are a part of the Thieves.”
“Why?”
“Well, all of the others’ reasons can be guessed from context, thanks to each one corresponding to a major change of heart caused by the Phantom Thieves and the fact that I have known Amamiya for some time now,” Akechi explained. Honestly, considering the fact that they all hung out together in public, it was a mystery why they hadn’t been found out sooner. “However, the only outliers are you… and Mona,” Akechi added, partially to throw off suspicion and mostly because it was the obvious truth.
Arisato said nothing, only quietly listening and watching him intently.
Asshole. Did he have to spell it out for him, or did he enjoy watching Akechi struggle to talk to him like this!?
“Why do you care?” Arisato suddenly asked.
“Ah, yes.” Of course Akechi’s interrogation would be suspicious to anyone with a working brain. He really needed to be more careful. “As I said before, I was curious. Joker is a mutual friend of ours, and I wanted to know what your connection to him was,” he explained. “And Joker seems to wish for me to connect more with all of you, despite my insistence that I’m not a member of his group, so I suppose I do have an ulterior motive for asking,” he admitted.
Arisato seemed to think over his answer for a moment. “My story is hard to believe,” he said. “And a detective like you wouldn’t be able to figure it out anyway.”
Akechi secretly ground his teeth at the backhanded comment. “I disagree,” he said instead. “In the absence of all other evidence, anything is believable. Especially now, with the existence of the Metaverse,” he explained.
And what a lack of evidence it was. Akechi had done his own light investigation as well; it paid to have people in the police force on Shido's payroll. But not even Tokyo’s police resources could dig up information aside from his student record, which only meant he likely wasn’t from Tokyo: a fact that lined up with his suspiciously recent transfer to Kosei. No phone records, no known associates outside of the Phantom Thieves, nothing. Like his namesake, he was a ghost.
So who exactly was Arisato, and why did he join the Thieves?
“It’s personal stuff,” Arisato finally answered. “I have questions, and the Metaverse may have answers, so I’m looking for them.”
Akechi frowned a little. He was finally gaining insight on Arisato, but his answer was still too vague to truly satisfy him. “So helping the Phantom Thieves helps you? Why not just go it alone? Surely looking on your own would be more productive.”
“Having friends helps. And I want to help them anyway.”
“You say that as if you don’t particularly care about what the Phantom Thieves are doing.”
Arisato shrugged. “I guess not? I don’t really care about that kind of stuff.”
Interesting. So Arisato’s motivations were selfish. But what questions did he have that burned badly enough to explore the dangers of the Metaverse, and that couldn’t be answered in the real world?
“Apologies for asking, but why wouldn’t you care? The Phantom Thieves have become quite a controversial topic over the past year. Surely you know that.”
“I’m still catching up on everything.”
Akechi raised an eyebrow. Catching up? “Even though the Phantom Thieves’ actions are all everyone talks about?”
“...I’ve been busy,” Arisato replied, not looking at him.
At that moment, the rest of the Phantom Thieves emerged from the dice room, their excited yelling about their victory effectively cutting off their conversation and ending it. Arisato simply stared at him and followed along behind the group, not bothering with a response, leaving Akechi to wonder if he’d pushed him too far.
He shoved his dissatisfaction aside. Ah, well. He had gotten a few answers for now, and he had his own plans to focus on anyway.
The Phantom Thieves continued their exploration of the palace, but quickly hit a wall as soon as they gained access to the next floor. They had earned all the tokens required, but the moment they stepped off the elevator they were stopped by a formally-dressed shadow and a closed set of doors. Unknown to them, they needed a “reservation” to enter along with the tokens. Fortunately, they had spent quite a lot of time and made good progress through the Member’s Floor, so none of them were too upset by the forced end to their Palace trip.
The group continued to brainstorm ideas as they made their way back. “Any idea how we’re supposed to get a reservation?” asked Ryuji.
“No idea,” said Ann. “Last time we tried talking to the front desk, they attacked us.”
“I don’t think so. We’ll probably have to change Sae’s cognition in the real world to get in,” said Morgana. “This palace is actually the courthouse, so if we need a reservation to get in, then this floor should represent a restricted area in the courthouse.”
“A place for authorized personnel in the courthouse, one that is significant to Sae-san…” Akechi thought out loud. “It has to be the courtroom.”
“And reservations are for people who Sae knows are allowed inside,” said Makoto. “Maybe if she sees at least one of us inside, it’ll let us pass.”
“Shouldn’t Crow have been allowed inside if that was the case?” Haru asked.
“I’m a detective, not a prosecutor. I work at the SIU and the police station,” Akechi pointed out. “My work rarely brings me to the courthouse, a fact that Sae-san knows.”
“Queen, do you know how we can get into the courthouse?” asked Ann.
Makoto thought for a moment. “We’ll simply need to attend a trial. But I’m not sure which ones she’s attending.”
“Leave that to me,” said Akechi.
“Who’s gonna go, though?” asked Ryuji.
“Akechi and I are the only ones she’ll recognize,” said Makoto. “She won’t recognize anyone else, and if all of us go we may draw unwanted attention.”
As the conversation drifted towards other topics, Ren’s thoughts drifted to the Velvet Room. The fights in the palace were steadily getting harder as they got closer to the Treasure, and he had some new personas he wanted to fuse. He would visit in Shibuya afterward, though; he didn’t want to keep everyone waiting in the palace when they had finished for the day. He was very glad none of the others questioned his odd standing in the corner, brushing it off as some sort of bizarre pre-palace meditation.
…Now that he thought about it, Ren saw Minato look directly where the Velvet Room door was supposed to be on their first trip here. At the time, he brushed it off as coincidence, but now that they had confirmed he had the same wildcard ability, Ren began to wonder if it actually wasn’t.
But Minato hadn’t mentioned the Velvet Room door at all. Then again, that wasn’t all that surprising; Ren hadn’t mentioned it himself, and Minato was a naturally quiet person.
As the group gathered at the entrance to the alley, Ren kept stealing looks at Minato to see if he really could see the Velvet Room door. He had been fortunate to catch a glimpse of him staring in its direction on their first visit, but sadly it seemed he wasn’t going to have any luck this time. Minato stood on the far side of the alley, far away from the door and never looking directly at it. He actually looked a little uncomfortable.
Ren was itching to ask Minato if he knew about the Velvet Room as well, but he hadn’t told anyone about that out of fear that he would come off as crazy, and Ren currently had no proof that Minato could see the door or the twins.
But if he really could, Ren could understand why he was acting the way he was right now. The glare Caroline was shooting him… yikes. Her temper was hard to navigate even on the best of days, and If looks could kill, hers would have set Minato on fire by now.
That… was a strange reaction for her to have, now that he thought about it. Ren decided to shelve asking Minato about the Velvet Room for another time; he needed to talk to the twins anyway. Hopefully his growing bond with them would keep Caroline from murdering anyone today.
Hopefully.
The group bid each other goodbye and went their separate ways. Ryuji left to go home before his mom could wonder where he was; Ann, Haru and Minato all left together, leaving Yusuke to head off to his dorm; Makoto stated that she needed to study. Ren walked up to Akechi and asked if he wanted to hang out before their next visit; Akechi neatly dodged the offer with a claim that he was busy before leaving in a hurry. A bit disappointing, but Ren wasn’t one to give up.
Ren rode the train home with Futaba and dropped off both her and Morgana before heading out a second time. A couple hours later, Ren stepped out of the Velvet Room door in Shibuya, still adjusting to the newer, more powerful personas in the back of his mind. It was a familiar feeling that followed every visit.
Instead of leaving though, he turned to face the twins flanking the Velvet Room door.
Caroline seemed to sense that he had a question. “What is it, Inmate?”
Ren took a breath, bracing himself. “Do you guys know that blue-haired kid that just joined us?”
Caroline looked deeply annoyed. “Why are you asking about that punk?”
“Well, he can use and recruit multiple personas, like me. Does he also happen to visit?” Ren asked.
Justine blinked, unfazed. “No. No one else may enter the Velvet Room.”
“Trying to get out of your rehabilitation, Inmate?” said Caroline acidly. “I didn’t think you’d stoop to such a low trick.”
“That’s not it,” he replied, holding his hands up in a placating gesture. “You guys help me with fusing personas. Can’t you help him with that too?”
“No,” said Caroline. “Your rehabilitation is to prevent the ruin that awaits you. Our Master has made it clear we are not to allow anyone else inside to interfere.”
Ren sighed in disappointment but nodded. “Alright.” He turned to leave.
“Inmate.”
Ren paused at the exit of the alley, turning to look at Justine.
“Your friend is able to see us. He even attempted to enter once, but failed. Is that the information you were seeking?”
“Justine!” Caroline hissed, looking equal parts surprised and horrified.
Ren straightened up in surprise as well.
Justine continued. “I am only granting you this information as a warning, Inmate. Do not bring your friend to the Velvet Room,” she said, her gaze flicking briefly towards the door. “It is… better that he does not enter.”
“What makes you think that?” he asked before he could stop himself.
“... We simply know that your friend should not be here,” she explained. “His time has passed. And our Master will be… unhappy.”
Ren frowned in confusion at that cryptic statement, not understanding what she meant by that. “Alright. Thanks.”
He then left, leaving the twins in relative silence for a few minutes.
“You’ve gotten soft, Justine,” said Caroline. “Why would you just give the Inmate such information? He should be focusing on his rehabilitation!”
“Do not accuse me of being soft, Caroline,” Justine said icily. She then glanced at the door warily before speaking, as if checking to see if the door would listen. “...There have been past prisoners, but we have never been their wardens. Do you not find this strange?” Justine asked her sister. “Master may have forbidden others from entering the Velvet Room… but he has not forbidden us from speaking of this to the Inmate.”
Caroline folded her arms in a pout. “...Perhaps not,” she eventually grumbled. “But I still don’t like that punk.”
Justine gave a soft huff of laughter. “That’s because you made the mistake of calling him short despite your relative height.”
“Justine!”
Notes:
Sorry for the wait! Had a bit of trouble writing this chapter, so it's not perfect but fortunately I managed to put it together. I try to have each chapter ready within a month or two, because I’ve found that if I take too long I start getting caught up in an endless editing loop trying to perfect it.
Minato isn’t good at shadow negotiation because it’s not a P3 mechanic and he’s not very expressive in the first place. The ones he did manage to recruit were ones that warmed up to him unusually quickly, and for a good reason. It’s not really important to the story, but if you’d like a little easter egg, look up the recruited personas and see if you notice any patterns. :)
(Also, fun fact: the twins can’t help Minato with his personas anyway because they don’t have his compendium. I wasn’t able to fit that in the chapter though, so I’m putting it here.)
EDIT: thirsty-for-vinegar drew fanart of this fic!! go look at it it looks RAD
Chapter 7: Cognitive Dissonance
Summary:
The truth comes to light.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The day started off as normal.
Everyone went to school, going through the mundane routine of classes. Ren knew that Ryuji and Ann despised the chore of schoolwork, while Makoto seemed to find it a good source of stress relief. Ren supposed he could appreciate the break from Sae’s Palace and Akechi’s… everything, grounding them all with a small sense of normalcy. The school rumor mill had long since moved its focus elsewhere, so he could even walk the hallways with only a few glances and whispers about his status as a criminal.
Akechi had gotten them a date for Sae’s next trial, which turned out to be a couple days after their last Palace visit. After classes were over, Ren made a beeline for the entrance to wish Makoto luck before she left school to head to the courthouse.
“Thank you, Ren,” she had said. “If I’m going to be stuck spending time with him by myself, I’ll need it.”
“I know,” he replied. “Try not to punch him in the face.”
A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I’ll do my best.”
“That’s our Queen,” said Morgana, poking his head out of Ren’s bag. “Good luck!”
They parted ways, and soon enough Ren was back home at Leblanc earlier than usual.
“Oh. You’re back early,” said Sojiro, looking up. “Good thing, too. I was going to ask if you could help out with the store.”
Ren nodded. “Sure thing, Boss.” He then went up to the attic to drop off his school bag; Morgana, knowing that he couldn’t hang out downstairs while Sojiro was present, decided to climb out the window and stroll around the neighborhood. Ren grabbed an apron and got to work.
Less than half an hour later, while Sojiro had stepped out and Leblanc was empty, a notification sound interrupted him. He pulled his phone out to see a message from Futaba.
Futaba: yo.
Futaba: I got a status update on minato for ya
That caught Ren’s attention. He typed a reply.
Ren: what’s up? did you find something?
Futaba: of course I did! im the mighty alibaba!! >:)
Futaba: I looked around for the school the emblem on his uniform belonged to. turns out it’s a real place
Futaba: gekkoukan high school. real fancy place, it’s out in tatsumi port island
Futaba: I even looked through gekkoukan’s student records. minato’s there, alright
Ren: seriously? futaba, you're amazing
Ren saw the indicator pop up on her screen that she was typing, fully expecting her to bask in the praise. Instead, the indicator disappeared, then reappeared again. A solid minute passed. No messages came through.
A hint of dread curled in his gut. He shoved it down and typed a response.
Ren: Futaba? You alright?
Futaba: yeah
Futaba: um
Futaba: about that
Ren: What’s up?
Futaba: well, it’s kind of weird
Futaba: his transcript lists him as a second year in 2009
Ren had to reread that message a second time before responding.
Ren: What? But that’s impossible. He would have to be in his twenties by now
Futaba: It gets weirder. There’s no record of his third year, or of him transferring out
Ren: So then… what, he went missing?
Ren: wait are you saying it’s related to how he ended up in the metaverse?
Futaba: dunno
Ren tapped his phone idly, a small frown forming on his face as he processed this information. His mind drifted to Caroline and Justine’s warning from their last conversation; it had been odd, and it bothered him over the past couple of days.
‘Your friend should not be here. His time has passed.’
The twins and Igor were never really straightforward with anything, but those comments were particularly ominous. And now that Futaba had found this piece of information revealing such a huge gap in Minato’s history, it sounded like…
A darker thought nagged at him as he mulled over their words. It couldn’t be possible.
...Then again, hadn’t the Metaverse proved impossible things before? Makoto had even pointed it out before when she was asking about the Metanav: they knew how to steal hearts and fight shadows, but just how much did they truly understand about the Metaverse itself? How could he know what was truly impossible?
It was an idea he didn’t like entertaining, but...
He looked at his phone again and typed.
Ren: This might be a long shot, and I’m really really sorry for asking you to do this but can you look into any deaths around Tatsumi Port Island at that time?
Futaba: why????
Ren: Call it a hunch.
Futaba: not sure I like where this hunch is going, to be honest.
Ren: If there’s any chance we’ll find a missing piece of info there, I think it’s worth checking out.
Ren: Please?
Futaba: wow ok critical hit
Futaba: fineeee :/// but u gotta make me a special batch of curry!! the one with the apples in it
Ren: Deal
Ren put down his phone and busied himself in Leblanc to start making Futaba’s special-order apology curry. It served as a decent distraction, taking his mind off of things as cooking curry and brewing coffee always did for him. Sojiro eventually returned, and Ren explained that the curry was a request from Futaba.
An hour later, he had boxed up a generous helping of fresh curry and rice for her, sealed up in plastic containers. Ren was busy pouring a fresh pot of coffee into a thermos to go with it when his phone pinged again.
Futaba: Ren get over here now
The sudden urgency in her text filled him with dread.
“Futaba wants me to come over,” said Ren, quickly bottling up the coffee and gathering up Futaba’s curry.
Sojiro waved him off. “Alright. Best to deliver that curry you made her before it gets cold anyway. I can handle the shop for the evening.”
“Thanks, Boss!” Ren called over his shoulder as he stepped out.
Ren encountered Morgana still wandering the neighborhood on the short walk to Sojiro’s house. Upon spotting Ren, Morgana immediately ran after him and leapt up to climb on Ren’s shoulder.
“Hey! What’s up? I thought you were helping Boss run Leblanc,” he asked. Ren pulled up the messages for him to see, and Morgana’s eyes widened in surprise. “Futaba found something?”
“I guess so,” said Ren. “Let’s go see what she dug up.”
The three of them were gathered in her room a few minutes later, with Morgana and Ren sitting on the bed. The sight of Futaba nervously curled up in a ball on her desk chair was not reassuring to him in the slightest. The fact that she set aside the curry and coffee he made instead of digging in immediately was even more worrying.
“Okay. What’s going on, Futaba?” he asked. “You seem upset.”
Futaba swiveled her chair around, uncertainty written all over her face as she clutched a folder full of recently printed papers to her chest. “Well…” She then held it out for him to take. “Your hunch was right. I did some more digging. You should read these.”
Ren took the folder and opened it, trying to ignore the feeling of dread as he did.
The first thing he saw was a personal file with Minato’s name and picture on it… and a printed copy of a death certificate. He quickly flipped through the papers to find an older local newspaper article from Tatsumi Port Island.
‘Gekkoukan Student Dies on School Roof’.
The article was almost seven years out of date.
“What?” Morgana exclaimed, reading over his shoulder.
Ren read the text in the article in disbelief, just to make sure his eyes weren’t fooling him. He then flipped back to the other papers and read them more thoroughly. They all reinforced the same claim: Minato had legally died seven years ago, despite the fact that he was walking around alive, healthy, and not looking a day older than eighteen at the very most.
He sat on her bed as he tried to process the papers’ contents.
“Are these actually real?” Morgana asked.
Futaba pouted indignantly. “Of course they’re the real deal! I triple-checked!” She instantly deflated again in her chair, hugging her knees to her chest. “At least now I know why I couldn’t find anything before. I wasn’t looking in any of the right places.”
“...What the hell,” Ren finally said after a long minute.
“Yeah,” she agreed flatly.
“How?”
She shrugged. “Beats me. The Metaverse is weird.” She turned to Morgana. “Can the Metaverse even do something like this?”
“No! Of course not!” Morgana protested. “...I think.” His ears turned downward. “You don’t think it could have been faked, do you?”
“I doubt it. There were witnesses,” Futaba explained. “Apparently several other students were there when it happened.”
Ren pinched the bridge of his nose, pushing up his glasses as he did. “God. I thought it was bad enough dealing with Akechi and the police. Now we have to tell Minato this.”
“...Should we really tell him?” asked Futaba, her voice small.
Ren looked up at her. “What?”
“I just think…” She trailed off, looking unsure. “I dunno. Do you think he’ll take it well?”
Ren recalled his conversation with Minato in Shibuya, and the vulnerable expression he had when they both ended up confiding in each other. He clearly wasn’t happy being left in the dark. The fact that Minato had also been worried about how the others would react already spoke volumes.
“We have to tell him,” he said. “I think… keeping this a secret would only make things worse. He deserves to know.”
Futaba still looked conflicted, but didn’t argue. “How are you even gonna break the news to him?” she asked instead.
“I don’t know. I’ll figure it out,” Ren replied. He then looked up at her. “How are you doing, Futaba? I know I asked you to do this, and I’m sorry about that.”
Futaba hesitated for a moment. Ren could clearly see how emotionally worn out she was, illuminated by the light of her computer screens. Her palace was long gone, but that didn’t mean she no longer had any problems with things like this; those scars would take much longer to heal than a simple change of heart. “I… can’t say it wasn’t a shock,” Futaba admitted. “But I’m okay, I think. Or at least I will be.”
“That’s good to hear,” said Morgana.
“If you need anything, just let us know, okay?” asked Ren.
“I will,” she said. “Besides, there’s more I gotta tell you guys, because that’s not the only weird thing I found,” Futaba added, scooting up to her computer.
“There’s more?” said Morgana, hopping up on her desk to look.
“Uh-huh,” said Futaba. “Dunno if it’s related, but when I looked into deaths around Tatsumi Port Island, I found that apparently that was the same year that a bunch of people were coming down with something called Apathy Syndrome.”
Ren stood and moved closer to see the computer screen. “Apathy Syndrome?”
“Yeah. From what I can tell, it was bad. Like, real bad. And you know what the weirdest part is? The symptoms of it were people losing the ability to eat, sleep, and live,” Futaba added. “Like they all just… shut down.”
“A mental shutdown,” Ren finished with muted horror.
“Not a mental shutdown, actually, but the symptoms match. That’s why it stood out to me,” said Futaba, switching to another tab on her computer. “The big difference is that there were consistent spikes in cases throughout the year, each followed by huge drops where a bunch of people recovered. It totally disappeared that same year, right before Minato…” She trailed off. “Died. Supposedly.”
“Mental shutdowns don’t disappear, though. They’re permanent,” said Morgana.
“But don’t you think that’s a weird coincidence that they’re so similar? Or that Minato was there when the Apathy Syndrome cases were happening?” asked Futaba, turning to face them.
“...Yeah,” Ren admitted. “It is. But we don’t know anything else, so as far as we know it’s only a coincidence.”
“You think they might have been related to how he died?” asked Morgana.
Futaba huffed. “I don’t know. Maybe? The article said he died of unknown causes, and that nobody expected it.”
Ren ran a hand over his face with a sigh.
“What’s up, Ren?” asked Morgana.
“Just thinking about how to tell Minato,” Ren responded. “This is something we should tell him in person, and I’d rather not put it off.” After a moment of thought, Ren pulled out his phone and opened the private Phantom Thieves chat Futaba set up without Akechi’s knowledge.
-No Birds Allowed-
5:31 PM
Joker: Yusuke, can you ask Minato to meet us at Leblanc today?
“What? Now?” Futaba exclaimed. “We just found out about this!”
“Today would be the best time to do it. Makoto’s busy today, so we’re not infiltrating the palace until tomorrow at the very earliest,” Ren explained, looking up. “You’ve already done a lot, so let me take care of it.”
“I…” Futaba sighed. “Okay. If you’re sure.”
Ren nodded, looking back to his phone.
Joker: Yusuke?
Skull: dude’s probably painting or something
Oracle: ill get him, one futaba special coming up
Ren watched as Futaba put her phone in her lap and typed something into a program on her computer. She hit ‘enter’ and resumed texting on her phone.
Oracle: done
Fox: The obnoxious ringtone was entirely unnecessary, Futaba.
Oracle: it is in this case inari, headphone boy doesnt have a phone and this is urgent
Oracle: also what do you mean obnoxious the phoenix ranger featherman r opening is a CLASSIC
Fox: Ah. If it’s related to Minato, I suppose you have a point.
Fox: I’ve just finished reading the past messages, Ren. That’s a rather sudden request, but I will pass along the message.
Oracle: dont ignore me inari I WILL educate you later
Noir: What do you need Minato-kun for? It’s getting rather late in the afternoon.
Joker: Futaba found something on Minato.
Skull: FOR REAL???
Panther: I just caught up on the chat messages, WHAT
Noir: Oh, my. What is it?
Joker: It’s… not something that we can explain over text.
Noir: Oh dear. It sounds like it’s quite serious.
Joker: You could say that. Nothing dangerous to us, but it’s uh… a lot to process.
Noir: In that case, I’m going to come along, if that’s alright. I would like to be there to provide any support you two might need.
Panther: in that case mind if I come too?
Joker: Fine. But just keep in mind that this could be really personal.
Panther: how personal are we talking?
Ren hesitated. “Should I just tell them?”
Futaba shrugged. “If they’re going to come, it’ll probably be better if they already know.”
Ren nodded, agreeing to her point, before messaging the group again.
Joker: well since you’re both coming I guess it would be better to just tell you guys. Futaba found Minato’s death certificate. And yes, it’s a real one. She checked.
Panther: WHAT
Skull: THE HELL???
Noir: Oh.
Noir: Are you alright, Futaba-chan?
Oracle: yeah
Oracle: my key item’s with me and he brought me curry so ill be ok
Fox: I have passed along your request to Minato, Ren. He is heading to Leblanc now.
Fox: Oh. That is… not what I expected.
Fox: How on earth is that possible?
Joker: I’ll explain everything we know to you guys after, but right now I’m more worried about telling him.
Fox: In that case, I understand. My curiosity can wait. But rest assured we will hold you to that promise.
Noir: We’ll be there as soon as we can!
Ren pocketed his phone and grabbed the folder Futaba put together. “I should head back too. Thanks for doing this, Futaba. Seriously,” he added.
“It’s fine,” said Futaba, a bit of her usual energy coming back. “Besides, I wanted to. My pride as the OG Medjed was on the line, you know!” She grabbed the containers of curry and rice and the thermos. “Now go do your thing. I’m gonna stay here and read comfort fics over my curry.”
“Alright,” he said, taking the cue to leave. “Call me if you need anything.”
Minato walked into Leblanc and immediately knew something was off.
Boss looked away from the news playing on the small TV when he heard the bell ring. “Arisato, right? Your friends are upstairs,” he said. A frown crossed his face. “Something seems to be worrying them, though. Kid wouldn’t tell me what it is, so I assume it’s related to… y’know.”
Minato nodded, unease beginning to form in his gut. He wondered if it had anything to do with why Ren called him here. “Got it. Thanks.”
He made a beeline for the back and climbed upstairs; he began to hear several of the others’ voices echo down the stairwell over the noise of the TV playing in the cafe downstairs. They seemed to be in the middle of a heated discussion.
“This doesn’t make sense,” he heard Haru say. “It has to be false… right?”
“I asked the same thing, but Futaba said she triple-checked,” said Morgana.
“It does explain the huge time gap,” Ren admitted.
“Forget that,” said Ryuji. “You think he’s gonna be upset? Like, dude, how do you even react to something like that?”
“I have no idea. Just thinking about that is stressing me out,” said Ann.
Minato poked his head over the floorboards of the attic to find most of the Thieves already there. Ren sat on his bed, and Morgana, Ann, Haru, and Ryuji were gathered in the attic as well. Ren held a thin folder in his hands.
Haru was the first to spot him. “Oh, hello Minato-kun,” she said, interrupting the conversation. The others startled and turned to see him coming up the last few steps. He nearly recoiled at the sudden attention.
“...Hi,” he said carefully. “Did something happen?”
The others seemed to hesitate at the question. Ren was the first to speak up.
“Well… you could say that. Futaba finally found something on you,” he started.
Minato suddenly felt Ryoji’s apprehension skyrocket, and despite himself, a small part of him began to fear what it was he had to say.
“It’s… I don’t know how to explain it, actually,” Ren continued, oblivious to his involuntary internal panic. He ran a hand through his hair. “...Actually, it might be easier to just show you.”
Ren held out the folder to him. Minato hesitated for a moment before taking it, but he didn’t open it just yet.
Ryoji, do you really want me to leave this alone? He asked internally.
I… A long pause. …No. No, I… I won’t make you do anything. Not for me. This is your decision; I know how much this means to you.
Are you sure?
…I can’t believe this. You’re asking me? I don’t know why you… He trailed off with a bitter laugh. Yes. I’m sure. This was kind of an overdue talk, anyway. It’s my fault alone for putting it off so long.
Minato paused. Ryoji had been dodging the topic of what he knew ever since the day he awakened in Mementos.
It… might be easier to explain if you read what Futaba found first. We can talk afterwards, when you don’t have company around.
“...Are you alright, Minato-kun?” Haru’s voice shook Minato out of his thoughts. “You don’t have to read it if you don’t want to.”
“Sorry,” he said lamely. “Just… a little nervous, I guess,” he said, quickly flipping it open before he could second-guess himself. His eyes instantly landed on the first page in the folder: a printout of a death certificate.
His death certificate.
“...Oh.”
Minato was… stunned. He didn’t really know how to react. But on a deep instinctual level he couldn’t name, he knew it was true.
“This is real, isn’t it?” he asked, not looking up.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ren grimaced. “As far as Futaba can tell, yeah,” he admitted. “I wasn’t sure what to think of it at first. We only found out earlier today,” Ren began to explain. “I know it’s been bothering you, so I figured you at least deserved to know.”
Minato wasn’t entirely listening at that point, instead flipping through the papers. He paused when he saw the copy of the newspaper article, skimming through its contents. ‘Gekkoukan Student Dies on School Roof’.
Gekkoukan. The school roof. Graduation day.
The warm spring breeze, the warmth in Aigis’s blue eyes as he fell asleep with his head in her lap, finally letting go, he was so tired but he was satisfied–
Minato was no longer focusing on the papers in his hands; flashes of images lurked just below the surface. Vague memories of a barred door and a monster with no concrete form trying to break through, endlessly hungry with countless sharpened teeth, radiating an aura of death fear pain–
Minato shuddered inwardly, shaking his head. The fact that he was alive at all…
He suddenly had a very, very bad feeling about this.
“Hey. Minato.” Minato involuntarily flinched, and looked up at the others’ concerned stares. “Are you alright?” Ren asked.
“I…” Minato swallowed thickly, dread churning in his gut. “I’m not supposed to be here. Like this,” he said quietly, almost to himself. “Am I?”
…I’m sorry, said Ryoji, unheard by anyone else.
Several of the others exchanged worried glances. Ren was the first to speak. “Minato, that’s not-”
“No,” he said. He felt like he was going to be sick. “You don’t understand. Something’s wrong. I shouldn’t be alive like this.”
“Why not?”
Minato faltered. The flashes with the door were much too vague to understand, but for once he was hesitant to recall any further. What little he’d seen gave him the impression that they were extremely unpleasant at best, and something no ordinary person should know at all. “I… don’t know. I just shouldn’t.”
He thought back to the rooftop. To Aigis, whose arms he had died in, for reasons he still couldn’t dredge up from the haze of static. Just seeing her face, he could tell how much she had cared.
How much had he hurt her with his death?
And now, looking around at the other Thieves, he could see that he was a dead man among them, on the verge of needlessly inflicting that same hurt on them.
Minato felt Ryoji’s discomfort. Minato, that’s not—
“Thank you,” Minato replied mechanically. “For telling me this. Excuse me.”
Haru startled. “Minato, please wait!”
Minato, just wait a moment and calm down—
Before he reached the stairs, Ryuji slammed his hands against the table, startling all of them. “That’s bullshit!”
“Ryuji!” Ann scolded.
“The hell do you mean, you’re not supposed to be alive? Don’t you dare go tellin’ us that shit and act like that’s not completely messed up!” he continued, furious. “And so what if you died before? You’re here now, you’re a Phantom Thief, and you deserve to be here just as much as the rest of us!”
Ann smacked him on the back of the head.
“Ow!”
“You could at least use some tact!” Ann scolded.
“Hey! I’m right, aren’t I?”
“Yeah, but still!”
Minato just stood there, stunned by Ryuji’s words.
He’s right, you know, said Ryoji.
“Minato.” Ren firmly placed a hand on Minato’s shoulder. The gesture helped ground Minato somewhat. “We’ll figure this out.”
“Damn right we will,” said Ryuji. “Us Phantom Thieves gotta stick together, right?”
A long silence passed between them.
“...Okay,” Minato said, feeling far too overwhelmed by the truth he’d just learned and the unshakeable feeling of something’s wrong to trust himself to say anything else. “I… okay.”
The others exchanged glances, clearly unconvinced, but didn’t comment.
The group remained there for a short while, but eventually they had to part ways. Ryuji had to leave early, claiming his ma had gotten off work and he didn’t want to worry her, and Ren was called on by Sojiro to close up the cafe so he could check on Futaba. Boss had given Ren an odd look, no doubt wondering what the yelling was about and planning to ask for an explanation later.
Ann and Haru walked together towards the subway station with Minato when he decided to leave, both silently agreeing that they didn’t feel comfortable leaving him alone just yet. It was obvious that he was still unsettled despite their reassurances. None of them talked, the air still thick with tension from the huge revelation that had been dropped on them.
It might have been selfish on her part, but Ann refused to believe Minato was fine, despite how he seemed to have calmed down. The last time she believed that lie, she’d nearly lost her best friend.
(It was also for that reason that she had lingering doubts about Ren’s true feelings towards everything going on. No one else seemed to pick up on it, but Ren was freakishly good at hiding how he felt, something that annoyed and actually worried her sometimes. She still kind of wanted to smack him for acting like him getting caught by the police so they could escape was their best option.)
First Shiho, then the impending situation with Ren, now Minato. Wasn’t it funny how this kind of thing just kept happening to people she cared about? Not that Ann was laughing.
The three of them walked together in silence. Every time Ann glanced over, she saw him looking in that folder that Ren had shown them. Her curiosity won out, and she looked a little closer to see him reading the old article. It must have had some effect, earlier; they had clearly seen the dawning recognition in his eyes.
“...Hey, Minato?” she said, tentatively breaking the silence. “Are you okay?”
He didn’t answer. After a minute, she began to believe he wasn’t going to respond when he finally did.
“How can you all be okay with this?”
The question took Ann by surprise. “We’re not..?” she trailed off, unsure. “I mean.. it is messed up that you actually… you know.” Died, she thought, not daring to finish her sentence.
“I meant okay with me being here,” he stressed, finally looking up at her and Haru. “Being part of the Phantom Thieves.”
She frowned. “I don’t really understand what you mean,” she admitted.
“I’m supposed to be dead. But you all found me in Mementos, and none of us know why it happened in the first place. What if this isn’t permanent?” Minato explained, looking away. “... I don’t want to do that to you all.”
Wait, what? What the hell was that kind of logic? How could he worry more about how they felt at a time like this?!
Haru answered before her. “Fortunately that’s not your decision to make, then,” she said simply. “Supporting one another is what friends do, don’t they? And I would like to consider us friends, Minato-kun.”
“I agree,” Ann added. Haru was amazing, in her opinion; even after the disaster following the loss of her father, she never lost that gentle kindness of hers. Ann saw the firm steel underneath the kindness in her eyes, and she knew that she meant it.
Minato blinked. She guessed he hadn’t expected that response.
“...Are you sure?” he asked.
“I… cannot pretend that the thought of losing someone else doesn’t frighten me,” Haru admitted, looking distant. “But I have lived much of my life without true friends to call my own, until you all came along. All of my friends are very precious to me. So yes, I am certain.”
An odd silence stretched between them, following them until they headed into Yongen-Jaya station. Haru’s train arrived shortly before theirs, leaving the two of them alone on the platform as Ann considered her next words.
“Hey. Do you remember what we talked about when we first talked in Mementos?” Ann asked. “Before you awakened your Persona?”
Minato nodded.
“Do you remember what you said when I told you about my friend Shiho moving away?” she asked further.
Minato hesitated, thinking, then nodded again.
Ann twirled the end of one of her pigtails with her finger. “Haru already said it a lot better earlier, but… I’m glad you’re here with us.”
A long pause passed between them.
“...I am too,” he said in a quiet voice.
Unknown to either of them, two more threads were dredged up from the static, joining and intertwining with that of the Emperor.
Hundreds of miles away from each other, Isis and Artemisia both stirred, making their users pause.
Minato made his way directly to his dorm as soon as he returned. He did not encounter Yusuke in the halls, immediately feeling a twinge of guilt towards the secret relief he felt at that. There was still one more important conversation that he needed to have before the end of the night… and, if he was honest, he really just wanted to be alone right now. He needed time to sort through his thoughts.
He entered his dorm, and the door quietly clicked shut behind him. Minato thumped his head against the door and slid down to the floor, exhausted. He sat there in silence, still holding the folder full of papers in one hand.
Are you angry at me? Ryoji asked.
“What? No,” Minato said automatically, before faltering. “I…I don’t know. This is just a lot to take in.”
It is.
“...You knew about this, didn’t you?” he asked.
A long pause. …Yes.
“Is that why you didn’t want to talk about it?”
Minato, I wanted to tell you, I just… didn’t know how, Ryoji explained. If anyone deserves a second chance at life, it’s you. I didn’t want to ruin it for you.
Minato sighed. “I know you wouldn’t,” he said. “But you and I both know that something’s wrong. You feel that way, too, don’t you?” he asked. “We can’t do anything about it if I don’t know what it is. I want to know everything.”
That’s the problem. I don’t know everything. I don’t know how you came back to life. It shouldn’t even be possible! None of this makes sense!
“Then we’ll figure it out together,” he replied, cutting through Ryoji’s spiraling train of thought. “Start from the beginning. We’ll go from there.”
Ryoji sighed. Okay. I wasn’t there for the beginning, so my knowledge is limited. But the earliest I can start is November, when I first appeared…
Notes:
Makoto reading her texts when she gets home that evening: “I left you all alone for ONE AFTERNOON-"
Aaand we finally get the big reveal. :) Oof, I hope I did this chapter justice. (then again the placeholder title in the doc for this chapter was “omae wa mou shindeiru” so I don’t know what that says about my writing choices)
I’m debating if I want to split off arc 3 into another separate fic, or just continue the story in Stygian Ringlet. I kind of like the name, it fits considering how this fic seems to show the butterfly effect caused by Minato’s presence. The third arc should be the final one, since I’m not planning on going into the third semester. Also, it'll probably be shorter than this arc, but it's a little too early to tell for sure.
Oh, and I made some minor edits to chapters 1-2 on TGOM over the break! No major story changes, just a bit of polish in certain areas to make them read better. Yay! :D
Chapter 8: Interlude - Chasing Shadows
Summary:
Meanwhile....
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
A laptop screen lit up the darkness of a small apartment, lighting up the features of the man who sat in front of it. He tapped at it, joining a video call and watching as several familiar faces appeared on the screen.
“Long time no see, Mitsuru,” he said.
“Hello, Akihiko,” she responded warmly. Aigis stood next to her, her face also visible in the camera’s view. “It has been a while. Are you well?”
“As much as I can be, with everything going on,” he said.
“Hello, Akihiko-senpai!” said Fuuka, her face on a separate screen.
“Hey, Fuuka,” he greeted.
“Are we ready to begin our discussion?” asked Aigis.
Fuuka nodded. “This call is secured. I finished adding those security measures to the Shadow Operatives’ network as well.”
“Good. Thank you, Yamagishi,” said Mitsuru.
The meeting between them began in earnest with Fuuka and Mitsuru discussing a matter related to her work. Akihiko only half paid attention to the discussion as he had little knowledge or interest in the topic, somewhat distracted by the stack of papers in front of him and his own thoughts.
Being a police officer was absolute hell, sometimes.
After the complete circus that was this past year, he was seriously considering retiring his badge early and working for the Operatives full-time again instead of being on the emergency reserves. However, the main reason he hadn’t was because their current situation was one of those few times when it worked to his advantage: the Shadow Operatives had no legal jurisdiction in Tokyo anymore, but Officer Sanada could go relatively unnoticed.
And the Operatives needed everything they could get to investigate whatever the hell was going on in Tokyo. The mental shutdowns and psychotic breaks had caught their attention, and the recent appearance of the Phantom Thieves’ changes of heart were suspicious enough that Mitsuru had requested for Fuuka to summon Juno to investigate. Fuuka detected a massive anomaly in Tokyo almost immediately, which meant that there was likely another Shadow nest that they didn’t have the knowledge to access.
By the time they detected the Shadow nest, their options were limited. Two psychotic breaks of Kirijo Corp employees based in Tokyo had each caused separate scandals the Kirijo Group had to deal with, and Mitsuru had to spend time putting out those fires. Worse yet, they had found a leak within the Operatives when they caught a Kirijo employee sending out classified information, claiming that someone in Tokyo had paid them a lot for information on who they were and their activities. Fortunately they had not managed to disclose the identities of the Operatives’ reserve members before the leak was cut off, but the damage was still done.
Akihiko still remembered the discussion they all had after finding out about the Shadow nest.
“Whaddaya mean, they want us to shut down the Shadow Ops!?” Junpei had said.
“Obviously, we won’t. However, the Kirijo Group has been facing some doubts in the wake of those scandals, especially in the eyes of the government and police,” Mitsuru explained. “The government officials that know we exist do not believe we are necessary, and the fact that our purpose is top secret has only served to fuel that sentiment. Add the information leaks on top of that, which have forced us to restrict our operations to a skeleton crew of only our more trusted Operatives, and we are at a considerable disadvantage.”
“It all lines up too neatly to be a coincidence,” said Shirogane, the only Investigation Team member present. “Someone in Tokyo knows about us. Take that into account, and everything that’s happened so far looks more like a coordinated attack.”
“When we formed the Ops, I didn’t think we’d face Shadow threats in the form of bureaucratic red tape,” Akihiko added dryly.
Mitsuru nodded, a dark look in her eyes. “I agree with Shirogane’s assessment. Whoever or whatever is pulling the strings in Tokyo, it’s clear that they do not want us interfering.”
To put it honestly, the Shadow Operatives hadn’t been at a point this bad in years.
“Akihiko?” Mitsuru said, drawing him out of his thoughts. “You seem distracted.”
“I’m listening. Just slogging through paperwork,” said Akihiko. “I swear, they’re doing it on purpose. I know I’m getting twice as much as some of the other officers.”
Mitsuru looked at him with concern. “Is your cover compromised?”
“No. I don’t think it is, anyway. I think the commissioner just doesn’t like me,” he said. Akihiko rubbed his temples, nursing the beginnings of a headache from the stress. “He… may have happened to overhear me making a comment that he didn’t like.”
“Akihiko.” Mitsuru’s tone was a mix of disapproving and mildly disappointed.
“Hey, the bastard deserved it,” Akihiko shot back. “And I know you would agree with me if you met him. I’ve worked with some difficult people in the force, but the commissioner is a real piece of work. I’m just glad I wasn’t put on parking patrol again.”
Aigis gave a sharp nod. “We understand. Regardless, please refrain from making such slips in the future. You cannot function at full capacity if you hinder yourself this way. You and Shirogane-san are the Shadow Operatives’ primary options to investigate the Tokyo Shadow nest directly at the moment, as well as discover the identities of those undermining our efforts,” she said. “Shirogane-san is assisting us however she can, but her fame appears to be a limiting factor.”
Akihiko sighed. Shirogane had mentioned the walls she was hitting in her investigation; something about the SIU refusing her because they already had a Detective Prince on the Phantom Thieves case.
“Fine. I’ll lay low until he finds something else to take up his attention,” he responded. “It shouldn’t take long, not with what I’ve been hearing lately. Speaking of which, that’s actually something I wanted to discuss.”
“What is it?” asked Mitsuru.
“Rumor has it that something big’s going to happen soon at the courthouse station. There’s preparations being made for a huge raid somewhere, but only select officers are getting selected to take part in it. I definitely heard the Phantom Thieves mentioned among the top brass, though I actually had to eavesdrop to find out that last part,” he added.
“Have you been told to take part in it?” Mitsuru asked.
“No. I don’t think they see me as trustworthy enough, or something like that,” he explained. “Besides, I overheard them saying that they’re going capture and arrest the Phantom Thieves. If they really manage to do it, I can find a way to be at the station the day after the raid to investigate.”
“That’s a good idea. We still need to confirm the Phantom Thieves’ methods,” said Mitsuru. “Narukami and Shirogane haven't been able to guess what exactly entails stealing someone’s heart, but they believe they’re affecting people’s Shadows directly, based on their team’s experience. I’m inclined to agree, especially with how similar the mental shutdown symptoms are to Apathy Syndrome.”
The mood between the four of them darkened a bit at that reminder.
“Mitsuru-senpai…” said Fuuka. “Do you really think the Phantom Thieves killed Okumura?”
Mitsuru was quiet for a moment. “...I don’t know. I admit, I have my doubts about it. It doesn’t fit their M.O., but the fact remains that they are almost certainly tampering with people’s Shadows,” said Mitsuru. “That’s not something we can leave unchecked, good intentions or not.”
“Yeah,” Akihiko agreed. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, Mitsuru.”
The meeting continued on with the usual topics, and not too long afterward Aigis and Mitsuru bid them goodbye before leaving the call.
Fuuka lingered on the call, rather than leaving shortly after their meeting ended.
“Hey, Akihiko-senpai?” said Fuuka hesitantly. “May I ask you something?”
Akihiko paused, wondering what she could possibly want to ask him. “Of course. What is it?”
“I noticed something… unusual, today. I wanted to ask your opinion on it, if that’s alright.”
“Sure. I’m listening.” Akihiko frowned in confusion. “What do you mean by ‘unusual’?”
“Oh. Of course,” Fuuka said. “I was called on to run diagnostics on Gekkoukan’s servers this morning, because the security measures I added before alerted them. They assumed it was a computer virus, but I found evidence of hacking in Gekkoukan’s servers, accessing their student records. At first I thought the culprit might try to access Ken’s, since he used to be on the reserves, but as far as I can tell his transcripts weren’t touched.” Fuuka was quiet for a moment. “I thought it was very strange; I don’t know what anyone would do with such information. Especially since they were so skilled. They covered their tracks well enough that even I couldn’t trace them.”
Akihiko’s eyebrows shot up. “You couldn’t track them?”
Fuuka shook her head. “No.”
“Why didn’t you mention it to Mitsuru and Aigis earlier?”
“Oh. Well…” Fuuka flushed a bit. “It wasn’t like there was any damage caused. It was just… strange. And Mitsuru-senpai’s already dealing with so much; Gekkoukan is only funded by the Kirijo Group, not part of it. I didn’t want to worry her just yet, in case it turned out to be a false alarm.”
Akihiko shrugged, conceding her point. “Alright. Find out what you can, but you should let her or Aigis know about it sooner or later. There wasn’t any harm done this time, but if someone got in once, it could happen again.”
Fuuka wilted. “I’ll tell her next time we speak. I just really hoped I could figure out more information… I want to help her, not give her more to worry about. She still takes on so much.”
Akihiko winced. He couldn’t deny that Mitsuru still tended to overwork herself from time to time, especially recently. Not that he was one to talk.
“You don’t think the hacker might have been someone connected to whatever’s going on in Tokyo, do you?” he asked instead.
“I don’t know.” Fuuka looked up. “Do you think it means anything?”
Akihiko thought for a moment. “You said they were looking up student records, right?” he asked. Fuuka nodded. “What about older ones? My guess is they were looking for information on someone. Probably one of us, back when we were still the S.E.E.S., but that’s not very useful information if that’s the case.”
“It isn’t,” she admitted. She then thought for a moment. “Or maybe… if it’s someone who wouldn’t have more current information elsewhere…” Fuuka was quiet for a moment.
“Fuuka? Do you know something?”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry. It’s just an idea that I had. It’s probably nothing,” she reassured him. “It wouldn’t hurt to check our old transcripts, so I’ll look into it. Thank you for the advice, Akihiko-senpai.”
He nodded. “Anytime.”
They bid each other goodbye and closed the call, leaving Akihiko alone with what remained of his work.
Almost two hours later, he was preparing to head out for a much-needed training session at the local gym; he desperately needed the stress relief of mindless physical activity, and it didn’t help that Caesar had been restless lately without any clear reason why. He was usually only active whenever he was dealing with Shadows, and he rarely ever spoke.
Akihiko had even asked Caesar directly about what was bothering him.
Something has changed, he had said rather unhelpfully. Keep your eyes and your mind open. Things may not be what they appear to be.
It wasn’t a clear answer, but Akihiko knew better than to take his persona’s words lightly. Caesar’s guidance had been an integral part of his moral compass since the day his persona evolved from Polydeuces. Hell, he wondered if that guidance often helped him judge who he couldn’t trust at the station, giving him the additional insight needed to see whenever something seemed fishy. Caesar was probably picking up on something Akihiko hadn’t, although the question remained on exactly what that was.
Before Akihiko could leave the apartment, gym bag in hand, his cell phone rang. He picked it up to see that it was Fuuka.
“Fuuka? Is something going on?” he asked.
“S-sorry, Akihiko-senpai! I hate to bother you like this, but I looked into those transcripts like you said earlier,” she explained. “You were right, but they didn’t access any of our school records. They accessed Minato’s.”
“What?” Akihiko stood a little straighter. “That doesn’t make sense. Why would they access that?”
“I don’t know. But Juno and I both believe there is more going on,” she said.
Even Juno agreed something was fishy, huh?
Things are not what they seem, Caesar had said. Yeah, no kidding.
