Chapter Text
Joker stands at the edge of humanity's doubts and desires with a gun pointed to the demiurge’s head. He’s won. As Yaldabaoth feels Joker’s tense fingers grip the gun, ready to pull the trigger, he panics.
“Trickster… I-I have a deal.” He says shakily, very unlike the god of control he was.
Joker’s face shifts, contorting and twisting in ways that a human's face never should. He feels cold. Cold because humanity was left in his hands. Cold because he was the one thrown into a rigged game. Cold, because the warmth of his friends wasn’t behind him. The leader of the phantom thieves was a leader of no one.
“A deal…” he whispers. He looks behind himself instinctively, almost expecting a reaction, but regrets it. He doesn’t need to see their corpses again. Lifeless, contorted in ways the body shouldn’t be, blood still flowing on the ground. He doesn’t need to look back to see any nods of approval, any wise remarks, or any confirmations to pull the trigger. He knows his thieves are dead.
Yaldabaoth understands his situation. He’s lost. He took all the tricksters’ teammates. But the trickster had him one shot away from death. Weakened, he knew there was nothing he could do. He could feel his control over society waning, dying, ceasing to exist. He was panicking. Years fighting and planning this rigged game for control and the trickster had him cornered. So, he came up with a deal.
“Trickster… I can bring your comrades back”. The Trickster’s head shot up. Good.
“Your friends haven’t been dead long enough to have reached the sea of souls… and their deaths coming in a realm of both reality and the metaverse means their souls are stuck in limbo. I can bring their souls back and use the last of my power to heal their injuries. They will be truly alive again.” Yaldabaoth states, sounding weak but confident. Joker’s silence means permission for him to carry on.
“My deal consists of three conditions. One, your friends will be brought back to life with no injuries. Two… any memory of you is destroyed.” Joker flinched at the second condition but motioned for him to carry on.
“…Your relationships, jobs, school record, everything about you. Your friends will forget who you are and move on without you. You will be locked off from repairing your bonds with them.” Joker steeled his gaze. While the second condition was alarming, it did nothing to make him panic. He was ready for the third condition.
“Three…” the demiurge hesitated before saying, “My power is diminished. If you left me without finishing the job right now, I would be useless, with no control over society. It would take a significant amount of time before I am even a fraction of what I was. The last condition of my deal is that you don’t finish me off.” He finished.
Joker stood wide-eyed. This had to be a trap. A ploy to trick him and finish the last phantom thief standing. But as the deal processed in his head, it started to seem more like a win than a loss. His friends would be back, without him, but alive. Breathing. Flashes of Skull laying on the floor came to his mind. The boy had bled out, Joker knowing he had lost his best friend when Skull’s breathing ceased. The boy who always ran fast was awarded a slow death.
Soon all his friends’ deaths flashed through his mind, spiralling out of control. Panther, crushed, her body unidentifiable from the model it used to be. Mona was left disfigured and broken. Fox, was dead on his knees as an arrow of light pierced through his heart, stabbing into the ground. A bullet hole through the forehead gave a clear picture of how Queen had died. Oracle’s body was gone, exploded after the Demiurge destroyed the persona she was housed in. Noir was sliced by Yaldabaoth’s sword many times, causing her to bleed out.
Joker started to scream, remembering all their deaths. He had failed to keep them safe. Failed to prepare them for battle. Failed as a leader. His gun still trained at the God of Control’s head, he felt tears piercing his eyes.
“It must have been troublesome dealing with me. But for some reason, I knew you wouldn’t abandon me until everything was said and done. Thank you, Akira.” Memories of Yusuke’s words rang through Joker’s ears.
“I managed to change 'cause you were here helpin’ me. I got you all wrapped up in this shit, but you stayed with me till the bitter end… you didn’t abandon me. So… thanks man.” Ryuji’s awkwardness always had a charm to it. Joker could feel himself breaking.
"I feel like we finally see each other eye to eye, Akira. I’m… so glad I met you…” Ann’s bubbly nature only served to worsen Joker’s will. He was losing it.
“You know… I’d like to return the favour. If you ever find yourself in trouble, I’ll be there for you.” Haru’s sweet voice deepened the cuts into Joker’s psyche.
“It’s thanks to you that I learned I’m fine just as I am… and that I learned to trust my mom again” Futaba’s words cracked his facade. She was the only family he ever had.
“I think now I’ll be able to see the world even more differently… thank you for all your help.” Makoto’s caring voice eased his tension but spilled more tears from his face.
“Honestly… you’re amazing. There’s definitely something special about you. You dodge everything the enemies throw at you like it’s your destiny.” Memories of Morgana’s words brought a chuckle to Joker’s lips. Apparently not special enough. Otherwise, he’d be standing next to him right now.
“I assure you I can do no harm with my current power. Consider this deal well Trickster…” Yaldabaoth said, pressure building as he awaited an answer. The longer he stood the worse his condition got. He needed the trickster to answer, and fast. He was desperate, no, more than desperate. He would not end here. His deal may seem foolish, and idiotic once you consider his condition. But he was willing to do anything to stay alive. Even if it meant proposing this deal.
“Well, trickster… what is your answer?” Yaldabaoth said, trying to draw Joker out of his thoughts. Instead, Joker stood, emotions destroying his usually stoic face. He was tasked with saving humanity and yet here he was, hesitating. He could end this bastard’s life right now by pulling the trigger.
Taking a step back, he considered the deal. His friends would be back. Forget the second condition, what mattered was that they would be alive. The third condition, well, the more he thought about it the less of a problem it became. Yaldabaoth would have no control over society. Even if he grew back to full strength, Joker would be ready. He was not failing again.
He pictured his friends together without him. His heart ached. He was starting to think he hadn’t considered the second condition enough. But it didn’t matter. He didn’t matter. He was simply a chess piece to a rigged game. What mattered were his friends’ lives. He would bring them back no matter how much it hurt his heart. He made up his mind.
As the demiurge grew closer and closer to unconsciousness he saw the trickster’s barrel fall, Satanael’s gun mimicking his actions. The piercing sun lit up the trickster’s face, his emotional but determined stare being illuminated by the light. The pressure in the air would leave any normal man unconscious. As time stood still, the trickster opened his mouth.
“I accept.”
Joker felt a flash of light hit his face and try as he might, he couldn’t keep his eyes open. He went unconscious.
December 24th, 2016
Shibuya
6:00 p.m.
Akira awoke on the pavement, a crowd surrounding him, curious and disregarding stares coming his way. “Kids these days really have no class.” He heard a passerby say. Getting up, he noticed a small slip of paper sitting next to him. Before he could read the contents, the memories of his deal with Yaldabaoth flashed through his mind.
His eyes darted to the paper. An address was written and a quick google search showed that it was to a storage facility. The second condition of Yaldabaoth’s deal flashed through his head, and he realized his stuff was probably there waiting to be picked up. After all, the deal meant he never lived at Leblanc. Before closing his phone, he checked his home screen, noting that the metaverse app was gone.
He got up quickly, eyes darting around, panic setting in his head. The words “Where are they” were replaying over and over in his head as he looked around hoping to see some flash of his former phantom thieves. As he saw nothing, he darted to the subway station, failing to care about the people he bumped or the ones shouting to watch where he was going.
He needed to find them.
December 24th, 2016
Yongen Jaya
6:30 p.m.
As Akira rushed down the familiar streets of Yongen Jaya he felt his panic reaching a fever pitch. Suddenly, he felt a splitting headache hit his head like a train. He fell to the ground heaving as the exhaustion of his fight with the demiurge caught up to him. His breaths, visible from the cold air, began slowing down as he felt himself losing control. The adrenaline of trying to find his friends had run out and he collapsed onto the ground.
December 25th, 2016
Clinic
1:00 p.m.
Akira stirred awake, feeling groggy and extremely sore. As he tried to lift his head up, he felt a hand push him back down. Blinking the crust out of his eyes, he looked over to see Tae Takemi looking at him disapprovingly. But he didn’t miss it. The lack of familiarity. The deal had been sealed.
He watched her walk back to her desk, the light of the monitor shining on her blue hair. Her face still carried those delicate features, masked by her mature demeanour. This felt wrong. She should be scolding him for being irresponsible, joking about how she needs her guinea pig to be safe.
As he got up, she began with a disinterested voice, “Look kid, I don’t know what you did to collapse on the street, but I’m going to need to do a few checkups before I let you out of here.” As she turned to her clipboard noting something down, he heard her grumble “Kids making me work on Christmas…”. He slept the whole day? How long had he been on the street? As Tae approached him, ready to do a couple of tests, he found himself plagued by questions.
“Thanks, Ta- Doctor.” He said awkwardly, scratching the back of his neck. He’d have to get used to this lack of familiarity. Nine months of friendship and bonding and it all went down the drain. Still having not seen his friends, he wasn’t sure whether it was worth it or not.
After leaving the clinic he checked the time on his phone. An hour past noon meant, that if things went normally, his friends would be celebrating Christmas at Leblanc. It was cold outside, buildings frosted and light snowfall coming down. Not enough to pile, but enough to add to the aesthetic of Yongen Jaya. He wonders if Yusuke felt any inspiration spark him when he saw this scene. Akira shivered, feeling a bit chilly, but considering he only had his Shujin uniform to keep him warm, he wasn’t surprised.
As he walked to Leblanc, he felt hesitation building in every step. He lacked the desperation he felt yesterday to see his friends. Seeing Takemi made him afraid of the reality he had put himself in, a world where his friends didn’t know him and moved on without him. As he turned down the alley to Leblanc, he heard some familiar voices that made him stop in his tracks.
“Will you guys cut it out? This is a day of celebration and you’re giving me a headache with your bickering.” Makoto’s muffled, commanding, and most importantly alive voice rung through his head.
He imagined her glaring as she awaited a response, but as soon as he pictured her alive, her lifeless form flashed through his head, an image burned into his skull. Your fault. He took a few steps further, looking inside of Leblanc, unable to stop himself from peering in. His breath hitched and he felt his knees go weak. They’re alive. Happy.
“I would if this cat kept his mouth shut! I thought you would have warmed up to me after we beat Yaldy, but I guess finding out you ended up as a normal cat must have really hurt you!” Ryuji’s loud and condescending voice beat into Akira’s head as he watched the scene play out.
He watched Ryuji emoting with so much life. Images of blood pooling out of him brought him back to a familiar feeling—your fault.
He watched Morgana jump at Ryuji, Futaba trying to grab him while failing to keep herself from laughing. Makoto sitting on a chair, fighting to keep a smile from creeping onto her face. Haru, in the far booth, spitting out her coffee in amusement while Ann, next to her, smiled having seen this scenario play out a thousand times. Yusuke, meanwhile, stood in the back by the staircase making a picture frame with his fingers, smiling as he observed the scene.
Akira felt his eyes begin to water, emotions overwhelming the usually stoic boy. They were happy and celebrating. So lively, almost blindingly, making him want to look away but not enough to keep his eyes anywhere else but there. They were dead because of you. He flinched as he felt a tear roll down his face, never peeling his eyes away from the scene. They’re happy without you. His tears began to stop. They’re safer without you. He felt his knees ready for motion. They’re better without you in their lives, the final thought flipping a switch in Akira’s mind.
And so, he walked away.
December 25th, 2016
Café Leblanc
1:34 p.m.
As Morgana jumped off Ryuji’s chest he saw a flash of black hair through the window, but once he reached the ground, it was gone. Haru, seeing Morgana’s weird look, asked, “Mona-chan, is something wrong?”. The group looked at Morgana, cautious eyes wondering if something had gone wrong again.
Mona thought he saw something familiar, and he instinctively thought of Lady Lavenza, before turning to Haru. “It-it’s nothing, I just thought I saw something outside.” Ann looked at him ready to press further but the smell of fresh curry brought everyone away from Morgana’s weird comment. And so, they celebrated.
Notes:
I've had this idea for a while, but felt like it was the time to fully flesh it out. Don't be too harsh its my first fic lol
Chapter 2: Prologue II: Aftermath
Summary:
The immediate aftermath of Akira's deal with Yaldabaoth.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
December 25th, 2016
Hotel
9:04 p.m.
“Enjoy your stay!” The hotel clerk says as she hands Akira the key to his room. He walks away, thanking the clerk as he trudges towards the elevator.
It’s been eight hours since he left Yongen, and as his emotions wore off, he slipped back to his stoic façade. Only his confidants could tell when he truly had nothing to say, or when his mind was wracked with thoughts.
He’d be staying in this hotel for a few weeks until he could find an apartment to rent. He may be a teenager, but his odd jobs and mementos money would keep him from being homeless for years. Thank God the demiurge hadn’t considered taking his assets too.
Even if he didn’t have money, he was sure he would figure things out anyway. Adversity was never something that scared him. Going up the elevator, his mind travelled back to April 9th, when he was hopeless, accepting his fate as a kid with no future. Considering his parents constantly highlighted his worthlessness, it’s not a surprise he had no confidence in himself when he arrived. He only figured out his talents once he met the thieves.
He shook the thought away as he got to his room and walked in. Setting his bag to the side and sitting on his bed, he went into planning mode. He would have to figure out how to survive and do it on his own. It would be hard, but not impossible. With the experience he gained over the last nine months, he didn’t doubt he would make it.
Akira spent the last eight hours scouring through his personal information, checking his birth certificate and other documents. He wouldn’t make it far without knowing his personal details. In this life, he was raised in an orphanage and was homeschooled before deciding to enroll at Shujin to finish his second and third years. “Just my luck getting sent there again…” he whispered dejectedly.
Seeing himself enrolled at Shujin brought a headache to his skull. Part of Yaldabaoth’s deal was that he couldn’t reforge the bonds he built with his confidants. Laughing, he realized he wouldn’t have reforged them anyway. The guilt of their deaths did more than enough to prevent him from talking to them again. That doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt. He’d be a stranger to them forever.
Freshly changed into his green t-shirt and black sweatpants, Akira stares through the window, mesmerized by the Tokyo skyline. The dark silhouettes of grand buildings are lit up by the city’s endless lights. It was beautiful, making him pause for the first time in a few days. He felt himself dozing off, and before he knew it, he was asleep.
December 25th, 2016
Leblanc
9:39 p.m.
Futaba sat reflecting. What she was reflecting on, even she didn’t know. Life almost didn’t feel real. It was hard to grasp how far she’d come. A shut-in with no friends, no life. Yet here she was sitting in the café almost overwhelmed by how much of a turn she’s taken.
Friends. Actual friends! Her old self would have been crying at even the thought of it. But now it was just… normal.
With the last of the thieves having left 20 minutes ago, she sat alone with Morgana. This feeling she had; she’d never felt it before. She felt whole. No cracks, no second guessing, no overthinking. She simply felt full.
Prying her eyes from the wood counter, she turned to Morgana who was laid on the counter, relaxing in the café’s ambience. Feeling her stare, he perked up.
“What’s up Futaba?” Morgana asked with curious eyes. Sojiro looked over at the cat’s meowing, never being able to get over the prospect of a talking cat.
“Uhh, I-I just remembered that I’m starting school in April. It’s-I haven’t been to school since middle school and I- well um…” she stopped, finding herself anxious. Morgana waved her off with his paw.
“Don’t worry Futaba, the great Morgana will be there to provide moral support!” he exclaimed with the most bravado a cat could offer. Futaba, failing to hide her excitement, squeezed the cat’s cheeks. Suddenly his face shifted. “Ugh, I just realized that’ll be another year stuffed in a desk…” he grumbled, annoyance plastered over his tone.
Spending a whole year in Ann’s desk was more uncomfortable than any words could describe. Plus, Ann’s loud personality got on his nerves. Don’t get him wrong, she was still one of his closest comrades, but let’s just say his crush on her was gone by the end of the year. Flashes of raven hair went through his mind, but before he could think about it, it was gone. The feeling he got from the thought stayed.
“I’m proud of you Futaba…” Sojiro started, “These friends you’ve made, and the steps you’ve taken. It’s almost hard for me to believe.” He pictured her in her room, him outside the door with a plate of curry. A headache formed from the thought. He’d never be able to repay those kids.
“Thanks, Sojiro… though it’s mostly thanks to the others I was able to do this. Without them, I don’t know where I’d be right now.” she finished. Wanting to get off the topic, she turned to Morgana. “Hey Mona, what got you so spooked earlier?” the cat stirred from his daze at her question.
“What do you mean?”
“When you jumped off Ryuji before lunch, you looked mega freaked out. We thought something went wrong.” she said, obviously concerned.
Morgana’s eyes went blank as he tried to understand why he felt so off about the person he saw through the window. “I… I’m not sure. I think it was just some guy, but for some reason, seeing him made me feel weird.”
While Futaba’s concern failed to ease up from his explanation, they both chose to ignore it for now. After months of work and stress, the last thing they wanted to do was interrupt their moment of peace.
December 25th, 2016
Shibuya Station
9:51 p.m.
Ryuji and Makoto rushed through the subway station at a quick pace. One of them, fast because of tendencies he grew on the track team, and the other, quick because efficiency was always one of her best traits.
The subway was packed, but that was to be expected. It was Christmas after all, and with people travelling to get to friends and family, it only meant a bigger headache getting back home.
The two were completely in sync, actions mimicking one another instinctively. They took the same lines home and traversing through a crowd like this was way easier with a friend by their side. Especially two of the most physically strong thieves in the group.
Arriving at the platform, Makoto bent over, hands on her knees, out of breath from the rush. She looked over to Ryuji to see him seemingly unaffected. Mildly impressed, she decided to probe him about the details. She knew he was on the track team, but his stamina was truly remarkable.
“Hey Ryuji…” she started, causing him to look over while breathing heavily. The sound of the crowd must have prevented her from noticing that he was still somewhat tired. “… how did you work up so much stamina? I do aikido every week, but your stamina is much better than mine!” she said regaining her breath.
Ryuji blushed at the comment. Compliments were few and far between for him, so he’d grasp whatever he could get. He looked at her with a smile before turning away to stare at the platform.
“Even after the track team dissolved, I never stopped running. That shithead may’ve broken my leg, but I never wanted to stop.” A gentle smile on his face, he looked over to see her still bent over in exhaustion. “Gotta say though, you and the resta’ the guys were a big part of it. If the phantom thieves didn’t come when they did, I’d have stopped running completely.”
Makoto was taken aback by his confession. It wasn’t common for the fake-blonde boy to admit something like that. She smiled back at him, a genuine smile. As she stood back up, her jacket ruffling in the process, she couldn’t help but let out a breath. Not because of the rush, but because of the peace she felt.
They turned away from the platform, looking back at the stairs. The station, wet from the snow stuck in people’s boots, glistened from the lights in the station. Ryuji always loved this time of year. With how shitty the world felt sometimes, Christmas was always a time where he could count on the people of Tokyo to have smiles on their faces. The positive feeling was infectious.
He looked back at Makoto, her well-kept hair shining in the light. “I-… hey Makoto?” she turned to face him.
“Yes?” her fast response startled the boy a bit. Always to the point.
“So, I-well it was just an idea but- uhh…”
“Whatever your idea is, don’t be scared telling me. It can’t be that bad” she said, a gentle smile plastered on her face.
“I- sorry, it’s just, I’ve been thinking about the future.” He stumbled in his words making her more attentive. If he needed help finding his path, she’d be there.
“Oh, I… didn’t expect that. What’ve you been thinking?” her genuinely curious eyes encouraged him more than her words.
“Well… my Ma’s sacrificed so much to keep me above water, and I always felt like dead weight. I wanna do something so she ain’t gotta stress bout’ me anymore” he said awkwardly shifting in place. He looked down at the puddle in front of him, staring at the reflection of his face. Makoto hummed in approval.
“That’s very noble of you Ryuji. I’m sure she’d be proud.” She paused, mulling something over, before continuing, “It took a lot of self-reflection before I figured out what I wanted to do in my life. I spent so much time burying myself in books that it took some real thought to recognize what I personally wanted to do.” She hoped her explanation gave him some clarity. His bewildered expression meant it did nothing to ease his worries.
As he turned back to face the train, Ryuji mumbled, “Well, for me it’s the opposite. I know I wanna help people. No matter what it is I end up doing, that’ll always be my big goal. But I don’t know if I have the smarts to do it…” he admitted, uncertainty written on his face.
“Did you have a job in mind?”
“Well, knowing how an injury can feel, I wanna be able to help athletes prevent or recover from them. I was thinking of being one of those physio guys?” She stood surprised by his proposition. A physiotherapist! Just imagining Ryuji anywhere near a health-related job made her start laughing.
“What, you got somethin’ to say!?” he shouted, his aggressive tone only sending her deeper into laughter.
“No, no, no I’m proud of you Ryuji! That’s a difficult job!” before she could continue, she saw the look in his eyes and let him talk. Ryuji was serious about this, and she knew better than to tease him about it.
“That’s kinda why I asked you about it…” he mumbled grabbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. “I wanna learn howta start takin’ all the school shit seriously. I’m not stupid, I just never cared about it. If I wanna achieve my goals, I need help learnin’ how to study and focus on class. So, I was wondering if... I dunno... you could start tutorin' me?” He finished breathless, more tired than he was after rushing through the train station.
He was anxious for her answer, his mind convincing himself that he was an idiot for even talking about this stuff. His jaw dropped when she replied, “Yes” without another thought. They turned, facing each other directly for the first time in this conversation.
She looked down in thought, her hand resting on her chin. “If you're serious about this- “
“Of course, I’m serious!” Ryuji replied, still on edge about this whole conversation.
Makoto paused, before looking directly at his face and replying, “I’ll help you. It’ll be a big lifestyle change, but I can see that you care.”
Ryuji’s eyes lit up as he stared at her with unadulterated happiness. His energy was always so strong, enough to light up a city on its own.
“Thank you so, so much Makoto, you won’t regret it!” he said, lifting his fist for a fist bump. As she returned the bump, he shouted, “Hell yeah! A fist bump from the fist of the phantom star!”. A punch to the chest was what he received for that comment.
Facing the train tracks, they stood for a while, realizing that they may have accidentally arrived early in their rush to beat the Christmas crowd. While Ryuji stood in the seemingly comfortable silence, Makoto’s mind wandered back to the last few weeks. With the whirlwind from Shido to Yaldabaoth, she never brought up her recent problems to the others.
Sae’s palace. Seeing her last remaining family member like that left some scars that went unaddressed. While she hadn’t admitted it to someone, nightmares had been plaguing her, the image of her sister’s transformed shadow haunting her dreams.
She turned her head back to Ryuji, his rough features contrasting with his gentle face. He’d always been quite the open friend, and it gave her the courage to say something. “Hey, Ryuji…” she said, a chill spiking through her body.
“What’s up?”
“Well… ever since my sister’s palace, I’ve been experiencing these nightmares…” she started, losing the brief courage she felt a second ago. His eyes went wide so she backtracked, “I-it’s not that serious I’m just worried cause I’ve been losing sleep a-and I jus-“
“Nah Makoto. I’ve had those kinda nightmares before. That shit’s serious.” He said sternly, his worried expression stunning her from speaking. “I can’t imagine how hard it musta been to see your sister like that. We really shoulda checked on you more often… sorry about that.” He finished, his downtrodden expression making her feel even worse. Way to ruin the mood Makoto.
“I-I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you feel-“
“What’re you sorry for? It’s our fault for not noticing.” He placed his hand on her shoulder, warm despite the cool weather. “If you ever wanna talk about it, or one of those nightmares sneak up on ya again, remember that me and the other guys are always a phone call away.” Her lips quivered at his words.
He gave her a side hug in hopes to comfort her. They stayed like that until the train arrived.
December 25th, 2016
Shibuya Underground
10:41 p.m.
Ann was currently regretting all the choices she made in her life to get her in this situation. Of all the people to go shopping with her, Yusuke and Haru were the worst people possible. Don’t get her wrong, she loved them, but damn was shopping hard with them next to her.
“Don’t you dare touch that piece of filth Ann! The composition, the colour scheme! What kind of monstrous being could design such a thing!” Yusuke exclaimed, pulling Ann’s arm away from a jacket she liked.
“I think that would look lovely on you Ann-chan! If you can’t afford it, I’ll gladly pay your bill!” Haru’s sweetness almost overwhelming Ann. Shopping with these two was seriously like having a devil and angel on her shoulders.
“Buy that, don’t worry about its cost!” Demon Haru said, too sweet to leave room for denial.
“Ann, please rethink your choice, this design simply disgusts me!” Angel Yusuke exclaimed, stopping Ann from considering the Jacket any further.
She sighed, walking away from the jacket with a tired look on her face. “Alright, that’s enough shopping for the day…” she said, surprising even herself with that statement. “You guys wanna get some dessert before we split?”
Still staring at the abhorrent jacket, Yusuke replied bitterly, “Anything to get me away from this rubbish disguised as clothing.”
As they walked through the crowded underground, heading to Ann’s crepe spot, Haru found herself looking toward the other two phantom thieves. Their futures were so bright. Yusuke was already a notable artist, while Ann’s modelling career seemed to be taking off faster than she could handle. A smile crept onto her face, proud of her friends' accomplishments at such a young age.
After sitting at the crepe spot and ordering their food, the three found themselves in a comfortable silence. Yusuke sat, staring at his dessert being made, admiring the process. He turned to the girls before sighing, “So… how are you two feeling?”
Ann blinked in confusion before replying, “I’m, uhh, good I guess?” the question catching her off guard. “Why, what’s up?”.
“Well, it seems after our victory against Yaldabaoth, we’ve all reached a crossroads in our lives. Two of us are moving away, and some of us are going to be balancing our careers with our school responsibilities. We’re ‘growing up so fast’, as one might put it.” he said, passive concern splayed on his face.
Haru turned to him remembering her previous thoughts. “Our life is only going to get busier,” she said, confidence displayed on her face, “but as long as we watch each other’s backs, I’m sure we’ll succeed!”
“Yeah Yusuke, there’s nothing to worry about! We’re growing up, yeah, but if we stay true to ourselves, nothing’ll go wrong.” Ann exclaimed, positivity radiating off her.
“I’m sorry for my concern. Our final battle has had me in deep thought. Free will is truly beautiful, the next moment never being 100% guaranteed. It made me wonder whether our friendships will still be strong years from now…” Yusuke’s sad thought caught the two girls off guard.
“I- well I’m sure we’ll…” Ann found herself at a loss for words. She looked to Haru, almost pleading for an optimistic rebuttal, but her downtrodden expression told her she hoped for too much.
“I’m sorry for souring the mood… I wanted to bring this up during the party, but everyone seemed so happy that it felt wrong to spring up a serious topic…” Yusuke said as he turned away from the girls, deciding to people watch as he awaited a response.
“No, don’t worry about it Yusuke, I get what you mean… it’s just… I’m wondering how we can stop that from happening. You guys…” Ann stopped, looking down at the counter, tears forming before saying, “you guys are the most important people I’ve ever met. I’ll do anything to make sure we stay friends!” she exclaimed, emotions getting the better of her.
Haru patted her on her back while replying, “Maybe we could organize something? Maybe a yearly meeting to make sure the phantom thieves never get out of touch?”. Ann’s head snapped up, loving the idea.
Yusuke turned back to them, humming in agreement as a gentle smile took over his face. “We’ll bring it up to the others then.”
Velvet Room
When his eyes first opened, he thought a second before getting up. He expected a visit to the velvet room but no matter how many times he woke up here, it always surprised him. Getting up he saw Igor, the true Igor, sitting with Lavenza standing to the right of him.
“Being placed in a rigged game, to fathom that you were able to overcome the prison of the heart is remarkable.” Lavenza starts, making Joker tense up, wondering what the reaction to his deal entails. “However Trickster, the deal you made with the God of Control has subverted all expectations. You chose to prioritize your friend’s happiness over your well-being. While we commend you for never compromising your values, the consequences of this deal have yet to be seen.”
As she finished, Akira was left dumbfounded. He expected a scolding, maybe even a punishment, but cautious pride in his decision? Before he could respond, Igor started, “It seems this game has not yet ended. What a truly unpredictable outcome…”. As Igor came to a pause Akira once again felt the need to interject.
He needed answers, but before he could talk, Igor continued, “Trickster… know your decision means this won’t be the last you see of the velvet room. Your decision means you’ve kept yourself as a player in this game for far longer than anyone could have anticipated.” Igor finished, looking at Akira with astonished but amazed eyes.
Akira knew what this meant. His job was to destroy Yaldabaoth. No matter where he went, and what he did, he had to complete his job at some point. Try as he might, the game was not over. The clock was ticking, and when Yaldabaoth was ready for a rematch, Akira wouldn’t get another chance. He would have to win.
Feeling himself slipping out of the Velvet Room, Akira panicked. He needed answers, fast. “WAIT!” he shouted, Lavenza turning her attention as Igor deepened his unnerving stare. “My friends… are they truly alive? Or is this some sort of sick illusion made by Yaldabaoth?” he said, breathless, wishing for a quick answer.
Lavenza smiled before stating, “Your friends are truly alive. The God of Control used most of his remaining power to repair their bodies and retrieve their souls. They are not any sort of fallacy or cognition. They are truly the friends you built bonds with.” Lavenza finished. Akira felt himself exhale a breath he didn’t know he was holding.
“The other side of the deal must not be forgotten Trickster. You let him get away, weakened, but alive. When he re-emerges, you will be held responsible for ending this game once and for all.”. Igor stated. As his words vibrated through Akira’s brain, he felt a new determination flow through his veins.
“But for now, our time is up. We’ll see you soon Trickster…” Igor finished, with that everlasting grin still plastered on his face. Akira stood observing his surroundings well. He wouldn’t see this place again for a long time.
December 26th, 2016
Hotel
8:32 a.m.
As Akira wakes up, the sunlight beaming into his eyes, he notices he feels off. He can’t place what it is until. Ah, he knows. He hadn’t felt this way in a long time, so it took him a while to place it. Empty.
“Deal with it Akira, this is your fault anyways…” he mumbles as he sat up groggily, waking up for what felt like the thousandth time in the last two days. Without his friends to lean on, Akira feels his mask stapled to his face. The positivity, love, happiness, had been squeezed out of him.
His eyes wander to the window, looking for some sign of peace. The Tokyo skyline was now bright white, snowfall covering the urban jungle he had learned to call home. As snow continues to fall, Akira makes a picture frame with his hands, much like Yusuke does, trying to find some peace of mind with this new life he lives. He doesn’t think he ever will.
8 YEARS LATER
April 7th, 2024
Current Day
Kurusu Residence
11:32 p.m.
He walked around his penthouse, the far wall made completely of glass. Eight years and he still hadn’t overcome his tendency of pacing. His long legs moved at a quick pace, not getting tired due to his well-practiced fitness.
Eventually, he found himself stopped in front of the windows, inches away from them. Every time he felt himself losing his grip on stability, the Tokyo skyline provided him with an escape. Eight years since he started anew, and while he was able to build success in his life, the scars of his deal remained fresh. All this time to build himself up again, and he still found himself alone. No one could replace them.
Notes:
Sorry if this chapter seems a bit fillery. Trust me, the events of this chapter do hint at future plans, so these seemingly unimportant interactions will be expanded on later. This is the last chapter of the prologue, so now we are diving head into the main story. Hope you guys enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 3: The Beginning
Summary:
A snapshot into Akira's life as an adult.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Wednesday, April 8th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
9:20 a.m.
Akira sat at his dining table, eating his cereal with baggy eyes. He’d stayed up till 3 a.m. last night, the difficulties of his life haunting him. How childish.
It would happen occasionally, and when he would least expect it. He’d made progress, albeit a little, his traumatic episodes reducing from once a month to a couple of times a year. He imagines how much easier this would be with a therapist. Unfortunately, the only therapist he knew was an old confidant of his, Dr. Maruki. Yaldabaoth’s second condition wrung through his head. He knew what he was doing blocking Akira from reforging his bonds.
He scoffed at the thought, disgusted at his refusal to move on. Eight years! Eight years and his mind still wandered to his year as a phantom thief.
Looking around his apartment, he still found himself surprised at its luxury. The huge room had a kitchen and dining table on the left side, with a pool table and living room on the right side of the room. Both sides of the room had large hallways that led to bedrooms, bathrooms, closets, a game room and an office. Too much for one person.
He needed a walk. Wednesday meant adults like him would be at work while the kids were busy with school. Good. A lack of interruptions meant his mask had no chance of falling. Finishing up his cereal and putting the bowl in the dishwasher, he walked down the hall on the left side of the apartment, towards the bedroom.
A tired face acted as his permanent expression. He’d grown quite a bit since that fateful year, now standing at just over six feet tall. After Akira changed clothes, he found himself wearing a black bomber jacket, unzipped, with a dark red t-shirt underneath. His black jeans and maroon sneakers, a few sizes bigger than what he wore as a teen, completed his outfit.
He’d worked non-stop for the last eight years. Hundreds of jobs, thousands of investments, and multiple business decisions. Working a day job just to have a night shift the same day. He didn’t enjoy the work, but anything to distract him from his past was accepted with open arms.
He didn’t know it then, but he’d sabotaged himself. He’s making thousands every day in passive income, meaning he didn’t have to work anymore. Essentially, he worked uncontrollably for eight years, which meant he didn’t have to work anymore at all. There went his distraction.
The only thing he had now was his workout routine. His slightly loose t-shirt hid his well-toned abs, while his light jacket hid his muscly arms. He’d developed a fitness routine many may consider inhumane. But when you have nothing else to do and no one else to talk to, he felt things like that tend to happen.
With his resume, he could easily go get a 9-5 job right now and make himself busy again, but the prospect of stealing that job from someone who needed it crossed out the idea. Damn his moral compass.
A quick elevator ride to the ground floor and Akira was out on the streets. Many people went for walks to think, the solitude providing protection against distractions. For Akira, he went out to avoid thinking. The outdoors provided thousands of distractions that his apartment couldn’t.
The sun beamed on his raven hair as he walked at a swift pace, a habit he developed in his year as a thief. Putting on some headphones, he decided listening to music might provide some peace. His playlist consisted mostly of jazz, with some english music sprinkled here and there.
He was always obscenely good at communicating with people. Bosses took note of it and often got him to communicate with businessmen from overseas. Learning English would only expand his horizons and listening to English music was a great way to refine his tone and delivery.
The sidewalks were dry from the great weather of the last few days. Of course, every drought has a storm approaching behind it, and a record-breaking thunderstorm was predicted for tonight. The sunshine continued to beam on Akira’s neck, the trees rustling as a light breeze passed.
Boredom was what Akira was feeling right now. Some may consider it the worst feeling. So easy to identify, yet incredibly frustrating to dispel. He didn’t realize he’d been walking for an hour until the distance was large enough from his apartment building that he’d need to order a cab back.
Letting out a sigh of frustration, Akira looked up to figure out his location before he called a cab. He froze, chills slowly running up his body until they took a permanent rest on his upper ribs. He was right next to a police station. The person standing at the front, Makoto Nijima.
He scoffed at his immaturity. A grown man getting chills at the sight of an old friend. As much as he wanted to look away, his eyes refused. The way she stood, her tense arms at her side, with overly proper posture as she talked to a co-worker, brought a wave of emotions to him that he thought he’d long since buried.
The police commissioner was her goal, he remembered. While she hadn’t reached it yet, she was the assistant commissioner. He made sure to keep tabs on his friends throughout their careers. He felt pride well in his chest till it was shot down with a single passing thought.
Dead. No, no alive! He forced his eyes to pry away from her as he focused back on his phone and quickly called a cab.
“What a relaxing morning walk…” he thought to himself as he typed out the address of the police station.
Wednesday, April 8th, 2024
Café Leblanc
6:38 p.m.
Ahhh, Wednesday evenings! Futaba leaned back on the wall of coffee beans, her apron ruffling from her movement. The middle of the week meant radio silence in the café. She promised to watch the café once the afternoon rush was over, her dad doing more than enough to earn it. She enjoyed the silence. Her restlessness as a kid was a long-gone trait she’d grown out of by now.
She wore a yellow and white striped t-shirt with some blue jean shorts and a pair of blue headphones around her neck. Her hair was tied into a messy bun, some stray hairs still draping over the front of her face. She’d grown quite a bit standing at 5’4, five inches taller than she was as a teenager.
It’d been a year now since she graduated from university with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. From being a shut-in with no people experience to a confident girl with a high understanding of human behaviour. The thought always brought a wry smile to her face. Crowds still made her slightly anxious, though she’d never admit it.
Sunlight from the sunset filtered through the window, highlighting her well-dyed orange hair. She found comfort in the atmosphere Leblanc provided her. In the eight years since the phantom thieves' grand rise, she’d learned many things. Learning how to relax might just be the best of them all.
Eventually, she’d have to start a career of her own. But unlike her mother, she’d evolved into a woman with all the genius, but less of the obsessive work routine. Working shifts at LeBlanc combined with being Ann’s manager gave her more than enough life for now.
