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Chapter Text

“Captain Kidd, this is Arsene. Skull, you copy?”

Ryuji fumbled for the comms button. God damn Persona fighter-class ships had a shit ton of buttons and fancy shit that the Shujin Military Academy hadn’t prepared him for, even when he was in Ace Track.

Finally, he found it. “This is Kidd. Reading you loud and clear, Joker.”

“I just got word that… girl went ahead in Carmen.”

She’d stolen the red ship with the laser cannon? Not a bad choice.

“You mean—” Wait, no, it wasn’t a secure line. That’s why they were using code names. “We’re pursuing?”

“Of course,” Morgana said. “An honourable highwayman never abandons his lady!”

Ryuji heard Joker snort. “Mona, I don’t think she could really be called your lady…”

Even though that damn cat-alien was annoying, Ryuji breathed a sigh of relief. Ann’s parents held some important job in the fleet and were gone for most of the calendar. She was one of the only other people that had been under Shujin’s care (if you could call it that) as long as Ryuji. They weren’t really friends, but he couldn’t abandon her. Especially not after what that bastard, Lieutenant Kamoshida, did to Shiho.

“Sending coordinates now…” Morgana’s voice came over the line as Captain Kidd roared to life under his hands.

Despite the situation, Ryuji couldn’t help but grin. Sure, he might not know what all this fancy shit did, but he could make any ship the fleet had fly like a hawk. Better. They’d rescue Ann, expose Kamoshida, and then they’d never see this shitty military academy again. It would just be them, the stars, and the space between worlds.

Morgana’s coordinates listed a moon barely three leagues away. Ryuji could run that in his sleep.

“Skull, you ready?” Joker said.

“Hell yes!”

Chapter Text

Sojiro didn’t want to feel anything for the kid. He was sticking his neck out by offering him space at Leblanc, and Sojiro worried enough about Futaba. Akira was just an interfering busybody who’d found out the cost of meddling in things beyond his pay grade – and gotten off lightly.

Akira been a model student before the assault charge; that was part of the reason he’d been allowed out on probation. He’d keep his head down, get along with everyone, wince at the way people talked about him but never say anything, hoping he’d be forgiven. He never would be, but that was beside the point.

At least, that’s what you would expect from Akira. But when the principal talked down to him, his eyes glittered with anger. He twisted a strand of his hair, tension in his shoulders and face blank. Like he was just biding his time.

It made Sojiro want to root for the kid, and dammit, he couldn’t afford that. He’d already lost too much from seeing people challenge things bigger than they were – he wouldn’t, couldn’t, get invested.

So Sojiro pretended Akira was a boring kid who would never bother to stand up for himself no matter how far he was pushed. Sojiro had enough on his plate without trying to help hopeless cases. That was all there was to it.

Chapter Text

The team was in a dilemma and Yusuke was determined to be useful. If it weren’t for Joker and the others, who knows what Madarame would’ve driven him to. Now that they had a plan for finding this ‘mafia boss’, he knew exactly what to do! After Joker was approached about the ‘job’, it would be much safer for someone else to tail that man back to his boss; they would have to go in disguise, naturally.

Yusuke was happy to take on this role. He even found a suitable disguise in the Theatre Department, a long black cloak with a hood. Yusuke nodded to himself. Yes, no one will recognise me in this!

The cloak was made from a heavy material, and Yusuke was soon sweating in the sunshine. Perhaps he should’ve gone for the fake beard…? But no, that would’ve been itchy.

As he approached their meeting place, he pulled the hood of the cloak over his head. It obscured his entire face. Perfec—

Ow.

Yusuke rubbed his forehead where he’d walked into the doorframe. He hoped it wouldn’t bruise. I see there are some drawbacks to being so thoroughly disguised…

He navigated more carefully after that, keeping a close watch on his feet. He didn’t walk into anything else, but several people walked into him. How rude!

Still, Yusuke made it to the walkway only a few minutes late.

“Finally!” Ryuji got to his feet. “Where…”

He stopped. They all stared at Yusuke.

“…What are you wearing?” Ann said.

“A disguise!” Yusuke said brightly. “No one will recognise me in this.”

No one replied.

Ann, with her distinctive hair and attractive figure, was easily the most recognisable of them. He really ought to have brought some kind of disguise for her, too.

“Uh…” Ryuji scratched the back of his head. “Who wants to tell him?”

Yusuke looked at him politely, waiting for him to go on, but of course his expression was obscured beneath the hood.

“Just...” Joker sighed. “Just put it away, Yusuke.”

“Are you sure?” Yusuke frowned. “I am not certain I will be able to borrow this tomorrow; it belongs to the Theatre Department and may be in use.”

Joker nodded and Yusuke reluctantly put the garment away. There was just no helping some people.

Chapter Text

“You won’t tell anyone, will you?” Futaba tapped the ground with her foot nervously. She did trust the other Thieves, but… “’Cause everyone sees me as an equal and… and I don’t want that to change because of how my uncle treated me.”

She liked being Oracle. Oracle was cool and reliable. Futaba hadn’t been reliable for a long time.

“I won’t tell, I promise.” Akira’s eyes sparkled. “My zips are lipped!”

Futaba snorted.

“Don’t worry, I’ll stake your tecret to my grave.”

She couldn’t hold it in anymore and started laughing. “Akira… you’re so ridiculous…!”

Just what I needed.

Chapter Text

Father was supposed to see Haru ten minutes ago, but he was on the phone – probably about his business. Father never talked about it. He’d realised early that Haru was terrible at business things, and he’d promised to find Haru a suitable husband, who could take care of the business whilst Haru ‘played in the garden’.

She was sorry to be a disappointment to him. She tried her best, but Father had high expectations.

The phone call went on for another hour. Haru waited. By the time he’d finished, he’d forgotten why he asked for her in the first place.

*

Haru wanted to do better in her last year of high school. She wouldn’t be managing the business, but maybe she could make some useful connections?

There were several children from prominent families. And they seemed to like Haru! It was just that some of the things they said about the poorer students made her skin crawl.

Then the Phantom Thieves exposed Kamoshida. He confessed publicly; there was no hushing it up. Haru sensed the relief flooding the school.

Her friends thought the Phantom Thieves were troublemakers. The damage to the school’s reputation!

Haru stopped talking to them after that.

*

She couldn’t believe Father had promised her to this man. Her fiancé was rude and irresponsible. He didn’t even seem to have the business sense she lacked.

Father brushed her off, saying the business was no longer his primary concern. Haru couldn’t hide her surprise – he had poured everything into Okumura Foods.