“I think so, too,” Akihiko replied. “Caesar’s also been getting the feeling that something’s off. And something tells me it might have something to do with the current Shadow nest here.”
After all, why would a skilled hacker want Minato’s information otherwise? Outside of the S.E.E.S. he had been a regular student who happened to make friends with all sorts of people, and it had been years since he had passed. So why him, and why now? The timing was too suspicious to ignore. Someone who knew about his Shadow activities in the past was the most likely suspect, although that raised a whole new set of questions.
“Are you sure?” Fuuka asked. “It could be an unrelated coincidence.”
“I don’t believe much in coincidences when it comes to Shadows,” said Akihiko. “Why else would someone be interested in Minato now?”
“I suppose that’s true…” she admitted. “Thank you, Akihiko-senpai. I’ll be sure to tell Mitsuru-senpai and Aigis-chan about this.”
“Anytime.”
The call ended. Akihiko stewed in his thoughts on the way to the gym.
Why would someone that even Fuuka couldn’t track want Minato’s information? Fuuka was right, it was strange. But they didn’t have any information to go off of. He hoped it was nothing, but he knew better than to believe that.
Six and a half years. Seven in Shinji’s case. He’d long since come to terms with it, but damn, he still missed them both.
He shook off the somber mood, not willing to let himself stew in those thoughts too long; wallowing never did him any good. Besides, he had a training session he was very much looking forward to, and a lot of other things to deal with afterward. He needed to be in top shape to deal with whatever got thrown their way.
With that police raid coming up, he really hoped that they would get some answers soon.
Notes:
meanwhile, back on the ranch
Bit of a short chapter, but we get to see what a few of the others are up to! Remember Akihiko’s cameo in chapter 5?
I've seen a bunch of fics addressing why the Shadow Ops aren't involved in P5, which is really cool. The two biggest factors I've seen are a) lack of concrete information and b) a whole lot of interference from the police and government. I def think Yaldy was smart enough to make sure they didn't interfere, because they would.
Akihiko was fun to write, and knowing that he's a police officer, I thought that would be fun to incorporate. Fuuka in canon is great with computer software/hardware, but as far as I know it isn't mentioned what she does for a living in canon, so nowadays she does a lot of stuff for the Kirijo Group’s IT department.
Also, in terms of real life stuff… I got a job! Yay! But unfortunately, that means updates will probably slow down. RIP. Gonna keep plugging away at this, though, however slowly. I am determined.
Chapter 9: High Stakes
Summary:
In the aftermath of their discovery, the Thieves tackle the final section of the casino.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Today’s palace infiltration was not going as well as Ren had hoped.
Ever since the night he’d filled Minato in on the truth, Ren was having a very hard time reading the guy. Not that he hadn’t had some trouble before, but now he was like a stone wall. Which, yeah, it would have been good for ensuring Akechi wouldn’t catch wind that anything was off… if it weren’t for the fact that every fight he was in, Minato was obviously doing badly.
Really badly.
Ren really hoped that he just needed some time; Ann and Haru had mentioned their conversation with him after they left Leblanc. He had been hopeful when Minato made it clear he wouldn’t skip out on helping them with the Palace, too; Minato was perfectly willing to fight, and Ren was happy to let him vent his frustrations against Shadows.
But it was soon clear that he was distracted. At one point early on, Ren had to admit defeat and bench Minato to the reserve team after he’d gotten hit by a Fear spell and nearly got wiped out by a Skadi.
“Mona, switch out with Ghost,” he called out after the fight ended.
“Will do, Joker!” Morgana replied, bounding forward to join them.
Minato’s expression darkened a little, but he didn’t argue.
“Hey,” said Ren, pulling Minato aside. “Are you alright?”
“Fine,” Minato replied in a dull tone.
“You don’t seem fine,” Ren replied tentatively. Now that he was up close, he could see how tired Minato looked, like he hadn’t slept well. “Is this about… the other night?”
“...Kind of.” Minato didn’t look at him. “I’ve just… had a lot to think about since then. I’ll be fine.”
Ren didn’t believe that, but didn’t press it. “Well, if you ever need to talk, I’m all ears. And I’m sure the others would be open to listening, too.”
“Thanks,” he replied automatically, already moving to the reserve team without complaint.
“What’s with him?” Akechi asked after the switch was complete. “His performance in that last fight was rather lacking.”
To his credit, Yusuke didn’t visibly react, though Ren could see the way his grip on his katana tightened. Morgana, on the other hand, couldn’t help his guilty look.
“It’s… a personal thing,” Ren admitted. “I won’t share details, but he’s dealing with a lot.”
Akechi raised an eyebrow behind his mask. “Well, I hope his personal grievances won’t cause problems while we work towards our current objective.”
“They won’t. What’s your deal with him, anyway?” Ren shot back. “You keep acting weird around him. Don’t think I haven’t noticed.”
“Nothing,” Akechi said coolly, his gaze lingering in the direction Minato left. Ren had to keep himself from calling Akechi out on the obvious lie; he would get nothing out of him if he didn’t want to share it. “Are we done here? We should keep moving.”
Ren wanted nothing more than to shake some sense into the other boy, to get some answers and tell him to ditch this entire plan of his.
“Yeah,” he responded instead. “Let’s go.”
Akechi turned to continue their exploration of the High Limit floor. The others glanced towards Ren, curious at the odd response. He simply gave a small shrug.
Minato was beginning to understand how Ryoji must have felt on the night he discovered he was Nyx Avatar.
Everyone else seemed to have accepted what they’d learned about him, though he did notice the way they looked at him a bit differently. It didn’t surprise him; it wasn’t every day someone found out their friend was resurrected from the dead. Whether it was pity or genuine concern, he couldn’t really tell, but it wasn’t something he particularly cared for.
Minato had to commend how good the others were at keeping up appearances around Akechi; the mood had dampened a bit compared to their last visit here, but they kept each others’ spirits up well enough. He watched everyone from the sidelines as they talked amicably in safe areas, as they enjoyed each other’s company in the real world, as they moved in a seamless display of teamwork against Shadows. As they kept extending those same moments of friendship to him.
It hurt, realizing how much he wanted to keep this. But he couldn’t let himself hope for that, knowing what he knew now.
Nyx. The Fall. The Great Seal. Erebus.
His conversation with Ryoji had taken most of the night, and though it had stung a little at the time, Minato at least now understood why he’d been so hesitant to talk about it in the first place. His mind kept running in circles over the past couple of days as he mulled over all this information. Was his existence dooming the world to another Fall? What could be powerful enough to mess with the Great Seal, of all things? It had to be related to Mementos, somehow. All the signs still pointed to Mementos for answers.
It was uncanny how much Tartarus sounded like Mementos, too. Was there something like Nyx waiting for them at the end of the tunnels? Was getting to the bottom of this (literally) going to end up getting them all killed?
And boy, didn’t that raise a whole new set of questions. If he died, what would happen to the Seal? Would he go back to it at all, or would the Seal be left undone forever? A small, selfish part of him wondered: would the distortion keeping Erebus at bay last for very long?
Ryoji seemed to hope so. Minato highly doubted it.
Memories also seemed to surface more often now that he had recalled three of his old bonds, like they had lit a path through dense fog. As Ryoji explained what he knew, some moments came to him with less stubborn resistance than before. Mainly ones that involved those three, though Ryoji happily described every one of his old friends to him anyway.
His friends. The S.E.E.S.
Minato watched the main team fight from their hidden vantage point further behind, and wondered what his old friends were doing now.
His first thought was how desperately he wanted to see them again, but the more rational part of him hesitated at the idea, for several reasons. Mainly the part that he was very much supposed to be dead.
The Dark Hour had ended. They’d probably moved on with their lives. Not to mention the fact that Minato still couldn’t recall them as well as he would have liked. That alone complicated things.
In the end, it wasn’t that hard to make a decision.
You’re not going to try and contact them? Ryoji had asked, incredulous.
“Not yet,” Minato corrected. “I’ll need Futaba’s help to get in touch with them again, and the last thing we should be doing is distracting the others with something like this. After all of this stuff with Akechi and the police is over, we can decide on it.”
You mean you’re staying with the Phantom Thieves?
Minato nodded resolutely. “We still don’t know how this happened. You said it before, it likely has to do with how the others found me in Mementos. The Phantom Thieves are still our best bet at answers,” Minato pointed out. “And we still have other problems to worry about. Ren needs all the help he can get so he doesn’t end up dead.”
Don’t remind me, Ryoji said flatly. I know your options were limited, but I don’t like his plan very much. It’s risky.
Minato sighed. “I don’t either. But he’s made up his mind. The best we can do is make sure he comes out of it alive. Until then, my problems can wait.”
Can they, though? Ryoji replied. If something’s wrong with the Great Seal and the Fall happens…
“If the Seal was no longer intact, we’d be dead already,” Minato pointed out.
That doesn’t necessarily mean that this is permanent. I’d rather not find out the hard way.
Minato hesitated at that point. “I know. But they already have one death hanging over their heads.”
That won’t stop me from worrying about yours, Ryoji said back.
So that was their plan of action, at least for now. At the very least, it left them with one less thing to worry about; his own problems could wait, but Ren’s could not.
Minato once again tried to turn his attention back to the task on hand. The group was currently busy with the maze puzzle on the high stakes floor; the main team was trying to navigate the pitch-black maze while Futaba stayed just outside to guide them to the best of her ability. Makoto pointed out that too many people in the maze would increase their chances of someone getting lost or separated in the darkness, so the reserve team agreed to stay with Futaba instead, keeping any stray shadows away from their navigator while she worked.
“You guys are practically going in circles,” Futaba complained, speaking to the others in the maze through Necronomicon. “Seriously, who designed this thing– wait, no, Joker, don’t go that way there’s a shadow–!”
“How close are they to the end?” Haru asked. “It’s been some time. Is the maze that large?”
“It’s a little complicated, but it doesn’t look that big. I don’t think they’re too far from the end,” said Futaba. “They’re just going pretty slow, since they can’t see very far and there’s shadows.”
“Good thing they all use elements that make light,” Minato commented. Ren had switched up the main team to Ann, Akechi, and Ryuji for the maze, and it hadn’t escaped Minato’s notice why he picked those three in particular.
“Y-yeah,” Futaba said when her attention was drawn to Minato, giving him another unreadable glance underneath her goggles. Minato decided not to add any more to the conversation; right now, his presence was probably an unsettling reminder for her of what she had discovered.
Yusuke made a disappointed noise. “I only wish we could be with them… the contrast of light on total darkness would have been a stunning sight,” he muttered.
“Or it would have blinded you, Fox,” said Makoto.
“No, left! I said left, guys!” said Futaba, once again focused on navigating the team through the maze. “You can loot all the chests later, Joker! You guys can’t see a thing right now!”
Minato gave an internal sigh, pulling out his music player and putting on his headphones. Hopefully the familiar music would be enough to distract him from his thoughts for a bit.
It didn’t take much longer for the main team to finish up the maze. After they stepped out and began moving on to the next section of the High Limit floor, Futaba noticed Minato lingering behind everyone else; normally that would be a bit worrying, but now it was a perfect opportunity for her.
This was either a great idea, or a terrible one. Whichever one it was, her newest idea hadn’t left her alone since she first thought of it.
She fell behind the others and gathered up every ounce of courage she had while she waited for Minato to catch up. He didn’t even appear to notice her until she spoke up.
“Hey, uh… Ghost?” Futaba asked, fidgeting nervously. He startled slightly once he noticed her beside him. “Can I ask you a favor?”
“What is it?” Minato asked.
Futaba hesitated for a moment. Moment of truth. Now or never!
“T-take me to Akihabara!” she loudly declared all of a sudden.
Minato blinked, clearly surprised. “...Why?”
“W-well, you know, I- uh–” Futaba stammered. Oh wow, she was already failing this spectacularly. “Well, I’ve been wanting to go there forever, but I haven’t had time with… Everything,” she explained, hinting at her research on Minato and monitoring Akechi’s phone. “A-and usually Joker’s with me to help me out, but I can’t always ask him to be my key item… I wanna learn to be okay by myself! But I’m not sure I’m ready to go out on my own, so I thought I’d try going with someone else instead. Like you! I-if that’s okay…” she said, immediately shrinking in on herself despite her best efforts to project as much confidence as she could muster.
“...Sure,” said Minato, despite sounding a bit unsure himself.
“Cool! Great! Awesome!” she said, a thin note of nervousness still clear in her voice. “Next time we’re both available, we’re going!”
“Why me?” he asked.
She paused. “Uh, what do you mean?”
He paused before explaining, probably to figure out how to put whatever weird logic that was going through his head into words. Minato was kind of weird like that.
“You… know the others better. Aren’t you more comfortable with them?” he eventually explained.
“Oh. Uh…” She trailed off, unsure how to explain herself. “Nah, I don’t think they wanna go with me, I’ve already dragged along most of the others at least once. And, uh…” She fidgeted with her puffy sleeve, not really looking up at him. “I get it. Y’know?”
Futaba had thoroughly absorbed herself in her favorite media with Ren’s special order curry while she emotionally recuperated from the shock of discovering Minato’s death, but she heard later on about his reaction from Ren. Sure, it was a little different in his case, but feeling like you shouldn’t be alive was an experience she was uncomfortably familiar with. She knew full well how that kind of existence felt. He was definitely feeling it too, judging by the newly sported bags under his eyes.
Yeah, death was still a hard topic for her. She still missed Mom a lot, and surprises like the one she encountered digging up Minato’s information always hit her especially hard. But she was doing way better ever since everyone helped her change her heart! So…
Ren helped her out a lot after her Palace had disappeared. Maybe she could do a little bit of what Ren did for her?
The others were acting a bit weird around Minato, and Minato did seem to be staying two steps further away from everyone. And she was pretty sure that weirdness wasn’t really helping.
Hence her planning a trip to Akihabara.
She was so smart. Oooh yeah.
“Get what..?” he said, snapping her out of her thoughts.
“N-nevermind!” she said. Topic successfully evaded. “Anyway, we’re going, so be ready!”
Minato simply stared at her in confusion as she walked away to catch up, but simply shook his head and followed shortly behind.
The group now faced their next obstacle: a fighting arena, where they would have to simply fight their way through a series of one-on-one matches to win. It was simple and straightforward, with only one catch: only one of them could stand in the ring. Everyone else was a spectator.
“Dammit!” Ryuji grumbled, kicking one foot against the ground in agitation. “Ain’t no way they’re not gonna cheat this one too!”
“I agree with Skull’s assessment,” said Akechi. “And the fact that only one of us can participate means that it could go badly very quickly.”
“What can we do, though?” said Yusuke. “The rules were clear. The matches are one-on-one.”
“Who’s going to fight, then?” asked Haru. “I would hate to throw any of us in that situation, but we can’t proceed otherwise.”
“Not unless one of us is able to cheat our way into the arena without being caught,” Ann added.
“I’ll do it.”
They all turned to look at Ren.
Makoto sighed. “I hate to admit it, but if any one of us stands a chance in a one-on-one tournament like this, it’s definitely Joker.”
“Yeah, if any of us went in against an opponent immune to our elements or that could hit our weaknesses, we’d be toast,” said Morgana. “Although if we’re going by that strategy, Ghost isn’t a bad option either, he can swap personas too…”
Minato looked mildly surprised to hear his name suggested. Makoto looked thoughtful.
“Apologies for the rudeness, but I disagree,” Akechi interjected. “Ghost has been distracted all day. He is more likely to make mistakes, and mistakes here could be fatal. Winning this will get us across the bridge. We’re using all of our earnings just to pay the entry fee, so we only have one shot at this.”
Everyone grimaced.
Minato sighed. “...He’s right,” he admitted.
Makoto spoke up. “Instead of having Ghost as a backup plan, what do you think about actual backup?”
“What do you mean?” asked Minato.
“We find a place in the arena for you to stay hidden so that you can summon your Personas and add to Ren’s elemental attacks. If he uses wind, you use wind and add to it without anyone noticing. Oracle can help you coordinate with Joker.”
“The house will no doubt try to rig the matches… so that should even the playing field,” said Haru.
“Guys, you don’t need to do this,” said Ren. “Seriously. I’ll be fine.”
“Nope!” Haru said with a cheerful smile. “I’m afraid this is not up for debate!”
“None of us ever explore the Metaverse alone. We always have backup in case something goes wrong,” said Makoto. “Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you, Joker. But we don’t know what they might do in the arena. It’s better to be prepared than caught off-guard.”
Minato mulled over Makoto’s idea, then nodded. “Let’s do it.”
“Hell yeah!” says Ryuji. “I’m all fired up too!”
“Slow down, Skull. It’s only Ghost.”
“What?! Why the hell can’t we all do it?” Ryuji protested.
“If we all disappear to help, our absence will be noticed,” said Akechi. “And if Joker’s attacks appear too powerful, it will draw suspicion as well. Cheating only works so long as you’re not caught.”
Ryuji grumbled but didn’t argue, refusing to look at Akechi.
“Don’t worry about it, Skull. I’ll still need someone to cheer me on,” said Ren. “They can’t beat me if you guys are rooting for me to win.”
“Like a shounen protagonist who yells ‘I won’t give up’ and gets a power boost because of how much he loves his friends!” Futaba added.
Ren gave a surprised snort of laughter. “Yeah, Ryuji. I’ve got shounen powers of friendship,” he teased.
Ryuji rolled his eyes, but was smiling nonetheless. “Dude, you’re ridiculous.”
“But it is quite a beautiful sentiment, is it not?” said Yusuke.
Akechi watched all of this and said nothing, glancing away.
Makoto turned to Minato. “We should start looking around. You need a good vantage point if you’re going to help,” said Makoto. “Oracle, can you see anything like that around?”
“Already on it,” she replied, summoning Necronomicon. “There’s some kind of cognitive barrier all around the arena, but it doesn’t cover the ceiling. My scans are telling me that there should be some vents leading to a space over the ceiling panels, directly over the arena. That’ll be your best option.”
Minato drew up his hood, casting part of his face in shadow. “Lead the way.”
The two of them discreetly headed into a nearby set of doors leading into the back halls around the arena, vanishing from sight.
After a few minutes, a well-dressed shadow came up to them and told them it was time for the arena battle to start.
“They’re in position,” Futaba said with a thumbs up after the shadow left. “You’re good to go, Joker.”
Ren tugged on one of his gloves with a dramatic flair. “Showtime.”
The arena was fairly spacious. Ren stood on one end, observing while he waited for the fight to start. He noted the floor-to-ceiling fence surrounding the area; He figured that must have been the barrier Futaba mentioned. It was clearly designed to prevent any combatants from escaping… or any spectators from interfering. Not that it would; not for this fight, anyway.
Ren flicked his eyes up briefly, switching to Third Eye. The rest of the arena dimmed, and a blue light illuminated a hole in the ceiling where a panel had been removed. It was small and innocuous, and the ceiling was cast partially in shadow due to the bright spotlights shining down on the arena; it would easily go unnoticed if no attention was drawn to it.
That must be where Queen and Ghost are hiding , he thought. If he squinted, he could make out the silhouettes of two people peering into the arena below. Ren quickly glanced away.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the time for battle has come! Will this ‘Joker’ manage to fight his way through this hellish trio of battles?” the announcer blared throughout the arena. “Now then, let the first round begin!”
“You got this Joker! Kick their butts!” Ann cheered.
“Yeah! Show ‘em what you got!” said Ryuji.
He gave her a thumbs up, and in the next moment the first shadow appeared, immediately starting the fight.
The first round was easy; a single Power. Like most angelic shadows, it was weak to curse magic, and a few quick hits from Arsene were more than enough, even without help.
The end of the match quickly transitioned to the second. Two shadows appeared this time instead of one– Ren recognized them as Ganeshas. Ren could hear angry shouts from the others at the turn of events.
“The hell?! There’s two of ‘em! This ain’t one on one at all!” he heard Ryuji yell.
Two shadows was a little more difficult, but it was still easily doable. Ren expected more of the same for the next match as well, so he now had an idea how they were planning to cheat for this one.
“Seth!” Ren called, and the persona appeared with a mighty roar. He cast a fire spell on the shadows; in response, the torrent of fire he summoned was more like that of a mass attack, easily torching the two shadows.
Ren gave a low, impressed whistle. He knew that wasn’t fully his own attack; that was much bigger than any fire he had ever summoned, even with a magic boost. It was as big as one of Ann’s fireballs.
Those two are not messing around up there, he thought.
Barely moments after the two shadows turned to ash, three more shadows appeared– Rangdas this time.
“There’s even more!?” Ren heard Morgana yell.
“There’s nothing fair or honest about this!” said Haru.
Ren dropped into a ready stance. He could still do this, but three shadows? That was pushing his luck a bit.
He fired off a few rounds of bless attacks, but these shadows were fast. He had to focus on evading their blades more than attacking, slowly whittling away at their defenses.
Then, to his surprise, one of the shadows shuddered. It then began slashing at everything in sight, howling and indiscriminately hitting both friend and foe.
Ren then saw faint trails of purple haze as the shadow slashed a little too close to him, and he instantly understood. One of the others above must have cast a confusion spell.
Not one to let an advantage go to waste, he unleashed a mass psychic attack on all of them. The confused one dropped instantly, and the other two knocked back. A quick bless spell made the remaining two collapse and disintegrate into black smoke.
Ren relaxed his stance. The other Thieves in the stands were cheering wildly at his victory.
“YEAAAAAH! Go Phantom Thieves!”
“That was freakin’ awesome!”
He took a dramatic bow with a flourish, flashing a grin at them. He turned to leave the arena… and paused when he heard a familiar sound.
He whirled around. More black sludge bubbled and hissed on the floor before exploding outward. Within a moment, a hulking shadow with a cape and horned gold helmet obscuring his face appeared, standing more than twice as tall as him.
Ren swore under his breath. That should have been the last match. He hadn’t miscounted, either. He’d beaten all of his opponents soundly.
…Which only meant that they’d added another match. They were cheating to make sure he didn’t come out the victor.
The shadow immediately hefted up its massive hammer, ready to strike.
“Shit!” he swore, dodging the burly shadow’s attack; the hammer cracked the ground where he once stood. This shadow was both fast and strong. Much stronger than their usual opponents.
He was suddenly grateful the others wouldn’t allow him to fight without backup. He would need it for this.
Ren grabbed several smoke bombs and threw them between himself and the shadow; a thick cloud of smoke billowed out, filling the entire arena in seconds.
If they can’t see me, they don’t know where the attacks will come from, he thought as he ran around the arena. This should give Queen and Ghost more openings to attack without getting caught.
As though they already read his intentions, a bolt of lightning flashed and struck the center of the arena, where the shadow was supposed to be. He didn’t hear any yelling from the shadow though, so it either missed or had no effect.
Ren kept needling the shadow’s defenses for a weakness, weaving through the smokescreen and disappearing after each strike. Wind, bullets, ice, fire. None of them were ineffective, but they didn’t hit hard enough to indicate any weaknesses, and the shadow wasn’t showing any signs of slowing down yet. He also saw a few flashes of blue nuclear energy between strikes, an obvious sign of Makoto’s handiwork.
Ren then threw a psychic blast at the shadow, and was rewarded with a particularly angry howl. Jackpot.
He retreated and began charging himself up for a strong attack.
“Seiryu!” A great azure dragon appeared in a burst of blue fire at his call, and Ren felt a surge of magical energy as he cast an attack boosting spell on himself.
At that moment, a hulking figure appeared out of the smoke, lunging forward in an attack.
For a single terrifying moment that felt like an eternity, he saw the shadow’s hammer swinging towards him with the full force of a bullet train, promising a very painful trip to the other end of the arena.
And then the hammer struck against solid air, forcing it to bounce back almost unnaturally and strike the shadow instead. The shadow howled in pain at the unexpected rebound and staggered to its knees, and Ren barely caught a glimpse of the telltale shimmer of a Tetrakarn. One that he definitely didn’t cast earlier.
Definitely thanking Makoto for the backup idea after this, he thought. He did not like the idea of being smacked around like a baseball in a batting cage.
Seeing the downed shadow, Ren recovered quickly and took the opening.
“Okuninushi!” he called out, already summoning his most powerful psychic attack.
Up above, the two Thieves shared a look.
“That was…” Makoto trailed off.
“Too close,” Minato finished, dispelling his persona.
“Agreed,” said Makoto, already falling back into their seamless teamwork. She summoned Johanna to give their teammate below a defense boost, while Minato summoned Thanatos to prepare a fear spell to amplify Ren’s psychic onslaught.
The battle below didn’t last much longer after that.
The group walked out of the arena with ten times the tokens they had when they walked in, and their excitement was palpable. They were finally going to reach the Manager’s Floor, where the treasure was.
Their excitement dampened a bit when they reached the bridge and inputted their earnings, only to be stopped by Shadow Sae raising the cost from one hundred thousand to one million . It had taken everything up to that point just to gather that much.
“We barely made it to a hundred thousand…” said Haru.
“How the eff are we ever gonna get a million?!” said Ryuji.
“Do you get it now?” said Shadow Sae, her voice drifting through the speakers. “Your task will always be impossible. You’ll never reach the Manager’s floor.”
“One million?” At that moment, Akechi stepped forward. “In that case, there won’t be a problem. We already have that amount.” He pulled out a card that Futaba instantly recognized.
“Th-that’s the card I told you to throw away!” said Futaba.
“What?” said Shadow Sae. “How?!”
Akechi gave a television-perfect smile. It somehow still came off as smug. “Simple. I kept this card and secretly used it to gather coins,” he explained. “We are allowed to borrow as many coins as we have on this card, giving us twenty thousand coins. We used all our earnings on the entry fee, but if I bet that amount on Joker during the fight as a guest, our total would have come back to well over four hundred thousand. I pay back the original amount, combine our tokens to reach five hundred thousand, and borrow that amount back, and we have enough to lower the bridge.”
“W-wait!” said Ryuji. “If we borrowed all those coins, don’t we gotta pay ‘em back?!”
“We won’t need to worry about coins once we reach the Treasure. Or did you really intend to pay back such a large sum?” Akechi said almost vindictively, his smile widening by a small fraction.
Without waiting for a response, Akechi inputted the card along with their own, and at long last the bridge to the Manager’s floor began to lower.
“There. Now the bridge has been lowered before she could raise the amount again.”
“Damn you!” Shadow Sae yelled. “This isn’t over!”
No one spoke for a moment.
“...It’s actually a little scary how sharp you are, Crow,” said Morgana, stunned.
Akechi turned to the others. “I’ll take that as a compliment. I’m just glad I could contribute to the group.”
They all headed up the stairs quickly. Minato continued to hover in the back of the group, and Makoto hung back to join him.
“Nice work back there, Ghost,” said Makoto, a small satisfied smile on her face. “Not bad teamwork.”
“Thanks. Same to you,” he replied.
Makoto nodded. “You seem to do better during that fight,” she said evenly.
“I guess,” he admitted. “Not much, though.”
“You think you’ll be ready to fight when we come back?” she asked. “It’s alright if you need to sit out. I’d rather you not force yourself to fight if you’re not mentally prepared for it. That’s a good way to get yourself…” she trailed off.
“Killed?” Minato finished for her.
“...Yes,” she admitted with a sigh.
“Look. It’s fine. I’ve just had a lot to think about. And you all don’t need to pretend you’re fine with it, either,” he said without much heat.
Makoto frowned. “Was it that obvious?”
“A bit.”
A pause. “...We’ll get used to it,” she admitted. “Like you said, it’s a lot.”
He nodded. “Next time we come, I’ll be ready. Promise.”
Makoto looked at him for a long moment, searching his face. She then gave a short nod.
“Alright. I’ll be holding you to that.”
They soon reached the top; before them was a floating white light in the center of the room.
“There it is,” said Morgana.
“So this is the Treasure?” asked Akechi.
“Doesn’t look stealable,” said Minato.
“Not yet,” said Morgana. “Once we send the calling card, the Ruler will become aware that it can be stolen, and it will materialize.”
“A change in cognition,” Akechi finished. “So the calling card is a necessary step? It’s not just for show?”
“Yep!” said Morgana. “But it’s temporary, so we have to steal it once we send the calling card. If we wait too long, the effect will wear off, and it won’t materialize again.”
“So next time we come, we’ll be taking the Treasure,” said Joker.
“Our last heist,” said Morgana. “We’ll have to make this our best one yet!”
“November 19th. That’s when we’re sending the calling card,” said Makoto. She stood closer to the Treasure than the others, her expression unreadable under her steel mask. After a moment, she turned to face everyone else. “Anything could happen, so until then, make sure you’re all prepared.”
Minato found himself nodding in agreement along with everyone else.
Whatever happens, they would be ready.
Notes:
Sooooooo it’s been awhile. Haha. I’m not dead I promise!!
Sorry if this chapter seems a bit all over the place, life has gotten hectic! new job, moving, helping someone else with moving, runescape discord art fight, souyo zine, etc etc (and a partridge in a pear tree)
So I’ve been readjusting to my new work-life balance! Took a bit just to get the ball rolling again on this chapter, haha. Hopefully I can keep it moving now that some of that is all done, but expect updates to still be a little slow.
(RS art fight is still going though and it’s absolute chaos. I love it.)Also, regarding the next arc, I decided not to break this up into another fic once this arc is over, so this fic will go all the way to the end I have planned for this story.
Also, THIS STORY HIT 400 KUDOS??? GUYS I'M FLOORED THANK YOU SO MUCH!! TTvTT
Chapter 10: Deep Breath, Deep Breath
Summary:
Conclusions are drawn, the Thieves have a bit of downtime before their final heist, and Futaba takes the opportunity to drag Minato along on a trip to Akihabara.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Akechi stood in the lobby area of a high-end office building in front of the elevators, staring at his phone in confusion for what seemed to be the hundredth time in the past week.
Amamiya seemed oddly persistent lately, for reasons Akechi couldn’t comprehend. He had been texting more often than usual, and frequently offered opportunities to spend time together in the evenings, even directly after their palace and Mementos excursions.
Almost all of them had been shot down, of course. No need to make more opportunities for himself to slip up. Between school, TV appearances, Shido’s assignments, infiltrating the Phantom Thieves, and occasionally investigating their ninth member, he was already stretching himself dangerously thin.
Although…
The elevator dinged, and Akechi stepped inside, waiting for his designated floor.
…He supposed accepting one invitation to spend time together wouldn’t hurt. There was something he wanted to do before the arrest. He would never be satisfied if he didn’t, and wouldn’t get a chance afterward.
The elevator dinged again, letting him off at his destination. Akechi returned the text with a time and meeting place around Kichijoji before clicking his phone off, turning his focus to the task at hand.
Akechi headed down the hallway directly toward Shido’s office and knocked on the door.
“Enter,” he heard him say from inside.
Shido didn’t look up as Akechi entered the office.
“You called for me, sir?” Akechi asked.
“I have your next assignments for you,” said Shido. He slid a file across the desk towards him. “I want you to have them done by the end of the week.”
Akechi forced himself to remain relaxed. As if the bastard wasn’t already working him into the ground. “Yes, Shido-san.”
The meeting was short, and nothing much of note outside the usual was discussed. Shido was not a man who wasted time on pleasantries unless he deemed it necessary. Seeing that his presence was no longer necessary, he excused himself.
“Akechi,” Shido said suddenly.
He stopped in front of the door, one hand over the handle.
“There is one last matter I want to discuss.”
Akechi turned around to face him. “Yes, Shido-san?”
Shido focused his glare on him. Whatever the reason, Akechi knew Shido was annoyed about something. He had a feeling he was about to find out why.
“One of the scientists I have employed brought something… interesting to my attention recently,” Shido began, dissatisfaction clear in his tone. “This scientist formerly worked for the Kirijo Group years ago, and remained in contact with a man who worked for the current Kirijo CEO’s predecessor up until both of their sudden deaths. Before his death, this contact described a group of people dedicated to ‘hunting shadows’, led by Kirijo herself.”
Akechi knew exactly what he was referring to: The Shadow Operatives. A top-secret branch of the police, backed and led by Mitsuru Kirijo herself, apparently dedicated to dealing with Shadows. Learning about their existence had been a surprise to Akechi. He had no way of knowing for sure if the Shadow Operatives were Persona users, but judging by their mission statement it was possible. Akechi remembered when Shido had ordered two psychotic breaks of Kirijo Group employees that happened to be based in Tokyo, so he clearly saw them as a threat.
Akechi wasn’t sure where Shido was going with this, but he didn’t interrupt; Shido was never pleased whenever he did.
“Imagine my surprise when my scientist recognized the name of the Phantom Thief you failed to identify. Specifically, recognizing the name as one of the members of Kirijo’s group,” said Shido. “I suspect we have found one of Kirijo’s rats.”
“You are certain that Arisato is a Shadow Operative?” Akechi asked, barely keeping the surprise out of his voice at what Shido was implying. “He is a member of the Phantom Thieves.”
Akechi knew full well how notoriously averse to authority they all were. He doubted any of them would respond well to their friend being a government agent… unless he was hiding it from them. There was also the fact that Arisato was clearly only high school age, but Akechi supposed he himself couldn’t argue that point.
Shit. The more he thought about it, the more it made a certain kind of sense, actually. It certainly explained the lack of background details on him.
“I have no doubt Kirijo is doing whatever she can to track down the ones responsible for the hits the Kirijo Group has taken,” Shido said. “Though I didn’t expect her to also think of using the Phantom Thieves. I’m almost impressed.”
“Would you like for me to do anything about Arisato?” said Akechi, already suspecting what Shido was going to ask.
Shido seemed to think it over for a moment. “No need,” he finally said.
Akechi was taken aback. “S-sir?”
“All you need to do is to simply keep an eye on him. You already have your orders. I will have others handle this,” he explained vaguely.
Akechi said nothing. What the hell was he planning?
“I am the only one fit to steer this country,” Shido continued, clearly talking more to himself than Akechi at that point. “If that harpy thinks she can undermine my authority, her misjudgement will cost her.” He didn’t bother looking at him as he spoke, but the dismissal was clear.
Akechi quietly left the room, the door closing behind him with a click. He mulled over the new information he just received all the way towards the elevators, trying to cross-reference it in his head with his research and past experiences so far with Arisato.
“It’s personal stuff,” Arisato answered in response to Akechi’s question. “I have questions, and the Metaverse may have answers, so I’m looking for them.”
“So helping the Phantom Thieves helps you?” Akechi asked. “Why not just go it alone? Surely looking on your own would be more productive.”
“Having friends helps. And I want to help them anyway.”
“You say that as if you don’t particularly care about what the Phantom Thieves are doing.”
Arisato shrugged. “I guess not? I don’t really care about that kind of stuff.”
That part of their conversation still stuck out to Akechi. Was Arisato really a Shadow Operative? If so, he certainly had strange priorities. One would think he would be more concerned by the Phantom Thieves, but it could possibly be excused by the possibility of Shido being a more immediate threat. He didn’t get that impression, though; his motivations sounded rather self-serving. It didn’t add up.
Akechi still wondered how exactly Shido planned to deal with a possible Shadow Operative. He didn’t have any experience with the Metaverse firsthand, unlike himself, and there was no way of knowing what experience and skills the Shadow Operatives potentially had.
He was not foolish enough to believe Shido would underestimate them, though; he saw the Shadow Operatives as the threat they were and dealt with them as such. After two years of Akechi doing his dirty work, Shido had gathered enough power and resources to ruthlessly stamp out almost anyone that opposed him. Once a target appeared in Shido’s crosshairs, their fate was effectively sealed.
Akechi almost felt sorry for Arisato.
Almost.
Minato was really hoping he wouldn’t end up regretting agreeing to this.
“Allow me to introduce you to Akihabara!” Futaba stood in front of him and spread her arms overhead. “Paradise for nerds everywhere! Seriously, you’ve never been?!”
“No,” he replied tiredly.
“Well, we’re gonna fix that right now!” she said. “But seriously, thanks for coming with me. I’m… still not good with crowds,” she admitted.
“It’s fine,” said Minato. He still wasn’t sure why she asked for this out of nowhere, but he did owe her, after all. Maybe she thought of it as him repaying the favor. Whatever the reason, she didn’t seem nearly as nervous being around him anymore ever since he had accepted her request, which he was grateful for. “What did you want to come here for?”
“I wanted to get some new parts for my computer set up. And I heard there were some new manga volumes at the shop Ren and I usually go to for that kind of stuff,” she explained. “They’ve also got some new collectors-edition Feather merch, and I gotta see it in person!”
He nodded. “Alright. Lead the way.”
“That’s the spirit,” she said. “Onward, my trusty player two! Let us go forth and experience the wonders of nerd memorabilia!” she said, energetically pushing him along from behind.
“Personal space,” he complained.
As it turned out, there was a lot to see in Akihabara.
Even if Minato had no actual interest in any of it, many of the items on display were still interesting enough to catch his attention, and he found himself browsing through all of them before moving on to the next shop. Technology of all different sizes and shapes, some more familiar and ordinary-looking, and some so sleek and small that he wondered how such cutting-edge technology could be available for so cheap, tossed into discounted piles for any passerby to look at.
Minato found himself fiddling with the phones on display in one of the shops while Futaba was busy browsing the shelves. He had noticed the Thieves’ odd-looking cell phones, but he hadn’t really gotten a chance to see how they worked outside of having a fancy-looking touchscreen and a strange function to enter the Metaverse. He assumed the latter wasn’t originally built into the devices.
He had seen Ren’s text messages once though, in Shibuya, and the interface had looked much better than he expected. It even had a full keyboard.
These cell phones are a lot more different than I thought, Minato mused as he scrolled through the phone model on display, having taken a minute to figure out the touchscreen’s functions.
No kidding, said Ryoji. Look at all these functions. Mail, calendar, maps, news, a web browser, weather… hey, it even has a calculator! This thing’s got everything!
Unfortunately, Minato accidentally tapped one of the icons, filling the screen with a white loading screen. Unsure how to revert it back, Minato discreetly placed the display phone back and quickly walked away before he could risk accidentally breaking it.
Interspersed between the technology they saw were various other things too. Minato saw an arcade, a set of gachapon machines that Futaba insisted on stopping by, and even a maid cafe that was being advertised by a girl passing out flyers just outside.
Hey, Minato! Look!
Minato looked up in surprise at Ryoji’s sudden outburst. What? What is it?
That! The poster!
He turned to the shop he had been walking past, whose windows were almost completely plastered over with various posters and merchandise. He stopped as soon as he saw it; Futaba bumped into him from behind, but he barely noticed.
A huge movie poster with an image of Yukari, dressed in a pink and gold costume, was hung up in the shop’s window. She was clearly the focus of the poster, holding up an ornate bow in a well-practiced archery position.
“Hey, Minato!” said Futaba. “What’s the holdup? Did you see something good?”
Minato tried not to feel a needle of guilt as he stated at the now-older Yukari. Her eyes were full of life.
“Nothing,” he said quickly, turning away. “Let’s keep looking.”
“What? What is it?” Futaba pushed forward, her eyes landing on the poster. “Oh, hey, Feather Pink!”
“Feather Pink?” he repeated.
“Yeah! She’s only like, one of the best Feather Ranger characters in the current Featherman series!” said Futaba. “She started out in the last series, but she came back for the newest one as an older mentor figure, and her character development was so good! Pink Argus’s actress is amazing, she does the character so well. She even does her own stunts!”
Minato stared at Futaba in surprise as she rambled about his old friend. “You really like her a lot.”
Futaba startled and flushed a bit. “W-well, yeah! What Feather nerd doesn’t?” she said.
“So… she’s a Featherman actress?” he asked.
“Yeah,” said Futaba. She fidgeted a bit, fiddling with a strand of her long orange hair. “I… used to think it was kinda cheesy as a kid, but I really got into the whole Featherman series while I was still a total shut-in. It… kinda became a comfort for me. Especially when I was having really bad days,” she admitted. “Some of the stuff she said in her interviews, and with her character… I don’t know. It just kinda… resonated with me, I guess.”
I bet hearing that would make Yukari-chan really happy, Ryoji said, fondness in his tone.
Minato nodded. “I’m glad she was able to help you,” he said, unsure what else to say in response to Futaba unknowingly gushing over his old friend like this.
“Yeah…” said Futaba. She then perked up a little. “Oh, but I can show you some good Featherman stuff in Akihabara, if you’re interested. I don’t think the others care about this kind of thing much, and I already talk Ren’s ear off about it.”
Minato stared for a moment longer at the poster featuring Yukari.
“Yeah. I’d like that,” he finally replied.
Futaba’s grin could have lit up the whole street.
“Well, what are we waiting for?! Let’s go!” She began dragging him into the store with a surprising amount of strength. “I gotta give you a rundown of the storyline if we wanna get the good stuff! There’s tons of good content I have to show you!”
“Wait. Slow down–”
The two of them disappeared into the store. Minato could hear Ryoji laughing at his situation.
The two of them explored a couple of stores that featured Featherman merchandise. Futaba knew a lot about the series. She talked almost the entire time, explaining various characters, backdrops and props as they looked through the store’s merchandise. She was so absorbed at one point that she almost walked directly into one of the shelves.
“...And apparently that whole speech had been improvised. It wasn’t in the script at all, so Blue Swan’s priceless reaction in that scene was completely genuine!” she said. “Blue Swan was such a good villain, though, she really nailed it in the last season…”
Minato, not knowing much about it himself, simply listened as she talked; it was clear she had a passion for the series. Hearing her thoughts and in-depth info on the series as a whole, as well as what went on with the characters behind the scenes was pretty interesting, even if he didn’t know the context.
Eventually, Futaba had collected a small stack of manga volumes. None of them looked familiar, but they ranged across various different series, judging by the wildly different art styles and the titles on the spines.
“Okay. Final boss phase. I can do this.” Futaba steeled herself as though she was marching off to battle rather than paying for books. She marched up to the register and plopped the stack on the counter. “I-I’m buying these,” she said.
The cashier looked up at her tiredly. Futaba immediately shrunk away a little, scooting closer to Minato as though his presence would protect her from the wrath of an angry retail worker.
The cashier wordlessly rang up the books on the register and bagged them. “That’ll be four thousand yen.”
Futaba nodded wordlessly, putting her money on the counter.
The cashier took the money and sorted it into the cash register. “Have a nice day,” they said, handing back her change.
As soon as the exchange was done, the two of them made a hasty retreat with her newest merchandise.
“Ha! I did it! Take that!” she said to herself as soon as they left.
“You did good,” said Minato, remembering her comment about not doing well with crowds. He hadn’t expected it to be this severe. It definitely explained why she had wanted him to come with her.
“Yep. And someday I’ll be able to do it myself,” she said. “I still gotta grab some computer parts, though… sorry for dragging you around like this. I’m sure you had other stuff to do.”
Minato shrugged. “Not really.” He had actually caught up on all of the schoolwork Kosei had given him in an attempt to distract himself, so it was the truth.
“Well, thanks for coming with me anyway,” she said. “Now, onward!”
The store Futaba led them to was a small place, a little out of the way from most of the foot traffic. Futaba busied herself looking for what she needed. Minato figured he wouldn’t be much help in her search, so he simply enjoyed the quieter atmosphere.
I still can’t believe Yuka-chan is a famous actress, said Ryoji. It suits her, though. I bet she’s amazing at it. Futaba definitely seems to think she is.
Yeah. Makes me wonder what the others have gotten up to, though.
Maybe Junpei became an actual detective.
Not likely.
Ouch. You sure shot that one down pretty fast.
It doesn’t really suit him. I bet he’s doing something different. Something that makes him happy, I hope.
You make a good point. I hope so too, said Ryoji. I assume Mitsuru is still working with her company, though.
Definitely, he agreed. Dunno what Akihiko would be doing, though.
I have no idea. Fighting bears, maybe?
Minato suppressed a snort. He probably would.
Minato idly fiddled with his music player as he talked with Ryoji. He sensed Orpheus’ silent contentment as he turned up the volume.
You seem to be enjoying this, he thought with amusement.
“Hey, what kind of music do you listen to on that, anyway?” Minato looked up to see Futaba eyeing his music player with curiosity. “You always seem to have that thing on you. I was kind of surprised it still works, since it looks super old. Though, uh… I guess we sorta know why, now that I think about it,” she finished, looking a bit embarrassed.
Minato thought for a moment. He then took off one headphone and held it out to her.
Futaba looked between him and the earphone for a moment before it clicked in her mind what he was offering to her.
“Oooh!” She took it, pulled down her own headphones, and fiddled with it for a moment as she tried to fasten it over her ear. “Gimme a sec, I haven’t seen these kinds of clip-on headphones since I was little… aaaand… there!” she said triumphantly. She then scooted closer to see what was on the player’s screen. “Now let’s see your taste in music!”
Minato hit play. A familiar upbeat rhythm began to play through the headphones. He minutely nodded his head along to the music, while Futaba listened intently.
“I like the buildup. Real nice.” She looked at the music player’s display to read the title. “‘Burn my Dread’?”
Minato nodded.
“I never actually heard this one before now. I think I know a song that references that one,” she said. “What other songs do you have on there?”
Minato scrolled through the playlist and selected another song. The energetic rhythm of Mass Destruction began playing through the headphones.
Futaba was enthusiastically nodding her head along to the beat as she listened. “Hey, this one isn’t bad either. I might actually add this to my Metaverse fight playlist!” she said, once the song played its final notes.
Minato couldn’t help a faint smile at the comment as he began scrolling through his playlist for another song.
“You sure use that mp3 player a lot,” said Futaba.
“I like to tune everything out,” Minato replied.
“Does it help?”
He shrugged. “Sometimes.”
She nodded. “I get that. I still wear my headphones whenever I go outside. It helps me with being around lots of people.” She hesitated for a moment before taking her headphones off. “You, uh… wanna hear some of my music? Since, you know, you let me hear yours and all. I got some Lyn and some Risette tracks.”
Minato blinked, surprised at the offer. He had never seen her without her headphones on, so this didn’t seem like a gesture made lightly. After a moment of thought, he pulled off his other headphone and held it out to her, holding out his other hand to receive the offered headset.
He and Futaba finished trading their headphones, each handling the other’s with care as they put them on. Futaba’s headset was an unfamiliar weight on his head, but a lot of ambient noise fell away as soon as he properly put them on. Futaba was having a bit of trouble with Minato’s headphones, since they were still connected to the music player around his neck, but managed.
“Really glad that mine are wireless,” she muttered as she finished clipping the other headphone in place.
“Fancy,” he said. “I didn’t know they made those.”
“Says the one with the retro mp3 player,” she shot back, grinning.
“How is that retro?”
Futaba gave him an incredulous look. “Literally no one uses those anymore! Everyone knows you put music on your phone!”
Minato paused. “...Really?”
“Yeah!”
Huh. Phones also doubled as music players now? Minato really needed to get himself one of those sometime.
“How much music can you have on there?” he asked.
“Huh?” Futaba looked surprised by the question. “Oh. As much as you can fit in your phone’s memory, I guess. So if you’ve got decent storage, maybe… several thousand?”
If Minato had been drinking anything at that moment, he would have nearly choked.
“S-several thousand…” he repeated. On a cell phone. His own music player could only fit a few hundred.
“Yeah, but I only keep music on my phone for Metaverse trips since there’s no signal in there,” she added, not noticing his reaction as she tapped at something on her phone. “I don’t really bother the rest of the time, I can just stream whatever music I want online.”
Minato took a second to process that statement.
…Dear gods, that is way too much power for you to have access to, said Ryoji.
I’m definitely looking into that later, Minato thought.
Oh, gods. Ryoji barely suppressed his laughter enough to get his words out. I really wish I could talk to Futaba, if only to warn her what she’s about to unleash.
Orpheus didn’t need to say a word for Minato to know how absolutely thrilled he was.
“Alright, here’s a song I think you’ll like,” said Futaba. She tapped a play button on her phone, and music began to drift through her headphones.