She looked out the window towards the street. Morgana had walked back to the house to take an afternoon nap about an hour ago. She wondered when he’d be back.
Wednesday, April 8th, 2024
Sakura Residence
6:42 p.m.
Morgana laid on the couch in the Sakura residence, napping as the sunset outside lit up the room. If anyone was there though, they’d spot the cat’s extreme discomfort in his slumber. Could cats even have nightmares?
“I… born-…” he heard his own voice, echoing through his subconscious. Deep blue flashed across his mind.
“Role… find…” his discomfort grew at his own words. On the outside world, he was shaking.
“TRICKSTER” The words echoed around Morgana’s mind endlessly growing louder in volume as messy black hair flashed through his mind, a flashy grin at the forefront of his thoughts.
“AHHHH!!!” Morgana screamed, heaving as he tried to regain his breath from the nightmare. That damn hair.
After defeating Yaldabaoth, Morgana was allowed to enjoy his life as a cat. However, the months after their victory weren’t all that enjoyable. Everything made sense. They defeated Yaldabaoth and he was revealed to have been created in the velvet room. All his memories from that year were practically burned into his head. But the moment of his birth remained fuzzy.
He knew most of his time in the velvet room. He was created as a symbol of humanity’s last hope. But while the story of his creation was clear, there was a vital piece of information he was missing. He forgot what his purpose was. Every time he thought about it, his mind wandered back to the raven hair he spotted on that fateful Christmas.
He was shaken and needed comfort, so he ran back to Leblanc. It was funny. He spent years comforting Futaba as she overcame her anxiety, and now he was running to her so she could provide comfort.
Wednesday, April 8th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
10:40 p.m.
Akira sat in his living room on his laptop scouring the internet. Ever since seeing Makoto, his brain fell into autopilot as he obsessively searched the internet looking at pictures of his thieves. He didn’t want to see these pictures. He didn’t want to feel the guilt. He didn’t want to feel remorse.
He didn’t want to see their activity because it reminded him of his failures as a leader. He failed to keep them safe. He didn’t deserve to see them happy. The temptation made him continue scrolling anyway.
Ryuji had become the lead physiotherapist for some of the biggest boxers in the world. Akira often sees him standing with boxers in Instagram photos, both in excellent shape. Akira remembers talking to him about his dreams and promising to help improve his study habits. He wonders who Ryuji turned to without him there to help him.
Probably the others. They’d do a better job helping him, anyway, seeing as you left him lifeless.
He shook the thought as he adjusted himself on the couch. Yusuke had become the most renowned artist in Tokyo, his art even finding appreciation overseas. He’d started an art school that he frequently visits to provide inspiration and advice for upcoming artists. While his inspiration for building the school was never publicized, he could imagine exactly what Yusuke must have been thinking
“Even if the phantom thieves met their end years ago, my justice does not end there. My job now is to right the wrongs of Madarame and inspire true art in the next generation.” his fake words brought a smile to Akira’s face. He hadn’t talked to the guy in eight years, but he’s sure that was the idea behind it.
Haru, as the CEO of Okumura Foods, had taken to starting that coffee chain she talked to him about all those years ago. He felt pride at the fact. Under the controlling opinions of the company’s board, he’s sure she fought hard for it. Unfortunately, he’d never be able to visit one of her cafés. Even a sip of coffee brought unwanted memories of Sojiro.
Futaba’s socials ironically provided Akira with both pride and guilt. Seeing her so bright, no longer having an ounce of embarrassment in her nerdy self, brought a small smile to his face. He stared at her graduation pictures, a bright smile as she hugged Sojiro. The thought of a gravestone with Sojiro mourning made him shut his laptop for the night.
As for Ann, well after shutting his laptop, Akira looked up to watch his T.V. On the screen was an interview with Ann, posted to an American media company’s YouTube channel. She was a star, breaking to become one of the biggest models in the world. Akira smirked as she mentioned a “dumbass blonde friend from back home” in her interview. He chuckled knowing the English language meant Ryuji had no idea she mentioned him.
As his thoughts roamed to Morgana, his cheery attitude left him. He had nothing on what Morgana was up to, and it was frustrating beyond belief. He knows he’s alive, cause if he died one of them would have posted about it once at least.
He remembers the sleepless nights, nightmare-infested dreams, and anxiety-induced panic attacks. He remembers the cat calming his mind, bringing him back to reality. “Shit…” he whispered, his voice cutting through the pin-drop silence.
Akira’s frustration reached a fever pitch at the memories. His well-toned arms gripped the empty glass on the table in front of him, before he stood up and chucked it with full force across the penthouse, shattering as it collided with the kitchen cupboards on the other side of the room. He still missed them.
Seeing the glass pieces scattered across the kitchen, he decided to turn in for the day. Thinking of these things was like self-harm. He couldn’t keep letting himself think about them. He sighed, walking to his room, and finding solace in his bed as he dozed off in exhaustion.
Velvet Room
As he woke up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he froze as he finally caught the colour of the ceiling. Velvet blue. Frantically, he rushed off the bed, shocked by what he was seeing. The Velvet Room. Being a few inches taller, the velvet room felt even more claustrophobic than it did years ago.
He looked to the middle of the room to see a familiar face. He smiled as she closed her book, returning the smile herself.
“Trickster… Welcome back to the Velvet Room.” Lavenza said, her voice reverberating around the room.
Notes:
Mb for the late update uni kinda went crazy lol
Chapter 4: Revelations
Summary:
Akira gets some big news
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Velvet Room
Akira stood in awe of his surroundings. He always knew he’d be back here. He had a job to do. But just seeing this place again brought feelings and memories he’d long since buried. Memories of being a thief, fusing persona, taking down the corrupt.
He felt at ease hearing the familiar tune in the background, the piano reaching to his soul and soothing it. He felt even better seeing his old confidant standing in the middle. Just being near one as something other than a stranger felt amazing.
“We have a lot to talk about Trickster.”
“I’m sure we do.” Akira said, a familiar smirk finding itself plastered on his face
“The God of Control finds himself at almost full strength Trickster. His presence in humanity is getting alarmingly high. Soon, it will be time for you to fulfill your job as the Trickster.” She said. By her tone, you could tell she’d been waiting a long time to fulfill her job as the Trickster’s attendant.
“I’m ready Lavenza. I’ve been waiting years to kill him and get my revenge!” his smirk going psychotic for a second before reverting to his signature cocky grin. My justice. “So when will he be back? I’ve been thinking about this rematch for so long you don’t even know Lavenza.” He asked with a playful tone he hadn’t used in years
“Stop right there! Don’t be so rash! We have more to discuss…” she scolded, annoyed by the Trickster’s insistence.
“There is an important matter we have failed to discuss. When you made your deal with Yaldabaoth, he insisted that he’d be weak after the deal was accepted. Unknowingly, his insistence made a big effect on the deal. He promised he’d be useless, but as his strength grows, that promise becomes less and less relevant.” She explained, keeping a close eye on the Trickster to make sure he was paying attention.
“And how does that affect the deal?” he said, worry leaking through his words.
“It means that the stronger Yaldabaoth grows, the less the deal affects reality.”
“WHAT!? YOU SAID THEY WERE ALIVE!” Akira yelled, freaking out at the prospect of his friends dying again.
“Listen, Trickster! Don’t make assumptions so quick!” she scolded, treating Akira like he was still 16. For once her inner Caroline was showing. He stood tensely, waiting for her next words.
“The first condition of his deal was permanent. Bringing a person back to life by ripping their souls back into their bodies is not something that can be undone. Your friends are alive.” She emphasized, calming Akira’s nerves.
“So what does all this mean?” he asked.
“While the first part of your deal was a permanent reversal of their deaths, the second condition was a change in cognition Yaldabaoth made to reality. It was to make the world forget about you. As we know, cognitions can be changed.” She said, smiling as a shocked expression took over Akira’s face.
“Wait so you mean…” his mind wandering places he never thought he’d be again. Next to them.
“Yaldabaoth’s current strength means the second condition of your deal has grown weak. The deal’s weakening influence means not only will there be no repercussions if you interact with your old confidants, but also, your thieves are susceptible to realizing the truth of their year as phantom thieves. The reality of who you are.” Akira stumbled back at her words, gripping his head.
“No...” he said gripping his head even tighter as he continued, “there’s no way…”
“Yes, Trickster. To prepare for your fight against the demiurge, you must reunite the phantom thieves. Find them. Build a bond with them once again. When your bond with one of them is completed, they will awaken to the truth, memories restored.” She finished, letting out a breath.
He stood there in shock, unable to process her words, what they meant, oh god he couldn’t handle it. Together again.
“The third condition of the deal was that you didn’t finish him. With the deal’s influence fading, you will have full reigns to kill him when you face him in the rematch.” Lavenza stated.
As she looked back at him, she could see the conflict on his face. But the velvet room was no place for him to process this revelation. With time running out, she smiled at him, his eyes peering up from their spot on the floor.
“Time’s up for now Trickster. I’ll be seeing you soon.” He paused, watching her as he started to realize the journey he’d have to embark on.
Thursday, April 9th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
10:25 a.m.
He stirred awake, the sun hitting his face through the window. Rubbing his eyes, he stared at nothing for a bit as he came to his senses.
And then he remembered. He rushed off his bed quickly, bumbling about his apartment with wide eyes as the memories in the velvet room caught up to him. Running to the kitchen, he carefully avoided the broken glass as he poured a new glass of water. Rushing to the table, he chugged it down, calming his nerves somewhat.
He couldn’t believe it. Friends again? With them? No, no he didn’t deserve it. The last time he was friends with them, they ended up dead. He couldn’t let it happen again.
But he didn’t have a choice. Akira wasn’t dumb, he knew the chances of beating Yaldabaoth alone were slim to none. It’s not that he wanted to bring them along. It was that he needed them if he wanted to win.
He wasn’t ready, he knew that. Even seeing one of them left him distraught. But he had a job. If he wanted to complete his justice, he had to do this. He had to reconnect with them, and eventually, fight with them as a team one last time. Just the thought of it gave him chills.
He got up, running back to his room to brush his teeth and freshen up. He knew what would occupy him today. Excessive planning.
He came back to the living room half an hour later, dressed in an unbuttoned lime green shirt, with a plain white tee underneath, and black sweatpants. He ran down the hallway to the right of his apartment, opening his closet and pulling out a large whiteboard. The board was used for online meetings with coworkers and such, but now it seemed it had a much better purpose.
His laptop resting on the living room table, Akira began planning obsessively, never bothering to look anywhere but his laptop or whiteboard. He couldn’t mess this up.
He wrote all seven of their names at the top of the board, before turning to his laptop to do extensive research on his friends’ whereabouts and lives. He needed to know where they were, what they were doing, and how he could get to them. He needed to know everything. Sweat dripped down his forehead, having not focused this hard on something since he was Joker. After a couple of hours, his whiteboard was covered with a mess.
Ryuji Sakamoto – Currently in Dubai, physiotherapist for boxer Ouchi Tatsuo who’s training for a championship fight. Comes back to be a temporary advisor for Shujin Athletic Team in September, availability high at that point.
Morgana. Unknown - most likely living with a fellow phantom thief
Ann Takamaki - Living in Los Angeles and currently at the height of her modelling career. Accessibility is nearly impossible with celebrity status.
Yusuke Kitagawa - On a trip around Africa seeking inspiration. Will come back multiple times this year to visit his school and host some exhibitions. The best chance of getting to him is by visiting an art exhibit where he’s present.
Makoto Nijima - Living in Tokyo, incredibly hard to reach without drawing suspicion due to her line of work. Closed off personality mixed with her high-risk job means an incredibly difficult task.
Futaba Sakura - Living in Tokyo. Easy accessibility, the only drawback is any looming social anxiety. Hacking skills would be useful in trying to get more in-depth info on the others outside of location and job.
Haru Okumura - Living in Tokyo. Untouchable with her CEO status. Seemingly no way to reach her, will have to figure it out eventually.
With this information written in the upper half of the whiteboard, he wrote the rest of the months of the year on the bottom of the board. Assuming Yaldabaoth comes back on Christmas, he could designate a little over a month each for all his friends (excluding Morgana as he’s most likely with one of them).
He pictured himself in Leblanc, his friends all around the café as they shared stories of how things have changed. Butterflies rampaged his stomach from the scenario.
That’s if they even want to be friends with you again. Since you, y’know, left them in a grave last time. Akira shook his head aggressively. Not now.
Now came the time to figure out the order he’d reforge the bonds. Immediately, he wrote Futaba’s name on the April-May slot. Not only was she the easiest one to meet, but she could be useful in bringing the rest of his plan together. Plus, being in Yongen Jaya meant easy access to restore his bonds with Takemi and Sojiro as well. It definitely wasn’t because he wanted his family back.
A quick search told Akira that Yusuke’s next exhibit would be in June. He scribbled the artist’s name on the June-July slot, a bubbly smile dominating his face. He missed the artist’s antics. His lack of social awareness and tendency to hold thought-provoking conversations made him insanely fun to talk to.
He brought his marker up to the board before pausing. He winced at his reluctance before shakily writing down Ryuji’s name in the Sept-Oct slot. Ryuji was his best friend. The first person to believe him when he was down and out. He remembered the boy’s insistent support throughout their journey together. He’d make it up to him.
He clenched his fists, standing up as he stared at the remaining blank slots. Ann, Makoto, and Haru were gonna be impossible to get to! He turned back to his computer, searching for hours, trying to find some crack or window he could use. They were obscenely important people who had no openings. Assistant police commissioner, celebrity, Billionaire CEO. If he weren’t so frustrated right now, he’d be swelling with pride. Too bad their success only made his job harder.
He got up to make some lunch. Maybe it’ll clear his mind and make things easier to compute. For the three girls, he hadn’t made any new discoveries. He had made a tiny bit of progress on Futaba, Ryuji, and Yusuke, but even that was just limited on how to get to them. Eating quickly, he threw his plate in the dishwasher before going back to the computer and whiteboard.
After what felt like a few minutes of searching, Joker turned his head to the window, hoping the skyline could help him refocus his jumbled brain. What he didn’t expect was a lack of sunlight. Picking up his phone, the time read 10:39 p.m. How long had he been working on this?
He’d continue into the deep night scouring for a lead, but time didn’t wait for anyone. He had to start his bond with Futaba tomorrow, or else he’d fall behind. Walking to his room, the former, no, the leader of the phantom thieves quickly changed into a green t-shirt and sweatpants before diving into bed.
Pictures were nothing like real life, and he wondered how seeing Futaba would feel after all these years. So much had changed, she was a full-grown woman, no longer the child he used to ‘babysit’ as Sojiro loved to put it.
Akira’d grown quite a bit over the years as well. “It’ll probably look really small with my added height huh… ” he mumbled, thinking of Leblanc's interior, as he turned over, muffling his voice in the pillow.
He had a big day tomorrow. He wasn’t sure he was prepared for it. Unlucky for him, time didn’t care how ‘prepared’ he was. It kept moving. He was on a tight schedule, but if he does everything right, he could take his time with this.
Thursday, April 9th, 2024
Leblanc
9:24 p.m.
The phone rang as Futaba sat waiting for Ryuji to pick up. Morgana had insisted that he speak to Ryuji alone, so here Futaba sat waiting for Ryuji. He should be able to pick up considering it was 3:24 p.m. in Dubai right now.
She hadn’t talked to the fake blonde in a few months now. Based on their appearances, someone would think they’re complete opposites. But in a lot of ways, they were more similar than most of the thieves. They both grew up as loners playing games and reading manga all day, bad habits plaguing their daily lives.
As Futaba was about to give up on reaching him, Ryuji picked up the phone. She gave a look to Mona telling him she’ll let him talk in a few minutes. She heard Ryuji talking to someone in the background until he pressed the phone up to his head.
“Yooo, what’s bonkin’ ‘Taba!?” his loud voice caused her ears to start ringing. Jesus, you’d think this guy would’ve learned to shut up at this point.
“Really Ryuji, still think ‘bonkin’ is gonna catch on?” a sarcastic smile sat on her face as she questioned the man. His voice sounded slightly gruffer, but still like the boy she became friends with all those years ago.
“Just give it a bit of time Futaba, these things take a while to catch on.” The serious expression in his voice only made her laugh.
“It’s been close to a decade Ryuji!”
"I know, I know.” He said starting to laugh as well. “So, what’s up? I can’t talk for too long since my fighter is comin’ back from a serious session today. Usually I join him for encouragement, but today was a little too much for me.” She smiled as he rattled on. They were similar, but Ryuji had his life together. Suddenly she frowned as a question peaked her mind.
“Actually, I just wanted to ask you about something that’s been bothering me. I reeaally don’t have any motivation to start my career yet. I’m too comfortable chilling at Leblanc to go get a job.” She said, not expecting the conversation to go this way.
“It’s all about patience Futaba. It’s like what Yusuke says. When the inspiration hits, there’s nothin’ stopping ya.” he encouraged. His infectious positivity was seriously like a superpower, bringing her out of the lapse she was in.
“Yeah, I guess Inari has a point…thanks Ryuji” she stopped before continuing, “it’s not a huge problem, just somethin’ I’ve been thinking bout’ lately” she finished.
She heard voices in the background of his side before he came back saying, “You’re the brightest girl I’ve ever met ‘Taba. It’ll come to you; I promise.” His words brought some closure to her worry, at least for the night. “So, anythin’ else you wanna talk about?” he asked, making her look back to Morgana, who was clearly running thin on patience.
“Yeah actually, Morgana really wanted to talk to you. Alone. I’m gonna pass him the phone now, so you ‘best buddies’ can talk.” She said, sarcasm clear in her tone. Putting the phone on speaker, she passed the phone and left Leblanc, letting Mona know she’d be back to lock up the shop.
“MOOOONAAAA, what’s up man!” he yelled, Morgana not prepared for the man’s volume.
“Jeez Ryuji quiet down! I see you haven’t learned any tact while on your little vacation huh?”
"Oh, shut up cat!” he spits back, Morgana smiling wryly at their banter. He hadn’t talked to him since Christmas, so he secretly missed this interaction. He’d never tell him that though.
"So, what’s up Mona?” Ryuji said, his tone suddenly shifting to being serious. If Morgana was so insistent on talking to him, something was up.
"Lately, I’ve felt a little off…"
"Finally accepted you’ll be a cat forever?”
"Shut up Monkey!” Morgana shouted, closing his eyes trying to control his temper.
"Listen Ryuji. I’ve been having these visions. No matter how much I try shaking them off, they never seem to leave my mind” his admission throwing Ryuji into deep thought. Morgana having visions meant bad news. His senses being triggered are always connected directly to metaverse activity.
Ryuji let out a sigh before asking, “What’re you thinkin’ Mona? If you think this is a serious threat, I’ll trust you on that.” Morgana felt taken aback by his words. While it wasn’t something they would openly admit, of all the thieves, they trusted each other the most.
He remembers that day when Ann and Ryuji had stumbled into Kamoshida’s palace. Ryuji was thrown into the prison with him, and they worked together to find Ann and escape. They were together when it all started. While they bickered, there was no one in the world they trusted more than each other.
“I don’t know Ryuji. While the visions are certainly bothering me, I don’t feel any threat from them. If you take out the fact they’re visions, they feel pretty nice!” he said, meowing at the end, his cat body getting the best of him.
“Sure you didn’t just have a wet dream bud?” Ryuji joked with a sly smile plastered on his face.
“Shut up you idiot! Shouldn’t have expected any class from you anyway!” Morgana shouted back.
He heard Ryuji belt out in laughter on the other end, and couldn’t stop himself from joining in.
When the laughter died down, Ryuji found himself curious. Did Morgana even mention what the dreams were about? “So, what were the dreams about anyway?”
Mona thought carefully before asking, “Did you ever have a friend with messy black hair?”. He heard Ryuji humming in thought before the line went silent. “Ryuji?”
“Huh, oh yeah, I was just thinkin’ bout what you said. I have a feeling, but every time I think about it, my mind draws a blank. Sorry, Mona.” Ryuji said dejectedly. Morgana sighed. He’d been hoping for a lead, but the call had gotten him nowhere.
“It’s fine Ryuji, thanks anyway. If anything comes up, I’ll update you through Futaba’s phone alright?” Morgana finished. For now, there was nothing they could do about it. As Ryuji’s fighter came from his training session, he bid his farewell to Mona before hanging up the phone.
Mona sat, waiting for Futaba to return to close the shop. It was worth a shot calling Ryuji. He’d just have to figure it out himself for now.
Notes:
This chapter was kinda here to lay out the foundations that the rest of the story is going to stand on. Hope you guys enjoy!
Chapter 5: A leap of Faith
Summary:
The start of the journey
Chapter Text
Velvet Room
Akira woke up, noticing the blue on the roof immediately. Getting up he sees Lavenza standing, eager to relay some info. He laughs at her expression, walking up to her. Back in the day, waking up in the velvet room was like a nightmare. Now it was a pleasant surprise.
“Welcome back to the Velvet Room trickster. You won’t be here for long; I just have some info to share with you.”
“Give it to me.”
“As you know, your ally Morgana…” he shivered at the name, “was created with the last hopes of humanity. The key to his mission was to find the trickster and help him defeat the god of control.”
“Yeah, I know. Why’s that so important?”
“Well Trickster, when Yaldabaoth changed the cognition of reality, there was a slight hiccup. While he could alter your friends’ memories in the real world and the metaverse, he could not fully erase Morgana’s memory of his purpose.”
“What do you mean?”
“The velvet room is a place beyond both mind and matter. Morgana’s memory of being tasked with finding you could not be fully erased, only muddled. With Yaldabaoth’s strength growing, his memory must be scrambling at a faster rate. While the other’s memories were erased cleanly, his muddled memory of being created seems to be leaking into his normal memories.”
“So…” he thought before continuing, “because his memory of being assigned to find me isn’t fully erased, he’s close to remembering me?” he finished.
“Yes Trickster, while the others will take time and effort, finding Morgana and reminding him of his purpose and who you are should be enough for him to awaken to reality.” She finished with a smile, happy to relay the good news. Akira grinned. While that made his job easier, first he’d have to find the cat. Before he could think longer, he remembered a certain scene playing out.
“But what about after Yaldabaoth erased us from consciousness and we woke up here? Shouldn’t everyone’s memory of that be muddled?” he asked, expecting an explanation, but asking anyway.
“When you woke up, the velvet room was present in the merged real world and metaverse. Since it happened within Yaldabaoth’s playing field, he could easily manipulate the memory.” She answered, a hum of acknowledgement coming from Akira’s mouth. Regardless of what she said, this was still a good thing. All he needed to do now was find Morgana.
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Sakura Residence
8:45 a.m.
Another night, another sleep interrupted by those visions. Trickster. The word was practically burned into Morgana’s head at this point. The same scenario played in his head, that moment in the velvet room. This time was different though because, unlike the other times, the dream was less cloudy, allowing Morgana to find a new trait other than black hair. A smirk.
Yawning the fatigue away, he jumps off the couch, observing the living room. It was a modest house, the sunlight bleeding through the curtains effortlessly. He’d lived here for almost a decade but still found himself mesmerized by its homey aesthetic.
A walk was what Morgana needed. He found himself needing these more often these days. Something to clear his mind. Exiting the house, the moist pavement of Yongen Jaya met his feet. Futaba trusted he’d be safe wherever he went about a year after the thieves disbanded. She’d be fine if he left for a little longer today.
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
10:32 a.m.
Akira stared at the bathroom mirror adjusting his hair for what felt like the thousandth time. Interacting with a phantom thief. The thought almost felt outlandish. A little under eight years trying to leave them behind, and now he had a mission to reunite with them. He laughed at the thought.
“C’mon Akira, you got this!” he said, trying to encourage himself. He had to get this right. Don’t freak out. Don’t freeze. Don’t feel guilty. Make sure to…
Is he serious?
“What am I doing…” he mumbled, letting a deep breath from his mouth. Wasn’t his best trait that he could work on the fly? He’d have to accept the fact of the matter. If he really wanted to rebuild his bonds, he’d have to let his mask slip. That’s the way he did it as a teen, and he couldn’t do it any other way.
He ruffled his hair aggressively, back to the iconic mess it was known for. He chuckled looking down at his outfit, which was not casual enough for his liking. He hastily took the clothes off before rushing to his closet. He threw on a red t-shirt, black jeans, and some white sneakers. If he was gonna do this, he had to do it the authentic way.
Walking out of his room, he stopped at the door frame, looking at his coffee table to the left. There stood a pair of fake glasses, the glare from the sunshine stinging Akira’s eyes. He shook his head as a sad smile took his face. He’d give it a shot without them this time.
Gliding across his apartment, he grabbed his keys from the dining table before making his way toward the door. After opening it, he took one last look at his apartment before leaving. It was time.
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Leblanc
11:03 a.m.
Futaba sat in one of the booths at Leblanc, typing away at her laptop. She was supposed to be running the café today while Sojiro went out for supplies. He always made the effort to leave Futaba alone with the café when it would be the emptiest. While her social anxiety was a bazillion times better than when she was younger, running the café alone still set her alarms off, so he always planned to her benefit.
With the morning rush ending half an hour ago, he decided now was the best time to go. And while he was gone, Futaba felt herself sink into her element. It was a tradition at this point to play games on her laptop when he was grocery shopping. No one came in anyway, so what was the harm in it?
She was currently occupied by a do-or-die situation. If she won this game, she’d finally rank up! She’d been stuck in this shitty rank the whole year, constantly plagued by garbage teammates that weighed her down. Concentration reaching a fever pitch, she was ready to end the game right now with a final push!
The bell chiming made her heart drop. A CUSTOMER! AT THIS TIME?! She jerked her head upwards, seeing the tall man standing at the door.
Akira froze. She was here. Time seemed to slow down, moving in nanoseconds. The bright orange hair, shining from the sunlight peaking over his shoulder. The glasses, close to falling off. He couldn’t believe he was in this situation right now. In the booth near the staircase, sat his surrogate sister. Futaba Sakura.
She scrambled out of her seat, rushing behind the bar. She stared at him waiting for him to do something. The longer he took, the longer she’d be AFK! As she was about to run out of patience, she finally saw the man finally walk to a seat at the bar.
"J-Just a cup of blue mountain, thanks…” he squeaked, completely contradictory to his large but slim body. He was pretty sure he was shaking, but he’d have to push through. The first impression essentially meant everything.
He watched her get to work, following the exact steps Sojiro had taught her. He observed everything about her. Her messy bun which failed to hold all her hair as stray hairs splayed across her face. The slight growth in height, still short, but not as extreme as it used to be. The improved posture, most likely from a growth in confidence more than any real lifestyle adjustment. She looked great.
One thing though caught his eye. Why did she keep looking behind him? He could almost feel the anxiety boiling in her, her eyes jerking every other second to look over his shoulder and to the right.
Looking over his shoulder he saw her laptop. Had he not spotted it when he walked in? I guess the shock of seeing her did more than enough to distract him. He looked at it for a second, before looking back at Futaba. He thought about his next actions for a second, before deciding his move. It was a leap of faith, but he’d make no progress without one.
He got up, startling her, as he stalked towards the laptop.
"W-What do you think you’re doing?!” Futaba questioned, the panic evident in her voice. As he got to the laptop he looked down at the screen.
“Legion of Fighters?” he questioned as he looked back to Futaba, an intense blush taking over her face. He remembers playing this game religiously during his last year of high school. Looking back down, he realized how close the game was.
They shared a look for a second, him amused by the expression on her face, her incredibly embarrassed. Everything about this situation made her want to curl up in a ball and hide. An iconic smirk took over his face, his cocky expression coming seemingly out of nowhere.
He cracked his knuckles before taking a seat at her laptop and going ham. The words, ‘It’s showtime!’ almost escaped his lips. She jumped, rushing towards him before looking in awe at his finger movements. What the fuck was happening?
“Don’t worry, I got this covered. You got any info on the way these guys play?” Akira said confidently, looking back at Futaba.
She stood frozen, unable to come to terms with how this situation has played out. She felt plenty of words come to her mind from ‘Who the hell do you think you are!?’ to ‘I’m so, so, so sorry!’, but before she could formulate a response, the words just exploded out of her.
“Their brawler has literally no game knowledge, a complete noob and the mage is playing a completely broken character, but they can’t hit their abilities for shit! If you stun their tank and eliminate their healing, you’d totally curb-stomp those bozos! C’mon, my rank is on the line!” she yelled in excitement, pumping both her hands in the air. Akira looked back up at her with an amused grin, entertained by her info dump. Realizing what she did, she blushed, rushing behind the counter to focus on the coffee.
Her focus remained in a permanent state of division. She watched his hands move with ease, playing the game with such style and grace, that she found herself mesmerized. She made her assumption right there. He was either psychotic, a complete nerd, an angel sent by god, or a combination of all three.
Pouring the coffee into the mug, she looked up to see him with a smug expression. Looking her straight in the eyes, he unplugged the headphones out of the laptop swiftly, as a loud, “VICTORY!!!” sound rang from her laptop’s speaker.
Futaba was dumbfounded. It all happened so fast. With her eyes trained on this ANGEL, she watched him walk back to his seat at the bar, his devilish smirk never leaving his face. Grabbing the mug, he took a small sip, analyzing the taste.
“Pretty good! This is the best coffee I’ve had in a looong time!”
“What the fuck just happened.” Her deadpan expression made him nearly spit the coffee out of his mouth. Swallowing it down, he died of laughter, grabbing his stomach as he struggled to regain his breath.
She couldn’t hold it, falling into a fit of laughter herself. Whomever this saint was, he probably just gave her the most exhilarating time of her life since the incident during her first year of uni. As the laughter died down, she stood uncomfortably, not knowing where to go from there.
“Y’know, I probably wouldn’t have been able to beat those guys without your callouts.”
“Bullshit, I saw the way your hands were moving. You woulda stomped those guys whether I said anything or not.”
“Nah my plan was to take out the mage last. If you didn’t point out their weaknesses, I woulda been screwed.” He admitted. Those words brought their minds back to memories of Oracle in the metaverse, though only Akira knew they both felt the nostalgia.
They fell back into silence, less uncomfortable, but still holding the faint taste of awkwardness. Honestly, he didn’t think he’d get this far. He observed the café, finally taking in its atmosphere for the first time during his visit.
It was home. Seeing this place again, feeling its comfort, almost felt euphoric in a way. It felt like he had left for a long journey and was finally able to return to where he belonged.
Staring at his coffee, he decided to turn the topic back to Leblanc. He could sit in nostalgia all he wanted, but he wasn’t going to get anywhere with this interaction if he didn’t press on.
“What a first impression of this place,” he said, his kind smile overwhelming her. Of course, it was his first time! If Sojiro knew what just happened, she’d never hear the end of it! “The coffee’s great by the way.”
“Thanks. You should drink my dad’s coffee, he’s the real master. His skill levels are maxed I swear.” She said, before realizing her nerdy comment and shrinking in embarrassment. The amused but gentle smile on his face made her worry disappear. Who was this guy?
Akira felt his chest heat up at her words. ‘Dad’ huh? Man did that warm his soul. He hopes he can find Sojiro soon.
"I can see your around my age, and you look pretty smart, but you’re working in an alleyway coffee shop?” he said with a questioning tone.
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? I got a degree in psychology, so don't judge a book by its cover! Or by where they work!” she replied, crossing her arms matter-of-factly. Akira saw this as an opportunity.
“Damn, that’s pretty impressive…” his smooth voice easing her apprehension, “I actually studied cognitive psience when I was younger. It was super interesting! You know anything ‘bout that?” he said with a shit-eating grin as he watched her face freeze at the words. Seeing her eyes twitch, he couldn’t help but feel pride at his strategy working. As she opened her mouth, ready to spout mountains of info, he took a sip of his coffee. ‘Hook, line, and sinker. Nice job Akira!’ he thought to himself.
Futaba dumped her knowledge on the study, feeling the passion for psychology burning like an unstoppable fire. They talked about cognitive psience for what felt like an hour, her quizzing him on questions, him responding quickly.
“Man, I haven’t talked about cognitive psience for ages…” she mumbled. Regardless of how hectic this conversation was, it gave her that fire. The fire to start her career. The fire to dive into cognitive psience and surpass her mom like she always dreamed of. A burst of confidence taking over her body she looked the man straight in the eyes.
“Hey! What’s your name chosen one!?” she demanded, Akira flinching at her volume.
“U-Uhh A-Akira Kurusu?”
“My name’s Futaba Sakura! I have a deal. You have discussions about cognitive psience with me, and I’ll make you coffee, free of charge!” she declared, leaving no room for argument. Akira snorted, wondering if she even had the jurisdiction to do that at Leblanc. But it was exactly as he needed. A deal.
“So Kurusu-san, what do you say?!” she finished. As her burst of confidence started running low, she awaited an answer. A smirk erupted on his face as he reached his long arm to pat her head.
“Sure Sakura-chan, I accept your deal.” He smiled a bright smile, natural to his face. Only he knew that was the first time he’d smiled like that in a while. She blushed, not expecting the contact, before punching his arm in annoyance. He laughed, turning to the door as he heard the bell ring. His smile deepened at the old man standing in the doorway.
Suddenly, the world froze, and Akira heard a familiar voice. “With the rebirth of the Hermit Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power…” Lavenza finished. The world resumed, the man at the door opening his mouth.
Can’t the traffic cut an old man some slack…” he mumbled before looking at the counter. “Looks like you made a friend while I was gone.” That signature smile intensified that warm feeling in Akira’s heart.
“She told me about your coffee boss. I’ll have to come back soon to try it out!” he got up walking to the door, passing by the old man. Before leaving, he turned back, looking the orange-haired girl in the eyes.
“Hey, Futaba. Call me Akira from now on. We are friends, right?” he said, deciding to take try his luck.
“Y-Yeah sure Akira… see you later!” she replied. He gave her one last smirk before he left. Why did saying his name feel so natural… so familiar. If she paid more attention, she would’ve realized that Akira called Sojiro ‘Boss’. Unfortunately, too many other things were on her mind to notice it.
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Yongen Jaya
11:41 a.m.
Akira paced down the streets of Yongen Jaya, riding off his adrenaline overload in the café. What just happened? How did he do that? He shook his head. Whatever power he tapped into; he’s going to ride it into the sunset to build these bonds. I guess his inner Joker had been dormant for too long.
He smiled. It went better than he would have dreamed of. As he thought more about his situation, he realizes something. He might have miscalculated. He thought starting the bond would break him. But maybe the closer he gets with them, the more his walls fall?
It made sense. The closer he got to them, the more the guilt would overpower him. He’d have to watch out. Regardless, today went amazing. That’s what mattered, and he wasn’t going to complain about it. A playful smirk took over his face just thinking about the events that took place. What a way to start!
He walked back to the station, spotting the clinic on his way. When he came back tomorrow, he’d have to restart the bonds with Sojiro and Tae. Looks like he had some planning to do.
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Yongen Jaya Station
11:47 a.m.
Morgana walked off the train, thoughts clear from the jumble they’d been in when he woke up. As he strolled through the station, making his way to the streets, he froze.
A chill rushed up his spine, his peripheral vision catching something that stopped him in his tracks. Messy black hair. A smirk. A face that felt all too familiar.
A rush of emotions overwhelmed Morgana, feelings he couldn’t explain. That had to be him! He turned around, carefully eyeing the crowd, trying desperately to find the black-haired man. Got him!
Morgana rushed, running faster than ever, startling the people in the station. He got on the train just before it could leave, finding a hiding spot where he could carefully observe the raven-haired man’s movements.
He couldn’t see the man’s face, his body turned away from the cat. In all honesty, Morgana could be going crazy over some random guy with messy black hair. But this gut feeling was stronger than any sense he’d experienced in even the metaverse. His answers were right there, and when he was sure they were alone, he’d get them at all costs.
“What a waste of a morning…” he mumbled realizing his walk was in vain, but he guesses that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing after all.
Chariot: 0
Magician: ???
Lovers: 0
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 1
Empress: 0
Strength: 10
Chapter Text
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Roppongi Streets
12:29 p.m.
Akira walked through the streets, on the way to his penthouse. It was barely past noon and yet so much had happened. While many would think Akira would be wracked with thoughts, it was quite the opposite. He felt a peace of mind for the first time in a while. It felt like some life was finally given back to him.
Just thinking about the situation brought a huge smile to his face. He felt so bright in the moment. So fresh and excited! It was like he was living on autopilot for the last eight years and he finally woke up.
As soon as the grin took his face, it was gone. Reigniting this bond with Futaba only brought questions to his mind that he hadn’t thought of before.
“When she remembers me, how is she gonna… shit.” He mumbled to himself. The scenario crashed into his mind faster than he could anticipate. Her screaming. Memories of her death crashing both of their heads. Her never wanting to see him again.
Akira shook his head aggressively. “Cut it out Akira, we took a win today!” he told himself, not realizing he was talking aloud. Today was a win. He needed to kick that doubt out of his brain. Somehow, he thought doing that would take way longer than he anticipated.