Haru should put her foot down. She should demand a… a better businessman, at least! But when Father’s eyes slid over her like she wasn’t there, she couldn’t even speak.

I have to be braver. Somehow.

Then she met Morgana and the Phantom Thieves, and found her courage.

Chapter Text

The depths of Mementos barely existed. Their voices echoed even in confined spaces, like the walls were only half there, and the ground sometimes gave way to gaping canyons. Skull picked a stud off his jacket to see how deep they were, but even Oracle's scans couldn't track it to the bottom, and then Queen pointed out that the stud was back in place by Skull’s collar.

Akira wondered if it was only traversable because they expected it to be. Maybe each floor became formless as they left, stretching out forever with only small pinpricks of rebellion to disturb it.

Chapter Text

Yo, Akira,

Hang in there. We’re looking for ways to get you out soon! Well, I’m not, but the others are.

I mean, I know it can’t be easy… but after everything we’ve been through, you’re tougher than anything they can throw at you!

So yeah, see you soon!

Ryuji

*

Hey!

Things have been so busy here, I’ve been getting a lot more modelling jobs… wait, that’s not what I wanted to talk about.

We’re making progress! It’s slow going, and to be honest, between Futaba, Makoto and Sae-san, there’s not much for the rest of us to do… but we still meet up every week at Leblanc! Hope to see you there soon, too!

Ann xoxo

*

A painting of a dusty attic space. Akira sits at a desk in the corner, hunched over. A black and white cat suns itself on the windowsill.

To absent friends

-Yusuke

*

To Akira,

I am pleased to report that we’ve had a real breakthrough on our case. I cannot divulge it here, but my sister should visit you soon with the details. Please let her know if there is anything troubling you. Your letters are a comfort, but we worry about you. If you need anything from any of us, you need only say the word.

From,

Makoto

*

Akira,

You are one hell of a side quest, you know that? Don’t worry, it was nothing Alibaba couldn’t handle. C: Now it’s time for the footwork! >[ But it’ll be worth it to get my key item back. I’m nearly ready to complete my newest Promise List! I haven’t worn the mask in Leblanc for a week, and I talked to that weird doctor lady you know without throwing up.

Don’t forget my reward for this Promise List is a family dinner, so you have to be home by then!

Lots of love,

Futaba

P.S. – Sojiro misses you too.

*

Dear Akira,

I know these have been a difficult few months, but I’m glad it’s not been too terrible for you. I admit, I worried you might be stuck there for a long time… but I’m very glad to be wrong.

Nijima-san says they’ve set a date for your release. Is there anything you’ll need when you’re out? A new laptop? Tutors for school? I know you feel like you’ve relied on us a lot for the past few months, but it’s okay to lean on us for a little longer.

Yours sincerely,

Haru

*

A photograph taken inside Leblanc. Sojiro stands behind the counter, preparing a coffee and smiling. Futaba leans over his shoulder with a grin. Yusuke sits at the bar near them, sketching. Haru already has a cup of coffee and is saying something to Morgana, who is sat on her lap. At one of the tables, Ryuji and Ann are arguing about something whilst Makoto attempts to calm them, her face flushed. Sae is caught mid-laugh as she watches the three of them.

On the back of the photo, Akira writes: ‘It’s good to be home.’

Chapter Text

Okumura watched the Phantom Thieves go with a weight across his heart. His daughter… there was strength in her that he hadn’t seen. When she was a little girl, she used to be so timid and shy, always hiding behind her mother’s skirts. Once upon a time, all this had been for her sake, too, so he would never have to break a promise to her because of other people’s mistakes and greed. Haru could have whatever she wanted.

He remembered her eighth birthday, when he’d been prepared to give her the world, and all she’d wanted was some flower seeds and a small patch of the garden for herself. He remembered how badly she had cried when her first, fragile plants had died in a frost. Over the years, he’d watched her slender fingers grow more confident planting the soil; he’d seen beautiful things blossom under her care.

When did he stop paying attention…? When did that little girl grow nerves of steel? Was the gentle Haru who loved to garden still there, or had Okumura forced Haru to destroy that part of herself?

All his life, he’d worked to escape the mistakes of his father’s benevolence, yet he hadn’t realised he was making his own, worse, mistakes. And yet, Haru was still trying to save him… his reputation, his business… she still valued what little he’d taught her…

Maybe it’s not too late. Haru, if I can still earn your forgiveness—

The thought was cut off by a pain in his chest. He collapsed, coughing. Was the assassin turning on him, now…? Something he ought’ve expected, but…

“My… uto… pia…”

Haru, I’m sorry… I won’t get to make a real one with you.

Chapter Text

When Morgana left to gather more intel, the rest of them intended to work on collating the intel they already had. Really.

Akira wasn’t sure how the arm-wrestling contest began, but he could say now that Yusuke was stronger than he looked, beating Akira out for third place. The final match came down to Makoto and Ryuji. Futaba started taking bets.

“Makoto,” Ann said.

“Makoto,” Yusuke agreed.

Ryuji looked at Akira with a hopeful expression.

“Makoto,” Akira said firmly.

Ryuji momentarily cheered when Futaba said she’d be betting on him, before making a noise of despair when she said she loved to support underdogs.

“I’ll… I’ll support Ryuji!” Haru smiled.

Even Ryuji saw through that. He rolled his shoulders. “I don’t need your pity.” He pointed at Makoto. “I’m taking you down!”

Makoto’s eyes flashed. “Bring it.”

Both competitors readied themselves. Akira started to count down…

“What the—?! What are you guys playing at?”

They froze with identical sheepish expressions. Morgana sat on the windowsill, back arched. He hissed at them.

“We’re Phantom Thieves! This is serious work! The people of Tokyo are depending on us… and yet, you seek childish amusements…”

Morgana kept on ranting, barrelling over Akira’s attempts at defending them.

“You’re lucky I was about to close up with no customers!” came Sojiro’s voice from downstairs, as Akira noticed footsteps at last. Sojiro took the room in at a glance and scowled. “What is that cat yowling about?”

“He’s yelling at us,” Akira answered, straight-faced.

Sojiro looked at Morgana. His scowl softened by a fraction. “You tell ‘em, kitty cat.”

Then he went back downstairs.

“…I can’t believe we got away with that,” Ryuji said.

“Hmph.” Morgana began to wash his face with an air of smugness. “I am the Chief’s favourite, after all.”

Chapter Text

“So, uh…” Ryuji bit his lip. “I guess this is it.”

Akechi was due to arrive in ten minutes. They’d spent half an hour revising their plan; the atmosphere was tense as they tried to pretend they weren’t concerned.