“People come and they go
Some people may stay with you though
I am all alone tonight, and I
Keep on asking myself questions…”
The music was nice. It was slow and rhythmic, almost sounding bittersweet, and the singer had a good voice, singing in deep, rich tones.
Minato glanced over at Futaba, who was listening to another track that he’d played for her, a bright lyrical melody. The two of them must have been an odd sight: two teenagers in a tech store, listening to music on swapped headphones. He couldn’t help the small, faint smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth.
“How can I be so sure?
At a crossroads, I’m afraid too
But I can’t let fear get the best of me
Someone once said, Burn My Dread, babe…
Who knows what tomorrow holds?
Just wanna live my life the way I want
What fills up my soul is passionate
Music that makes me want to sing”
They continued swapping songs for a bit, but that particular song was stuck in his head even after they finished, and he found himself replaying the lyrics in his mind all the way back to Leblanc.
It really was a good song.
As soon as they returned to the small cafe, Futaba made a beeline for the counter.
“Reeen! Sojirooo!” she yelled, proudly placing her haul on the countertop. “I have returned with loot!”
Boss chuckled at her excitement. “Welcome back, Futaba. Did you have a good time?”
Ren poked his head out from the kitchen area. “What did you get?”
“Oh, just the usual. Comics and computer stuff,” she said. “And I paid for them in person, all by myself!”
Sojiro smiled. “That’s great to hear, kiddo.”
“I know!” she said, hopping up onto one of the barstools. “I need a quest reward for my hard work. Curry, please!”
“Alright, alright,” he said, getting up from the stool he had been sitting on. “I suggest putting your stuff upstairs for a bit. The cafe’s technically still open.”
“Thank you!” said Futaba, hopping down again and grabbing her newly purchased items before heading up to the attic.
Sojiro headed into the kitchen while Ren busied himself with the coffee pot behind the counter. Minato, unsure what else to do, took up one of the barstools, enjoying the cozy atmosphere.
“Hey, kid.” Minato turned towards Sojiro, who was addressing him directly. “Thanks for looking out for her today. It looks like you two had fun.”
Minato paused. Huh. He couldn’t say he didn’t enjoy their outing. Now that he was paying attention, he could sense the technicolor threads of the Hermit bond, unearthed and humming brightly in the depths of his soul.
“...Yeah. We did,” he said.
Sojiro gave a satisfied smile. He then placed two plates on the counter, piled high with reheated curry and rice. One of the two plates was placed directly in front of Minato. “Here. You ought to eat something.”
Minato looked at the plate of curry, then back at Sojiro.
“You don’t have to—“
“Yes, kid, I do,” said Sojiro, gently but firmly cutting him off. “Jeez, you and Kitagawa… where the hell does Ren find you kids?” he muttered, running a hand over his receding hair. “Look, don’t worry about it. You spent the whole afternoon with Futaba. It’s the least I can do.”
The curry smelled heavenly. His stomach suddenly grumbled, reminding him that he hadn’t actually eaten since that morning.
Minato felt a bit of red creep across his face. “...Thank you, Sakura-san.”
“Just call me Boss,” he said. “Sakura-san makes me feel old.”
“You are old,” Ren chimed in, pouring out two mugs of freshly brewed coffee and placing them next to the plates.
“And you should learn to watch that smart mouth of yours,” said Sojiro, exasperated.
Minato watched the exchange silently as he ate. The curry was as delicious as it smelled. Futaba then came downstairs and saw the scene.
“Another victim claimed by the world’s best curry,” she said, nodding sagely before digging into her own plate. “Thanks for the food!”
Minato quickly finished his curry and took up the offered mug of coffee. “Thank you for the food.”
“I told you, don’t worry about it.” Boss took the empty plate and placed it in the sink with the rest of the dishes. “You should probably be getting back. It’s getting late.”
“Actually, do you mind if I walk you back to your dorms?” Ren asked. “I was hoping I could ask you about something.”
“Sure,” said Minato.
Ren looked over towards Sojiro with an innocent look.
“...Alright, fine. Go ahead. it’s almost time to lock up anyway,” Boss said with a sigh. “Just make sure you have the key I gave you. I don’t want to have to come all the way back just because you locked yourself out.”
Ren gave a small two-fingered salute. “Got it, Boss.”
The two of them finished up in the cafe and left shortly afterward. Boss was right, it had been getting late; the autumn sky was now streaked with orange and pink.
“What did you want to talk about?” Minato asked as they headed down into the Yongen-Jaya subway station.
“Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad,” Ren said quickly. “It’s just something I’d rather talk about in private.”
“Okay. What is it?”
“Well…” Ren started, unsure what else to begin with. Minato didn’t seem like one to dance around the topic, so he figured the direct approach would be best. “The Velvet Room. Have you ever seen or heard of it?”
The look of surprise he got in response told him everything.
“Yeah,” Minato admitted. “You can see the door too?”
“Oh, thank god.” Ren visibly relaxed. “You’re the first person I’ve ever met that can also see it. None of the others can, and I don’t have any idea how to explain that without sounding crazy.”
Minato tilted his head. “You haven’t tried?”
“Well…” Ren glanced away with a sheepish look, tugging at a lock of curly hair. “It… wasn’t all that important to bring up anyway,” he explained weakly.
Minato nodded, understanding.
The station’s speakers announced the train’s arrival, interrupting the conversation. They quickly hopped onto the crowded car, and the train ride passed by in relative silence, neither of them willing to continue their private conversation while so many strangers were within earshot.
“So… what about the Velvet Room?” Minato asked as soon as they got off the crowded train and left the station.
“Oh. Yeah,” said Ren. “I asked Caroline and Justine about you, and they did mention that you had been inside before. Do you recall anything like that?”
“Not yet,” Minato replied. “Who are Caroline and Justine?”
“The twins that usually stand outside the door.”
Minato failed to suppress a shudder.
Ren raised an eyebrow. “Not a fan?”
“They’re terrifying,” he responded. “Especially the girl with the baton.”
Ren chuckled to himself. “Yeah… Don’t let Caroline hear you say that, though. I’m guessing you had a run-in with them?” he asked. Minato nodded. “Guess that explains why she doesn’t seem to like you much.”
“I noticed,” Minato replied flatly.
I did warn you not to mess with her, Ryoji chimed in teasingly.
I know, he replied with a mental grumble.
“Why were you asking about me?” Minato asked.
“Well, after Orpheus appeared, I wanted to know if they had seen you stop by, or if they could help you with persona fusions, since you’re a wildcard,” said Ren. “The twins said that they couldn’t let you into the Velvet Room, though.”
“Because they’re busy, or because Caroline doesn’t like me?”
“They… actually, they mentioned something about their master being unhappy about it, and that it would be a bad idea for you to try to enter,” Ren explained. “Though I wouldn’t be surprised if that was true too,” he added, the corners of his mouth turning up at the thought.
Minato ignored that last part, mulling over the new information.
Didn’t the twins mention that their master had told them about you? Ryoji asked.
They did, said Minato. If I’ve been inside before, that explains why he knew about me.
So then why would he be unhappy? Ryoji asked. That seems kind of odd, if you’ve been inside before. Being busy is one thing, but I can’t imagine why you would be unwelcome.
Minato found himself unable to think of an answer.
“Do you know why he wouldn’t be happy to see me?” Minato asked.
Ren shrugged. “Dunno. Igor and the twins aren’t ones for giving straightforward answers.”
Igor. That must have been the master’s name. Ryoji knew nothing of the Velvet Room, so he couldn’t explain anything about it, but the name sounded as familiar as Elizabeth had been.
“Have you asked Igor?”
Ren visibly faltered. “I’m… not too keen on asking him much. He’s a little intimidating.”
Minato frowned. It was a small detail, but for some reason, it stuck out to him.
“How so?” he asked.
“You know… the creepy grin and the eyes,” Ren explained. “I’ve never seen him blink. He just… stares at me. Like he can see right through me.” He looked slightly uncomfortable as he described him. “Honestly, it’s unsettling. I can’t tell what he’s thinking at all.”
Minato thought about his explanation. It didn’t strike him as odd the same way Ren’s previous comment did. After considering it for a moment, he couldn’t figure out an explanation, so he let it go.
“If you learn anything else from them, I’m here if you want to talk,” said Minato.
“Thanks,” said Ren. “I may take you up on that offer. I’ve never been able to talk about the Velvet Room with anyone before. It’s actually kind of a relief,” he admitted, his expression looking a bit lighter than before.
“Maybe you should talk to the others about it, then,” said Minato. If it had been weighing on him that much…
Ren had a pensive look on his face. “...Maybe. I’ll think about it,” he said. “Though if I do, you’ll have to back me up so they won’t think I’ve gone crazy from stress.”
Minato conceded his point.
The two of them walked along in silence for a moment. The oranges and pinks of the sky had now darkened into faint pinks and deep purples.
“...Hey, Minato,” said Ren. “You said you had a lot to think about the other day, back in the palace. How are you holding up? Are you doing alright?”
Minato didn’t look at him. “...I’m doing better,” he admitted. “I’ll be ready when we go back.”
“That’s not why I’m asking,” Ren said, frowning.
Minato sighed. “I know.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
The silence stretched for a moment as Minato considered the offer.
“...Do you… remember what I said about remembering people that were important to me?” he finally asked.
Ren nodded, listening.
“It’s getting easier,” Minato said. “Remembering stuff. It was a lot harder before. A lot’s come back to me since Futaba found that article,” he said half-truthfully, not mentioning that Ryoji recounting his story was most of the reason he actually recalled anything at all. It was still pretty sobering, remembering the day he had died. “Not everything, but enough.”
“...Well, I’m glad some good came out of it,” said Ren.
Minato nodded. “Those people I mentioned. They’re old friends,” he said. “I was… thinking about contacting them. After all this is over,” he explained. “But I might need Futaba’s help again to do that. And you’re all dealing with a lot right now.”
Ren frowned slightly. “Not that I wouldn’t be happy to help with that, but… you think they’ll believe whatever explanation you tell them?” he asked. “I mean… you were dead, after all. That’ll be hard to explain.”
“I…” Minato hesitated. “Telling them what happened shouldn’t be a problem. They’ve seen weird things before,” he replied.
…That’s not what you’re worried about, is it? asked Ryoji. Minato didn’t have to confirm his suspicions. It’ll work out. They’re your friends.
I hope you’re right, Minato thought.
Ren frowned. “...Alright. If you’re sure. You know them better than I do,” he said. “Though it might be best to avoid telling them about us. The Phantom Thieves aren’t exactly popular right now,” he added.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” said Minato.
“I appreciate it,” said Ren. “But if you don’t mind me asking… why wait until after the heist?” he asked. “We still have some time before we send the calling card. Wouldn’t you want to see them sooner if they’re old friends of yours?”
Several answers came to mind. Because they were already in over their heads. Because anything could set off Akechi’s suspicions, causing the whole plan to fall apart. Because they couldn’t afford any distractions, because Futaba was busy, and because they were all trying to ensure that Ren didn’t wind up dead.
A different explanation came out instead, one that he had been more reluctant to admit than anything else.
“...I’m scared.”
Ren looked at him in surprise.
“It’s been years. They’ve had time to move on,” Minato continued. He had no place in their lives anymore. He could have been all but forgotten, for all he knew, and wasn’t that a terrifying thought. “I want to see them again. But… I don’t know if I should.” He looked up at Ren. “Especially if there’s a chance that this isn’t permanent.”
“Permanent..?” Ren asked. He then blanched, realizing what he’d meant. “Oh. That. Yeah, that’s… a good reason to be worried.”
Minato nodded wordlessly.
Ren thought for a minute, and Minato walked with him in relative silence until he spoke again. “I’ll be honest, I have no idea what the right answer is. You might have to find the answer yourself.”
Minato couldn’t help a small, bitter smile. Wasn’t that always the case?
“Nothing about my situation is normal, is it?” said Minato.
“It’s… unusual, I’ll give it that,” Ren admitted. “But we also fight the shadows of humanity’s subconscious with magic powers in a demonic version of the subway system.”
Minato huffed a small laugh. “Yeah.”
“And hey,” said Ren, nudging him with his elbow. “Even if it doesn’t work out, you’ve still got me. Permanent or not.”
“...Thanks,” said Minato. “I appreciate it.”
“No problem,” said Ren. “I mean… you were the one who told me to reach out to Akechi because he’s my friend. And he’s a murderer,” he added, dropping his voice to a whisper. “I don’t see why I can’t do the same to you.”
Minato shrugged, conceding his point. “How’s that going, anyway?”
“Ugh. Not well,” Ren said sourly. “I’ve been trying to get through to Akechi, but I don’t know if I did something wrong, because now he keeps saying he’s too busy every time I ask him to hang out.”
Minato took note of that. That was a bit of an odd reaction to have.
I wonder…
I do too, but there’s no way to know for sure, Ryoji chimed in. Ren’s doing what he can. We can only hope for the best.
…Yeah. I guess, he thought.
“Do you think you’ll get to talk to him before the calling card?” Minato asked.
Ren shrugged. “At this rate? I doubt it,” he said. “I feel like I’m running out of time.”
Minato couldn’t deny how well he knew that feeling.
Ren looked pensive for a moment. “You know… If it makes you feel any better… I’m also a little scared myself,” Ren admitted. “Actually, I’m terrified. I trust all of you, but… what if this plan doesn’t work? What if it’s just not enough?”
Minato was quiet for a moment. “...It’ll have to be. We’ll make sure it is.”
Ren’s frown deepened. “Yeah, I know,” he said. “Don’t tell any of the others I said any of that, by the way.”
“Why not?” Minato asked.
“I can’t start having second thoughts, Minato,” Ren said, a slight edge in his voice. “Not now. The plan is already a big risk, and if I’m not confident, the others might second-guess themselves too, and we can’t mess this up. Do you get what I’m saying?”
“And what about you?” said Minato.
“What about me?” Ren asked.
Minato felt a twinge of irritation. “Why do you act like your feelings don’t matter?”
“I–” Ren startled. “What? No, I don’t.”
“You do.”
Ren gave him a flat look. “I’m the leader, Minato.”
“And you’re our friend, Ren.” Minato gave him a steady look in return, trying to ignore how uncomfortably familiar this topic was getting. He would think about that later. Right now, this needed to be said. “Do you not trust us?”
“Of course I do,” said Ren. “I never said that I didn’t.”
“Trust isn’t just having each other’s backs in a fight,” said Minato. “You should talk to the others. You can’t just pretend everything’s fine and expect it to be.”
“What, like you do?” Ren shot back. He immediately paled, realizing what he had just said.
Minato winced, unable to argue with that point. “...Yeah,” he admitted.
“Fuck,” said Ren. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I said that.”
“...Don’t be. You’re right,” said Minato. “Maybe that’s why I’m telling you this. I don’t know.” He looked away, shoving his hands in his pockets. “... Don’t try to carry the whole world alone, Ren. Not if you don’t have to.”
And Minato knew that well from personal experience. If more people had the will to stand up in the face of despair, the coming of Nyx and Erebus might have even been prevented from happening in the first place. They wouldn’t have had to face Death with no hope of winning. It might be a little late to be having those thoughts, but Minato didn’t want to watch Ren back himself into a similar corner.
Ren seemed to consider his words. “...I’ll try to keep it in mind,” he finally said. “It’s not that easy, though.”
“Never is,” Minato replied.
The conversation halted there, and the two of them walked together in an odd silence for a minute before a text notification broke the silence.
Ren pulled out his phone. “Huh. Speak of the devil. It’s Akechi,” he said. “...He wants to meet up.”
Minato glanced over. “You said he didn’t before?”
“Yeah. He’s asking me to meet him later in… Kichijoji?” said Ren, reading the text. “Huh. Can't say I’ve been to that part of Tokyo before…” He then shrugged. “Whatever. I’ll look up a map on the way.”
“What does he want?” said Minato.
“He didn’t say. Guess I’ll find out later,” said Ren.
Well, that wasn’t reassuring in the slightest. “Sounds shady,” said Minato.
“Yeah, I know. I’m sure I can handle it, though,” said Ren. “Anyway, we’re here.”
Minato looked up, seeing the front doors of the dorm just down the street. Huh. So they were.
“Thanks for walking me back,” said Minato.
“No problem. It was nice to talk,” said Ren. “Night, Minato.”
Minato gave a lazy wave. “See ya.”
Later that night, after meeting up with Akechi and soundly beating him in a duel, he noted that both his Justice and Universe bonds had grown stronger. Those two bonds were coincidentally the two he had the most difficulty navigating; they both left him feeling off-kilter or exposed in a way that few of his other bonds did.
Despite that, Ren lingered over his Justice bond, and continued to wonder to himself if his efforts would be enough.
Notes:
Good lord, I think I broke a record for longest chapter?? I have never hit 7k in a chapter before??? Futaba is just that powerful I guess
I can't believe it took me this long to include “boy from 2009 reacts to 2016 technology” in this fic, that is like one of my favorite fun moments of Minato in P5 AUs. Also, god Futaba is fun to write. Anyway that’s how Futaba accidentally unlocked the p3 battle music DLC hahahahaha
The funny thing about wildcards and their social links is, they often help the other person to learn and grow as a person. What happens when you have two wildcards that have bonded?
(The answer is chaos, apparently. I only got halfway through the scene before these two decided to take a hard left and throw my outline out the window.)Hope y’all enjoyed the chapter! :D
Chapter 11: Casino Royale
Summary:
The calling card is sent, and plans are set in motion.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
The Thieves stepped foot into the Metaverse on the day of the calling card, appearing just outside in the hidden side alley where they usually entered. The gaudy neon lights of the palace were flashing erratically between different colors, and Shadows patrolled the area in droves.
“The calling card’s definitely gone into effect,” said Mona.
“Yeah. The palace’s security is going nuts,” said Futaba.
“Are you ready for this?” Minato asked Makoto.
Makoto nodded, her red eyes blazing underneath her steel mask. “Yes. Sis may see us as her enemies, but I want to save her no matter what,” she said. She looked towards Minato, addressing him quietly while the others prepared themselves. “And what about you? You said you would be prepared for today last time we were here. Don’t think I’ve forgotten.”
Minato nodded. “I am.”
“Good,” she said.
“Everyone else ready?” Ren asked, fully donning his mask as Joker.
Everyone responded with a yes.
“Good,” he said. “This is our last heist. Let’s give this everything we got.”
“Damn right we will,” said Ryuji.
The group made their way to the very top, where Sae’s Shadow awaited them instead of the Treasure.
“So. You’ve finally arrived,” said Shadow Sae. “I never expected you all to get this far. Allow me to congratulate you.”
“Sis…” Makoto said, too quietly for anyone outside the group to hear.
Akechi stepped forward. “We would rather have your Treasure than your praise. Where is it?”
Shadow Sae glared at him. “This is my casino. If you want my Treasure, you’ll have to take me on directly and win it, fair and square.” She raised a hand and snapped her fingers, disappearing in a flash of light. “Come up to the roof and meet me there, and we will settle this once and for all,” her voice echoed around the room. At the back of the Treasure room, a smaller elevator came down and opened its doors.
“She’s on the roof, just like she said,” said Futaba. “And that elevator’s the only way up. Definitely gonna be a boss fight up ahead.”
The group headed up the elevator, the doors opening up to reveal the open rooftop. Shadow Sae stood in the center of a circular field.
“So what will it be this time?” said Akechi pleasantly. “Cards? Dice? Slots? No matter what you bring out, we will continue to win.”
Shadow Sae’s smile turned a little sharper. “If you think you have me cornered, you’re making a grave mistake. The reason I asked you to come up here is because this is my special playing field, where I can fight to my heart’s content,” she said. “Criminals like you all will not escape the full judgment of the law. I will win, no matter what the cost. Justice cannot give in to evil.”
“Listen to me!” said Makoto. “Faking evidence? Prosecuting innocent people just to win? This is wrong and you know it!”
Shadow Sae’s smile fell. “If you’re so sure about that, then all we need to do to determine who is right… is battle.” She raised up a gloved hand once again and snapped her fingers, and and in response, the field began to rumble and change. “Let’s see what you’re all really made of!”
They all stepped back as panels on the edge of the field opened up all around them, slowly revealing a massive roulette wheel.
“Woah!” Ryuji yelled, jumping back.
“Is this..?” said Yusuke.
“You didn’t think I meant a clash of brute strength, did you?” Shadow Sae smiled cruelly, her eyes burning gold. “This is a casino, after all. And I play to win,” she said.
Makoto ducked her head down at her sister’s words, her fists visibly shaking at her sides. Minato almost stepped forward to her, but to his surprise someone else beat him to it.
Akechi placed a hand on her shoulder, making her look up in surprise. “You’ll save her, right?” he asked, an odd seriousness in his voice that Minato hadn’t heard before.
Makoto calmed down and nodded, turning away from him. “We intend to win, too.”
Shadow Sae chuckled. “Good. Now, come at me!” she taunted, kicking off the fight.
Sae’s shadow put up a hard fight. The casino’s lights flashed around the dizzying battlefield-turned-roulette-wheel, which Shadow Sae used in the fight. The battlefield itself was rigged against them, like every other part of the casino had been, but they managed to quickly figure out her cheating methods and break right through her defenses.
“No!” Shadow Sae yelled. “I have to win… I must win, no matter what!”
“You say that, but you can’t even win against us without resorting to cheating!” said Futaba, communicating to them all through Necronomicon. “So give it up already!”
“Yeah!” said Ryuji. “There ain’t nothin’ fair or square about this!”
“SHUT UP!” Shadow Sae screamed at them, losing all composure before exploding outward in a burst of black, churning smoke, eventually reforming into a massive armored figure.
“Whoa!” said Ryuji, jumping back just in time to narrowly avoid a swing of her giant bloodstained sword.
“What the-?!” said Futaba.
“Sis!” said Makoto, unable to help the slip-up, but Shadow Sae was too caught up in her rage to notice.
“Cheating?” said Shadow Sae, hefting up her blade for another swing. “So what?! Victory is all that matters! Everything else comes second! I will not lose, especially to the likes of you!”
Holy hell! That’s really Sae’s shadow?! said Ryoji, with only Minato able to hear him as they all dodged Sae’s attacks. How can someone’s shadow have that much power? She’s more like one of the Arcana Shadows!
I don’t know, Minato thought. It must have something to do with the distortion that made her Palace.
Well, whatever the reason, don’t let your guard down around her, Ryoji replied.
Shadow Sae was much faster and stronger in this form. Minato was barely avoiding her attacks, and it looked like the others were faring similarly; whenever her blows hit, they hit hard.
“Sis, listen to yourself!” said Makoto, dodging another attack. “You used to believe in justice! What happened to that?!”
“That part of me died with my father!” said Shadow Sae. “He believed in his self-righteous justice too, up until the end when it got him killed!”
Shadow Sae fired a shot at Makoto, this time clipping her in the side. She took advantage of the opening, swinging her sword in an overhead strike, but Makoto cast a defensive spell and blocked her directly, pushing back against her blade with her steel gauntlets.
“Justice? Fairness?! Grow up!” said Shadow Sae, viciously pressing down her sword, her words attacking Makoto as much as her blade. “The real world isn’t fair! I learned that when I was left with nothing but empty praises to my late father’s virtuousness and a little sister to take care of alone! I had to pick up the pieces he left behind! And I won’t make the same mistakes he did!”
“I know… you’re hurting… and I’m sorry… you feel that way… ” Makoto was straining under the weight of Sae’s blade, but her determination was clear. “But I won’t stop… until you’ve come to your senses…!”
Makoto suddenly moved, taking advantage of Shadow Sae’s distraction. She quickly sidestepped and let the blade swing down, throwing Shadow Sae off-balance, and then lunged forward to strike. In one smooth motion, Makoto grabbed Shadow Sae’s arm and used her momentum to pin her to the ground in a flawless Aikido-style takedown.
“Now!” Makoto yelled.
The Thieves went in for an all-out attack, taking full advantage of the opening Makoto created, and all of their attacks hit. Shadow Sae gave a distorted yell of pain, throwing Makoto off and staggering to her feet, looking much worse for wear.
“I just need to win… as long as I can win…” she said, visibly flagging. A red haze began to surround her. “That’s all that matters..!”
“Guys!” Futaba communicated through Necronomicon. “Her power is rapidly increasing, but her defenses just went way down! Don’t get hit by her next attack! If you can avoid her attacks and hit her back hard enough, she should go down!”
Shadow Sae was now attacking wildly, shooting bullets and swinging her blade with reckless abandon, forcing the Thieves to keep dodging rather than close in for another attack.
Her last-ditch frenzy eventually took up too much of her remaining energy though, and Shadow Sae slowed down just enough for Makoto to strike at the opening in her defenses.
“FIST OF JUSTICE!” Makoto yelled, swinging her fist in a right hook that connected with Shadow Sae’s face. Blue light flared at the point of contact, and exploded outward in a blast of atomic energy. Shadow Sae’s head snapped back from the force, and she stumbled back before slumping forward to the ground in defeat.
The Thieves cautiously shared a look between each other.
“Did we beat her?” asked Ryuji.
Shadow Sae’s form rippled and dissolved, growing smaller until she had returned to her original human-like form.
The group collectively relaxed. They had won.
Makoto ran forward, kneeling in front of her sister’s shadow. “Sis!”
“Makoto..?” Shadow Sae said, surprise flickering in her eyes.
“We’ll retrieve the treasure. Wait here a moment,” Yusuke said quietly, slipping away towards the Treasure room with Ryuji.
“So… I’ve lost,” said Shadow Sae, her expression one of dull defeat.
“Sis. I understand,” said Makoto. “I don’t think it’s wrong to expose evils that can’t be punished by the law. That’s all the Phantom Thieves have been trying to do too,” she explained. “But twisting the truth for your own personal gain? The Sae I used to know wouldn’t have even dreamed of doing something like that.”
“I can’t lose, Makoto. If I lose, my career is over. And if I lose that, I don’t know if I’ll be able to take care of the both of us,” said Shadow Sae. “The stakes are too high for me to simply walk away.”
“I don’t expect you to,” said Makoto. “You’ve never been one to give up on anything. Remember why you decided to become a prosecutor in the first place. Think about your justice, Sis!”
“My justice..?” said Shadow Sae.
“Please, Sis,” said Makoto. “Try to remember how you used to be.”
Shadow Sae took a moment to process her words.
“...I’ve really let you down, haven’t I, Makoto?” said Shadow Sae.
Makoto simply leaned forward to give her sister’s Shadow a hug.
“We all make mistakes, trying to do what we think is best. I’ve learned that,” said Makoto. “Thank you, Sis. For always looking out for me.”
At that moment, Yusuke and Ryuji returned.
“Got the treasure, guys.” Ryuji and Yusuke walked up behind them, now holding the ‘Treasure’. All of them save for Akechi recognized it as the fake one that they had planted within the Palace a couple days ago, before sending the calling card. The others began to discuss their next steps, but Minato paid their conversation little mind.
Minato saw the Thieves’ activities as merely a way of delivering justice, and he didn’t have any strong feelings about justice like they did; all he really cared about was the people around him, the ones within reach that he could hold out a hand to. As long as he had that, nothing else mattered. Thinking back to what he’d heard from the Thieves, and remembering mentions of Ann's friend and Haru’s father, he was getting the feeling that what the Thieves were doing was a little closer to that than he’d originally thought.
I never really gave much thought to what the Phantom Thieves were doing, Minato thought to himself, watching the exchange between Makoto and her sister. But I think I see why they believe this is worth fighting for.
Yeah, Ryoji hummed thoughtfully.
“Huh?” Futaba said, gaining all of their attention. “W-what?!”
“What is it?” Minato asked, already suspecting what the matter was.
“A ton of enemy readings just appeared down at the entrance!” she explained, looking at a set of holographic screens around her. “And they’re not shadows, either!”
And so it begins, said Ryoji. Good luck.
“What do you mean, they’re not shadows?” asked Haru. She then gasped. “You don’t mean…?”
“People. Real people,” said Futaba. “And they look like bad news.”
“How did they get in here?” Minato asked, genuinely wondering despite going along with the act.
“That doesn’t matter right now. We need to go now!” said Morgana. “If we get surrounded, we’ll be done for!”
“A group this big will be spotted instantly, though,” said Makoto. “We’ll have to split up, but that’s just as dangerous. Unless…” Makoto shook her head. “No, that’s too risky.”
“What is it?” Yusuke asked.
“You’re thinking the same thing, aren’t you Queen?” said Morgana. “We’ll need a decoy to draw their attention.”
Makoto nodded. “Yes, but there’s a serious chance whoever does it will be caught.”
“We don’t stand a chance otherwise,” said Ren. “I’ll do it.”
“Joker, you can’t be serious!” said Makoto.
“Why wouldn’t I be? I have the best chance of shaking them off.”
“This isn’t a game, Joker! You could die!”
“Let ‘im do it, Queen,” said Ryuji, sounding a bit resigned. “He’s not gonna budge on this.” He stepped forward and held out the ‘Treasure’ for him to take. “You better not die, dude.”
“Guys, more are coming!” said Futaba. “We gotta split, now!”
Makoto looked conflicted. “...Good luck, Joker,” she finally conceded.
“Come back safe,” Minato added.
Ren gave a nod, understanding his meaning.
Ren went ahead to find the flashiest exit route possible while the rest of them stayed behind and split up into groups. The elevator was not an option, being the most open and unhidden escape route, so they would all have to find other ways down.
Fox, Skull, and Ghost had hidden themselves in one of the back halls, ready to go at a moment’s notice. Panther and Noir opted to take a route outside the casino, leaping down using the balconies as footholds; Mona and Crow were taking a similar route separate from theirs. Queen’s motorcycle was quietly idling in another hallway, Oracle seated safely in front of her, leaving her free to navigate while they made their escape and protecting her from any enemies they encountered.
All of them laid in wait for Futaba’s signal, overlooking the casino from their hiding spots.
Futaba’s comms came to life in their ears. “Okay, we’re clear, guys! Joker’s got their attention! Go, go, go!”
Adrenaline was rushing through Minato as they ran, his senses all on high alert as they made their high-stakes escape. Along with the interrogation itself, this was easily one of the most critical parts of the plan. They absolutely could not afford to be discovered. The plan would fall apart if anyone else other than Joker was caught.
The group practically flew down the labyrinth of back hallways, listening to Futaba’s rapid-fire navigation of all the groups.
“Panther, Noir, wait a sec, don’t go down there yet. Queen, go down the right hallway, we’ll be too exposed if you go that way. Okay Team Panther, the coast is clear— ack! Queen, slow down, I’m trying to navigate!” said Futaba. “Team Fox, take a left! You’ve got baddies coming the other way!”
At that moment, a couple of men in suits emerged from a set of doors right where Futaba had predicted, immediately spotting them.
“There you are,” one of them said, pulling out a handheld radio transmitter. “Three suspects spotted in the east section. One confirmed. Requesting backup.”
“Shit!” said Ryuji. The three of them quickly backtracked and ran in the opposite direction as fast as they could.
“Crap… more are coming for you guys,” said Futaba. “It looks like they’re going to intercept you guys up ahead.”
“Dammit,” said Ryuji, still running alongside the others. “These guys don’t give up!”
“Hold on, a sec, I’m running a scan…” said Futaba. “Got it! Keep going and enter the first room on your left! There’s a vent that’ll take you all the way down to the first floor, just outside!”
“Outside?” Yusuke asked. “Couldn’t we have taken that route up, then?”
“Not really,” said Futaba. “It’s kind of a one-way trip. And you’re not gonna like it.”
“We don’t gotta like it! If it’s that fast, we gotta take it!” said Ryuji, finding the room and nearly slamming the door open. He quickly ushered them all inside and slammed it shut behind him, turning the bolt to lock it.
They turned to see that the room they had entered was small and dingy-looking. On the opposite wall was a large vent opening, with a sign over it that said “TRASH CHUTE” in bold letters.
“...You can’t be serious,” said Ryuji in disbelief.
Minato opened the chute door and looked inside. The vent was a vertical drop, with the steel walls having no handholds to grab on to. The bottom was nowhere in sight, obscured by darkness.
One way, indeed, he thought.
“Hell no!” said Ryuji. “We can’t jump down there! The fall might actually kill us!”
A loud bang resounded through the room, and the door shuddered as someone tried to kick it from the other side. “Open up!”
Minato looked towards Ryuji. “We don’t have a choice. Let’s go!”
Ryuji and Minato climbed into the chute while Yusuke coated the door with a thick layer of ice, barring it shut. Together, they jumped.
Minato’s stomach nearly leapt into his throat as they went into a free fall for one long, terrifying moment. Then, the two of them landed in a pile of unidentifiable garbage with an unceremonious crunch.
Gross, Minato thought.
And then Yusuke landed on top of them.
“Ow,” Ryuji groaned.
“Personal space,” Minato wheezed out.
“My apologies,” said Yusuke.
“Told you guys you weren’t gonna like it,” said Futaba.
“Are you guys okay? Is something wrong?! I heard yelling!” said Makoto.
“They’re fine. Team Fox just got out,” said Futaba.
“Already? That was fast!” said Morgana.
Minato ignored the chatter and gently shoved Yusuke off of them. He then briefly summoned Orpheus, casting a quick healing spell over the group.
“Thanks, dude,” said Ryuji, sitting up. “Ow. That really hurt.”
“No problem,” Minato said, looking around. It looked like they had landed in a dumpster, in an alleyway just outside the casino. He looked up to see the casino’s gaudy neon lighting far above their heads, dimly lighting the alley. Fortunately, it looked like they were alone here, but it sounded like a commotion was going on not too far off, and it likely wouldn’t take long for their pursuers to figure out where they had ended up. They weren’t out of the woods yet. “We need to keep moving.”
They climbed out of the cognitive garbage they’d landed in, helping each other up before climbing up a nearby fire escape.
“Oh my god, Joker’s nuts,” said Futaba as they climbed up. “Did you see that jump through the window?!”
Minato nearly slipped. “He did what?”
“Is this really the best time for such theatrics?” Akechi asked dryly.
“The point of a distraction is to be distracting, Crow,” said Morgana.
“Sheesh, we could see that jump from up here,” said Ann. “Wow, he even stuck the landing!”
“He’s being reckless,” Makoto said disapprovingly.
“I wish I could have seen it,” Yusuke lamented above him. “I suppose I will just have to recreate it on canvas. A lithe form, suspended in the air in a backwards arc, illuminated by the moonlight…”
“Less musing, more moving, Inari,” said Futaba.
“I think that description sounds lovely,” said Haru. “It’s quite accurate to what we saw, as well.”
The three of them had just climbed up to the roof when Futaba’s panicked voice came through the comms again.
“Wait– Joker, get out of there! There’s too many of them!”
Yusuke, Ryuji, and Minato shared a look of dread and made their way across the rooftops as quickly as they could, finally stopping when they reached an unobstructed viewpoint.
A ball of ice formed in Minato’s gut as he saw Ren surrounded by an army of police, being dragged off in handcuffs. Knowing it was all part of the plan didn’t make it any easier to watch.
Ryuji’s expression crumpled under his mask, and he furiously slammed a fist against the bricks of the roof. “Dammit..!”
Yusuke looked similarly downcast. “...I’ve never felt so helpless,” he finally admitted.
Minato didn’t dare say anything, not while Futaba’s telepathic communications were still open for everyone to hear, including Akechi.
It took every ounce of willpower Minato had to turn away. Please, he thought to himself. Please let him be okay.
The meeting point they’d agreed on wasn’t too far off, only a couple blocks away. Makoto and Futaba were already there waiting for them, the former alert for any threats while the latter continued navigating the others to safety. Makoto greeted them with a tense nod, and they all quietly awaited the others, none of them willing to break the tense silence.
Not too long after, the others arrived. Their expressions told them that they already knew what happened too. Minato wanted nothing more than to drop the act, but with Akechi still here, they could not afford to, not when doing so would mean losing a friend.
Haru was the first to break the silence.
“We must do something,” she said. “We can’t just leave him behind!”
Futaba shook her head. “We can’t,” she said. Futaba was huddled between Ann and Minato. Her voice was dull in a way that was unsettling, compared to her usual energetic self. “There’s– there’s way too many of them. We’ll just get caught too.”
“Dammit, what are we gonna do?!” said Ryuji.
“I don’t know,” said Makoto. “Those men were police officers. Real ones.”
“Which means he’ll be in police custody, now that he’s been arrested,” said Akechi.
“Crow!” said Ann, giving him a not-entirely-fake anguished look. Her act was surprisingly convincing. “Can’t you do something to help him?”
Akechi shook his head. “I cannot do that.”
“Why not?” she pressed.
“You do realize the magnitude of what you are asking me to do for you?” Akechi said sharply, gravely serious. “I am a detective. I am a member of law enforcement. Even if we have a common goal, I cannot— will not— break anyone out of jail simply because it is convenient for you.”
“But you know he’s not the Black Mask,” said Yusuke. “You claimed yourself that you were pursuing the truth.”
“Even knowing that he is not the true culprit, he is still a wanted vigilante,” Akechi countered. “You all knew the risks of pursuing justice outside the law. Or did you only do so because you believed you would never be caught?”
Anger flickered across Ryuji’s expression. “You little–!”
“Enough!” said Makoto, stepping in. “Fighting will get us nowhere. We need to leave already before we’re discovered too.”
Akechi looked away, not meeting their eyes. Ryuji looked like he wanted to argue, every part of him tense and ready to fight, but instead he simply turned around and stormed off. They saw him pull out his phone and furiously tap the Metaverse navigator just before disappearing.
“I’ll go after him,” said Ann, following suit.
“Our deal is complete,” said Akechi, pulling out his phone. “I’m sorry it had to end like this. I won’t impose on all of you any longer. Goodbye.” He tapped his phone and disappeared as well.
The silence that followed was nearly deafening, only disturbed by the commotion in the distance around the casino.
“I hate him,” said Haru, her face hidden in the shadow of her hat. Her hand had shifted to her axe, gripping it tightly.
“I know,” said Makoto.
None of them had anything left to say in the silence that followed. One by one, the rest of the group quietly slipped back into reality.
Just like that, it was over. The rest of the plan was in Ren’s hands now. All they could do from here on out was wait for him on the other side.
The next twenty-four hours seemed to pass by at an agonizingly slow rate.
Minato could hardly focus on schoolwork or classes, simply going on autopilot while the world continued on around him. The minutes ticked by with all the uncertainty of waiting in a hospital waiting room for news of a loved one’s well-being. The comparison definitely fit the situation well enough. The only difference was that they couldn’t let anyone else know about it.
Minato uselessly glared at the open book on his desk, as if doing so could force his brain to actually focus on the paragraph he’d been trying to read for the past hour, rather than listen to conversations overheard in passing. The news about Ren’s arrest had already broken, and it seemed like all anyone could talk about. Gossip, speculation, and even the occasional harsh words were thrown around with little care, and it was getting difficult to ignore.
Minato glanced up at the clock. It was only just past noon. Other students were preparing to eat lunch.
He sighed and closed the book, gathering his scarce few things before leaving the classroom to get something to eat.
He’ll be fine, said Ryoji, not sounding completely convinced himself. You’ve all done everything you can.
It still might not be enough, Minato thought. I just wish today could be over already.
Yeah. I feel the same, said Ryoji. Hey, why don’t you look for Yusuke? I’m sure he could use the company as well.
Minato considered the suggestion. Thanks. I think I’d like that.
He looked high and low around the school for Yusuke until he eventually found him in one of the school’s art studios, seated in front of a large canvas on an easel, staring at it as though deep in thought.
Yusuke looked up from his work in mild surprise. “Hello, Minato. What brings you here?”
“Lunch,” he replied. The studio was empty save for the two of them, granting them a small degree of privacy.
Yusuke looked at his phone, checking the time. “Ah. I hadn’t realized. I admit, I’ve not had much of an appetite today.”
Well, that wasn’t very good. Passing out from hunger wasn’t going to do him any favors.
“Here.” Minato handed him a packaged loaf of bread from the school’s store. “You should still eat something.”
“Ah. Thank you, Minato.” said Yusuke, accepting the offering with a thin smile. “I had planned on eating later, but I will never turn down the opportunity to share a meal with a friend.”
Minato nodded, pulling up a stool to sit near him. “What are you doing?”
“I have been attempting to paint. Putting my feelings on canvas is often as insightful as it is therapeutic,” Yusuke said, turning towards his canvas with a thoughtful frown. “Anger, love, desire and hope… there is beauty to be found in all of them. They are all vital to understanding the truth of the human heart, however grotesque they may be.”
Minato leaned over to look at the canvas Yusuke was seated in front of. “It’s blank,” he said.
Yusuke nodded. “Indeed. For the first time in quite some time, I find myself entirely unable to create. For the first time, I do not wish to. I hold a pencil to paper, and yet I’m paralyzed.” Yusuke looked up at Minato. “Perhaps that is the form fear takes. A blank page, devoid of the emotions I feel in my heart. The fear of making mistakes. The inability to continue moving forward. The uncertainty of a future that I do not know.”
Minato nodded, listening as he went on. He wasn’t surprised Yusuke was also having trouble keeping up appearances today. “Makes sense.”
The two of them spent the lunch period together in relative silence, easing each other’s burdens just a little bit simply by keeping each other company and not having to put up a mask. They had both finished eating what little lunch they had when Yusuke broke the silence.
“Your hands are shaking.”
Minato gave him a confused look. “What?”
“Your hands. They’re shaking.”
Minato looked down at his hands. Sure enough, there was a very tiny, almost unnoticeable tremor.
“Oh.” He didn’t realize. He shoved them into his pockets without thinking. “Sorry.”
Yusuke frowned slightly. “You should not apologize for having feelings, Minato,” he said. “You may not express yourself the way most do, but you seem like someone who feels very deeply. When I look at you, I picture in my mind a deceptively calm lake, one with hidden currents and depths below its surface.”
“...Thanks?” he said, unsure what to say to that confession.
Yusuke nodded, as though there was absolutely nothing unusual about what he’d just said. “You’re welcome,” he said. “I have already told you how I feel. Should you wish to speak your mind as well, I will gladly lend an ear.”
“I’m just worried. Same as you,” said Minato. “I hope everything works out.”
Yusuke nodded, understanding. “I hope so as well.”
“...People keep talking about the arrest,” said Minato. “A lot.”
Yusuke’s expression darkened a little. “So I’ve heard as well,” he said. “That people are able to say such harsh judgements regarding someone they know so little about does not surprise me. It would hardly be the first time it has happened.”
Unfortunately, the end of the lunch period arrived in the form of several students reentering the studio, effectively ending their conversation and forcing the two of them to part ways.
The remainder of the day dragged on, until finally the end of the day arrived. Minato immediately got up and left, heading straight for the dorms to finally escape the relentless gossip about the Phantom Thieves. Hearing it throughout the rest of the day had done absolutely nothing to ease the knot of worry in his gut.
Jeez. It’s almost creepy how much people were talking about the arrest today, said Ryoji. Do people really not have anything better to talk about?
Apparently not, Minato replied sourly.
Minato walked through the front door and stepped into the dorm’s common area, where he immediately saw a man in a police uniform speaking to the dorm’s elderly landlady.
The officer looked up. “Ah. Just the kid I wanted to see.”
Ice shot through his veins, but Minato did his best to keep his appearance calm. “...Me?”
“Yes, you. Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble,” the officer said. “I just want to ask you a few questions.”
“...Okay.” Minato didn’t feel reassured in the slightest. However, he couldn’t say no without sounding suspicious, so he had to play along for now.
I don’t like this, said Ryoji. Be careful, Minato. This can’t be a coincidence.
I know.
Minato quickly glanced around the lobby area. Yusuke was nowhere to be seen. If it came down to it, Minato could possibly make a run for it, but he doubted he would be able to evade the police for long unless he had an opportunity to enter Mementos–
Which he couldn’t actually do himself, since he was the only one among the Thieves who didn’t own a phone. Something he had entirely forgotten up until now.
“Where were you yesterday afternoon?” the officer asked. “I have a couple accounts that say you didn’t come back here until late last night.”
Tell him you were studying with some friends, Ryoji suggested. Damn it, Yusuke, where are you? We could use someone to bail us out right now!
“I was studying with a classmate,” said Minato.
“And why were you studying?”
“...Exams.”
“Exams,” the officer repeated. “That shouldn’t be until the end of the term, if I’m correct.”
Minato said nothing.
The officer sighed. “Young man, are you truly a student of Kosei?”
What? said Ryoji. How did he know?!
Dread churned in Minato’s gut. Was he talking about Futaba’s hacking into the student database? Had someone found his transfer suspicious and investigated him? He hoped not.
“What is this about?” Minato said, keeping his voice even.
“I’m here to investigate a possible case of fraud under one of Kosei High’s scholarships. You know how it is with anything involving money,” he explained casually. “Look, I’m sure you’re a good kid, but fraud is a serious crime, you know. You’ll have to come with us to the station so we can clear this up,” said the officer, clapping a hand down on his shoulder. “Wouldn’t want anyone thinking you’re some kind of thief, you know?”
A knowing look was in his eye as he gave a victorious smirk, and Minato’s heart dropped as he instantly realized that this officer was here for an entirely different reason: he was found out.
Minato cursed internally. Going back to the dorms was a stupid move on his part. Stupid, stupid! They all agreed to act normal, but he hadn’t thought that anyone else would be arrested outside of the casino. Had any of the others been caught too?
This is bad, said Ryoji. You need to get out of here. Now!
He unconsciously took a step back, and in response the officer immediately tightened his grip on his shoulder before he had a chance to bolt for the door, hard enough to actually hurt.
“Let go,” he said automatically, trying not to let any of his panic show.
“That’s enough,” said the elderly landlady. “I understand that you are a police officer, and that you have a good reason for being here, but I won’t tolerate harassing any of our students.”
“Look, miss, we’re just doing our jobs,” said the officer condescendingly, turning to face her. “We can’t let something this serious slide.”
This was bad. This was really bad. If he got caught now, the plan had a serious chance of falling apart. Ren would die, who knew what would happen to him, the others would be in danger, he’d never forgive himself if something happened–
The stress and fear he’d been trying to ignore since Ren’s arrest was finally reaching a breaking point. Later on, in hindsight, he would probably end up kicking himself for not staying calm, but right now he felt anything but.
Minato saw no other way out of this.
Seeing the officer’s momentary distraction as the only opportunity he was going to get, Minato made his decision; in one smooth movement, he took his bag and swung it at his head as hard as he could.
The officer grunted in pain and surprise, letting go of him and stumbling away. Minato then bolted for the door, not bothering to look back or pick up his dropped things. He burst through the doors and began running down the street, desperate to get as far away from here as he could.
It was fine. Leaving behind the place he’d called home for the past few weeks was fine. It was never a permanent solution anyway. He could crash at Leblanc again. He could even live with being homeless for a few days. It was far better than the alternative–
A hand grabbed his shirt collar and yanked him back hard, before shoving him face first into a nearby wall and pinning an arm behind his back.
Minato! Ryoji called out, unable to do anything to help.
“Told you he’d make a run for it,” said the person who’d pinned him. He blinked the spots out of his vision, turning his head to see that it was another police officer. “Good thing I came as backup.”
“Shut up, I’m fine. Damn kid just surprised me,” the officer he’d struck muttered as he approached, nursing one hand over his face. “You think you’re hot shit, assaulting a police officer like that? That’s a serious offense, kid. We could have done this the easy way, but I guess we’re gonna have to do this the hard way.”
Minato felt a tangle of emotions coming from Ryoji in the back of his mind; he’d never really thought the other boy was capable of anger, but right now Ryoji was radiating pure, unbridled fury. The anger gave way slightly to despair and frustration when he heard the click of handcuffs around his wrists.
Shit, Minato thought to himself.