For now, though, he had to ride this momentum. He’d succeeded for the day. There will be bumps along the way, but today he won. His Joker smirk crept to his face, his demeanour sliding back to the confidence he felt in the café. Walking to the empty road of his apartment complex, he felt a bit more pep in his step. Today was a good day.
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Roppongi Streets
12:29 p.m.
Morgana tailed the man from the opposite side of the road, carefully studying his features. The black hair. The slim but toned stature. The closed-off posture. Every moment he looked at him was a moment where a memory flashed to his brain.
He watched the man’s face morph into a conflicted stare, before morphing into something that jumpstarted his memory. That devilish grin. That confident step. Each pat on the sidewalk punched some memory into Morgana’s mind.
“Monster cat?” a suave voice bulleting through his conscience. His eyes went wide.
“We’ll get you out of here don’t worry.” the honest smile of the man crashed into his psyche.
“Morgana, you know we care about you right? Without you, we never get this far. Without you, we don’t get any farther. End of story.” The deep but sincere voice of the man beat through Morgana’s brain. Enough following him. If these words are real, and these feelings aren’t fake, this man was insanely important, and Morgana needed to know why.
When he saw the Trickster turn to an empty road, he came out of his cover. Sprinting to the man, his paws patting the ground fiercely, he felt a bright light overcoming his mind. As if a huge piece of himself was being restored.
When he finally stood behind the man, he took a deep breath in. The moment of truth. If this guy hears Morgana’s voice, then he is special in some way. If he hears a cat’s meow, then this was all some little fraud. Opening his mouth, he was ready to declare some grand statement of recognition.
“H-hey!” was all that came out of his mouth before he’d run out of breath. Whomever this guy was, his presence alone made Morgana nervous for approval. However, the guy immediately froze at his greeting. Bingo.
Akira thought he was hallucinating. No. No way. He felt his hands tremble as his lip started quivering. His knees felt weak as he processed the voice behind him. His eyes were wide, his cool façade broken with a single word.
In less than a second, Akira was flooded with memories of his partner in crime. Breaking him out. Watching Ryuji’s awakening. Meeting Ann for the first time. Seeing his confidence shrink at Makoto and Futaba’s addition. Watching him walk out of the thieves. Then talking with him for hours, serious conversations where nothing but brotherly love was formed.
His death. Watching him get beaten senseless, and then finished with a final slam. Seeing his corpse disfigured. Feeling a tear fall as he watched him draw his last breath.
Akira turned around slowly, wide-eyed and shook to his core. As he locked eyes with the not-cat, he fell to his knees. He wanted to gag and scream at the same time. He saw panic splayed on the cat’s face. He wasn’t ready for this.
Morgana was terrified. Had he done something wrong? What did he do? He watched the guy staring into his soul, an almost ghostly stare on his face. He looked horrified.
As they stood still, the tall man slipping farther and farther into panic, they noticed his breath tighten. Before they knew it, he was struggling for breath, sweating profusely as he fell to the ground on his side. He grabbed his chest in pain, his eyes darting around looking for help. He was having a panic attack.
Morgana jumped to the man, putting his paw on his face to comfort him. “Hey, hey it’s okay! I’m here I- here sync your breaths to mine! Don’t worry, I’m here! Listen, I- don’t worry…” he slowed down his loud voice before taking deep breaths.
Akira stared into Morgana’s eyes, his breaths instinctively syncing to the cat’s. “Just like the old days…” he thought between breaths. The number of times Morgana had brought him out of these lapses was uncountable.
The number of times Morgana wasn’t there to help him was much more.
Once his breaths were synced with the cat’s, they sat staring at each other. He was thoroughly shaken, and while he’d regained his breath, he was still far from okay.
Suddenly he noticed Morgana’s conflicted expression. OH, that’s right, he forgot. Morgana didn’t know him yet. The guilty face on the cat made Akira remember his job. It also brought him back from the reality of what happened today. He’d started well with Futaba, yes. But he was far from ready.
“Hey, Morgana.” He said, the cat jumping, less at his words, and more at the man’s voice. It felt so natural to hear his name like that. Akira remembered what Lavenza told him in the velvet room. Just a little push would be fine for Morgana.
“Y-yeah?”
“To repay you for… calming me down, I’ll give you the answers you desire. Deal?” he said, his face going incredibly serious.
“Deal!” Morgana said quickly, his desire to find answers taking over.
Akira felt the world freeze before hearing the voice, “With the rebirth of the Magician Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power…” Lavenza’s voice echoed throughout his conscience. He sighed, not nearly as happy as he was with Futaba.
The reality of his mission was starting to clear up, and Akira realized this was going to be much harder than he thought. This journey wasn’t just to restore his bonds. It was forcing him to deal with past trauma that he was holding off from dealing with. And he wasn’t sure if he was ready.
But that didn’t change his mindset. He needed to do this now. He didn’t want to hold this back any longer. He got up quickly, speed walking to his apartment complex, Morgana following closely behind. Thank God Morgana didn’t ask any questions. He’d do anything to distract him from that episode he’d just had.
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Apartment Complex
12:52 p.m.
Morgana was in a daze. All of this was happening too fast! First, he sees this guy in the street and follows him for forty minutes. Then he gets attacked by memories, rushes the guy, and gives him a panic attack!
They now stood in an elevator, going to what must be the top floor. He looked at the raven-haired man, observing his demeanour. The guy was staring at the elevator doors, practically begging them to open already.
As they finally reached the top floor. They walked a tiny bit before reaching a door. He watched the tall man take a deep breath, before opening the door slowly. His jaw dropped seeing the huge penthouse, the view through the glass shocking him. The vast room with too much floor space left him in awe. Two huge hallways were on each side, leading to who knows what. How rich was this guy?
Akira placed his phone on a coffee table near the door, stalking to the couch in the living room to the right. He slumped into the cushions, almost forgetting Morgana’s presence in his fatigue. Looking at the door, he realized the cat was standing there as if waiting for instructions.
“Uh c-come sit down…” he said unconfidently. Akira was afraid. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was terrified. He watched Morgana walk to the couch and hesitantly sit on the opposite side.
Honestly, just watching the guy talk was sort of freaky to Morgana. It felt like he was talking to his brother who he grew up with and then forgot. He knew he was close to this guy. But who is he!?
“So, Morgana. What do you want to know?” Akira said, his face morphing into steel, and Joker bleeding into the real world. Morgana immediately felt intimidated, and yet comforted by the face. He was being questioned but hearing it from this guy’s voice was different.
Morgana sat dumbfounded. Honestly, he didn’t think he’d get this far. He didn’t know what to ask. He had so much on his mind, but no way to phrase it in a question. So, he decided to start from where he started.
“Who is the trickster?” Morgana asked, steeling his face as he awaited an answer.
“I am.”
“Yeah- but you know what I mean! What does a trickster even mean! And why are you so important!?” he complained loudly, the whining tone bringing Akira back to the old days. Good ol’ Mona.
“Igor, the master of the velvet room, agreed to a game with Yaldabaoth, the god of control. If a human was able to stop the God of Control, Igor won, and society remained free. If not, society would lose its free will, ceasing control to Yaldabaoth.” Akira started, getting a headache at the convoluted game he was thrown into. He looked over to Morgana, flinching at the cat’s intense stare. Regathering himself, he continued the story.
“The Trickster is a wild card who was tasked by Igor with stopping the God of Control.” He stated pointing his finger at his face. “When the game started, the God of Control took over the velvet room, rigging the game in his favour. With the last of society’s hopes Igor created…” Akira paused before staring at Morgana.
“He… created me to…” Morgana started with wide eyes. He looked down at the cushions in realization.
“To find the Trickster and guide him in saving humanity…” Akira finished, his smooth voice becoming more understanding. He remembered how Morgana was desperate to know his purpose back in 2016. He can only imagine how the cat felt realizing he only knew half the picture this whole time.
But Morgana didn’t have enough yet. This guy in front of him is his purpose. How could he have forgotten him!? Doesn’t that mean he was a phantom thief?
An image flashed through his head, the image of Yaldabaoth, the feeling of blood, and then… nothing.
Morgana flinched backwards almost falling off the couch. He sat terrified, shivering at the image. He turned his eyes back towards Akira, desperate for more answers, but terrified of his replies.
“W-were you a phantom thief?” Morgana whispered.
“Of course.”
“So you knew Skull, Panther, Fox, Qu-“
“Queen, Noir, Crow.” Akira finished, emphasizing the last name. Through Mishima’s documentary, the seven phantom thief’s codenames became public knowledge. But no one knew about Crow. The “sellout”. The one you couldn’t save. He shook the thought away. Now wasn’t the time.
Morgana gasped as the man read out the names as if calling for attendance. And the last name? No one should know about that. No one except a phantom thief.
“And your codename was…” Morgana felt a chill as pieces started to fall into place. “J…” he started, losing the ability to speak. Looking up, he watched the man’s expression shift.
“Joker.” Akira said, his voice projecting around the room as a devilish and wide grin ripped its way onto his face. Of course, he knew his codename. But hearing it again. It was like a wash of water sliding the mask off his face effortlessly.
They sat for a second, Morgana seemingly speechless, and Akira surging with energy. Suddenly Akira’s confidence fell, becoming more uneasy as the seconds passed. Did he do something wrong?
Meanwhile, Morgana’s mind was being barraged by memories one after the other, things he couldn’t comprehend, but remembered crystal clear. Previous things he considered obvious were being erased and aggressively replaced by the truth.
Before he knew it, his mind decided to settle on one memory. And Morgana wasn’t ready for it.
December 24th, 2016
Shibuya
Prison of Regression
Morgana felt his legs wobble as they seemed to lose their stability. He was the embodiment of humanity’s hope. But here he stood, his life hanging in the balance. He looked to the left, trying to find Queen, only to see a sight he thought he’d never have to witness. She was dead.
He lost his breath thinking about it. There was always a risk to their business as phantom thieves. But seeing one of his teammates dead was different. He realized they hadn’t thought about it hard enough. Now, when they finish Yaldabaoth off, Akira’ll have to talk to Sae. She’d lost her father, mother, and now her little sister.
They had no healing left. He’d run out of energy during the battle, they’d used all their supplies, and both Makoto and Ann were… dispatched. But that didn’t matter. He had a job, a duty to fulfill. Maybe he was brushing off the pain, but in his mind, their victory was an inevitability.
He looked back to Joker, the focus radiating off the leader’s body. Joker had been through it all this fight. Shock from the first death, panic from the second, sorrow from the third, rage from the fourth, and now with Ann dead, suicidal determination. It almost looked like he’d lost his feeling and was fighting blindly.
He then looked to Skull, the only other remaining thief. It was ironic. They’d built such a grand team, but the original three found themselves as the only ones alive. Skull stood strong and powerful, never faltering within himself. Everyone had thrown away their mask during their year as a thief, but no one was as confident within themselves as Skull. He knew exactly who he was and loved it.
Focusing back on the God of Control he watched as it shot its gun at Joker, who dodged the bullet easily. The leader then countered, jumping at the demiurge, and landing multiple hits in seconds. He was in his element right now. Mona tried walking towards him but tumbled instead.
“Mona, you good?” he heard Skull shout. Trying to speak, Morgana couldn’t find his breath as his eyesight became increasingly blurry. As Skull waited for a response, they both shot their heads up at the sound of light arrows. Aimed at Ryuji, he jumped away, rolling towards Mona as the light arrows crashed into the ground, shaking the platform violently.
“I-I’m okay… we just have to finish this soon…” Morgana said weakly, trying to stand, but falling to his knees once again.
“Listen, Mona, we… we can’t lose another one. If you’re out, then please sit back…” Ryuji said solemnly. He promised Yusuke he’d pay for his dinner after the fight was over. He promised Ann he’d go for a gym session when this was over. He promised Akira they’d… relax.
“No, Ryuji… I- … I have to fight…” Morgana whispered, summoning all his strength in an attempt to get up. But before they could react, they saw one of Yaldabaoth’s arms coming their way at lethal speeds. Without enough time to dodge the attack, Ryuji put together all his durability and braced for impact. Unfortunately, Morgana wasn’t in the best shape to do so.
Everything after that was a blur. He saw flashes of Skull with a big gash that seemed to be bleeding at a rapid pace. He could barely make out the runner’s face. The last thing he saw was Joker looking over his shoulder toward him. A stray tear fell down his face as Morgana caught his devastated expression.
As his messy black hair rustled in the wind, everything went black.
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Apartment Complex
1:45 p.m.
“Mona…”
“Morgana.”
“MORGANA!” Akira yelled, his baritone voice reverberating around the room
“No…” Morgana whispered as Joker’s attempts continued to fall on deaf ears.
Then in a flash, Morgana ran down the hall.
“No, no, no…” Morgana kept repeating to himself, feeling tears peak through his eyes.
“Morgana wait!” Akira yelled as he ran after him.
Morgana continued running until he approached an open closet. At the center of the walk-in closet stood a comically large whiteboard. He stopped in his tracks before reading the title at the top.
“Rematch preparation…” he read, before gagging in disgust. This couldn’t be real. This whole time they were living a lie. They lost. They couldn’t beat Yaldabaoth. He gagged again at the thought. They failed but lived with the pride of heroes. Even worse, he… he should be...
He turned around to see Akira standing at the door frame. His expression mixed between remorse and… grief? They left him alone. Morgana immediately shifted his gaze away from the leader of the phantom thieves. Suddenly everything he believed was thrown in the garbage.
“Ak-“he stuttered at the name, feeling foreign to say, but natural from his voice. He struggled to finish the name. Probably the guilt. “Akira… what…” Morgana didn’t know how to ask his question.
“We… lost.” Akira muttered under his breath. It was quiet, but just loud enough for Morgana to hear. Akira leaned on the door frame, looking up as a puff of air escaped his lungs like he’d run a marathon.
“And I should be…”
The room became deathly quiet as the implication of Morgana’s words hung in the air. Morgana couldn’t take these unanswered questions anymore.
“Akira, I need you to be serious and answer the question. Am I supposed to be de-“
“That’s enough Morgana.” Akira said in a deathly tone. “That day we fought Yaldabaoth, you…” He stopped again, unable to finish his sentence. Morgana was tired of tap dancing around the conversation.
“Akira, did I die or not!”
Hearing Morgana say that sent Akira into a rush of emotions, the memory of that day burning his brain. He remembers how he died. He remembers seeing him lifeless. He remembers becoming hopeless at the sight of it, the phantom thieves being cut down to only a sum of two people.
He remembers feeling like there was no way out of this fight alive. How could he have hope when the embodiment of it was killed on his watch? He gripped his forehead remembering that day.
“Morgana, you have to understand that this is tough for me. Just-… give me a few days. I promise by Sunday you’ll have all the answers you need. Until then…” he thought of Futaba. Suddenly his fear of facing a phantom thief was back tenfold. He needed some rest and planning before starting back up again. “… I need to think a little to myself.”
“You know that’s not fair Akira!”
“Morgana, you have to understand-”
“I deserve to know Akira, y-you know that!”
“I know Morgana but… you need to give me a few days.”
“But-“
“That’s an order.” Akira said with a powerful enforcing tone. Akira immediately flinched back at his delivery, feeling he overstepped his boundaries. He let them die and he was talking back?
Just hearing that voice brought Morgana back to that year. But now, as his memories continued restoring one by one, his mind went back to Sae’s palace.
Monday, November 7th, 2016
Nijima’s Palace
“Joker I-I swear I can still fight; besides we only have a week a-and- “
“Enough Makoto, you’re done for the day,” Joker said while raising a finger to silence his lead strategist. He wasn’t going to risk a life for the sake of efficiency.
“But Joker…” Ryuji started, “you gotta think about this a bit harder man. We don’t have much time.”
“I concur. We should prioritize the treasure Joker.” Crow chimed in. The filthy bastard.
“Listen…” Haru started, “I think Joker is right… we could be putting Queen in danger if we keep her active.” She said with a concerned tone.
“Noir, Queen is one of our two main healers and I’m already a bit tired from healing her leg, we can’t just rely on me for the rest of the day!” Morgana argued.
Suddenly Yusuke started from his corner of the safe room, “Mona, Queen has a significant injury in her leg. Any more hits there and we could have permanent damage. I’m with Joker.”
“Listen Inari, I understand your concern, but if we’re following my scans, then we still have a good chunk to cover before we get to the treasure. I say Queen stays.”
Suddenly, everyone’s eyes darted to Ann, waiting for some input. “Well…” Ann started worriedly, “We are on a time crunch right now Joker. We might have to keep Makoto active for the day.” She finished as most of the people in the group were relieved by her response.
Ryuji pumped his fist in the air, a smile brightening on his face. “ALL RIGHT! That’s 6 to 2 in favour of her staying active!” Ryuji shouted enthusiastically as Makoto started getting up with a limp leg.
Suddenly, Makoto’s shoulder was grabbed by Joker, and he gently pushed her back into her seat. Everyone’s eyes darted to Joker, wondering what he was doing.
“Makoto rests for the day,” he ordered as he stared into his team with a look that gave no room for arguing. “That’s an order Makoto. Ryuji is gonna stay back and keep her company in the safe room. If any of you guys have arguments, come take it up with me.” He said as he left the safe room.
No one argued as they followed behind him. Joker always gave a fair vote, after all, they only went after targets if it was a unanimous ‘yes’. But when he spoke like that, you listened.
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Apartment Complex
1:57 p.m.
“M-My bad, Morgana I didn’t mean to come across as such an assho- “
“It’s okay Akira… I’ll… I’ll give you a few days.” Morgana muttered as he thought about the situation more. If things didn’t go right, and Akira was the only person to know, then he must have dealt with a lot.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, stop asking or I’ll change my mind!” Morgana shouted back.
“I promise Morgana, I’ll come by Leblanc on Sunday, and you’ll get the answers you want. Just give me some time.” Akira stated with confidence.
“Yeah, you better, or I swear Kurusu I will squeeze the- “
“All right, all right I get it. Come, let’s get to the train station so you can get back to… Futaba?” Akira questioned. He never actually learned whom Morgana was staying with.
“Yeah, I’ve been staying with Futaba, how’d you know?”
“Good guess” Akira replied, as he slipped on his white sneakers, leaving the apartment with Morgana walking ahead of him. Casual convo with a phantom thief. Who woulda thought?
Chariot: 0
Magician: 9.9
Lovers: 0
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 1
Empress: 0
Strength: 10
Notes:
Sorry for the super long delay on this chapter. Had some stuff going on, but don't think it's cause I don't wanna write this anymore. It's like one of the most entertaining things to do lol
Chapter Text
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Roppongi Streets
2:11 p.m.
Morgana and Akira walked through the streets; the air full of moisture from the on-off rain that’s been going on throughout the day. The sun shone through the clouds, the faded light hitting their face and reflecting off the wet ground. They were silent throughout the walk. What could they say?
For Akira, this was akin to being abducted by aliens and sent to another galaxy. What was even happening right now? Three days ago, he was living his same old mundane life, and now he’s just… walking next to Morgana? And having panic attacks again? More proof he needed a small break. Some time to think.
For Morgana though, he felt too many emotions. Everything felt so surreal. In just a matter of hours, his whole world was flipped upside down. He’d easily forgotten the most important person in his life. Left him alone and lived as a winner when he failed.
And the others. He couldn’t imagine how they’d feel having their reality destroyed like this. Look how far they’d gone, the heights they’d reached. But they forgot the guy who made it possible. Even thinking about where they’d be without Akira gave Morgana a headache.
But most of all, he should be dead. They should be dead. And he has no idea why they’re alive. They failed as a team, he saw Yusuke get stabbed by the arrow, Makoto get shot, Ann get mauled. But they were living with so much life that they couldn’t have died. So, was all of this just some afterlife, were they living fake lives, or was it something else entirely?
“Hey, Akira?” Morgana asked, looking up at the tall man.
“Yeah?”
“Is there anything you can tell me right now?” Morgana asked, his curiosity was getting the better of him, but he might as well ask.
“Yeah, I guess there is something I could tell you, but it’s all I can do for the day,” Akira said as he rubbed his chin in thought.
“What is it!?” Morgana said excitedly.
Suddenly Akira crouched down to Morgana’s level and scratched behind his ear.
“I missed you.”
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Yongen Jaya
3:05 p.m.
Futaba walked back to the house, sweat dripping from her forehead. She was finally able to take her break, but it wasn’t the work that had her sweating. Just good old overthinking.
From her little debacle with Kurusu-San, coupled with Morgana going missing, there was a lot on her mind.
It was weird interacting with someone like that, who wasn’t a phantom thief. Of course, she made connections at uni, but no real friends, and no one she could banter with at that level.
And that was probably what baffled her the most. It was only the first time she’d ever seen this guy in her life, and it felt like she knew him for an eternity. Everything felt natural, which in her opinion, only made what happened even freakier.
As Futaba sat, tired and deep in thought, Morgana appeared at the open window. While she continued to space out, Morgana found himself staring at her.
Just looking at her brought a wave of grief. He watched her die. Watched as all his teammates died. He could still hear her voice in the background of the fight. “Guys he seriously has his targets on me right now, I don’t know what to do!“ Morgana shivered at the memory of her panicked voice. She died that day. And he didn’t save her.
Having his memories back was weird. Everything he knew was different, but it’s almost like he doesn’t realize the difference until he thinks about it. He was so used to thinking they won, that the memory of Futaba’s death snuck up on him. He knew she was killed during the fight, but it’s like he didn’t properly consider it.
He stared at her hair, her glasses nearly falling off her face, the zoned-out expression making her look especially funny. But all he could do was frown at the sight. All of this was wrong.
"Hey, Futaba.”
“AHHHHHH!” Futaba screamed as Morgana suddenly appeared on the open window. “Why’d you scare me like that!? And where have you been!?” Futaba shouted, scolding Morgana, who seemed not to care.
“I was… on an important mission! Just…” Morgana paused before thinking back to that whiteboard. ‘Rematch preparation’ huh?
“You’ll see… eventually I guess…” Morgana mumbled.
“Well, that totally isn’t creepy and worrying at all…” Futaba replied as she rolled her eyes. “Look Mona, I’m fine with you going on a little side quest, but at least let me know in advance before you go on an adventure.” Futaba scolded. Morgana scoffed in response, annoyed that he was being treated like a child.
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. If that’s what you want, then I might be out for a little while on Sunday. Anyway, how was LeBlanc while I was out?” Morgana quickly finished, eager to change the topic.
“It was… interesting to say the least.”
“What was so ‘interesting’ as you so eloquently put it?”
“Shut up!”
“Alright, alright, what happened while I was gone?” Morgana said, holding a genuine smile as he talked to her. He… had a new appreciation for her presence.
“Well… “she thought before responding, “I met a guy and- “
“Oho Futaba! I didn’t know you were on the market! Better make sure boss doesn’t find out!”
“Shut up Mona! Let me tell my story!” she shouted, annoyed by the cat’s jokes. She hated when he was like this.
“Anyway… I met this guy while I was alone at Leblanc. He, uhh, helped me work for a bit before we started some small talk.”
Helped her at Leblanc… wait. As Morgana pondered more, he had a thought. Didn’t he find Akira in Yongen Jaya?
“Get this Morgana! We were just talking, and he said he liked cognitive psience!”
“WHAT!?” Morgana shouted as she finished her story. Definitely Akira.
“Woah Morgana, I know that’s surprising, but talk about a reaction…” Futaba replied, confused by Morgana’s outburst.
“Futaba… what did that guy look like?”
“Messy black hair, annoying smirk, pretty tall, why?” Futaba replied. Morgana just shook his head. Of course, it was him.
Just like it always was. It was Akira who helped Ryuji become proud of who he was. He saved Yusuke from his ‘sensei’, saved Makoto from her expectations, Haru from her circumstances, and Futaba from herself. And it was Akira who survived. It was always Akira.
"Just curious…” Morgana replied as he looked down, running the sequence of events through his head. Akira must’ve been leaving Leblanc when he found him. He looked up to see Futaba holding an unconvinced expression.
“Uhh I’m gonna go hang around Leblanc, I’ll see you when your break is done,” Morgana said before hastily making for the front door.
“Hey what was that about!? Morgana!?” Futaba shouted after him, but by then he was already gone.
“I didn’t even get to explain the story…” Futaba mumbled before slumping back into the couch cushions.
Friday, April 10th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
5:07 p.m.
Akira furiously dragged his dry-erase across the whiteboard, the squeaky sound of the ink on the board, echoing around the penthouse. He blinked the tiredness out of his eyes as he continued to update the board with new information.
He’d just undergone the most eventful day he’s experienced in damn near 8 years. And while many would think that called for rest, relaxation, and maybe a small touch of existential crisis, Akira didn’t even consider it.
With new breakthroughs and information, came more planning. He wasn’t just a man on a mission, no, he was a paranoid, traumatized man with way too much time on his hands, and way too many problems to tackle. And that naturally meant extreme planning.
The blank space between the names at the top and the months at the bottom remained blank. Well, except for the space under Futaba’s name. It was… a mess to say the least.
He sat back with a huff, letting go of some tension that built up in his shoulders.
“So… does she want to talk ‘cause she… hasn’t heard about cognitive psience in a while?” he asked himself. He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds longer before grunting out, “No… who the hell would wanna make a friend off obsession alone…” he paused, “Futaba would. AHH man!” he semi-yelled in frustration.
In his adrenaline rush, his thick-skulled, empty-headed, thoughtless self, decided not to ask the question, ‘Why?’. Stupid! He had a few theories of her interest of course. Curiosity could be it. Curiosity is more than enough to drive someone. As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat… let’s forget about cats for now.
Maybe it was for excitement? I mean she was working at Leblanc, so it’s not like she has her fair share of excitement in her day-to-day. That’s especially true since the other phantom thieves are out there excelling in their careers while she’s stuck away…
Wait… why was she working at Leblanc again? As the gears in his head started to turn, he started to develop a new theory. She is curious and in need of excitement. What if they both feed into her using her passion? What if she hasn’t immediately jumpstarted her career the way the others have because she feels she lost it? And she needs Akira to get it back?
Shooting his eyes back to the board, he darted his arm back up to write his new theories. But with little grip and such a fast motion, before he could reach the board, the marker had fumbled out of his hand. He sighed as he watched the marker lay on the ground. He could feel the bags in his eyes, their weight threatening to drag him down with the marker.
Against his own will, Akira falls to his side, the exhaustion getting revenge for being ignored the whole day. As his head lay on the couch cushions, he couldn’t find the strength to get back up. Before he knew it, he was asleep.
???
As he came to consciousness, the energy of his surroundings wrung around the air, emitting no sound, but somehow, easy to hear. Akira felt his eyes fully awake, fully conscious.
“Where…” Akira mumbled as he continued to inspect what was in front of him. Seven doors. And around the doors? Nothingness. An empty landscape of water and sky, with a light blue tint lighting up the landscape. Akira didn’t even realize he was standing on water, but when he felt the soles of his shoes, they were dry.
Looking back to the doors, five of them were barely visible, overflowing with thick chains. Not accessible, no room left for any wise ideas. Not only were they secure, but it also almost felt like they were over-secured, with more metal being used on chains to cover the doors than in the actual doors.
The other two doors were much different, however. One was slightly open, as a dark aura seeped out from the crack in its opening. The other was closed with a small, unlocked padlock hanging off its handle. A weak green light shone through the bottom of the door. While the others were made of metal, this one was made of wood.
Akira stood utterly lost for words. Seeing the doors was completely random, but staring at them had him overcome with emotions. Clenching his right fist, he fought against his thoughts and approached the wooden door. Picking up the padlock, he stared at it, noticing a word written on its back.
“Hermit…” Akira said, the word alone making his heart beat out of his chest. He bit down his fear and stuffed the padlock in his pocket. Staring into the wood’s complicated pattern, he sighed before gripping the door handle. He could see his hand shiver in terror, almost begging his mind to rethink its decision. But he wouldn’t.
Pulling the door open, he was greeted by Leblanc. But this wasn’t the Leblanc he’d seen today, no, this Leblanc was the one he lived in all those years ago. He could tell by the old furniture, the box T.V. that Sojiro still had sitting around. But at one of the bar stools sat a young Futaba.
“Hey Akira…” she said with recognition.
“Yo.” He replied naturally. He wasn’t going to say that. He didn’t want to say that. But it’s like he’s lost control of his body. Slowly but surely, he walked to the stool next to her and sat down.
“Frankly, I’m flattered you’re coming for me first… didn’t know if I’d ever have you back…” young Futaba said solemnly. All Akira could do was stare.
“But you need to understand something Akira… you’re worried about how I’ll react to the truth but… “
“But what?” Akira replied.
In an instant, young Futaba was gone, now replaced with the adult version of Futaba that lives today. Akira flinched back at the sudden transformation, his eyes widening.
“Before you worry about whether I’ll accept the truth, try to accept it yourself.” Current Futaba said with a sad smile.
“AHHHHHHHHH!” Akira screamed as he woke up from his dream. Shooting up from his position on the couch, he breathed heavily while coming to his senses. Looking down at his body, he found himself drowning in sweat, the events of the dream still jumbling his brain.
He could feel chills all over his body as he struggled to raise his arm and wipe the sweat off his forehead. After wiping his hand on a tissue, his eyes caught sight of the window. When he fell asleep it was sunset… but now the sun was rising. Picking up his phone, Akira gawked at the time and date.
Saturday, April 11th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
7:30 a.m.
So, he slept 14 hours? Realistically, he shouldn’t be surprised. He was rash yesterday, rushing through things with the mindset of, “get it over with” instead of, “am I ready?”.
He looked down to the floor, sadly smiling at the sight of his dry-erase marker lying on the ground. He’d overdone it, even he could see that, and that’s exactly why he asked Morgana to give him a few days. He was on a time crunch, so he’d have to do something today, but outside that, he needed to relax. He had a long, long journey ahead of him, so some days of relaxation before the emotional torture was probably for the best.
Suddenly a sharp pain took over his stomach, causing him to grab it in pain. That’s when he finally realized. When was the last time he ate? Or took a shower? Guess he knew what he needed to do today.
Take care of himself.
Saturday, April 11th, 2024
Leblanc
4:30 p.m.
Sunrays beamed through the front door window of Leblanc, illuminating Sayuri in its light. Its image was so majestic and powerful, yet also gentle. Sojiro smiled as he dusted the painting off gently, careful to not cause any damage. Seeing this thing brought his mind back to those kids.
They changed his life forever, but he wouldn’t admit it. At that point in his life, he figured he’d grown too old for any surprises, any miracles. And yet here he was years later, living the same life, but with a whole new perspective.
Anytime he saw one of them, they reminded him why he keeps going with this thing called life. Those Christmas parties are the best days of the year for him. Futaba had somehow managed to become friends with some real pure souls.
Just thinking about Futaba’s old condition made his throat tighten. She’s been fine for twice as long as she was a shut-in, but the thought of that period made him shudder. He’d be in their debt forever for deciding to help her, and he couldn’t wait for the next time one of them walked through those doors, though again, he’d never admit it. Almost as if the universe heard him, the bell for the door sounded, but it wasn’t one of the thieves.
“Hey boss,” Akira said with a smile on his face.
“Hey, your Futaba’s new friend, right?” Sojiro responded, with mild interest, but no recognition. It hurt, but Akira wouldn’t think about it too hard.
“Yeah, she here right now?” Akira asked, mainly not to seem weird. In reality, he’d been outside the café for about half an hour, waiting for her to leave so he could do something he couldn’t do yesterday. Restart his bond with Sojiro.
“No, she actually just went on her break. Unlucky kid.” Sojiro replied. Akira was holding in the pure emotion of being called ‘kid’ by Sojiro. It brought back so many memories.
“It’s fine, she told me your coffee is better anyway, and I wanted to try it myself.”
“Oh, did she? Well looks like I have some expectations to blow, hehe” Sojiro replied with a smirk. He’d barely talked to the kid, and yet he was already getting fond of him. Futaba sure has damn good taste in the friends she makes.
“What kind of coffee do you want kid?”
“Whatever you think is best,” Akira responded with a confident smirk.
“Heh, smartass” Sojiro muttered with a smirk of his own as he started brewing the coffee.
As Akira sat waiting for his coffee, he grew nostalgic at the man’s presence. Sitting in the warmth of Leblanc with Sojiro making coffee reminded him of those early morning breakfasts before school. He’d have to get some curry soon.
While Futaba made the coffee as if following a procedure, Sojiro made it with finesse. Just watching him brew the coffee made his hands itchy to do it himself. He watched as Sojiro poured the coffee out, and gently placed it in front of Akira. Akira found himself mesmerized by the dark brown surface. Raising the cup to his lips, he took a small sip.
The emotions hit him like a truck. He couldn’t take it. This coffee was bringing him back to a simpler time, a happier time. It’s been too long. He fought some tears back, before masking himself with a happy smirk.
“Well?” Sojiro asked. However, he wasn’t ready for the response he would receive.
“Strong aroma… rich… Jamaican blue mountain?” Akira asked with a knowing smile. Of course, he knew what beans he used. In fact, no matter what coffee beans Sojiro used, Akira would’ve been able to identify it just as easily.
“Well, do we have a coffee connoisseur on our hands?” Sojiro said with an impressed expression.
“Back in my hometown, I used to work in a coffee shop before moving into the city. Your coffee is on another level, but to be honest boss…” Akira stopped before a confident smirk ripped onto his face, “I think I could make something close to your level.”
“Oh really? You know, I don’t take challenges like that lightly.” Sojiro said with a small chuckle. He’d never give a stranger like this a chance with his ingredients, but he kinda liked this kid. Plus, he seems to know his stuff.
Sojiro stepped out from behind the counter and pointed his arm towards the kitchen, inviting Akira to show his skills. Akira got up with a smile and went to work.
The amount of nostalgia that ran through Akira was alarming, but he held it together to get the best product out. His plan meant he needed to get this right.
“Salvadoran Pacamara huh? Good choice kid” Sojiro said as he noticed the beans Akira was using. Realizing Akira had Sojiro’s attention, he decided to take a risk.
“Hey Boss, how about I offer you a deal…”
“You can offer it, but no promises I’ll listen…” Sojiro responded. Akira only replied with a small chuckle.
“If this coffee meets your standards, I get a part-time job here,” Akira said with confidence. Sojiro was taken aback, one by the confidence, but also by the deal itself. It was so out of nowhere, yet he wanted to consider it. Something about this kid just felt right.
“Alright kid, first serve me your coffee before you make deals like that,” Sojiro said with a small smirk.
Akira continued to make the coffee, enjoying the calm aura of the café during the noon hours. A few minutes later, a cup sat in front of Sojiro. He looked at it cautiously, analyzing its appearance before taking a sip. A lot of the time, you can tell whether someone has ever made a good cup just based on what it looks like.
It looked legit. In fact, it almost looked familiar. Sojiro felt a small smile climb onto his face. Ever since the phantom thieves, he’d become much more open to the idea of people. More optimistic. If this coffee was great, he sees no reason to reject the offer. The kid was respectful but had personality. It was his café, but he felt like he was being hosted, which means more than the common person would think.
After some deep analysis, Sojiro finally took a sip of the coffee. Akira waited patiently for a reaction. It had been literal years since he’d made coffee, especially on a dripper like this one. Suddenly, Sojiro’s eyes went wide, and after overcoming the shock, he looked at Akira with an impressed smile.
‘Bingo’ was all Akira could think.
“This coffee is impressive kid. I don’t know who taught you, but they sure knew their stuff. Before I… hire you,” Sojiro said, surprised he was even considering this deal, “I need to know why you’re asking for a job. You look Futaba’s age, probably even older. What does a guy like you want at a coffee shop like this?”
And there was the question Akira was expecting. It made no sense for a grown man like him to be asking for a job. He was still young, 24 years old, but not young enough to be asking for a job at a coffee shop.
“I did some other jobs and tried some other careers before. Long story short, they weren’t for me. But ever since I first learned how to make coffee, it always felt like a real passion. I could learn a lot from you, and maybe open my own place in the future.” Akira said. As he waited for Sojiro to reply, his heart beat out of his chest.
Sojiro sighed, knowing what he was about to do. There was no denying it at his age now. He was really a sucker.
“Alright kid, you can work here whenever you like. I’ll pay you hourly, but it’s mainly just a flexible position, nothing concrete. That sound good?” Sojiro replied, extending an arm out for a handshake.
Akira put all his willpower into repressing his excitement as he returned the handshake. All he could muster was an “I’m grateful for the opportunity”. Suddenly the world began to slow, and Akira felt satisfied with his job well done.
“With the rebirth of the Hierophant Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power…”
Sunday, April 12th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
9:04 a.m.
Akira sat on his couch eating cereal as the news played on the TV. After he finished breakfast, he had to pick up Morgana and update him on the situation. Morgana had no idea what happened after he died, and it wasn’t fair to leave him in the dark. For now, though, he’d relax.