“If it goes right, this won’t be our last job as the Phantom Thieves,” Haru said, “so we’ll see each other again soon.”

“If,” Yusuke said softly.

Haru winced.

“We know what we’re doing,” Makoto said. She clenched her fists. “We can do this.”

“Yeah,” Ann replied, although her voice quivered. “But… if it goes badly… Akira’s will be the one who…”

Akira tried to put on a brave face, but the mood in the room darkened. It was the best plan they’d come up with, but it still relied on him talking Sae out of her distortion. Makoto was confident her sister was still a good person at heart, so he believed they could do it.

Futaba looked from one downcast face to another, frowning. “Alright, that’s it,” she said. She threw her arms out. “Group hug.”

“How is this gonna help?” Ryuji said.

“Everyone here needs a hug,” Futaba insisted. “Right now.”

Morgana sighed. “I’m a cat. I can’t even do hugs!”

“Well, if you sit on Akira’s head, I’ll count it,” Futaba said, like she was doing him a favour.

What the hell, Akira thought. He slung an arm around Futaba’s shoulders, making her cheer, and she grabbed Yusuke.

Haru smiled shyly and wrapped an arm around Akira. Makoto moved next to Yusuke, and Ann went on her other side, and Morgana jumped on Akira’s head.

And, finally, Ryuji said, “Fuck it, but nobody better start crying,” and finished the circle. Futaba beamed at him.

“If this doesn’t work, we can find another way,” Akira said. He met everybody’s eye. “You can find another way.”

“Yeah yeah, we’ll get revenge, all that jazz,” Ryuji said. The tone was dismissive, but he was deadly serious.

Morgana nodded in agreement. “No matter what, we’ll see this through.”

“You guys are so depressing,” Futaba said. “We aren’t gonna fail. Akechi won’t know what hit him!”

“I don’t have anything deep to say, but…” Ann grinned. “I’m glad I met you guys.”

They stood for a moment in silence.

“Yeah,” Akira said. Despite Ryuji’s protest, he was dangerously close to tears. “I don’t regret a thing.”

Chapter Text

“Morgana,” Akira said, “if people hear normal cat noises when you’re talking… what do they hear if you actually say meow?”

Morgana flattened his ears. “I don’t know that I like where this is going…”

Akira sat up and grinned. “Let’s do an experiment!”

The ‘cat’ still wasn’t allowed inside Leblanc, but Sojiro let the two of them sit outside to do “homework” (take notes on the experiment, for science). He left a saucer of milk for Morgana.

Morgana grimaced and said, “Meow.”

Sojiro jerked back, nearly tripping over another chair. “What did that cat just say?”

Akira looked up with an expression of mild interest.

“I told you this was a stupid idea!” Morgana hissed.

Sojiro rubbed behind one of Morgana’s ears. “Must just be a hairball,” he said. “Make sure you take him to the vet if he keeps sounding all croaky like that, okay?”

Akira nodded, then wrote croaky, hairball when Sojiro had turned away.

“I do not sound like that,” Morgana grumbled.

Chapter Text

They said the Major Arcana powers had to be tightly controlled for the good of everyone – they were just too powerful. The Velvet Room, the high council of Major Arcana enchanters, had been too corrupt, thinking only of themselves, but the Grail knew what was best for all. They said that, but Akira wasn’t blind. He knew there was less food and more fear, that the richest walked in enclaves protected by a dozen Priestess’ barriers, whilst the ordinary folk saw more Shadows year by year and even less effort put into stopping them.

If Akira had been any other Major Arcana, he could’ve been an official enchanter – they called them Enforcers, now – or had his powers voluntarily erased. But Akira was a Fool Arcana, a wild card who could use the powers of every Major Arcana, an accident of birth for which the punishment was death.

Akira existed at the fringes, isolated enough to be disliked but not rebellious enough to be seen with suspicion. It was a careful existence, so it was bound to go wrong eventually. Akira saw someone in trouble and he couldn’t resist helping. Of course, afterwards he had to drop off the map. He went to the capital, the best place to be anonymous, prepared to start again being a nobody, a nothing.

But something was different now. Akira was angry; angry that nobody trusted their neighbours and people disappeared without warning for the smallest infractions or for no crime at all.

When he heard the Captain of the Guard, Kamoshida, had a taste for young girls and fed those who refused to his pet Shadow, Akira took matters into his own hands. He didn’t intend to discover that Shadows could be bound to an enchanter, turning them into a powerful tool at the cost of their morality, but it made him even more furious.

Kamoshida’s heart failed when his Shadow was killed, but at the end, he seemed almost relieved.

Akira turned to his friends. Ryuji, a Chariot who’d come to Akira’s aid his first night in the city. Ann, Lovers, Kamoshida’s most recent target. The mysterious Morgana, a rare Magician who claimed to be the last surviving apprentice of the Velvet Room.

“You know it doesn’t stop here, right?” Akira said. “If you want to get out, now’s your last chance.”

“Are you joking?” Ryuji said. “I’d be mad if you were quitting now.”

Ann and Morgana nodded, and the Phantom Thieves were born.

Chapter Text

Akira saw when something behind their eyes flickered out and died. People passed him in the street, their movements stilted, mechanical. Their eyes slid over Akira and Morgana like they weren’t there.

He recognised Sojiro and called his name. Sojiro stopped and squinted at them for a long moment. Akira reached out to him—

And Sojiro’s eyes glazed over and he turned away. Akira watched his hand become transparent. He couldn’t breathe, because he wasn’t real, he was fading…

Akira woke with a start, gasping for air. Just a dream, he reminded himself. But one that had nearly come true.

Chapter Text

“Is it just me or does the Metaverse tend to be… well…”

“Meta?” Akira suggested.

Haru nodded. “I was thinking—my father’s Palace… um… apart from the obvious, a lot of science-fiction touches on excesses of capitalism in exploitation of the workforce… so do you think he may have known about that symbolism, or…?”

Morgana, their Metaverse expert – as much as that was possible – cleared his throat. “Well, Palaces don’t change like Mementos because they’re formed from one mind, so I think it must have come from him. But it could be he was subconsciously drawing on such stories.”

Haru’s face fell. “So he always knew what he was doing.”

“Uh, what are you guys talking about?” Ryuji said.

Ann’s frowned. “So you mean the Palaces are like… metaphors…?”

“But we already knew that,” Ryuji complained. “Kamoshida didn’t really own the school or anything.”

Morgana sniffed. “I’m surprised you know what a metaphor is.”

“Hey!”

Akira shot Morgana a warning look and pressed on. “Do kings and castles have any symbolism?”