Notes:
…sorry for the cliffhanger guys :’) in the immortal words of Sojiro, hoo boy.
I was originally gonna mostly skip over the fight because I dont like retelling canon scenes but I felt like Makoto deserved a chance to shine a little bit :>
Hopping between writing this fic and fluffy oneshots for the SPYxFAMILY/persona 3 crossover that formed in the marigolds server is giving me so much emotional whiplash right now. I’m dying of cuteness and angst at the same time hahahaaa (Also the spy family AU’s gotten a little out of hand with all the characters that have been potentially added to it and it’s absolutely great)
ALSO VINEGAR DREW BEAUTIFUL ART OF MY BOY AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH <3 ;v;
Chapter 12: A Shot in the Dark
Summary:
An unexpected ally emerges from the shadows.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Akihiko never liked stakeouts very much. He’d always preferred more direct action, himself.
Unfortunately, working for the Shadow Operatives meant doing a lot of undercover work, which meant lots of stealth and avoiding encounters whenever possible. He understood the reason for it; he was well aware that punching his way through situations would only get him so far.
…He still preferred a good old-fashioned fistfight, though.
Akihiko glanced back at the locked door to the surveillance room he sat in, listening for any approaching footsteps. His hand drifted to the evoker on his belt; he’d brought it just in case. Thankfully, the room had been empty when he had snuck inside, much to his surprise. That worked in his favor, but he didn’t like thinking about what that implied.
No witnesses, he thought grimly.
He returned his attention to the police station’s surveillance feeds, the only light within the room coming from the screens. He ignored all of the others, paying attention only to the one running in the interrogation room, where Prosecutor Niijima and the leader of the Phantom Thieves had been talking for the past several hours.
The leader of the Phantom Thieves was a teenager.
Damn it, why is it always teenagers? he thought to himself.
Akihiko had tried to see if he could talk to the kid himself, but no one was allowed anywhere near the interrogation room he was being held in. Everyone who had been recruited for the police raid yesterday was being suspiciously tight-lipped about it, too. The whole thing was fishy, and he wasn’t about to go home without any answers as to why, especially not when Mitsuru was counting on him. So he’d decided to take matters into his own hands.
Once he snuck into the surveillance room, the reason behind all the secrecy had become much clearer, and he wasn’t liking it one bit. Akihiko had to bite his tongue when he saw the state the kid was in after the police had interrogated him, even through the low camera quality. Phantom Thief or not, no kid should have those kinds of injuries, especially not from the police.
He couldn’t help wondering, still. Why? Why would the interrogating officers go so far? He wasn’t dumb enough to believe that there wasn’t anything sliding under the radar in the police, but those were things that could be swept under the rug. There was no way no one else would find out about this, not with damning evidence in the form of bruises clear as day on the kid’s face, or with the notoriety of the entire case.
Something about this still wasn’t adding up.
Akihiko didn’t know how long he’d been holed up in the tiny surveillance room. A quick check of his phone revealed that he’d been listening for hours, and he fought to suppress a wince. Not many interrogations went for so long, and the kid had been talking almost nonstop.
And that was before taking into consideration what he was talking about. It would have sounded like crazy talk to anyone unfamiliar with Shadows; Niijima herself seemed rather skeptical. The kid’s talk about a Metaverse and Palaces was unfamiliar, but as soon as he had mentioned Personas and Shadows, Akihiko was listening with rapt attention.
The kid’s story only grew more complicated as time went on. Stories about messing with people’s shadows and changing the hearts of criminals by literally stealing the desire that was twisting them out of shape… wow. That was a dangerous power in the wrong hands.
That opinion solidified when he heard the kid talk about the ‘Black mask’, and what really happened to Okumura. Part of him was relieved to hear that this kid wasn’t responsible for that, and he filed the information away to tell Mitsuru later; that had been a major concern of theirs when they decided to investigate the Phantom Thieves.
A commotion on one of the other camera feeds suddenly drew Akihiko out of his thoughts. He spared a quick look at the other screen.
Huh. From the looks of it, some other kid had been arrested, and the officer escorting him had just shoved him unceremoniously into one of the holding cells. Tuning into the camera feed’s audio quickly provided him an answer.
Another one of the Phantom Thieves? Akihiko thought. …That doesn’t make sense. The raid was yesterday. Why now?
Then he saw the kid, and paused.
Akihiko squinted, trying to make out the kid’s features through the grainy camera feed. He was wearing an unfamiliar high school uniform, but even through the terrible image quality, that short stature and mop of blue hair was unmistakably familiar.
“What the hell…?” he muttered quietly to himself.
He caught himself and shook off the thought. No. That was impossible, and he knew it. Sure, the resemblance was uncanny, but that had to be all it was.
That line of thought was distracting enough that Akihiko almost didn’t hear Niijima’s next words to Amamiya.
“...have another question to ask. Goro Akechi,” she said. “There were reports that he acted alongside your team as well. Is this true?”
“Not Akechi. He’s not a teammate,” Amamiya said, sounding oddly resigned.
Akihiko continued to listen to the remainder of Niijima’s unsuccessful attempts to get info on the rest of the Thieves’ identities, trying to keep his focus on gathering intel. Despite his best efforts, his thoughts kept drifting back towards the other camera feed. Dammit, Mitsuru was depending on him for this, he couldn’t get distracted now of all times.
Maybe Fuuka’s info about someone hacking Minato’s school record was messing with his head more than he thought.
“You were told someone sold you out, right?” Niijima asked. “Do you know who it was?”
“...I might.”
Niijima sat bolt upright. “What do you recall?” She slammed a hand on the table. “You must tell me! I won’t allow things to end like this!”
Amamiya visibly winced at the noise. “...You need to show it to… the true culprit.”
“The true culprit?” she asked. “I need you to be clear with me! Who am I supposed to show this to? Which of your teammates is it?”
“I already told you, he’s not a teammate,” Amamiya said.
“Not a teammate?” Sae said, visibly confused. She then sat bolt upright, making the connection. “...My god. You’re referring to him, aren’t you?”
Amamiya nodded.
Akihiko recalled Amamiya’s words.
‘Not Akechi. He’s not a teammate.’
Goro Akechi had sold him out.
Goro Akechi was the true culprit behind the mental shutdowns.
Akihiko was no longer listening to the camera feed. This was a huge break in the case. If Akechi really was the traitor, then he was also the black-masked persona user. And if he was a member of the police force and the SIU, and was leading the mental shutdown and Phantom Thieves cases…
Pieces began to connect, forming a horrifying picture. Shirogane was right; it all made sense. The information leaks. The two psychotic breaks in the Kirijo Group. Shirogane hitting wall after wall on the case because of Akechi. The resistance from the government and police trying to shut down the Shadow Ops. The bizarre feeling that there was some sort of “inner circle” within the police that he wasn’t a part of. The eerie silence surrounding the events of the raid, the interrogation room being off limits, the kid’s injuries.
“Holy shit,” he said to himself in the quiet room.
Whoever was pulling the strings in Tokyo, their influence ran much deeper than any of them realized. The entire police station was in their pocket. Maybe even the SIU as well. Who knew how far it extended.
He looked towards the camera feed, seeing that the kid was now alone and Niijima had finished her interrogation while he was processing this new information. Dread filled Akihiko as he suddenly got a terrible feeling that Amamiya and the other kid weren’t safe here at all.
Akihiko had always been the type to jump into things headfirst. His instincts itched for him to jump into action, to do something, anything, but experience made him pause as he tried to think of what to do with all this new information; one wrong step here was bound to lead to disaster. Would those two kids be alright the longer they stayed here in custody? After seeing the way Amamiya had been roughed up, Akihiko couldn’t convince himself that something else wasn’t just waiting to happen when no one was looking. He couldn’t trust anyone in the police station.
He couldn’t in good conscience leave them alone without doing something to ensure their safety; they might have done some crazy vigilante stuff, but they were still kids.
At that moment, he saw movement in the camera feed and looked back to the monitor displaying the interrogation room. It was Niijima.
Akihiko narrowed his eyes as he observed the camera feeds. What was Niijima doing back in the interrogation room?
…Wait. Was she…?
Akihiko nearly laughed in disbelief once he realized what she was doing. It looked like she had come to the same conclusion, and had decided to take matters into her own hands.
Despite the situation, he grinned. He could definitely respect that.
Akihiko stood up from the chair and unholstered his evoker. Change of plans. He had gathered more than enough intel for Mitsuru, and Niijima’s actions changed things. If she was really going to do something that crazy, she could certainly use some help covering her tracks. And if Amamiya’s story about the black masked persona user was true…
Screw it. He was more of a ‘direct action’ kind of guy, anyway.
The lights flickered overhead for a brief moment, making Sae pause. She then shook her head. Now was not the time to get sidetracked.
Next to her, Amamiya gave a small hiss of pain as she helped him walk.
“I know, I know,” she said automatically. “But we need to hurry.”
She tried to shift Amamiya’s weight in a way that would be easier for her to support him and still keep the weight off of his injured leg, but he was barely conscious enough to put one foot in front of the other. How had he talked for so long, only to give out now? At the rate they were going, it would be a miracle if no one spotted them before they got to the elevator.
She suddenly heard footsteps quickly approaching them, and before she could react a man with short-cropped silver hair rounded the corner, instantly spotting them both.
“Holy shit,” he said, staring in surprise as he took in Amamiya’s condition.
Sae was frozen, caught like a deer in the headlights. Amamiya didn’t react much at all to his presence.
The man quickly put his hands up in a placating gesture. “Whoa. Relax. I’m here to help.”
…That was a reaction she hadn’t been expecting.
“And who are you?” Sae asked harshly. She didn’t have time for this!
“Someone who doesn’t want to see you or the kid get caught breaking out of here. The name’s Akihiko Sanada.” He moved to the kid’s other side and ducked under his arm to support his weight. “Kid looks like he could use the help.”
“Why should I trust you?” she asked, suspicious.
“Pretty sure if either of us are seen like this, we’re both screwed. Look, we don’t have time to stand here arguing about it,” he snapped. “You just need to get him out of the building, right?”
She was unsure for a moment, but nodded. There was little reason to decline; Sanada had already seen her anyway, and at the painfully slow rate they were going, she wasn’t sure she could avoid being caught. “...Sae Niijima,” she introduced herself. “My car is in the parking garage. Help me get him to the elevator.”
With Sanada’s help, they both made much quicker progress towards the elevator at the end of the hall. Sae pressed the elevator button and it immediately opened with a cheerful ding, and they wasted no time getting in and pushing the button for the garage level.
As soon as the doors closed, she turned to face Sanada directly. “Why are you helping me with this?” she demanded, still suspicious. “What are you playing at?”
Sanada looked almost panicked for a moment under the weight of her glare. “Uh,” he said lamely.
“Well?” she said, pressing further for answers.
Sanada seemed to think for a moment, looking uncertain.
“...Can I trust you to keep what I tell you a secret?” he asked.
“Maybe. That depends on your answer,” said Sae.
Sanada gave her a long, considering look. “...I’ve been doing some… investigation of my own lately,” he finally admitted.
“Investigation?” Sae asked.
Sanada nodded. “Around the whole Phantom Thieves case. I thought it was suspicious, how tight-lipped everyone’s been about that raid yesterday,” he explained. “I was hoping to get some answers. I didn’t think I’d end up finding a whole conspiracy.”
So Sanada had been investigating on his own, digging around for information on the case that would have been restricted or confidential. And from the sound of it, he had learned the truth about Akechi as well. “So you’ve been spying,” she said.
“Call it whatever you like,” he shot back, a bit of heat in his words. “It doesn’t change the fact that this whole case has been suspicious from the start. I’m sure even you’ve picked up on that by now.” He glanced at Amamiya, who was still only standing upright under their support. “...Besides, you’re not the only one who believes this kid’s crazy story. I heard a lot of it over the camera feed.”
“The camera..?”
Sae froze. The surveillance camera. It had been running the whole time, and she had forgotten about it, too focused on her interrogation. Would anyone else know she helped the suspect escape?
As though he’d read her mind, Sanada spoke up. “Don’t worry about the cameras. Even if someone was watching them, the surveillance feeds are all down.”
Sae narrowed her eyes at him. “And how would that have happened, exactly?”
“...I turned the cameras off. And the computer. And wiped the hard drive.” He looked a little embarrassed. “I… may have fried the whole system.”
So he’d sabotaged the police to help her and Amamiya escape undetected. Sae didn’t know whether to feel angry or relieved.
She settled for giving him an unimpressed look. “So. Espionage and destruction of property, then.”
Sanada visibly wilted. “Yeah, it sounds bad when you put it that way.”
A muffled groan of pain interrupted their conversation, and they both looked to the half-conscious teenager propped up between them that they had almost forgotten about.
“You’re doing good, kid, not much farther,” Sanada quietly said to Amamiya. The only other sound in the elevator was Amamiya’s labored breathing as he leaned his forehead against Sae’s shoulder, clearly not focusing on anything through the haze of pain he had to be in. Sanada looked grim, glancing down at the leg he’d been keeping his weight off of. “God, what did they do to him in there? This kid needs a doctor.”
“...Know a good one… can trust her,” Amamiya mumbled, almost too quiet to hear.
“For your sake, I certainly hope so,” said Sae.
The elevator dinged again, and the doors opened to reveal another hallway. A set of doors leading out to the parking garage stood just across the hallway before them. A couple of voices came down the hallway, indicating that the coast wasn’t clear just yet.
Sae risked a quick look down the hallway, but it looked like the two people she heard were walking away from them, and they hadn’t paid the elevator any mind. She could hear the last scraps of their conversation before they turned the corner.
“...ou hear about the other guy they managed to arrest today?”
“I heard about that. Another one of the Phantom Thieves?”
“Yeah. He hasn’t been interrogated yet, but I bet they’ll do it after the leader’s.”
“Dunno what you’d get from him that the Phantom Thieves’ leader wouldn’t know, though. Seems kind of redundant if you ask me.”
“Not really. I heard the leader hasn’t given up any information on his accomplices or methods…”
The conversation drifted further away from them as the two left. As soon as they were out of sight, the two of them made a break for the door.
“There’s another one?” Sae said as soon as they entered the parking garage, not stopping.
Sanada nodded grimly. “Happened about an hour ago.”
Sae bit back a curse. The Phantom Thieves had left her a message asking to save Amamaiya from being killed. She couldn’t help anyone else without risking being caught, not with Amamiya in his current state. “Then this was all pointless. They may be in just as much danger as Amamiya was.”
“Danger?” Sanada asked.
Sae remained silent. She couldn’t volunteer more information when she still couldn’t be sure if Sanada could be trusted or not.
Sanada glanced between her and Amamiya, and seemed to come to his own conclusion. “...I’ll handle it, then.”
“What..?!” she said, incredulous.
“I said I’ll handle it,” he repeated. “Neither of them are safe here, are they?”
After a moment, Sae shook her head. “No.”
“I had a feeling that was the case,” he said, more to himself than to her.
Amamiya seemed to finally pick up on the conversation even in his current state. “...What happened..?” he muttered.
Sae debated whether to tell him the truth. It did concern one of his friends, but considering his refusal to sell out any of his accomplices, part of her wondered if he would try to do something rash even like this.
“...It’s about one of your friends,” she finally admitted, unable to lie.
Alarm began to creep into Amamiya’s expression. “What happened?”
“Nothing you can do anything about in your current state,” she finally said. Her tone permitted no arguments. “We’ll take care of it.”
Thankfully, he seemed to realize that she was right. He bit his lip, looking like he wanted to argue, but said nothing.
“...Promise?” he finally said. He looked exhausted.
“You have my word,” said Sae, looking pointedly at Sanada.
“I’ll do everything I can,” said Sanada, seeming to take the hint.
He carefully looked at them, as if looking for any hint of a lie. Finally, he seemed to relent, closing his eyes. “Okay.”
Sae suppressed a sigh of relief. “I’ll fill you in later. For the moment, let’s just get you out of here.”
They soon reached Sae’s car and helped Amamiya into the backseat, hidden from sight.
“Sanada, was it?” she asked as soon as the car door closed. “I appreciate the assistance, but I’m afraid we’ll have to part ways here. You do understand that I will be contacting you later about this?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I have plenty of questions myself.” He pulled out a small pen and notepad from one of his pockets, tearing out a page that wasn’t covered in writing and scribbling something out on it before handing it to her. “Here. It’s my number.”
Sae took the slip of paper. “Thank you,” she said. She had been fully prepared to track him down again herself; it wouldn’t be terribly difficult, since he clearly worked here. “You said you were going to handle it, earlier. What do you plan to do?”
Sanada ran a hand through his hair. “...I’ll figure something out. The other kid should still be in the holding cells if they haven’t interrogated him yet. They should be less secure than the interrogation rooms.”
Sae nodded. “I wish you good luck, then,” she said, before moving into the driver’s seat. “I’ll be back as soon as I can, if you still need assistance by then.”
“Thanks,” he said. “Now we should both get going, before either of us gets caught here.”
“Agreed,” she said. She truly hoped trusting him like this wouldn’t turn out to be a mistake, even if she didn’t have much choice but to do so. “Goodnight, Sanada. We’ll be in touch soon.”
She then drove off, leaving him alone in the garage.
Akihiko headed towards the holding cells in the station as quickly as he could without being noticed, fully aware that time was of the essence.
By the time he had walked back inside, the whole place was in total chaos. Dread churned in his gut when news of the kid’s ‘death’ reached his ears.
A suicide in police custody, they said it was. After personally helping the kid escape, it was now blatantly obvious that it was a cover-up. A part of him was relieved; no one knew the kid was safe. But why did they think he was dead? How did someone make that mistake?
It wasn’t hard to slip into the police station’s holding cell area unnoticed amidst all the chaos. Amamiya was safe, but there was still one more person who needed the same help. And after having all his worst suspicions confirmed in one fell swoop, he didn’t need to think twice; he would gladly be the one to offer it.
He quickly unlocked the door and threw it open, ready to give a quick explanation about what was happening and that they needed to leave as quickly as possible. As soon as he stepped in, the words died on his tongue.
The kid had been sitting on a bench in the corner, warily watching the door. As soon as the door opened, he bolted up to his feet, his eyes going wide with surprise.
Akihiko had entirely forgotten about the kid’s eerie resemblance during Niijima’s earlier mad dash to escape with Amamiya unnoticed. He thought seeing the kid in person would make the resemblance less stark.
Now? He suddenly wasn’t so sure anymore.
“What the hell,” he said instead.
Minato’s eyes narrowed in confusion as he scrutinized his old friend.
“...Akihiko?” he said, sounding surprised.
That small confirmation that he wasn’t seeing things struck him in one of the most vulnerable parts of his heart, a part that he had thought numbed with time, and Akihiko’s composure almost cracked at that moment. Without thinking, Akihiko numbly stepped forward and pulled Minato into a tight hug.
“Yeah. It’s me,” said Akihiko. “God. You’re alive. You’re actually…” The shock of his old friend being in front of him again was finally starting to hit him, and his mind began to race as he began to wonder how this was even possible. It shouldn’t have been, yet here they were.
Akihiko felt Minato relax a little, half-burying his face in Akihiko’s shirt.
“I would hug you back, but they left the handcuffs on,” said Minato, a small tremor in his voice.
Akihiko gave a dark chuckle at that reminder of their situation and let go of the other boy. He really hadn’t changed a bit, had he? “Right. We should probably take care of that and get you out of here.”
“Wait, why are you here?” Minato replied.
“Long story. We’ll catch up later, but if we want to avoid getting caught we need to go now,” Akihiko stressed.
Minato nodded, the seriousness of their situation returning. “What’s your plan?”
“The station is in total chaos and the cameras are down. We can take one of the back hallways, I have a car we can use.”
“We can’t just walk out,” said Minato. “Someone will see us.”
“I believe I can help with that,” said a third voice.
Akihiko nearly jumped. He whirled around and dropped into a fighting stance… only to see Elizabeth standing in the open doorway, acting as casual as someone who hadn’t just spontaneously appeared in the middle of a highly secure police station. She smiled at them, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“Elizabeth?” Minato asked, sounding surprised.
“Oh, it’s you.” Akihiko relaxed a little. “Jeez, don’t scare me like that.”
“You know her?” Minato asked.
“We’ve met,” said Akihiko. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, I was hoping for a more proper reunion… but this is rather exciting, isn’t it?” said Elizabeth, as if that explained anything. She clapped her hands together with an excited smile. “And it just so happens that I have the perfect solution for your problem. After all, as a former attendant, my duty is to my guest!”
“...What’s your solution?” Akihiko asked warily. He was pretty sure her idea of help involved a megidolaon, which was really the last thing they needed right now.
“If you wish to remain unseen by any humans, then simply go where there are no humans,” said Elizabeth. “I know just the place. Follow me!”
Elizabeth grabbed them both by the hand, nearly making them both trip over themselves as she pulled them along behind her. The moment they stepped out of the doorway, everything seemed to shift before settling back to normal.
Except nothing was normal. The world had gone dead silent. Everything he could see had suddenly taken on a distinct red tinge, and Akihiko was pretty sure he saw veins creeping across one of the walls that definitely hadn’t been there before.
His hand automatically drifted towards the Evoker on his belt, guided by years of battle instincts and an almost unnoticeable yet familiar feeling of danger, stay alert that he’d always associated with the Dark Hour.
“...Elizabeth, what is this?” Akihiko asked. He suspected he already knew the answer, but he needed to know for sure.
“Mementos,” said Minato. “We’re in Mementos, aren’t we?”
“Indeed we are!” said Elizabeth. “You’re quite fortunate I happened to be in Mementos lately! You should thank your lucky suns!” She paused. “Lucky… skies? Something like that I suppose, though I fail to see why celestial bodies are considered signs of luck.” She tilted her head as she looked at Akihiko and Minato. “In my opinion, my guest is far more fortunate to have companions such as yourself watching over him. The Emperor and Death. Or should I call him Fortune now? Thanatos does seem rather fond of his human identity, as of late.”
Next to him, Minato startled slightly. Akihiko only stared, not understanding a word of what she was spouting. What the hell was she talking about?
Elizabeth barreled on, ignorant to their reactions. “Fortunately for you two, shadows do not appear to roam this far up. We should remain undisturbed here. All the better to catch up with old friends!”
“Shadows,” Akihiko repeated. He gave a short, humorless laugh. “Looks like we found that Shadow nest Fuuka detected.”
“Fuuka sensed this?” said Minato. “Akihiko, what is going on? What are you doing here?”
“It’s a really long story,” Akihiko said. He dug out of his pocket a small key he’d managed to swipe on his way here. “Here. Let me get those cuffs off first.”
Minato held his hands out in front of him to let Akihiko work. The handcuffs came off with a click, and he rubbed his sore wrists. “Thanks.”
“Of course,” said Akihiko, tossing the cuffs aside.
Elizabeth swooped in for an overexcited, rib-crushing hug. “It’s truly wonderful to see you again, my dear guest!” she said, nearly lifting Minato off the ground. Akihiko was pretty sure he heard an audible crack.
“Elizabeth… you’re crushing me,” he wheezed out.
She let go of him, leaving him gasping for air. “I never imagined fate would bring us together again this soon. Though I do wish it were under better circumstances,” she said.
“Better circumstances?” Minato asked once he recovered.
Her smile faded a bit. “I have been seeking answers of my own since our last encounter, but I have not discovered as much as I would like to know regarding your sudden presence among the living. Although your memory issue does seem to be beginning to resolve itself. I see you’ve been busy!” she said approvingly. She then summoned her compendium in her hands. “What I have discovered, however, I will explain at a more appropriate time. For now, it appears you would benefit more from my assistance. Just like old times!”
Akihiko sighed, resigning himself to never understanding this strange woman in front of him. He would have time to ask about what the hell Elizabeth was talking about later. For now they had bigger problems. “Great to hear it. Now let’s get out of here already.”
“Wait,” said Minato, grabbing his sleeve as he moved to leave. “Is Ren alright?”
“Ren?” Akihiko asked. The name clicked in his brain after a second. “Wait, the Amamiya kid? You actually know him?”
“Is he alright?” Minato repeated. Akihiko heard the note of worry in his voice.
Akihiko glanced around and lowered his voice. “...Yes. A bit roughed up, but he’s fine. He left the station, but you can’t tell anyone that,” he said. “People are saying he committed suicide in custody. No one knows he’s alive.”
Minato gave a sigh of relief, his shoulders visibly relaxing. “Good.”
Akihiko couldn’t ignore the fact that Minato and Amamiya apparently knew each other. He was afraid to ask, still reeling from the veritable mountain of events that had transpired in the past hour, but he had to know for sure.
“Minato,” Akihiko said. Minato looked up at him. “...They said you were a Phantom Thief. Is that true?”
Minato hesitated for a moment, but nodded. “Yeah.”
Akihiko didn’t really know why that felt like a punch to the gut.
“My guest and his newest companions will have the answers you seek in due time,” Elizabeth interrupted. “Now, I believe you two were in the middle of a daring escape? I wish to experience such a thrill myself!”
Elizabeth marched toward the exit. Akihiko and Minato shared a look; Minato’s expression was as difficult to read as ever, but Akihiko remembered him well enough to tell how apprehensive he was.
He was absolutely certain that this conversation was not over. Not by a long shot.
Elizabeth parted ways with them with a promise that they’d see her again shortly, giving them a suspiciously knowing look before unceremoniously dumping them back in the real world and popping out of existence again. Akihiko was secretly glad; he had enough to deal with at the moment, and Elizabeth was best described as a loose cannon.
Akihiko and Minato didn’t get a chance to talk in the car either; Minato hiding in the backseat to avoid being seen wasn’t very conducive to holding a conversation. So Akihiko spent the entire car ride trying to process everything that had happened that night so far up to that point, stewing in the information he’d learned for a solid twenty minutes before they finally arrived at his apartment building. He couldn’t help casting looks over his shoulder all the way up to his front door, anxious that someone would see them right before they reached the relative safety of his apartment.
Nothing happened, and he closed the door behind them, finally able to breathe a little easier than he had been during this whole fiasco.
Akihiko looked to Minato; he stood a few steps away, looking unsure. The atmosphere felt oddly heavy and charged between them. Akihiko had a thousand questions he wanted to ask, and no idea where to start. What was he supposed to say?
“...You look older,” Minato said, finally breaking the silence.
A small laugh escaped him. “Yeah. I am,” Akihiko replied. “You haven’t changed a bit.”
Minato didn’t laugh, instead looking oddly conflicted before looking away. The lightened mood quickly evaporated.
“Damn it, I’m still not sure this is actually real,” said Akihiko. “How did you come back to life? What happened?”
“I don’t know.”
“What about the Phantom Thieves?” Akihiko asked. “...Minato, how long has all this been going on?”
It wasn’t hard for Minato to figure out what he meant.
“...About a month,” he admitted.
Akihiko couldn’t help feeling a little hurt by that confession. A month. He’d been alive for at least a month. Had he ever planned to say anything, if they’d never crossed paths? Why didn’t he..?
“A whole month. And this is how we find out.” Akihiko gave a humorless laugh. “Why didn’t you contact any of us?”
“It wasn’t like that,” Minato countered firmly, before shrinking a bit. “...I didn’t know how you’d react to this. So much was happening. I still don’t even know if this is permanent.”
Akihiko froze at that. “...Shit. I didn’t even think about that.”
“Yeah,” said Minato.
“...Sorry.” He ran a hand over his face, staving off a growing headache. “God. I’m still trying to wrap my head around this. I don’t understand how this is even possible.”
Minato looked down at the floor, looking even more conflicted.
“... I’m sorry,” he mumbled. “Don’t be mad.”
“What? No, I’m not—” Akihiko quickly backpedaled. “I’m not mad. Not at you, anyway. I just…” He sighed, deflating a bit. “I’m just exhausted. A lot happened tonight.” He took a couple tentative steps toward him. “...It really is good to see you again.”
Minato was still looking down at the floor, unmoving. Suddenly, he closed the last bit of space between them. Akihiko stumbled back a step, and it took a moment for him to register the fact that the shorter boy was hugging him.
“...I didn’t get to hug you back earlier,” he said, muffled by his shirt.
Akihiko somewhat uncertainly returned the hug. “You know, I really missed you. We all did.”
“I’m sorry.” he said, voice thicker with emotion than Akihiko had ever heard, almost desperately holding onto him as if he was afraid to let go. “I’m so sorry.”
“...It’s okay,” Akihiko said, a little unsure what else to say.
They stayed that way for a few minutes; at some point they had ended up sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall near the front entrance area. Minato finally seemed to calm down a bit, his head currently propped against Akihiko’s shoulder and looking drained of all his energy. After everything that had happened that night, Akihiko felt the same way.
It wasn’t the most comfortable position, and Akihiko probably should have headed back to take care of a few things instead of wasting time here, but dammit, he didn’t care. Minato was here. Alive. It shouldn’t have even been possible for multiple reasons, yet here he was anyway, doing the impossible the same way he’d done all those years ago.
Akihiko briefly glanced over his old friend, now that he wasn’t distracted. The school uniform was unfamiliar, and he did have a couple minor scrapes on his face. But more than that…
Minato had never really looked so… small, before.
Akhiko and the rest of the SEES had all grown up and forged their own paths in life, and the difference was clear as day. Minato looked exactly the same, but at the same time, compared to how much they’d grown and changed since then, he also looked so much younger than he remembered.
He hadn’t given much thought about the fact that his former field leader was still a kid, the same as they all had been. It had been all too easy to forget, with his silent confidence in the way he’d led them to the top of Tartarus.
“...I missed you guys too,” Minato finally said. “M’ sorry.”
“The hell are you apologizing for?” Akihiko asked.
“I left you guys behind.”
“Damn it, Minato, there’s nothing to be sorry for. It's not like you wanted to,” said Akihiko. “...Besides, we saw that seal you made.”
Minato looked up at him in surprise.
“It’s a long story,” Akihiko said, looking away. “I’ve had a while to think about it… I don’t think we would have won against Nyx if it weren’t for what you did. You did what you thought you had to, didn’t you?”
Minato nodded numbly.
“Thought so,” said Akihiko. “I still have no idea how you managed to last all the way to graduation, but you did. Even when none of us remembered what happened, you held out just to keep that dumb promise we made.” That had been one of Akihiko’s biggest regrets over the years, walking around like everything was normal for an entire month and not spending any of that time he had left with him until it was too late.
“Had to,” Minato mumbled.
“Like hell you did. You were dying.”
Minato made a noncommittal noise, not really responding. Akihiko figured it was just exhaustion settling in; he was feeling it, too.
“I’m a little surprised, though,” Akihiko continued. “I never would have expected you to end up with a gang of vigilantes that have been messing with people’s Shadows. Have you heard what people have been saying about them?”
“They didn’t kill anyone,” Minato said. Akihiko relaxed a bit at that confirmation. “They’re not bad. I trust them.”
“That’s good to hear,” said Akihiko. “How’d you end up with them, anyway?”
“They found me in Mementos about a month ago. Brought me out,” he explained. “When they found me… I didn’t remember anything. I thought that if I stuck around, I could get some answers. About… this. So I decided to help them out. Been with them ever since.”
Akihiko frowned, giving him a worried look. “Wait. You didn’t remember anything?” he asked. “At all?”
“Not at first. It’s gotten better.”
“...Guessing that’s also part of why you didn’t call any of us.”
Minato nodded.
“How bad is it?” Akihiko asked.
“Still a bit fuzzy. But I remember enough now. It won’t be a problem.”
“Don’t act like a tough guy. It still sounds like a problem to me,” said Akihiko.
Minato made another noncommittal noise.
Akihiko mentally noted this conversation for later, knowing this was going to go nowhere tonight. Right now, he had a feeling that if they stayed here any longer, they’d fall asleep like this. He idly checked his watch– damn. He really should be getting back. Any longer and he’d have a hard time not looking suspicious.
“I have a couple things I still need to take care of back at the station,” he explained, sitting upright. “I won’t be gone long. Will you be alright until then?”
Minato looked up at that. “I can’t stay here.”
Akihiko frowned. He hadn’t expected that answer. “Why not?”
“I need to get back to the others.”
“Minato, you were arrested. Do you know how pissed the higher-ups at the station are gonna be when they find out you’re gone?” Akihiko shot back, the stress of the entire night having worn his patience thin.
“Ren got out alive. The others need to know that I’m fine too.”
“If you’re trying to get in touch with Amamiya, then my point stands even more. If anyone sees you, you could get him caught too.”
Minato frowned. “They’ll be worried. This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“Minato. Please,” he pleaded. “Just lay low for tonight. Let the trail go cold. I’ll help you get to wherever he is first thing tomorrow morning.”
Minato gave him a long look. “...Promise?”
Akihiko was suddenly reminded of Amamiya, asking the exact same question less than an hour earlier.
“Promise,” he replied, far more certain of his answer this time. “I’ll even ask Niijima to pass on a message, if I happen to see her. She helped Amamiya get out.”
After a moment, Minato finally nodded. “Alright.”
Satisfied, Akihiko stood to his feet. “Niijima has guts, I’ll give her that. Especially after that stunt she pulled. Although I probably would have done the same in her position,” he said. He suddenly froze as a certain realization hit him. “Oh, god. How the hell am I gonna explain this to everyone else? You’re alive, and I just broke you out of jail!”
Minato gave a small snicker at that, smiling for the first time all night.
“It’s not funny,” Akihiko lamented. “I’m supposed to be undercover. Mitsuru’s going to kill me.”
“My condolences,” he replied, still smiling faintly.
He sighed and grabbed his keys, turning the doorknob. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
It didn’t take long for Akihiko to wrap up at the station; fortunately, it didn’t look like he was under any suspicion thanks to a couple well-prepared excuses for his absence and the chaos of the entire night. Unfortunately he never saw Niijima, but that couldn’t be helped when everyone was still scrambling to salvage the situation.
Later, Akihiko climbed back into the driver’s seat of the car, ready to drive home. Unfortunately, he had one more call to make, one that he definitely could not hold off until tomorrow.
He dialed a number and put it on speaker, starting the car while it rang. Unsurprisingly, Mitsuru picked up on the first ring.
“Akihiko?” A note of worry was audible in her voice. “Is everything alright? The suicide is already on the news.”
“The kid’s fine,” he immediately said. “Everyone at the station thinks he’s dead, but he got out with some help. It’s been a hell of a night.”
“I would imagine so. That’s somewhat relieving to hear… but if he escaped, then why would they believe he’s dead?” she asked. “Unless…”
“It was a setup. The whole station is rotten,” Akihiko said acidly, feeling his free hand curl up into a fist. “Mitsuru, you should have seen the kid when they were done with him. It wasn’t an interrogation, it was torture. They didn’t care if they ended up killing him because they knew it wouldn’t matter.”
He punched the steering wheel, anger boiling over at the memory of what had happened and at the fact that he was once again powerless to stop any of this.
A pause. “...I see.” He could hear how grim she felt through those two words. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
Akihiko took a deep breath to calm himself, running a hand through his hair. “No. I think I have everything handled for now, but… uh.” He recalled the other important thing he needed to tell her, and suddenly felt nervous as hell. “Mitsuru, you’re really not gonna believe what else happened tonight.”
“What is it?” she asked.
Akihiko had to breathe for a moment before continuing. “...Minato’s alive.”
A long silence passed.
“Akihiko, today has been stressful for both of us. If this is your idea of a practical joke, it is a very poor one,” she said. A shiver went up his spine. Yikes, he could hear the ice in her tone.
“I’m serious, Mitsuru,” he shot back. “You know I wouldn’t joke about something like this. Hell, I didn’t believe it myself at first. It sounds insane, but it’s true.”
Another pause, this one much shorter. “...Tell me everything.”
Notes:
SO THAT WAS A FUN CHAPTER HUH GUYS
Ahaha. I feel kinda bad for Akihiko, since he's already dealing with everything going on at the station, so the situation where he finds out is easily the most stressful one out of the entire SEES. By a pretty big margin. Like, this somehow managed to be even longer than the futaba chapter??? jesus christ akihiko I am so sorry
Fun fact, I actually intended for Elizabeth to show up again earlier. In my original draft notes she tipped off the shadow ops about Minato, but that got axed in the final version because I wanted a proper reveal. So Elizabeth was off doing her own thing instead.
Anyway, I’m real eager for the P3P port to come out soon so I can see these characters better for myself. I hope I did Akihiko justice! I feel like he’s pretty intelligent, just not… emotionally. I mean, he was the captain of the boxing team and kept up good grades in school after all, but he still tends to jump into action rather than think things through first. He is a very smart dumbass and I love him.
*shakes chapter like a box of catnip* akihiko fans come get yall juice
(Oh and in other news I also started posting an IT Akiren AU that I’ve been hashing out lately, so thatll be fun)
Anyway, merry christmas!! Hope yall have a good december 🎄
Chapter 13: Aftermath
Summary:
Minato regroups with the Thieves. Akihiko gets a little more than he bargained for.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Minato was alone wandering the darkened streets of Tokyo.
Most people would have found the empty red-tinged streets or the absolute silence unsettling. Minato didn’t; to him, it felt familiar. Routine, even. Night after night of patrolling the streets of Iwatodai under the green light of the moon with the other members of SEES had made sure of that. It did feel a little odd fighting shadows without his outfit appearing, though.
He paused. His outfit?
A gunshot rang out in the empty streets, shattering the silence. Minato’s blood ran cold.
Ren!
Minato ran towards the direction the sound came from, weaving through the streets instinctively as though following an invisible thread. He rounded the corner into an alley only to see Ren standing there, facing away from him so face wasn’t visible. To his horror, a bloodstain was visibly growing on the back of his jacket, the kind that Minato instinctively knew only came from a bullet wound.
Minato began running towards him, only to feel a sharp, painful tug stop him just short.
He quickly recovered, straining against whatever was pulling him back, trying to close the distance between them. “Ren,” he called out.
Ren turned to look at him. Minato couldn’t see his eyes behind the glare of his glasses. “What are you doing?”
“Trying… to help…” said Minato.
“I’ll be fine,” said Ren.
“You’re not,” said Minato, still frustratingly just out of reach.
“You can’t help me,” said Ren. “You’re not even supposed to be here.”
Minato faltered. “What?”
“...You stopped the Fall with your life,” he said dully, looking up. “What do you think the price would be to take it back?”
Minato followed his gaze, looking up to see the source of the red light all around them: a blood red eye, large enough to block out the entire sky, looming over the earth. The shadows seemed to darken and surround them, moving as though they were alive. Minato looked back towards Ren, only to see movement just past him.
Minato peered into the shadows. Red eyes glinted in the darkness, joined by another identical pair. Fear filled him like ice as a formless shape with horns and sharpened teeth lurked, the manifestation of humanity’s fear and despair eyeing them both hungrily.
Erebus.
Minato reached a hand forward, desperately trying to close the distance between them, the pull digging even harder against his soul with a hundred sharpened points as he strained to reach him—
He couldn’t lose anyone else—
It hurts he’s dying it hurts so much why can’t he breathe—
Minato!
Minato jerked upright in panic for a moment, waking up in an unfamiliar room on an unfamiliar couch. He briefly looked around in confusion, before recognition clicked in his mind.
He sagged in relief. This was Akihiko’s apartment. He’d fallen asleep on his couch after crashing from the sheer mental and emotional exhaustion of last night.
Are you alright? asked Ryoji.
Fine. It was just a nightmare.
That was some nightmare, said Ryoji, sounding a little less energetic than his usual self.
Yeah.
Minato took a deep breath, steadying himself and shaking off the last bits of sleep, the nightmare already slipping away. Ren was fine. Everyone was fine. The plan had worked.
After Minato had been arrested, he thought that was it. He didn’t know how long he spent in that holding cell, afraid and unable to do anything but stew in his quickly darkening thoughts, but then Akihiko had come crashing in to his rescue– something he had never expected to happen. Minato had never felt so relieved to see his old senpai.
Akihiko had taken it all surprisingly well. He usually kept a level head, but Minato couldn’t help feeling anxious that he would be reopening old wounds. He still felt a little guilty over how upset and shocked Akihiko was, but the fact that he had still been happy to see him was… well. It had been a complicated swirl of emotions, but more than anything else, it was a huge relief.
Minato looked over to see Akihiko asleep on the floor, sitting upright against the couch right next to him and softly snoring.
That cannot be a comfortable position to sleep in, said Ryoji.
I’ve done worse, Minato thought, recalling the first time he met the Phantom Thieves. Minato looked out the window; it looked like it was early morning. We need to meet up with the others soon.
Agreed. You think things have calmed down enough by now?
Only one way to find out.
Minato turned and gently poked Akihiko’s face; after a moment, Akihiko instantly startled awake.
“I’m up! What—” he said. He blinked, seeing Minato as if for the first time. “...So last night was real,” he finally said.
“It was,” said Minato.
Akihiko tiredly scrubbed one hand over his eyes. “Yeah… yeah. I’m really glad it was.”
Soon afterward, the two of them were weaving through the crowds of Tokyo, donned in minor disguises; Akihiko had handed Minato a medical mask and an old red-and-blue jacket that was rather big on him, and Akihiko himself was wearing a cap to cover up his distinctive silver hair.
“The police are definitely keeping a lookout for you after you escaped,” Akihiko had explained, pulling the hood of the jacket over Minato’s hair. “If you’re so determined to go out, at least make sure you won’t be easy to recognize.”
Lucky for both of them, it was late enough in the year that they didn’t look too out of place. Combined with the disguises, the sea of people around them allowed them to stay hidden in plain sight during the morning rush hour.
They reached Yongen-Jaya without incident. After a quick look around to ensure they weren’t being followed or watched, Minato opened the door into Leblanc, Akihiko following just behind them.
The cafe was empty, save for Futaba, Morgana, and Sakura-san. Futaba was typing at her laptop with Morgana curled in her lap while Boss was working behind the counter. They all looked up when they heard the bell ring.
“Sorry, but we’re closed,” said Sakura-san, his face falling into a frown. He then looked at Minato. “Wait… aren’t you–”
Minato pulled down the medical mask and the hood of his borrowed jacket, fully showing his face.
Futaba immediately shot out of her seat. “Minato!”
Morgana jumped off her lap just in time. “Hey! Watch it!” he said.
“Stupid, stupid, idiot!” she yelled, marching right up to him. “We didn’t know where you went— I thought I messed up so bad, we thought you might be dead or worse, and, and—“
“I’m sorry,” said Minato, cutting her off.
“You better be, for scaring us like that!” Futaba shot back. “What happened?! Yusuke told us you got arrested, but when I tried to tap into the surveillance feeds to find you they all suddenly went down! And Makoto’s sis said you got out when she asked about you, but we didn’t see you in the palace either when we went to go deal with cognitive Akechi!” She balled up her hands into fists in agitation as she leveled him with a furious look, but the tremor in her voice betrayed her. “You were missing all night and we didn’t know where you were!”
“That was my fault,” said Akihiko. “I‘m the one who told him to lay low.”
Futaba finally seemed to notice Akihiko and inched closer to Minato, hiding herself from someone she clearly saw as a total stranger. “...Minato, who’s this?” she asked nervously.
“He’s… an old friend,” Minato explained. Understanding dawned on Futaba’s face as she realized what he meant.
Futaba glanced between them nervously. “Are you sure about bringing him here, though?”
“He knows about Ren already. He helped me escape.”
“What? Seriously?!” Futaba said, shocked. She then narrowed her eyes at him in suspicion. “Waaait a minute, are you the reason why all the security feeds suddenly went down?”
Akihiko looked a bit flustered. “So you know about that?”
“To do that, he would have needed some way of accessing the station itself,” said Morgana, hopping up on the counter. “I doubt anyone could walk in with all that high security, and he had to be there for a reason… he’s a member of the police, isn’t he?” he asked Minato.
Akihiko blinked. “Huh. Talking cat.”
Morgana immediately bristled. “I am NOT a cat!” he said. “Wait, you can hear me?!”
“Uh… yes?”
“Wh– who the heck are you?! You didn’t even answer my question!”
Akihiko sighed. “Fine. Yes, I’m a cop.”
“I’m sorry, did you just say you’re a cop?” said Sojiro, suddenly suspicious and confused. “...And why are you telling this to the cat?”
“I’m not a cat!” said Morgana, his complaints falling on deaf ears.
“We’ll explain everything,” Minato interrupted. “He’s not bad. I trust him.”
Sojiro eyed Akihiko warily. “....Alright, I’ll hear you out. But I won’t be convinced of that until I hear what you have to say myself. I’m gonna need a little more to go off of than that,” said Sojiro. “Who the hell you are besides an old friend of his would be a good place to start.”
Akihiko looked slightly conflicted before conceding defeat. “...Alright. Fair enough. But can I trust whatever I tell you to stay between us?” he asked.
“I used to work for the government, back in the day. I know a thing or two about keeping secrets.”
“What kind of government work?”
“Working with a research group,” Sojiro replied simply. “Now, mind telling me who you are and why the heck you’re here?”
“Right. Forgot to introduce myself. The name’s Akihiko Sanada,” he said, a little embarrassed. “And, well, to put it simply, I have some friends who have noticed some weird things going on lately behind the scenes, thanks to all the mental shutdowns and the Phantom Thieves activity this past year. They wanted me and another friend to investigate directly since we were in the best position to do it,” he said, pulling his police badge out of his pocket and placing it on the counter. “I wasn’t lying about being a cop, but it makes for a pretty handy cover. I don’t know who I can trust.”
“Huh. Clever,” said Morgana, his tail flicking as he looked at him with interest.
Minato couldn’t help staring at the badge in mild surprise. He had figured as much after last night, but it had gotten swept aside by everything else. Akihiko was a police officer now… Minato really did have a lot to catch up on.
“And does your group of friends have a name?” asked Sojiro.
Akihiko shifted a little. “It does, but you probably haven’t heard of it.”
Sojiro fixed a dry look on him, not fooled in the slightest. “I’ve seen a lot of things. Try me.”
He thought it over for a moment. “...Ever heard of the Shadow Operatives?”
Surprise flickered in Sojiro’s expression. “I might have, once or twice. I thought they were just some weird rumor. Not that I have any idea what they do.”
“Shadow Operatives?” asked Minato. “What happened to S.E.E.S.?”
“...Right,” said Akihiko awkwardly, glancing between him and Sojiro. “You, uh… weren’t around for the name change.”
“S.E.E.S…” said Futaba. “Hey, wait, like the letters on that model gun of yours!”
“Your evoker? You have it?” Akihiko asked, looking surprised.
Minato’s heart sank. “Not anymore.” It had been in his school bag when he was arrested. He really hoped that it hadn't been lost or taken.
“It might still be at the dorm,” said Futaba. “Inari said he saw your stuff when he got there and some lady told him what happened. That’s how we found out you got arrested.”
A bit of guilt gnawed at him at the mention of Yusuke. Minato had probably worried him, too. Speaking of the others, that reminded him of another question. “Where is everyone?” Minato asked.
“The others are still at school, but they’ll be here right after. Sae’s gonna come over later,” Futaba explained, climbing back into her seat in one of the booths where her laptop sat.
“And hopefully then you kids will tell me what the heck happened last night?” asked Sojiro. “Seriously, Niijima-san just dumped Ren off here before leaving. It was right after they announced he’d died, too. I thought I was gonna have a heart attack. And what’s this I’m now hearing about Arisato being arrested?”
Futaba visibly shrank on herself. “We’re gonna need everyone here to explain the whole story,” said Futaba. “Sorry, Sojiro… can you wait a little longer until everyone gets here? I dunno if I can explain it all by myself.”
Sojiro looked unhappy at the prospect, but relented. “Fine,” he groused. “But I want both of you to stay here where I can keep my eye on you until the others get here. I won’t let either of you risk Ren’s safety. And to be frank, I still have no idea whether or not I can trust you, Sanada-san.”