Then again, he figured he’d spent plenty of time relaxing already. He’d spent practically all day yesterday relaxing before he went to restart his bond with Sojiro.
“Next up, crime rates skyrocket in the USA. While the unemployment rate has remained generally stable, the lack of new shelter and the hiked prices for property in the current real estate market means huge increases in homelessness. Cities like LA, New York, Chica-”
Akira turned off the TV as he got up from his seat. Putting the bowl in the dishwasher, he got changed into a white sweater and black jeans, before walking out of the apartment.
Sunday, April 12th, 2024
Yongen Jaya
9:52 a.m.
Today’s weather was almost summer-like. The sun shined, and the ground was dry, the previous moisture being evaporated. Akira basked in the sunlight, the burning feeling on his skin providing comfort from his stressful life.
As he walked down the streets towards Leblanc, he thought about the conversation he was about to have with Morgana. Reliving the battle, explaining how he won. Most of all, explaining the deal. It could go so many ways. Would Morgana feel pity, disappointment, or shame? Akira didn’t know, but to be honest, he wasn’t ready for any of those.
“Hey, Akira! Let’s get to the bottom of this right now!” Morgana shouted from an alley. As he walked out of the alley, Akira realized Mona must’ve figured that he wouldn’t want to encounter Futaba. Smart cat.
“Hey, Mona. I know the weather is beautiful but explaining this will be way easier at my apartment. Especially with the… whiteboard, it’ll be easier to explain things an-“
“And to plan the future right!?” Morgana interrupted excitedly. Only now did Akira think about it. Morgana must’ve realized the others still don’t know. He should’ve known Mona would be eager to help them remember, especially with how terrible it must’ve felt to know he was living a lie.
With Morgana’s high energy, and his own calm and chill demeanour, things felt a little like how they used to. He hopes it’d stay that way after he reveals everything.
“Yeah, plan as well. But first, you gotta know what’s going on. Now can we get going or what?”
“I was about to ask the same thing! I’ve been waiting all weekend for this! “
“…”
“…”
“So, are you gonna say it or not?” Morgana asked, slightly annoyed.
“Say what?” Akira asked, curious about what the cat was waiting for.
“That it’s showti- “
“Shut up”
Sunday, April 12th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
11:04 a.m.
As Akira poured himself a glass of water in the kitchen, he looked over his shoulder. Morgana was sitting on the kitchen table, staring at the whiteboard. He took a deep breath. Morgana was like a kid in a candy factory when it came to phantom thieving. It was safe to say he’d be high maintenance during this conversation.
As Akira walked back to the dinner table, he decided to speak up. “Hey, Morgana.”
“Yeah?”
“When I’m explaining something, please don’t interrupt me. I wanna get you caught up, but you’ll only delay it if you cut in between.”
“Alright, alright, I’m not some kid y’know.”
“You’re literally 8 years old,” Akira said with an amused tone.
And so, Akira explained what happened after Morgana was… dispatched. Ryuji being last, Yaldabaoth’s taunting, and him summoning Satanael. Then he explained the deal and well… Morgana was conflicted.
“Look Akira… I get why you took it… but you didn’t have to.” Morgana said with concern. He gave up everything for the lives of his teammates. While Morgana wanted to feel flattered, he felt more conflicted.
“Yes, I did Morgana. You have to realize something. I started the phantom thieves. I took you into that battle. I was responsible for your dea-“
“No, you weren’t! You have to get that out of your head Akira. Yaldabaoth killed us. Not you. If you don’t stop blaming yourself, you’ll never find peace.” Morgana finished, his scolding tone almost putting Akira in his place. Almost.
“Look, Mona, do you want to get caught up or not?” Akira said with an annoyed tone. He wasn’t in the mood for this conversation. That was for another time.
“Alright, alright… but still, the fact that we should be dead. The fact you gave up the victory for us. It means we can’t lose again.” Morgana said with a serious tone.
“Which is why I’m suddenly appearing again. But I’ll get to that later. Back to the story…” Akira said, transitioning back to the story. He explained waking up on Christmas day and finding everyone celebrating the “win”. He told him about avoiding everyone in his third year of school, and then blazing through uni. He explained losing himself, working himself to death, until there was no reason to work anymore.
“I know this is a lot to take in Mona, but it’s not your fault. I chose to live that life when I agreed to the deal.”
“How can you talk about all your struggles and then say that?! We abandoned you Akira! We should’ve won! Then you would’ve been fine! We should’ve been better!” Mona exclaimed.
“If only we were…” Akira responded, grabbing his messy black hair as his guilt rose to his chest. Not now.
Finally, Akira went over meeting with Lavenza and being tasked with reforging his bonds. After a long and gruesome conversation, he finally stood up and turned to the whiteboard.
“And now we’re here…” Akira said in finality. That conversation took a lot out of him.
“All these notes are on the others?”
“Yup. At the bottom is the schedule. W-What do you think?” Akira asked nervously. He never imagined showing his board of paranoia to someone else. Looked like something a crazy person in solitary confinement would draw if he was being honest.
“Makes a lot of sense, but there are way too many blank spaces. Hmm…” Morgana kept analyzing the board until, “Makoto, Haru and Ann?” Morgana asked as he turned his head to Akira.
“No idea how to get to them. Makoto would get suspicious of a random guy approaching someone of her position in the police. Haru is the CEO of one of the biggest fast-food companies in Japan. And Ann literally has maniacs as fans, so there’s no way I can just approach her. “Akira finished. Morgana continued to process the information, thinking on this new info.
“Hmm… yeah. If our friends weren’t so talented, this might be easier huh?” Morgana said with a smile as he looked up at Akira. Akira returned the smile without any effort. A real smile. Who woulda thought?
“To be honest Akira, I have no idea where to go with this. It’s obvious you’ve thought about this thoroughly. Nothing less than I’d expect from you” Morgana said thoughtfully. Morgana was more than enjoying Akira’s presence. It was like reuniting with a brother.
As they discussed the difficulty of approaching the others without suspicion, they decided to call it a day. They were getting nowhere and ultimately wasting time.
“Oh, by the way Morgana, I’m gonna come by Leblanc to hang out with Futaba later today. I need you to leave when I come around.”
“Why? I won’t say anything I swear!”
“It’s too risky Morgana. If I respond to something you say by accident, it literally blows my whole cover.”
“You have a good point. I’ll make sure to take a walk when you come around.” Morgana assured.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 0
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 1
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 1
Strength: 10
Notes:
The next chapter should come sooner than this one. Next time we really get into the meat and potatoes, no more prelude beginning stuff.
Chapter Text
Saturday, April 20th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
8:38 a.m.
He felt the crust in his eyes wrinkle as the bright sunbeams finally broke his sleep. His blinking started slowly as his mind regained its bearings.
It had been a full week. And no progress.
It frustrated Akira to no end. He went into Leblanc last Sunday with full intent to progress his bond with Futaba. But even though she was shocked by his employment at Leblanc, and even though he worked the whole day, nothing happened. And even though he repeated those long shifts every single day of the week, nothing happened.
Akira turned over, burying his face in his pillow. Maybe he was doing something wrong? Maybe he just needs to wait for the right moment?
Or maybe he lost his touch. Back in the phantom thieves’ days, this stuff came so naturally to him. Did he expect eight years of limited social interaction to not affect building a new bond? It sucked but it might be a reality he’ll have to accept. The wording of that phrase was ironic.
Finally forfeiting to the beaming sun, Akira sat upwards staring into the window on the left of him. His sleep was all over the place last weekend, so he tried to remedy the situation this last week, bringing it back to its uniform and healthy state.
A run is what he needs to focus his mind. He’ll call Boss later and let him know that he’ll work the evening shift today.
After freshening up, he heads to the kitchen, brushing his hand through his hair. For some reason, he thinks tea is appropriate for this morning.
Saturday, April 20th, 2024
Inokashira Park
10:27 a.m.
Akira breathed heavily on a bench in Inokashira Park. As he continued to heave in breaths, his eyes drew to the flowing river in front of him. The shallow current encapsulated his eyes, playing a small ballet on his senses as his breath started to come back. The sun caused the water to glimmer, with sparkles of light emitting from its surface.
Everything will be okay Akira. Everything won-… WILL be okay.
His trance was broken by the sound of a girl shrieking in the background. His head immediately snapped toward the noise. A girl standing against a tree, with a guy hovering over her. It was too far to make out an expression on either of their faces.
He immediately tensed. It’s not your business Akira. He sat in an unsteady state, his legs slightly shifting as if to move, yet no movement following it. He was stunned. He felt like he should do something, but what if he was misunderstanding the situation? What would happen if he acted on a misheard sound?
Suddenly, the guy grabbed her arm.
“HELP!”
The Trickster got up.
But Akira stopped him in hesitation.
The Trickster forced him forward.
But Akira pulled back in frustration.
The Trickster finally let up.
They stood for a moment.
Then Akira marched forward.
And the trickster followed.
Saturday, April 20th, 2024
Leblanc
6:00 p.m.
Akira took the last turn into the Leblanc alley. He felt today would be different. Because today, he learned that no matter how much he’d changed, he was still Akira.
“There you are…” Sojiro said with an exhausted expression. Seems he’d gotten used to Akira’s unrelenting service a bit too quickly. Akira glanced over to Futaba, who gave him a knowing smile. As he wordlessly put on his apron and stepped behind the counter, he looked around at the relatively empty café.
“Slow day?” Akira asked.
“Oh for sure!” Futaba said sarcastically. Akira just shot her a fake laugh, equalling out her sarcasm. After a few moments, Sojiro told them he was going to take a nap at home and he’ll be back at closing time, leaving a few moments later.
They stood in silence for a while. They were clearly both tired. For completely unrelated reasons, but exhausted nonetheless.
“So, Futaba…” Akira started. Futaba’s head slowly rose from its position watching the floor. “I know I’ve brought this up before, but really, what’s the deal with your degree? Studying for so long just to work here? You just like coffee more or something?” Akira asked, trying to muster up as much of an energetic expression as he could. Even he knew it wasn’t working.
“No dummy… “ Futaba tried to find her words before replying, “We all have reasons for our decisions. You keep asking me why I’m working here but you never explained anything about yourself either! Like, tell me, why are you even interested in cognitive psience.” She replied with mild indignation, knowing it was a failed attempt to change the topic.
In truth, becoming friends with Akira in the first place was so she could find the courage and passion to begin her career. And yet, she was so hesitant and scared to talk to Akira about this stuff at all. When you are in the middle of a process, it seems to flow so easily. Beginning that process is always the hardest part.
“I can tell you.” Akira responded with ease. He figured the best response was, to be honest. “I got interested because of the Phantom Thieves,” Akira said plainly.
“Wait… YOU…. WHAT?” Futaba said, completely taken aback. Talking about the phantom thieves with a non-phantom thief always made her uncomfortable.
“I was in high school when they took down a teacher at my school. As the thieves continued to rise, I continued to gain curiosity into how they were taking these guys down.” Akira stated, trying to make his story believable as possible. He could see Futaba getting uncomfortable before she spoke.
“Y-yeah I r-remember those days hehe… those phantom thieves were p-pretty bad guys am I r-right hehe…” she said with extreme awkwardness. Akira had to stifle a laugh at how bad her acting was.
“I actually think they were awesome!” Akira said emphatically. Futaba’s jaw dropped.
“R-Really?” she replied.
“Yeah, I loved them. So many shitty adults pretending to bring justice, but the phantom thieves actually brought it!” he continued with the same level of excitement. He inwardly smiled at his use of ‘shitty adults’, Ryuji’s colourful vocabulary still influencing him after all these years. Futaba’s eyes widened even more.
“I always wondered how they could have been doing what they did. The criminals just changed their minds? It led me to cognitive psience. So, there’s your story!” Akira finished, satisfied by Futaba’s surprised expression.
Futaba was being torn up. She stared at Akira, but she could see her mother. His black hair morphed into hers. She didn’t know why, but what he just said, his excitement about the phantom thieves, his curiosity. It made her heart pound. Eventually, her mother’s face stopped showing up and all she saw was Akira. And she smiled.
RANK UP!
HERMIT
LEVEL 2
Akira started smiling with her. For completely unrelated reasons, but smiling nonetheless.
Saturday, April 20th, 2024
Leblanc
10:01 p.m.
Akira walked out of Leblanc, hoodie pulled up. He made his way out of the alley, but instead of going towards the train station, he takes a turn into the laundromat.
“Any updates Joker” he hears a high-pitched voice say in the darkness.
“Some good progress. The wheel is starting to turn.” Akira says with a determined voice.
“Nice job. Just remember it’s a process. It may seem like a lot ahead of you, but you’ll have her back faster than you can keep up with. Be prepared.”
“Thanks Mona.” Akira says in acknowledgement before walking out of the laundromat.
Saturday, April 20th, 2024
Sakura House
11:54 p.m.
Futaba lay in her bed, tossing and turning. She couldn’t stop thinking about the things Akira said. All it did was remind her of the deal they made. She’d wanted to, “talk about cognitive psience” yet they had barely done so. And she knew it was her fault. After all, she’d been actively avoiding the topic.
But after their interaction today, she felt that before she could talk about cognitive psience, she needed to let Akira know why. He deserved to know. She could tell he had good intentions, and through the last week that she’d known him, he’d been more than patient with her.
So, it was decided. Next time they go down that path, she’ll let him know why she wanted to discuss cognitive psience with him in the first place. Her anxiety to start working. To open a new chapter. To leave behind familiarity. And her frustration at the fact that all the thiev- all of her friends had already done so. Actually, maybe she should just keep that hidden so she doesn’t slip up.
Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024
Akihabara
9:15 a.m.
It had been three days since the bond was strengthened and Akira found himself walking through the streets of Akihabara. Why? He figured a gift for Futaba would get her to open up a bit more. She’d been more reserved lately like she had something to say but didn’t know how to say it. As he approached different stores, he caught the electronic store which they used to visit when they were kids.
He walked into the store, hoping to find something worth getting her. It was hard shopping for her, considering the fact she knows far more about tech than he could ever hope to know. Regardless, he’d still try.
As he made it to the back of the store, his eyes slowly drifted to a corner. His memory flashed back to visiting this store with Futaba and Ryuji. He smiled fondly when he thought of Ryuji relaxing in that massage chair, Akira and Futaba amused by his expression.
But within seconds his memory flashed to him alone in front of Yaldabaoth. He didn’t want to think of the battle. He didn’t want to feel the guilt.
But he always did.
Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024
Leblanc
11:20 a.m.
Futaba and Akira stood behind the counter, staring out at the mostly empty café. Akira hadn’t given her the gift yet, deciding to wait for a better moment than early in the morning. He decided that since the café had calmed down (mainly due to kids and parents being at school and work), now was a good enough time. He cleared his throat, getting ready to speak.
“By the way Futaba, I got you a little gift.” Akira said nonchalantly. He looked towards the orange-haired girl, watching her get flustered. Akira then proceeded to turn to Sojiro before saying, “I’m gonna go on lunch break Boss. I’ll be back in thirty” before swiftly taking off his apron and walking out of the café.
It was a bold tactic, but if Akira knew anything about Futaba, it was that she was terribly curious. He figured it would only be a couple of minutes before she walked outside into the sunny streets of Yongen-Jaya, the curiosity forcing her to take her lunch break and catch Akira.
Just as he predicted, she walked out moments later. What he didn’t expect, was the sinking feeling in his chest as she stepped into the sunlight. This whole time he’d only been seeing her in the lighting of Leblanc. But seeing her orange hair glimmer in the intense sunlight. The slight reflection in her glasses as she looked around for him. It brought back painful memories.
He felt his breath hitch, but before going too deep, he forced himself back into a stoic calm. Her image right now reminded him of beach trips, and walking through Shibuya as her ‘key item’.
As her eyes finally found him, he felt like hiding inside his grey sweater, calling back to the days of Shido’s palace. Just before the failure.
She angrily stomped towards him, looking scarily similar to an angry cartoon character, before stopping in front of him and sticking a finger in his face. “Who do you think you are dropping a bomb on me and then just walking out!? I should banish you from Leblanc for that!” She exclaimed. He knew she wasn’t actually angry.
“You took your lunch break?” Akira replied smugly.
“Y-yes.” Futaba said, knowing full well her angry façade had fallen apart. Slowly, Akira reached into his backpack, pulling out a small poster. He smirked while unravelling it, revealing a bunch of Phoenix Ranger Featherman characters, splayed out in their iconic pose. He couldn’t beat her with tech, so maybe he could beat her with nostalgia?
Futaba’s eyes went wide, before snatching the poster out of Akira’s hands to analyze it. He watched with a smile as she traced her finger along different parts of the poster.
“This…” she started before taking a massive breath and shouting, “THIS IS AMAZING! I’M HANGING THIS UP RIGHT NOW!”. She then proceeded to break into a full sprint out of the Leblanc alley and towards her house. After the initial shock of her running and a little hesitation about going to the Sakura house, he decided to follow her.
She was faster than he thought she would be, but his constant exercise made it child’s play catching up to her. He stood behind her as she unlocked the door to the house. She looked behind at him, wanting to say something, but the excitement of the poster drew her eyes back to the door handle. She rushed inside, running up the stairs, while he gazed inside through the door.
Memories threatened to surface, but he quickly pushed them back before entering through the doorway. He made his way to the couch before sitting down, marvelling at the house as he walked through the hallways. After all these years, it kept its modest charm. He heard shuffling upstairs, and after what felt like ten minutes, he could hear footsteps coming down the stairs.
“Where did you- how did you know I liked Featherman!? Explain yourself!” Futaba shouted as she stepped off the last few stairs.
“I don’t know, I just came across it and had the feeling you’d like it.” He responded with a clumsy expression. A full explanation wasn’t needed.
“I-you what-…” Futaba tried to find words but ended up losing her breath, walking towards the couch and slumping into the seat next to Akira. Futaba felt pretty shitty right now. He’d given her a gift, and she’d still not opened up about her problem yet. After a few moments of catching her breath, seemingly tired from the sprint to her house, she opened her mouth to speak.
“Do you wanna know why I made that deal with you Akira?” she said calmly, avoiding his eyes. Akira inwardly pumped his fist. The gift worked in making her open up. He felt bad for guilt-tripping her into talking with him, but success meant he could barely care.
“If you're willing to tell me then I’m all ears.” He replied calmly, no longer holding a teasing, smug, or stoic expression. Instead, he held an open and earnest expression. It surprised Futaba for some reason, but she decided not to dwell on it. She wanted to be honest and get this out of the way.
He waited for a response, but it seemed that she wanted to calm her nerves first. They sat together, the dust particles in the air capturing his eyes. When her breath and heart rate was stable, she opened her mouth to speak.
“After finishing university, I knew what was next. Finding a job, starting a new chapter. But when I looked forward it looked so… so…”
“Daunting?” Akira finished her sentence for her. She smiled back at him solemnly before continuing.
“I’d lived my whole life in the backseat. Even when I made progress, it was only with the help of others. Now though, this chapter is something I take on alone. When I talked to you I felt like…” she stopped, hoping to find her words again, before continuing, “I felt like I could succeed. I could take this step. I felt that fire to research and discover again.” She finished, looking towards him with a small smile.
He looked back at her, with a happy expression before replying, “I’ll help you approach this next step Futaba. Even though it might look daunting now, I know you're more than capable of handling it.” he replies with conviction. With him finally understanding her problem, he felt a new drive beneath him.
Akira understood why progressing their bond was difficult. He was supposed to help her, not just to beat Yaldabaoth, but because he cared for her and wanted her to succeed. A new fire was lit under him. The fire to help.
“Thanks that… that means a lot.” Futaba said, quietly, but happily. Akira felt his arm, moving from its position on the couch.
He hesitated for a second, before continuing in his motion. Slowly but surely, he patted the top of Futaba’s head with a bright smile on his face.
RANK UP!
HERMIT
LEVEL 3
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 0
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 3
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 1
Strength: 10
Notes:
Lots of progress in this chapter, but I felt it was necessary since the bond hasn't gone anywhere since it was reforged. Anyway, now that I'm done my classes, I can focus on this a bit more, so chapters should be a bit more consistent. Hope you enjoyed.
Chapter 9: Cracks in the Glass
Summary:
More progress causes uncomfortable memories for Akira
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Tuesday, April 23rd, 2024
Leblanc
1:47 p.m.
Akira watched Futaba with mild interest, a warm expression written on his face. He was slowly getting used to being around a thief again, but it didn’t take away from the weirdness of his situation. Regardless, being around her made him happy.
For some reason, she seemed extremely excited today. He felt joy looking at her energized state. Regardless of the reason, seeing her like this made his heart feel warm. He walked to the kitchen with a dirty mug and started cleaning it while she watched their only customer get ready to leave the café. As he finished washing the cup and grabbed a paper towel to dry it, the customer left the restaurant.
Suddenly she burst into action, whipping her phone out of her pocket. Akira watched in curiosity as he continued to rub the mug with the towel. Futaba, seemingly noticing his curiosity, turned her head to him with a sheepish expression.
“Sorry, it’s my friend’s birthday, and I figured she’d be on lunch break right now. You don’t mind if I call her right?” Futaba asked. He confusedly nodded. Before he could say anything, she tapped the screen a couple more times, calling her friend and turning on the speaker phone. Her phone set down on the bar, she eagerly waited for her friend to pick up.
“Futaba?” Akira froze at the voice on the phone. He felt a shiver go up his spine as the realization of who was on the other end set in. Bullet wounds. He felt his vision go blurry and his breath catch. Makoto.
“Well, if it isn’t the birthday girl! Happy birthday Sergeant Nijima!” Futaba said with a massive grin.
“Thanks, Futaba. And I told you to stop calling me that!” Makoto scolded over the phone. Akira could feel himself slipping. He was caught off guard, and that was dangerous. He tried to regain his breath, but it caught again causing a weird noise to escape his throat. Futaba turned her head towards him in curiosity.
“Need some air” Akira blurted quickly before rushing out of the café. As the bell rang from his exit, Futaba was left confused.
“Futaba?” Makoto asked, confused by her silence. Futaba quickly refocused on the phone.
“It’s nothing” she replied. That was weird. Unfortunately, she was keeping Makoto waiting on the phone, and while she’d love to analyze what just happened, she also didn’t want to confuse Makoto further.
On the outside of the café, Akira leaned against a wall. His breathing was stable again, but the shock of it was still raw. Futaba’s words, ‘Happy birthday’ played through his head as a frown took over his face. Makoto turns 26.
Friday, April 26th, 2024
Leblanc
4:47 p.m.
Akira stood in the kitchen of Leblanc, stirring the curry pot slowly as his plan to help Futaba, and progress the bond, played through his head. It was obvious what needed to happen next. They needed to leave Leblanc for once. He winced remembering what had happened two days ago. He hoped they’d both forgotten about it by now, but on the inside, he knew that wasn’t the case.
Being stuck in the modest café wasn’t bad, in fact, it wasn’t unpleasant in the slightest. However, having them working during every interaction they have is restricting him from delving into her problems. He looked over to Futaba, who was taking a break, typing away at her computer in a booth. Having Sojiro as your boss meant stuff like this was barely contested. Akira smiled at the thought of the old man’s kindness.
He spent the last few nights in the café with Sojiro. Their bond was being built in a very similar manner to how it was built in 2016. Except this time, Sojiro was showing him some more advanced techniques.
Akira cleared his throat, sensing that there was no time like the present. The sound brought Futaba out of her computer-imposed trance. Her head turned to Akira with an extremely goofy, confused look on her face. Her glasses were one strong breeze away from falling off her head. The scene made him want to laugh, but he held it back for now.
“You think we could take the day off tomorrow?” Akira asked.
“Sojiro would probably allow it, why?” Futaba replied, leaning on one arm.
“I was thinking we could go out somewhere. I usually go to Inokashira Park when I need to clear my mind, so I was wondering if you wanted to join me.” Akira finished. There were certainly better places to go with Futaba. But they all seemed like weird places for a deep conversation.
He watched as Futaba shuffled in her seat, deep in thought about the request. She could obviously tell what he was trying to do, but she seemed to be pondering the request, nonetheless. Eventually, she turned her head back to Akira.
“Sure”
Saturday, April 27th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
9:15 a.m.
He yawned as he reached out to grab his milk carton. He’d fully fixed his sleep schedule by now, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t be tired in the morning. Taking the milk carton out of the fridge, he carefully poured it into his bowl of cereal. He could hear the news channel from the living room, the weatherman relaying his daily news as always. He was glad it would be sunny today.
After walking towards the couch in front of the TV and taking a seat, he gazed half-interested at the screen while eating his cereal. If he was being honest with himself, he couldn’t give less of a shit about what they were saying on the news. It was more of a routine to watch it rather than him being interested.
He looked to his left, out of the glass wall and into the bright morning sky. Things were looking up, no matter how much he tried to deny it. Morgana was practically beaming last night, ecstatic at Akira’s progress.
But on the inside, Akira could feel something creeping in. Like a slimy malice working its way into his heart. It was an unsettling feeling, but he knew what it was. The guilt, the shame, the memories. He’d ‘brush it off’ as long as he could, but he would have to face it eventually. He gazed up at the TV with an uninterested expression, watching as they transitioned into the part of the news he least cared about. Useless and meaningless celebrity news.
They were talking about some fashion show in America, which he could really care less about. As he scooped out some cereal and carefully moved the spoon toward his mouth, he continued to gaze at the screen.
Suddenly he froze. He watched as Ann Takamaki stylishly and confidently walked across the runway, flaunting some designer dress. He dropped the spoon back in its bowl and snatched the remote from the coffee table in front of him. Hesitating for a second, he punched the power button, watching as the screen went black. His eyes lingered on the screen for another second before he placed both the cereal and remote back on the coffee table.
He took a deep breath and proceeded to bury his face in his hands, his fingers tangling in between his curly hair. A perfectly good morning, ruined.
Saturday, April 27th, 2024
Sakura House
11:15 a.m.
Futaba stared at the mirror, gazing into her reflection. If she was being honest with herself, she really hadn’t hung out with someone one-on-one in almost a year. It was kind of sad, but when all your friends are doing bigger things than you, you can’t be surprised. The thought hurt, but she couldn’t deny its validity.
Hanging out with Kana was a complete no-go. Just like the thieves, she’d left Futaba in the dust. After finishing high school together, they went to separate universities. Kana found someone there and they eventually got married. Just a few months ago Futaba got a call from her about how she had a baby on the way. Futaba remembered the old days when she was helping Kana away from her abusive parents as the last tick on her promise list. Now Kana moved into a stage of her life that Futaba couldn’t even dream of. She was happy for her, but it only added to the sting of her failure.
Futaba wore a flashy green T-shirt and some black jeans. Overtop her t-shirt she wore a black, unzipped light jacket. Her hair was tied in her newly-signature messy bun, the orange as bright as ever.
She wouldn’t ever admit it, but she was nervous. For many reasons, but nervous, nonetheless. She was sure she and Akira were friends, but this was a real ‘friends’ type of event. And with someone outside the phantom thieves? That might be a first if she was being honest. All the connections she made at university were at most acquaintances.
It’d been three days since that weird moment on Makoto’s birthday. Akira didn’t know, but it was all Futaba had been thinking about lately. Such a weird reaction to something so random? She spent hours thinking it over, wondering what could have caused him to freeze up like that. He seriously looked like he’d seen a ghost.
It spurred something in her that she hadn’t felt in a while. The urge to discover and help. It was obvious that something was wrong with Akira. He had some problem that he wasn’t telling her, and she had to help him. Not only because he was her friend, but because she felt it was directly related to her problem. Being able to understand the people around her was directly related to her field. This was the kind of experience she needed before officially starting her career.
Whatever Akira was facing, she was going to help him. That much was certain. She heard the doorbell ring from downstairs, snapping her out of her thoughts. That was him.
Saturday, April 27th, 2024
Inokashira Park
12:45 p.m.
Futaba looked up at Akira as they silently walked through the peaceful park. The scenery around them was beautiful as usual. She remembers coming here often with Ann in the year after they beat Yaldabaoth. Now she was off doing big things in Los Angeles. It hurt to see how much her friends had surpassed her, but she never wished them anything but success. It just sucks to know you’re in last place.
Continuing to look at Akira, she analyzed his features. His messy, curly hair somehow carried a gentlemanly aesthetic. His face was calm and comforting. It made you want to confide in him, pour your heart out to him. But she wanted to know what was on the inside of that face. So calm, and so gentle, but what secrets and challenges does he face?
Akira seemed to have noticed her stare, turning his head towards her, and smiling. It was the most she’d ever got to analyze his smile. So comforting. She quickly averted her gaze, feeling as if she was caught red-handed. He chuckled in response.
He raised his arm up, motioning to the trees and scenery around them. “You feeling inspired yet? I know I already told you, but this place always helps me clear my mind.” Akira said.
“Not really. I mean it looks nice and all but that’s about it.” She said before looking back at Akira. His smile led her to continue talking, a sad expression spreading along her face, “I don’t know what to do Akira. I know you said you’ll help me but… it feels like I’m so far away from the key I’m looking for.” She finished before looking ahead of them again.
“You’ll find it eventually Futaba. It might take time, but patience is all we really need right?” He replied to comfort her concerns. Instead, she just crossed her arms in frustration.
“Yeah, well, it’s hard to be patient when your friends are leaving you behind.” She said in frustration. In an instant, she realized she’d slipped up. Now his attention was fully on her.
“Your friends?” Akira pressed for more information.
“Don’t worry about it, it’s nothing serious…” she said, brushing off her comment. He looked at her in hesitation but decided not to press further. They walked through the park in silence for a couple of minutes before stopping to sit on a bench. The same bench from his run a week ago. As they stared at the river in front of them, Akira decided to break the silence.
“You know, I understand how you feel.” He said, looking away from her face and towards the water.
“How so?” she replied quickly, trying to hide her excitement at him opening up. Akira thought he might have said too much, but there was no going back now. He could relate because he remembers how he felt in high school.
Every single member of the thieves knew what they wanted to do past high school except him. It made him feel inferior. He wouldn’t mention any thieves to Futaba, but he felt the main idea would be enough to satisfy her. He looked away from the river and back to Futaba.
“Back when I was in high sch-school…” His voice stopped, his breath seemingly taken from him, and his heart rate increased. Feeling his face freeze, he looked down and saw his hands shaking violently. Before he knew it, a memory flashed through his mind. He tried to stop it, but he couldn’t.
A memory from days before Yaldabaoth.
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2016
Shibuya Underground
8:57 p.m.
Akira watched his friends. Watched them smile and have fun. Watched as Yusuke and Futaba bickered. Watched as Ann led Ryuji and Haru to her infamous crepe place. He watched with happiness and pride, the worries of Shido far behind them.
He couldn’t believe it, but everything was all right. No, everything was amazing. They’d succeeded yes, but more than that, they were all happy. They left behind their burdens, fears, and chains, and were able to live free. It made his heart warm. He pulled his hand outside of his winter coat’s pocket, ruffling his hair with a smile on his face.
But suddenly, that satisfaction was gone. These days, his thoughts often forced him into an uncomfortable topic. The future.
Ann’s modelling career was starting to take off. She often gets recognized in the street these days. Yusuke was an incredible artist and it was only a matter of time before he was recognized worldwide. Haru has Okumura Foods, and Futaba is following in her mom’s footsteps. Even Ryuji had something with track, and regardless of whether he would run again, at least he had an interest.
Akira had nothing. He would be forced back into his small town away from Tokyo, with a criminal record, no future, no goals, and no interests. His friends all had beautiful futures ahead of them. He had nothing. And no matter how much he tried to hide it, he was scared.
He regained his smile when he noticed Makoto approaching him. Future Police Commissioner. His smile never faltered, but his mood shifted ever so slightly.
“You seem to be in a good mood,” Makoto said, a bright smile taking its place on her face. During this stressful year, it was often rare to see Makoto smile like that.
“How can I not be? Everyone’s so happy.” Akira replied, looking at his friends who were spread around the underground.
“We did a good job with this ‘phantom thieves’ thing huh?” she replied, the joy in her voice practically slapping him in the face.
“Hell yeah, we did.” He said with satisfaction. They stood for a moment, taking in the sight of their friends. Both never imagined being able to see a scene like this. The ‘stuck-up class president’ and the ‘violent criminal’ finding themselves a group of friends? Honestly, it was funny.
Akira looked back to Makoto and felt hesitance in his posture. Makoto was always reminding everyone to set up for their future. If there was anyone to confide in with his worries, it was her.
“Hey Makoto, can I tell you something?” Akira said, his expression going serious.
“Of course, you can.” She said, feeling slightly insulted that he would even ask. He waited a moment, trying to find the words.
“I’m scared,” he admitted quietly. Realizing that wasn’t enough, he continued, “Everyone has such bright futures, while I have… nothing. No passion, no future career, and a criminal record to boot.”
“What do you mean?” Makoto said, growing concerned.
“I’m saying that you guys each have a passion and a career to chase while I have nowhere to go once this phantom thief thing is over,” he confessed. He watched as Makoto reacted with the most incredulous look he’d ever seen.
“Akira, you do realize your amazing right?” she said almost too easily.
“W-what?” he replied, more flustered than he anticipated.
“Akira…” she started before taking a deep breath, “You built this whole operation. You saved us from our own problems and helped us when we didn’t even deserve it. You managed to lead this group through thick and thin, and somehow, we came out on top.” She scolded sternly.
“Yeah, I get it Makoto but- “
“What I’m trying to say Akira, is that whatever you end up doing in the future, I’m confident that you’ll succeed. Because what you did this last year was harder than any challenge you’ll face in the future. You just have to believe in yourself.” She finished, proud of her lecture. Akira felt comforted by her words, but it didn’t completely dispel his doubt. Regardless, he was thankful for her. He didn’t know where he’d be without her. Without any of them.
“Thanks, Makoto,” he said with a smile. She smiled back before preparing to speak again.
“Honestly, it’s pretty sad how little we express our care for each other. When we are phantom thieves, it’s all business, and when we’re not, it’s all teasing and joking.” She said, crossing her arms with a disappointed face. Suddenly, Akira felt a devilish grin cross his face. He stepped towards Makoto, before wrapping her in a massive bear hug. Instantly, she felt her cheeks go red at the gesture.
“That caring enough for you?” Akira said while restraining himself from bursting into laughter.
“More than enough” she muffled; her face buried in his grey jacket. Akira exploded in laughter. It took her a while, but she ended up joining in, laughing as she hugged him back.
Saturday, April 27th, 2024
Inokashira Park
1:01 p.m.
Akira gasped for air as he came back to his senses. He fell off the bench, dropping to his arms and knees, and coughing profusely.
It disgusted him. The happiness. The joy. It made him sick, and angry. To be so satisfied, so rolled up in their ‘victory’ while not knowing what came next. Hugging and cheering like a bunch of fools. Just two days later, her body was lifeless with a gunshot wound in her head.
“AKIRA!” Futaba shouts before jumping off the bench and next to him on the grass. She doesn’t know what to do, so she just pats him on the back.
Suddenly, Akira remembers exactly where he is right now. Did Futaba see his whole episode? How long was he in a trance?
Within moments, he focused himself into Joker. His fists clenched, his jaw tightened, and he fought for control of his body. He regained his breath and his bearings. He couldn’t let Futaba see him like this. Futaba seemed to sense that he was back to normal, as it looked like she was prepared to say something.
“What the hell was that!?” she shouted; way louder than Akira was anticipating.
“Nothing, nothing it was just- “
“That wasn’t nothing!”
“I-I know but- listen Futaba- “
“I’m listening,” she said, her hysteria gone in a flash. So quick, that it kind of startled Akira.
“I-I just remembered something that I wasn’t ready for. That’s It- “
“What did you remember?” she instantly replied. He sighed, knowing that was coming. He couldn’t blame her.
“I can’t tell you,” Akira responded, a deadpan expression taking over his face. Damage control.
“What do you mean you can’t tell me- “
“Futaba, I’ll tell you eventually, just… not right now. That okay?” he asked, hoping that she would spare him this one time. Futaba only crossed her arms in response. If that debacle on the phone with Makoto didn’t confirm it, what just happened just about did. There was something wrong with Akira.
But she knew he wouldn’t budge. She could see the determination in his eyes. It didn’t matter though, because solid confirmation of a problem was all she was hoping for today. She brought her hand up to her forehead, rubbing it as she felt a headache coming on.
“Fine. But know this Akira! Whether you tell me now or later, I’ll be ready to listen. But you have to be willing to tell me if you want me to help. How can you help me if I’m not able to help you?” she finished, a concerned expression written on her face. Akira was slightly taken aback by her mature response. She wasn’t a kid anymore, and neither was he.
“You’ll find out eventually just… not right now, okay?”