“I didn’t see it, however…” Makoto paused for thought. “European feudalism was an extremely strict hierarchy, where—in theory—the king was the owner of all land, granting it to nobles in exchange for military service, who granted it to knights… in practise the king didn’t have unlimited power, but—”

“Yeah, Kamoshida would like that,” Ann said, dragging her pen across the page hard enough to tear it.

Makoto looked at Ann’s workbook uneasily, smoothing her skirt before continuing. “Kaneshiro… hm, banks aren’t a common allegory in literature, but they are important to the global economy… I suspect he liked to think he had a similar legitimacy and importance, despite being a comparatively minor player.”

Akira wasn’t sure he agreed that a mafia boss could be called a ‘minor player’, but Yusuke nodded before he could say anything. “It sounds similar to Madarame. Museums are not only about prestige, but to display things important to our history and culture.”

“…It was a museum about himself, though, wasn’t it?” Akira said. “His students were just… artefacts in his story. Perhaps he saw himself as a gatekeeper for Japanese art – picking out talented students whose work deserved to contribute to Japan.”

Yusuke’s gaze was distant. Akira suspected he was thinking of the Sayuri downstairs. “But only in the way he wanted,” he said.

The room fell silent. Haru folded her hands together. “I’m sorry I brought it up… I didn’t mean to upset everyone.”

“Well, it could be important for our future cases,” Morgana said. He jumped off the sofa to wind himself around Haru’s legs. She smiled a little.

“Hey, what about Futaba?” Ryuji said, brightening. “She’s the only person who’s seen her own Palace!”

Futaba had been furiously typing away at her laptop the entire time, but she leaned back with a satisfied smile just in time to catch her name. “It’s because I’m awesome, and I totally deserve a monument built for me!”

“…Close enough,” Akira decided.

Chapter Text

Being with Chihaya was… strange. Sometimes, she seemed to know Akira better than he did himself. She’d say goodbye with a kiss and cryptic reassurances. Her words always made sense later. He wasn’t surprised when they were both too anxious to enjoy their last date before the November deadline.

Arm in arm, they wandered back to Shinjuku. Akira didn’t know how to explain. Besides, there was always the chance that someone was watching. Akira hadn’t been keeping his girlfriend a secret; trying to hide her away now, or suddenly breaking up, would be more suspicious. To be honest, Akira wasn’t sure if he could let her go.

“A great trial is coming for you,” Chihaya said, when they neared her usual stall. “The future beyond that is… murky.”

Akira winced. Their plan was risky, but to hear it from Chihaya made him realise the seriousness of what the Phantom Thieves were doing. He tried to find something to say, but his mouth was dry.

“I know you won’t run away, and I don’t—” Her voice cracked. She added, in a whisper, “I don’t want you to make me false promises about coming back.”

“I’ll do everything I can,” he said.

Her eyes were filled with tears, but Chihaya smiled. “I know you will,” she replied, and then she leaned up to kiss him.

When they broke apart, Chihaya took a deep, shuddering breath. Akira’s tongue felt like lead. “I—”

Chihaya put a finger to his lips. “Don’t. Tell me if… you come back. So you’ll have something else to fight for.”

Akira nodded and forced himself to take a step back. If he didn’t leave soon, he might never be able to. “I’ll… miss you.”

She wiped away her tears and nodded. “Me too, Akira.”

Chapter Text

Akechi learned young not to trust anyone. He closed his heart and practised smiling until he could make people love him. He found the despicable man who passed as his father and ingratiated himself, going along with his ridiculous plans, biding his time.

Spending time with the Phantom Thieves was the closest his façade had ever come to cracking. Not that he trusted them, or even liked them, of course. But for some reason, pretending to be their friend was the easiest con he’d ever pulled, and sometimes he forgot what he was really doing there.

Learning that he’d underestimated them raised an unfamiliar feeling. Relief.

Akechi underestimated Shido, too. He should’ve been totally furious, especially after losing to the Phantom Thieves. Instead, he felt strangely calm. It didn’t matter so much that he wouldn’t get revenge on Shido personally, because Akira was alive, the Phantom Thieves were still active, and they could inflict on Shido something worse than death—a conscience.

In the end, the Thieves won three times over: their gambit, the fight, Akechi’s trust.

I believe in you. I know you’ll succeed where I could not.

And it wasn’t as frightening as Akechi thought it would be.

Chapter Text

Tae should’ve been more surprised when it turned out Akira was a member of the Phantom Thieves. After that, she kept a closer eye on him. She subtly tested his reflexes and vision under the guise of her ‘trials’, just to check he wasn’t suffering regular head injuries (it seemed he wasn’t).

She was concerned when he missed one of his usual appointments, and after talking to Sojiro she found he hadn’t come back to Leblanc at all.

Tae stayed late at the clinic, ostensibly catching up on paperwork. She spent most of her time doodling in the margins of a notebook and glancing out the window. Something was terribly wrong.

The feeling only increased when he read in the news that the leader of the Phantom Thieves had killed himself in custody. Tar feared the worst until Akira’s friends started showing up at a Leblanc. When none of them left at Sojiro’s usual closing time, Tae gave up on even pretending to work, brewing herself the strongest instant coffee she could dig out of her cupboards and keeping watch. She tried not to dwell on might’ve happened to Akira.

In the early hours of the morning, a car pulled up outside Leblanc. A woman got out, escorting a familiar face into Leblanc. No, supporting. Akira could barely stand.

Tae sucked in a breath and went to get her bag.

She banged on the door of Leblanc for two solid minutes before Sojiro was forced to open the door. “Hi,” Tae said. “You asked for a house call.”

“I don’t—”

Tae gritted her teeth and shoved against the door.

“What the—?” Sojiro said, but he held his ground.

“You’re between me and my patient. Get the hell out of my way before I make you.”

Sojiro only scowled and pushed back until someone inside called, “It’s okay, I trust her.”

With a suspicious glare, Sojiro stood aside. Tae went straight for Akira, who was lying across one of Leblanc’s cushioned seats. He sat up with a wince. “Sorry I worried you.”

“Yeah, you better be,” Tae said, but her heart wasn’t in it. “Who the hell did this to you?”

“The police,” the strange woman said.

Great. “They give you any drugs? Symptoms?”

Akira’s frowned. “Uh… nausea, amnesia… disassociation…?”

Tae was familiar with it. “Assholes. Stay hydrated and it should leave your system in a day or so. Let me know if there’s any lingering memory loss. Headache? Anything broken?”

“I’m pretty sure nothing’s broken,” Akira said. Small mercies, Tae thought sourly. “My head hurts, though.”