“Alright then, I’ll wait until Niijima gets here. I can’t say I blame you,” said Akihiko, looking a little distant. He then looked directly at Sojiro. “Look, I know it probably doesn’t mean much to say this, but after seeing what happened to Amamiya last night… I don’t plan on letting it slip to anyone else on the force that he’s alive. The kid’s secret is safe with me. I promise.”
Minato didn’t fully hear this last comment. “Wait, what happened to Ren?”
Sojiro, Futaba, and Morgana looked at each other uncomfortably. Even Akihiko grimaced a bit.
Sojiro was the first to speak. “The police that interrogated him were determined to make him talk, to put it lightly.”
“That’s an understatement,” Akihiko muttered darkly.
Minato said nothing for a moment. He then turned and made a beeline for the back of the cafe, disappearing up the stairs.
“...I’ll text the others,” said Futaba, settling in with her laptop.
Minato sat on a chair close to the bed where Ren slept. Only his head peeked out of the covers, but the dark bruises on his face and the assortment of first-aid supplies and over-the-counter painkillers on the nearby shelf told Minato enough to guess what the rest of him looked like.
Minato had to focus on the steady rise and fall of the covers to remind himself that Ren was still breathing. The plan had worked. He was still alive, and that was what mattered.
Seeing him like this, though… he didn’t feel much better about it.
Ryoji quietly stirred. You couldn’t have known this would happen.
We should have expected it, Minato thought darkly. They were already planning to kill him. It wouldn’t have mattered if they went too far interrogating him.
Minato thought of the night Ren had walked him home, when he had quietly admitted to Minato how terrified he actually was of going through with the whole plan. Ren’s fears hadn’t been unfounded.
And then Minato had been arrested the day after Ren, completely out of nowhere, and everything had gone sideways. He still wasn’t sure why that had happened. They’d pegged him as a Thief, but had he been singled out randomly, or was it some part of another plan against the Thieves? Either way, he hadn’t seen it coming.
I was careless, Minato thought. So much could have gone wrong. I could have blown the entire operation. If the others wasted time trying to help me, or if Akechi had caught on that something was off… I could have gotten him killed, Ryoji.
None of that would have been your fault.
Even if it wasn’t, he still could have died last night! Minato’s vision wavered a bit, and he quickly took a deep, shuddering breath to calm himself. Damn it… I don’t want to lose any of them. We’ve all got targets painted on our backs. I guess it just feels a little more real, now. Last night was too close of a call.
…It was.
“Looks pretty bad, doesn’t it?” said Morgana, startling him out of his thoughts. “It’s hard seeing him like this.”
Minato nodded once, silent.
Morgana hopped up on his lap, a gesture he had done with several of the others before despite stubbornly claiming he wasn’t a cat or any kind of pet. Morgana’s weight on his legs felt oddly grounding.
“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. After all, we’re looking out for him!” said Morgana. “For now, he should sleep. We’ll heal him right up in Mementos once he’s awake, good as new.”
Minato quietly nodded again, idly running a hand over Morgana’s fur as he thought.
Now that Minato was a fugitive, there was a possibility that he could end up being a liability. No one looked for someone who was supposed to be dead, but the risk of Ren getting caught went up if Minato stayed with them. The plan worked, but they were nowhere near out of danger yet.
Minato had already reunited with Akihiko; the rest of S.E.E.S. would no doubt soon follow. Elizabeth said she had answers about his unexpected revival and the Great Seal, and he couldn’t keep putting off the possibility of the Seal being broken and Nyx coming back. He originally joined the Phantom Thieves to get those answers, and now that he was about to get them… there would be nothing actually keeping him here.
And yet, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Somewhere along the way, between their palace excursions and little shared moments of kindness across Tokyo, he’d become their friend. The thought of abandoning them now didn’t sit right with him at all.
As if in response to his thoughts, Orpheus stirred in his mind.
You have already come this far. Hesitation and doubt at this point in your journey will only cost you, as it once did for me, said Orpheus. If you wish to protect those dear to you, then have faith in your decision, whatever it may be, and forge your path forward without looking back.
Minato’s resolve settled, tempering into a steady fire. Instead of answering Orpheus directly, Minato answered aloud. “Morgana.”
Morgana perked up his ears, listening.
“I’ll do everything I can to make sure the rest of this plan works. We’ll see this through to the end.”
Morgana gave a satisfied smile. “Glad to hear it,” he said.
“I’m a fugitive now. If I’m not careful, I could get you all caught,” he warned, looking directly at Morgana. “Will you still have me?”
“Of course,” Morgana said. “Then we’ll just have to make a real Phantom Thief out of you yet!”
Minato couldn’t help a small smile at that. “I’ll be in your care.” His smile fell as he thought about the pressing issue with the Seal and Nyx. The time for secrets was over, now that the past had caught up to him in the form of his old senpai. “...There’s also some things I should tell you guys,” he added. “About what I remembered. I thought it could wait until after the interrogation, but whatever brought me back to life… I’m not sure yet, but I don’t think it means anything good.”
Morgana’s ears flicked as he listened in interest. “Why do you think that?” he asked.
“Because of the reason I died in the first place,” he replied, unable to keep a bitter note out of his voice. “People don’t just come back to life, Morgana.”
“That’s true…” Morgana said, looking thoughtful. “If you don’t mind me asking… what was the reason for that?” he asked hesitantly.
Minato was quiet for a moment. How would he even begin to explain something like Nyx, the Dark Hour, the Fall and the Great Seal?
He must have been silent for too long, because Morgana immediately began to backpedal. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. Forget it.”
Minato thought for another moment. “...Would you be willing to die if it meant stopping something bad from happening?” he asked.
Morgana perked up, looking both wary and curious. “Something bad? Like what?”
“We called it ‘the Fall’,” Minato started slowly. “What it is… there’s no simple way to explain it. It’s Death itself.”
Morgana frowned. “Well, that doesn’t sound good.” He paused. “Wait. ‘We’? Do you mean that guy downstairs knows about it, too? Don’t think I forgot about him, I still can’t believe you brought a police officer here after we worked so hard to save Ren!” he said furiously.
“Sorry,” Minato said, unable to suppress a wince. When he put it like that, it did sound bad.
“And he could understand me, too! That means he’s been to the Metaverse!”
“We used it to escape last night,” Minato explained. “Like Ren and Sae.”
“And you really trust him?” Morgana asked suspiciously.
“With my life,” Minato said with absolute certainty. “We worked together to stop the Fall. Like I said, he’s an old friend.”
Morgana’s expression softened. “He was there when you died, wasn’t he?”
Minato looked away, solemn. A bit of guilt settled in his stomach at the reminder. “My point is, stopping the Fall cost my life,” Minato explained. “If I’m alive now…”
“You think that this ‘Fall’ thing could possibly happen again?” Morgana finished, quickly picking up the implication.
Minato nodded.
“That does sound like it could be a problem,” said Morgana. “And I definitely would like to hear what you have to say about it. Even if we’re going to be busy dealing with the mastermind behind the mental shutdowns, I'd rather be prepared just in case something happens.”
“Yeah.”
The two of them fell into a brief, odd silence. Morgana turned to look at Ren’s still-sleeping form. “Hey, I was thinking… you got your memories back pretty quickly, didn’t you?” he asked quietly.
“I guess,” said Minato.
“I admit, I’m kind of jealous,” said Morgana. “I still haven’t gotten any of mine back, after all this time with everyone. I was actually kind of a jerk about it, before you came along.”
“That’s rough,” he replied.
“Yeah,” said Morgana. “Hey. If I regain my memories… if it turns out I’m not actually human… do you think you’d be okay with that?”
“Yeah.”
“Even if I’m some kind of weird… thing?”
“Weirder than a talking cat?” asked Minato.
“Yeah— Hey! I’m not a cat!” Morgana immediately replied.
Minato gave him an odd look. “I don’t care what you really are.”
Morgana hopped off his lap with a huff, climbing onto the nearby windowsill. “You’re so mean!”
“...Sorry,” Minato replied. “What I mean is… knowing won’t make you any different. You’ll still be Mona.”
Morgana’s tail flicked as he turned to look at him. “Man, you’re a really straightforward guy, huh?”
Minato shrugged.
Morgana still looked annoyed, but he gave Minato a long, considering look. “Hmph. Well… I guess you’re not completely wrong. No matter what I am, my place is still with you guys,” he said, a note of pride and satisfaction in his voice.
In that instant, Minato felt a spark deep in his soul as the Magician bond flared back to life.
A small noise from Ren interrupted them both, and they looked to see him stirring from sleep.
“Hey! You’re awake!” said Morgana. “How do you feel?”
Ren groaned, closing his eyes again. “Bad.”
“I’ll get Boss,” said Minato, standing up.
“Good idea,” said Morgana.
Minato made his way down the stairs into the cafe below, catching Sojiro’s attention.
“Ren’s awake,” he explained.
“Already?” said Sojiro, immediately getting up. “Guess I better see how he’s doing,” he said, heading upstairs.
Minato moved to join Akihiko in one of the booths when the door chime rang, announcing the arrival of the others. The group immediately noticed him as soon as they walked in.
“Minato!” said Ann, immediately barreling into him for a hug and nearly knocking him off his feet.
“Ann,” he wheezed out. What was it with all the crushing hugs?
“Sorry, sorry,” she chuckled, letting go. “I’m just glad you’re okay. Hearing you got arrested really scared us.”
“Yeah, what the eff, man!” said Ryuji. “You nearly gave us all a heart attack! We thought you were totally screwed! How’d you even get out?”
“I had help.” Minato looked towards Akihiko, who was sitting in a booth and watching the exchange with confusion and mild amusement on his face.
The others startled slightly, finally noticing Akihiko’s presence.
“Ah… Pardon me, but who are you, exactly?” asked Yusuke.
“Name’s Akihiko Sanada,” he answered. “I’m a friend.”
“He’s a cop,” Futaba clarified, not looking up from her laptop. “And he already knows about Ren.”
“What?” said Haru. “Is that true?”
“Sanada…” said Makoto, looking thoughtful. “Wait, you’re the one Sis told us about. The one that helped her last night!”
“Forget that! The hell’s a cop doin’ here?!” Ryuji cut in loudly, glaring at Akihiko.
“What are you all yelling about?” said Sojiro from the back of the cafe. They all turned to see Ren leaning heavily on him as they both stepped down the stairs, Morgana following just behind. Ren looked pale and exhausted, the bruises and bandages still visible on his face. Minato had no doubt that the long sleeved shirt and sweatpants were hiding even more injuries, but Ren’s expression was set with grim determination.
The other Thieves were visibly unhappy at the sight, a sentiment Minato shared.
“The hell did they do to you?!” said Ryuji, stepping towards him to help Sojiro.
“Ryuji, I’m fine,” said Ren.
“Futaba told us you were hurt, but this…” said Makoto, looking slightly horrified.
“Kid, you shouldn’t even be standing in your condition,” said Akihiko.
Ren then saw Akihiko and lit up with recognition. “Oh. It’s you.”
“Yeah. Me,” said Akihiko. “You shouldn’t be pushing yourself. You could barely walk on that leg last night, even with the two of us helping.”
“I’ll be fine,” said Ren, settling himself into a booth seat with Sojiro and Ryuji’s help. “I could hear you guys from the attic. Right now, I want to be here for this conversation. I can rest later.”
Morgana gave an unhappy grumble at that comment.
“Jeez. Now I know how Mitsuru felt back in high school,” Akihiko muttered to himself, already nursing the beginnings of a headache.
“Look, I appreciate the help last night, but I want answers just as much as everyone else,” said Ren, fixing Akihiko with a serious look. “Who are you, anyway? Why did you help us instead of turning us in?” he asked.
Akihiko and Minato exchanged a look.
“Akihiko’s an old friend. From… before,” Minato explained, glancing towards Sojiro. The group’s expressions showed that they understood what he meant. “I trust him.”
“He’s still a cop,” Ryuji grumbled.
“True, but Minato would still be in police custody if he hadn’t intervened,” Yusuke pointed out.
Ren looked up at Minato in alarm, then towards Akihiko. Minato didn’t meet his eyes.
“Indeed, but what does he have to gain from helping us?” Haru asked. Despite her sweet smile, her words gave the impression of a cold steel axe hidden beneath them. “I am familiar with the art of betrayal. Tell me, Sanada-san. How do we know you are not planning to betray us?”
Akihiko seemed to sweat a little as he considered her question.
“...Minato, do you really trust these guys?” he finally asked.
“Yes,” Minato said, without a hint of hesitation.
Akihiko sighed. “Alright. I already know your secret, so I guess it’s only fair to share mine. But this information cannot leave this room. Got it?”
“A fair exchange,” said Yusuke. “Very well. We can keep a secret.” The rest of the group slowly gave a chorus of agreement.
“Alright.” Akihiko gave them all a serious look. “I’m sure it wouldn’t surprise you if I told you there’s a lot of corruption throughout both the police and the SIU, especially after last night. I was working undercover in the police force because of that.”
“So you’re not actually a police officer?” Makoto asked.
“No, I am.” He took a deep breath and mentally apologized to Mitsuru before continuing. “But I also work for a top-secret specialized group of Persona users that was created to deal with Shadow-related incidents.”
Several people reacted at once.
“Wait, you know about Shadows?!”
“You have a Persona?!”
Akihiko gave a sardonic smile. “Did you guys think you were the only Persona-users out there?”
“I… no,” Makoto admitted. “We didn’t think about that. We heard about a Black Masked user, but we’ve never seen anyone else in the Metaverse other than us.”
“The Metaverse?” Akihiko asked. “Is that what you call the Shadow nest?”
“Shadow nest?” said Ryuji, looking confused.
“If by that, you mean the cognitive world, yeah,” said Ann.
“So you’ve been to the Metaverse, then?” asked Makoto.
“Sort of,” said Minato. “We used it to escape last night.”
“That explains how he knows about Shadows and how he can hear Morgana,” said Futaba. She looked up from her laptop at Minato. “What that doesn’t explain is how you guys know each other. Old friends are one thing, but it’s a pretty big coincidence that he also has a persona.”
“...I had a Persona before too,” Minato admitted. “We fought Shadows together.”
“Before?” said Ren. “You mean before we met?”
Minato nodded, pushing down his rising nervousness before continuing. “I… actually have a few things I need to tell you guys. It’s about… what happened before,” he said, glancing at Sojiro again, who looked like he had lost any hope of following the conversation now that they had started talking about Shadows and Personas. “It’s a long story, but I’ll tell you anything you want to know. Promise.”
Yusuke immediately responded, looking somewhat concerned. “While I appreciate your honesty, you do not need to reveal such things to us if they are too painful for you to speak of.”
Minato shook his head. “It might be important. You guys should know.”
“I assume that’s a conversation we’ll be having later,” said Makoto, thankfully having the good sense to notice Minato avoiding the topic of his own death with Sojiro present. “Right now, we’re getting off topic. If Sanada-san helped you escape, then what happened afterward?”
“We went to Akihiko’s apartment,” said Minato.
“I was worried about being seen once someone at the station noticed he was missing, and it was the only safe hiding place I could think of,” said Akihiko.
“So that’s where you were all night,” asked Makoto. Minato nodded. “Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Heck, why didn’t you come straight back?” asked Ryuji. “You could’ve stayed in our hideout! We had no idea what had happened to you!”
“I’m the one who told him to wait it out,” Akihiko cut in, and they all looked at him. “If you want to be angry at someone, be angry at me, not him.”
“Why?” asked Ryuji, his voice still laced with heavy suspicion.
“For his safety and yours,” Akihiko shot back. “The entire station was already in a frenzy after the announcement, but a couple of the higher-ups sounded real unhappy about losing track of a second important suspect on the same night. Minato isn’t presumed dead like Amamiya is; I wouldn’t be surprised if there was already a lookout for him.”
“If he had come straight back to Leblanc, it could have potentially led the police directly to Ren, and all our efforts would have been for nothing,” Yusuke finished.
“...Oh,” said Ryuji. “Shit.”
“I’m sorry,” Minato repeated. “I would have told you guys, but I didn’t have a way to contact you, and we had to make sure we weren’t followed.”
“Police coming here is the last thing we need, especially with Ren in his current condition,” said Makoto, folding her arms and looking unhappy. “I wish you could have contacted us earlier too, but when you put it that way… I suppose it couldn’t be helped.”
At that moment, the cafe’s doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of Makoto’s older sister.
“Sorry I took so long, I had to take care of a few things at work,” Sae said, then pausing as she noticed an extra face. “Sanada?” she said, looking at him in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” said Akihiko.
“I was promised answers regarding the events of last night,” said Sae, looking towards Makoto. “Makoto filled me in on a few details, but I’d like to hear the full story from all of you.”
“Same here,” said Sojiro, folding his arms. “I was promised an explanation for whatever happened last night after Ren’s arrest. How’d you kids even manage to pull off something like this? The kid’s considered to be dead, isn’t he?”
Yusuke interrupted. “While I believe Niijima-san and Boss deserves an explanation, do we still wish to do so with Sanada-san present?”
The group all looked towards Akihiko, unsure.
After a long, considering moment, Ren spoke up first. “…I still don’t know how trustworthy you are, but you already have an idea what happened, and you did help both me and Minato last night,” he said. “So… I guess I don’t mind you staying for this.”
“I appreciate it,” said Akihiko.
They all settled in as Makoto launched into an explanation of the events over the last couple of days, including how the true culprit had set them up and the group’s plan to figure out their identity. The explanation was long and complicated; if Minato hadn’t been involved, he might not have been able to follow along. He occasionally looked over to see Akihiko listening intently to their explanation of their plan, occasionally asking a few questions himself along with Sae and Sojiro.
“Why go to such lengths?” Sae asked at one point. “You knew who the killer was. Why go through this elaborate deception?”
“Akechi may be the killer, but he’s receiving orders from someone else. Someone powerful enough to order a hit in a police station,” said Makoto. “They’re our true target.”
“A mastermind pulling the strings…” said Akihiko, mostly to himself. Minato gave him a curious glance. “I think I know exactly who you’re talking about.”
“What do you mean?” asked Ann.
“You know that group I’m part of that I was telling you about earlier?” said Akihiko. “Usually we try to deal with any major Shadow activity ourselves, but we’ve had to deal with so much interference that we suspected someone was sabotaging us. I already had my badge, so I figured working for the Tokyo police force was the best way I could help investigate without drawing any attention.”
“So we may have a common enemy,” said Yusuke. Akihiko nodded.
“Yeah. So how do you all plan on dealing with this guy?” asked Akihiko.
“What else? We’ll simply need to change their heart.”
Akihiko looked unsure at that. “Are you sure a change of heart is a good idea?”
“Uh, ‘course it is,” said Ryuji. “Why?”
“I don’t know if I like the idea of you guys messing with people’s shadows,” said Akihiko. “You’re changing them as a person. That’s a dangerous line to cross.”
“We know,” said Makoto. “Regardless, this person does need to be dealt with.”
“Yes. Who knows how many people they’ve already hurt,” said Haru.
Yusuke nodded. “Indeed. This man is behind all the mental shutdowns. And as soon as they figure out that Ren is not dead, they’re not going to stop at just him. That being said, our options are rather limited.”
“And you’re really going to go with this, Minato?” Akihiko asked, looking towards him.
“Do you have a better idea?” Minato said.
“...No,” Akihiko admitted. “But we can think of something. You guys don’t have to tackle this guy all by yourselves.”
Minato shook his head. “We don’t have time to figure out another plan,” he said. “I’m sorry, Akihiko. But I’m not going to sit back and do nothing.”
“Also, no offense, but we don’t really know if we can trust your shady Operative buddies,” Futaba added.
Akihiko wished Minato could have at least understood why he was so hesitant about changing hearts, but one look at his old friend made him realize that Minato wasn’t going to budge on this. As field leader, Minato had never wavered when it came to his friends, and it seemed that now extended to these kids too.
“Of all the things… I almost forgot how stubborn you could be,” Akihiko said. “How the hell did you manage to get yourself in a mess like this?”
Minato shrugged.
“If that does not convince you of the urgency of our situation, then perhaps this will,” said Yusuke. “Futaba, can you please play the recording?”
“Sure,” said Futaba, already opening a file on her computer.
“What’s that?” asked Sae, leaning closer to see.
“Proof of Akechi’s betrayal.” Futaba clicked on her laptop, and audio began to play from the speakers.
“...Then I’ll guide the police into her palace and have them catch the Phantom Thieves in the act,” a tinny recording of Akechi’s voice spoke. “That would be the only way to arrest them, given their methods. I’ll deal with them after that. Let me see… We could say he stole the guard’s gun and committed suicide during his imprisonment… How about that? Public security questioning will occur on the first day… and with that room, my task will be simple.”
“Is this for real..?” asked Sojiro.
Akihiko’s eyes widened a little as he listened. “You gotta be kidding.”
“And thus, the dangerous criminal responsible for the mass mental shutdowns shall end his own life,” Akechi’s voice continued. “When he does, you will be known as a hero. As will I, of course.”
“And any witnesses?” said a new voice, unfamiliar to Minato. A quick glance at Ren showed him listening intently to the recording, a small frown forming on his face.
“The room will be isolated, but having a guard at the door will be unavoidable. There will also need to be a coroner’s report forged, so they do not run an autopsy and discover any discrepancies.”
“The coroner is already on our payroll. I will arrange for the guard to be one of ours. Eliminate him afterwards to destroy any evidence, as well as the coroner.”
“It will be done.”
“Good,” said the unfamiliar voice. “And the remaining accomplices?”
“I would advise leaving the remaining Phantom Thieves alone, at least for the time being. They won’t be a threat without their leader, of course, and too many unfortunate deaths of teenagers will draw unwanted attention to yourself.”
“Then take care of them by the deadline we discussed. I will not tolerate any loose ends.”
“...Very well. As you wish.”
The recording ended.
“I knew he was acting strangely, but to think he was this far gone…” Sae trailed off, looking somber.
Akihiko looked grim. “So you’re all on the chopping block, huh?”
Ren nodded. “We have a deadline, but we don’t know when that is. Futaba’s still running through what her bug picked up.”
Akihiko looked contemplative for a moment. “...Alright. If you guys are so determined to take this guy down, then I’ll help however I can.”
“I thought you didn’t like the idea of changing hearts,” said Ren.
“I don’t. But this guy is a way bigger problem right now,” said Akihiko, folding his arms. “Just this once, I’ll let it slide. Making sure you guys don’t get yourselves killed is more important.”
“Count me in as well,” said Sae. “You kids did save me from myself, after all. From here on, I will do everything in my power to assist you.”
Makoto smiled tiredly. “Thanks, Sis.”
“I can’t say I understood everything you kids just told me, but I’ll also do what I can to help,” said Sojiro. “You guys need a safe place to meet up, right? I can close the shop whenever you need it.”
“Are you sure about that?” said Ann.
“What a gracious offer,” said Yusuke. “I think we should accept it. Thank you, Boss.”
Sojiro nodded. “It’s the least I can do. It’s not like you can leave,” he said to Ren.
“That… might be a problem, actually,” said Makoto. “I don’t think Ren should continue staying here.”
Sojiro looked surprised. “Huh? Why not?”
“The police are sure to be on the lookout,” said Makoto. “If they decide to search here, Ren could be caught. We’re lucky they haven’t done that already.”
Futaba perked up in her seat. “Sojiro! You wanted him to stay here because of me, right? B-but I’m okay now!” she pointed out. “So can you let him stay over at our house?”
Sojiro blinked in surprise, then relented. “Alright, alright. If the kid needs to hide out somewhere else, I can put him up in the spare room,” he said. “He probably shouldn’t be in the attic anyway, not in his condition.”
“Thank you, Boss,” said Makoto, sounding somewhat relieved at the thought. “Once we’re done here, we’ll take a trip to the Metaverse and patch him up.”
“I’ll have my best healing spells ready,” said Morgana, hopping up on the barstool.
“That just leaves Minato, then,” said Yusuke. “The dorms are no longer an option, considering what happened.”
“You can keep staying at my place,” Akihiko suggested. “It’s not a problem.”
“Thanks,” said Minato.
“Just don’t go telling your sketchy Shadow Operative friends about us if you’re gonna let him stay over,” said Futaba.
Akihiko frowned. “That I can’t promise.”
“Hey! I’ll dig up all your dirty secrets and post them all over the internet if you do! Just you wait!” she huffed.
“Look, Phantom Thieves is one thing, but I can’t keep Minato a secret from them,” said Akihiko. “He’s our friend, too, and they’re gonna want to know why he’s alive and where he’s been.”
“I guess…” said Ann.
“But it’s risky,” said Makoto.
“Do we have any right to ask that of him?” said Yusuke. “To refrain from reuniting with friends and family simply for our sake?”
“Minato. What do you want to do?” asked Ren, making Minato startle slightly. Minato had remained quiet throughout the argument, listening awkwardly and looking slightly uncomfortable. “Do you want to meet your old friends?”
Minato was silent. Finally, after a single, long moment, he gave a hesitant nod.
Ren looked resigned. “Okay, then.” He turned to Akihiko. “And you promise they won’t tell anyone about us?”
Akihiko straightened upright. “I promise.”
Ren mulled over this for a minute, quiet.
The thing was, Ren believed Minato’s claim that Sanada was a good person; he didn’t seem like he would lie about that kind of thing, and Sanada had seriously helped them out. But Minato’s knowledge of his old friends was almost seven years out of date, and a lot could change in that time. Ren wasn’t able to trust these people quite as easily as Minato could, and the fact remained that they were part of a secret government group. That could just as easily mean that they might not like the Phantom Thieves or what they did, even in the best case scenario. And after everything that happened in the interrogation room, the last thing Ren wanted was to interact with any of these people.
Despite that, Ren felt his Universe bond continue to hum brightly in the depths of his soul, thrumming with power the way his bonds did whenever it was on the verge of growing stronger. He didn’t like it, but he had a feeling that whatever was going on with Minato’s old friends and what he would tell them about his past would be key to strengthening their bond. He hadn’t even felt this nervous when he was helping Iwai.
Ren looked out for his teammates. If that meant making sure Minato wasn’t about to make a huge mistake in trusting his old friends, then…
“Alright then. If you’re going to see them, I want to meet your weird Shadow fighting buddies too.”
“Ren!” said Makoto, sounding scandalized.
“What?”
“No one is supposed to know you’re alive!”
“They know, don’t they?” said Ren, gesturing to Akihiko. “There’s no way Sanada hasn’t told them I’m alive if they’re as involved in investigating the mental shutdown cases as he says. Right?”
Akihiko glanced away, Ren’s guess hitting the mark perfectly. “I… did fill in Mitsuru on what happened last night,” he admitted.
“Dude!” said Ryuji.
“But only her,” Akihiko continued quickly. “She hasn’t shared that information with anyone else, as far as I know.”
“That’s really not reassuring,” said Ann.
“Guys,” said Ren. “My identity’s already been revealed, and at least one of them already know I’m alive, right? And you guys can’t do anything unusual that might draw attention in the real world,” he explained. He then looked at Minato. “And I don’t know about you meeting these guys all by yourself. So… I want to meet them, too.”
Akihiko looked surprised, but recovered quickly. “Alright. I think I can arrange that,” he said.
“Thanks,” said Ren.
“I don’t like this,” said Makoto, a small frown forming on her face.
“I agree with Niijima,” said Sojiro. “This sounds reckless.”
“I know,” said Ren. “So I really hope you’re right about these guys,” he said to Minato.
Minato didn’t know what to say to that.
The meeting ended shortly after that, the group wasting no time getting to work. Sae and Makoto excused themselves, Futaba continued working on her laptop, and Ann and Ryuji headed upstairs to the attic while Sojiro prepared to head back home. The remaining others were busy helping Ren and preparing to make a trip to Mementos.
“I can help,” said Minato.
“Thank you, but I believe we will be alright,” said Haru, not unkindly. “You should focus on catching up with your friend.”
“Yeah, we might not have much time once we get a name. I’m still going through everything on Akechi’s phone,” said Futaba, not looking up from her laptop. “I’ll let you know when we’ve got a hit, so be ready.”
“I… ok. Thanks,” he said.
Haru nodded. She then turned to Akihiko. “If you betray our trust, I will show you no mercy,” said Haru, smiling sweetly at him.
Akihiko barely suppressed a shiver. This girl was frighteningly similar to Mitsuru. Another Mitsuru… now that was a scary thought. “U-understood.”
The two of them began to leave, only for Sojiro to stop them just outside the doorway to Leblanc.
“Arisato, can I talk to you for just a moment?” he asked.
Minato paused. Akihiko was a few steps down the alleyway, looking around discreetly to make sure they weren’t being watched or followed. “Okay,” said Minato.
“I won’t keep you long,” said Sojiro. “How are you holding up?”
“Fine.”
Sojiro scoffed quietly. “Don’t lie to me, kiddo. You got arrested, and now you’re a fugitive. You’re in over your head.” He sighed. “Jeez. You and all of Ren’s friends are gonna make me go gray early. Adults like me are the ones who are supposed to be looking out for you kids.”
He glanced away. “I’ll be fine.”
“Sure,” said Sojiro. “And you’re sure about your friend Sanada?”
Minato looked up, looking him directly in the eye. “Absolutely.”
Sojiro looked unconvinced, but he didn’t argue. “Alright, fine. But if you need help, or even just someplace quiet, don’t hesitate to drop by. Heck, it’ll make me feel better if you do.”
In that moment, Minato realized that the Hierophant bond had reappeared without him even realizing it. It was subtle, simply making him think of fond memories and a feeling of security, like the warmth of a home-cooked meal. It was funny, really, how much Sojiro reminded him of Shinjiro.
Minato gave a small, tired smile. “I will. Thank you.”
Sojiro nodded. “Alright. I gotta set up that spare room. You take care out there.” He then stepped back inside, leaving them free to go. Minato caught up to Akihiko and the two of them made their way back to his apartment, disguises once again donned as they navigated their way through the Tokyo metro.
You’ve been quiet, Minato thought internally as they rode the trains back. What’s bothering you?
I really can’t get anything past you, can I? Ryoji said good-naturedly. …It’s nothing. I just wish I could have been more helpful last night, Ryoji admitted.
You wouldn’t have been able to do anything. They caught me in the real world.
That’s exactly why I wish I could have helped. If only I was still… Ryoji was quiet. …Nevermind.
Minato thought over his words. …You wish you were human again, don’t you?
…A little, Ryoji admitted. I know that’s impossible, but when you were arrested, I just… I was completely useless. I promised I’d stay by your side, yet I can’t protect you when you need it the most.
You’ve done plenty. You protect me in the Metaverse. There’s no one else I’d rather have as my other self besides Orpheus.
Thank you. That means more to me than you know, said Ryoji. I am still worried, though. If you continue trying to fight whoever’s behind all of this, something like that could happen again.
I know, Minato said, resolve burning like a steady fire.
Stubborn as ever. I’m glad you’ve made up your mind, said Ryoji, pride and a hint of sorrow in his voice. That mastermind won’t know what hit him.
Notes:
Sorry for the wait! This chapter really fought me, and it’s the longest chapter yet. Some of these plot threads got tangled up, and I had to do a bit of planning for the Shido’s Palace arc as well as start a new doc because the old one was starting to lag.
Also, my mental health kind of took a dip and I got burned out, which is the other reason why this chapter took so long. Since this story is between Sae’s and Shido’s palaces, I think it was probably the best point in the story to take a break.
GOSh yall were so kind last chapter!! I read every one of your comments and each one meant so much to me. And this story is at 800 kudos and 25k hits now?? HOLY COW Im gonna cry I never thought my lil pt minato fic would come so far, thank yall so much for all the love ;v; 💖
Chapter 14: Bleeding Heart
Summary:
Minato meets more of the Shadow Operatives, and sheds some light on his past to the Phantom Thieves.
Notes:
Sorry for the wait guys! It's only been....
...
...Six months. Whoops.
Anyway, enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Minato and Akihiko had only just returned to the apartment when Akihiko’s phone rang.
He unpocketed his phone and looked at the screen, then looked up at Minato. “...It’s Mitsuru,” he explained. “I should probably update her on everything… Do you mind?”
Minato shook his head. Akihiko tapped the screen, accepting the call and turning on the speaker.
“Mitsuru?”
“Akihiko,” said Mitsuru. “Have things calmed down on your end?”
“Sort of,” said Akihiko. “I’m sure the police are still in a frenzy, though. I haven’t been back to the station since last night.”
“Good. Last night was eventful enough. I’m glad nothing else has happened.”
Akihiko paused. “I wouldn’t say that,” he said.
“...Akihiko. What happened.”
“I met the Phantom Thieves,” he said.
“What?” she asked, sounding genuinely curious. “Why?”
“Minato insisted on it,” Akihiko replied, glancing at Minato.
“I… see,” said Mitsuru. “...How is he, anyway?”
“Actually, he’s right here,” said Akihiko, holding the phone closer.
“Uh,” said Minato lamely. “...Hey, Senpai.”
A moment of stunned silence. Then he heard her give a chuckle. “I’m glad you told me about what happened beforehand, Akihiko. I admit, part of me is still surprised,” she said. Minato couldn’t see her, but some part of him knew she was smiling on the other end. “Hello, Minato. It’s very good to hear your voice again.”
“You too,” said Minato. “You guys have been busy.”
Another chuckle. “Yes, we certainly have been. We have a lot to tell you,” she said. “It’s a good thing you were telling the truth about Minato, Akihiko. Aigis would have been very unhappy to find out otherwise.”
“Wait, what?” said Akihiko.
“That’s the other reason why I’m calling, Akihiko. I filled her in on some of the details of last night. Those of us that are actively involved in the Tokyo investigation should be informed about this development,” said Mitsuru. “Aigis is on her way as we speak.”
The three of them were interrupted by a very loud sound of wood splintering.
Minato and Akihiko shared a look, then turned the corner to see Aigis standing in the open front doorway, which now had a very obviously broken lock and chain. Upon closer inspection, it looked like it had been ripped right out of the wooden frame under the force from the door opening.
“...I’ll call you back, Mitsuru,” said Akihiko.
“Understandable. We’ll speak more later,” she said, before hanging up.
Akihiko pocketed his phone, casting a despairing look between Aigis and the still open door. “Aigis, I thought you said I needed to keep a low profile.”
If Aigis heard his complaint, she gave no indication of it. She only stared wide-eyed at Minato for a moment, her expression unreadable.
Then she moved, walking directly toward him and silently enveloping him in a hug.
“I’ve missed you very much,” she finally said.
Minato awkwardly but gently moved his arms around her, returning the hug. He didn’t know if that was the right thing to do, but her hug instantly grew even tighter.
“I promised that I would always protect you. Do you remember?” Aigis asked. He nodded silently. “I am sorry I could not keep my promise.”
“Wasn’t your fault,” he mumbled. “I’m sorry, Aigis. I really am.”
At that moment, an unfamiliar person with short-cropped blue hair and a cap appeared just outside the door, looking over the damage. They let out an exhausted sigh. “My apologies, Sanada-san,” they said, stepping across the threshold. They looked harried, like they’d run a marathon across Tokyo. “Aigis is quite fast.”
“Shirogane?” said Akihiko, looking surprised. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to check on you,” Shirogane replied, closing the door behind her. “Sanada, what on earth happened last night? Kirijo-san told me you were caught up in the incident at the police station involving the arrested leader of the Phantom Thieves, and that your cover was potentially compromised. Aigis-san insisted on coming as well.”
“It’s a long story,” said Akihiko. “But I managed to find us a breakthrough. The mental shutdowns? It’s not the Phantom Thieves after all. It’s Goro Akechi.”
Shirogane’s eyes widened in surprise. “Him? The detective on the Phantom Thieves case?” she said. She looked thoughtful for a moment, gears turning in her mind. “...No. No, it makes sense. I never considered Akechi-san as a suspect, but something about him always struck me as odd. This explains the unusual resistance I’ve had in investigating the mental shutdowns and Phantom Thieves cases.” Her expression darkened a little. “So the detective is the culprit, and the Phantom Thieves are the scapegoat. This is just like the Adachi case all over again.”
“Adachi?” asked Minato, pulling away from Aigis enough to listen.
Shirogane looked up at him. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met. I take it you’re a friend of Sanada’s?”
He nodded. “Minato Arisato,” he introduced himself.
A small frown crossed her face. “Arisato… Kirijo mentioned a late friend of hers by the same name.”
“That’s me,” he said.
A flicker of surprise crossed Shirogane’s face. “I admit that I have even more questions now. But it’s good to meet you. My name is Naoto Shirogane,” she said, dipping her head slightly in a greeting. “I’ve heard a bit about you from the others.”
“I do not understand,” said Aigis. “How did this happen?”
“I wish I could tell you, Aigis, but I’m just as clueless as you,” said Akihiko, glancing at Minato.
“I told you, I don’t know,” said Minato. “I’m still figuring that out.”
“Do you have any leads you can investigate?” asked Naoto.
“Just exploring Mementos,” said Minato.
A look of confusion briefly crossed her face. “Mementos..?
“The Shadow nest,” Akihiko clarified. “Apparently the Phantom Thieves found him in it, so that’s the only clue we’ve got.”
“Ah,” Naoto said, now understanding. “I take it you know them, then?”
Minato nodded.
“In that case, I must ask. Do you believe they can be trusted?” asked Naoto. “Or have you not heard about the incident with Okumura?”
“They didn’t kill anyone,” said Minato.
Naoto gave a single nod, satisfied. “I suspected as much, but it’s good to have that confirmed,” she said. “Now that we have the identity of our true culprit, we can plan a course of action.”
Akihiko made an uncertain noise. “The situation’s… complicated,” said Akihiko. “Akechi’s behind the shutdowns, but he’s not exactly the guy we’re looking for. He just works for them.”
“How do you know for sure that’s the case?”
“The Phantom Thieves told us.”
“The Phantom Thieves? You met them?” Naoto asked, incredulous.
“Long story, but yeah,” said Akihiko. “Turns out the Phantom Thieves are already planning on handling things themselves. And the leader wants to meet with us.”
“The leader?” Her eyes widened slightly, putting the pieces together. “He’s alive?”
“Yeah. Injured, but alive,” said Akihiko. “Niijima was helping him escape, so I helped them out.”
“You did what?” said Naoto. “Do you know how reckless that is? Not to mention illegal!”
“Believe me, I know,” said Akihiko, looking exhausted. “I don’t think I’m going to ever hear the end of it.”
“This explains why Kirijo-san was worried about you being compromised,” said Naoto. “Please tell me no one saw you.”
“Only Niijima. I fried the surveillance system too, so they won’t find anything.”
“You—“ Naoto looked conflicted for a moment. “You destroyed police property? Sanada, that was a huge risk to take! Evidence like that could be traced back to you!”
“I had to do it, Shirogane,” Akihiko said, already growing frustrated.
“I know all of this is frustrating, Sanada, but we work with the government. We can’t break the law as we see fit,” Naoto said. “It’s not just you at risk if you’re caught. If anyone had discovered you and found out you were undercover? The Shadow Operatives are already under scrutiny, and something like this could have given our enemy the leverage to have us shut down for good.”
“I know, Shirogane!” said Akihiko. “But I couldn’t just leave the kid!” He ran a hand through his hair, taking a deep breath to dissipate some of the building stress. “Shirogane, Aigis, I’m only telling you two that the kid’s alive because you’re on the Tokyo investigation unit. You can’t tell this to anyone. If word of this gets out, I have no doubt whoever’s behind all this will try to finish the job,” he said, his expression darkening a little.
“Finish the job?” said Naoto. Her eyes widened as something clicked. “...You mean the suicide on the news.”
“Yeah. I had a feeling that something was wrong after listening to the interrogation room feeds, and I was right,” said Akihiko, looking serious. “The kid was going to die, Shirogane. They were planning on shooting him and covering it up as a suicide. They didn’t even check for a body, the coroner’s report was forged. That’s how deep this guy’s influence is.”
“Understood,” said Aigis. “I will file this information as classified.”
Akihiko gave her a tired smile. “Thanks, Aigis.”
Naoto sighed. “I’m not saying you didn’t do the right thing. For what it’s worth, I think you did. And even I can admit that there’s no way we can fight back against this fair and square,” she said. “I’m telling you to be smart and don’t get yourself arrested. I can’t say for certain what will happen if you are, but we’re the only two with the clearances necessary to be able to investigate this as non-Operatives, and getting caught risks our entire operation.”
“I know,” said Akihiko. “I didn’t mean for things to get so out of hand.”
“We’ll manage,” said Naoto. “At least we’re all still in one piece. The situation isn’t unsalvageable yet.” She looked towards Minato. “So, what’s this about the Phantom Thieves planning on dealing with the person behind the mental shutdowns?”
Minato shifted, somewhat uncomfortable. Ren was already on edge about Akihiko and the others. He had a feeling that telling Shirogane about what the Thieves were planning might be a step too far.
“It’ll be better if you hear it from Ren,” he said. “I won’t break his trust.”
“Oh, yeah,” said Akihiko. “I almost forgot about it, but the kid said he actually wants to meet with us.”
Naoto immediately looked interested. “Really? That’s fantastic news, Sanada. We can finally make some progress in this investigation.” she said. “I’m surprised he agreed to meet with us so easily, considering the circumstances.”
“I’m surprised too. I think he’s only agreeing to do this because Minato vouched for us,” said Akihiko. He slightly frowned in confusion. “They all wanted to be sure that we aren’t, uh… ‘sus’. Or whatever that one girl called us.”
Minato didn’t suppress a small huff of laughter at that. The memory of Akihiko’s face at Futaba’s term for them was still pretty funny, even if he didn’t know what the term meant either.
“I have not heard this term before,” said Aigis. She gave a single nod. “I will add it to my data banks to research later.”
Naoto sighed. “Well, if you won’t tell us what the Phantom Thieves are planning to do for the time being, then do you mind answering some questions I have about last night’s events?” she asked.
“Yeah, sure,” said Akihiko. “You want the full rundown? I already explained things to Mitsuru last night.”
“That would be appreciated, yes,” said Naoto, digging out a small notebook from her coat pocket.
Minato tuned out their conversation, instead turning to face Aigis fully. Any words he had died in his throat as he did. It took a moment for him to finally say something.
“I missed you too, Aigis,” he said. “…Akihiko said you all saw the Great Seal.”
Aigis nodded, somber. “We know of Erebus as well.”
“Then you know something’s wrong,” he said. “Whatever’s going on… one way or another, things can’t stay like this.”
She only stared for a moment, sadness in her eyes. Then, gently, she took his hands in hers.
“Then I will simply cherish the time I have been given with you,” she responded.
He stared at her hands, unable to face her. “Even if it hurts you?”
“Yes,” she said, without a hint of hesitation. “We all decided to live to lighten your burden as much as we could.” Aigis smiled softly. “I have found my answer to life as well.”
Minato softly smiled at those words, pride welling in his heart. She had truly grown so much since he last saw her. “I’m glad.”
“Kingdom.”
“Conditions have not been met.”
“Uh… mansion?”
“Conditions have not been met.”
“Oh! What about classroom?”
“Conditions have not been met.”
“Racetrack. Y’know, ‘cause he’s running for prime minister?”
“Conditions have not been met.”
Ann groaned, flopping back on Futaba’s bed where she sat. “How long have we been at this…?”
“Two hours,” said Futaba.
“We’re never going to get anywhere like this,” said Haru. “We need a hint.”
“We could go to the Diet building,” said Ren.
“We can, but you two can’t,” said Makoto, looking up at Minato and Ren. “Remember?”
“I know,” Ren said, looking somewhat sour.
“We still have to go there to access the palace,” said Minato.
“That’s besides the point,” said Makoto.
“At this rate, we won’t have time to secure a route through the palace by the time we guess the final keyword,” said Yusuke. “We have roughly three weeks before the election. Less than that, if anyone catches on to us.”
“Inari has a point,” said Futaba. “I vote we take a break and do some actual research. I can look up some clips of this guy’s speeches.”
“Maybe a break would do us some good…” said Haru.
“I could make everyone curry while Futaba researches?” said Ren. “You think Boss would mind me using the kitchen?”
Futaba waved him off. “Nah, he won’t. Go nuts.”
“I’ll still let him know anyway,” Ren said, already texting Sojiro. “And pay him back for groceries.”
“He won’t accept it, you know!” Futaba called out after him.
“That won’t stop me from trying,” Ren called back.
The group filed out of Futaba’s room and resettled in the kitchen. Futaba set up her laptop on the table to do her research while Ren pulled out a pot and began setting out ingredients for curry.
“By the way, didn’t you have something you wanted to tell us?” Morgana asked Minato, hopping up on the table. “You mentioned it when that Sanada guy was with you.”
Minato suddenly looked a lot more somber. “I did.” It was the main reason he’d come over in disguise again, rather than call over the phone like Akihiko had suggested. This was not a conversation he was looking forward to, but it was a necessary one.
(It had also taken quite a bit of convincing Aigis to stay behind. Thankfully she understood that the Thieves were already on edge, and following Minato to their hideout before their meeting with Ren might not be a good first impression.)
“Oh yeah, I remember that,” said Futaba. “Sojiro’s still at Leblanc, so you can say whatever you want.”
“Yeah! Like what’s the deal with that guy?” asked Ryuji. “He’s like a secret agent, ain’t he? And you said he was an old friend, so how’d you meet ‘im?”
“I knew him in high school,” said Minato.
“He went to Gekkoukan with you?” asked Futaba.
Minato nodded. “We were in a club called S.E.E.S. that fought shadows together.”
“S.E.E.S.? Like those letters on that model gun of yours?” asked Haru.
Ren looked up from the curry he was cooking. “Huh. So that’s why Iwai didn’t recognize the name when I asked him about it,” he said.
“You were aware of the existence of shadows at the time, though?” asked Yusuke, looking curious. “You mentioned having a persona before you met us.”
Minato nodded.
“That explains those weird readings I got off of you back when we first found you,” said Futaba.
“But you awakened in Mementos,” said Makoto. “We all saw it.”
“I think it was more like… a reawakening,” he explained.
“That… doesn’t sound normal,” said Morgana, sounding skeptical.
“Maybe it was because of the amnesia?” said Ann.
Minato shrugged.
“Is all of this related to what you wished to discuss with us?” asked Yusuke. “You said there was something important about your past that you wished to tell us. Something that we should know.” He looked thoughtful. “And I find any coincidences difficult to believe with two separate incidents involving Shadows in both of our lives.”
Minato nodded. “It’s… about how I died,” he started carefully. “Do you remember when I told you guys that I shouldn’t be here?”
“Yeah. You were kind of freaking out over it, dude,” said Ryuji.
Minato tried not to think about hazy nightmares of hungry red eyes and teeth flashing in the darkness. “People don’t come back to life. And what I did before I died… if I’m alive, it could be a bad sign.”
“Why do you say that?” asked Haru.
Minato thought for a moment, trying to think of a way to explain and already dreading what they would think. This was going to involve a lot of talking, wasn’t it? “...Morgana. You said cognition is powerful in the Metaverse. Right?”
“It is,” said Morgana. “Why do you ask?”
“This is… kind of similar.” Minato looked downcast as he tried to explain. “... Everyone hurts. Everyone feels pain. A lot of people wish for an end to their pain, even if they don’t mean to. And there’s something in the cognitive world that keeps trying to answer. To… to end it all. End everything.”
Ren blanched. “Ruin,” he muttered.
“What?”
“Nothing,” Ren said a little too quickly, pushing up his glasses. “Just thinking out loud.”
Minato blinked, staring for a moment. “... I guess you could call it that. We called it the Fall.”
“O…kay. That’s… kind of dark. But what does that have to do with you?” asked Ann.