“All right, all right… but when you’re willing to share, I’ll be there for you.” She said, getting up from her spot on the grass, and brushing off her jeans. “You wanna get somethin’ to eat? I think we both need to take our minds off our… situations?” she said with a confusing tone. Without knowing what was bothering Akira, she really didn’t know what to call it.
Akira sighed for a second before getting up himself. He patted her head, faintly smiling for the first time since that memory.
“Sure.”
RANK UP!
HERMIT
LEVEL 4
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 0
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 4
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 3
Strength: 10
Notes:
Gonna stick to a more consistent schedule in the coming weeks, hopefully, every Sunday or Monday I should be able to get a chapter out, at least for the next month. Hope you enjoyed reading.
Chapter 10: The Third Eye
Summary:
The events of the past continue to bear down on Akira, but he has no time to waste
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Saturday, April 27th, 2024
Akira’s Apartment Building
7:48 p.m.
Akira felt jumpy the whole way home. He ran toward the elevator, but when he pressed the button, he saw something he really hoped he wouldn’t. His hand was shaking, and he needed to get to his room fast.
The longer he stayed in the elevator, the more uneasy he felt. He felt the world bearing down on him, and he couldn’t stop it.
What happened at the park left him damaged. The closer he was getting to Futaba, the rawer his guilt felt. The PTSD he was feeling was more vivid than he’d ever experienced, and it was evoking emotions that he’d kept hidden to himself for so long. Soon enough, he felt he’d be back in the same state he was on that fateful Christmas.
When he got to the door of his penthouse, he fumbled the keys while trying to unlock the door. His hands were getting more unsteady by the second. Eventually, he managed to unlock the door, which he swiftly opened. Flipping on the lights, he walked down the hall to the left, aiming for the closest bathroom.
He stood in the bathroom for a long time, begging his conscious to calm down. Occasionally he would look in the mirror, hoping for some closure in his reflection. But every time he did so, he flinched away. All he could think about was Futaba. Not her current form, no. The one he let die.
So scared and innocent to the untrained eye, yet so brash and forward when she opened up. Those long gaming sessions in the Leblanc attic and those journeys to Akihabara flashed through his mind.
And he let her die. Watched as Yaldabaoth picked her off when she was left open like a sitting duck. Her persona was reduced to dust after the explosion, leaving the world with not a single trace of her body.
He looked back in the mirror. He let that happen and did nothing to prevent it. He could’ve made adjustments, could’ve listened more keenly to her cries for help, could’ve done something, anything but he didn’t.
His fist clenched as he continued to stare at the image in the mirror. He felt his mind begging him to destroy what he saw reflecting back at him, the face of the person that destroyed his life.
But he didn’t have the strength to do it. He sighed dejectedly as he exited the bathroom. He’d get dinner and sleep early today. There was nothing else for him to do anyway.
Friday, October 14th, 2016
PRE-YALDABAOTH
Leblanc Attic
7:17 a.m.
Akira woke up with no fatigue in his eyes. Only the bitter feeling of failure. It’s been three days since Kunikazu Okumura was killed, “at the hands of the phantom thieves”. Three days since Haru lost her father after deciding to join the so-called ‘bringers of justice’. The name ‘phantom thieves’ now brought disgust to Akira’s heart.
And he was the leader. What a sick joke, getting himself involved in a game like this. He knew he should’ve just stayed down and kept to himself. But what else could he do? Leave Ryuji a loner, Ann a victim, and Yusuke a slave? He had no choice and he hated it.
And now look where it landed him. He knew he and the others didn’t kill Okumura. But it didn’t change the fact that they didn’t see the palace the whole way through. They retreated like fools while Okumura’s shadow was seemingly killed. They failed in the vital duty of making sure the target was left alive.
As he got up from his bed, he looked around his empty room. Morgana hadn’t been sleeping here recently, deciding Futaba would be the better choice. Good. He didn’t want to see any of them anyway. He picked his phone up from the table, seeing the daily notifications as usual.
“Akira u have to talk to us” the text from Ann read.
“The hells ur deal man!?” Ryuji’s text said. It made Akira even more angry.
“Akira, you cannot keep ignoring our texts. I understand why you may be feeling this way, but how can we move forward if you refuse to communicate with us?” Yusuke’s long and drawn-out text only made Akira even more annoyed.
All of them sitting around as if nothing happened. As if they didn’t have the blood of their friend’s father on their hands. He couldn’t bear to even look in the direction of Haru. He wouldn’t be surprised if she tried sabotaging the thieves from now on. “A bunch of murderers” is what she should be thinking.
He freshened up and changed into his school uniform, ready for another long day of avoiding the others. He knew what would happen if he decided to humour a conversation with one of them. He never let his temper get the best of him in the past, but right now his tongue was a ticking time bomb.
When he got to the bottom of the stairs, his face immediately shifted into a bitter expression at who was standing by the door. Futaba Sakura. He stalked towards the door, Futaba looking at him with a scared but opposing expression. She was here to confront him. When he reached the door, he looked down at her, making sure to let their height difference do the talking. After a moment passed, he walked past her and out the door.
What he heard behind him only made him angrier, Futaba’s footsteps indicating that she decided to follow him. Couldn’t she just mind her business and go home? As they walked out of the Leblanc alley, he heard her shout after him.
“Akira, wait up! You can’t ignore us forever!” she shouted at him. But he kept walking, furthering the distance between them and igniting her temper even further. “What the hell’s wrong with you!? You dick!” she shouted with finality, expecting him to continue to the train station. Unfortunately for her, Akira stopped and turned around. He slowly walked back to Futaba.
“Futaba, do you understand how much I want to disband the thieves right now?” Akira’s sudden shift in tone stunned her. His anger was continuously being replaced with venom every second that he continued approaching.
“Do you understand how much harder the team made this target? Morgana cries like a bitch, Ryuji has the maturity of a 10-year-old, and the rest of you idiots do nothing to help them make up.” He seethed, his finger pointing at her accusingly. Futaba felt herself shrinking. She had all the courage in the world this morning, but suddenly, being the person to confront Akira didn’t seem like the best idea.
“Tell me Futaba, did you make any effort to solve the team’s problems? Or did you just pass it off as, “Joker’s” duty? He is the leader after all, he should handle everything!” Akira accused, making Futaba feel even worse. Like she hadn’t tried.
“B-But Akira- “she tried stuttering out words, but Akira pressed on.
“All of those idiots we call teammates run around the palace like they’re forced to be with each other, and in the process, let the one person that’s innocent lose her father! And I’m their ‘leader’ when they all but ignored my concerns through this palace?” he questioned, his frustration reaching a fever pitch. Futaba felt a lump form in her throat. Akira’s pace quickened, and before he knew it, he was standing right in front of her.
“Why should I talk to them Futaba?! Give me one good reason!” he exploded, the resentment in his voice almost palpable. But when he stared into her eyes, his anger broke down like water crashing into a sandcastle.
Futaba wanted nothing more than to run to her room and hide herself away. Her role model was screaming in her face, blaming her and the others. She felt her whole body shivering, her stomach turning. Tears started streaming down her face as a whimper escaped her lips. Akira’s eyes went wide, knowing he’d made a bad mistake. Of all the people to blow up at, he chose the young and sensitive girl who’d just overcome being a shut-in.
He reached out his hand, trying to apologize, but before he could, she ran away towards her house, crying out as her eyes erupted like waterfalls.
Akira knew he’d gone too far. This whole palace was a mess, but even he knew the main problem. They’d gotten complacent, including him. For every other palace, they secured the area before escaping. But this time, the team felt more than eager to leave the palace and its problems behind without thinking twice about leaving the shadow exposed.
Sighing dejectedly, he turned back around, looking at the path to the Yongen-Jaya station. Now he felt like crying. What a jerk. Shouting at Futaba like it was her burden to bear. His stomach turned and a shaky frown replaced his ever-present scowl.
He was a joke of a leader, and now Futaba knew it too.
Sunday, April 28th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
8:12 a.m.
When Akira awoke in the morning, he immediately felt the dampness in his t-shirt. Somewhat delirious, he pressed his fingers to his forehead and felt the sweat from his nightmare.
While typical nightmares tended to wake you up, this one was a silent killer. No big bang, no massive explosion, just pure sadness. The worst part of it was that it actually happened. It wasn’t some false fairy tale meant to intensify his guilt. It was a true story.
He didn’t know why he suddenly felt so strongly about that moment. They literally made up the next day. An emotional conversation, yes, but it was water under the bridge in less than twenty-four hours.
That didn’t change how he was feeling though. He wanted to see Futaba right now. To make sure she didn’t hate him, she didn’t hold any resentment, and she didn’t look at him with disgust. He was past that moment for eight years and now suddenly it was the biggest problem in the world.
This had to be some sick side effect of their bond strengthening. He’d theorized it before, but as their bond got stronger his guilt did too. Regardless, it didn’t change the goal, and his annoying-ass emotions can’t get in the way of his progress. So, despite his soured mood, he would go to Leblanc. He was just too stubborn to say no.
Sunday, April 28th, 2024
Yongen-Jaya
12:12 p.m.
These nostalgic streets were becoming less nostalgic as the days passed. Akira stood staring into the streets as he leaned on the fence in front of Sojiro’s house. Every time he walked down this path, new memories would find themselves replacing the old. He didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing.
Regardless of whether back then or now, it was always beautiful. A peaceful corner in the chaos of Tokyo. The way the sun rays beamed between the buildings enhanced the small rustic feeling of the area. It truly felt like he and the residents here found a small paradise in this crazy city.
Akira closed his eyes, taking deep breaths. He was clocking in at 1:00 p.m. but he wanted to stick around the café early and keep Futaba and Sojiro company. That way he wouldn’t mess up any curry or coffee by getting distracted with memories. He’d break his self-imposed ice with Futaba now, and enjoy a chill shift afterwards.
He continued to focus, trying to enter a sort of Zen mode. As his breaths became slow and steady, and his mind began to clear, he opened his eyes. What he saw completely blind-sided him.
His third eye, the one that Yaldabaoth had given him, was back. He saw everything, the way that key points lit up while everything else went gray. Just as it came, it went, the beams from the sun retaking their home in Akira’s eyes.
This was bad. Yaldabaoth was on his way, and this felt like a scary reminder. He’d lost his third eye after that fated battle. Getting it back only meant destiny was approaching.
Akira stopped leaning on the gate and straightened his back. His focus was back, his conviction was surging, and he was more motivated than ever. This reminder did more than enough to snap him back to reality. He needed his navigator back, and he would get it done efficiently and effectively. The Joker way.
Sunday, April 28th, 2024
Leblanc
12:17 p.m.
Futaba stirred the curry carefully, her motion mimicking that of her father. A specific procedure was done in a specific way with a specific balance of passion and excellence. Sojiro looked over to his daughter, a proud expression on his face. She was a grown woman, and this was proof.
He remembered when she tried cooking curry back in high school. A huge mess with curry all over the kitchen was the result. But now she was grown, and mature, and this was just another day of work for her. Her form wasn’t of some insecure girl who needed babysitting, but a woman who put her all into whatever was thrown at her.
He couldn’t help but think this was beneath her though. So much genius and potential, a degree to get her started, and nothing to show for it. She feared leaving behind what was comfortable, and he wasn’t able to help her out of it. It was an annoyingly familiar situation for him.
She should be headlining breakthroughs, publishing research, and conducting high-level studies, diving deeper than her mother ever could. But instead, she was stirring curry in his café.
On the other hand, Sojiro was scared for his business. Aging sucked, but no matter how much you try to ignore it or deny it, it always made itself present. For Sojiro, he was reminded of his age every time he looked in the mirror. The grey hairs did more than enough to let everyone know just how old he was. With Futaba destined to follow her mother’s path, Sojiro had no one to take care of the café after he… retires.
As if on cue, the bell at the door rang, and in came the kid. Akira Kurusu. A lifeline sent by god, he presumed. Sojiro could see what the boy had done for Futaba. Her demeanour had changed, joy flowed through his shoulders and there was a pep in her step that he hadn’t seen before. She often stared toward the door, almost waiting for the moment that the kid would walk in. A friend was exactly what she needed, and Akira was there for her.
Futaba seemed to notice his entrance as well, pausing her cooking to look behind at the door and wave happily at Akira’s entrance. It brought a smile to his face. She quickly turned back around, refocusing on the curry.
“I thought you said you would clock in at 1. Are you so excited about work that you showed up early?” Sojiro said with a smug grin on his face. Akira only replied with a sarcastic fake laugh, but a smile took up his face, enjoying the old man’s joking. He looked over to Futaba, who turned off the fire on the stove, signifying that she’d finished the curry.
She turned around and walked to the bar before leaning on the bar with her arms, a bright smile on her face. The sight made Sojiro happy, and the face on Akira showed that he felt the same. Akira sat at the booth close to the staircase. He looked up to the bar and saw both Sakura’s staring at him, expecting an actual answer to Sojiro’s question.
“I decided to come in early and just chill around here with you guys. I’ll try not to distract you, but I don’t really have anywhere else to go.” He said, the last words coming out a bit sadder than he intended. He saw Futaba’s face morph into a frown, but before she could reply, Sojiro opened his mouth to speak.
“You can hang around with us all you want kid. We’re not gonna throw you out, plus I think Futaba’s taken quite the liking to you.” Sojiro said with that signature grin. A slight blush formed on Futaba’s cheeks out of embarrassment before she opened her own mouth to respond.
“Oh, so we’re gonna pretend like I’m alone in this? You look at him like he’s Leblanc’s chosen one! I wouldn’t be surprised if you started calling him ‘son’ soon!” Futaba exclaimed, her finger pointing at Sojiro accusingly. He only smiled in response, rubbing the back of his neck.
Akira sat for fifteen minutes, chatting with Futaba and Sojiro as they ran the café. Futaba often got distracted from the coffee, so enthralled in her banter with Akira. Sojiro watched contentedly, happy that regardless of the coffee being neglected, his daughter had found a new source of happiness. Looking over to the curry pot, he decided to treat them today.
“Futaba,” Sojiro said, interrupting her and Akira’s conversation. They both looked toward him, forgetting he was even there. “You can take a break and sit with Akira. I’ll serve you guys some lunch.” He stated. Futaba looked at him with a smile before taking off her apron and sitting at Akira’s booth. Akira looked out of the booth, trying to see any other customers. There was one, but they were on the complete other side of the café.
Rather than speaking to Futaba, Akira instead turned his head to Sojiro. “Hey Boss,” he called out, making Sojiro turn around surprised. “Did Futaba tell you about how she’s thinking about finding a job?” Akira said boldly. It wasn’t completely true, but he knew what Sojiro’s reaction would be. Akira turned his face back to Futaba, seeing her fumble at his words.
“Th-that’s not true-“ Futaba shouted before being cut off by Sojiro.
“Oh really?” he said in surprise before a smile took over his face. “Your mother would be proud. Whenever you’re ready to leave, just let me know.” He said, his eyes lingering on her with pride. After a moment passed, he turned back to the kitchen.
Futaba’s head immediately snapped back to Akira; a small blush visible on her face. Whether it was from anger or embarrassment he didn’t know. She leaned forward, indicating that she was going to whisper.
“What made you say that!?” she hissed, Akira snickering in response. He decided to whisper his response.
“Was I wrong?” he answered, causing her to pause. When she thought about it, he wasn’t. Comparing how she felt at the start of April, leaving Leblanc was far more enticing nowadays. Before she could respond, Sojiro came to their table with two plates of curry, ripping their attention away from the conversation. They ravaged their curry, destroying every spec of curry that was available on their plate. When they were near finished, Akira decided to spark some conversation back up.
“You know he’s happy to see you growing out of this place.” He said in a tone meant to sound quiet, but loud enough for Sojiro to hear. That way he could hear them talk, but think they were trying to keep it private. Futaba nodded, food still in her mouth. After swallowing it down, she replied with an understanding face.
“Yeah, I know… He’s always tried his best with me, even when I made it hard for him. But I guess that’s just what parents do huh?” she added, trying to lighten up her mood. Unfortunately, while it lightened her mood, it seemed to have dimmed Akira’s.
“I actually… don’t really know what parents are supposed to do…” Akira mumbled, his eyes staring at the ceiling as he leaned back against the cushion. Futaba’s eyes went wide and Sojiro turned around with a concerned expression.
“Y-You… wanna talk about it?” she stuttered. She waited for Akira to provide an answer, and a quick glance to the right let her know that Sojiro was too. Eventually, Akira looked back down with a smile.
“Not really.” He responded, that smile still holding on his face. Futaba only sighed in response. She was growing impatient with his constant reluctance to open up. Every time she felt close to uncovering a secret, to finding a way she could help, he closed it emphatically. She felt her fists clench underneath the table, her frustration continuing to build up.
Sojiro held a sad expression. Kids like him were far too common these days. Damn near all the phantom thieves had some sort of family issues, and it seemed Akira was the same. His reluctance to elaborate only furthered his worry, and his fatherly instincts were starting to kick in. It made no sense, but he worried for this kid like he was his own.
Regardless of their own circumstances, they worried for Akira.
RANK UP!
HERMIT
LEVEL 5
RANK UP!
HIEROPHANT
LEVEL 4
Akira noticed their looks and quickly moved to remedy it. But as soon as he opened his mouth, he heard a phone start ringing. He knew it wasn’t his, he barely got calls, so he looked to Futaba. Pulling the phone out of her pocket, she stared at the screen for a couple of seconds before mumbling, “Isn’t it almost midnight there…”. Noticing Akira’s stare, she quickly said, “Sorry, I have to take this,” before picking up the call.
“Hey Ann, what’s up-… hey, hey calm down…” Futaba said with a comforting voice. Akira was stunned by the name but was quickly brought out of it by the faint sound on the other side of the line. Crying.
“WHAT?! I-I’m sorry Ann, I-I should have gotten you a bodyguard or something, I-I’m such a bad manager, I…” Futaba was panicking, tears beginning to form in her eyes. Before Akira or Sojiro could do anything, Futaba stormed out of the café. As the bell to the door chimed at her exit, Akira and Sojiro were left staring at each other shocked.
Sunday, April 28th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
8:12 p.m.
Akira rushed into his apartment and slammed the door behind him. The apartment was bathed in darkness, the only light coming from outside the glass wall. He sprinted towards his living room and reached for the T.V. remote. He held the remote hesitantly for a moment before he turned on the T.V. and changed the channel to the news. And there it was. “Attempted Assault on Modelling Star Takamaki Ann”
Akira fell into the couch as he looked up at the screen in terror. The light from the T.V. illuminated his face, the rest of the apartment being slightly lit by the city lights on the outside.
“Reports from multiple American news sources confirm an attempted assault on Modelling sensation Takamaki Ann. Takamaki-San was reportedly going to attend the Lakers game on Monday night when the assailant approached her. After the aggressor made multiple inappropriate comments towards Takamaki-San, they grabbed her hand, threatening her. Fortunately, witnesses of the altercation stepped in, separating the assailant from the modelling sensation.”
Akira gawked at the report. Not again. She didn’t deserve this. He got out of his seat, staring at the screen in dismay. He remembered what Futaba said. ‘I’m such a bad manager’ was it? Instantly his mind shot to his computer. How had he not picked this up in his research?
Rushing to his kitchen table, he opened his laptop and did a quick search. The first result was all he needed to see to get his confirmation. A post on a forum dedicated to Ann talked about, “the mystery of her manager”. It’d been a while since Akira read English, but after a few minutes, it came back to him. The post talked about how she’d never talked or publicized anything about her management. Futaba being her manager sounded more and more plausible.
Thinking about Futaba, he suddenly felt sorrow. The girl didn’t come back after rushing out of the café, leaving Sojiro and Akira to manage Leblanc for the rest of the day. By the time 7:30 p.m. came around, Sojiro closed shop, his concern for Futaba forcing them both out of the café.
He’d go back tomorrow. He couldn’t be there for Ann right now, but at least he could be there for Futaba. She seemed to feel guilty about this situation, so he’d encourage her, and try his best to push her past it.
Until then, he knew exactly what he would be doing for the rest of the night. Trying to find as much information on Ann as possible.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 0
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 5
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 4
Strength: 10
Notes:
Hope you guys enjoyed this one, might be one of the longest chapters so far.
Chapter 11: Acceleration
Summary:
Progress with Futaba picks up
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Thursday, December 15th, 2016
Pre-Yaldabaoth
Leblanc Attic
2:05 p.m.
Akira exhaled, trying to relieve the pressure in his body. It was a few days from election day, the day that Shido would presumably confess. Even though they had already done this numerous times by now, those few days of limbo between finishing the palace, and the person’s confession, always made everyone anxious.
He thought about the future after Shido confesses, and after Christmas break is finished. He pictured every scenario, and overthought every decision he could make, and it always left him with nowhere to go. When he was first sent to Tokyo, he felt his life was over and he had no options. Now, even after finishing up the phantom thieves business, he can’t see himself anywhere but the same place that he started.
So, he lay in his bed, relishing in these few moments where he is allowed to do nothing. He sunk deeper into the mattress, enjoying the feeling of having his mind drawn away from the pressures of his reality. Unfortunately, he was brought out of his trance of relaxation when he heard some sounds coming from his couch.
There Futaba sat, an evil smile on her face as she unsurprisingly won whatever she was playing on her laptop. As Akira sat up sightly, she turned her head to him, still holding that evil smile.
“Aww, did I interrupt your little beauty nap Joker?” she said sarcastically, the win from her game clearly boosting her charisma. Akira only sighed in response before lying back down. Unfortunately for him, he was very much fully awake now.
He rose back up, looking at Futaba as she started another game on her laptop. Compared to Akira, she almost had too much waiting for her in the future. A genius mother whose footsteps she can follow. A new in-person high school journey, where she can start from complete scratch with a clean record. And most of all, an unparalleled brain to help her through it all. Futaba seemed to notice him staring, as she looked up from her laptop, giving him a confused stare.
“Sooo, are you gonna keep staring or will you say something?”
Monday, April 29th, 2024
Present Day
Laundromat
9:42 a.m.
Akira stood in the laundromat waiting for Morgana to show up. A good conversation with his right-hand cat was exactly what he needed. A black blur from outside the laundromat indicated that his feline partner had arrived.
“You hear about Ann?” Morgana asked, a downtrodden frown on his face. Akira closed his eyes and started massaging his temples in frustration.
“So, when you came over to my apartment, you decided not to let me know Futaba was Ann’s manager?!” Akira questioned, his annoyance getting the best of him. Morgana yelped in response.
“I’m sorry, it just slipped my mind!” Morgana shouted back, disturbed at his mistake. When Akira opened his eyes and saw the cat’s worry, his frustration melted away.
“It’s okay Mona, I get it. Just, try not to forget info like that from now on yeah?” Akira said, bending down to pet Morgana. “So, how’s Futaba?” Akira implored.
“Not good. She’s been guilt-tripping about what happened and she’s not listening to me when I try to calm her down.” Morgana said dejectedly until Akira replied almost immediately.
“I’ll handle it…” Akira whispered, scratching Morgana behind the ear.
“You know I got my third eye back? There’s only one logical explanation…” Akira said.
“Yaldabaoth… we just have to stay focused! One big push and we’ll have our navigator back.” Morgana exclaimed, his demeanour suddenly becoming determined. Akira was taken aback by his reaction. While the return of the third eye shook Akira, it seemed to only fuel Morgana’s determination.
“We’re getting close to recovering Futaba… I can feel it.” Akira asserted, continuing to scratch behind Morgana’s ear.
“It’s been hard talking to her y’know… every time I watch her move, I’m reminded about…” Morgana took a breath to collect himself before continuing, “It’s like watching a zombie.”. Akira only sighed in response. Suddenly his ears caught a sound, and he looked up. Morgana noticed the shift in Akira’s demeanour, looking up in curiosity.
Akira focused on his third eye, trying to find whatever caused the distraction. The last thing he needed was to be caught talking with a cat. He closed his eyes, and when he reopened them, everything was dark. A few footsteps away from the entrance of the laundromat was someone walking towards them with a basket of clothes. As his mind continued to focus deeper, he was able to get a better outline of their figure. Suddenly, his expression went extremely serious as he stared back down at Morgana.
“Futaba,” Akira whispered. Morgana knew exactly what that meant. Suddenly, Akira was squeezing Morgana’s cheeks. When he saw Futaba just outside the laundromat, he exclaimed loudly, “Aww, aren’t you just the cutest cat!”. Seeing Morgana’s annoyed expression almost made him snicker, but he held it in, continuing with their act.
Futaba walked into the laundromat looking like a complete mess. She wore a loose tank top and some sweatpants, and her hair flowed down past her shoulders, messy and discombobulated. It was obvious that she hadn’t slept very well last night.
When she took her first step into the laundromat, she froze at the sight in front of her. Morgana and… Akira? Did Akira find Morgana wandering and they just ended up… hanging out? It wasn’t often Morgana got along with a human he couldn’t speak with. But of all the people she’s ever met, getting along with Akira made more sense than not.
“H-Hey…” she said dejectedly, her mood clearly in a bad state. Akira looked up at her with a sad expression but thought a bit before responding. Futaba was Ann’s manager, but in her eyes, Akira didn’t know that. And judging by the research he did last night, both Ann and Futaba intended to keep her identity secret. The best way to approach this conversation was to talk to her like how a civilian might have heard the news.
“You heard the news about Takamaki-San? It’s all over my socials since she was part of my high school graduating class.” Akira said, trying to make his mention of the incident as natural as possible. Futaba hesitated in response, her demeanour becoming increasingly closed off, and her eyes staring at the floor.
“Y-yeah Ann is…” she hesitated before continuing, “a… friend of mine.” She said, her lips starting to quiver. Last night the phantom thieves chat was blowing up, texts from Ryuji, Haru and Makoto filled up the chat. Akira got up in response, picking up Morgana with him.
“Wait, for real?! Your friends with the biggest star to come out of Tokyo in the last decade?!” Akira said, feigning surprise as best he could. Expressing himself like that was always weird, seeing as he isn’t the most outgoing guy on the block.
“I can’t believe this could happen to her… have you heard from her since the reports?” Akira asked, trying to draw information from Futaba. The girl slowly nodded her head yes.
“You know Futaba, I used to have this friend back in high school…” Futaba’s head perked up, her attention caught by some new information on Akira’s life. “She lost someone important to her and felt guilty for it. She felt she had nowhere to go, so she shut herself in…” Akira muttered, his voice crawling down to almost a whisper.
But Futaba heard what he said, and she felt like crying again. Akira’s friend sounded just like her, and she hated it.
“W-Where are they now?” Futaba asked, her eyes showing some desperation for a good ending. Akira only smiled in response. As Morgana climbed onto his left shoulder, he continued.
“They’re doing great. A situation they felt was inescapable, was dealt with easily with the help of friends. I… don’t know what Takamaki-San is going through, but try to be there for her, okay?” Akira advised.
“B-But I don’t know how to help her! She’s all the way in America while I’m stuck here!” she exclaimed, her expression pleading. Akira only nodded with a sad smile on his face.
“Talk to her, try to understand what she’s going through, and help her from there. That sound good?” he advised, causing Futaba to nod in response. He smiled at her before approaching and enveloping her in a hug. She hesitated for a second but hugged back. Morgana jumped down from Akira’s shoulder and hugged Futaba’s leg. The comfort of the moment caused tears to shed, and she melted into Akira’s chest as her emotions got the best of her.
She understood what he meant, and she planned to talk to Ann, comfort her over the phone, and be there for her. This was who she was. This was why she did her research. It was why she was part of the phantom thieves, why she fought against Yaldabaoth. To help people.
…”
RANK UP!
HERMIT
LEVEL 6…
The world stayed paused a little longer before…
LEVEL 7!
Akira smiled. Progress was accelerating to a speed far past his original year in Tokyo, to the point that she levelled twice in one instance. He didn’t even know that was possible. But then again, Morgana levelled from 0 to 10 in an instant.
They stood for a while, Futaba taking comfort in someone else for the first time in… years. It was nice knowing she had a friend with her during this. It was only twenty days ago that he first stumbled into Leblanc, but now he might be her closest companion with none of the thieves here to be with her.
Monday, April 29th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
8:41 p.m.
He poked at the food in front of him with his fork, his eyes glazing across his large apartment. Throughout his eight-year mindless grind of working morning till night, he never once stopped to look around at the fruits of his labour. Now it often occurred to him how blessed he was in the lifestyle he earned. A lot of people work just as hard as him, but fate prevents them from success. Akira was lucky enough to get what so many others deserved.
His penthouse had anything a guy could ask for. He glanced over at the cheque he’d received a couple of days ago, hundreds of thousands in royalties from successful businesses he’d invested in and helped build. He didn’t even remember the work, his memory of the grind blending. Regardless, he didn’t need it, so he donated most of it to charity because he damn sure knew that others needed it more than him.
He picked up some rice and chicken with his fork and took a bite, his mind calming. It was annoying to admit, but reconnecting with a thief was doing wonders for his mental state. He was far from stable, but it’s been years since he relaxed. Now his mind would calm without him even noticing.
Unfortunately, however, things weren’t going too well with Futaba. Even though he and Morgana felt they did a good job in comforting her, it had a negative side effect. For the rest of the day, Futaba constantly glanced over at Akira or watched him from afar, as if she was analyzing his every move.
It seemed that Ann’s incident had put the safety of her friends as her top priority. Unfortunately for Akira, he was the only one of her friends within reaching distance, resulting in hyperfocus on his problems. And while he loved Futaba, he didn’t feel ready to reveal anything to her. The last time he did so was with Morgana, and that was far from smooth.
Regardless of her curiosity, Akira would reveal all at his own pace, or if he could, not reveal anything until after she remembered the past. He didn’t need to force anything considering he was ahead of the schedule on his whiteboard.
Friday, May 3rd, 2024
Yongen Jaya
9:28 a.m.
Futaba leaned against the wall in the Leblanc alley. Her sweater ruffled in the wind as she looked into the clear sky.
These days, her mind didn’t go into autopilot like it often did since she graduated. When she had daydreams, they were constructive, thought-provoking, and far healthier. She’d often think about the studies she would conduct, the questions she’d answer, stuff that would make her mother proud. Just a few months ago she would’ve paid to never have to think about real work. Now it seemed more exciting.
She knew it was because of Akira. With her all her friends busy, and Sojiro being oh-so patient with her, she’d become far too comfortable doing nothing all day. Then came Akira, someone who encouraged her, and pushed her to be the best version of herself, taking time out of his day to guide her into adulthood.
She hadn’t felt that kind of trust with someone other than the thieves. And after so many years, it felt weird to care about someone new, who she’d only known for less than a month no less.
But lately, everything had been feeling off. When she saw him, there was an unsettling feeling in her stomach. Like she was missing something. Like everything looked normal, but wrong at the same time.
Wednesday, May 8th, 2024
Leblanc
1:22 p.m.
Akira and Futaba stood behind the counter with Morgana sitting by the window. This point of the day was the time when people were least likely to enter the café. Because of that, Akira decided it was time to make some sort of move. It had been a week and a half since the last progression he’d had with Futaba. And while he’d been able to progress his bond with Sojiro, Futaba stayed the same.
Things had been weird with her. Sometimes he’d glance over at her, and she’d give him a weird look. Sometimes an uneasy smile, sometimes straight-up distress. He didn’t know if this was linked with Ann’s situation, or if this was something entirely different.
He shouldn’t be surprised that progress had slowed. The last levels of his confidants were always the hardest to progress. To go further with Futaba, he’d have to take a risk. And so, yesterday he went to the drawing board with Morgana.
Akira asserted that he didn’t want to reveal anything about himself. Morgana was very suggestive of doing so, but Akira wasn’t budging. And so, they looked at Futaba. She’d revealed practically everything about her new life. But she hadn’t talked about her childhood. It was understandable, and it explained a lot about why they were stuck. They needed to push her for some backstory.
But which part? Of all the phantom thieves, Futaba arguably has the most… complicated history. Poking the wrong places can undo most of Akira’s progress. So where does he aim?
Her shut-in situation is an absolute no. Asking about her mom was an option, and Futaba would probably open up, but it would eventually lead to a conversation about the phantom thieves, which she wouldn’t open up about so casually. Which directly leads to what they decided on. Asking her about the phantom thieves. Getting her to admit she was a part of it.
Unfortunately, doing so made Akira very nervous. Things were going smoothly, but the deepest part of him was afraid of what she’d go through once they had this conversation. It felt almost like the last straw before he entered the endgame. Before she started being haunted by the truth.
He cleared his throat, but still found himself struggling to say something. Hearing the noise, Futaba turned her head to look at him. She seemed startled at his worried face. It wasn’t often that she saw Akira so… unconfident. It reminded her of the day they met; he had walked in so nervous, but things changed once he sat down.
“Hey Futaba… were you in the phantom thieves?” he blurted out. He immediately felt his stomach drop. What the hell did he just do?! Futaba’s eyes went so wide that they looked like they were about to pop out, and the sound of Morgana’s facepalm was so loud it almost sounded like a high-five.
“W-W-W-WHAT?!” Futaba screamed. Akira could see his grave already dug, and he was more than excited to dive in right now. Unfortunately, there was no way out of this, so he had to play with the situation he put himself in.
“I mean… it felt pretty obvious that you were, I just wanted to confirm-“
“W-What do you mean?! D-Do I look like I was a phantom thief?!” she said, ending her statement with a laugh as if he was joking. The unimpressed faces on both Morgana and Akira said there was no way out of this.
“H-How did you know?!” she questioned. From Futaba’s perspective, Akira was already convinced so she decided interrogation was the next best thing. Because how in the fucking WORLD did Akira figure out that she was a phantom thief???
“Your cat looks kinda like the symbol that the old thieves used for that announcement they did when they exposed Shido. Also, you look just like one of the figures in that announcement. The only reason I suspected it was because, when we first met, you only wanted to talk to me after I said I love the thieves, so-“
“How the hell is that enough to guess I was a damn phantom thief!?”
“Well, to be honest, I put all that together and just made an educated guess. Then you screamed and immediately confirmed my suspicion.” Akira finished, trying to suppress a giggle at her reaction, but failing. That resulted in a well-earned punch to his arm.
Suddenly she threw off her apron and walked towards the door. She looked back at Akira before saying “I’ll uhh be back in a second” and walking out.
Akira stood there to gather himself for a couple of seconds, before looking to Morgana.
“Well, that probably could have gone better.”
Morgana only sighed in response.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 0
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 7
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 8
Strength: 10
Notes:
Took me a while, but I finally got to it! I got to a little bit of writer's block in terms of how I wanted to approach Futaba's arc. Chapters will probably be pretty spaced out until the summer when I'll be able to write more often. Also I decided to make a formatting change, and get rid of all the indenting, so it should look cleaner overall. Thanks for reading.
Chapter 12: Visions I
Summary:
As Akira approaches Rank 10, drastic decisions are made, and the past affects the present.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Wednesday, May 8th, 2024
Leblanc
5:28 p.m.
It had been four hours since Futaba walked out. Shortly after Akira got a text from her, telling him to swing by her house at 5:30. She’d already texted Sojiro, asking him to cover the café alone at that time. That way, she could talk to Akira in private.
Akira stood in silence, pondering all the possible directions this conversation could go. The most likely outcome is that she’d, “Come clean” about her past. Even though he’s sure she’s proud to be a thief, Japan’s opinion on the phantom thieves has always been polarized. She’d heard him side with the thieves in conversation before, but a “normal person” finding out her identity as a thief was still bound to cause her some disarray.
Of course, there was always the possibility she would scream at him and tell him to never talk to her again. But his reasoning had gotten better in the last month, so he doubted something like that would happen. He was still an anxiety-driven maniac, but he wasn’t as delusional as when he first started repairing their bond. The effect she had on his mental health this last month was drastic, no matter how he looked at it. Still a long, long way to go, but she gave him a good start.
Akira turned, seeing Sojiro enter the café. He greeted the man with a wave and a smirk, before exiting. His legs moved with pace as he hastened his walking speed. The signature breeze running through Yongen-Jaya blew his hair in the wind, a sensation he was starting to get used to again. So many memories down these comfy streets. He remembered those long walks with Takemi, the sun shining off their dark hair. He’d have to visit her eventually.
He opened the unlocked door and observed the corridor of the house. His mind flashed to the day he first met Futaba. When she crawled down the stairs and scared Makoto so badly that it probably took a couple of years off her life. A funny memory, that made a lump form in his throat. The emotions of the past made him pause, but he steeled himself and moved forward. He saw Futaba sitting there, twiddling her thumbs. He had to suppress a laugh from surfacing at the display. It seemed he was correct in his prediction. He sat down on the couch and waited for Futaba to speak.
Her voice came out scratchy, “So… where do I start?” she said dejectedly.
Akira laughed before saying, “It’s okay Futaba, you can relax. You don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to. I think it’s pretty cool that you were a phantom thief!” he exclaimed. It was so weird saying that, knowing he was the mastermind behind it. She looked slightly relieved, but her face stayed serious.