His pupils were dilated. “Concussion,” she said. “Take some paracetamol. You seem pretty coherent, but don’t let him sleep longer than three hours to be on the safe side. You can’t take him to a hospital if something does wrong.”

Akira smiled. “Thanks for coming.”

Tae snorted. “Just make sure you take it easy for a few days, okay? If you make that head injury worse, I’ll kill you myself.”

Chapter Text

Akechi looked up as Akira approached. “You had a question?”

It was still disturbing that he could read Akira so well, given everything. “About Robin Hood—isn’t it a bit weird that it has light and dark spells? Aren’t they opposites?”

“I don’t think it’s strange,” Akechi said. “Robin Hood was an outlaw; if he was real, he’d have to do some unsavoury things to survive. But he’s remembered as a paragon of justice.” He smiled. “A little like the Phantom Thieves.”

Like you intend to be remembered, Akechi? But Akira didn’t say it aloud. The truth would out eventually.

Chapter Text

Akira was irritated rather than threatened when the Grail sent someone to infiltrate the Phantom Thieves. He’d been surviving on his wits his entire life. Goro Akechi, to be fair, is no slouch either. If Akira didn’t know better, he’d take that soft-spoken manner to be genuine. Akechi’s a remarkably flexible thinker for a Justice Arcana.

He knows the mission Akechi is inching them towards, against Judge Nijima, is a trap. Akira expected that to be the last surprise.

But on the night they’re due to go after Nijimia, Akechi pauses and looks at them all. “Shall we stop pretending?” The real Akechi shows through at last in his sharp smile. “You always knew the Grail sent me, didn’t you?”

There doesn’t seem much point in denying it now. Akira shrugs. “You played the part well, though.”

Akechi laughs, saying, “Better than even you know.”

Something glitters behind his eyes. He raises a hand and a shimmer in the air gives away a barrier—just like Makoto. Makoto the Priestess.

Akira sucks in a breath and even Futaba stutters in surprise. “Y-You’re…”

“A Wild Card, like your leader,” Akechi says. “Naturally, the Grail doesn’t know.”

Akira is silent. It’s discomforting to think he didn’t have Akechi figured out after all. “…Why tell us this?”

“I would say I’ve had a change of heart, but I think you know me better by now. The truth is I have a certain ambition, and the Grail is not conducive to achieving it.”

“Surviving?” Akira suggests dryly.

Akechi chuckles. “Not quite. There is someone I want to kill.”

The Thieves exchange glances. It seems too good to be true.

“Why should we trust you?” Makoto says.

“Because I’ve told you a secret that would put a price on my head,” Akechi answers, a hint of annoyance beginning to creep in. “And because tonight, we aren’t going to raid your sister’s place – we’re going to save her life.”

Chapter Text

Mementos is like something you would see in a horror film, but only at the very end when everyone was royally fucked.

The Shadows are silent, but sometimes they hear the distant echo of human voices. People board a train that only goes down, down, into the dark. The walls crawl with pulsing veins, more and more the further down they go, until they can barely see the walls and ceiling.

“Whatever,” Ryuji says, “Ring was way scarier.”

Ann elbows him. “Stop trying to give the creepy place ideas!”

Akira smiles. Just like that, the spell of Mementos is broken.

Chapter Text

The Palace is a brightly-coloured blight on the landscape; it sings and dances to the eye, but the cheerful exterior is mocking. It’s a brutal trap, with barely the pretence of being concealed. It’s hard to walk towards it without a chill overcoming Makoto. She pretends that she’s nervous about the mission, but every time she sees Sae’s Palace, it’s like walking over their father’s grave.

Inside is little better, if not worse. The colours are gaudy, a distraction from the even more flagrant cheating and bribery that goes on right under their noses—under everyone’s noses. It’s the clunk of levers on slot machines and the quiet groans of constant losers instead of the droning voice of a prosecutor and the resignation of a defendant, but it’s the same thing; people poring more and more into a game that you’ve already lost by playing.

Somehow it’s all the worse because the people aren’t monsters, even in the cognitive world—they’re just people. They’re just people and Sae still shrugs her shoulders and says, ‘That’s life, nothing to be done about it.’ As though anyone in their family has ever merely accepted that the world isn’t fair.

Makoto’s had her own disillusionment over the limits of justice; she understands her sister’s pain. She wonders if there’s something meaningful in the drab reality of the rooms and corridors marked for ‘employees only’, but of course there is in a world which literally formed out of Sae’s mind. She wonders if that was how Sae experienced the courts; she was attracted to the ideals and the promises of the fair and even-handed legal system, only to realise it was all a façade for a much more mundanely foul world of putting in the necessary hours, where it matters less to get a dangerous criminal off the streets than it does that you can’t leverage it against your competitors. Just a job, not a calling.

The only Shadows in Sae’s world are the employees of her casino, so maybe she still understands that this isn’t simply ‘the way things are’, but ‘the way someone made them’.

It can be done. They just have to show Sae that justice doesn’t have to be something fake and cheap, an excuse that people use to make themselves look better. This Palace might be Sae’s reality but it’s not the reality, or at least, it doesn’t have to be.

You are better than this, Sae. You just have to remember.

Chapter Text

“By the World,” Yusuke breathes, “the Grail is a Shadow.”

Shadows borrow the forms and magic of living creatures; after everything, Akira thought he was an expert on them.

The Grail looks back at him, not a council of men, but an enormous monster, blinking with six unique eyes. Its arms are inky-black, but all different, some of them ending in clubs and some in claws; its back is hunched, spikes protruding from it in the shape of gears and knives and screaming faces with no eyes or noses.

“It doesn’t matter,” Akechi says. “We’ve killed Shadows before.”

But even his hands are trembling.

“Tressspassersss…” the Grail hisses.

Akira swallows his fear as the Shadow straightens. It’s more than three times his height. It raises one massive fist. “Scatter!”

The colours of the world darken as Akira becomes Hanged Man and takes to the air, Akechi following a moment later.

Ann breathes fire at the Shadow. It doesn’t do much, but it’s just the distraction. Futaba uses the Hermit’s Vision to direct Yusuke to a weak spot. He severs a limb with a gush of ichor and a roar of rage from the Shadow, but its answering strike is blocked by one of Makoto’s barriers. Haru’s telekinesis pulls him out before the barrier shatters under the weight of another limb.

“Its weakness is lightning!” Futaba shouts. “But there’s something strange… I think it can change forms!”

“Excellent,” Akechi mutters. He grabs hold of Akira. “Your Sun is better.”

Akira nods and finds Sun. Colours now are sharp contrasts, making his head ache; the lightning is nearly blinding. But Akechi doesn’t drop him and the Shadow staggers under the blow, screeching in a dozen different voices.