Minato sighed. “I should probably start from the beginning,” he said. “It’s not a happy story, though.”
“Whatever it is, we can handle it,” said Ren. “You seem like you need to get this off your chest.”
Minato finally nodded after a moment of consideration. “...Before I died, the Kirijo group tried to experiment with shadows.” He glanced away. “It didn’t end well,” he said. “A few of them tried to summon something bigger. A being they called Nyx. There was an accident, and it made what we called the Dark Hour.”
“The Dark Hour? What’s that?” asked Makoto, listening intently to this new information.
“Sounds edgy,” said Ryuji.
“It was where we encountered shadows,” Minato explained.
“So it was like the Metaverse?” asked Makoto.
“No,” said Minato. “Shadows didn’t stay in a different world for us. Time stopped at midnight, every night, for an hour. In that hour, only Persona users would stay awake, and Shadows crossed into the real world. That was the Dark Hour,” he explained. “S.E.E.S. was formed to fight those shadows. If a normal person was attacked by a shadow, they just stopped responding.”
Futaba slapped her hands against the table, making all of them jump. “Apathy Syndrome!” she suddenly yelled.
Minato startled at that. “You know about that?”
“Uh, yeah? I’ve been wondering what the heck it was! I knew it seemed too weird to not be related!” said Futaba.
“Care to explain to the rest of us, Futaba?” asked Makoto, folding her arms. “This is the first I’m hearing about it.”
“I found some articles on it when I was digging up Minato’s info. It was happening the same year, and all the symptoms were like a mental shutdown. I thought… maybe it had something to do with why he died?” she said lamely.
Minato gave her an odd look. “Sort of,” he finally admitted. “I’m surprised you heard of it. People forgot about it after the Dark Hour disappeared.”
“How do you forget something like that?!” she said.
“If I had to guess, it sounds like a change in cognition,” said Morgana.
“A mass one, though?” said Haru. “Is that even possible?”
Morgana’s ears dropped. “I… I don’t know. I never thought of it before…”
Futaba barreled on. “Look, I thought Apathy Syndrome seemed weirdly suspicious, since all the symptoms made it sound like a mental shutdown. But people recovered from it, so it couldn’t be one! I barely managed to find anything on Apathy Syndrome, nobody seems to know what it was. But you do!” said Futaba, pointing at Minato. “So gimme the dirty details! Are they mental shutdowns or not? How’d all those people come back from it?”
“Dunno,” said Minato, shrinking a little under the intensity of her stare. “I just know it happened when a shadow took someone’s psyche.”
“So these shadows were stealing desires,” Yusuke said, looking intrigued. “And if I had to guess, they all recovered because you took them back.”
“I… guess,” Minato admitted. “The only way to return someone to normal was destroying the shadows that had taken them. There were… twelve of them,” he explained. “Long story short, they all came together to form one big shadow from the Kirijo group accident. A shadow they made to summon Nyx.”
“Why was the Kirijo Group researching shadows in the first place?” asked Haru. “I don’t believe they didn’t see some way to benefit from it.”
Minato shrugged. “They saw potential in the cognitive world.”
“Like Mom did,” said Futaba. “She thought her research on cognitive psience would be big.”
“Yeah,” said Minato. “But a few of them went too far. They wanted to draw down the power of a god.”
“What on earth?” said Makoto, looking uneasy. “How do you make the logical jump from shadow research to summoning a god? That just sounds crazy!”
Minato looked grave. “It does. But the cognitive world isn’t just a world where shadows appear. It’s a sea of human thoughts.”
“A sea of souls…” Ren muttered quietly as he stirred the curry, only loud enough for Minato to overhear.
Minato gave a small nod. “It’s old. There are… big things in it. Bigger and more powerful than you could imagine,” he explained. Ren felt a slight chill as he listened to Minato’s words hammer in just how little they understood about the Metaverse. Minato seemed like a normal guy, but in that brief moment, his gaze seemed so much older. Like someone who had seen the deepest depths of humanity. Ren supposed, in a way, he had. “Nyx is the name of one of them. A few of the scientists at Kirijo learned about her through their Shadow research, and wanted to summon her.”
“What…” asked Haru, looking somewhat apprehensive. “What would happen if they did?”
He turned to look at her. “The Fall.”
Several of them protested at that.
“What the hell?”
“Why would they want to do something that would kill themselves?!”
“I don’t know. They either didn’t understand what they were messing with or didn’t care,” Minato said, a touch bitterly. “They thought Nyx would bring salvation.” His nose wrinkled slightly in distaste at the word.
“By destroying everything?”
Minato gave a single nod.
“Dude,” said Ryuji, eyes wide.
“They didn’t need to do much to call on her. By the end, people were already doing it for them,” Minato added. “The thing I mentioned earlier. The one that keeps trying to answer when people wish for death? That’s another one of them. Its name is Erebus,” he explained. “It’s another way people are able to call on Nyx.”
“This is confusin’ as hell…” Ryuji muttered.
“Why were people trying to call upon this… Nyx?” Yusuke asked, listening intently.
“People were scared,” Minato explained. “Things… got bad in Iwatodai.”
“How bad?” asked Haru.
“Pretty bad, I’d guess,” said Futaba, sounding less energetic than usual after the heaviness of this entire conversation. “I saw some other things while I was researching Apathy Syndrome. There were a few mentions of a creepy death cult that showed up in the Iwatodai area right before it disappeared.”
Minato nodded, less surprised this time. “The Cult of Nyx.”
“An actual death cult?” said Morgana. His fur slightly bristled, showing how unsettled he was. “Things really seemed that hopeless?”
“This just keeps gettin’ crazier,” said Ryuji, sounding slightly hysterical.
“Okay, this is a spooky story and all, but I still don’t see how all this relates to you,” said Makoto, looking deeply unsettled at this point.
Minato glanced at her. “Erebus reaches Nyx, Nyx emerges, everyone dies. That’s the Fall,” he explained. “Only way to stop it was to stop Erebus from reaching her. So… that’s what I did.”
Ren didn’t like where this was going, but he had to know. “What did you do?” he finally asked.
Minato glanced away. “I made a seal,” he admitted. “I… was that seal.”
They all took a moment to process the implications of that.
“...For all that time?” Haru finally asked.
Minato nodded.
“That’s rough, dude,” said Ryuji.
Minato shrugged. “It worked.”
“Yeah, but doin’ that?” said Ryuji. “You friggin’ died!”
“It would have happened either way,” Minato defended.
“You guys didn’t win at all if you died over it,” said Futaba. “That’s like… a game-breaking victory condition.”
“I never said we won,” said Minato. “You can’t beat death.”
“So a stalemate, then,” said Yusuke.
“Or a zugzwang,” said Ren.
Minato blinked, confused. He wasn’t the only one lost, either.
“A… what?” asked Ann.
Ren flushed a little under their stares. “It’s a chess term. It’s where you have to make a move, but every possible move puts you at a disadvantage.” He looked a little embarrassed. “Sorry. I picked up the term from Akechi. We played chess a lot,” he explained. “You were saying?”
Minato continued, unfazed. “I was holding that seal together. But now I’m here,” he pointed out. “Without that seal, the Fall should have happened by now, but it hasn’t. I don’t know why.”
“So, to summarize what you’re saying…” said Yusuke. “With your death undone, your actions leading up to it have been undone as well, and the threat you once faced may have returned with you. You are not certain that this… Erebus… is free, but if it is, then it poses a significant danger to us. Do I have that right?” asked Yusuke.
Minato nodded. “Yeah.”
“No wonder you thought it was important,” said Morgana.
“Why’d you wait till now to tell us?” asked Ren. “I mean, I know we were busy and all, but this seems pretty urgent.”
“...It’s a little hard to believe,” said Minato. “After I started remembering… I needed time to think. I wasn’t sure if something was wrong or not. I thought it could at least wait until after the interrogation. I didn’t want to distract you guys.”
“I suppose that’s understandable,” said Haru.
A brief silence passed as they all took a moment to process everything.
“So… what are we supposed to do about somethin’ this big?” asked Ryuji.
“Yeah,” said Ann. “This seems… kind of impossible to fix.”
“...I don’t know,” Ren admitted. He then flipped off the stove. “But we know about it now. That’s a start. Curry’s done, by the way.”
“Finally!” Futaba groaned in relief.
“Yeah, I could use a break after all this,” said Ann.
Minato looked slightly guilty. “Sorry. For all the trouble,” he said. “Please don’t think of me any different.”
“It’s fine,” said Ren. “And I won’t.”
“Yeah, you’re still Ghost!” said Morgana.
“Yup,” Ren said simply, hauling out plates to dole out helpings of fresh rice. “Like I said, you’re stuck with us.”
“You guys did a lot for me, though,” said Minato. “I haven’t done much to return the favor.”
Ren paused in consideration, then simply handed off the plates to Minato. “Help me serve this curry while it’s still hot, then. Sound good?” he said.
Minato blinked, now weighed down by a stack of ceramic plates. “...Okay.”
Ren looked satisfied, and began doling out helpings of fresh rice. “So. School club? Fighting shadows? Sounds like a story there,” said Ren. “You got any fun stories about your old friend Sanada?”
Minato saw the lighter topic as the olive branch it was. “Yeah. Akihiko was into boxing,” he said. “He liked to pick fights with shadows. And us, sometimes. Like when he got into an eating contest with—” He paused, thinking of Shinjiro. He continued anyway. “With the other guys. Also, he couldn’t talk to girls.”
“No way,” said Ryuji. “That guy?”
“Yep,” he said. “Don’t tell him I said this, but Junpei once convinced him to practice pick-up lines on shadows.”
Futaba spluttered with surprised laughter.
“Oh, this I gotta hear,” said Ren, grinning.
Notes:
Me, trying to get this chapter written: *chanting* "it doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be done, it doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be DONE-"
Sorry for the wait, guys! MAN Tears of the Kingdom was addicting. My Legend of Zelda obsession that I had back during Breath of the Wild really came back with a vengeance. Combine that with Linked Universe, and you get the idea of why this chapter took... a lot longer than it should have. haha ha h ah a
*side-eyes all the LU fic I've been writing recently*As for this fic, I actually decided to split this chapter in half and make the next scene its own chapter. I got stuck on the second half, the word count was getting pretty high, and I feel like this fic's gone long enough without an update. (Also, word count for each chapter has been steadily going up and I gotta remind myself that it's ok to have shorter chapters, haha.) So we'll have a little more downtime and important conversations next chapter, and then after that we should dive into Shido's palace!
ALSO FANART FROM THE RAD AS EVER VINEGAR THANK YOU https://www.tumblr.com/mmmn-thirsty-for-vinegar/717578307884990464/ghost-of-mementos-au-doodles-the-drop-in-quality
ALSO. PERSONA 3 RELOAD. I AM SO EXCITED GUYS. HOO *HOO*
Thanks for reading!! peace and love ✌✨💖
EDIT: I ALMOST FORGOT TO MENTION BUT HOLY COW THIS STORY BROKE 1000 KUDOS GUYS IM GONNA CRY THANK YALL FOR THE SUPPORT YOURE ALL AMAZING
Chapter 15: The Past and the Present
Summary:
The leaders of two very different groups meet for the first time.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
A figure in a hoodie walked down the street. They approached another figure waiting in front of an apartment building, one that was similarly donned in a hoodie and hidden just out of sight from any prying eyes.
“Hey,” said Minato.
“Hey yourself,” said Ren. He looked up at the apartment building. “This is the place?”
“Yeah,” Minato replied.
“Looks pretty normal to me,” said Morgana, popping his head out of Ren’s bag.
“Oh, yeah. I hope they don’t mind Morgana coming with me,” said Ren. “He threatened to follow me here if I didn’t bring him.”
“Like you could stop me!” said Morgana.
“I don’t think they’ll mind,” said Minato. “You did ask to meet them.”
“Yeah…” said Ren. “Any idea what I should expect?”
“It’s just Akihiko, Mitsuru, Aigis, and someone named Shirogane,” said Minato. He shifted uncomfortably. “I… think they have questions. About the Phantom Thieves.”
“Figures it’ll be an interrogation,” said Ren.
“Me and Morgana will be with you for the meeting. If you ever want to leave, you can.”
Ren nodded stiffly, still staring up at the apartment building.
Minato gave him an even look. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I want to.” Ren didn’t mention that the only reason he felt like he could go through with this was the fact that Minato would be there to provide support. Except for Sanada, he had no idea what to expect from any of these people. For all he knew, they could be worse than the police. Ren took a deep breath, squaring himself up for this. “Okay. Let’s do it.”
The two made their way up the stairs, and Minato led them into the apartment. True to his word, Sanada was there, as well as two unfamiliar faces.
“Hey, kid,” said Sanada. “Good to see that you’re looking better.”
“Yeah,” Ren said vaguely, staring at the other two.
One of them, someone in a cap, stepped forward. “Hello, it’s good to meet you. My name is Naoto Shirogane. I’m a detective who works with the Shadow Operatives.”
The other one, a blonde with unnaturally bright blue eyes, gave a small formal bow. “I am Aigis.”
Ren bowed back stiffly. “...Ren Amamiya. Nice to meet you,” he said. He mentally counted the three of them and paused. “Is this all of you, or is there anyone else..?”
“There are more members of the Shadow Operatives overall, but many of them are only called upon for emergency situations and are not directly involved in this. We decided to stick to active members of the Tokyo investigation for this meeting,” Shirogane explained. “We’re waiting on one more.”
Morgana popped out of the bag, making them both start in surprise. “Who else is there?”
Aigis tilted her head in curiosity. “I was not aware that cats held the potential for speech capabilities.”
Morgana blinked briefly before understanding. “H-hey! I’m not a cat!”
“You don’t seem all that shocked,” said Ren, glancing at Shirogane.
Shirogane shook her head. “I suppose it’s not that unusual compared to Teddie.”
Ren and Morgana shot a confused look at Minato, who just shrugged.
“Just a sec, guys,” said Sanada, fiddling with a laptop briefly and pulling up a video conference. A woman with red hair popped up on the screen. “Heya, Mitsuru.”
“Akihiko. Everyone,” she greeted back warmly, smiling faintly. She turned to look at Ren, who was moving to join Sanada along with the others. “Are you the one who agreed to meet with us?”
Ren nodded.
“Very well. My name is Mitsuru Kirijo. I am the founder of the Shadow Operatives, but you may know me as the current head of the Kirijo Group,” she said. Ren’s mouth went a little dry at the name, but he carefully didn’t show it.
“Hello,” he said. “I’m Ren Amamiya.”
Morgana hopped off Ren’s shoulder to the table. “And I am Morgana!”
Kirijo raised an eyebrow at Morgana speaking, but took it in stride. “It’s good to be able to meet you both. We’ve been following news of the Phantom Thieves for some time, and you’ve certainly made quite a name for yourselves,” she said.
“What’s with the video call?” asked Minato.
“Apologies,”said Kirijo. “I can’t be called away at the moment, and I believe my physical presence would only attract unwanted attention for both of us, so I decided a secure video conference would be best. Rest assured that nothing discussed here will leave this room without your permission.” She looked towards Ren. “At least, nothing regarding you.”
Ren just nodded, unsure what to say. “I’d appreciate it. The less people that know about me, the better.”
Kirijo gave a small, minute nod. “Well. I take it you’re not here for pleasantries, so I’ll cut to the chase,” she said. “I have questions of my own for you, but you’re the one who offered to meet with us. Was there something that you wished to discuss with us?”
“Yeah,” said Ren. “Who you guys are and what you do would be a good start.”
“Ah. Of course,” she said. “We are the Shadow Operatives, as you have no doubt heard by now. We originally started as S.E.E.S. to combat shadows,” Mitsuru explained. “Whether it’s Apathy Syndrome, disappearances, serial murders, or mental shutdowns, the world of shadows can be very dangerous. This isn’t the first time shadows have emerged, and it won’t be the last. So we formed the Shadow Operatives as an elite strike force of Persona users to handle and eliminate any shadow threats.”
“The mental shutdowns have been going on for two years, though,” Ren pointed out, unable to bite back a surge of irritation. “If you knew about the Metaverse, why didn’t you do something about it before we got involved? Why were a bunch of high schoolers better at your job than you?”
“Hey,” Sanada warned.
Mitsuru leveled an unimpressed look at him. “There’s no need for hostility, Amamiya-san.”
“...Sorry,” Ren said, not feeling all that sorry. “I technically died a few days ago. I’m a little stressed,” he admitted.
“Ren…” said Morgana, his ears lowering slightly.
“I understand,” she said coolly. “And to answer your question, threats come from both worlds. I underestimated a threat in the real world, and it has… put us in a difficult position. I’m currently still working to fix that mistake,” she said. “There’s also the fact that knowing about the shadow nest and accessing it are two different things. We knew about it, but we didn’t know what the requirements were to enter.”
“Requirements?” asked Minato.
Kirijo nodded. “There are… points of access, you could say, where our world is closest to the other world, often with methods that allow someone to cross over between them at these points. These methods often have specific requirements, such as waiting until exactly midnight, or passing through the screen of a television.”
“Or using a phone app,” said Ren.
“Indeed. Without that knowledge, it’s virtually impossible to force entry,” she said. “As for the real world threat I mentioned, I believe we may have a common enemy. So… if you’re willing to hear me out, I have a proposal.”
Ren pushed up his glasses. “Which would be..?”
“An alliance, of sorts,” she said. “If not that, then at the very least, a truce.”
Ren’s eyebrows shot up. He wasn’t the only one.
“What?!” said Morgana.
“Kirijo-san?” said Shirogane.
“You serious about this, Mitsuru?” said Sanada.
“You… want to work with us?” Ren repeated, still surprised.
“You’re already working to change this person’s heart, are you not?” Kirijo pointed out. “I doubt there is much I can do to change your mind, considering the stakes. I know Minato is set on this as well.”
“I am,” said Minato.
She nodded. “Our position with the government gives us a certain amount of power, but it comes with its own restrictions. And it appears that our mutual enemy has used that to their advantage,” she said. “There is little we can do through legal methods. You, on the other hand, are operating outside the confines of the law. I can’t officially condone that, but it does grant your group certain freedoms we don’t have.”
“That is true…” Shirogane admitted.
“You’d really work with a wanted group of vigilantes, though?” asked Morgana, skeptical. “Aren’t you supposed to be… against what we’ve been doing?”
“This isn’t exactly legal,” said Ren. “Should I be worried about you guys turning out to be corrupt like the police?”
Kirijo shook her head. “Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t entertain this idea. However, these are hardly normal circumstances,” she explained.
Ren was quiet. “What’s the catch?” he asked. “Are you going to tell us to stop? Turn us in after this is all over?”
“You won’t be turned in. Not unless you deliberately harm or kill anyone, and especially not after everything that’s happened with the police.” Kirijo thought it over. “I can’t say I like the thought of your group continuing to tamper with the shadows of people, but I doubt we can convince you to stop without good reason,” she added.
“We don’t do it without good reason in the first place!” Morgana protested.
“The fact that you have to at all feels like a failure on our part,” Kirijo said quietly. Ren wondered if that wasn’t supposed to be overheard by them. “My only two requests are this. One: you help us investigate this shadow nest. Our top priorities are to investigate the shadow activity in Tokyo, and to deal with the person impeding our investigation and causing the mental shutdowns. We may even find answers as to Minato’s… situation, if we are able to investigate the nest.”
Ren shared a look with Minato and Morgana. That, they could do at least, and it was a fair enough trade.
“Two,” Kirijo continued, “That you stop changing hearts after we are done dealing with the true culprit behind this entire mess.”
“What?!” Morgana burst out. “We can’t do that!”
“And if we say no?” Ren asked coldly. First Akechi, now Kirijo. He wasn’t going to let the Thieves be cornered again so easily this time.
“Vigilantism is serious, Amamiya,” Shirogane spoke up. “The only thing keeping you from taking things too far is your own judgment, and anyone can have a lapse in judgment given the right circumstances,” she explained. “And believe it or not, I speak from experience.”
“This is a lot to ask, Mitsuru,” Minato finally spoke. Ren glanced at his teammate, slightly hopeful.
“Minato, you of all people should understand how serious their actions are,” said Kirijo.
“I wouldn’t be helping them if they were hurting people.” Minato looked up. “I’ve seen it myself. They have good reason for doing this.”
“And you’d say no to helping them if they were causing unnecessary harm?” she asked.
Minato looked to Ren, meeting his eyes for a moment. “Yes.”
Kirijo looked slightly conflicted and at a loss for words. “...Will you allow me to clear some reservations, then?” she asked.
“What kind of reservations?” asked Ren.
“To put it plainly, I don’t know whether or not I can trust that you all have the best intentions.” Kirijo’s gaze turned sharp. “Tampering with a person’s subconscious may not be a crime in the eyes of the law, but it is very serious. I personally do not believe it is a power anyone should have access to. Unfortunately, desperate times call for desperate measures, and the person who is behind all of this has left us very little choice in the matter. In our case, an undercover investigation that is legally outside our jurisdiction. In your case, a change of heart,” she explained. “I want to know whether or not you all can be trusted with the ability to change hearts before I can in good conscience allow you to go through with this.”
“Is Minato’s word not good enough for you?” Ren pressed. “I thought you guys were old friends.”
“The fact that he is vouching for you does help your case significantly. But as much as I trust his judgment of character, I would like to make my own before coming to a decision on this particular matter.”
“And how are you going to do that?” asked Morgana.
Kirijo looked thoughtful. “I’ve actually thought it over quite a bit… and I’ve decided to simply ask you two to answer a question,” she said.
“...Just one question?” asked Ren, feeling skeptical.
She nodded. “Just one question,” she said. “And I want you to answer me honestly, Amamiya,” said Kirijo, deathly serious. “Why did you and your group target Okumura?”
Ren mulled over the question, thinking of the best way to answer. He had a feeling that Kirijo’s question was probably a test of some kind, so he had to tread carefully. There had been several reasons for targeting Okumura, and plenty of theories and speculation online, but Ren settled on the most important one that had cemented their decision.
“Because Haru needed our help,” he finally answered. Kirijo made no move to interrupt or ask questions, so he continued. “Okumura had a daughter. Haru Okumura. He was obsessed with his company and running for prime minister, and if we didn’t change his heart in time he was going to marry her off for his own political gain. And he did it knowing that her fiancé was going to abuse her. His shadow even said so himself,” he said bitterly, remembering it all too well. Haru had fully awakened and come into her own because of it, but she hadn’t deserved any of that. She was a wonderful teammate and friend, and her father hadn’t appreciated her one bit.
“If there’s one thing shadows can’t do, it’s lie,” said Shirogane. Her expression was unreadable.
Ren nodded. “We didn't kill him. But we did get careless. It was a set-up and we didn’t see it coming,” he admitted. “As team leader, I’ll take full responsibility for that. We never wanted Okumura dead, Haru just wanted her father back, the one that actually used to care about her,” he said. “I regret the way things ended with Okumura. I regret letting the fame and pressure get to us. But I will never regret the reason why we decided to target Okumura in the first place.”
Kirijo silently listened to every word, looking thoughtful for a minute. Off to the side, Minato had been listening quietly, looking uncharacteristically serious as Ren recounted Haru’s story. Ren didn’t blame him; it wasn’t a happy one.
“...Very well,” she finally said, looking somewhat unsatisfied. “I’ll allow you to continue for the time being, but only if you deem that it’s absolutely necessary. I do hope you will reconsider ending your acts of vigilantism once this is all over; there are other ways to bring people to justice, and a change of heart should be a last resort, not the first.”
“Noted,” said Ren. He didn’t like the idea, but he didn’t want to antagonize her and make her change her mind. The fact that she was giving them this much leniency was already better than he expected.
He didn’t give that away though, and instead settled further into his negotiation mask that he used on Shadows. “So… you guys want us to help you investigate the Metaverse. What do we get out of this?”
Kirijo raised an eyebrow. “You’re already getting quite a bit of leniency on our part. Does this not satisfy you?”
“Not if there’s a chance it’ll disappear once we’re not useful anymore,” he said.
“It will not. I do not go back on my word,” Kirijo said dryly.
“You’re not the only ones breathing down our necks, though. Not to mention that we’re doing most of the legwork taking this guy down,” Morgana pointed out.
“Ah. We can assist you in the cognitive world if you wish. We are all experienced Persona users.”
“That’s… strength isn’t an issue, no,” Ren said. They were all plenty strong, but truthfully, Ren felt uncomfortable at the thought of any of them joining them in Shido’s palace. He didn’t trust them that much, and the mission would be a lot harder with an unknown person to keep an eye on.
No, Shido’s palace was theirs to tackle unless they really needed the help.
Then an idea hit him. They had plenty of influence in the real world, right? More than the Phantom Thieves did.
“Can you guys help us with the police?” Ren asked. “All we can do is avoid them, and try to avoid tipping them off. There’s not much we can do, but you guys might have more luck. And if we get caught before the deadline, it’s all over.”
She looked thoughtful at that. “You make a fair point… Akihiko. Shirogane. What do you think?”
“I already told you guys I’ll help however I can,” said Sanada. “Dunno how much I can do, but I’m still keeping an eye on things at the station. I’ll let you guys know if something’s up.”
“I’ve already redoubled my efforts in gaining access to the Phantom Thieves case,” said Shirogane. “Perhaps I will have more success now that they believe it’s closed.”
“Then Akihiko and Naoto will continue monitoring the situation with the police, and we will make any efforts within our power to assist you in the real world. We will also be ready to aid your efforts in the cognitive world should you ever wish for it, but otherwise we will respect your boundaries and not intervene.” She leaned forward, eyes sharp. “In exchange, not only will you be granted the leniency I described, but you will also show us the cognitive world so we can investigate this shadow nest directly,” she added. Ren immediately realized that she had easily seen through his negotiation attempt, but had allowed him to press his luck anyway. “Are these terms acceptable?”
Ren considered it for a moment. It wasn’t a bad offer. Actually, it was a lot better than he had expected to get.
“Sounds like a deal,” he finally said. “I’ll bring this up with the others. They should get a say in whether or not to take your offer too.”
“Very well. Let me know what your final verdict is among your group,” she said.
“You’re giving us an awful lot of trust,” said Ren. “You guys really want to take this guy down, huh?”
“I’m placing my faith in Minato’s judgement of you,” said Kirijo. “I know I cannot force you to, but I would hope that as his friend, you would be willing to do the same as well.”
Ren was glad he was still in negotiation mode, because he had to suppress a wince.
A bit of guilt curled in his chest. He’d been so worried about whether or not they could be trusted that he almost forgot that they were still Minato’s old friends. It was hard to believe that they didn’t have ulterior motives, especially considering that they needed the Thieves’ help to investigate the Metaverse, but had Kirijo really been trying to extend an olive branch?
He didn’t know. But he supposed he could extend a small one himself.
“…Masayoshi Shido,” said Ren.
“What?” said Kirijo, caught off guard by the non-sequitur.
“That’s the name of the guy behind all this,” said Ren. “Masayoshi Shido.”
“The prime minister candidate,” said Naoto, eyes wide. “You’re sure?”
“Absolutely,” he said. “Our deadline is the election.”
“That’s only approximately three weeks away,” said Aigis. “Will that be enough time to complete your objective?”
“It’ll have to be,” said Minato.
“We’ll handle it,” said Ren firmly. “Was that all you guys wanted to talk about?”
“That is all I wished to discuss with you, Amamiya. Thank you,” said Kirijo. She then turned to Minato. “On a different note… I did want to speak with you about something important, since we’re all here.”
“I did too,” said Minato. Ren listened intently, taking a backseat in the conversation now that he was done negotiating. Ren could tell Morgana was listening too.
“We may be on the same page, then. Is this about the seal you made?”
Minato nodded. “If I’m alive, then I think something’s wrong with it. I don’t know what, though.”
“A distortion,” said a new voice.
“Gah!” Sanada whirled around to see a woman in a blue dress that Ren didn’t recognize, standing in the apartment where she hadn’t been just moments before. “Why do you keep sneaking up like that?”
“Elizabeth? Where did you come from?” asked Shirogane.
“The door was unlocked,” Elizabeth said cheerfully. “I was under the impression humans locked their doors to prevent intrusions from their enemies. You must be very confident in your skills to leave your home without any fortifications. Quite an ingenious way to keep your skills honed and sharp as well!” she added.
Sanada sighed. “I really need to fix that lock,” he muttered.
Ren openly stared at Elizabeth. Her piercing yellow eyes and platinum blonde hair were eerily familiar, and that shade of blue was unmistakable.
Elizabeth didn’t seem to notice his staring. Instead, she scooped up Morgana in her hands, looking completely enamored by the feline thief.
“H-hey! Put me down! I’m not some pet!” Morgana protested.
“I see my master has excellent taste,” she said, eyes glittering with interest as she examined him. “Cats are beacons of hope, if the numerous videos of felines in humanity’s consciousness is anything to go by.”
“I’m not a cat! What the heck are you talking about?!”
“I’m well aware you’re no ordinary cat. You simply have the appearance of one,” she said. “I must say, it suits you quite well.”
Morgana perked up. “Yes! Finally, someone gets it!” He then registered the second part of her statement. “Hey, wait, what’s that supposed to mean?!”
“What are you doing here?” asked Sanada, ignoring Morgana’s loud protests.
“I believe I promised you two a discussion on my findings,” said Elizabeth, addressing him and Minato. “And with three wildcards present, I do believe this is the best time to have it.”
Minato startled at the number and immediately turned to Shirogane. “You’re a wildcard?”
“What? No,” said Shirogane, mildly confused.
“By process of elimination, I believe Elizabeth-san is referring to Minato, Amamiya-san, and myself,” said Aigis.
Minato looked even more surprised at that. “Aigis?”
“Huh. Didn’t know you were the same as Minato,” said Sanada, glancing at Ren.
“We’re getting off topic,” said Ren, trying to bring some focus back to the group. Elizabeth sure was a character, to be able to knock things off-kilter so quickly. “You mind putting Morgana down?”
Elizabeth huffed in disappointment, plopping Morgana back onto the table. Morgana darted back to Ren, hopping onto his shoulders.
“How do you keep finding me?” Minato asked Elizabeth.
“You are my former guest! I would be a poor attendant if I couldn’t,” Elizabeth replied cheerfully. “Though if you truly must know, it was no great feat. I simply followed the trail.”
“Guest?” asked Ren.
“Trail..?” Minato asked.
“From the Great Seal, of course,” Elizabeth replied simply.
That instantly got their attention.
“You’ve seen it?” Sanada asked Elizabeth. “Do you know what’s going on?”
“Somewhat. I still do not have all the answers I would like, but I have gained some understanding of your unusual situation,” she explained, immediately growing more serious. “I believe the cause is the fact that something is tampering with humanity’s desires. At first I thought it was only humanity’s desire for death, since Erebus has not reappeared in some time, but it seems that this is affecting far more than that.”
The group immediately looked towards the Phantom Thieves present in the room.
Morgana bristled. “Hey, don’t look at us! I mean, yeah, we steal hearts, but we’re not doing it!” he said. “…I think.”
“Could Akechi be the one doing it?” asked Shirogane. “After all, a mental shutdown takes away all their desires, and he has had many more targets than you.”
“I… don’t know,” said Ren, faltering slightly.
Elizabeth shook her head. “I do not believe this is within the capabilities of any single human. Whatever is causing this is much larger, but I have yet to determine what it is.”
“It could be what’s creating this Shadow nest…” said Sanada.
“Mementos does seem to be the center of it,” Elizabeth agreed. “I suspect the answers we all seek lie in its depths. You two are already exploring it yourselves, are you not?”
“Yeah,” said Minato. “It’s where I showed up. I thought it might have answers.”
“Guess you were right,” said Ren. “It’s pretty big, though. We still haven’t gotten to the bottom, and we’ve been exploring it for months.”
“That big, huh?” said Sanada. “You think it might be what Fuuka picked up?”
“Possibly,” said Kirijo. “Amamiya, about my request for you to show us the shadow nest, would asking to see Mementos specifically be acceptable to you?”
Ren thought it over. “I don’t know about showing you Shido’s palace… but I guess we can show you Mementos.”
Kirijo nodded. “We don’t need to see any cognitive subspaces. The main hub of the nest will do. That’s our primary concern, given how Fuuka has described it as being comparable to Tartarus in size.”
“So Fuuka’s involved too,” said Minato. “...Does she know about me?”
“Not yet,” said Kirijo. “Neither do the others.”
A small frown crossed his face. “Do you think the rest of S.E.E.S. will take this well?”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll break the news about your sudden appearance to the others,” explained Kirijo. “I’ll have to explain that some details can’t be shared due to the Phantom Thieves case in order to respect Amamiya’s request for privacy.”
“Will your friends be okay with that?” asked Ren.
“I won’t lie, there’s a chance some of them won’t like it. But I think they’ll understand,” said Kirijo. “You two will have enough on your plate dealing with Shido. Allow me to handle this.”
“...Okay. Thanks,” said Minato.
Kirijo smiled warmly. “Of course.”
“Minato,” said Elizabeth, grabbing his attention. “There is one other matter I would like to address with you. I will not put it off any longer.” She turned to Ren and Aigis, having clearly seen through his attempt to listen in. “You two as well.”
Elizabeth stepped away from the others and they followed until they were gathered at the other end of the small apartment. Sanada and Shirogane busied themselves by talking to Kirijo, with Morgana staying with them to watch their conversation with Kirijo, but Ren suspected they’d be able to easily overhear anything Elizabeth said if they listened in.
“Are you from the Velvet Room?” Ren finally asked, unable to hold back the question.
“Indeed I am!” she replied. “Although I have been away from it for some time now. I was hoping to speak to the three of you who have been welcomed as its guests, since this may concern you.”
“I have questions as well,” said Aigis. “You said Erebus has not reappeared?”
Elizabeth shook her head. “Not for some time now. The desires that form Erebus seem to have been drawn elsewhere. Without them, there is nothing for him to draw strength from and allow him to manifest.”
Minato relaxed slightly. “Good.”
“Erebus is that thing you were worried about, right?” Ren asked Minato. Minato nodded.
Elizabeth seemed to grow slightly more somber. “It is only temporary. If whatever distortion is currently affecting those desires disappears, I believe that things will revert back to normal.”
“Back to normal…” Minato said. He seemed to hesitate for a moment. “Elizabeth. Does that include me?”
Ren froze at the implication.
Elizabeth paused, looking unhappy. “I believe so, yes,” she said. “Your ties to the Seal may have loosened enough for you to venture outside of the Sea of Souls, but I’m afraid you still harbor a connection to it. There’s no denying that.”
“I see,” Aigis said flatly.
Ren glanced over at Sanada and Shirogane, who were supposed to be busy speaking to Kirijo over the laptop but were both clearly listening in. Shirogane looked concerned, while Sanada simply looked resigned.
Elizabeth looked at Minato thoughtfully. “Although… come to think of it, something is different,” she continued. She turned to address Ren. “I suspect that would be your doing as well?”
“Huh?” Ren said, startled. “What makes you think that?”
“Your bond,” she said. “Bonds grant wildcards strength, and the power to change fate.”
“Igor mentioned something about that,” said Ren. “Something about avoiding ruin.”
Elizabeth frowned, staring at him intensely.
“You should tread carefully in the Velvet Room,” she finally warned. “I may have been away from it for some time now, but I can clearly tell that something isn’t right with it.”
Ren was very confused by her vague warning. “Okay?” he said.
“What’s wrong with the Velvet Room?” asked Minato.
“I’m not entirely certain myself,” said Elizabeth.
“You don’t know?” asked Aigis. Elizabeth shook her head.
“Isn’t there anything you can do, though?” asked Ren. “You’re from there, aren’t you?”
She shook her head sadly. “No, unfortunately. Even if I wished to abandon my journey and return, the rules of the Velvet Room aren’t the same as those of your world. And I alone do not have the power necessary to overcome something capable of affecting it this strongly,” she explained. “Although, your bonds are quite strong, and they still have more room to grow yet. You may be able to make more of a difference than I can.”
Ren was still confused. “...Alright.”
“One last thing,” said Elizabeth. She smiled, looking much lighter. “Thank you for treating my guest with so much kindness. I will not forget it.”
“Oh. Uh… No problem?” said Ren, slightly flustered at the sudden attention. “It really wasn’t a big deal.”
Elizabeth kept looking at him with a knowing smile. She then clapped her hands together, startling them. “Well! I believe that concludes everything I wished to speak with you about.”
“Are you leaving again?” asked Minato.
“Not to worry. We will meet again. If you wish to fuse any personas, just call and I will happily lend my assistance!” said Elizabeth, summoning the compendium and holding it up to show him. She looked at Ren. “Should you ever get the chance to meet her properly, tell Lavenza I said hello.”
“Uh… will do,” said Ren.
She then turned to face the rest of Akihiko’s apartment, taking in its appearance as if it were a novel thing. “Now! Before I leave to resume my exploration of this distortion, I simply must see more of this place you have taken up residence in! I have yet to see one of these ‘apartment’ places myself!” she said, immediately strolling into the kitchen.
Minato glanced at Ren. “…I’d walk you back to Leblanc, but someone should stay with Elizabeth,” he said, peering into the kitchen to see Elizabeth sticking her head in the freezer.
Ren suppressed a chuckle at the sight. “I’ll be fine. But thanks,” said Ren. He kind of wanted to be alone for a bit anyway, at least to process all of this. “Besides, Morgana’s with me.”
Minato nodded, understanding. “Okay. Stay safe.”
Ren forced a grin. “Of course. You think I wouldn’t?”
Minato gave him a long look.
“Ouch,” said Ren, wilting a bit. “But I guess that’s fair.”
Ren was quiet on the way home to Leblanc.
The Universe bond thrummed with new power in his chest; Ren’s bond with Minato had grown stronger. He was right; meeting the Shadow Operatives had been key to growing closer to him. He couldn’t deny the traces of happiness in Minato’s expression as he spoke with his old companions.
He wasn’t sure if it was worth the stress of negotiating with Mitsuru freaking Kirijo, though, or the new information he’d learned of Minato’s inevitable fate.
Ren was the leader, but damn it all, he had no idea what to do. It was the first time since he’d watched Shiho jump that he felt this powerless.
“Hey Ren,” said Morgana, startling Ren out of his thoughts. Morgana popped his head out of the bag. “What was with that lady? And what’s that Velvet Room you mentioned?”
“The Velvet Room’s… kind of hard to explain,” Ren admitted. “It’s where I fuse up new personas. As for Elizabeth, I have no idea.”
Morgana seemed thoughtful. “That lady… something about her felt familiar,” he said.
Ren perked up. “Really? You think it has to do with your missing memories?”
“I hope so,” said Morgana. “So don’t think you’re going to get out of explaining the Velvet Room, Joker! You’re telling me that’s how you got your personas all this time and you didn’t tell us?!” he protested.
“You never asked,” said Ren, slightly teasing. He was planning to finally trust the other Thieves with the truth about the Velvet Room anyway, now that he’d finally met someone else that knew it was real.
“That’s not the point!” Morgana yowled.
A commotion interrupted them both as Ren approached Leblanc, not too far away. It was impossible to miss, with the noise echoing through the alleys of Yongen-Jaya.
“What’s that?” asked Morgana.
“Dunno,” said Ren, pausing to listen. It sounded like someone speaking into a megaphone.
A very familiar someone.
Without thinking, Ren took off running towards the source of the commotion.
Less than an hour later, they had the final keyword they needed.
Notes:
FINALLY... FREEDOM
*collapses*Happy New Year! Sorry for the wait, the holidays are hectic. Fun, but hectic!
This chapter was supposed to be part of last chapter, but it was getting long enough and it had been too long between updates so I decided to split it. Good thing too, since both of them have given me so much trouble, woof. I can’t say I’m 100% satisfied with how this chapter came out, but at this point I just needed to get it done and posted or I would never get on with the rest of the story.
Also, I hope the mood these past few chapters havent been too heavy! I’m hoping to add some more lighthearted moments once we dive into Shido’s Palace. I want to strike a good balance :)
ALSO P3 RELOAD IN ONE MONTH GUYS!!! IM SO READY!!!
Chapter 16: Rocking the Boat
Summary:
The Thieves make their first trip into Shido's Palace.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Akechi was feeling very strange today.
He was used to doing his assignments for Shido and switching over to his Detective Prince mask immediately the next day, with no one the wiser. He had long since grown accustomed to it, adapting to keep up in his studies and work without allowing thoughts of the Metaverse to distract him during the day-to-day life of his that others saw.
Akechi hadn’t been this distracted after an assignment in a long time.
Logically, he knew it was pointless to think about Amamiya. He was dead. There was no changing that. Despite that, he still found his thoughts drifting towards the other boy quite a bit during his classes.
(Sharp silvery gray eyes, no longer hidden behind glasses like a concealed knife, staring at him silently as he pointed the barrel of a gun at his face—)
Akechi’s attention snapped back into reality as the teacher dismissed them for lunch, and Akechi made his way towards the school’s store to buy lunch before he could be accosted by any of the fangirls that always seemed to follow him around due to his fame. He overheard multiple students talking about the Phantom Thief leader’s suicide throughout the day; it seemed to follow him everywhere he went, but fortunately he had managed to dodge any questions about it so far.
It was a funny thing, really. For all the murders he’d committed, he had never actually killed someone in real life before. Amamiya hadn’t hideously melted and reformed into a grotesque manifestation of his inner thoughts.
He had been alive, and then one shot later he wasn’t.
It had been surprisingly… anticlimactic. Disappointing, even.
(Unsatisfying, Loki hissed. Robin Hood remained silent as ever.)
Maybe that was why he felt so off. The Metaverse always had that slight disconnect the way reality didn’t.
Akechi pulled out his phone while he bought one of the packaged breads from the school store, not bothering to check what kind they were offering. The text notifications from Amamiya that his phone had been ringing with almost every day had gone silent.
There were, however, messages from Shido demanding his attention.
Akechi frowned. What the hell did he want now? Shido had already given him his assignments for the week.
Then again, Shido had seemed angry about something ever since Amamiya’s interrogation. Akechi didn’t know what, nor did he care; he had long since learned that it was best to avoid unnecessary contact with the man until he’d calmed down from whatever he was so unhappy about. The first and last time he’d caught him in a bad mood, the man had snapped at him to make himself useful and nearly doubled his assignments for the next two weeks straight.
Unfortunately, it didn’t look like avoiding Shido was an option today.
Akechi bit back a disdainful scoff. Best to get it over with; if Akechi kept him waiting it would only make Shido’s already foul temper worse.
Conscious of any prying ears, Akechi found a secluded spot in the school halls before pressing the call button.
Shido picked up after a couple rings. “Akechi.”
“You asked for me, sir?” said Akechi, almost gagging on the polite tone he had to maintain.
“There’s been an unexpected problem,” said Shido. “I want you to look into it.”
Akechi could already feel a migraine coming on. The man was already saddling him with enough work to do, now this? And from the sound of it, Shido wouldn’t accept any excuses. “What is the issue?” asked Akechi, silently reminding himself that the man would be brought to his knees very soon.
“The Shadow Operative you reported among the Phantom Thieves was arrested. However, he has escaped police custody.”
Akechi frowned. That was a surprise. Arisato had been arrested? And he’d escaped anyway?
Akechi hadn’t been privy to this information before. This must have been what Shido was planning when he’d mentioned that he would have Arisato taken care of, since Akechi would have been busy with Amamiya.
“How?” asked Akechi.
“That’s what I want you to find out,” said Shido. “It’s been kept silent from the public; most of those buffoons among the police think he used his Phantom Thief abilities to escape.”
“That’s not quite how it works,” said Akechi. “If he was able to escape so easily, then he may have had assistance from the inside. Quite a few of those officers are under your payroll, and even if they had been so lax, he would have still needed a way to unlock the door.”
“I’m aware that he may have had someone assist him,” Shido snapped. “There was a report of the surveillance room being destroyed shortly after the Phantom Thief leader’s death. I have my men conducting an internal investigation and keeping a close eye out. I want you to assist them. Find out what happened, and track down and eliminate any rats you find, as well as our missing Shadow Operative. Nothing can be allowed to interfere with my campaign.”
“Are you certain that won’t attract too much attention towards yourself?” asked Akechi, despite knowing better. Shido must be getting more paranoid than ever to make such a bold move.
“I believe I already told you that I will not tolerate any loose ends.”
Maybe it was the fact that Akechi’s goal was so close, or the stress of the entire past month, but for some reason, Akechi spoke before he could think better of it. “Sir, with all due respect, I do not know where he could have possibly went,” said Akechi. “Even with a manhunt, enough time has passed that he has most likely contacted his allies in the Shadow Operatives and disappeared by now.”
“Then I suggest you stop making excuses and start looking, detective.” The call went dead after that.
For once, Akechi did not react to his barbed threats. He didn’t even have the energy to muster that familiar hot flash of anger this time, only sparking as dull coal embers in his chest.
…He really was feeling strange today.
Akechi didn’t think Arisato was worth the attention. Amamiya was the real threat, and he was gone. The Phantom Thieves were useless without their leader, scattered to the winds now that he’d cut off the head of their group. None of them stood a chance at operating without their leader Joker: not their strategist Queen, not Noir with her hidden ruthlessness or their technological genius Oracle, and especially not their every-bit-as-irritating wildcard Ghost.
But still, Arisato wasn’t just a Phantom Thief. He was a Shadow Operative, and that alone was the problem.
Mindlessly, Akechi tore open the packaged bread he bought for lunch and took a bite, only to nearly choke in surprise when he recognized the taste. He hadn’t realized they were serving curry bread today.
Amamiya’s curry was better, his mind treacherously thought.
Akechi nearly crumpled the curry bread in his hand in frustration. What the hell was wrong with him? He was so close to his goal; what did Amamiya matter in the long run? He was just an obstacle in Akechi’s way, and in the end Akechi had won. He had come out on top in the end, proving their childish justice worthless. He should be relishing in his victory, damn it.
(...He’d never had someone who knew exactly how he liked his coffee before.)
After a moment, he tossed the curry bread in the trash, a little more roughly than he intended. He wasn’t all that hungry anymore.
Nine figures stepped into the Metaverse. A strong wind hit them as soon as they entered, tugging at their hair and clothes, and they looked around to see that they had appeared upon the deck of a massive cruise liner.
“Woah…” said Futaba, huddling close to Ren. “It’s huge…”
“The entire Diet building really is a ship,” said Haru, eyes wide at the sight.
“Uh, guys?” said Ryuji. They all followed his line of sight to see a familiar building on the horizon, jutting out of the water. “Is that..?”
“The Tokyo Tower,” Yusuke confirmed.
“There too,” said Ann, looking out over the railing at another half-submerged building passing by. “It’s the Shibuya 109!”
“This is Tokyo,” Ren said in realization. “Or how he sees it.”
“He did say in his speeches that Japan was drowning in corruption,” said Yusuke.
“Just how distorted is his worldview to make all this?” asked Makoto.
“Too much,” said Minato.
Minato gripped the cold metal railing tightly as he looked out over the horizon, buffeted by the strong winds. He knew it wasn’t the real thing, but seeing the world he’d come to love, destroyed like this? He was at least glad it wasn’t Iwatodai he was seeing, but he couldn’t help feeling a slight chill at the sight, one that Ryoji shared as well.
So this was how Shido saw the world. Already dead in the water and not worth saving, save for a chosen few.
Minato couldn’t help being reminded a little of Strega.
A lot of people are going to get hurt if Shido becomes prime minister, said Ryoji.
And the Thieves are at the top of that list, Minato thought.
Yeah. A cold note entered Ryoji’s voice, hard as diamond. I really do believe every life has value. But if this is how little he cares for the world, I don’t have any objections to changing his heart. I only hope that clearing this distortion will show him what matters.
Minato couldn’t have said it better himself.