“No, I should… I trust you, and want to tell you about this, if you’ll listen” she replied, her face becoming determined. While she was comforted that Akira was cool with her past career, she wanted to explain why she was a thief. What it meant to be a thief. How they saved her. Why she did what she did.
That last part always got to her. She’d never forget the way they failed Haru, the way that their ignorance made her lose her father. And to a normal person like Akira, it must’ve looked like the thieves committed straight-up murder.
Regardless, she was excited to retell the story of the phantom thieves.
“We have a lot to go over!” she exclaimed, the excitement in her voice front and center. Akira laughed, realizing that talking about the phantom thieves probably felt like talking about her greatest days. The phantom thieves were her pride and joy.
Wednesday, May 8th, 2024
Sakura Residence
9:06 p.m.
“Watching that Shido broadcast was soooo satisfying!” Futaba exclaimed, Akira nodding with a smile on his face. Oh, he knew how satisfying that broadcast was. Over the last three hours, Futaba recounted her days as a phantom thief, the good, the bad, and the ugly, stuff that wouldn’t have shown up in Mishima’s documentary. Even though she was only 23, she sounded a lot like an old granny recounting her best days. This was probably the first time that Akira had thought back on his days as a thief, and not felt like throwing up from guilt. She didn’t know that of course, but it was weird to think about.
She’d left out the identities of other thieves, but other than that, she was extensive with her explanation. He smiled at that thought. It was clear that he’d progressed his bond with Futaba far enough to where she truly trusted him with her story as a thief.
RANK UP!
HERMIT
LEVEL 8…
Akira was happy to finally feel some progress, but unfortunately, he knew which part of the story Futaba was approaching. Yaldabaoth. He wasn’t ready to hear what she had to say. He couldn’t bear hearing about the good ending. Unfortunately, Futaba was already beginning that part.
“So, this next part is the CRAZIEST part! After Shido we-“ Futaba started excitedly before Akira interrupted.
“Actually Futaba, it’s getting late, and I don’t want to miss the train. You fine if we finish the conversation another time?” he asked abruptly. It caught Futaba off-guard, but she didn’t protest, understanding how long they’d been talking.
“Yeah, that should be fine! But we are finishing the story one of these days!” Futaba asserted. He smiled, but on the inside Akira already decided he was going to dodge that conversation topic as best he could.
They said their goodbyes, a new level of trust between them before Akira left the house. He looked up into the sky, noting that the stars were out tonight. It wasn’t often he could see them because of the city’s light pollution.
As Akira walked towards the station, he smiled thinking back at the way Futaba lit up when talking about the phantom thieves. But the back of his head felt guilty. Guilty for making her open up about it when he’s never told her a damn thing about himself. Always shrugging her off when she deserves to know about her friend.
The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. She’d really tried to help remedy his problems, but he always let her down and always changed the topic. Meanwhile, he was blurting out her deepest secrets, essentially forcing her to talk about them. He was starting to think… maybe Morgana was right. Maybe he needed to open up a bit.
He grunted in frustration. He’ll deal with it later.
Thursday, May 9th, 2024
Sakura Residence
3:57 a.m.
Moonlight shone through the window, illuminating Futaba’s bright orange hair. She was asleep, but that wouldn’t be for long. Her eyes were twitching, and her hands, trembling.
She saw bright, blinding flashes. A beautiful sunset, a platinum monster, black hair, and devilish energy. She saw fire and pigtails, a motorcycle and a revolver. The images were fleeting, but painful, almost like they were attacking her senses.
But the images were getting increasingly disturbing. Increasingly wrong. Futaba’s heart rate was increasing faster than ever, the images continuing their onslaught on her senses. She saw blue hair being thrown in the air. She saw red liquid leaking out of someone’s arm. She heard a scream, and then a blinding flash. And then she saw Noir in a pool of blood.
“AHHHHHH!!” Futaba screamed as she darted up, her nightmare forcing her awake. Her eyes were wide, and her breaths were panicked. Her shivering hands reached out, grabbing the water bottle on the desk next to her and taking a few unsteady sips.
She was awake for a while after, slow tears running down her face as she tried to collect herself. She had no idea what kind of demonic nightmare that was, or why she had it. But whatever it was, it sure was effective.
She looked over at her phone, her breath still ragged. She hesitated, but her dire need to make sure Haru was okay trumped her concern about calling so late in the night. Quickly grabbing it, she dialled her number and waited as it rang.
*Brrrt*
*Brrrt*
*Brr-*
“Futaba-chan?” Haru yawned, clearly being woken by Futaba’s call. “I always appreciate a call Futaba-chan, but isn’t it a bit late?” Haru said, tired like anyone would be, but caring as usual.
“H-Hey Haru. Is… is it okay if we talk for a bit” Futaba whimpered. She wanted to hear her voice. Feel comfort that her friend was okay. Because that nightmare felt far too vivid. Far too real. Haru was shocked at Futaba’s tone, her face softening, and her mind waking up. She hadn’t heard Futaba upset like this in a long time.
“Of course, Futaba-chan…” she comforted, her gentle voice immediately calming the orange-haired girl down.
Thursday, May 9th, 2024
Sakura Residence
4:04 a.m.
Akira heaved as he laid his forehead on the glass of his apartment. He was used to these nightmares, but this one was always a bit personal. Forced to relive the death of his rival. His reflection. Goro Akechi.
They weren’t friends. They didn’t like each other all that much if he was being honest. But they understood each other better than anyone else could. The bitterness of wanting revenge. The feeling of resentment when everything is going wrong and there’s nothing you can do about it. Both wanted a release, to lash out and force the world to bend to their will. One chose to do so with justice, while the other chose chaos.
So, watching him die. Watching Akechi so weak, so defeated. Watching as he sacrificed his life for the thieves, and knowing they lost to Yaldabaoth anyway, affected Akira more than it should have for someone he didn’t get along with. It was a memory he’d relived in his sleep many times, but it never became less effective in hitting his emotions.
Akira’s eyes flashed to a lone tree in a big grassy field. He decided it was time to pay that tree a visit, it being a few years since he checked up on it. And he knew who he’d have to bring along with him. Unlike his previous trips, he couldn’t go alone.
He’d kept Futaba in the dark about his life for too long. And through it all, she was always willing to be there for him, never losing her patience. He couldn’t keep leaving her out to dry.
She’d revealed some of her biggest secrets and bared her heart to him and yet he always pushed her away when she wanted to be there for him. This was about more than just levelling a confidant. She deserved to know about him as his friend. And he should be willing to trust her and open up to her as her friend. He couldn’t push her away from his problems anymore.
He moved away from the window and grabbed his phone off the table. He texted Futaba some plans for the weekend and went to the bathroom to get ready for the day. He wouldn’t be able to sleep again, even if he tried.
Saturday, July 25th, 2017 (7 Years Ago)
Post-Yaldabaoth
Inaba
11:47 p.m.
Grass flowed with the nighttime wind. His breath came out steady as he bent down, a stone in his hand. He gently placed it at the bottom of a lone tree, leaning it up firmly. The stone had the words, “Rest in Peace” poorly carved into it. He reached into his bag and pulled out a couple of maroon tulips, placing them next to the gravestone.
Standing back from the tree, he observed his work, watching as the moonlight shone upon the gravestone. While the body of his counterpart was lost with Shido’s palace, he figured that Akechi deserved some sort of resting place.
Akira always used to run through this field as a child, finding shade under the lone tree when exhaustion caught up to him. Now this place was somber, but he didn’t know where else he could put the grave. The grave looked shoddy and rough, but it was better than nothing.
“Hope it’s good enough for your standards Goro…” Akira whispered; his eyes hidden under the shadow of his hair. With one last breath, he turned and walked away, leaving Akechi to rest.
Saturday, May 11th, 2024
Present-Day
Train
10:25 a.m.
Akira and Futaba sat together, both staring out at the countryside. Futaba looked away from the window to Akira’s face. His expression was mystifying, and complicated. So much behind those eyes. So much she didn’t know.
When Akira texted her that night, she was left completely blindsided. She was still distraught from her nightmare, and then Akira randomly texted out of nowhere. Weirdest of all, he wants her to come with him on a two-hour train ride to who knows where.
But she accepted in a heartbeat. Why? Because of what his last text said. ‘I wanted to show you a little about my past’.
And now here they sat. Being around Akira was many things. Freeing, liberating. Refreshing, and joyful. But now was different. Futaba could see it in the way he was tapping his feet on the ground and the way his fingers were fidgeting and restless. The emotion in his eyes made it clear that his thoughts were encapsulating his attention far more than the rural surroundings he was looking at.
To think he grew up in some random rural town in the middle of nowhere. She never could have guessed, and it showed her just how little she knew about him. When he told her they were going to his hometown, she was taken aback. Suddenly, learning about Akira’s past was far more intimidating than before.
‘Now arriving at Yasoinaba Station
I repeat, Yasoinaba Station’
They’re here.
Saturday, May 11th, 2024
Present-Day
Inaba
1:36 p.m.
They’d spent the first few hours in Inaba relaxing. Akira showed her around his old home and took her to the shops and restaurants. If she was being honest, there wasn’t much to show, considering Inaba was a humble town more than anything. But seeing Akira try to play it up was endearing, so she played along.
Eventually, Akira led them onto a forest path in the rural part of the town. She looked around at the beautiful forest surrounding them, the sun illuminating the path with a green hue from the leaves. She looked ahead to Akira who was dressed in a simple white t-shirt, with an unbuttoned button-up black shirt overtop, and some black sweatpants. She was wearing a yellow hoodie with a light green baseball hat. Akira’s welcoming personality often distracted her from his large stature. But whenever they were sat in a comfortable silence, his height became more noticeable.
The silence started when they first entered the path. Upon entry, she noticed Akira’s face change and his demeanor become more… somber? He looked ghostly, an unmoving expression on his face. It was clear that whatever this path led to was what they came here for.
It made her anxious realizing that she was going to learn something about his past. She doubted he’d tell her much at all, but the fact she was being told anything felt thrilling and scary at the same time. Akira was always so mysterious, willing to help Futaba at a heartbeat’s notice, yet doing everything to refuse help for himself. It was obvious there was something wrong, but she’d gotten to a point where she didn’t think he’d ever open up.
Eventually, the end of the forest was in sight, and a bright light was visible. Akira stopped in his tracks, turning to face Futaba, who was pacing behind him. He signalled for her to walk next to him. She smiled in response, trotting up next to him. They began walking together before Akira exhaled deeply.
“Hey Futaba…” he started, causing her to perk her head up. “Have you ever… lost someone?” he asked quietly, trying his best to keep his face straight. He knew the answer, but that question was a good place to start. Futaba looked away towards the trees with a smile.
“Yeah… my mom. But it’s alright… she lived a good life.” She affirmed. Akira’s heart swelled at that. He was so proud of her. She’d truly grown and accepted her loss. She doesn’t look back at her mother with pain, but rather, with love. She smiled so brightly at the memory of her mother.
“H-How… did you accept it?” Akira stammered. Futaba looked back at him with wide eyes, starting to understand where this conversation was going. Akira had experienced some sort of loss. She took a deep breath, trying to think of a good response.
“I-It wasn’t easy by any means…” she started, “But I remembered the good times. The way she used to smile when she looked at me. The way she used to calm me down when I was distressed. The way her eyes used to light up when she saw me…” she said, her emotions starting to surface. She could hold them down for now.
“If I always thought about when I lost her, how could I ever move forward?” she questioned, turning her head to look at Akira. Akira looked down at her with a sad smile on his face.
“Yeah… thanks Futaba.” he said as they approached the exit of the forest. The light became less and less bright until she could see what was beyond. As they reached the exit, she gasped at the beautiful scenery ahead of her.
A massive field of tall grass flowed softly in the wind. The sun shone down on the environment, with pillowy clouds in the daytime sky. And a lone tree stood in the middle.
“Woah…” she mumbled. Futaba smiled brightly before sprinting out into the field. Her sweater ruffled in the wind, synching with the moving grass, as she grabbed her hat to prevent it from falling off. Stretching her arms out in the breeze, she felt like she was in heaven on earth. A city girl like her could only imagine a landscape like this. She fell to the ground, lying in the grass and staring into the sunny sky.
Behind her Akira walked out of the forest with a smile on his face. His messy black hair ruffled in the wind. If he was being truthful, this place never looked this beautiful before. Maybe because he was never in the right mindset to appreciate it.
Walking up to Futaba, who looked like she was on cloud nine, he reached an arm out, with a smile on his face. Something about the view she had, the beautiful sky shining down on her, the wind ruffling Akira’s hair as he held his arm out for her. It was beautiful. After helping her up, Akira started walking towards the lone tree. Confused, Futaba followed behind.
When they got closer to the tree, she noticed a small stone slab leaning up against it. She looked at the way Akira was walking, the body language in his steps, and she knew what she was walking to. A grave. Before she knew it, they were in front of it. The wind slowed down as they looked down at the bottom of the tree.
“This… is the grave of my friend,” Akira stated. “I haven’t accepted his passing like you. I don’t think I ever will.” Akira stated solemnly. Futaba put a hand on his back, trying to comfort him.
“Unfortunately, all the friends I’ve ever had I’ve… lost one way or another. This is just a grave I made for one of them. He… was alone too.” Akira said, which shocked Futaba. So, it was trauma. It was deep-rooted. Just like her. Just like the others. She watched as he kneeled, brushing the dust off the grave with his hands.
He didn’t have the thieves to bail him out. Unlike her, no heart could be stolen to heal his problems. He had to deal with them alone, and it showed in the way he’d acted this last month. The constant bags under his eyes, and those moments when he zoned out into nothing were starting to make sense.
Her outlook on Akira was changing by the second, and the reason for his weird behaviour finally became clear. At that moment, she understood why he feared opening up to her. He was afraid of losing her too. Because whoever’s grave this was, and whoever those other people that he lost might be, losing them made him afraid. Afraid just like she was before becoming a phantom thief.
As he got up from dusting the gravestone, he suddenly felt a massive weight envelop him. He looked down at Futaba, who was hugging him tightly. He smiled sadly at her affection. Slowly, he patted her head. “Thank you” he whispered. In response, she pulled away from the hug, leaving one hand on his back. Looking down at the grave, she gave Akira the assurance he so needed to hear.
“I’ll always be here when you need me.”
She could’ve pressed for more details, but the look in Akira’s eyes indicated she’d learned enough. He would tell her the rest someday. But at least she knew now that he trusted her enough to show her this today.
RANK UP!
HERMIT
LEVEL 9…
Sunday, May 12th, 2024
Sakura Residence
3:22 p.m.
Futaba sat in front of her computer, her heart pounding. In front of her, was a job-searching site. She was finally going to do it. She was going to join the ranks of her friends and try to become the best version of herself that she could be.
She was terrified of doing this. She’d been living such a comfortable life ever since graduating from uni. She could very well just exit the browser and tell herself that she’ll do it another day. But she couldn’t keep shying away.
Before, nothing was preventing her from making a cheap excuse and running away from responsibility like usual. But now, the thought of continuing her life of nothing made important people come to her mind. One of them was her mom, whom she always wanted to make proud. Some more were the thieves, who she wanted to live up to.
Then there was Sojiro. The accumulated grey hairs were telling her a truth she’d long tried to deny. He was getting old, and she knew he couldn’t keep babying her. She had to step up, so he could settle down and relax. She knew that he deserved to more than anyone.
Finally, there was Akira, the catalyst for her decision. The guy who pushed her to be her best, to find her passion by helping those around her. Without him, she wasn’t sure how much longer she would have waited before moving on. But he encouraged her, guided her, and made her want to move forward.
Her hands shook as she scrolled down the page, looking at all the available positions that she could fill. She closed her eyes, taking one last deep breath, before she started applying.
Wednesday, May 15th, 2024
Leblanc
9:46 p.m.
Smooth jazz played in the humble café as Akira leaned back against the wall of coffee grounds. Normally Sojiro was against playing music in the café, but in the late nights, he made an exception. He tended to make a lot of those when it came to Akira and Futaba.
It had been half a week since Akria visited Akechi’s grave with Futaba. It took a lot out of him, to say the least. Trying to suppress his emotions, trying to remain collected when he stood next to Akechi’s grave with another person he let die was difficult. But he’d come to realize that it was the best decision he could have made. The trust and companionship in Futaba’s eyes when she looked at him was brighter and felt true.
Their relationship had grown almost as strong as back then. And while it made him slightly anxious, he couldn’t deny that it felt like a piece of his heart was restored.
Akira looked to his right, watching Sojiro as he cleaned up shop for the night. If he was being completely honest, Leblanc was and will always be Akira’s happy place. He looked around at the comforting coffee shop, observing the way the old light bulbs gave a homey feeling to the seats. So many days and nights he dreamed of being here again, standing next to Sojiro. Laughing with him, joking with him.
It was the same when he was a phantom thief. A rough day at a palace, an argument with a thief, it all meant nothing when he was able to come back home and stand next to Sojiro. His comforting presence and his level-headed approach to life meant that getting that opportunity at the end of the day to stand next to him was all Akira needed to calm his nerves and ease his thoughts.
“Hey, Boss” Akira mumbled. Sojiro turned around from the sink, looking at the man with a questioning expression. However, when he saw the serious expression on Akira’s face, his questioning face turned to the comforting smile he more often wore.
“Futaba told me about… her mother.” Akira stated, staring up at the ceiling as he did it. Sojiro rubbed his forehead and exhaled in response.
“Geez kid… If I knew you were gonna bring up some serious shit I’d have brewed some-“
“You did a good job Boss” Akira cut him off, a genuine smile on his face. Sojiro smirked in response. But before Sojiro replied, Akira continued.
“As you know, I didn’t exactly grow up with a… perfect family. So, for what it’s worth, I’m happy Futaba had the loving parent that I… I…” Akira stumbled, as the weight of his words caught up to his speech. He knew how that sentence finished.
Sojiro scratched the back of his head in response, a frustrated expression on his face. What was up with him and troubled brats? This kid had stumbled into his café just over a month ago. But when he saw Akira’s downcast expression, he felt his heartstrings getting tugged.
To say Akira had grown on him would be an understatement. Everything about the kid’s presence felt natural. From the way they joked around, to the way Akira mirrored his demeanour. In many ways, Akira was a lot like Sojiro. He’d spent over a month with Futaba and Sojiro, and he never felt out of place, never felt like he didn’t belong with them.
It didn’t sit right knowing that Akira didn’t have his support the way Futaba did when he was growing up.
“Look kid… just know that you’ll always have a place here and at my house if you ever need me. Same goes for Futaba. I don’t want to admit it, but ever since you showed up… ” he paused, causing Akira to turn his head toward him. “We both felt that you fit here… with us” Sojiro finished extremely awkwardly yet endearing. He wasn’t good at expressing his emotions, causing his words to come out choppy and awkward. Akira smiled in response.
“Thanks, Boss” Akira said, a bright smile on his face. Sojiro just sighed, an exhausted expression on his face before he turned away.
“Damn kids…” Sojiro mumbled, causing Akira to giggle in response.
RANK UP!
HIEROPHANT
LEVEL 9…
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 0
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 9
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 9
Strength: 10
Notes:
By far the longest chapter so far, so I'm happy to finally put this out. Hope y'all enjoy.
Chapter 13: Breakpoint I
Chapter Text
Thursday, May 16th, 2024
Inokashira Park
10:37 a.m.
Akira strolled through Inokashira Park, his mind wracked with thoughts. Futaba and Sojiro had both reached rank 9, so it was only a matter of time until they… remembered. His regrets, his adventures, the good and the bad, everything from that year would become clear to them. Everything about him.
He looked around at the beautiful scenery. He often used to walk through this park with Ann. They told each other everything, from their worst fears to their deepest secrets. This place was a sanctuary where they could pour out their feelings and have no fear of judgment. Just Akira and Ann.
Which is why this place often felt both peaceful and somber for the past eight years. He no longer had Ann with him and was left alone to think. The peace remained, but she didn’t.
So, as he strolled through the park, his mind looked into a future, when Futaba and Sojiro remembered the truth about him.
He was afraid of the effects it might have on their mental health, especially Futaba, seeing as her memories of Akira would be more emotional. He recalled when Morgana awoke to the truth. The cat was rushed with all his memories at once before his mind settled on recalling his death. Futaba would likely be subjected to the same thing.
She’d made so much progress since she reunited with him a month ago. He hoped that she wouldn’t think of the new Akira she’d gotten to know now, as an act he put up. Even though he hadn’t revealed to her their past, and had acted like he didn’t know her, all his interactions with her were true to himself. He just hoped she saw it that way too.
Regardless, he would have to bear with the results of finishing their confidants. The first step of his mission would be complete any day now. And regardless of the implications, he was excited to have his family back.
Thursday, May 16th, 2024
Dubai, UAE
8:29 p.m.
Ryuji lay on his hotel mattress, staring up at the ceiling. So many problems had been arising for his friends, and yet here he was. Stuck in a different country, with no way to help his old buddies out. But what could he do? He had a responsibility to his boxer, to keep him fit, and prevent any injuries. Injuries like his own.
A loner was what Ryuji was, but if he was being honest, all the thieves were. They were the ones who truly motivated him back in 2016, to make a real difference. When someone messed with his friends, there was no stopping him. He would handle the situation, no matter the cost.
Which is why the attempted assault on Ann had shaken him. He could do nothing. He had to watch on the sidelines as his friend got harassed, unable to do anything. Powerless. Just like when… when…
Grunting in frustration, he picked up his phone, which was resting on the nightstand, and dialled Ann’s number. It wasn’t the first time he had called her since it happened, and it sure wouldn’t be the last. But he felt paranoid at the thought of her having to deal with that shit alone.
*Brrrt*
*Brrrt*
“Hey Ryuji…” Ann answered. Her voice sounded tired and drained, but he wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t like a phantom thief to get good sleep.
“Hey… uhh…” He hadn’t thought far enough to know what he was going to say. The silence told Ann that much at least.
“I’m okay Ryuji. Futaba is trying to find a solution to… prevent anything like that from happening again.” She said tiredly. Ryuji huffed in response, laying back down on his bed.
“Have you talked to Futaba recently?” she asked.
Friday, May 17th, 2024
Sakura Residence
8:52 a.m.
The morning sun shined through her window, as she yawned while sitting at her PC. She opened the browser while still dressed in her sleeping clothes. A loose T-shirt and some shorts were all she needed for a good night’s rest.
It had been four days since she applied for those jobs. Since then, she’d been jumpy, checking her email every time she woke up. And while nothing had come back yet, she stayed positive, waiting for a response.
Her eyes lazily blinked as she continued to fight her morning fatigue, wanting to check if there were any updates. Slowly, she opened her email.
She froze looking at the screen. Displayed in front of her, were multiple invites to interview for jobs as a researcher. The reputation of her mother must have had enough of an effect for her last name to catch people’s eyes. Her dream is one step closer to being real. She kicked her legs against the desk, sending her rolling chair across the room as she screamed in delight. As the rolling chair hit the wall opposite the computer, she laughed.
Friday, May 17th, 2024
Leblanc
11:29 a.m.
The bell chimed, causing Sojiro to turn his head. There Akira was, dressed in a black unzipped jacket with a plain grey sweater underneath, and blue jeans. Sojiro smiled at him before placing a fresh cup of coffee on the bar. Akira’s shift didn’t start until 12, but he was here early, just to enjoy the company.
He sat down at the bar, in front of the cup of coffee. Taking a delicious swig, he noticed Futaba wasn’t here.
“Hey Boss, where’s Futaba?” he questioned. What he wasn’t expecting was for Sojiro to come closer to him to the point only Akira could hear what he was going to say.
“Futaba applied and got some interviews for some jobs. She told me not to tell you so act surprised when she announces it.” Sojiro whispered a cheeky smile on his face. Akira’s face lit up. She’d finally taken the step. His heart swelled with pride.
As if on cue, Futaba slammed open the door, happy as can be, dressed in her classic green sweater, with red headphones hanging on her neck. No matter how many times he saw her, it always shocked him. She was no longer the small teenager he had met all those years ago. No, she was a fully grown woman, ready to take on the world. The confidence in her step, and the proper posture all indicated that she was no longer the dishevelled girl she used to be. Yet the way she dressed, the expression on her face, and her energetic demeanour confirmed that she was still Futaba. One of his closest friends.
She greeted them before sitting next to Akira, another fresh cup placed for her. It was obvious by her body language that she was hiding something. Akira decided to act oblivious and play into her surprise. She started chatting with Sojiro about random stuff, clearly trying to start a conversation that would lead to her announcement.
He smiled as he watched them banter, Futaba getting aggravated at her father’s constant teasing and sarcasm. That was until his eyes wandered onto the stairs to his left.
The attic. So many victorious days were spent there. So many terrible nights were spent sleeping there. His fateful year, its roots were up there. Back then it was his place of privacy, a place where he could genuinely, truly be himself.
Ever since he first stumbled into Leblanc a month and a half ago, he purposefully looked away from it. He had to ignore its presence because it brought up his true feelings. Behind the bravado and charisma that he displayed to Sojiro and Futaba this past month, was the trauma and guilt of that year. Losing the others, losing them, losing it all. Looking at his old resting place brought it all back to the forefront.
He’d become desensitized to the guilt he felt for Futaba’s… death. He’d spent so much time with her now, that the memories before had started to weigh less and less on him. Until he stared up into those stairs.
He wanted to see it, the place that held his heart. No matter how many emotions were held up there, he wanted to go up to his old room after all these years. He wanted to come home. As his mind continued to scramble, Futaba and Sojiro argued in the background.
“Maybe if you changed up your menu for once, you’d bring some more people into this old junkyard-“
“Hey guys…” Akira interrupted Futaba’s rant, a weird expression on his face as he stared up into the stairwell. Sojiro and Futaba turned to him with a confused look. It wasn’t like him to leave his coffee getting cold.
“What’s up there?” Akira asked, trying to make his voice sound casual, and failing.
Futaba looked at him even more confusedly. The old attic?
Sojiro scratched his head, clearly confused, before muttering, “Just some old boxes, uhh, a mattress I think, and some books-“. Before he could finish, Akira interrupted him.
“Can I… go up there?” Akira asked slowly, still looking at the stairs. Sojiro and Futaba looked at each other weirdly, becoming more confused by the second, before Sojiro looked back to Akira.
“Uhh, sure kid.” He said awkwardly. Akira hesitantly stood up and walked towards the stairs, before pausing in front of it. So much pain, here. So many memories, here. He took a deep breath. He couldn’t hide from the past anymore. He took his first steps up the stairs, Futaba and Sojiro in tow. His breaths ran ragged, the beat of each step causing his heart to beat faster.
“What’s up with him?” Futaba whispered, Sojiro shrugging in response.
Each step he took caused a beat in his head.
Until, eventually, he reached the top. Dusty, cluttered, and spacious. Just like when he first moved in. His heart became relaxed as he took in his old home, and his weird expression turned into amazement at seeing this place once again.
Futaba and Sojiro’s stares were slowly transitioning from confused to concerned, as they watched him trudge to the desk in the corner of the room. But suddenly, they felt a small sensation.
The sight before them was… weird. It stimulated their senses, in a weird way of… familiarity. Something was off.
Akira smiled as he dusted off the top of his desk. Late nights of crafting lockpicks with Morgana started surfacing in his mind. He then turned his head, looking down at his old bed. Slowly, he took a step towards his old resting place.
As Akira reached the edge of his old bed, he bent onto one knee and dusted the top of it, sending the residue floating into the dusty atmosphere of the attic, made visible by the beaming sunlight that shone through the window. Letting go of a massive breath, he sat down on the floor with his back to the bed and closed his eyes as he took in the feeling of his old bedroom. He opened his eyes and finally saw the puzzled expressions. And at that moment he knew.
This was it. They were going to remember. He should’ve known this would do it considering how integral this room was to that year.
This whole mission with Futaba would all be over. Would they leave him behind? Would they look in disgust at the man who failed the world? Feel contempt staring at the “leader” who failed? Or would they be happy to see him? Would they be delighted at seeing the kid who changed their lives for better or worse? He didn’t know. But he couldn’t stop now. He needed to spur them on to trigger their memory.
Futaba and Sojiro were getting more and more uncomfortable by the second. Something was really, really wrong. The longer they looked at Akira in this room, the more overwhelming that feeling became, causing them to avoid looking in his direction. Futaba placed a hand on Sojiro’s shoulder, trying to steady herself. She felt like she wanted to cry, but she didn’t know why. All she knew was that it had to do with Akira. Her eyes slowly crawled toward his direction, and she waited as seconds passed by before he finally opened his mouth.
“I… remember the first day I moved to this place. I was… God, I was so scared” Akira said, smiling. His face looked distant, but that tingling sensation was getting stronger by the second. Sojiro and Futaba both felt it.
Her legs were starting to shake, and she felt a lump rapidly forming in her throat. She looked at her father and saw he was feeling something similar. It felt as if everything was falling apart.
“Akira, what’s going on-“ she quivered, her voice sounding pained, but Akira interrupted anyway.
“For what it’s worth, thank you guys for accepting me again.” He said with a defined smirk on his face. That was all it took to do it.
I am Thou, Thou art I
Thou hast turned vows into blood oaths,
Thy bonds shall become the wings of Rebellion
And break the yoke of thy heart,
Thou hast reawakened to the ultimate secrets
of the Hermit and Hierophant, granting thee
infinite power
LEVEL UP
RANK 10!
December 24th, 2016
Shibuya
BATTLE WITH YALDABAOTH
Prison of Regression
Futaba heaved, the exhaustion and pressure of the battle getting to her. She looked around Prometheus’s controls, trying to find some way to help the team. But it was too much for her.
She wanted to cry. She wanted to curl up in a ball and be in the arms of her mother again. Tears pierced her eyes as she continued staring at the controls, and then back at Yaldabaoth, The God of Control. She was scared to death, stuck in her persona with nowhere to run.
She didn’t have the guts to look at her teammates fighting, because she was afraid of what she would see. Noir was already dead. A reality she thought they’d never have to face was a teammate, a friend, dying in combat. Her hands trembled; she couldn’t bear to be here anymore.
But she had to keep pushing. What else could she do? The second she curled away was the second she lost the others too. They were exhausted, and on the edge of death, just like Haru was.
The phantom thieves had saved Futaba’s life, but she was struggling to save theirs. So, there she was, stuck between wanting to run away and wanting to save her friends.
She looked to Akira, her leader, her hero. The guy who stood beside her and lifted her. The guy who marched with her through all her trauma and promised her there was light at the end of the tunnel.
He was distraught, the death of Haru throwing him off his… off everything he knew. It was heartbreaking and it made her anxiety even worse knowing the guy she relied on was doing just as bad as her. His eyes were tired, and his legs were trembling, but he kept fighting. There was nothing else any of them could do anyway.
Looking back to the demiurge, her breath caught as she saw a slight movement in one of Yaldabaoth’s off-hands. He was preparing his ultimate attack. The rays of control.
She was already exhausted, but she needed to help them at any cost. She desperately pressed the defence boost button, giving her teammates what she thought was just enough to live the attack. The effect was immediate, everyone’s stance becoming sturdier.
“Guys, he’s going for his rays of control!” she called out, giving them a warning to look out for the attack. She watched as Yaldabaoth brought his arms together, charging up the deep dark beam. Her heart skipped a beat when looking at it, but she desperately tried to steel her nerves.
But then she saw it. His arms moved slowly pointing in a different direction. Aiming at her. Her breath caught, and she froze at the sight of the beam charging and shaking violently, ready to destroy.
“G-Guys I-I think he’s aiming for me!” she screamed in panic. The others all turned to her with terrified expressions, realizing what Yaldabaoth was doing. Ryuji immediately sprinted for her, moving his legs as fast as he possibly could. He needed to take the hit. He needed to save her before they lost another. Tears were streaming down her eyes at this point, realizing she was wide open. Realizing she was going to die. She wailed and whimpered, panicking under the beam’s dark light.
“G-G-Guys h-he seriously has his targets on me r-right now, I-I-I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO-“
Friday, May 17th, 2024
Leblanc
11:51 a.m.
He’d done it.
He looked up to see them.
She collapsed to the floor, her mouth open, and her eyes watery. Her whole body trembled and jittered, and her face was completely red remembering that fateful day. Remembering the truth. Her lungs were fighting for breath, heaving in desperation.
She… she… died. Everything she thought, everything she believed, was all… a lie. That nightmare she had was real. That image of Haru’s bloody body, her lifeless face, her stained clothes. It was real. Haru died. And so did she.
A whimper escaped her mouth as her emotions and memories overwhelmed her all at once. Tears were freely falling onto the wood floor as everything she knew attacked her at once. The journey, the troubles, the ending, and all the lies after. It all converged in her head at once and told her one thing. She failed. But worst of all was realizing the crucial person that had been missing for the past eight years.
She slowly raised her head to look at the man across her. And there he was. Akira Kurusu. Her leader, the one who saved her, the person who destroyed her tomb and set her free. The man that changed her life. Joker.
She’d forgotten him. She had no idea why or how, but the rest of the thieves had also just… forgotten he existed.
She didn’t know how she was alive. She didn’t even know what happened after she died. Did they beat Yaldabaoth? Or were her previous memories of the battle, her memories of a glorious victory, all a complete lie?
Sojiro stumbled backward, remembering the truth about that year. A random group of kids didn’t just stumble upon his life. No, Akira stumbled into his life. Akira put him back onto the right path and helped him realize the value of his life. He was the final piece of the puzzle, the guy who helped him protect Futaba, but also brought so much more. The one who united his family.
“K-Kid w-what-“ Sojiro tried to form words, but nothing could encompass what he was feeling. Before he could find anything to say, Futaba stood up, wailing with tears as she looked at Akira. In an instant, she sprinted out of the attic. Akira quickly got up, running after her but pausing next to Sojiro, placing an arm on the old man’s shoulder.
“I got it Boss” he quickly said, smiling at him. Sojiro nodded, but the smile Akira gave him meant so much more now.
Akira quickly descended the stairs and sprinted through Leblanc; his strides heavy with purpose. His mind was racing, he couldn’t let Futaba suffer through this alone. Slamming the door closed behind him, the sudden sunshine blinded his eyes. Suddenly he saw a black flash and knew his partner in crime was with him.
“She went this way!” Morgana yelled, running in Futaba’s direction. Akira’s expression was grim, and his pace continued to pick up. He couldn’t see her crying. He hated it then, and he hated it now.
He and Morgana sprinted through the familiar streets of Yongen-Jaya, the smack of their feet on the dry pavement filling the air. That was until they reached the laundromat, where inside, they found their navigator, curled up in a ball. Her breathing was heavy and ragged, and its sounds were mixing with the sounds of her whimpers and cries. Akira’s heart fell apart at the sight.
Akira slowly walked into the laundromat, trying not to scare her.
He let her die. But he pushed through. He didn’t deserve to be near her. But he needed to help her.
With a strong thud, he fell to his knees in front of her. Before she could do anything, she felt herself enveloped in a strong hug.
She sunk into Akira’s embrace and her crying intensified. She forgot her big brother. The most important person in her world. Her cries became louder, drowned out by the fabric of his sweater. He patted her head and hugged her even more deeply. Tears were slowly falling down his face at this point.
“I-I’m here Futaba… I’m here” he said reassuringly, causing her crying to intensify even further. She hugged him tighter, never wanting to let go of him. Eventually, Morgana walked in, joining their hug as best he could.
They stayed like that for a while, him comforting her, rubbing her back, and telling her it was okay. Eventually, her crying calmed down, but she kept her face pressed into his sweater.
“I know it doesn’t make sense Futaba but… we…” Akira stuttered, his voice becoming shaky, “We lost” he finished, causing her to pull away and look at Akira and Morgana together. But when no words came to her, she simply sunk back into them, crying once again. This was surely tough for her to deal with. But Akira would be here for her.
Akira steeled his nerves, trying to stop his tears, and trying to be the rock that Futaba needed right now. But the weight of what was happening was making it hard. He felt his body becoming less and less in his control, as the reality of the situation sunk in.
He’d somehow done it. After eight years, he had a piece of his heart back. And slowly, he felt some purpose finally being restored in his life.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 0
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 10
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 10
Strength: 10
Chapter 14: Hermit
Summary:
Futaba is put in the loop
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Saturday, November 5th, 2016
Sakura Residence
PRE-YALDABAOTH FLASHBACK
3:23 p.m.
Sweat rolled down Sojiro’s face as the exhaustion of his day started catching up to him. There was no more denying that he was slowly getting up there in age. Luckily, the last customer at the café had just left, letting him breathe on a typically busy Saturday afternoon.
His hands rhythmically stirred the curry pot, practiced and perfect, the scent of the food blessing his nostrils. No matter how busy things got, or how much the people around him made his life hectic, he had a happy place here. Unfortunately, however, those “people” were making a peaceful day rarer as the days went by.