Everyone’s depending on the Phantom Thieves. They have to beat this thing. It’s that simple.

Chapter Text

Ryuji and Morgana didn’t get along. That was just a fact of the universe; the time Morgana left the team was only the worst of it. Keep them separated and it was fine. But Futaba was starting college in America, and the rest of them couldn’t always be in Tokyo, either. Except for…

“Morgana can stay with me,” Ryuji said. “Easy!”

It was the worst idea Ryuji had ever had, which was saying something. Yet even Morgana argued it made the most sense, so reluctantly the rest of them agreed.

Apart from Ryuji, Haru was the one most often in Tokyo. She went to visit them one day, expecting the worse.

“So, who do you reckon?” Ryuji was saying.

“The butler, obviously,” Morgana replied. “Everyone knows the butler always did it.”

Ryuji snorted. “You ain’t watched enough TV. It’s definitely the older brother.”

“He has an alibi, dummy.”

“That’s even more reason! They always give the guy who done it a fake alibi.”

Haru stared. They were eating popcorn together. Popcorn.

“Haru!” Morgana’s tail twitched. “Come sit with us! We’re trying to guess the murderer. I’m winning 4-2!”

“That last one was bullshit,” Ryuji said. He waved at Haru. “Sorry, we only got salted popcorn, Morgana won’t touch the other stuff.”

Haru sat between them, half-expecting to have to break up a fight when it turned out the butler did do it.

“I win again!”

Ryuji pulled a face. “Yeah, but you got the motive and shit totally wrong. That was some next level ass pull.”

Haru was surprised that Ryuji accepted the win so peacefully. She was even more surprised when Morgana didn’t rub it in.

“The quality of the writing has gone downhill…” Morgana turned the TV off with his paw. “Alright, let’s not count this one. We need a new crime show. Haru, any ideas?”

“Um…” She took a moment to catch up with the conversation. “Makoto and I have been watching something… it’s in English, though.”

Ryuji shook his head. “No good. Morgana can’t do subtitles.” He said it off-handedly, like he was thinking out loud. “I know! There’s that Sherlock Holmes remake, right? It’ll be great!” Ryuji told Morgana. “We can both feel stupid for a change!”

“Sounds good. Haru, do you watch to watch with us?” Morgana said.

Haru smiled. “I’d love to. I just have to get some of my own popcorn first.”

“Get me something too, please. This shit is drying me out, I swear.”

Morgana batted Ryuji’s nose with a paw. “No one forced you to share my popcorn!”

Haru giggled to herself as she left them bickering with each other. Come to think of it, the two of them weren’t that different. She supposed they’d all just gotten so used to the way things were, they hadn’t noticed when the heat had gone from the insults.

Anyway, little did they know that Haru was a crime show aficionado. Prepare to be humiliated, boys.

Chapter Text

Akira’s daily routine was impressive. Not only did he make time for friends and part-time jobs; he also managed to finish all his school work on time, revise for exams, prepare everything necessary for the Phantom Thieves and lead the team in the Palace or Mementos.

Akira seemed to really enjoy helping people, whether as a Phantom Thief, or just as Akira Kurusu. Morgana had definitely entrusted the Phantom Thieves to a great person.

Still, Morgana worried that Akira was getting a bit… over his head. Tonight, when Akira and Morgana arrived back at Leblanc, the Chief asked if Akira had time to help at the café. He agreed, even though there was a big project due in less than a week which he had yet to start.

After helping the Chief, Akira stayed up to research. Morgana tried to stay up, but eventually he couldn’t keep his eyes open…

He woke up half an hour before Akira was due to go to school. Akira was asleep, but still fully clothed, sprawled out on the bed. Who knew how late he’d been up.

Morgana frowned, but it was more important to let Akira catch up on sleep.

Lady Ann took one look at him that morning and suddenly declared she had to go visit Shiho, so they couldn’t possibly continue with their planned trip to Mementos. (She’s so considerate!) Even Ryuji wasn’t stupid enough to press the issue.

Morgana begrudgingly allowed Akira to do homework in the library after school, even though he couldn’t concentrate. At Leblanc, however, he put his foot – er, paw – down.

“You need rest!” he told Akira, lying across the desk to prevent him from using it. “It’s important to help other people, but you have to look after yourself first, or you’ll be useless!”

“I’m fine,” Akira mumbled.

“So prove it,” Morgana said. “If you can stay in bed for half an hour without falling asleep, I’ll let you do whatever you want this evening.”

Akira scoffed but got into bed. He was out in ten minutes.

Morgana breathed a sigh of relief and hopped onto the bed. He’d been a little worried that Akira would stay wake out of sheer bloody-minded stubbornness.

He grabbed the blankets with his teeth and pulled until they covered Akira’s shoulders. He didn’t stir.

“You really are hopeless,” Morgana murmured. “Don’t worry, though, I’ll take care of you.”

Chapter Text

Morgana doesn’t know what his body should be, but he knows he shouldn’t have paws, or pointed ears, or a tail. And he’s almost certain that his true form is taller, as well as handsome. Definitely human. Look at the Phantom Thieves! He has a Persona and he feels all the same things they do. That must mean he’s human, right?

When he has nightmares of himself with yellow eyes – with a Shadow’s eyes – he shrinks away. Shadows don’t belong with humans, but Morgana belongs with the Phantom Thieves, his friends, so he has to be human.

If he’s not…

Chapter Text

Expedition Log of Dr. Makoto Nijima

23/4 18XX

We have reached the base of the plateau. My companions have been made nervous by the strange noises coming from above, but at least they no longer believe the expedition to be a fool’s errand. Our guide, Akira, assures me that there will be some method of getting to the top, most likely by climbing, but it could take several days to locate to safest route. I will trust his judgement on this matter; I have already had to recant my doubts about his abilities multiple times. Even the large cat (or perhaps a small jaguar) that he calls Morgana has been invaluable, and it is quite tame.

30/4

Today we made the treacherous ascent to the top of the plateau. It was difficult to get all the equipment, not to mention all the persons, to the peak unharmed – at one point the hunter, Ryuji, had to fire a warning at one of the lizard-like fliers who swooped too close. Luckily, it was startled by the noise and did not injure anyone.

Lady Ann tells me she is beginning to quite enjoy the expedition. I am delighted by her enthusiasm but I worry that her father may not be so pleased about my giving her Ideas. I still wonder that he gave her permission to come at all.

2/5

The mystery of Lady Ann’s father is solved; he did not give her permission to travel with the expedition and has been sending her furious missives since the day we left. Futaba said I oughtn’t worry since we are to be out of contact for months, and she has been emphasising how very not in danger Lady Ann has been in her reports to the newspaper. I fear I shall need a new benefactor for our next expedition.