The interior of the ship wasn’t much better. The group stepped into a grand, opulent lobby, with several staircases and balconies surrounding the group and looking down upon them as soon as they entered.
One by one, blue fire erupted as their outfits flared into existence.
“Guess he sees us as a threat,” said Minato, looking down at his changed attire.
“I’m not surprised. He did seem paranoid about the rest of us causing problems, from what we heard from Futaba’s bug,” said Morgana.
“I can see why he might see us as a threat,” said Ann. “But why do the passengers also have masks?
“Considering how distorted his view is, it’s remarkable they appear as people at all,” said Yusuke. “I wonder if they wear masks for a similar reason to ourselves.”
“Possibly. It may be that he thinks everyone’s hiding their real intentions,” said Morgana.
“At this point, who knows,” said Ann.
The group climbed up the winding staircases. Cognitive confetti rained down in the lobby, and a tinny recording of Shido giving a speech blared from the ship’s intercom overhead, which Minato did his best to tune out. The group eventually reached another richly decorated room at the top floor, with a set of gilded doors at the end.
“The Treasure’s definitely close by… I’d say just past those doors,” said Morgana.
Makoto looked at the text above the door. “Representatives Chamber,” she read aloud. “That’s the main assembly hall where legislation is passed. Shido’s treasure must be inside.”
“Four hundred seventy-five people in favor, and zero against. Since no one opposes, the bill I have proposed will be unanimously passed as drafted,” said Shido’s voice from a loudspeaker.
Makoto’s expression twisted. “Looks like this is a version of it where he can do anything he wants completely unopposed…”
“Damn, his ego really is inflated…” said Ryuji.
Ren tested the doors; they didn’t budge a centimeter. “Figures,” he said.
“Doesn’t look like there’s any way around, either,” said Futaba.
“How are we supposed to get in, then?” asked Ann.
“Perhaps the guests here will know?” asked Haru.
They shared a look.
“It’s worth a shot,” said Ren.
“Alright. Let’s split up to gather intel,” said Makoto. “Maybe the cognitions around here will know how to get in.”
“Good thing everyone else is already wearing masks,” said Minato.
“Yeah. That should help us avoid drawing suspicion,” said Ren.
Minato didn’t have much luck on his end. While he could easily go unnoticed and eavesdrop, he wasn’t one for actually initiating conversation, and whenever he came too close they often turned up their nose at him.
Whatever. He didn’t care about the opinion of figments of Shido’s subconscious. The real concern was his lack of progress.
As Minato wandered around, he suddenly got a prickling feeling, like he was being watched. He paused and discreetly glanced around, but saw no one in particular paying attention to him. Minato wondered if the Metaverse’s rules of cognition made it so that he could actually feel when he was being watched, or if it was just the general sense of unease he felt in Shido’s palace.
Off to the side, however, was a distinctly empty hallway, and Minato caught a flicker of movement before it disappeared around the corner.
What was that? Ryoji asked.
Minato paused, watching for further movement. Nothing happened, but he couldn’t shake off the feeling of being watched earlier.
I don’t know. I’m going to look, Minato thought.
Alright. Just be careful.
Slowly, silently, Minato stepped further down the hallway, one hand on his weapon. His unease grew with each step; whether it was his own imagination or not, he couldn’t say. He was almost to the end of the hall and about to look around the corner when he felt a hand slap down on his shoulder, making him nearly jump and whirl around.
“Hey Ghost, whaddaya doin’ over here?” said Ryuji. “Doesn’t look like there’s anyone ‘round here.”
Minato took a steadying breath, trying to calm the hammering in his chest. Ryuji had really startled him. “N-nothing. I thought I saw someone.”
“Huh?” Ryuji stepped past the corner to look down the hallway. “You sure? I don’t see anyone.”
Minato followed his lead, looking around the corner. Like Ryuji had described, no one was there.
“...Guess not,” said Minato, deciding to shrug off the feeling and simply remain vigilant. “Did you find anything?”
Ryuji drooped slightly. “Nothin’. I tried asking, but I only got some dirty looks and comments at my outfit. Some of these cognitions are rude as hell.”
“That sucks,” said Minato.
“Tell me about it,” said Ryuji. “Let’s look somewhere else. Ain’t like we’ll find anything here.”
Minato followed Ryuji out to the more populated areas, where they spotted Haru off to the side. The two of them approached her, standing close to the balcony overlooking the lobby.
“Any luck with you, Noir?” asked Ryuji.
“I’m afraid not,” said Haru, looking disappointed and fiddling with the cuff of her sleeve. “I never spoke to others at the fancy events and galas I would accompany my father to… I don’t quite know how to approach any of these people without seeming suspicious.”
“Ah, don’t sweat it,” said Ryuji. “At least you got us! We haven’t really gotten anything, either.”
Haru brightened. “Thank you. I suppose I’ll just have to try my hardest as we fight further into the palace.”
She paused, movement catching her eye. She then pointed over the balcony to the floor below.
“Look. A Shadow’s coming,” she said. A shadow was quickly making their way towards the stairs leading up to where they were all gathered.
“The others still need a chance to gather information,” said Minato. “It could raise an alarm if it encounters us.”
“Whaddaya say we take care of it, then?” asked Ryuji, hefting up his metal pipe.
Haru blinked, and then smiled, gripping her axe. “It would be my pleasure.”
“So much for not raising suspicion,” said Minato, unholstering his evoker. “Let’s do it.”
The three of them moved in tandem to intercept the shadow, quickly hiding just out of sight and holding their weapons at the ready. Once the shadow began to pass by, Haru and Ryuji leaped out of hiding and attacked it from both sides, pipe and axe landing a direct hit.
The shadow shrieked and began to shudder and melt, and the two of them jumped away before it burst and reformed into a Cerberus.
Quick to grab their advantage of surprise, Minato summoned Orpheus and hit it with as much fire as he could. Unfortunately, the shadow seemed to heal from the attack instead of taking damage.
Now energized, the massive Cerberus targeted Ryuji and pounced. Ryuji narrowly managed to move his weapon to block its attack, its jaws clamping down on the metal pipe instead of Ryuji. Unfortunately, the sheer force behind the attack knocked Ryuji off his feet, pinning him to the ground; the Cerberus thrashed and struggled against the metal pipe wedged between its jaws, but it held strong.
“A lil help, guys?!” Ryuji yelled out, a distinct note of panic in his voice as the Cerberus’s teeth inched closer to his face.
“On it!” said Minato, turning his focus inward. Ryoji! Can you lend a hand?
You don’t even need to ask, said Ryoji, blue fire erupting behind Minato as Thanatos flared into existence. Thanatos let out an ear piercing screech, freezing all of them with the fear of Death itself. Cerberus jerked up at the sound, ears pinned back in terror as he frantically searched for its source.
“Noir!” Minato called out, passing the baton to her.
Noir nodded, shaking off the brief moment of fear. “Milady!” she called out, summoning an elegant figure in a sweeping pink ballgown. “Take this!”
A psy spell hit the shadow directly, amplified by its fear. Ryuji took the opportunity to smack it across the head with his pipe, causing it to stagger off of him.
The trio moved in, and the shadow quickly found itself surrounded, pinned in place by the barrels of their guns.
The shadow turned on Minato, eyes lit with fury. “Impostor!” Cerberus growled. “No human can wield the powers of Death!”
“I do,” said Minato, deadly serious.
“How? Wait,” said Cerberus, pausing. The shadow sniffed at him, fury giving way to wary curiosity. “You smell familiar… like…”
The shadow’s ears pricked up in recognition, and Minato only saw Cerberus begin to glow with blue light before he was suddenly bowled over onto the ground with an oof, his vision obscured by fluffy white fur.
“Hey!” he heard Ryuji yell.
“Master!!” said Cerberus.
Well, said Ryoji, as Cerberus proceeded to gleefully lick Minato’s unmasked face. That’s not what I expected.
“Heavy,” Minato wheezed out.
“Aww, he likes you!” said Haru. “Who’s a good boy?”
“I guess that means he’ll help us?” asked Skull.
“Yes! I remember now!” Cerberus’s tail thumped happily on the floor. “I am the Guard of the Underworld! I will protect my master!!”
Cerberus disappeared in a gout of blue flames, and Minato felt a new presence settle into the back of his mind alongside the other personas he’d recruited from Sae’s palace.
“What the heck happened?!” said Makoto, running onto the scene.
“Shadow,” said Minato. He got up off the floor, his bangs still sticking up slightly from Cerberus’s enthusiastic greeting. He began using his cloak to wipe off his face. “We took care of it.”
“Hell yeah we did! How’d you guys do?” asked Ryuji.
“Alright. We managed to get some intel,” said Ren, shoving his hands in his pockets.
The haughty voices of various masked cognitions drifted around them.
“Oh my, is this a show?”
“Shido-san never fails to keep his guests entertained!”
“Ahaha! Anyone privileged enough to support his ship will always be on the winning team!”
Yusuke looked disgusted. “Do they truly not even feel threatened after witnessing such a display?” he asked.
“They really think they’re untouchable here,” said Makoto.
Ryuji looked furious. “That high an’ mighty asshole…”
Ren placed a gloved hand on Ryuji’s shoulder. “We’ll knock him down a peg,” he reassured. “Come on. Let’s find a safe room to figure out a plan.”
To get into the Representatives Chamber, they needed letters of recommendation from important people. So far, they found info on a politician, a noble, a TV station president, an IT company president, and someone only referred to as a “cleaner”.
A cleaner? Ryoji wondered as they rode the subway with Ren and Morgana, the group having finished for the day. That’s an oddly vague description.
I don’t think they mean that term literally, Minato replied. All of the letter holders have influence. A normal cleaner doesn’t fit the pattern.
That makes sense. But what would it mean, then?
I’m not sure yet.
Minato mulled it over until Ren interrupted his thoughts.
“Hey, this is our stop,” said Ren.
They hopped off at the subway station closest to Akihiko’s apartment. Ren remained vigilant as they walked off the train platform, eyes constantly scanning the crowds nearby for any police as they walked.
Minato didn’t blame him one bit. Maybe it was just the lingering feeling of being watched in the palace, but even with the mask and hoodie disguising him, he felt a bit too exposed being out in public.
The two of them exited the station to find Akihiko, Aigis, and Shirogane waiting for them outside in a secluded spot.
“Hey,” said Akihiko, slightly relieved to see them approach. “How’d the Metaverse trip go?”
“Fine,” said Minato. “No injuries.”
“I’m happy to hear that you are alright,” said Aigis.
“Agreed,” said Shirogane. “So, now that we’re all here, what do we need to do in order to see this Shadow nest?”
“Just this,” said Ren, pulling out his phone and hitting the nav app.
The world around them rippled, the street now tinged with red and empty of people.
“So this is Mementos?” asked Naoto, glancing around curiously.
“Yep!” said Morgana, now transformed into his Metaverse form.
Akihiko was startled at the sight of Morgana. “What the— Morgana?”
“In the flesh!” said Morgana.
“Why do you look like a monster cat all of a sudden?” asked Akihiko.
Morgana bristled. “I am NOT A CAT!”
“Both of you stop yelling,” said Naoto. “You might attract shadows.”
“I do not see any shadows in the immediate area,” said Aigis.
“Hey, yeah,” said Akihiko, looking around. “Where are all the shadows? I didn’t see any last time, either.”
“There aren’t any up here,” said Minato.
“Up?” asked Naoto. “You don’t mean…”
“Come on. We’ll show you,” said Ren, doubling back towards the subway station they had just exited.
One of the tricks they’d discovered about Mementos: it wasn’t exclusive to Shibuya. Sure, the Velvet Room stuck around Shibuya Station, and it was usually the quickest route to reach the lower levels, but any subway entrance in Tokyo could be used to enter the winding, shifting tunnels below. The top block of Mementos was only one or two levels deep, but it made up for it in the way it sprawled across the entire Tokyo subway network.
Ren had settled on showing them one of the side entrances. He seemed to feel better knowing that they weren’t using their main point of access, and Mementos was expansive enough that they would be hard-pressed to encounter anyone in its tunnels.
Plus, there was the bonus of not having Caroline and Justine glaring at them for this meeting.
As they reached the bottom step, blue fire washed over Ren and Minato as their outfits appeared, startling the other three.
“Whoa!” said Akihiko, stepping back in surprise to avoid getting torched. Aigis looked alarmed.
The flames disappeared as instantly as they had appeared. Ren grinned, standing a bit more confidently now that he was hidden behind his Joker mask. “Surprised?” he asked.
“Somewhat,” said Shirogane. Akihiko looked like he was nursing the beginning of a headache.
Akihiko then glanced over and raised an eyebrow at Minato’s outfit. Aigis’s expression twisted slightly.
“…Nice outfit,” Akihiko finally settled on saying.
“Thanks,” said Minato.
Shirogane was intrigued, examining Ren’s outfit. “Why the sudden costume change, Amamiya?”
“Joker!” Morgana corrected.
Shirogane blinked. “I— what?”
“We use code names here,” said Ren. “We don’t want anyone subconsciously picking up on our identities. I’m Joker.”
“And I’m Mona!” said Morgana.
“Ghost,” Minato said, hands in his pockets.
Aigis tilted her head curiously. “Are we required to have code names as well while we are here?”
“Unless you’re going to actually explore, you should be fine for now,” said Morgana.
“We’ll discuss it later,” said Shirogane. “For now, I’d still like to know why your outfits changed. That’s certainly never happened to any of us.”
“It’s our mental image of rebellion!” said Morgana. “It appears whenever you become a threat to the ruler of the cognitive space you’re in. It’s kind of like mental armor, to prevent the ruler’s distortions from affecting you,” he explained. “When you awaken your inner rebellion, you refuse to bend to anyone else’s whims. These outfits are our mental images of a rebel that protect us from a palace ruler’s distorted desires.”
Shirogane looked thoughtful. “So… something like these, then?” Shirogane pulled an old, slightly battered pair of wireframe glasses out of her jacket and put them on, blinking for a moment.
Morgana looked curious. “What’s that?” he asked. “It doesn’t smell like a Treasure, but I’m definitely getting an unusual feeling off of it…”
“TV glasses. They helped us see through the cognitive fog in the Shadow world. Though I wonder if that counts as one of these distortions you described.” Shirogane took off the glasses again, then experimentally put them back on. “...Curious. I didn’t even notice the mental strain I was beginning to feel down here until putting these on.”
“Strain?” asked Ren.
“Just a minor headache,” said Shirogane. “It lightens it somewhat, but not much.”
“Sounds handy,” said Akihiko. “I thought it was just the stress finally getting to me, but yeah. Whatever’s up with this place, it’s definitely a lot worse down here,” said Akihiko, visibly nursing the beginnings of a migraine.
“I believe it is affecting me as well. My internal processors and cooling systems are running up to 20% higher speeds than normal,” said Aigis.
“Her processors?” Ren quietly asked Minato.
“Aigis is an android,” Minato answered. Ren gave him a surprised look, before looking back at Aigis as the three of them continued to talk.
“Here,” said Shirogane, fishing out a pair of glasses. “I didn’t think I’d need them, but I brought a spare just in case.”
“Thanks.” Akihiko took them and immediately put them on. “Oh. Wow. That does help a bit.”
Ren let out an involuntary laugh before cutting himself off, and Akihiko seemed to finally notice what kind of glasses he was wearing.
“…Shirogane, why do you have these?” he asked. He looked at her through the pair of gag glasses, complete with a fake nose and mustache.
“Nice glasses,” said Minato, smiling faintly and earning a slightly betrayed look from Akihiko.
“Sorry,” said Shirogane. “Those were the only extra set Teddie ever made.”
Akihiko took them off. “...I’ll pass, but thanks,” he said, offering them to Aigis.
Shirogane sighed. “Unsurprising. No one ever takes that pair,” she said, fishing out a different pair of dark-tinted glasses. “Kanji let me borrow his pair for the case. Make sure you give them back when we leave.”
Off to the side, Aigis took the gag glasses and put them on. “I don’t understand, Akihiko. These appear to be perfectly functional.” She turned to Minato. “What do you think, Minato?”
“Ghost,” Morgana corrected automatically.
Minato huffed out a small laugh at their antics. “It looks fine,” he said, smiling faintly.
Aigis stared at him for a moment before she nodded, making a decision. “I will claim this pair.”
Akihiko immediately looked guilty. “Wait, Aigis, are you sure? I can trade back—”
Aigis shook her head. “No. I want them.”
Ren amusedly watched the three of them from where he now leaned casually against one the turnstiles, having settled himself while they were talking. “Well, you guys wanted to see Mementos. Here it is.”
Akihiko stared into the tunnels past the turnstiles, leading down, down into the darkness. “How far down does it go?”
“Pretty far,” said Minato.
“Does it extend as far as Tartarus?” asked Aigis, moving to stand close to Minato.
Minato gave a lazy shrug. “Dunno. Maybe.”
“And we’re being affected this strongly only at the surface,” said Shirogane, looking down the twisted subway tunnels with some concern. “I can’t imagine what the long-term effects would be if we tried to explore the nest like this.”
Ren looked thoughtful at that, and turned to Minato. “You probably could,” he said. “Remember when we first met you in the tunnels, deeper down?”
Minato thought back. “In that safe area?”
“Before that.”
Oh. Minato shook his head. “I just remember waking up on a bench,” he said. “You gave me curry rice. It was good.”
“Thanks,” said Ren proudly. “But seriously. You were wandering the tracks when we found you. We had to drag you along with us, it was almost like you were sleepwalking. Whatever this is, I think it affected you too.”
Your memories, said Ryoji all of a sudden. I knew it! I had a feeling they were being suppressed, just like your power until you reawakened! I just couldn’t figure out why, but that has to be what was causing it!
Ryoji did raise a good point. “You think it’s what made me forget?” Minato asked.
Aigis protectively inched closer to Minato. “I was not informed of this.”
“I’m fine, Aigis. I got better.” Mostly, he thought. He ignored the lingering static that still obscured the rest of his bonds from him.
“So just being here unprotected could affect you, even if you do have the potential?” asked Akihiko. “Jeez. I thought the Dark Hour was bad, but I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“I think I have,” said Shirogane. “It sounds a bit like the fog sickness, back during the TV murders. Any time someone spent too long in the TV world, they would be severely affected and need to recover for days afterward. Sometimes even weeks.” Shirogane tapped her glasses. “The closest equivalent we had to your thief outfits were these glasses. They helped us see through the fog, but they didn’t offer much else in the way of protection.”
“TV murders..?” Ren asked quietly.
Minato shrugged in response.
“Shirogane-san is referring to what you may know as the Inaba Hanged Man murders,” said Aigis.
“I’m not familiar,” said Minato.
Ren’s expression turned slightly ill. “I am.”
Shirogane thought for a moment. “…You said those outfits appear when you become a threat to the ruler of a cognitive space, correct?” asked Shirogane. “We’re in Mementos. Who would be the ruler of this place?”
“Who else? The general public, obviously!” said Morgana.
“So the general public views you as a threat?”
“Of course they do!” said Morgana. “The Phantom Thieves aren’t exactly popular lately, you know!”
“And how long have your outfits been appearing in Mementos?” she asked.
“What do you mean?” asked Ren.
“Have your outfits always appeared when you entered Mementos?” she clarified.
“Yeah,” said Ren.
“And when was the first time you entered Mementos?” Shirogane asked.
“Uh… just after we stole Kamoshida’s heart. Where are you going with this?” Ren asked, looking slightly uncomfortable at the sudden interrogation.
Shirogane frowned in thought. “If that’s the case, should your outfits have appeared in this place before the murder of Kunikazu Okumura, when public approval of the Phantom Thieves was at its peak? Or for that matter, your first time entering, if not many even knew about the Phantom Thieves at the time?”
Morgana looked uncertain at that. “Uh… well…”
“What’s your point?” asked Ren.
Shirogane, Aigis, and Akihiko shared a knowing look.
“Either you’re right, and it is the general public viewing you all as a threat…” said Shirogane.
“Or there’s something nasty waiting for you guys at the bottom of this place,” Akihiko finished.
“Wait, you think someone’s ruling over Mementos? The place is huge!” said Morgana.
Shirogane shook her head. “Not someone. Something.”
“Not the first time it’s happened, either,” said Akihiko. “Shadow activity on this scale usually has something fueling it. Something big.”
“Like Nyx,” said Minato, understanding the point they were making.
“Yes,” said Aigis. “That’s why we wished to investigate.”
Morgana stared wide-eyed at Naoto. “You got all that just from one look at Mementos… I didn’t even figure out any of that,” he said. “And here I thought Oracle was scary!”
“They really don’t call you the original Detective Prince for nothing, do they?” said Akihiko, looking impressed.
“It’s only thanks to our past experiences with other shadow incidents,” said Shirogane, tugging down the brim of her hat and avoiding eye contact. “You three are still more familiar with the rules of this Mementos place than we are. And I still have more questions about it.”
Ren looked curious, despite himself. “Alright. I actually want to hear what else you figure out. Ask away.”
As they spoke, Aigis set down the metal briefcase she had been carrying and got to work setting up the delicate equipment that had been stored inside. She explained to Minato that it was a refined version of the equipment Mitsuru used to extend her navigational skills back in their days as SEES, and that Fuuka had asked her to set it up to gather data until she could come visit in person.
Shirogane was busy asking a steady stream of questions to Morgana and Ren, writing notes on the Metaverse and its inner workings. After a while, she had filled up several pages of the notebook with writing and diagrams, steadily dissecting the Metaverse’s rules and the laws of cognition it ran on.
“So if a palace is a distortion, and a ‘Treasure’ is the desires fueling said distortion, then Mementos is a distortion belonging to everyone in Tokyo?” Shirogane asked, poring over her notebook.
“No way!” said Morgana. “Mementos is where shadows that don’t have distortions appear!”
“You said it was everyone’s palace,” Shirogane countered. “And it’s centered around Tokyo, just like any palace. Is there any proof that it’s not a distortion as well?”
“Well, for one thing, we don’t need to put a location for it in the Nav!” Morgana argued. “And any growing distortions start here before they break off into palaces!”
“Maybe you’re right,” she admitted. “But it is still specific to Tokyo. Especially Shibuya.” She tapped on the page, thinking hard. “Why Shibuya? It seems a bit specific for a palace shared by everyone in Tokyo.”
“It is the heart of the city,” Ren pointed out.
“But why only Tokyo? Why would a palace shared by everyone only be here? Why not Kyoto, or Sapporo, or Osaka? Why are there not more places like Mementos across Japan?” Shirogane asked. “It doesn’t make sense. The more I think about it, the more sure I am that Mementos isn’t natural. After all, what kind of distorted desire could all of humanity share?”
“A distortion drawing on the desires of humanity…” said Minato. A realization occurred to him. “Including the desire for death.”
Aigis looked serious, even underneath her glasses. “Elizabeth-san said that Erebus has disappeared because humanity’s negative desires have been drawn elsewhere.”
“Hang on,” said Ren. “Isn’t it supposed to be a good thing if people don’t want to die anymore?”
“As much as I wish it was, Shirogane has a point,” said Akihiko. “If there’s something powerful enough to overtake everyone’s desire for death, that can’t be a good sign.”
That might not be the only desire that’s been affected, either, said Ryoji.
You mean the seal? asked Minato.
Yeah, said Ryoji. You made it with the wish for everyone to live, right?
I did.
A wish. In a way, it was similar enough to a strong desire.
…That’s why he had appeared in Mementos. If whatever was powering Mementos was pulling on desires, it may have pulled on those ties that kept him bound to the Great Seal.
(The rebellious fire in his soul dimmed slightly as he realized what he would have to do.)
“Hey, slow down,” he heard Ren say. “I know you guys are worried, but I haven’t noticed anything weird going on with the public… are you guys sure this is really as bad as you’re thinking?”
Shirogane sighed. “True. Nothing like the Apathy Syndrome cases has happened yet. The worst of it is just someone abusing the cognitive world for murder. Even the TV world still exists,” she said. “But the fact that this distortion exists at all is concerning. Especially since it’s potentially being fueled by the public’s desires. I’d rather be prepared if it turns out to be a problem.”
“And if it’s not?” asked Ren tersely. “You guys seem like you’re already pretty sure it is.”
“It is,” Minato finally said. “I think it messed with the Seal. That’s why I showed up in Mementos.”
Ren folded his arms. “Say you guys are right. That Mementos is just a big palace, and all those desires are a treasure waiting at the bottom. What do you think is going to happen if you take it?” asked Ren.
“Elizabeth said everything will go back to normal,” said Minato.
“Yeah. Exactly. Including you,” he said. “If what you’re saying is true, then that means whatever this is, it’s probably the one thing keeping you alive.” Ren turned to the Shadow Operatives present. “And you guys want to take it out.”
No one said anything for a moment. Minato was the first to break the silence.
“We may not have a choice,” said Minato.
Shirogane noticeably tugged down the brim of her hat, her earlier enthusiasm immediately turning to visible guilt. “I’m… sorry. I wasn’t thinking about that.”
“It’s fine,” said Minato.
“It absolutely is not fine!” Morgana protested. “I don’t like the idea of leaving a distortion alone either, but it can’t be bad enough for you guys to think letting your own friend die is okay!”
Minato gave Morgana a sharp look. “It was my choice to seal away Nyx, Mona. None of them made me do it.”
“That still doesn’t make it alright,” said Ren. He looked to Aigis and Akihiko. “And honestly, I want to hear what you two have to say about this. You’ve been really quiet.”
Aigis looked up at Ren. “My mission is to protect him however I can,” she said. “I will do everything in my power to do so. But we alone cannot eliminate humanity’s pain. As long as that exists, there will always be a need to keep it from calling upon Nyx.”
Akihiko sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It would be really nice if it didn’t have to come to it. But I’m not gonna fool myself into thinking we’ll get a choice,” he finally answered. He looked towards Minato. “Minato, do you think this distortion’s going to be a problem?”
“Yes,” Minato replied flatly. “It’s pulling the Seal apart. The fact that I’m here is proof. If it breaks, we all die.”
Akihiko looked resigned at that. “Then I guess that answers your question, Amamiya.”
Ren looked at him like he’d grown another head. “You can’t be serious.” He turned to Minato. “I don’t get it. Why are you acting like you’re alright with this? You could die, and you’re all acting like there’s nothing you can do about it.”
“Do you think we like this?” Akihiko snapped. “You don’t understand how bad it will be if Nyx comes back, Amamiya. You have a lot more to lose than you think.”
“You still can’t expect us to be fine with this,” Ren shot back. “You can’t expect me to give up on a friend just because you say it’s impossible!”
“I’m trying to get you to understand that you could get yourself and all your friends killed for nothing,” said Akihiko. He took a deep breath, frustrated. “Look, I promise we will do everything we can to help. I just can’t promise that it’ll be enough to change anything.”
Ren looked conflicted for a moment. He then shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to walk towards the stairs leading up out of the subway.
“Some friends,” he muttered bitterly, before disappearing into the real world.
“What– hey! Joker, wait up!” Morgana called out, disappearing up the steps after him.
Minato stood there, frozen.
“…He’s a good kid,” Akihiko finally said. “Can’t blame him for being upset. It wasn't easy for us, either.”
Minato turned and walked down the stairs into the tunnels of Mementos alone.
This was a mess. Minato didn’t know how to make Ren understand that this was the only option.
I think I’m actually with Ren on this one.
Minato stopped mid-step at that comment.
What? Why? You know that we can’t let the Fall happen.
I do. But we made a promise together. Did you forget about that? said Ryoji. You promised me you would fight for this second chance when you reawakened.
Minato’s grip on the railing tightened. I can’t change what’s going to happen at the end of all this.
I said the same to you once. Yet you stood up to Nyx anyway, even when it was hopeless.
We had nothing left to lose, Minato thought. This is different. I can’t risk their lives for a chance at saving mine.
Your life is worth fighting for, too, said Ryoji. No, I don’t know if there’s a way to change things. But you won’t know what’s possible if you don’t try. You taught me that.
Minato couldn’t think of an argument against that.
…I’m sorry, Minato. I’m with you to the very end. But I can’t agree with you giving up on yourself, said Ryoji. I care about you too much. I hope you can forgive me for that.
Ryoji’s disappointment stung Minato deeper than Ren’s.
Notes:
Sorry again for the slow update time guys ^^; but we're finally in Shido's palace!! woo!!
Aaand it looks like the gang's hit a conflict for this arc. This was... definitely going to come up at some point. Persona 3 and 5’s themes are really different and actually kind of clash hard with Minato's situation in terms of what the right thing to do is, since there isn't really a clear solution to the whole Great Seal issue at this point in the story.
I hope yall don’t mind me hitting Minato with the Phantom Thief Character Development hammer, because I think he and Ren could learn a thing or two from each other. this is something that needed to be addressed at some point, so why avoid the conflict if they have an opportunity to resolve it and grow from it?? universe confidant rank up time baby!! this is my rollercoaster and I'm driving the plot full throttle over this speedbump LETS GO
Also shoutout to The Scale and Sword for the concept of Mementos having yaldy’s evil distortion aura because the implications of the thieves’ outfits being mental armor from distortion isn’t something I’ve seen explored much at all in fic, I think it’s a really neat concept that yaldabaoth’s domain is a lowkey hostile environment if you go in unprotected
(also thank you tylinos for the mental image of the gang wearing the p4 gag glasses to avoid the cops because it was too good a mental image not to include)Also, unrelated life update, I'm trying out Final Fantasy XIV. It's slow going, but the part of me that's nostalgic for old MMORPGs is enjoying it.
Thanks for reading yall!! hope you enjoy!! peace and love on planet earth 💖✌
Chapter 17: One Step at a Time
Summary:
Minato reconnects with old friends, and Makoto seeks advice.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
<Akihiko Sanada added Minato Arisato to the chat Operatives Channel.>
Junpei: YO WHAT UP DUDE!!
Fuuka: Minato! Hello!
Naoto: Hello, Arisato.
Yukari: !!!! MINATO HI
Yukari: god I still cant believe this is real
Junpei: yeah same, mitsuru filled us in yesterday but I wasn’t sure I believed it till now
Junpei: sorry we can’t meet up with you in person just yet dude
Yukari: Yeah, the news kind of hit us out of nowhere. I’m working on a shoot right now up in Hokkaido and can’t really get out of it
Yukari: but believe me I’m heading straight to Tokyo as soon as I can! I’ll tell them it’s a family emergency if I have to!!
Naoto: There’s no need to rush. Recent developments in the case will be keeping all of us very busy for the foreseeable future, including Arisato. It would be best to wait until we finish dealing with things on our end, considering how critical it is.
Yukari: I don’t care if the world is ending!! if Minato really is alive, there’s no way I am staying up here a minute longer than I need to!!
Junpei: oh yeah, mitsuru said this was something about the tokyo investigation with the nest fuuka-tan picked up?? I dunno much of what’s been happening though
Mitsuru: Not much of note has happened until very recently. There was only a new development this past week.
Fuuka: This week? You mean with the suicide on the news?
Mitsuru: As a matter of fact, yes.
Yukari: what the heck happened??
Naoto: Certain details on the case are confidential, unfortunately.
Junpei: oh come on nao-tan!! it’s not like we’re gonna tell anyone
Akihiko: Can’t, Junpei. They wanna stay private. That was their condition.
Junpei: who’s they???
Akihiko: uh
Naoto: No one you will be meeting unless they decide they want to reveal themselves. This is being kept strictly between the members on the Tokyo nest investigation at their request.
Yukari: remind me again why Akihiko is the one doing this?
Akihiko: it’s been a long week Yukari, cut me some slack
Mitsuru: You have been typing for some time, Minato. Is something the matter?
Akihiko: One minute, he’s still trying to type
Minato: hell&/
Akihiko: He says he keeps hitting the other buttons on the screen
Minato: *hello
Fuuka: hi minato!!
Junpei: HEY MAN
Aigis: Welcome back, Minato.
Mitsuru: Agreed. I’m quite happy to see you here as well, Minato-kun.
Minato: thx
Minato: sry. theseb buttonsn aresmall
Yukari: Oh, right. Touchscreens would be kinda new to you, huh?
Minato: yes
Junpei: I never thought I’d say this but Minato texts like an old man
Junpei: but thats ok!! Thats what bros are for
Junpei: dude? you still there?
Akihiko: He says he can’t type that fast
Minato: not yet
Minato: ill learnb
Junpei: learnb
Aigis: learnb?
Mitsuru: I believe he means “learn”.
Yu: learnb
Minato: *learn
Minato: unbelievabl;e/
Yu: I just finished class, I’m reading up now. Hello Arisato, we haven’t met but my name is Yu Narukami. I’m a wildcard like you.
Yu: Nice to mee-heet you, ho!
Junpei: what the heck does THAT mean
Naoto: I have no doubt it’s simply Yu-kun being his usual self.
Minato: me eat y;ou whole
Junpei: DUDE????
Yu: !!!
Yu: I am in your care…
Minato: I dont care/
Junpei: ouch, cold
Yukari: What the heck are you guys talking about? -_-
Naoto: Oh no. There’s two of them now.
Minato: 3 actually
Junpei: MINATO???
Junpei: DUDE COME BACK YOU CANT JUST DROP THAT AND LEAVE
Naoto: …It would appear that he has.
Minato had been benched to the reserve team for today’s Palace excursion.
Which was fine. Minato had been fighting plenty before, and the others needed a chance to keep their skills sharp. But considering the fact that he and Ren had barely exchanged more than a few words since their argument in Mementos, he had a feeling it was for a very different reason.
Their bond had grown stronger, but it felt… off-kilter, deep in his soul. It wasn’t reversed, not yet, but it didn’t sit quite right ever since their argument.
Minato had a feeling he needed to choose his next words to Ren carefully. The problem was, Minato didn’t really know what to say to Ren that he hadn’t already said before. And Ren clearly wasn’t ready to talk about it. So Minato was working closer with the other Phantom Thieves for today’s Palace exploration, hoping that a bit of time and space would do Ren some good.
The Phantom Thieves were currently exploring a fancy lounge area, filled with cognitive guests. The group had split up to look for a lost membership card in order to access the members-only restaurant, where the first of the five people holding a letter of recommendation was said to be located; Minato was following Makoto and Ann as they looked around.
“Um, excuse me,” said Makoto to the bar attendant. “Has anyone brought any lost items here? I seem to have misplaced my membership card.”
“I’m afraid not,” said the cognitive bar attendant. “My apologies, miss. I suggest you visit guest services and show them your boarding pass. They will be able to issue you a new one.”
“Th-thank you, but I’m sure I saw it around here somewhere!” said Ann, knowing that they wouldn’t be able to go to the ship’s guest services. After all, none of them were actually guests. “Come on guys, let’s keep looking!” she said, quickly dragging the other two away before they could arouse suspicion.
“I really hope we find that card soon,” said Makoto as soon as they were out of earshot. “Or else we may have to force our way in.”
“I’d rather not if we can avoid it,” said Ann. She then stood up straighter, determination in her face. “But we’ll definitely get into that restaurant! I haven’t given up yet! Queen can bust through the doors on her motorcycle if we have to!”
That earned a smile from Minato and a lot of embarrassed sputtering from Makoto.
“It’s a backup plan,” said Minato.
“Not if we want to avoid setting off the palace security, it isn’t!” said Makoto, sounding exasperated.
“True,” said Ann. “We still have the rest of the palace to explore, and our deadline is just over two weeks left… we’re gonna have to work at this every day if we want to send the calling card as soon as possible.”
“Ideally,” said Makoto. “The sooner we get it done, the better. Who knows how long the palace will take.”
“Yeah,” said Ann. “Jeez, between this and school, I’m gonna be too exhausted to do anything except lay in bed and watch movies when I get home. I have no idea how you do this and student council work, Queen.”
Makoto gave her an amused smile. “Just good time management,” she said. “Although you have a point. We still need to keep up our regular lives so we don’t raise suspicion, but I won’t have much time to work on the student council until this is over.” Makoto sighed, looking somewhat troubled. “I wasn’t even able to turn in my career survey assignment last week. My homeroom teacher actually thought he lost it, since I’m usually on time with all my work.”
Ann made a face. “Ah. Yeah. We were pretty busy, with the plan and all… I hope you were able to finish it, at least,” she said.
Makoto didn’t meet their eyes. “Y-yeah…”
Ann didn’t notice, letting out a sigh. “At least you don’t have to worry about school anymore, Ghost,” said Ann. “That’s one good thing about this whole mess, at least.”
Minato hummed thoughtfully. “Being a fugitive isn’t much worse than exams.”
Makoto gave them both a disappointed look. “I can’t believe you two are joking about this so casually.”
Minato shrugged.
“Hey guys, Joker found the membership card,” Futaba’s voice suddenly interrupted, projected to all of them through Necronomicon.
They all quickly reconvened at the entrance to the restaurant. The newly acquired membership card was shown to the shadow, and they were finally allowed inside.
“Man, look how fancy this place is…” said Ryuji, looking around excitedly. “Even the food looks super good!”
“Act natural, Skull,” said Ann, giving him an annoyed look. “We don’t wanna draw attention— oh my god, look at that cake,” Ann suddenly said, staring with wide eyes. “Joker. Joker. They have a dessert bar.”
“Such fine food…” said Yusuke, watching a cognitive waiter walk past them while carrying a tray of food.
Futaba buried her face in her hands. “Oh my god. Someone please stop these three before they blow our cover, this is embarrassing.”
“You three are acting like children,” Makoto hissed, keeping her voice low.
“Sorry, sorry!” said Ryuji, grinning. “I can’t help gettin’ excited!”
“Not while we’re on a mission!” said Morgana.
“Look. Over there,” said Makoto, pointing at a table with a vase of blue flowers on it. “That’s the reserved table, according to the shadow. If the politician we’re looking for is important enough to have a letter, he may also be important enough to have a table reserved for himself.”
“So what’s your plan, Queen?” asked Ren.
“We can wait at the table next to it and see if he shows up,” said Makoto, looking deep in thought. “We probably shouldn't go in a big group… he may be on his guard if we all approach him at once,” she added. “I’ll go. Does anyone want to come with me?”
Skull, Panther, and Fox’s hands immediately went up.
“Besides you three,” said Makoto, to their disappointment. “You’re hardly going to be inconspicuous with the way you’re acting. We’re not here to eat.”
“Aw, come on, Queen! No reason we can’t do both!” said Ryuji.
Before he could think better of it, Minato decided to speak up.
“I’ll go,” said Ren and Minato at the same time. They both looked at each other in surprise.
“We’ll both go,” Ren quickly added.
“Only one of us needs to go with Queen,” said Minato.
“You don’t need to do it by yourself,” said Ren.
“I’m fine,” Minato replied stubbornly.
“I disagree,” Ren said tensely.
“It’s my choice.”
“It affects all of us.”
“Guys,” Makoto interrupted, giving them a stern glare. “It’s not that hard of a decision.”
Minato and Ren both flushed and awkwardly looked away from each other. Minato was pretty sure neither of them had been talking about the restaurant anymore.
(Their shared bond felt strained between them. Minato was growing more worried. Was Ren really that upset with him? How were they going to talk this out if Ren refused to listen?)
The others were giving them confused looks. Morgana looked apprehensive, having been present for their argument in Mementos.
Makoto sighed. “Fine, I’ll decide. Ghost, you can come with me.” She looked at Ren. “Sorry, Joker. I hope you don’t mind.”
Ren nodded, showing no sign anymore of his earlier upset. “It’s fine. I’ll make sure they don’t raid the buffet while you’re gone,” he teased.
“Hey!” said Ryuji, sounding mildly affronted.
Minato followed Makoto into the restaurant, leaving the others just as he overheard Ann start questioning Ren on his and Minato’s odd behavior. At least he wouldn’t be present for that.
The two of them walked towards the table near the politician’s table. Minato shifted uncomfortably. This place looked obscenely rich, and he and Makoto looked very out of place. It didn’t help that feeling of being watched as they were exploring Shido’s palace.
As soon as they sat down at the table, Makoto immediately addressed him. “What was that all about?”
Minato startled in surprise, then glanced away uncomfortably. “...We had a disagreement.”
“Does it have anything to do with your meeting with the Shadow Operatives yesterday?” she asked. Minato nodded, and Makoto looked unsurprised. “I can’t say I’m surprised. I didn’t expect him to get along with Sanada after what happened with the police.”
“It wasn’t about that,” Minato admitted. “Just… what will happen after all this.”
“What do you mean?”
Minato continued to examine the tablecloth instead of looking at her. “I don’t expect to still be around. Joker disagreed with me.”
Makoto gave him an odd look, then went slightly pale as she understood. “Wait, you can’t honestly think that’s an acceptable option!”
Minato finally looked up at her, growing frustrated at having to deal with all of the Thieves reacting this way. Arguing once with Ren was bad enough. “I told you all about Erebus. If you have a solution, I’m listening.”
Makoto paused at that, attempting to think of a way to counter his argument but coming up with nothing. “Well… just because you don’t have a solution doesn’t mean you should give up,” Makoto finally said, looking less sure of herself than she had a moment ago.
Her argument sounded too similar to Ryoji’s words for him to come up with a response.
“Good evening, sirs,” said a shadow dressed as a waiter. They both looked up in surprise at the interruption. “What would you like this evening?”
Makoto took a calming breath, regaining her composure. “I’ll have the sauteed foie gras.”
Minato grabbed a menu to read, only to quickly realize that he couldn’t. It was all cognitive nonsense.
He had to think of something that wouldn’t make them look suspicious. Mitsuru would know. What would she usually order at fancy restaurants like this? He had no idea.
“…Water,” he said, thinking quickly.
The shadow tilted its head. “Just water?”
Minato nodded.
“He’s, ah— he’s a bit seasick!” Makoto quickly lied.
“…I see. I shall bring you your orders right away,” the shadow said, before leaving them alone.
The two of them waited in awkward silence, watching the empty table to see if their target would appear. A few minutes passed before one of them broke the silence.
“Why me?” asked Minato.
Makoto looked confused. “What?”
“Why did you want me here instead of Joker?”
“Oh,” said Makoto, suddenly very interested in looking at the other table instead of him. “I… wanted to talk to you. We haven’t had much chance to talk before.”
Okay. Minato could see the logic in that. But…
“Why?” he asked.
“Because I, uh… I wanted to apologize,” said Makoto, surprising Minato. “For the way I treated you when we first met. I was suspicious and worried, and because of that I wasn’t very nice to you.”
Oh. That. Minato had completely forgotten about that.
“...It’s fine. I don’t care,” he said awkwardly. Considering their situation and the way he had first met them, she’d had every right to be suspicious of him.
“I still feel bad about it,” she admitted. She looked away, embarrassed. “…You’re not the first person I’ve gotten off on the wrong foot with.”
He stared at her, curious. “Who was?”
“Most of the others,” she said. She looked even more embarrassed. “I… may have blackmailed the Phantom Thieves before I joined.”
Minato’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Why?”
“I really needed their help,” she quickly explained. “But I didn’t want to admit that I approved of their actions. I kind of caused a lot of trouble for them.”
“At least it worked out,” said Minato.
“Yeah,” she said. “And… I know it’s not the same as what you’re dealing with, but if it makes you feel any better… I don’t really know what I’ll be doing after this, either.”
It probably wasn’t the same, but Minato appreciated the gesture.
“Is that why you didn’t finish your career survey?” he asked.
Makoto gave him a surprised look. “How did you— oh. I forgot I mentioned that earlier,” she said. “Yeah, it is.”
“Why?”
“...Just thinking a lot since I joined the Phantom Thieves,” she answered. “I was going to go to law school, but then I changed my mind. I actually want to go into police work. But…” she trailed off, looking uncertain. “Lately, I don’t know if I should anymore.”
“Because of the interrogation,” said Minato. She gave a nod, confirming his suspicion. Between that and the Thieves’ negative opinion on authority, Minato was a bit surprised to hear Makoto admit that she wanted to be a police officer. He hadn’t had many chances to talk to her before, so it never came up. “Why the change?”
“Huh?” she asked. “You mean, why did I decide on police work?”
Minato nodded.
“It’s a long story,” she said. “I just want to be able to help victims and take down criminals that the law can’t touch, kind of like the Phantom Thieves.”
“You could just stay a Phantom Thief,” he pointed out.
“But I don’t want to always resort to that,” she replied. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s been…amazing, to be able to make a difference. But I don’t want to have to do it only by working outside the law for the rest of my life.” She went quiet. “And I sometimes think about what Sae would have turned into if we actually did steal her Treasure. I didn’t want to take away her desire for justice, even if it was distorted. She wouldn’t be herself anymore.”
Minato wondered if Makoto knew just how similar her thoughts were to Mitsuru’s.
“I won’t go back to being that good girl pushover who does everything she’s told. But after everything that happened in the interrogation room…” Makoto trailed off.
Minato finished the thought for her. “You think the others won’t like it.”
She nodded. “I guess it just feels like I’m betraying everyone. I know what the others will probably think. None of us like the police for a reason.” She frowned, irritated. “Ugh, why does this have to be so complicated?” She then sighed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to complain so much. We’re supposed to be focusing on the mission.”
Minato shrugged. “We’re just waiting,” he said. “And I don’t mind.”
Makoto smiled a little. “That is true. Thanks, by the way. I think talking about it helped a little.” She glanced at him. “You know, you and Joker really are a lot alike.”
Minato couldn’t think of a response before they were interrupted.
“Who gave you brats permission to sit there?”
They both looked up to see a man in a finely tailored suit and mask, glaring at them with disdain. Minato suddenly realized that this must be the politician they were looking for.
“No one did,” said Minato.
The man scoffed. “Immature children like you shouldn’t be allowed to wander wherever you please. I wish to dine leisurely. You two should leave.”
Makoto stood to her feet quicker than Minato could come up with a response. “We understand. I apologize for our discourtesy,” she said, bowing respectfully. “But would you happen to be Ooe-san?”
He gave her a suspicious look. “I am.”
“I understand if this is an impudent request, but… would you be willing to introduce us to Shido-san?” she asked.
“You two appear to be minors,” he replied. “Why would you need a letter of introduction?”
Minato remained quiet as Makoto continued her attempt at diplomacy, trying to convince Ooe that yes, they really were just high schoolers who were deeply moved by Shido’s ideology. Minato supposed that wasn’t entirely a lie, if strong dislike of the man’s methods and worldview counted as being ‘deeply moved’.
Minato was glad Makoto was handling this. Talking already wasn’t his strong suit, and his ability to lie outright was worse.
Makoto subtly encouraged the politician to keep talking, slowly drawing out bits of important information. He kept talking, until he finally let slip that Shido’s closest followers were granted the privilege of ordering mental shutdowns, and that he had ordered one that had caused a major subway accident in April.
Makoto smiled politely. “I see. Thank you for telling us this, Ooe-san,” she said, earning a confused look from Ooe. “My sister is a prosecutor at the Public Prosecutors Office. I could pass on what you just said to her… Or we can forget all of this, if you would be kind enough to give us a letter of introduction.”
Ooe looked angry, sweating slightly. “Is that a threat?” He glanced at Minato. “Who are you two?!”
Makoto gave him a steady look beneath her steel mask. “The letter of introduction, please.”
“Like I would give a couple brats like you one!” Ooe said, furious. Suddenly, the politician burst into a haze of black and red, melting and reforming into a large Shadow shaped like an eight-headed snake. Minato recognized it as Yamata-No-Orochi.
The two of them quickly moved into a battle stance. “Everyone! Now!” Makoto called out.
“Way ahead of ya!” said Ryuji. The rest of the Phantom Thieves appeared, quickly surrounding the shadow.
“Blackmail, huh?” Minato quietly asked Makoto.
That comment earned an embarrassed flush and an elbow to Minato’s arm.
The prosecutor’s office was as busy as ever.