He glanced over to Futaba, who was sitting in a booth. Her eyes were glued to her phone, fingers tapping away at lightning speed. The massive smile on her face told him exactly who she was talking to, and what she was planning for the day. She and her friends were planning on going into one of those, “palaces”.
It was less than two weeks ago that he’d found out about her and the… “phantom thieves”. Learning that the kid he was hosting in his rustic café, was the leader of the most notorious group in Tokyo, was… interesting to say the least.
But far more interesting, or better, alarming, was that Futaba was involved. That was a huge pill to swallow, and he’s not sure he’d quite swallowed it yet. Three years of struggling and failing to help her. Three years of watching her fall further and further into isolation.
Now all of a sudden, she was risking her life, almost daily. Now whenever he looked at her it... scared him. How could it not? These kids didn’t know the seriousness of what they were doing.
And yet he couldn’t blame her. Why? Because of him.
He couldn’t blame her because Akira walked into his life too. The “criminal” he begrudgingly accepted into his café, had somehow coerced Sojiro into caring about him.
Now Sojiro was teaching him his barista skills, passing down his recipes as if Akira were his son. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Akira had gotten to him.
He just didn’t expect that he’d get to Futaba as well.
Friday, May 17th, 2024
Leblanc
1:46 p.m.
Sojiro paced around Leblanc, his mind racing. It had been almost an hour and a half since Futaba and… Akira had run out of the café.
So many thoughts were running through him. So many feelings. At the forefront was confusion. After that was sorrow, and beyond that was well… more confusion. None of it made sense. How could he just forget about the kid?! None of their phantom thieves business made much sense back then, but this was a new level of craziness, a level of craziness he thought they left behind eight years ago.
He recalled his memories of Akira, both back then and now. More and more regret seeped into him as he continued to think about how he’d forgotten one of the most important people in his life. The kid who changed his life, changed his daughter’s life. The kid who helped bring his family closure for Wakaba’s passing.
So now he stood in Leblanc, waiting for Futaba and Akira to come back. The longer they were gone, the more stressed he felt. At this point, all his hair would be grey when they walked back in.
Then his mind raced back to the other kids. They had forgotten Akira too. Sojiro knew better than anyone that when Akira was first sent to Tokyo, he had nothing. His childhood friends abandoned him, his parents didn’t care about him, and everything he’d ever known had been ripped from him too. When Akira first walked into Leblanc all those years ago, he was a blank slate.
And it seems that’s how he left all those years ago as well. His friends didn’t know him, Sojiro didn’t know him, and just like before, everything he knew had, seemingly, been ripped from him again. Thinking about this any further would give the old man a hernia.
As he continued rubbing his head, resting his hand on the top of one of the booths, he heard some footsteps from outside. Slowly, he raised his head, and watched as black and orange hair flashed through the window, and the door was opened. The bell chime was like music to his ears.
Stepping through the doorway, was Akira, a tired smirk on his face as his eyes darted to Sojiro. That smile meant so much more now than before. Behind him was Futaba, and immediately he could tell she had been crying a lot. He hadn’t seen her with this expression since Wakaba passed. And yet, he saw there was a light within her.
Before he could do anything, Akira walked up to him and wrapped his arms around him.
“Glad to have you back boss,” Akira said warmly. Sojiro stood, stunned, before slowly returning the hug.
A dry chuckle escaped his mouth, but he found it hard to form any words in response. As Akira stepped back from the hug, he turned his head back to Futaba, who stood with an entranced expression. He turned his head back to Sojiro, a more serious expression.
“I know none of this makes sense-“
“Damn right kid…” Sojiro interrupted, making Akira smile.
“I have a lot to explain, but I can’t do it here.” Akira asserted, making Sojiro raise his eyebrow.
“Where are you taking me kid…” Sojiro said exasperated. This was all too much.
“To my place” Akira replied. Sojiro was taken aback at that, coming to an odd realization. He never found out where Akira stayed.
Sojiro just lifted his arm towards the door in response, saying with finality, “Lead the way.”
Friday, May 17th, 2024
Apartment Building
2:25 p.m.
Futaba walked through the fancy reception in a daze. What could she do, what could she say? The shock from that moment had not worn down whatsoever. Every so often she’d gaze at Akira in awe and then look away as a new memory she’d forgotten resurfaced.
And now all of a sudden, they were in this apartment complex that Akira apparently lived in? To say she was overwhelmed would be an understatement.
Sojiro was doing much better himself. Even though the shock was still raw in his mind, he was more interested in what surrounded him, and what became of Akira after all these years. What had the kid done for himself during these years to live in a place like this? Glancing over to Futaba, a sorrowful expression plastered onto his face. She was practically unconscious at this point.
Then again, the memories he was remembering seemed to be a lot… nicer than the ones she was remembering.
Akira walked towards the elevator and pressed the button. As they waited for the elevator to reach the ground floor, he hesitantly peeked over his shoulder. Sojiro stood, his posture tired, while Futaba looked like her soul had left Earth. Morgana was slowly pawing at her legs, trying to give her some ease but it didn’t seem to be working. He felt bad, but hopefully, an explanation would draw her out of her apparent numbness.
*Ding*
They stepped into the elevator, and Akira pressed the button to the top floor. Sojiro’s eyes widened slightly before a sly smile made its way onto his face.
“Hey kid…” Sojiro said amusedly, “Don’t tell me you’re living like some rich prick… ” he said with a smirk on his face. Akira just responded to him with his own smirk. Looking over to Futaba, his smirk went away. He slowly placed his arm on her shoulder, waking her up from her daze.
“Hey… your okay…” Akira mumbled to her, trying to help lighten the load she was feeling. Futaba looked up at his face, before looking down solemnly.
“Yeah…” she responded, but he knew it didn’t help her that much.
They stepped out of the elevator and Akira led them to his penthouse. As he unlocked the door, he took a deep breath. He never in a thousand years imagined that he’d have one of the thieves in this place. But here Futaba stood, waiting for him to open the door.
The sight that awaited Futaba and Sojiro was something they never could have imagined. A massive penthouse, something they’d only see in a YouTube video. Of course, Futaba had already been to Haru’s mansion, but finding out this was where Akira lived was way crazier. Haru was born into wealth, while he got here on his own somehow.
Thinking about Haru made her throat catch, but she swallowed it down.
“Holy shit…” Futaba whispered under her breath, staring out at the breathtaking view on the other side of the glass wall. It perfectly overlooked Tokyo, causing both Futaba and Sojiro to pause and look out at the distance.
“How the hell do you have a place like this kid…” Sojiro mumbled, amazed at what he was seeing. Akira just shrugged nonchalantly in response, amusing Sojiro.
“You guys can sit over there, I’ll make some tea, so you have some time to settle in” Akira said, pointing to the couches on the right side of the room. Futaba slowly walked towards the couches, still stunned by everything happening around her, before she sat down next to Sojiro and Morgana. Morgana continued to pat Futaba’s leg trying to calm her down.
“I know how it feels Futaba… you’ll be okay don’t worry. Akira will explain everything, and it will all make sense okay?” Morgana encouraged, trying to summon some brightness in his voice. Futaba looked down at Morgana with a quivering smile.
“E-Easy for you to say ‘Embodiment of Hope’” Futaba mocked as playfully as she could muster.
Friday, May 17th, 2024
Apartment Building
2:31 p.m.
Akira stalked carefully towards the couches, a plate with three hot cups of tea on it. He slowly sat it down on the coffee table, before sitting down on the couch that was opposite Futaba. The explanation would mainly be towards her, so he wanted to make sure he could communicate clearly to her.
“Hope you guys like the tea. I figured it would be more effective at calming down any nerves…” Akira said awkwardly, scratching his head. Sojiro smiled and thanked him, picking up his teacup, while Futaba stared wordlessly at the cup.
“Alright… are you guys ready for the explanation, or do you need more ti-“
“I’m ready” Futaba replied immediately, looking up at Akira with a steeled face. He forgot she was an adult now. She wouldn’t get buried by what happened. She was ready to fight, and that was a good sign.
“Alright… I’m going to break this up into two parts”, Akira stated, putting three fingers up in the air. “First, I’ll explain what happened at the end of 2016. After, I’ll explain what just happened this past month.”
Futaba and Sojiro wordlessly nodded their head, signalling Akira to continue. And so, Akira went on to begin his explanation.
Friday, May 17th, 2024
Apartment Building
4:23 p.m.
To say she was overwhelmed would be an understatement. Nothing made sense, and yet everything Akira said had to be true. Everything she witnessed this past month lined up perfectly with his story.
It was very apparent to Futaba how serious this deal of Akira’s was. He threw away certain victory, and his identity, to bring her and the other thieves back.
Just the thought of the other thieves made her heart skip a beat now. They all died, not just her. They should be in graves right now, but because of Akira’s deal, they continue to walk. They continue to breathe. She wasn’t alone in her failure because they all failed.
She figured that only witnessing Haru’s death was helping her recover from the original trauma from earlier in the day. She couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for Akira, the only real survivor.
But this deal was good news. Because she had a second chance. A chance to take down Yaldabaoth, and a chance to make up for failing her friends the first time. She was destroyed an hour ago because she didn’t understand how she was alive and was so focused on losing. But she has another chance. What she still didn’t understand was how she remembered Akira now, considering the conditions of the deal.
Sojiro on the other hand, was two steps away from fainting. It wasn’t hard to see why, considering that his daughter genuinely died. The story took a toll on his mental, so he let Akira know that he would most likely head back soon to take a rest at his house.
Akira huffed in exhaustion after that long recollection. Revisiting that fight with Yaldabaoth was never fun, and if he didn’t pace himself then his emotions would have gotten the best of him. Akira got up from his seat and stretched before saying, “I’ll give you guys some time to swallow-“
“What’s next!?” Futaba exclaimed feistily. Akira looked down at Futaba in initial shock before a small smile came onto his face. Telling the story to Futaba seemed to have done a lot of good for her mental state. Rather than revisiting her death, she seemed to be focused on their next fight with Yaldabaoth.
This was great news, but he should’ve expected it. Futaba was always feisty, so he should’ve known how quickly she would bounce back in the face of the next battle. The Majority of the other thieves were a bit more emotional types, and most likely won’t be as quick to recover.
“Give me a second” Akira said, before darting down the hallway to the right.
He came back with a… whiteboard? Reading the top of the board, Futaba understood what it was for. ‘Rematch Preparation’.
“When Yaldabaoth made his deal, he used the fact that he was weak and wouldn’t come back soon to convince me to accept it. He unknowingly made it so that his being weak was a condition to this deal, meaning that the more his strength got restored…”
“The weaker the deal became…” Futaba finished Akira’s sentence for him. Before she could ponder further, he continued with something that relieved her.
“Bringing you guys back to life was a permanent change since he was literally ripping your souls back into your bodies and restoring them back to perfect shape. However, forgetting me was purely a change and barrier put in your cognition of the world, to not know me and have never known me.” Akira informed, trying to help Futaba understand the conditions of the deal.
“Which brings me to the present day. Since the deal is weak, I can break through it and awaken you guys to the truth. But to do so, I have to rebuild my bond with you guys from scratch.” Akira finished, laying the groundwork for introducing the current mission.
Futaba pondered over the information Akira was providing her. As she slowly connected the dots, she looked up to Akira with wide eyes.
“So… you reforged your bond with me first?” Futaba said surprisedly. Akira nodded with a smile on his face in response.
“Yup. It also means…” he pointed his arm towards the board, which contained info on the other phantom thieves, and a schedule that roughly put each thief on a timeline. “We need to figure out how I can reforge my bonds with the others.”
Futaba analyzed the board, looking at all the details and putting it all together. It made complete sense to reforge his bond with her first, and the details that were listed showed it too. She was easy to reach, and her skillset would by far be the most useful.
“Me in April to May… Yusuke in June to July? And Ryuji in September to October. So, you’re missing time slots for Ann, Makoto, and Haru?” Futaba questioned, trying to understand the current state of Akira’s plan.
“One is a billionaire, the other is the biggest model from Japan, and the last one is the assistant police commissioner. So, yeah, I have no idea how and when to approach them” Akira admitted begrudgingly. “I need your help because, no offence to Morgana, but he has more of a tactical mindset, so he keeps forgetting important personal details” Akira divulged.
“No offense taken” Morgana stated plainly, raising his paw in acknowledgement. Akira had to repress a chuckle at the goofy-looking gesture. Akira turned the board slightly, so Futaba could analyze it better. Futaba stared at it for a bit, humming as she thought about the three remaining members.
“Who do you wanna know about fir-“
“I need to get to Ann” Akira asserted.
“Yeah,” Futaba responded breathily. It seemed they were on the same page before she asked her question. “The problem is that Ann has serious trust issues.” Futaba continued.
“I can understand why” Akira replied plainly. The reasons went unspoken because they were plainly obvious. Everyone Ann had met in her life had gone behind her back or had ill intentions with her. Everyone except the thieves and Shiho. Shiho… he’d get back to that later.
“Morgana let me know that you’re her manager. You have to have some way that I can get to her.” Akira implored, frustration starting to peek through his voice.
“Me and Ann have been looking into different ways we can keep her safe after what happened. I tried giving her different options, but she was too paranoid about having people…” Futaba’s speech suddenly came to silence, her eyes widening. Out of nowhere, she stood out of her seat on the couch and darted next to Akira.
Akira looked at her weirdly, before suddenly, she started poking his arm.
“Uhhh what are you doi-“
“Big arms… ” she mumbled. “Akira, I need you to take your shirt off!” Futaba exclaimed confidently.
“What?!”
“Just trust me! This is important for our mission!” Futaba responded, both amusedly and with determination.
“But I-“
“There’s nobody here but us kid, don’t worry about it” Sojiro said slyly, speaking for what felt like the first time in the last hour. Akira just huffed in response, before reluctantly taking off his shirt.
“Jesus kid what the hell?! How much do you bench?!” Sojiro exclaimed, causing Akira to chuckle a bit. Akira was in great shape, and it was nice being complimented on it for once.
“This is perfect!” Futaba beamed, before signalling Akira to put his shirt back on. As Akira put on his shirt, Futaba continued, “I brought up the idea of a personal bodyguard to Ann… ” Futaba said as she walked back to the couch. “But she was against it completely.” She finished.
“Because she didn’t trust having someone living in her house, and staying that close to her?” Akira questioned.
“Exactly, but you… well, I might be able to convince her to accept a bodyguard if it's you. She might be more open to the idea if the bodyguard is a friend of mine rather than a random person.” Futaba explained, which made sense to Akira.
“So that’s the plan then? I go all the way to L.A. and work as her ‘bodyguard’?” Akira questioned.
“And while you're there, you build your bond with her, and bring her back! It’s a long shot but it’s worth a try!” Futaba proclaimed.
“It sounds like more than a long shot that she would agree to this but I guess it’s all we got” Akira stated before slowly writing down Ann’s name in the May-June slot. He checked his watch, noting that the time was roughly 4:30 p.m. That meant that the time in L.A. was past midnight. He looked up to Futaba, who seemed to do the same thing.
“I’ll come by Leblanc early tomorrow when you call her” Akira asserted, Futaba nodding confidently in response. Akira internally noted Futaba’s mood shift. He was happy to see her doing better.
“I’m tired so I think I’ll head out now,” Sojiro said exhaustedly. It went unspoken that he was probably too overwhelmed to continue sitting through this conversation. Akira nodded in understanding before Sojiro continued, “I kind of understand what happened, but the rest of this whole shindig, I’ll leave up to you two.”
“I'll go back with the boss to make sure he gets home okay!” Morgana said brightly, before jumping off the couch and walking next to Sojiro.
“One of us will update you on any more plan changes” Akira responded, ensuring Morgana that he’ll be kept in the loop. At that, Akira led them to the door where they departed.
In the meantime, Futaba stood up from her place on the couch and picked up the marker. As Akira made his way back to the whiteboard, he looked at her curiously.
“What’s up?”
“Haru definitely has to go in the July-August spot” she asserted.
“May I know why?” Akira said, fake-annoyed as if he was protective of the board. Futaba only smirked at his funny tone.
“She’s getting married.”
“She’s WHAT?!” Akira shouted, completely blindsided. Futaba only shrugged in response.
“Yeah, you wouldn’t have known though since I was tasked with clearing any information about it from being anywhere online, with her being a billionaire and all” Futaba said plainly, causing Akira to facepalm. Morgana forgetting to tell him this proved what he said before. Futaba wrote Haru’s name down in that slot.
“Since we’re trying to keep this wedding as private as possible, she wants some trustworthy volunteers to set everything up which means-“
“It’s the perfect time for me to meet her” Akira finished Futaba’s sentence for her, the dots connecting in her head. “This is great news!” Akira proclaimed. “This only leaves Makoto. But, I mean, there’s only one spot left so-“
“Not so fast.” Futaba cut in, before raising her hand up to her chin. Akira watched as her brain continued turning. Slowly, she erased Ryuji from the September-October slot while explaining, “I know online research will say that Ryuji is back in September, but that’s just what we made Shujin think so that he has some time to rest before helping out at the school. He’ll actually be back in August.” She explained, helping Akira understand her thought process.
“I think Ryuji and Makoto in either order, needs to be done in those last two slots, so we should write it that way and adjust it depending on what happens.” She finished as she wrote down ‘Ryuji/Makoto’ in both of the last two slots. Akira nodded his head, her logic making sense.
Futaba paused, her hand hovering over the whiteboard before it fell limp by her side. She looked down before taking a few deep breaths. This was a lot. Today was a lot. Akira seemed to understand that they were done for now, raising his hand to pat her head before grabbing the whiteboard and pushing it back down the hallway, presumably to the closet it came from.
She walked back to the couch, collapsing into the cushions and pressing her fingers into her temples, continuing her effort to calm her mind about all of this. About her death, about their deaths, about this deal, and about Akira’s current situation. She opened her eyes as Akira’s footsteps became louder, watching him walk out of the hallway and back into the main room.
He seemed to be observing her current state, but Futaba was too exhausted to care. “We have other stuff to talk about, like if the metaverse will come back, but…” Akira sighed understandingly before continuing, “You should head back and rest Futaba... today was a lot for you.” He advised gently. She got up understanding that there was no arguing this and that he was definitely right about her needing rest.
“Stop by the house before the end of the day so we can run over how we approach calling Ann.” She said with as much seriousness as she could muster, before walking to the door. Akira nodded affirmingly.
But right before she could turn the door handle, memories of her leader laughing with her as she played games in Leblanc’s attic flashed in her mind. Memories of waking him up, his baggy face groaning in protest as the sun shone through his room.
She looked back to see him looking at her with an unreadable face. But unlike before, that blank face meant so much more. Because now she understood what was hiding behind it. All the pain and anguish from their failure. The guilt he must have buried behind those eyes. Her throat caught as she continued staring, Akira’s expression moving to a more recognizable confused look. Before he had time to question her, she opened the door and left.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 0
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 10
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 10
Strength: 10
Notes:
Took me a while but I finally got through this chapter. My bad lol
Chapter 15: At the door
Chapter Text
Friday, May 17th, 2024
Yongen Jaya
7:45 p.m.
Akira knocked on the door to Sojiro’s house, his hand flopping to his side as he stared up into the sky. With heavy clouds in the way and the sun almost down, Yongen Jaya looked distinctively dull, sickly, and colourless. When the atmosphere of Tokyo was like this, Akira always felt like his battery was running low, which is why it pained him that he had to be out right now. Especially today, considering all that had happened within the last 10 hours.
Futaba and Sojiro remembered him and embraced him. Who would’ve thought? Well, Morgana did, but that’s beside the point. Akira had actually succeeded in the first step of his mission, reforging his bond with Futaba. He could’ve never imagined being friends with one of the thieves again, one of the people he failed, yet here he was with two of them back at his side.
Futaba had gone through a lot of emotions today, from the devastation of remembering… Yaldabaoth, to her focus when planning the rematch. By the time the afternoon had hit, she was already exhausted. He couldn’t blame her considering the intensity of everything.
He was lucky she didn’t ask much about what Akira did, and how he felt for the last eight years. Because if she did, Morgana would’ve forced him to admit how he really felt about the thieves and that fight with Yaldabaoth. He would’ve had to talk about the guilt and responsibility he felt towards their deaths and his failure. About how he felt, no, how he still feels like it’s his fault. For now, though, he would let his mission distract him from that fact. Otherwise, he’d end up slowing himself down.
Futaba opened the door tiredly before looking up. She froze in place, tensing up momentarily as her eyes went wide, but within the next moment her body untensed and she was back to looking like a girl who hadn’t gotten enough sleep. She clearly still hasn’t gotten used to seeing and remembering him, though that was to be expected.
Judging by the form that was in front of him, it was obvious he had woken her up. The way her loose t-shirt drooped exposing her right shoulder, and her eyes looked in desperate need of rubbing, he could tell that he had interrupted a nap that was truly hitting differently. He scratched the back of his head shyly feeling as if he was slightly intruding. She just sighed and rolled her eyes, before turning back to the inside of the house and signalling Akira to follow her with her hand.
They sat down at the couches, Futaba sitting a bit too deeply into the cushions from fatigue. She caught herself clumsily, and sat up as straight as she could, trying to put on a serious face. Akira could only smile at the sight, but he silently wondered if remembering the truth caused a similar exhaustion to awakening one's persona.
“So, calling Ann is gonna be difficult” Futaba stated with a deadpan expression.
“I knew that much” he replied wryly, but she didn't have the energy to get annoyed by it.
“I was thinking I could just tell her that I made a new friend, and basically promise her that you’re trustworthy, but that’s kinda all I got” she confessed, shrugging her shoulders.
“Which isn’t a lot, to be honest. At best it’ll just sound like you made that up to convince her.” Akira reasoned, which he knew Futaba already understood. Otherwise, they wouldn't be having this meeting. Futaba sat back against the cushions and stared at the ceiling, while Akira looked down at the ground, both looking like they needed a recharge. They stayed in silence for a couple of minutes, half to think of a better solution, and half to relax.
When she looked back to Akira, she could see some gears turning in his mind, his hand pressed up to his chin as he stared into the rug between them.
She yawned before inquiring tiredly, “You look like you have an idea”. Akira looked up to her with a more serious expression than she expected.
“What do you think would happen if I try to make someone I don’t have a bond with remember me?” Akira questioned. Futaba didn’t seem to understand where he was going with this but judging by her thoughtful expression she seemed to be thinking about his question. She was probably one of the best people he could ask it to considering her field of study.
“It would probably be easier to make them remember compared to me and the others. If you had to rebuild a full bond for me, it could be instant for someone who wasn’t as close to you” she theorized. Before Akira could respond, they heard Morgana’s voice call out as he came down from the stairs behind him.
“That sounds correct to me. The reason it took so long for Futaba to remember was because her cognition must have been changed to a massive degree to forget you.” Morgana reasoned as he jumped onto the couch, sitting next to Akira.
What he said made sense, but that was usually the case when Morgana explained metaverse stuff. If Futaba was one of the best people he could ask this question to, Morgana was probably the best person he could ask considering his ties to the velvet room. His teammates were already proving invaluable, but he expected that they would.
It was silent for a few minutes as Morgana patiently waited for whatever Akira had to say. Futaba watched sleepily, resting her head in her hands as he mulled over whatever it was that he was thinking. Before she gained the energy to inquire, he looked up at her with a conflicted face.
“Ann might say no to you but… she would never say no to-“
“She would never say no to Shiho!” Morgana cut into Akira's sentence as he realized the strategy that he was thinking about, his eyes wide at the idea.
That proposition definitely woke Futaba up.
Friday, May 17th, 2024
Training Facility
8:06 p.m.
Shiho walked back to her car swiftly, scanning the area around her. Doing things like that had become second nature, regardless of how long it’d been since high school. But at the end of the day, that was just the way it was. She had moved past her trauma a long time ago, though traces still lingered.
Shiho Suzui was a volleyball prodigy, being one of the most promising players coming not just out of Tokyo, but out of Japan as a whole. Through the help and support of Ann and the strength she’d found through perseverance, she’d risen above whatever her past may have thrown at her. Time healed all wounds, and now she could walk with her head held high. Unfortunately, that was becoming increasingly tough to do considering her closest friend wasn’t feeling the same.
Stepping into the car, she felt the burn in her legs from the tough day of training. It was a welcome feeling because it signalled progression. Today’s practice was intense, but it was supposed to be at the professional level of volleyball. Sinking into the driver seat, she took a second to catch a breather, before extending her hand to turn on the ignition. But right before she could turn the key, her ringtone went off, startling her. Reaching into her jacket pocket she grasped her phone and looked at the caller ID.
Futaba? At this time? What could she possibly be calling her for? They were friends, yes, but not as close as Futaba was to the thieves.
From what Ann had told her, while the thieves were still in contact and made the effort to meet when they could, contact has been slowly declining over the years. In 2017 the phantom thieves would meet every week at least. By 2020 it became every month if they were lucky. Two years ago, it was once every 3 months and now it was twice a year if they were lucky. So, if Futaba were to go out of her way to call someone for small talk, a non-thief made the least sense.
Putting this together made Shiho unsettled. The fact Futaba felt the need to call her, meant something must have gone wrong. Something to do with Ann. Without hesitating any further, Shiho steeled her nerves and picked up the call.
“H-Hello?” Futaba’s voice rang through the phone, but she sounded nervous, which only made Shiho even more fearful of the worst.
“Hey there Futaba, what’s up?” Shiho asked as she straightened in her seat. She heard the girl take a small breath before she responded.
“N-Nothing much. You know how we’ve been trying to come up with solutions for Ann’s… situation?” Futaba said flightily, causing Shiho’s eyebrow to quirk up. Shiho’s suspicion of this being Ann-related was right on the money. That on top of the fact that Futaba was speaking with a weird, almost skittish tone, was causing Shiho’s concern to rise by the second
“Yeah, I remember we thought about a couple of ideas for her. None of them worked out though… ” Shiho recalled, slight disappointment peaking through her voice. None of them worked because Ann didn’t like any of them.
“I-I think I have a good plan on what we can do for Ann, so I was wondering if you could stop by Leblanc tonight. I know it’s late-”
“I’ll be there in half an hour” Shiho declared, interrupting Futaba’s rambling.
“F-For real?”
“If you have a strategy to help Ann then I have to be involved,” Shiho replied assertively.
“P-Perfect!” Futaba exclaimed. Shiho could practically feel some kind of weight being lifted off Futaba’s shoulders.
To be honest, hearing Futaba like this was confusing her a bit. It had been years since she heard her this… nervous? Uncomfortable? She didn’t know the best word to describe it, but it brought her back to those first few years after Ann and her friends had finished their business as phantom thieves, when Futaba was still an anti-social teenager.
Regardless, Futaba was a friend, and if she felt confident in an idea for Ann, then Shiho needed to verify that it was the best possible option for her. She would never settle for anything but the best for Ann.
After saying their goodbyes, Shiho started her car’s engine and raced out of the parking lot.
Friday, May 17th, 2024
Yongen Jaya
8:42 p.m.
After finally finding some parking near Leblanc, Shiho walked swiftly through the streets of Yongen. She looked around, trying to recall the path to Leblanc. She didn’t come here very often, so her brain was slowly remembering the layout.
The moon peaked through the thick clouds, casting a distinct shine on Shiho’s black hair. An elegant breeze flew, caressing her as she strolled through the streets. She had forgotten just how peaceful this area was. It was rare to find such a tranquil place in the Utopia that Tokyo was.
Eventually, she started recognizing more and more of the area until she was a few minutes away from Leblanc. When she finally found the back alley that contained the calm café, she smiled. Reaching the door, she paused, gazing at the warm lights that were shining out of the café’s windows. Interestingly she saw the attic lights were also on. Had she ever seen them on before? She shook the thought before slowly entering the café.
The first sight she caught was Futaba sitting in one of the booths with a laptop in front of her. Futaba’s face rose above the screen, a startled expression from the door opening. When she saw it was Shiho, she smiled.
“Hey Shiho! Come sit here!” Futaba prompted, pointing to the seat opposite her in the booth with a bright smile on her face. Seems like whatever nervousness Futaba felt earlier was all gone now. Her body language indicated she was back to her bright, cheeky self.
Shiho smiled back and started heading to the seat but paused for a second when she saw someone in the back of the kitchen. She had assumed this conversation would be… private. With how obsessive Ann’s fans could be, leaks about her would be… bad to say the least.
After sitting down, she leaned in and whispered to Futaba, “Did Boss hire a part-timer or something? We might want to avoid him hearing us talk about Ann…”. Futaba nodded with an assuring expression on her face before whispering back.
“Oh, don’t worry about him. He’s super chill” she said almost too casually. Shiho nodded but was silently a bit annoyed. She was just supposed to trust some random stranger with hearing private information? She suppressed the feeling for now, but it made her a bit wary of the part-timer.
Little did she know that Futaba did that on purpose. Keeping her wary of Akira meant Shiho was going to pay extra attention to him. The hope was that doing so would ignite something.
Futaba was unsure about the plan at first, but as time went on Akira and Morgana ensured her it would work, their signature charisma at play. Their confidence was infectious, and quickly spread to herself. Before long they were jumping out of their seats in anticipation for when Shiho walked through the door.
Only Akira and Morgana knew how to make her like that.
“He’s already making a cup of coffee for you, should be done in a minute…” Futaba added nonchalantly, trying her best to bite back a smile. Shiho just watched Akira more closely, observing him as he stepped out of the kitchen and walked to the coffee dripper. Futaba’s struggle to hold her smile was becoming impossible because their strategy was clearly working. All she hoped for now was that Shiho would start to recognize something in him.
Shiho felt a weird sensation when the man stepped into better view. That messy black hair and the tall stature gave off a powerful look, and yet his demeanour and facial features gave off the impression of someone passive and unassuming. The more she looked, the more the feeling got worse.
She knew this person. But she couldn’t put her finger on who they were, and it was tearing her apart. Minutes seemed to pass but she couldn’t keep her gaze off him. Futaba seemed to be ignoring her too, not finding it weird that she was staring at the barista. Eventually, he carried two mugs to their booth and sat them down. Curiosity eating at her, she reached her hand out in front of him before he could turn away.
“Hi, my name is Shiho Suzui” she introduced, a neutral expression on her face. Akira looked at her hand thoughtfully, until a funny smile came onto his face.
“Akira Kurusu” he replied. Before Shiho could do or say anything else, Futaba interrupted.
“Leader of the phantom thieves,” she said, a devilish grin on her face. Shiho’s head whipped to look at Futaba. Did she hear her right or was she insane? Was this some kind of joke she wasn’t in on? She looked back to Kurusu for an answer, but instead, he was turned to Futaba, trying to suppress a laugh.
When he decided to speak, it came out more like a giggle than an actual statement, “You should’ve waited a bit longer”
Saturday, November 12th, 2016
PRE-YALDABAOTH
Suzui Residence
9:15 a.m.
Akira yawned, still shaking the sleep from his eyes. He stood awkwardly at the door of Shiho Suzui, scratching his head as he looked to his right, where he saw Ann who stood with a conflicted face and crossed arms.
In the last few months, he’d been spending less time with Ann, dedicating it to other relationships that weren't as developed, and activities that were beneficial to the team. Eventually, Ann started getting annoyed by his busy schedule, and in a valiant effort to appease her, he promised to spend her whole birthday with her.
Her call waking him up early on his day off proved that he probably didn’t think hard enough about his promise. Ann would ensure that he held up his deal, to the full extent. When he eventually got up, she informed him that their first stop of the day would be a visit to Shiho.
He and Shiho had gotten more familiar since they tended to spend a lot of time with Ann together. It was only natural considering they were Ann’s two closest friends, but it felt good that he could connect with Shiho, especially knowing the struggle she was going through. He just wished that Ann and Shiho could one day spend time with each other without the looming dread of what happened in the past.
Ann’s body language was stiff and tense, but it has always been around Shiho ever since the incident. From that point on, there’s always been a tear in her heart, a piece that’s been missing. A pain that wasn’t ordinary. Because in her mind, even though she knows it was Kamoshida’s doing, she still feels some guilt for it. Like it was her fault. So even though she’s moved past it, and even though Shiho is recovering well, whenever she visits Shiho, those feelings come back to the surface.
Akira gave Ann a small side hug, trying to comfort her as best he could. She looked up at him with a grateful smile, some confidence being restored to her by his gesture. She remembered why she started bringing him on her visits to Shiho.
Eventually, Shiho came to the door and invited them in. She and Ann sat and talked on one of the living room couches, while Akira sat on the opposite couch fiddling with his phone. While he has been with them on other occasions, he felt it best not to impede or insert himself into their conversations. It wasn’t his place to be invasive.
Weirdly though, this time it felt a bit harder to keep himself distracted because Shiho kept glancing over at him. Every time he caught her looking, she’d quickly divert her eyes back to Ann as if she wasn’t looking at all. Maybe Akira wouldn’t have noticed if Igor hadn’t enhanced his vision with the third eye.
At first, he was confused, but after utilizing his third eye he was able to get a better read on her expression when she was glancing at him. Did it look… concerned? With a touch of amazement?
Oh.
That kind of gaze only meant one thing. She knows he’s a phantom thief. That’s… interesting. He didn’t know how to feel about her knowing his identity, but he knew it wasn’t that unwelcome. Plus, it would be hypocritical to blame Ann for spilling the beans considering he’s already gotten sniffed out as a thief by several of his confidants.
He decided to play the oblivious role for now, at least until he could get a good opportunity to talk to her about it. If she knew his identity, then he felt there were certain things he wanted to discuss with her to be safe.
His opportunity came soon when Ann excused herself to the bathroom. Scanning the surrounding area while Ann was walking away, he confirmed that neither of Shiho’s parents was near them. Turning back to Shiho, it seemed she was trying to play the oblivious part using her phone like he was earlier, but she was doing a terrible job. He calmed his nerves before deciding to speak up.
“Did Ann let it slip that we’re the phantom thieves?” He asked calmly. She immediately froze and darted her head up to look at him. He probably should have been gentler about that.
“S-She did it by accident-“ Shiho tried explaining, but Akira was quick to interrupt her.
“Don’t worry about it, I’m fine with you knowing…” he said calmly. Shiho took a second to process what he had said, before taking a deep breath. He continued, “I’m just wondering how you… feel about it. I mean, I’m not sure how much Ann has told you about it but-”
“Th-Thank you” she blurted out interrupting Akira’s rambling. He was taken aback for a second until he processed what she said. Realizing the implication of why she thanked him, he felt his heart tear a bit.
“No worries” he replied comfortingly. He decided to end that part of the conversation there. The last thing he wanted to do was remind Shiho of that time. They sat in silence for a couple of seconds, Akira looking down with his eyes closed, steeling his nerves before deciding to say something. In a few days, he and the phantom thieves would send the calling card to Sae. But their plan to deal with Akechi meant that people who knew he was the leader of the thieves, would see news that he was… dead. If Shiho knew now, then he should probably warn her.
“I-In a couple of days, you’ll hear some… bad news about me. It’s part of a bigger plan that we have so don’t be worried about it.” He faltered. He felt his breath run short at the end of his sentence, clearly indicating that even he was weary about whatever was about to happen. He decided not to elaborate further, lest his lack of confidence get the best of him. This caused Shiho’s eyebrows to rise, confused by both the switch of topic and the supposed plan. However, her next question was not what he expected.
“How does Ann feel about this… plan?” she questioned. Akira looked up at her with an expression that screamed ‘She hates it’. She clasped her hands and took a deep breath before deciding on her next words.
“If this plan is putting you in danger… then obviously she wouldn’t like it.” She counselled. He was about to respond before she continued, “Ann didn’t have many friends in middle and high school. I was the only one who cared for her… until you came along. I’m not exaggerating when I say you are one of the most important people to her.” She divulged, causing Akira’s eyes to widen slightly. He felt some tension leave his body before he replied.
“I-It’s not like I wanna go ahead with this plan, I-we just don’t have any other options” He fumbled before continuing, “I just wish she’d have a little faith in me y’know?” he said, willing a smile to his face. She was about to respond to him until they heard a door opening down the hall where Ann went. Immediately, Akira sat up properly and pulled out his phone, trying to pretend that a conversation hadn’t happened. Looking up from his phone, he could tell Shiho had a different plan.
Ann eventually got back to the couches, but before she could sit down, Shiho grabbed her arm gently and looked her in the eyes.
“Akira will be fine,” she said sternly. Ann looked confused at first, until realization hit her face and she froze. Her head slowly turned from Shiho to the opposite couch where Akira was sitting. Akira shot Ann a knowing smile until the humour of Shiho randomly telling Ann that with no context hit him.
Turning his head to Shiho, he giggled, “You should’ve waited a bit longer”
Friday, May 17th, 2024
Yongen Jaya
9:00 p.m.