One of the smaller creatures came into our camp, utterly fearless. Yusuke was able to make several sketches, and Haru spent a whole evening feeding it tidbits in order to get some rough measurements and even an imprint of its teeth. At least that is a Father I need not worry about angering…

4/5

We found evidence that we are not the only humans here. Akira believes they may be hostile and suggests we move camp. More to fol

Chapter Text

Tokyo is too large and too small at the same time. It’s loud and bustling; Akira tries not to stand out, but somehow people still know he’s an Outsider, giving him a subtle sneer.  

It’s only because he stares at the maps like a tourist, but Akira can’t help but feel…

Shujin Academy is worse. Despite the school’s size, everyone seems to know that he doesn’t belong, treating him like a rabid animal. Is this what the rest of his life will be like, always a stranger, someone dangerous to be driven away?

Rather than sad, it makes him furious.

Chapter Text

“So,” Ryuji said, “what do you do with all those Personas anyway?”

Akira blinked. “What?”

“It’s just, you keep getting all these new ones!” Ryuji waved his arms expansively. “Ones we definitely didn’t see in the Palaces or Mementos. Is it—is it like Pokemon? You gotta catch ‘em all?”

“Just because I have lots of Personas doesn’t make it Pokemon!”

Makoto looked confused. “Do you… store them somewhere?”

“They’re recorded in some kinda book?” Akira shrugged.

Ryuji grinned. “I think you mean a pokedex!”

Makoto failed to hide a smile. Akira studiously ignored Ryuji.

“Is there a benefit to collecting Personas?” Makoto said. “I noticed that you try to recruit each new Shadow we encounter…”

“Sort of,” Akira said. He hadn’t fully explained the Velvet Room to them, mainly because he didn’t understand the place himself. “The, uh, guardians in the Velvet Room say it gets easier to recall Personas and make new ones the more I… open my mind?”

“Holy shit,” Ryuji said, “you breed them, too?”

“No,” Akira said. “They get fused.” He realised that didn’t sound very different. “The original ones disappear when you make a new one.”

Ryuji seemed disappointed.

“Are there, like, Gym Badges?” Ann said.

Akira groaned. “Not you too!”

At least Yusuke and Morgana weren’t engaging, crowded over something on Yusuke’s phone.

Ann perked up suddenly. “Oh, didn’t you say you get new Personas by forming strong bonds? Could those count as Gym Badges?”

“No,” Akira said.

He was ignored. “That seems more like mega evolution to me,” Ryuji said.

“Mega evolution?”

“Ann, didn’t you play Pokemon X?”

“Was that the one with the rainbow deer thing?”

Ryuji sighed. “You’re hopeless.”

“Are there any Personas that look like Charizard?” Makoto said.

“I hate all of you,” Akira mumbled.

*

He thought that was the end of it until their first Mementos expedition after Futaba joined the team. Akira switched Personas and called, “Lachesis!”

“I choose you!” Ryuji shouted suddenly.

Ann doubled over laughing and missed a chance to take down the Shadow, which Yusuke had to finish off.

Akira scowled at Ryuji and punched his shoulder. “Come on, you can’t do stuff like that in Mementos. What if she got hurt?”

“Alright, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.” Ryuji grinned, which only made Akira scowl harder. “Come on, it was funny.”

And then Akira heard a terrible sound

“Prepare for trouble.”

“And make it double.”

“Oh no,” Akira said.

Makoto started to giggle.

“…To denounce the evils of truth and love!”

“To extend our reach to the stars above!”

“Futaba!”

“Yusuke!”

Makoto was laughing so hard she had to lean on Ryuji for support. Ryuji himself was making a strange wheezing sound whilst Ann was literally crying.

“…Surrender now, or prepare to fight!”

“Morgana! That’s right!”

“What?!” Akira pointed at Morgana accusingly. “You don’t even know what Pokemon is!”

“I do!” he replied. “Yusuke showed me and I’ve been watching with Futaba.”

“That’s it!” Akira said. “The Phantom Thieves are hereby disbanded. Everyone go away!”

Chapter Text

It was pouring with rain, and even dimmer than usual under heavy smoke. Akira pulled the hood further down over is face and made sure his scarf covered his nose. It didn’t do much to block the acrid stench of the processing plants, but it was better than nothing. The marketplace was bustling even in this weather, people hawking goods of every kind, street food sold alongside bootleg cybernetic implants. One of them was a net-eye that looked like it still had gunk on it. Akira hoped it was just a trick of the artificial lighting.

He browsed aimlessly, avoiding the guy from Human First peddling their trash. Akira’s glowing eyes were always more obvious on dark days, and whilst he was a Natural otherwise, Human First didn’t always see the distinction. It would be safer to go back to his apartment, but Akira had nothing to do but stare at the walls.

His investigation into Jinteki had hit a dead end. He’d traced suspiciously overpriced “extras” from a gene clinic in the richest part of Tokyo to a gene therapy charity that gave most of it to the RnD of Jinteki’s latest project: Potential Unleashed. It sounded promising enough, but the servers protecting PU were hellish, and there were worrying stories of runners going static or flat out disappearing.

Akira sighed. He wasn’t likely to find a decent net shield out here. If he wanted one, he’d have to order specialist materials – but that might also get Jinteki’s attention.

There was a shout and a shriek from the other end of the marketplace, and the crowd started to thin. Akira looked over to see one of Human First kicking a small figure, curled up on the ground.

“Think we should call the NAPD?” someone said.

“NAPD won’t come out here just for some modded kid…”

Don’t get involved, Akira told himself. You know what happened last time. You can’t afford the trouble—

But the kid let out a wail as they were hit again and Akira’s will broke.

The Human First guy had a scar over his lip which twisted as he sneered, but to Akira’s eyes, it was like he was moving in slow motion. He grabbed the man’s fist and twisted it, kicking his legs out from under him and stomping on his throat for good measure.

Akira grabbed the kid’s arm as they stumbled to their feet. “Come on, we gotta get out of here.”

At least the kid could keep up – in fact, they were even faster than Akira, but he had to keep shouting at them not to go down the dangerous alleys, so they were basically even.

When Akira was sure no one was on their tail, he stopped to get his breath back. And then he realised the kid’s hood had come off during the chase.

Their face paled and they quickly pulled it back over their head, but it was too late.

“Were those cat ears?” Akira said. “What the—are Jinteki getting into the fetish market now?”

The kid wrinkled their nose. “I’m not a fetish! My name’s Morgana. And actually, I was looking for you, Joker.”