Sae was busy going through all the information for another case the Director had assigned her to. Her desk was currently organized chaos as she read through all the files. From the looks of it, it was most likely given to her because it would be an extremely difficult case to win. Very little of the evidence worked in her favor.
Funny how a month ago that would have frustrated her to no end, but now it didn’t bother her that much. Instead, she kept wondering if Makoto and her friends were doing alright in the Metaverse. She had a sense that it was dangerous, but she didn’t know firsthand how dangerous it was.
While she was distracted, a thermos was suddenly placed on her desk in front of her with a dull thunk.
Sae looked up, startled to see who placed it there. “Sanada?”
“Don’t look so surprised,” he said. “I do work here, you know.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked, dropping her voice low so no one would overhear. “I thought you worked at the station, not the courthouse.”
“I volunteered to drop something off for a case,” Sanada explained. “Figured you were gonna come looking for me eventually, so I thought I’d save you the trouble.” He glanced at the mess that was her desk. “Wow. And I thought Mitsuru was a workaholic.”
Sae resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Sanada was… very straightforward. Not quite what she expected, but strangely easy to talk to.
“I just have a lot of work on my plate,” Sae said. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to leave the office until late today.”
Sanada grimaced in sympathy. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll be working late too,” he said. “After the whole fiasco at the police station, everyone’s gonna be pulling some long hours for a while.”
She hummed thoughtfully. “In that case, would you like to go get takeout with me later?”
“Sure,” said Sanada, perking up. “Got a place in mind?”
Sae gave a tired sigh. “Normally, I would get conveyor belt sushi with—” She paused. “...With a coworker after days like this. But with everything that’s happened lately, I don’t feel very much like sushi right now.”
Sanada looked thoughtful. “...How about I show you one of my favorite spots, then? I know a good beef bowl place not far from here.”
“Beef bowls?” Sae asked. She thought about it for a moment. “...I suppose that does sound good. Would you mind if I invited Makoto as well, though? I haven’t spent as much time with her lately as I should, and I would like to make up for that.”
“Nah, go ahead. The more the merrier,” said Sanada. He then paused. “Unless, uh, if you’d rather have that time alone with your sister, I can just tell you where the place is.” He looked a little awkward.
“It’s fine,” said Sae, smiling a little as she cut off his social floundering. “I’d like for you to join as well. You were the one who recommended the place, after all.”
Sanada smiled, looking eager. “Great! I’ll text you the address.”
The hours went by, and Sae eventually left work to meet with Sanada at the address he sent. Sae also passed the message along to Makoto, just in case she and the Phantom Thieves finished early for today.
If she wasn’t, Sae would just bring some takeout home for her. Sure, Sae still had to be careful not to spend too much money, but it would be nice to have dinner together again. It had been too long since Sae had treated her sister to takeout.
The location he recommended was interesting. It was tucked out of view from the street, and rather small and cheap-looking, but it had a cozy charm to it.
Sanada entered not long after, immediately spotting Sae at the counter.
“Hey. Hope I’m not late,” he said.
“Not at all. I only just got here,” said Sae.
He grinned. “Nice. You got your eye on anything in particular?”
The two of them placed their orders and sat down in a small booth tucked away in the corner. Sae found herself enjoying Sanada’s company as they talked for a bit, trading stories from work. She wanted to ask a few questions about his other work, but unfortunately, those were better not discussed in public.
Sae was halfway through her beef bowl when Makoto entered, looking slightly out of breath. “Sorry, Sis! We only just finished, I hope I’m not too late…” She then noticed Sanada, looking surprised. “Oh, you’re here.”
Sanada gave a slightly awkward smile at that. “Yeah, I hope that’s alright.”
“Oh! No, it’s fine. I’m sorry, I was just surprised,” Makoto said.
She quickly sat down next to them and ordered her food, telling Sae about how things were going at school and some of the non-supernatural things her Phantom Thief friends had gotten up to recently. Sae looked rather stressed as Makoto recounted her story about how she became friends with Eiko, while Sanada grinned, looking impressed.
“You’ve got guts, Niijima,” said Sanada. “Picking a fight with a sleazy guy like that in the middle of Kichijoji for your friend’s sake. I kind of wish I could have seen that.”
“I’d say that was reckless of you, but that’s probably the least dangerous thing you’ve gotten involved in these past few months,” said Sae. “The fact that I didn’t even realize all of this was going on in your life…”
“It’s alright, Sis. I didn’t really try to tell you about it,” said Makoto. “I’m just glad we can talk like this again… I honestly missed this.”
“I did too,” said Sae.
Makoto quickly finished her beef bowl and put it down on the table, looking lost in thought.
“Makoto? Is something the matter?” asked Sae.
Makoto looked up. “No, I’m fine, Sis. Thank you,” she said automatically.
“If there’s something bothering you, I can at least listen,” Sae offered.
Makoto hesitated. “Well… I suppose you might be able to help with this,” she said. She then looked at Akihiko. “Actually, Sanada-san, since you’re here, may I ask you something?”
Akihiko looked surprised and curious. “Yeah, of course. What is it?”
“What’s it like, working as a police officer?” she asked.
Akihiko gave her an odd look. “...Why do you want to know?”
Makoto looked down into her empty beef bowl. “I was thinking about going into the police academy.”
Akihiko looked surprised. “Really? I didn’t think any of you guys would consider that, considering what you’ve been doing lately.”
“I didn’t know you wanted to do that,” said Sae. “When did you decide this?”
“After making up with Eiko,” said Makoto. “It was a few months ago, before the incident with Okumura. But after the incident at the police station… I’m not so sure anymore.”
Akihiko’s expression was conflicted. “…I can’t tell you what you should do, Niijima,” he replied.
“Then why did you become a police officer in the first place?” she asked.
Akihiko paused as he considered the question.
“...To be able to help the others, mostly,” he finally answered. “I used to work full-time with the Operatives before this, but Shadows aren’t the only thing Mitsuru has to deal with. I was never much good at detective work like Shirogane is. I’m no tech expert like Fuuka, I’m not all that good with kids, and I’m not really into business or management. I’m a guy who’ll have your back in a fight, but that’s about it.” Akihiko shrugged. “So I decided to go into the police academy.”
“What was it like?” asked Makoto, curious. “Working as a police officer?”
“It was alright at first. A bit boring, honestly. It had its ups and downs,” said Akihiko. He then shook his head. “But after everything that’s happened lately, I wouldn’t be able to recommend it to anyone.”
“Why not?” Makoto asked.
“It’s not a fun job. Hell, half the time I hate it,” he said, unable to keep his frustration out of his voice as he spoke, quiet enough that no one would overhear them. “Working in the Tokyo department this past year has been an ongoing nightmare. Some officers can be worse than the criminals they’re supposed to arrest,” he said, thinking of Amamiya’s injuries from his interrogation. “Even before all this, I disagreed with the commissioner over a lot of things, but it’s been especially bad these past few months. I don’t regret going behind his back to help you guys.”
Sae gave him an odd look. “If you hate it so much, you could have just stayed with the Operatives.”
“I know,” he said, sighing. “But I’ve got my reasons for sticking with it. And trying is better than doing nothing, I guess.”
Akihiko remembered the few years after graduation he’d spent trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life now that the Dark Hour was gone. He had taken care of Ken up until he decided to move into the dorms on his own in the meantime, and helped Mitsuru where he could with the newly formed Shadow Operatives, but there weren’t any shadows to fight for a while. Looking out for the others was really the only thing that he wanted, but that wasn’t exactly a career option.
He tried out professional boxing for a bit, and he had liked it, but making a career out of what was more of a high school hobby lost its appeal after a while.
“So why didn’t you quit?” asked Makoto.
Akihiko thought about the question, trying to come up with the words for an answer. “I guess… I just want to be the kind of adult the three of us would have liked to have around growing up. Ken, too, after he lost his mom.”
For years it had just been him, Shinji, and Miki at the orphanage. Then just him and Shinji, up until the point where they’d been recruited by Mitsuru. Akihiko could count on his fingers the number of adults that had actually looked out for them during that time.
There was one of those adults that Akihiko thought about when he considered going into police work. It wasn’t much, but he remembered the way Officer Kurosawa had supplied Akihiko and Shinjiro— two orphaned, rough-looking middle schoolers known for picking fights— with a meager selection of confiscated weapons, suspecting that something was wrong in Iwatodai and giving them the means to protect themselves. In hindsight, he had definitely been breaking several laws to do so, yet he did it anyway simply because he believed it was the right thing to do. Something about that stuck with Akihiko, even now.
(When he thought about it later on, he wondered if Kurosawa had ever experienced the Dark Hour. It would have explained why he thought giving them illegal weapons was the best way to help, or why he had so much faith in them. He hadn’t seen Kurosawa since graduation, so he never got the chance to ask.)
Besides, Mitsuru, Aigis, and Shirogane were heavily involved in police and government affairs. Akihiko wasn’t a rich heiress or a detective; his options to help were limited. So he did the next best thing: taking up a police badge just so he could be there to have their backs when they needed it. He liked to think he was doing good, and he tried to help people where he could. But in a job where he saw some of the worst of humanity on a regular basis, that single reason was what kept him going even through the worst days.
He promised Shinjiro he would take care of them, after all.
“Look. If you want my advice, then ask yourself this: why do you want to go into law enforcement?” Akihiko asked Makoto. “I won’t tell you what to do, because that’s your decision. But you should think hard about why you want to do it.”
“Why?” asked Makoto. “I want to help people, that’s why.”
“If that’s your only reason, then you won’t last a minute,” said Akihiko. “Think harder.”
Makoto frowned. “I want to get justice for victims. There’s too many crimes in the world that go unnoticed every day.”
“You can do that by going to law school, can’t you?” Akihiko countered. “Heck, you’ve already been doing that for months.”
“I was planning to become commissioner someday,” Makoto said. “Too many people abuse their power, so I want to change things. I want to be a better example.”
“It won’t be that easy, Makoto,” said Sae, somewhat unsure of her sister’s decision. “Sometimes you’ll have to make choices you don’t like, and there will be people who will work against you. Believe me, I know what it’s like.”
“I don’t care,” said Makoto, growing frustrated. “I’m not going to stand by and do nothing just because it’ll be difficult!”
“I know that, Makoto,” said Sae. “I just don’t want to see you go through the same thing I did. I’m not proud of the person I turned into after I became a prosecutor.”
Makoto was quiet for a moment. “I don’t want to become like that either,” she finally said. Her hands curled into fists on the fabric of her skirt. “...After Ren came back from the police station with you, I wasn’t just scared,” she admitted. “I was angry. Angry at the people in the police who did that to him, and the ones who allowed it to happen. And that’s not the first time he’s had to deal with corrupt police, either,” she added.
“And Eiko… I remember how she said she didn’t feel like anyone cared about her, either,” said Makoto. “Even when Kamoshida was at Shujin, I could have said something to help the students. Even just a little. But I didn’t. Ann had every right to be angry with me after all that.”
Makoto looked away, at the opposite wall. “I want to be the person that should have been there for them, when they needed it the most,” she said. “If there were more people who actually cared about doing what was right instead of preserving their reputation, then maybe none of those things would have ever happened at all.”
Sae and Akihiko were quiet as they listened to Makoto talk.
“...What will you do if you have to decide between your career and doing what’s right?” asked Sae.
“Then it’s a good thing I’m not the good-girl pushover I used to be,” said Makoto. “And I’ve got friends who taught me that there’s more to life than following the rules.”
Sae smiled. “I’m glad they did,” she said. “But you should still go to a university and study law first before jumping straight in, though. It’ll be useful if you want to go into criminal justice and police investigation, which sounds like what you’re interested in,” she added. Sae lowered her voice and gave her sister a pointed look. “And you should know the law, since you’re working outside of it.”
Makoto looked a bit embarrassed at that. “...Right,” she said. “I was thinking about going straight into the academy after graduation, though.”
Akihiko leaned back in his seat. “If you’re really set on doing this, then let me give you a bit of advice… find people you can rely on. Your sister already seems like a good person to start with. Your friends too. Hell, if you ever need someone else in your corner, call me or Shirogane,” he said. “It doesn’t matter how strong you are by yourself. Doing what you’re planning to do is going to be a lot harder if you don’t have anyone to back you up.”
Makoto nodded after a moment. “I’ll keep it in mind.”
Minato watched the main group fight through the shadows in Shido’s palace, waiting further back with the others while Joker, Makoto, Haru, and Yusuke clear a path.
Specifically, he observed Makoto more often than the rest. He couldn’t help it, he was curious. Minato had been surprised earlier when he realized that the High Priestess rang in his soul, clear as ever and free of the static that had drowned it out before.
The only thing he could think of that could have anything to do with it was their conversation from yesterday.
Did their talk really help her that much?
Minato shrugged it off. At least something good could still happen in the middle of this mess.
Notes:
Not gonna lie, the whole shift to Makoto Yuki being his canon name was kind of confusing for this chapter. No hate to people who prefer it, but I’m never gonna give up the name Minato Arisato. It just sounds nicer to me haha
Gonna be honest, idk how I feel about this chapter? It certainly went places that I don’t feel prepared to write about. (And hoo boy, it went through a looooot of rewriting.) But I did my best!! I want every member of the PTs to have a chance to connect with Minato, and Makoto’s scene ended up delving into her and Akihiko’s reasons for doing this, despite everything they’ve seen so far.
I’m aware Makoto’s decision to become a police officer is unpopular. But to me, Makoto’s social link reads like it happened before Okumura’s death. I think after everything that happened with the police and the interrogation room, there’s no way she wouldn’t have complicated feelings and doubts about her decision. So I did my best to approach this topic as well as I could in a way that made sense for her.
(When I think of her father and her current vigilante activities, it kind of reminds me of Batgirl. I could see her associating with the Shadow Operatives when she’s older, kind of like Birds of Prey.)
Also, update on FFXIV: I’m only in Heavensward, yet I’m already getting ideas for a “Minato and Kotone in FFXIV” fic. I only have myself to blame for this
also whitekirby translated this fic to Chinese!! And they sent back fanart from people who read it!! X X
and vinegar redrew this!! X
I’m speechless yall are too kind to me thank you 😭💖Anyway, long author’s notes aside, thank you for reading as always!! 💖
Chapter 18: Letters to My Past Self
Summary:
Futaba does her own investigating, the Thieves go after the second letter in Shido's palace, and Ann decides it's time for an intervention.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
<Minato Arisato added Alibaba to the chat Operatives Channel.>
-11:31 AM-
Alibaba: mwehehe >:)
Junpei: … uh
Mitsuru: Minato, you’re not supposed to add anyone to this channel without permission.
Fuuka: I’ve got it!
<Fuuka Yamagishi removed Alibaba from the chat.>
<Minato Arisato added Alibaba to the chat Operatives Channel.>
Alibaba: rude >:( I didn’t even get to say hello yet!
Junpei: oh boy
Fuuka: Minato, this is an Operatives only channel. You can’t add anyone else to it.
Alibaba: oh, mina’s not doing it
Yukari: …what
Alibaba: I added myself thank you very much
Alibaba: not like it was hard :P
Alibaba: besides, headphone boy still barely knows how to use a smartphone
Mitsuru: Who are you? How did you get access to Minato’s device?
Alibaba: I am the mighty Alibaba! Phantom Thief and friendly neighborhood hacker of justice! bow before my technological prowess :U
Alibaba: and I was beefing up the security on minato’s phone. you’re welcome by the way
Junpei: wait the phantom thieves?? like THE phantom thieves??????
Alibaba: the one and only!!
Yukari: wait, how the heck did one of the phantom thieves get a hold of Minato’s phone?
Alibaba: headphone boy is a mutual friend of ours!! o7
Alibaba: I wanted to see his super secret shadow fighting friends myself even though our leader’s being all moody and “I must face the boss alone oooo”
Junpei: Wait, your leader? I thought he was dead, it was all over the news
Yukari: … he’s not dead, is he?
Alibaba: wait, you didn’t know?
Mitsuru: We were keeping it quiet at his request. The fact that you know about this does verify your claims of being a member of his group.
Yukari: so much for confidentiality
Junpei: Can we back up to the fact that Minato is apparently friends with the PHANTOM THIEVES??
Mitsuru: Enough.
Mitsuru: I suppose I should have known better than to hope this would stay quiet. I’ll explain what I can in a moment, but keep in mind that this information must remain a secret.
Mitsuru: Alibaba, if you wish to speak to us, we have an alternate channel for casual discussion with a few non-members, such as Narukami’s group. This channel is restricted to Shadow Operative members only.
Alibaba: gotcha
Alibaba: I just saw the chat name and figured this one was my best bet
Mitsuru: Very well. We can also create a private channel if you and any of your fellow Thieves wish to speak to us directly.
Alibaba: alright fineeee
Fuuka: I’m adding you to the other chat right now!
<Fuuka Yamagishi removed Alibaba from the chat.>
Yukari: well that was unexpected
Mitsuru: Fuuka, do you think you could work on securing this channel? Any other work you need to do, I can have the deadlines pushed back for you.
Fuuka: Already on it!
Mitsuru: Thank you.
Junpei: at least they didnt mean anything bad by it??
<Fuuka_Y added Alibaba to the chat The Shadow Realm.>
-11:57 AM-
Alibaba: really?
Alibaba: THAT'S what you named it??
Ace_detective_junpei: hey!! don’t disrespect the classics
Alibaba: oh my god I can’t believe you people are real
ACTUAL DETECTIVE NAOTO: OFFICIALLY, WE ARE NOT.
Alibaba: okay okay sorry you dont need to yell!!
Ace_detective_junpei: nao-tan, your caps lock is stuck again
Alibaba: oh
ACTUAL DETECTIVE NAOTO: APOLOGIES, I HAVEN'T HAD THE TIME TO GET MY LAPTOP FIXED.
Ken: Um. Guys? Who is this? Did you recruit a new Operative?
Ace_detective_junpei: oh yeah I forgot you left the other chat
Ken: I only did it because I promised Mitsuru-san I would finish high school before I rejoined you guys…
Ken: Also, you didn’t answer my question Junpei-san. Are they a new member?
Alibaba: nope! :)
Ace_detective_junpei: nah they kinda just showed up
Fuuka_Y: They’re involved in the Tokyo case! Minato-kun knows them!
Ken: Ah. Minato-san always did seem to make the most unexpected friends.
Ken: Are you a new persona user, Alibaba-san?
Alibaba: secret :x
Ken: …Alright?
Fuuka_Y: also @ACTUAL DETECTIVE NAOTO I can try to fix your laptop when I visit!
ACTUAL DETECTIVE NAOTO: I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.
Ace_detective_junpei: can’t you switch to your phone?
Narukamihameha: It’s an ongoing issue.
Alibaba: WHY are you named that
Narukamihameha: Myriad Truths.
Alibaba: that answers nothing???????
-6:09 PM-
Alibaba: so
Alibaba: you people have personas right
Fuuka_Y: Yes!
Alibaba: are there any navis here?
Fuuka_Y: Why do you ask?
Alibaba: I wanna meet my fellow navis
Fuuka_Y: You have a navigational persona?
Alibaba: yeah
Fuuka_Y: !!! Oh my goodness!
Fuuka_Y: @Rise<3
Rise<3: Hello!!
Rise<3: OH MY GOSH!! ANOTHER NAVI!! HI
Alibaba: hi
Rise<3: this is so exciting it’s just been me and Yamagishi-chan for ages
Rise<3: you seriously have to join us for girls night
Rise<3: I neeeed to meet you!!
Rise<3: and you need to meet yamagishi-chan!!
Alibaba: what
Alibaba: like real people??
Alibaba: wait you don’t even know me irl!! I could be a 50 year old dude!!! I could be your grandfather for all you know!!!!!
Rise<3: well, ARE you?
Alibaba: ;;;;
Narukamihameha: I wouldn’t suggest keeping up the lie, Alibaba-san. Rise is very perceptive.
Alibaba: wait hang on I’m not high enough level for this!!! I need to grind my social stats!!!!
Rise<3: oh come on alibaba-chan! it’ll be fun!!
Rise<3: maybe we can get takeba-chan to come too!!
YukariPink: I know, I know, I’ve just been busy lately
Alibaba: wait, takeba?
Alibaba: as in yukari takeba??
YukariPink: yep!
Alibaba: as in PINK ARGUS YUKARI TAKEBA
YukariPink: that’s me
Alibaba: no
Alibaba: NO WAY
YukariPink: I take it you’re a fan?
Alibaba: YES
Alibaba: omg this is so cool I love your character in phoenix ranger featherman!!
Alibaba: …wait.
YukariPink: What is it?
Alibaba: oh my god. im gonna smack minato
YukariPink: What? Why?
Alibaba: I TALKED ABOUT YOU TO HIM
Alibaba: AND HE DIDNT TELL ME YOU WERE FRIENDS??????
Alibaba: BETRAYAL!!! BETRAYAL OF THE HIGHEST ORDER I CANNOT BELIEVE HE WOULD LET ME MAKE AN ABSOLUTE FOOL OF MYSELF LIKE THIS
Alibaba: @Minato GET IN HERE YOU BIG JERK
Alibaba: @Minato
Alibaba: @Minato
Alibaba: @Minato I KNOW YOU HAVE YOUR PHONE ON YOU
Minato: what
Alibaba: YOU.
Alibaba: YOU KNOW PINK ARGUS.
Minato: what?
Alibaba: YUKARI TAKEBA!!
Minato: oh. yeah
Alibaba: THATS ALL YOU HAVE TO SAY?????
Minato: yeah?
Alibaba: WHY DIDNT YOU TELL ME? I TALKED ABOUT HER TO YOU FOR HOURS!!
Alibaba: YOU DIDNT THINK TO MENTION IT?
Minato: I didn’t want to interrupt
Minato: you looked like you were having fun
Alibaba: I
Alibaba: YOU
Rise<3: Are you okay, Alibaba? You’ve been typing a long time
Ace_detective_junpei: I think the three of you broke her
Ace_detective_junpei: oh my god my face hurts from laughing
Ace_detective_junpei: good to see that you haven’t changed a bit, minato
Minato: sorry.
YukariPink: don’t be rude stupei
Ace_detective_junpei: what? It’s true!
YukariPink: alright fine, I’ll admit this is kind of funny
Ace_detective_junpei: are you kidding? It’s hilarious!!
Ace_detective_junpei: I haven’t laughed this hard in ages
Alibaba: how could this happen to meeeeee
Alibaba: I can’t believe this is how I meet feather pink
Alibaba: this is so embarrassing I'm so sorry for freaking out
YukariPink: It's fine, don't worry about it, that sounds exactly like something Minato would do
Ace_detective_junpei: if this is your reaction to yuka-tan I can’t wait to see your reaction to kujikawa
Alibaba: what is that supposed to mean
Minato probably should have expected this.
Once again, Minato and Ren avoided each other’s company whenever possible, which was far more difficult within the palace. The looks the other Thieves were giving them made it pretty clear that even they had noticed. There was definitely an undercurrent of tension among the group as well; Minato suspected it was because of Ren telling them about their disagreement in Mementos.
They didn’t bring it up, though. It wasn’t an important issue once they were all suddenly turned into rats.
Oh my god, you looked so cute! Ryoji said to Minato as soon as they emerged from the hallways, where they all turned back into their human forms.
I do not, Minato said, a bit of pink creeping on his cheeks.
You do! You were so tiny! You even had a mini version of your mask and cape! Ryoji said. Minato could imagine him grinning with delight.
Minato sighed. “I really hope there aren’t more of those statues,” he said.
“Me too,” said Ryuji. “Runnin’ from shadows as a rat is kinda terrifyin’, honestly.”
The group continued through the doors at the end of the hall, stepping out onto a pool deck. According to what they knew, that was where the ex-nobleman was supposed to be.
“Woah, this pool’s gigantic!” said Futaba.
“Wow, yeah,” said Ann. She looked around the area, seeing only cognitive masked guests in swimsuits giving them strange looks. “Where’s that noble guy?”
“I believe that’s him,” said Yusuke, looking towards a man lounging on a deck chair. He was the only person on the deck attended by a butler.
Unfortunately, talking to him wasn’t as easy as finding him. Every attempt to speak to him only earned them a glare as he only grew more annoyed at their presence, and they had no choice but to leave him alone.
Makoto looked frustrated as they walked away. “How are we going to convince him to give us a letter? Ooe was willing to talk, but that man just ignored us completely.”
A couple female guests walked by. Unfortunately, Minato saw the way the noble’s eyes followed them as they passed.
Unfortunately, Ryuji saw it too.
“Hey guys,” said Ryuji, with a grin that promised nothing good. “I got an idea.”
I’m suddenly getting a bad feeling about this, said Ryoji.
Me too, Minato thought. You’re thinking of the Kyoto hot springs incident, aren’t you?
Yep.
Minato spoke up before Ryuji did something that would end just as badly. “What are you planning, Skull?” he asked.
“Come on, just trust me!” said Ryuji.
“Just tell us what it is,” said Minato.
Ryuji grumbled. “Fine,” he said. “I was thinkin’, you know how that guy keeps ignorin’ us? I saw he wasn’t ignoring those girls in swimsuits.” He pointed to another set of doors on the pool deck. “And they’ve got dressing rooms here.”
Ann’s face turned almost as crimson as her suit. “Are you kidding me?! No way in hell, Skull!”
“C’mon, Panther! Just act in front of the guy for five minutes, and we get another letter! Easy!”
“Easy for you to say!”
“Please, please someone else come up with a better plan than this,” said Futaba. “Literally anything would be better than this.”
No one said anything.
“Sorry,” said Ren. “I got nothing.”
“Can’t we just fight him head on?” Ann pleaded.
“Phantom Thieves don’t go in with guns blazing,” said Morgana. “We need to lower his guard. If we don’t, it might set off palace security.”
“I hate to say it, but this might be our best shot if we want to avoid a fight,” Makoto admitted.
“…We could just fight him,” said Minato, feeling uncomfortable. He was pretty sure the group could handle whatever the shadow threw at them, even if it ended up making the rest of today’s exploration more difficult. “You don’t have to do this.”
“I’d be more than happy to fight him instead, if that’s what you’d like,” said Haru, patting a hand on her grenade launcher with a giggle. “Just say the word, Panther!”
Has anyone ever mentioned that Haru can be kind of scary sometimes? said Ryoji, unheard by everyone else. Minato couldn’t help agreeing with him.
Ann laughed a little at that, looking less tense. She then took a deep breath. “No, it’s fine. I’ll do it. I can do this,” she said, sounding like she was convincing herself more than them.
Haru nodded. “Then I’ll help you with that, too.”
Makoto sighed. “If it will increase our chances, then I suppose I’ll help as well.”
“Hell yeah!” said Ryuji.
Ann gave him an annoyed look. “You owe me so many crepes for this, Skull.”
“What?! You know I don’t have that kinda money!” Ryuji argued.
“You could just dress up too,” Minato suggested.
Ann burst out laughing.
“What?!” said Ryuji. “Dude, no!”
“It was your idea,” Minato pointed out.
“You know what, yeah! Forget the crepes, if I have to dress up, so do you!” said Ann.
“How is me dressin’ up supposed to help?! I sure as hell ain’t gonna talk to ‘im like that, if that’s what you’re trying to make me do!” said Ryuji.
“Nope!” she said cheerfully, already dragging him along. “It’ll just make me feel better!”
After a few minutes of waiting outside the changing rooms, Ryuji was the first to rejoin them. He walked out of the guys’ changing room wearing a pair of bright pink swim trunks and a sour expression.
“Nice,” said Ren, giving a thumbs up.
Yusuke simply framed him with his fingers. “A rather garish choice, yet it blends in with the overwhelmingly excessive nature of this palace.”
“Dude. You guys suck,” Ryuji said. Despite his annoyed complaints, he didn’t put up too much resistance when Ann had tossed him one of the swimsuits they’d stolen, so Minato figured he wasn’t too upset. “I think I’m startin’ to get why Panther didn’t wanna do this…”
“It could be worse,” said Futaba. “At least she’s not making you go over there with them.”
“We’re ready!” Ann called out, emerging from the girls’ changing room with Haru and Makoto, all dressed in swimsuits. “Now let’s get that letter!”
The rest of them hid further away as they watched the three girls try to convince the noble to hand over his letter of recommendation. Minato wasn’t close enough to overhear what the noble said to Ann, but it looked like it had been pretty bad. Even with her acting, Ann looked tense, like she wanted to set him on fire.
Once the guy had started getting handsy, she did. Ann’s red catsuit reappeared in a burst of fire, and Haru and Makoto followed just after.
“That’s not good,” said Futaba.
“Dammit!” said Ryuji, his outfit reappearing as well in response to the alarm they all felt. He grabbed his weapon and ran towards the fight.
“Skull!” Ren called out. He turned to the other remaining Thieves. “You guys stay here,” he said, before following Skull.
“You got it,” said Futaba.
Despite his best efforts, Minato’s feelings of frustration only grew further.
Logically, Minato knew he wasn’t the only one being sidelined for this fight. Ren had probably been making a split-second decision as leader to have them as backup and avoid getting in each other’s way.
Even so, Minato wasn’t used to not fighting; he had been S.E.E.S. field leader. Being stuck on the sidelines for so long on top of the unease he felt in this palace was making him feel restless, and Ren still hadn’t asked Minato to switch in, as if he was afraid something might happen to him if he did. It was starting to grate on his nerves.
Thankfully, the noble didn’t stand a chance faced with Ann’s fury.
Ann held the letter out to Ren when they all walked over. “Sorry, guys,” she said. “I kind of went off-script.”
Ren shrugged. “We still got the letter in the end,” he said.
“Dude,” said Ryuji. “That guy didn’t even last a minute.”
“That’s two down,” said Futaba. “And there’s a safe room not too far from here. We can wait for the palace security to calm down a bit.”
“A break sounds like a good idea,” said Makoto.
They all headed over to the nearest safe room. Ann had drifted to the back of the group, where Minato and Haru also happened to be.
“Hey,” she said quietly to the two of them. “Thanks for offering me an out earlier. When you guys suggested fighting that guy instead. I appreciate it.”
Haru nodded. “Of course,” she said, smiling.
Minato nodded without any comment.
Ann seemed more subdued than usual during the short trip to the safe room, but she glanced between Minato and Ren, who was all the way at the front with Futaba.
As soon as the Thieves reached the safe room, they all began claiming spots to relax and rest for a bit. However, before they could step inside, Ann had walked right up to Ren, hooked one arm in his, and began dragging him away faster than he could even protest.
“Hey, you mind me borrowing you for a bit, I think I forgot something in the changing rooms, thanks!” she quickly said in a fake cheerful tone. “We’ll be right back guys!”
The others only shared confused looks, while Ryuji had only watched this like someone who had been on the receiving end of this exact kind of treatment before.
“...I guess we’ll wait here until they get back,” said Makoto.
Minato decided not to comment on Ann’s odd behavior and simply followed the others into the safe room.
Ann only dragged Ren just around the corner before she stopped and turned to face him.
“You and Ghost need to talk to each other,” she said bluntly. “I know you probably think it’s none of my business, but I don’t care. I just got hit on by a creepy pervert, and I’m not going to watch two of my friends avoid each other if I can do something about it.”
Ren sighed. He figured she had been lying a moment earlier; her acting had gotten better, but it still wasn’t convincing enough to fool him. He hadn’t expected her to confront him about this, though. Ren had explained the broad strokes of his argument with Minato to the others yesterday while they were waiting in the restaurant.
“We’re not avoiding each other,” Ren replied.
“What is it, then? Because that’s what it looks like to me,” said Ann.
“I’ve just… been giving him space,” Ren replied. “Maybe he just needs time.”
Ann looked unconvinced. Ren could understand why. That excuse sounded lame even to his own ears.
“Well, what am I supposed to do?” asked Ren. “He won’t talk to me.”
“Have you tried talking to him first?” she asked.
“...Not really,” Ren admitted. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to say. I tried to tell him that he doesn’t have to do this, but he won’t listen to me.”
Ann fiddled with her pink gloves. “...Maybe you should try listening to him instead?”
Ren was alarmed at the suggestion. “Why? I’m not going to tell him it’s fine to get himself killed!”
“Of course not! I’m not saying I agree with it!” Ann said, mildly offended. She then turned quiet. “...I’m only suggesting this because I remember how Shiho felt like she had no other options. I thought she knew she could talk to me about anything… but I guess she didn’t feel that way. And you know what happened after that.”
Ren hated to admit that she had a point.
He took a deep breath, then let it out. “Fine. I’ll try,” he said. “But I can’t make any promises.”
Ann immediately looked a bit brighter. “That’s good enough for me,” she said.
“Hey,” said Ren. “Are you sure you’re alright after earlier?”
Ann looked a bit surprised at his question. “Oh. Yeah, I’m fine. Skull’s a moron sometimes, he knows the kind of stuff I’ve had to deal with, and he still forgets…” She shook her head, exasperated. “But if I can use my looks to help my friends, I guess that’s not so bad. And… I want it to be my choice. So… yeah.” She wilted a bit. “Aw, jeez, now I kind of feel bad for dragging him into doing that with me. I just didn’t want to be the only one wearing a swimsuit.”
Ren chuckled. Ann always did have a big heart, despite everything. “I don’t think he’s too upset. It was kind of funny,” he said.
It was late in the evening when the Thieves were finished; they slowly left the palace one or two at a time to avoid drawing attention. Minato was one of the last to step out of the Metaverse this time. He lingered for a moment, looking up at the undistorted Diet Building, before turning to walk away to the subway station.
When he reached the bottom of the stairs into the subway, he noticed a couple police officers leaning against the wall, chatting with each other and not paying much attention as people walked through the mostly empty station.
Minato took a moment to steel himself. He then pulled his jacket hood further down and kept on walking past the two chatting officers, hoping to avoid arousing suspicion. He almost reached the turnstiles when he heard one of them call out.
“Hey, kid!”
Minato suppressed a flinch and kept walking away, pretending to not hear him.
Don’t be suspicious, don’t be suspicious—
“Hey, kid! Wait!”
Nope. Screw it. Minato bolted.
Minato ignored any yells after him and nimbly leapt over the turnstile, a couple people nearby exclaiming in surprise as he sprinted past. As soon as he rounded the corner, someone grabbed him from behind and pulled him aside into a hidden alcove.
In his moment of panic, he sharply elbowed the person who’d grabbed him, earning a colorful swear almost loud enough to miss what he heard next.
“Beginning navigation,” said a familiar synthetic voice.
Thrown off-balance, the two of them crashed into a heap on the floor. The world rippled into red as the sound of approaching footsteps disappeared, and blue flames washed over him as his Metaverse outfit appeared. Minato scrambled to sit up, coming face-to-face with Ren.
“Ow,” Ren wheezed, nearly doubled over with one arm over his stomach.
Minato paled. “Sorry. I didn’t know that was you,” he said quickly.
“It’s fine,” Ren waved him off, slowly sitting up. “I guess I should have expected that. I did ambush you. Ow, hell, that actually hurt.”
“Here,” said Minato, summoning Orpheus and casting a healing spell on Ren.
“Thanks,” said Ren, sighing in relief as the pain disappeared. “Good thing I still happened to be here. Are you alright?”
Minato couldn’t help it; his earlier annoyance with Ren came back in full force. Minato was getting tired of Ren treating him like he was made of glass. Ren was the one who had gotten hurt just now. “I’m fine. Worry about yourself.”
Ren faltered slightly. Minato’s annoyance immediately faded, leaving only shame. He knew Ren was just concerned, and it wasn’t fair to snap at him for that.
“I can do both,” Ren finally said, stubborn as ever.
An awkward pause followed in the conversation, as Minato tried and failed to come up with something else to say.
“...Thanks for the save,” said Minato. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I didn’t mean to.” He stood up and pulled out his phone.
“Wait, Ghost, those guys could still be around,” said Ren, standing as well.
“I’ll be more careful this time,” Minato replied curtly, opening up the Metanav.
“Minato,” Ren blurted out. The fact that he had dropped the codename in the Metaverse made Minato pause. “Look. Can we talk? Please?”
Minato felt conflicted for a moment. Was Ren finally beginning to understand, or would this just be more of the same disagreement they had? He didn’t like the possibility of arguing with Ren again, but ignoring him felt worse.
Minato supposed the only option was to hear him out.
“…Okay,” Minato finally relented, pocketing his phone.
Ren looked relieved. “Great.” He then faltered. “Uh… so…”
Minato patiently waited for him to continue.
“...I don’t know where to start. I wasn’t sure if I’d get this far,” said Ren, looking slightly embarrassed.
Minato sighed. “Is this about what I said last time we were in Mementos?”
Ren looked even more uncomfortable. “…Yes.”
Of course it was. “I’m not changing my decision.”
“I still wish you would,” Ren muttered bitterly.
“You know why I can’t,” said Minato.
“Yeah, I know. Erebus and Nyx,” said Ren. “But you won’t even consider that there might be other options.”
“There aren’t any.”
“You don’t know that.”
Minato was growing tired of this argument. This conversation was going in circles.
He turned and began walking towards the platform. If it was too risky to leave Mementos, then maybe he could walk home by following the train tracks. It sounded a lot better than staying here for this.
“Wait–” Ren hesitated for a moment, as if making a decision. He then began following Minato, persistent as ever. “Ghost, come on. Please talk to me.”
Minato stubbornly kept walking. Seeing that he wasn’t going to stop, Ren continued talking.
“Ghost, I know you’re freaked out about Erebus. I get that. But we can help. If all of us work at it together, we might be able to figure out another way–”
Minato stopped just as he reached the train platform. “Don’t,” he said.
“Don’t what?” Ren challenged.
“…Don’t do this to me.” Minato refused to turn around. “Don’t make me start thinking I can keep this.”
“Why not?” The confusion was clear in Ren’s voice.
“I can’t change my mind,” Minato said. “I’m still connected to the Seal. Nothing you come up with is going to work. Nothing can beat Nyx.”
It had taken a miracle to stop Nyx. Back then, it had been the only way. He was absolutely certain of that. It had been a painful decision for everyone, but it had been necessary.
He hated to think about this, but if there really was another way… then what did that say about his choice? Aigis said she had found her answer, but it was still through the pain Minato had put her through. The same pain he had put everyone through.
Minato wasn’t sure he could do that a second time if he didn’t believe it was absolutely necessary. And to make things worse, the Thieves would be affected as well. There was no room to doubt his decision, not when it would get them all killed.
“I can’t let myself think things can stay like this,” Minato admitted.
Silence.
“Would it really be such a bad thing if you did?” asked Ren.
Minato turned to glare at Ren, but he couldn’t bring himself to feel angry at him. He just felt tired. “You don’t understand.”
“Really?” asked Ren. “Because it sounds to me like you’re giving up without a fight.”
“If we mess this up, you all die,” said Minato. “You, Ryuji, Ann, everyone. I won’t trade your lives for mine.”
“...Is that why you won’t look for another option?” asked Ren. “Because of what could happen to us?”
Minato didn’t answer.
Ren sighed. “Ghost, I get it. But at least let us look for another way.”
“No,” Minato responded. “Either I die or everyone does. There is no third option.”
“Then make one,” said Ren. “That’s what you did with Nyx, isn’t it?”
“That’s…” Minato faltered, unable to argue that point. “This isn’t the same situation.”
“Yeah, you’re right. This isn’t the same,” Ren shot back. “It’s not 2009. It’s not just you and your Shadow Operative friends fighting the Dark Hour, or Nyx, or whatever. Things have changed. You’ve got us too now, and something brought you back to life. I’d like to think that it wasn’t just for no reason.”
Ren ran his hand through his hair, agitated, but continued. “Heck, you guys did so much for me to make sure I didn’t end up dead in the interrogation room. You think we wouldn’t do the same for you? Do you really think we’d be happy just letting you die without even trying to find another option? I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.” Ren slumped his shoulders. “I haven’t given up on you yet. So please don’t give up on yourself, either.”
Minato’s eyes had grown wide as Ren went on, and he stared at him for a long moment after he finished.
(In the back of his mind, Minato could tell Ryoji was listening intently. He wasn’t sure if he was grateful Ryoji was giving him space to think, or disappointed at his silence.)
Minato didn’t want to entertain the idea that he didn’t have to go back to being the Seal. There was no way anything they came up with would work, and thinking otherwise would only lead to disappointment.
…Then again, he didn’t want Ren or the Thieves to be stuck thinking of the what-ifs. Constantly looking back and seeing what they could have done differently would make it much harder for them to accept.
Minato quickly cut off that line of thought. He wasn’t seriously considering this, was he?
…Maybe the Thieves had shaken his resolve more than he thought. Minato looked up at Ren and felt his resolve crack even further.
This was a bad idea. This was a really, really bad idea. This was only going to hurt them both in the end. But Minato didn’t want to leave Ren with any regrets. If this gave him closure…
“Fine,” Minato finally said. “I’ll try.”
Ren suddenly looked hopeful. “Really?”
“On one condition,” Minato added.
Ren nodded, serious. “I’m listening.”
“If we can’t find a third option, then you know what decision I’ll make when the time comes. You have to accept that,” said Minato. “Deal?”
Ren paused for a moment. He then nodded. “...Deal.”
Minato told himself that this was just for Ren’s sake. It wouldn’t change anything.
In that moment, he felt the bond between them suddenly grow in strength. Minato didn’t know what to think anymore.
Desperate to put this conversation behind them, Minato glanced around. “You think we can go back to the real world yet?”
“I don’t know,” said Ren, thankfully accepting the change in the conversation. ”It hasn’t been that long. Those guys might still be looking around.”
Dissatisfied, Minato stepped towards the platform and sat down on its edge, letting his feet dangle over the tracks. He didn’t know how dangerous it was to do that in Mementos compared to the real world, but right now he didn’t care. After a moment, Ren sat down next to him as well. The two of them sat there, the eerie ambient noises of Mementos filling the silence between them.
“How are things in the Velvet Room?” Minato asked.
Ren glanced over. If he was surprised at his question, he didn’t show it. “Same as ever. Igor’s staring creeps me out, and the twins like to yell at me.”
“Did you ever ask them about me?”
“I asked the twins that one time,” said Ren. “But no, I haven’t asked Igor. After Elizabeth said something was wrong with the Velvet Room, I’m not so sure if it’s a good idea.”
“Yeah…” Minato didn’t like the thought of something being wrong with the Velvet Room; it had always been a constant safe haven for him.
“I told the other Thieves about the Velvet Room, though,” said Ren, gently swinging one of his legs. “They were… surprised, I guess? They had lots of questions. But they didn’t think I was crazy. It was nice to finally tell them.”
Minato nodded. “And Crow?”
Ren went still. “What about him?”
“You were trying to reach out to him before the calling card,” Minato pointed out. He knew he probably sounded a bit more harsh than usual, but after their earlier argument, he didn’t have much energy to be less blunt. “You haven’t talked about it since.”
Silence.
“...What is there to say?” Ren muttered bitterly. “I shouldn’t have expected it to change anything. At least now I know. If I hadn’t tried… I think it would have been worse, not knowing if things could have been different.” He sighed. “I probably should have listened to everyone else more, though. They weren’t exactly wrong about Akechi.”
Minato nodded, listening. He was still a bit frustrated with Ren, but Minato felt a little bad for him. It actually reminded Minato a bit of the days when Aigis kept warning him about Ryoji, insisting he was dangerous even when Minato believed otherwise.
An idea came to him.
“…I wanna tell you something,” Minato said before he could reconsider it.
Ren looked at him, curious. “What is it?”
“When I was telling you guys about the Dark Hour and Nyx, there was… something I didn’t mention.”
Ren frowned, looking concerned. “Why not? It’s not anything important we should know, is it?”
Minato shook his head. “Not really. It’s… just personal. It’s about the accident that caused the Dark Hour.”
Minato sensed Ryoji suddenly startle in the back of his mind. You’re going to tell him about me..?
I want at least one of the Thieves to know about you. And I think Ren would understand. I hope you don’t mind.
I don’t mind, I’m just surprised. I have a feeling I know what you’re going to tell him, but I trust you on this.
Minato turned his attention back to Ren. “All the shadows we fought in the Dark Hour took after the major arcana. But… one of them was different.” He then looked away. “… I lied, before. There were actually thirteen shadows, not twelve.”
Ren gave him an odd look. “Not sure why you lied about that, but okay..?” he trailed off, uncertain.
“Long story short, the thirteenth one couldn’t be destroyed,” Minato continued. “So it was sealed in a kid nearby.”
“Thirteen…” Ren’s eyes widened. “Wait. That number belongs to Death,” he said. “And it was put in a kid?!”
“Yeah,” Minato confirmed. “As he grew up… Death grew along with him. By the time he was free, Death had learned how to be human. Even got to live as one for a while. His name was Ryoji Mochizuki.” He stared down the distant subway tunnels as he recalled those last few months before the end. “He was… kind. More than I deserved.”
“Oh my god.” Ren stared in stunned realization. “That kid was you.”
Minato gave a nearly imperceptible sigh. “Yeah. He still looks out for me. As Thanatos. Though I still call him Ryoji.” He gave a small, soft smile. “He had a rough start, but he was one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. Still is.”
“...Why are you telling me this?”
Minato looked directly at him. “Just because the others don’t like Akechi doesn’t change the fact that his friendship mattered to you.”
Ren went quiet at that.
“…He understood me,” he finally said. “It’s different. Everyone’s great, but I felt like… like we just resonated. You know?”
Minato nodded, thinking of Ryoji. He did know.
“Your friend. He sounds nice,” said Ren.
Minato nodded. “He means a lot to me. I wish you could meet him.”
“…Maybe I can.”
Minato looked over in surprise. “What?”
“You said he’s Thanatos, right?” Ren pointed out, looking determined. “And we’re in Mementos.”
Minato paused. He had never thought of that. It was definitely unconventional.
What do you think? Minato thought.
I never thought about it that way before. I admit, I’m curious, said Ryoji. Sure, let’s try it.
Minato stood up and raised a hand to his mask. In a flash of blue flames, the mask disappeared, and Thanatos towered over both of them.
Minato turned to Ren, who was now standing as well. “...Here he is,” he said, unsure what else to say in a situation like this. It wasn’t every day you suddenly introduced your closest friend that also happened to be both your persona and Death.
“Uh…” Ren absently rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly looking nervous. “I’ve never talked to someone’s persona before. I dunno if you understand me, but, uh… thanks. For looking out for Ghost.”
After a moment, Thanatos then crouched down closer to their height, holding a hand over his chest the same way Ryoji did.
Tell him I said thank you for helping you too, said Ryoji.
Minato turned to Ren. “He says thanks, too.”
Ren blinked in surprise, then grinned. “I can’t believe I thought you looked scary.”
Minato couldn’t help a small smile at that, while Ryoji simply laughed.
Notes:
It’s been a while since I last updated this, sorry for the delay!! life’s been really hectic recently, and I’m pretty sure getting into Final Fantasy 7 for the first time didn’t help hahahaa (especially now that I’m getting fic ideas for it)
Also, I also added a side fic of this AU for PQ2! Been wanting to put together something for a while, so I thought I’d put it together in a chapter. If more ideas come, I’ll add another chapter, but for the moment I’m focused on trying to finish the main fic.
I really like Ann a lot, she’s easily one of my favorite girls in the Persona series. Also, the joke about Naoto typing in all caps in the english version never gets old
I had a hard time finding meanings for the Universe arcana, since it seems to be a replacement for the World arcana in alternate tarot decks. I did find the reversed meaning of the World arcana interesting though, it feels kind of fitting for the point Minato is at right now.
Also, vinegar drew more art!! I love it thank you so much 😭💖 https://www.tumblr.com/mmmn-thirsty-for-vinegar/759449987716464640/minato-is-going-to-hell-for-that-one-wizard-finix?source=share
Thank you for reading!!