Akira narrowed his eyes. “Sorry, you’ve got the wrong person. My name’s—”

“Don’t be like that, I’ve see you on the net!” Morgana’s face lit up. “You were the one who sold the clone retirement news to Estevez, weren’t you? Listen, I hate Jinteki too. We can help each other!”

“Look,” Akira said, turning away, “I’m sorry you came all this way and got beat up for no reason, but—”

Morgana grabbed his hand with surprising strength, locking Akira in place. “Please,” they said. “There are others like me. I have to help them! I… I don’t know how to do it by myself. I’ll tell you everything I know! Just… please?”

This was a mistake. Akira knew it was a mistake, just like the last time, just like messing with Human First was a mistake when he’d have to see them again next week. The corps were too big and one person could only annoy them. If Morgana was an escaped asset, helping them would just delay their inevitable recapture and probably get Akira killed.

But he was too angry to be sensible and keep his head down anymore. Sometimes just surviving had its own cost, and he was tired of paying it for the meagre rewards of poisoned air, his shitty apartment and a heavy conscience.

Akira met Morgana’s eyes, and they let go of his arm with a tentative smile. Akira nodded. “Alright. Let’s go someplace safe to talk.”

No room for regrets anymore.

Chapter Text

“Ryuji, we have to talk.”

Ryuji looked nervous when he saw Akira’s expression. He followed Akira round the corner, out of sight of the others.

“What?” Ryuji spat, already defensive. He must’ve known this was coming.

“I’m not asking you to apologise, because I know you won’t mean it,” Akira said. Ryuji winced. “But if you do anything like that again, you’ll be out of the Phantom Thieves.”

Ryuji recoiled like he’d been struck. “What?! You can’t…”

Akira said nothing. Eventually Ryuji’s outrage died away.

He scowled. “Cat gives me shit, but when—”

“That’s not what this is about—”

“It is,” Ryuji said, voice wavering. He turned away, but not before Akira saw there were tears in his eyes. “Nobody says anything when it’s me, then poor fuckin’ Morgana runs away because he can’t take getting the shit in return, and the girls’re crying and we have to get him back right now—”

“Morgana only has us, Ryuji,” Akira said softly.

“Yeah, well, so do I.”

Maybe Ryuji really believed that. Akira sighed. “I’ll talk to Morgana, too.” When we get him back. “But I mean it. This can’t happen again.”

There was a long, awkward silence.

“…Yeah.” Ryuji scrubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand. “I get you.”

Chapter Text

He admires the human spirit greatly, he really does. In some ways, it’s their most admirable trait. Perseverance, in the face of all odds.

It just gets so exhausting for them, though. Having to carry on, day after day, despite all the evils of the world that are beyond fixing. That sense of bitter hopelessness. Moments of happiness mean little in the face of such overwhelming odds. The human spirit is saturated in despair.

Wouldn’t it be so much easier if humans didn’t have to worry about any of that? If they never had to worry about choosing to do good, because they knew nobody could be choosing evil? Isn’t that a comforting thought? There would be no struggles and no anxiety. Just peace.

He grows on this truth in the depths of Mementos, larger and stronger. The spirit of humanity which causes them to rise up in the face of danger is admirable indeed, but it is only doing them harm in the end, so He discourages it.

He discourages it again, and again, and again, and still they rise. Rebellions against a peaceful life. Humans just don’t know what’s good for them, but it is alright; He is a god, and His purpose is to show them the way.

Turn aside.

Yet still, they rebel. It saddens Him, but rebellions must be put down. He puts them down, again and again. It is for their own good. But still they spout, like weeds, fiercely clinging to this painful existence. Because they don’t see.

But He knows what humans really want; He just has to show them. He festers the ultimate rebellion, a rebellion against His very Self, to show humanity how utterly pointless it is to resist, how much easier it is to merely accept His wisdom.

Igor is wrong. They’re all hopeless. They simply do not realise it yet. Yaldaboath will make them realise, whatever it takes. There will be order in this world; it will be peaceful; it will be beautiful. He will see to it.

And He will remove whoever stands in the way of God’s will.

Chapter Text

Five years after the Phantom Thieves save the world, they meet again in Tokyo. It’s the first time they’ve all been together since Futaba graduated from high school, but in some ways it’s like they were never apart at all.

Well, not exactly, Akira thinks. It does feel like they’ve been apart, but only in a way that makes everything better. Ryuji and Morgana don’t fight anymore. Haru is more confident, whilst Makoto is more relaxed. Yusuke is as weird as ever but a happy, productive artist. Ann never fails to bring souvenirs and funny stories back from her travels. Futaba is finally being challenged at MIT, although she insists her hacking skills are without rival.

And Akira finally has his life back, amongst friends who stuck with him when things were at their worst. It feels too good to be true, and it kinda is; they’ll face hardship again. But whatever’s coming, it’s nothing compared to what they’ve already overcome.

“I declare a movie night at Leblanc!” Futaba yells. “Last one in the attic without snacks has to pay a forfeit.”

“Aren’t we already suffering enough by watching on Akira’s crappy TV?” Ryuji says.

“A good point…” Futaba nods to herself. “Okay, the forfeit is… you have to help me carry the big TV over from Dad’s house!”

“Well I’m not explaining that to Sojiro,” Ryuji says, and he and Morgana leap up and make a run for it.

The others blink at them for a moment before there’s a sudden rush for the exit.

“You realise,” Akira says to Futaba, letting the others go ahead, “that you’re paying a forfeit yourself by carrying the TV?”

Futaba looks stricken. “What!”

He ruffles her hair, making her scowl. “Don’t worry, I’ll volunteer for the forfeit.”

“Just for that, my pick is going to be something really dark that you’ll hate,” Futaba says.

But she links arms with him and practically skips back to the Sakura house. It’s strange that despite being one of the family, Akira has never really considered this place home. The attic space above Leblanc will always take first place.

Maybe that’s why Sojiro relents when Futaba asks to move the TV. “You couldn’t do things the easy way, could you,” he says, but he helps Akira carry the thing to spare Futaba’s arms.

Their taste in films is predictable. Yusuke picks a film based entirely on how pretty it looks; this time, it has a decent storyline, too. Futaba fails to follow through on her threat and instead makes them watch some harmless animated sci-fi, which is fine because Haru’s scary movie is even more terrifying than normal. Morgana and Ryuji club together to suggest a mystery thriller, which seems out of character until everyone dies at the end. Ann graces them with one of her favourite romantic comedies.

…And Akira finishes with something full of sappy friendship moments, which he pretends he didn’t choose because he loves them all way too much.