“How long does it usually take for people to wake up from this daze thing when they remember?” Futaba inquired, a bored expression on her face, as she stared at Shiho's stunned expression.
“Usually about a minute max-“
“AKIRA?!” Shiho exclaimed from complete shock. What… why… where has he been this whole time? Why did no one talk about him? How did she forget him? Too many questions invaded her mind all at once, and she didn’t know which one to ask first.
Before she could say anything, Futaba pointed her finger in Akira’s direction and cackled, “Meet Ann’s solution!” which forced Akira to suppress a giggle. What followed was an explanation about everything; how everyone forgot Akira, the deal, and the current plan. Since Shiho wasn’t as well versed in metaverse stuff, Akira took his time explaining. Shiho listened diligently, trying her best to understand him. She often felt a smile on her face, not because of the story but because his unique speech patterns and way of talking made her feel like she was talking to a friend she hadn’t seen in a long time.
The story itself was devastating, and it took her a moment to process everything. Futaba and Akira were patient with her, understanding the convolution of this whole situation. Eventually, Shiho looked up at Akira, confidently saying, “You’re exactly what Ann needs right now.” Akira was taken aback by her faith in him, before rubbing the back of his neck.
“I-I didn’t think you’d already be on board with the plan… figured it would take some convincing.” He said shyly. Shiho’s face only hardened in response, causing him to quirk an eyebrow.
“Akira… Ann’s problem is more than just needing security.” She explained, causing Futaba to quirk an eyebrow herself.
“What do you mean?” she inquired, not understanding what Shiho was alluding to. From her perspective, Ann was just distressed about feeling unsafe. Then again if anyone knew about Ann, it would be the girl sitting across from her.
“Well… you guys know she doesn’t have many friends, right? Outside of the thieves and well… me, she’s really lonely.”
“Welcome to the club…” Futaba said sarcastically. Shiho and Akira just smiled, with the former trying to bite down her amusement before continuing.
“Unlike you, she’s isolated on the other side of the planet. All her friends are away from her, and her parents were able to retire back to Tokyo after she got her success. So basically, she has no one. Now on top of that, she’s living a lifestyle where everyone around her wants to take advantage of her or use her for money. How do you think she’s feeling?” She finished questioningly, letting her rhetorical question hang in the air. The message was clear to both of the others, and Futaba was bothered by it.
Something that she and the thieves didn't want to admit to each other was that they were slowly drifting apart. They’d try their best to check on each other as much as possible, but their lives kept getting in the way. She just never thought it would get to a point where Ann would hold herself back from opening up to her and the others. An issue like loneliness, something Futaba had experienced herself, was serious, and one way to solve it was to give Ann a friend. Of all the people that Futaba knew...
“She’s right about you being the only one that can help her. I mean, you already helped her out of something like this once before.” Futaba stated, Akira nodding his head in understanding. Shiho looked up to Akira with serious eyes.
“It’s not going to be easy though. She’s extremely untrusting of other people, especially since she’s been exposed to a lot of media and snakes in the entertainment industry. It’s gonna take a lot before she warms up to you.” Shiho cautioned. Akira nodded his head, but on the inside, he was intimidated and… fearful.
Reforging his bond with Ann was undoubtedly going to be more difficult than Futaba. Futaba was laid-back, accessible, and in a pretty good mental state before he met her again. Meanwhile, Ann seems completely miserable and untrusting, and the last thing she would want to do is become friends with another potential snake.
Then there was the matter of his… own problems. The guilt and PTSD from his battle had calmed down because his bond with Futaba had been restored. It being restored had in many ways stopped him from feeling dread when he was near her. Meeting with a new thief though… that was like making the wound fresh again.
He remembers how he panicked when he heard Makoto over Futaba’s phone. He knows how his throat clenches slightly when he glances at the Sayuri. He feels his heart skip a beat when he walks by a Big Bang Burger. Even the first time he walked back into Leblanc, he remembers how fast his heart was racing. And when he’d settled on going for Ann next, he’d purposely steered away from remembering her, trying to keep his mind settled on the mission. But when the time came to meet her again, he knew that his problems would come back to the forefront, and that scared him.
For now, though, a plan was set in place. Tomorrow morning, Futaba, Akira, and Shiho would meet in Leblanc before the café opens, and they would call Ann. Once they get her to agree with him being her bodyguard, they’d book the plane tickets for the 19th, and he would head out for his next step.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 0
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 10
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 10
Strength: 10
Chapter 16: Through the Door
Chapter Text
Saturday, May 18th, 2024
Leblanc
7:23 a.m.
Futaba, Akira, and Shiho stood around the phone, watching it with hesitation in their eyes. They all wanted to start the call, but that didn’t change their nerves at the prospect of failure.
It could go two ways, either Akira gets the okay to go to the U.S. and be her bodyguard, or things become a lot more complicated. Futaba had been imagining the conversation and trying to come up with the best possible things to say, but waking up this early in the morning was messing up her groove. She looked to Akira and Shiho to see if there was any kind of morning fatigue in her friends, but instead, they looked picture-perfect. She sighed in annoyance before thinking over her lines once again.
Shiho felt some pressure going into this call because she was supposed to be the ‘secret weapon’ of sorts. That was a big responsibility for someone like her, who was never really involved in the phantom thieves business before. She wasn’t breaking a sweat over it, however, as her volleyball training had prepared her for big game moments like these.
Akira was terrified if he was being honest. It’s different talking about the other phantom thieves with Futaba and Morgana. It’s different thinking back on the fun times he had with them back in the thieving days. But hearing their voice. Seeing some life in them and witnessing them express themselves in real time was something he was nowhere near close to handling. He remembers how much he panicked when Futaba called Makoto on her birthday, or when Morgana first confronted him on the way to the apartment.
He'd gotten used to Futaba and Morgana’s presence but that didn’t mean it changed how he’d react when he heard or even met Ann again for the first time. His dreams last night were plagued with memories and experiences he shared with Ann because now the prospect of seeing her again was starting to feel real.
Before Akira could think any longer, in a quick motion, Futaba picked up her phone and started speedily running through her contacts.
“W-wait shouldn’t we discuss a plan first or something?” Akira questioned, clearly still not mentally prepared for the call.
“If we keep stalling and standing around like weirdos, we’re never gonna end up calling her!” Futaba retorted. Akira knew she was right but wasn’t the most enthused about it.
“It’ll be fine Akira.” Shiho comforted. He looked at her hesitantly before turning his head back to the Futaba and leaning onto the counter.
Finally finding Ann’s contact, Futaba took a deep breath and looked at the others with a confident stare. When she got the nods of approval she was looking for, she dialled the number.
*~Brrrt~*
*~Brrrt~*
*~Brrrt~*
*~Brr
“Hello?”
Akira felt his throat clench.
“Hey Ann, you got a minute?” Futaba asked, out of courtesy more than anything. She knew Ann’s schedule, so she knew what times she would and wouldn’t be busy.
“Yeah, I’m free right now Futaba, what’s up?” Ann asked. Even in her current miserable lifestyle, she somehow sounded brighter than everyone else. But that’s how she always has been. Akira’s body was becoming increasingly less stable.
“Well, I know you didn’t like the idea of a bodyguard but-“
“I already told you… I can’t trust someone random to be that close to me all the time Futaba!” Ann interrupted, realizing that this conversation wasn’t going to be a fun one.
“But Ann, I’m telling you this guy I found is the perfect one for the job! He’s strong, nice, a-and-“
“It’s not that I don’t trust your judgement Futaba, but you know more than anyone that I’m just… not ready for something like that!” Ann retorted, starting to get a bit frustrated. She had repeated time and time again that a bodyguard or security team was not going to do it for her. Her trust issues were just way past the point where she could accept something like that.
“H-He’s my friend Ann!” Futaba exclaimed, trying to make Ann understand that Akira was different.
“Y-Your friend?” Ann questioned, confused at what Futaba said. Futaba had made a… friend? Ann knew she had a few temporary buddies and study partners in university, but a new ‘friend’ after all this time? Last Ann knew about Futaba’s situation, she proclaimed she was ‘rotting in Leblanc’. So how, or why, had she made a new friend?
“He’s amazing Ann, I’m telling you! He inspired me, and I ended up applying for some jobs because of him! I have an interview in a couple of days!” Futaba exclaimed, praising Akira as much as she could, and trying to communicate to Ann just how much she cared about him.
“That’s great Futaba! I’m happy for you! So when did you apply-“
“You’re switching the topic!” Futaba called Ann out on her tactic. She heard Ann sigh on the other side of the call. If things kept going the way that Futaba thought it would, Shiho would have to take over soon. Otherwise, they would just keep going in circles.
“Futaba… tell him I said thank you for what he did for you. But I just can’t accept the idea of a bodyguard, no matter who it is.” Ann muttered, her voice barely hiding her bitterness. Futaba looked up to Shiho, who nodded her head. As she stepped to the phone, she felt Akira pat her back, instilling in her even more confidence.
“You need this Ann…” Shiho said caringly. She could immediately hear shuffling in the background of Ann’s line, signalling that Ann had gotten up from wherever she was seated.
“Sh-Shiho?” Ann responded gently, confused that Shiho had appeared from nowhere.
“Ann… he’s my friend too. I’m telling you, if you want a solution to all your problems, he’s the guy.” Shiho said calmly. The line was silent for a couple of seconds, Ann trying to figure out what to say.
“Shiho you know how I feel right now…” Ann said quietly, her tone making all three of them immediately tense up. Ann was clearly on the verge of letting some emotions loose. While the other two would have started backtracking, Shiho took a different route instead.
“I do” Shiho responded quickly and concisely. Futaba and Akira looked at Shiho with awe in their eyes, because the expression with which she responded was a complicated one that only those two and Ann would understand. Ann sighed over the phone, and it stayed silent for a couple of seconds before she finally responded.
“Do you promise me this will be okay Shiho?” Ann asked quietly.
“I do,” Shiho said again.
“Alright. Tell Futaba to text me the details later.” Ann said, her voice and nerves being steeled. The other three all silently pumped their fists and gave each other air high-fives. Futaba quickly shifted in front of the phone and cleared her throat.
“Will do. I’ll call you when everything is confirmed.” She stated affirmatively.
“Alright… bye Futaba” Ann said, Futaba responding with her own goodbye before cutting off the phone. She looked back to the other two and they all cheered. Akira stepped behind the counter and started brewing fresh cups of coffee for the three of them.
Saturday, May 18th, 2024
Leblanc
8:01 a.m.
Futaba gazed intently at her computer as she figured out all the legal details of Akira’s stay in the U.S. While Ann thought he was staying indefinitely, the real plan was for Akira to be there for about a month, restore Ann’s memory, and then come back. While she figured out the soonest flight and judged the best return date, Akira and Shiho sat at the bar, having some friendly small talk.
“Wait so your mom called you ‘Ren’?” Shiho questioned, completely confused.
“Yeah, she and my dad couldn’t agree on a name. He wanted to name me Akira and eventually got his way, but my mom was… a bitter person. So, she just kept calling me Ren instead to spite him.” He explained. He tried hiding the sourness he felt when speaking about them, but Shiho still caught a little bit of it, though she wasn’t too concerned. Instead, she was mulling over this new revelation.
“Huh… Ren…” She said with a weird expression as she stared deeply into his face. Akira was getting a bit shy until she suddenly exclaimed, “It suits you!”
“Heh, thanks… I guess. I actually kind of liked the name until the others found out about it. After that, the nicknames wouldn’t stop.” Akira said amusedly, causing Futaba to perk up from the laptop.
“Ryuji used to call him Ren-Ren, and Ann sometimes called him Renny when she was in a really good mood.” She said funnily, snickering a bit at the goofy nicknames.
“I think Yusuke called me Renworth once…” Akira said thoughtfully, causing Futaba to belt out laughing.
Saturday, May 18th, 2024
Sakura Household
10:22 a.m.
Futaba trudged into her house, tired as ever, and ready to take a nap. She lazily opened her door, letting out a groan when she saw the one thing that could’ve gotten in the way of sleep.
“What’s the update?” Morgana asked curiously. When he heard that they’d be meeting with Shiho early in the morning, he had vehemently denied being there, claiming that a true thief never sacrifices their sleep.
“We called Ann, and Shiho was able to make her agree”
“That’s amazing!” the cat exclaimed. Futaba just stared at him tiredly before responding.
“Sure is…” She said sarcastically, clearly done with being awake for the time being. Morgana wasn’t stupid, so he jumped off her bed before she could collapse onto it. As he was heading for the door, he made a sudden realization. Akira would’ve heard Ann’s voice again for the first time. Flashbacks went through his mind of when he confronted him on the sidewalk a month ago. Morgana turned around, wanting to ask Futaba about how Akira reacted, but instead found that she’d already fallen asleep.
He sighed, knowing his only way of deducing Akira’s current mental state was now temporarily unavailable. He’d have to ask her for details. With that, he made his exit.
Stepping onto the cool ground of Yongen-Jaya, he darted through the streets, eventually spotting Akira as he was walking out of Leblanc.
“Akira!”
“What’s up?”
“Where’re you off to?” Morgana asked while climbing awkwardly onto Akira’s shoulder. He was much taller than back in the day.
“The apartment. I have to start packing for tomorrow’s flight” Akira said monotonal.
“Tomorrow?!” Morgana screamed, causing Akira to quickly block his ears and scowl at the cat.
“If you’re gonna scream, could you not do it next to my ears!” He scolded, but Morgana seemed not to care about his complaint.
“You’re heading off that soon?” He asked, confused how things had progressed so quickly.
“Yaldabaoth isn’t going to wait for us to reassemble the phantom thieves. The second he feels his power outweighs ours, he’s gonna pop out ready to fight, even if it’s not at full power.” Akira elaborated, trying to explain the logic. Morgana nodded in response, but he understood by Akira’s look that now wasn’t the place for this conversation. So, he looked forward, impatiently waiting for them to reach the train station and make it back to his apartment.
Saturday, May 18th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
11:45 a.m.
“Every time I step in this place, I think it can’t get any snazzier, and then you prove me wrong!” Morgana exclaimed pridefully as he looked around his partner in crime’s walk-in closet. Akira rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t help but smirk at the comment. For the first time, he actually felt pride in his wealth, though he didn't think that was a good thing.
He was half-done packing one of his bags, the other still empty and unpacked. He was planning on packing an assortment of clothes, from loungewear to a fancy suit. He didn’t know what kind of situations he might get into while there, so it was best to pack for everything. He crouched down and stuffed a plain t-shirt into the baggage.
He glanced over his shoulder at Morgana, who was running around the closet like it was heaven for a cat.
He smiled at the sight before alerting him, “Mona, over here, we gotta talk about something”
”What’s up?”
“While I’m gone, watch out for the metaverse. It’s bound to pop up again sooner or later” he cautioned, Morgana nodding assuredly in response.
“I’ve been thinking the same thing. I’m actually surprised it hasn’t already showed up considering Yaldabaoth seemed to reemerge in April.” Morgana suggested. Akira nodded in response, mulling over what Morgana had said. As he got up to grab a baseball cap to pack, he considered some reasons for the potential late arrival of the metaverse.
“Maybe he’s not as powerful as last time?” he commented out loud.
“Maybe… but are we really in a position to be commenting on his power when we only have two fighters and a navigator?” Morgana critiqued. Akira smirked in response.
“Sounds like you figured out why I’m leaving so soon. I mean, we are in dire need of firepower, pun intended.” He said smugly to which Morgana nodded his head, though begrudgingly. “Let’s assume that Yaldabaoth is at 10% power currently. He must think that 10% isn’t enough to overpower me and you. But if we slow down our progression, then he could decide at any moment that we fell far enough behind, and decide to fight us early, right then and there. So, I can’t slow down.”
“It makes sense. I just feel bad for Futaba and Sojiro. They just got you back and you’re already leaving” Morgana sighed. Akira crouched down in front of the baggage, down to Morgana’s level, but stopped before he could pack the cap away.
“Yeah, I get it. I could tell by the expression on Futaba’s face that she wasn’t that enthusiastic about booking the flight. But a mission is a mission.” he remarked, Morgana nodding thoughtfully. “Besides, aren’t you excited? I’m gonna bring Ann back to the team! She used to be your favourite right?” Akira said playfully while winking. The sour expression Morgana had on his face was not one that Akira was expecting.
“I know I had a crush on her back then, but let’s just say that having to live and go to school with her in her last year of high school instead of you did more than enough to smother any feelings.” He cringed, Akira snickering in response.
“Yeah, she can be… loud.” Akira chuckled.
Memories flashed of crepes and photoshoots. Lifeless eyes. The grip he had on the hat in his hand suddenly tightened. The paw he felt on his side brought him back to his senses. Morgana looked at him worriedly, and they passed a glance. Akira smiled tiredly at his buddy, but Morgana just sighed and rolled his eyes before walking away.
They both knew that the closure Akira needed wasn’t going to come from him, so all Morgana could do was be there. Taking a deep breath, Akira continued his packing.
Saturday, May 18th, 2024
Kurusu Residence
5:23 p.m.
The TV in Akira’s apartment buzzed quietly as two newscasters blabbered on about the weather and traffic for the upcoming week. Futaba sighed as Morgana intently watched the program. She pondered on how she got here, thinking back to just over a month ago when she was… ignorant. Now though, it didn’t just feel like she remembered the past. Even the aura of the current world was far more apparent to her as if she had woken up from a dream.
She could feel the imposing but subdued force of Yaldabaoth, lurking as she took every breath. Now that she had awoken to the truth of their “final” battle, reality felt clear. Even looking at Morgana, she could see that he was the same. For the past eight years, his eyes were so dreamy and full of life, but ever since he realized the truth she could sense the demeanour shift within him.
They had been living in Wonderland and didn’t even know it, and being back in the real world was unsettling.
She looked back to the whiteboard that was standing near the couches, messy scribbles of brainstorming written all over it. Apparently, since the last time she was in the apartment, Akira had ordered several more big whiteboards. It’s not like he’s exactly starving for space to fit them all, but his closet looked almost comical with the abundance of boards he had for planning.
For the past hour and a half, the three phantom thieves had been planning how to approach Ann when Akira lands in L.A. Brainstorming ways to break down the walls of distrust that she had built around herself. So far, the brainstorming hasn’t resulted in anything concrete, but the hope was that by loosely throwing ideas onto the board, Akira could take a picture of it and use it as a reference for when he deals with Ann.
After Akira came back from the bathroom, he sat on the couch on the other side of Morgana. They lazily watched the news, but there was an underlying tension that none of them could explain.
The phantom thieves were “back”, but it felt so bleak. Just three members sitting on a couch, gripping onto their failure while all of the other members walked around in bliss and beautiful ignorance. Floating on the clouds of victory while these three sat as the only current members.
In a lot of ways, this was the first phantom thieves meeting in eight years.
And yet, it felt so empty in a way only the three of them could understand. Morgana would shift his head away from the TV almost expecting Yusuke to be standing off to the side making a picture frame with his hand. But instead, he just saw the walls of the apartment. Akira would look to his right expecting Ryuji to be slumped on the couch with his legs on the coffee table. But instead, he just saw empty cushions.
And when he looked to his left, he couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. Because it was he who pulled Futaba and Morgana out of Wonderland and brought them down to earth. If he didn’t get them involved, they would have continued living with a sense of victory like the others.
But there was no choice. He couldn’t face Yaldabaoth alone. It was he who had the kill shot in his hand, but it was only because of the damage they’d already done to Yaldabaoth, as well as the help from the public that allowed him to be in that position. Pretending like he could have faced Yaldabaoth alone in the rematch while his friends lived on in happiness would be feeding into a lie. That was something Akira never had and never could stand for.
Futaba glanced up and shared a look with Akira. He could tell by her expression that she was thinking similar thoughts. The responsibility of their upcoming journey was becoming apparent to her as well. Instead of letting her get lost in her thoughts, he decided to speak up.
“After Ann, I have to reconnect with Yusuke. I’ve never been able to form a bond with someone without helping them with their problems.” Akira stated. Futaba thought for a second and understood he was right. Both times he forged a bond with her, he guided her through her current issues, whether it was the shut-in situation from the past or the adulthood stuff from the present.
“It’d be helpful if you guys had any idea what kind of problems the others were going through. I obviously know about Ann’s situation, but what about the others?” He questioned, causing Morgana and Futaba to ponder over his question.
“For Yusuke, it’s probably something to do with his art school. I’d imagine his duties as a mentor could be bringing up some feelings from the past with Madarame” Morgana guessed, Futaba humming in agreeance. Akira nodded, finding it to be a reasonable enough guess.
“Makoto is probably hung up about getting a promotion. I mean, you know how hard she works, and she rightfully deserves to become the police commissioner. But she would be the youngest one in history, so I don’t think they’re too keen on giving her that position.” Futaba estimated, Akira nodding thoughtfully in response. Perhaps he should give Sae a visit before meeting with Makoto since it could provide some leverage.
“Haru has a wedding soon, so it’s probably something to do with that,” Futaba added, but all three of them could have already guessed that.
“And Ryuji?” Akira questioned. Futaba and Morgana began to think, but within a second, they seemed to have realized something. Instead of turning to Akira and telling him whatever they realized, they gave each other a look that seemed to have been in agreeance. Morgana turned his head up at Akira and cleared his throat.
“We know what Ryuji’s problem is but… it would be better if you figured it out on your own. Not that we don’t want to tell you, we just… don’t think you’re in the best mindset to think about it.” Morgana muttered shyly. Normally Akira would have immediately pushed back, but one look at Futaba’s demeanor told him that this wasn’t something to push on. Both of them looked shy, so clearly this was a sensitive issue.
And in a lot of ways, he gets what Morgana meant about him not being ready yet for sensitive issues. He’s still freezing up every time he remembers his friends and often gets lost in his head from thinking about them.
“I get it, whenever I get to him, I’ll figure it out then” he responded, understanding in his voice. The other two lit up at his response, thinking he was going to scold them for keeping something from him. His calm response explains why he’s the leader and they’re not.
They sat for a while longer, as the light through the window faded into darkness, the sun setting on another day. The blue light from the TV dimly lit up their face, the newscasters repeating the same headlines they had been saying hours ago.
Tomorrow he would get on a flight, and soon enough he would meet Ann again. He wondered if he would freeze up like he did the first time he met her. He wondered if he would be ready to face her again, after all these years. From the first glance he shared with her, to the last glance she gave him as life faded from her eyes, he remembered them all.
He was ready to admit that he was scared. Terrified. The thought of sharing laughs again, and making memories and jokes together had him petrified because he couldn’t bear to lose her again. To lose any of them again. He didn’t notice it, but his body started to shiver, though his hard expression never wavered.
Before he could realize it, Morgana and Futaba gathered beside him, her hand placed on his shoulder and Morgana half-laying in his lap. His shivers slowly stabilized, as they sat there in front of the TV.
Sunday, May 19th
Haneda Airport
4:45 p.m.
He took a deep breath as the announcement for flight boarding rang through his ears. The next step of his journey was one flight away.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 0
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 10
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 10
Strength: 10
Chapter 17: Plane
Summary:
Akira lands in Los Angeles
Chapter Text
Pacific Ocean
Sunday, May 19th, 2024
His mind fluttered in and out of consciousness as the threat of sleep lingered. He didn’t want to fall asleep, because he feared what he’d see. From the second he heard the boarding call to his first step onto the aircraft, that magical sense of dread loomed over his consciousness.
He was afraid of coming face to face with Ann again. He knew the nightmares that came with it. He knew the stored emotions within him, seeping like poison into his mind as he continued to ponder the impending “reunion”.
But the airplane's deep blue lights and darkness, and the lack of sleep from the last few days, were begging him to close his eyes. And as the plane continued to gently rock back and forth from the minimal turbulence, he finally fell asleep.
???
Doors and nothingness. A clear sky, and a surface of water that he could stand on without fear of getting wet. He had a feeling he’d be back here, though he didn’t know why.
He remembered those first few days after reuniting with Lavenza and learning what his mission entailed. He felt almost amused when he recalled his frantic state, scrambling to gather all the info he could on his old teammates, and plan his whole timeline out.
He certainly remembered this place too, including when he opened the Hermit door, and was met with Futaba, or at least some portrayal of her. Last time it was closed, with an unlocked padlock hanging weakly on the door handle. Now, though, it was wide open, and a bright, comforting light was gently shining from within it. There was another door which was open last time, which leaked a black aura. It was now open in a similar fashion to the Hermit door. Akira was smart enough to know that his reforging of bonds with Futaba and Morgana had something to do with the state of the doors.
The rest of the doors were intimidatingly sealed off when he last came here. Thick chains gripped tightly around the doors, strong enough that it felt like the doors would collapse from the force being put on them. It was safe to say there was no room for entry. And now, almost all those doors were exactly as they looked last time. All except one.
There was now a beautiful door with a red aura seeping out from the bottom, no longer concealed with chains. It was closed, with a padlock on the handle like the Hermit door last time. Though unlike before, this padlock wasn’t open. Akira felt his arm moving against his will, reaching towards his pants and checking his pockets. His fingers gripped a key.
He took a deep breath and made his way toward the door. He clasped the padlock when it was in reach and slowly turned it around, taking another deep breath as he did so.
“Lovers”
He smiled softly at the word. Before he could think, his hand inserted the key, and the padlock was unlocked, falling to the ground, and phasing through it. He looked back up at the door and felt a shiver go down his spine. Small images flashed through his mind of her. Before he could think anymore, he gripped the handle and opened the door.
He had to block his eyes from the surge of brightness, the sun flashing in his eyes unexpectedly as it continued to set into the afternoon. When his vision finally cleared up, he stood in awe of his surroundings. The Shujin Rooftop. What a fitting setting.
And in front of him, sitting on top of the messily scattered desks, was Ann. Not today’s world-famous Ann Takamaki, no. His Ann, from back then. She sat facing away from Akira, looking down at the ground between the desk and the AC Unit that Akira used to lean on. Just like before, his feet moved before he could think. His movements felt so familiar, so nostalgic, that he almost wanted to gag. But there was nothing he could do. She continued to stare down at the ground as he took his familiar stance, leaning against the AC unit with his arms crossed.
“I hope you know... I never forgot what you did to Kamoshida, and what you did for me…” She croaked. Only when she spoke did Akira decide to look down at her, finally noticing her downtrodden, regretful expression. He wanted to ask for forgiveness; to get on his knees and tell her it’s all going to work out. But he had no control.
“You do realize forgetting was exactly what you ended up doing, right?” He snickered, a sly smirk on his face. She looked up to him with an annoyed expression.
“You’re not making this any better, y’know!” she chastised, jumping out of her seat on the desk and walking away from him. Akira felt his humorous expression soften, replaced with a sorrowful one. In an instant, the old Ann was replaced by the current, adult Ann, but he was unable to react.
“I tried my best, Ann,” he spoke softly. She stopped in her tracks, and he heard her take a deep breath. Slowly, she turned around, walking back until she was right in front of him. Her expression now was one of… pity? Sadness? He couldn’t quite tell.
“I know you did, Akira, I… we all do. How come you don’t?”
California Skies
Sunday May 19th, 2024
11:50 a.m.
He blinked his eyes slowly, coming back to consciousness after a long slumber. He yawned, stretching his arms wide, as he looked around. Everyone’s window was open, small kids in awe as they looked outside, staring down. Only then did he realize that they must be close to landing. Before he could think further, the P.A rung through the airplane, confirming his suspicions. A flash of panic shot through his spine, so he took some deep breaths to calm down. Soon it would be time to face the music.
It was not for another 25 minutes that the plane touched down in Los Angeles, and it took another 10 minutes until passengers began exiting the plane, but each second felt like an eternity. All he could think about was her. Each step felt heavy, like his life was on the line with every movement. He subconsciously walked through the airport like he’d seen a ghost, and before he knew it, he was past immigration and waiting for his bags.
He didn’t have to wait long. As if the world was practically laughing at him, his bags were the first to come. He loaded them onto his cart and began walking to the arrivals terminal. From what Futaba said, there would be someone waiting, holding a sign with Akira’s name on it. That would be the driver who would take Akira to Ann’s residence.
It didn’t take long for him to spot the driver. His name stood out brightly amongst the crowd of people with signs that read more Western names. He made his way over to the driver, they exchanged greetings, and they exited the airport.
Akira internally gawked at the luxurious limousine when the driver opened the door for him. Within a few moments, they were on their way. The drive to Ann’s house would only take a little over half an hour.
And so, he stared out at the surroundings, taking in the foreign buildings and local trees and plants. Though he had been out of the country before, particularly to the States a couple of times for business affairs, he’d never been to California before. Observing and experiencing the new environment felt like solace from the impending doom.
After what felt like a millennium of staring out of the window, the driver indicated that they were almost at the destination. Soon he started to pass by huge mansions, stuff you’d only see on TV, until, in the blink of an eye, the car stopped, and the door opened. Akira immediately felt the hot sun and air hit his skin. After stepping out of the vehicle, all he could do was stand frozen at the sight of the massive mansion in front of him.
He was here.
After unloading the bags, the driver saw him off and drove away. Suddenly, he was all alone.
He stood for a while, taking it all in and preparing himself. Today was the beginning of the next chapter in his journey. He needed her back, there was no question about it. No one could do this job except him. There was no way he’d continue to let his friend live in this false reality while Yaldabaoth continued to play around with him and his team.
His mind started flashing images of her again, but this time, they were different. It wasn’t images of happiness and companionship, no, this time he remembered Ann’s conviction. He saw fire flaring from her hands, a wide grin as she made the unjust pay for their crimes. He saw her shout towards her abuser, demanding that he face the consequences of his villainy. His memories of her fueled him. After closing his eyes and taking one last breath, he began walking towards the door.
He carried his bags up the staircase and was soon confronted by the door. The truth was that he had no idea how he’d react when he saw her in person again after all this time. Guess there was nothing left to do but find out.
He reached his hand up to the doorbell and pressed it gently.
His heart was beating rapidly as the grand sounding doorbell chimed from within the house. He heard footsteps from inside and felt his heartbeat pick up even faster, with both anticipation and fear.
And then she opened the door.
Monday, April 11th, 2016
FLASHBACK
Minato, Tokyo
As Akira tiredly walked up the stairs from Aoyama-Itchome station, he began to hear the patter of rain from the streets above. He quietly sighed to himself, bothered by the inconvenience, but with not enough energy to care.
He’s been like that his whole life, drifting around emotionlessly as the world passed him by. But after being charged and going on trial, he didn’t just feel reserved, no, he felt numb. Like he couldn’t feel anything anymore, like he didn’t want to feel anything anymore. Because all it would lead to was pain, disappointment, and injustice. He didn’t deserve to be subjected to those things anymore.
Reaching the top of the steps, he looked out at the surrounding area, taking in the unfamiliar streets. These are the streets he’d be seeing every day for the next year. He couldn’t help but find it kind of beautiful, in its own, different way from the beautiful landscapes he saw at home.
Akira had woken up way too early today, not willing to take any chances of being late to his first day of school, especially considering the circumstances of them taking him in. Checking the time, he saw that there was quite a bit of time until school started.
Maybe he can chill for a while. Stand and watch the rain pitter and patter on the concrete, letting in some refreshing breaths of the April rain. He looked around and saw a small clearing underneath the buildings to the left. Covering his hair, he quickly skipped over to the building.
About a minute passed of him taking in the atmosphere, until a couple of girls wearing the Shujin uniform ran by, breaking him out of his trance.
“This sucks! I left early today, too. This seriously sucks!” one of them exasperated. Akira watched them uninterested as they ran out of sight.
Deciding that was enough time idling around, he pulled out his phone to double-check the route to the school.
This weird, red, eyeball app again? He thought he had deleted it, but every time he does, it always comes back. He let out a groan of confusion, but was broken away from his thoughts when he heard some footsteps next to him. Looking to his left, there was a girl. He watched as she brushed off her sleeve and slowly lifted her arms. In one swift motion, she pulled down her hood, two flowing pigtails flaring out as they came free from their confines. It was then that he finally got a look at her.
And she was… she was…
Takamaki Residence
Sunday May 19th, 2024
12:47 p.m.
Kinda pathetic looking. At least that’s the first thought that came to Akira’s mind when he laid eyes on Ann Takamaki, in the flesh, for the first time since their high school graduation. He immediately rid himself of that judgment due to a combination of guilt from seeing his dead friend and nervousness from their first encounter.
She looked like she had just woken up, her hair messy, her eyes slightly saggy, and her face without any makeup. She was only wearing a white tank top with the word “Love” written in a typical graffiti font, with a pink bra underneath. This form of hers was in stark contrast to the calm and organized personality that Futaba and Shiho had told him about. Apparently, she would wake up early every day and hold a perfectionist image that rivalled Makoto’s.
Still, even in this tired, pathetic form, she looked miles more beautiful than any woman he’d ever seen, and probably any woman he would end up seeing.
She looked different compared to eight years ago, though that was to be expected. She probably grew about an inch and looked much more mature and adultlike, rather than the teenager he remembered, which made sense. She was definitely slimmer with a more defined figure, which he guessed was a result of the training and diet program she had to follow as a highly sought-after model.
Overall, he was lost for words. He didn’t know what to say, what he could possibly say, without fumbling and bumbling his sentence. That feeling only got worse the longer they stood there, as she started giving him an incredulous look, that read, “I have an idiot as my bodyguard”. She shook her head, as if trying to convince herself that there was no way out of this and held her hand out toward him.
“Hi, I’m Ann Takamaki, though you already knew that. Futaba said your name was Akira?” She asked, though it was clear she was forcing her words out. She was completely uninterested in this encounter.
Akira just nodded silently and took her hand in a firm handshake. He fought the urge to adjust his glasses with his left hand, something he did frequently when he was trying to calculate what to do in a scenario. Since he didn’t wear those frames anymore, it’d just end up looking like an awkward motion.
She sighed and waved him inside, where he internally gaped at the interior of the mansion. He was very well-off, but this was a new level of rich. He fought down the urge to show any reaction on the outside, though on the inside, he was mesmerized. It seemed his attempt not to show any expression had failed, though, as Ann looked toward him and rolled her eyes. This was going to be a tough month.
Her aura from the start had been standoffish and uninterested, like Akira’s presence was more of a nuisance than anything else. His first challenge would be to break down those walls of hers.
She slowly took him around the main floor of the house, showing him the kitchen (which was huge), the living room (which was massive), the theatre (wow), the game room (this is getting out of hand), the gym (at least his routine won’t get affected), and all the other rooms that were splayed around the massive area.
Her lack of interest helped numb his internal gawking, though an interesting observation he made was the complete lack of use of all the rooms other than the kitchen and the gym. The living room looked like there wasn’t much living going on. When she opened the theatre room, dust particles burst out from the inside, indicating that it hadn’t been opened in ages. The game room also held a distinct lifelessness, with the pool and ping pong tables being perfectly set up to begin playing but having no signs of usage at all.
It didn’t take a genius to see that Ann didn’t have many, if any, friends. Whenever he would glance at Ann, he could see that she felt it too. There was a sad look on her face as she showed off the rooms, clearly saddened at the lack of usage. But he could tell she was biting down on the feeling as best she could so she could maintain her cold demeanour toward him.
He also noticed her consistently glancing back at Akira as they walked through the main floor, with an expression of disgust and distrust. She looked at him like he was a parasite.
On the other hand, Akira had an expression of amazement. This felt too surreal, like something he’d dreamt about sometime over the last eight long years. On the surface, it looked like he was startled by the mansion, and that was probably what Ann decided to believe. The next prediction could be that he was shocked to be in the presence of Ann herself, a renowned star known all around the world. But no one could understand what his look really meant.
Eight long years he spent alone, grappling with the reality he wished for, wondering how things might’ve turned out had he not taken Yaldabaoth’s deal. Forced to avoid the ones he threw everything away to save, he struggled to justify whether his choice was the right one. Any time he got a glimpse of them, his mind would be sent down a rabbit hole of painful memories, full of fun times that led to their ultimate failure.
But there wasn’t a moment he didn’t wonder if he’d be able to befriend them again. Visions of being able to pat Yusuke’s back again would plague his dreams as he closed his eyes. Would he ever be allowed to hear Makoto’s laugh? He wondered whether the outdoor breeze would feel the same if he ever got a chance to run with Ryuji again.
Would he be able to lay his eyes on Ann again before he took his last breath? He never envisioned that the answer would be yes. But she was right in front of him. He could lose his cool at any given moment, and it was taking every fibre of his willpower not to lose control. Futaba and Shiho had made it explicitly clear that he could not come out too strongly, or Ann would immediately write him off.
So, he stood silently, internally gaping at the person in front of him as she finished showing him around the main floor. She looked toward the glass doors that led to the backyard, deliberating whether she should tour that part too, but decided against it, mostly due to a lack of care for this monotonous task.
Instead, she decided to just jump to showing him the basement. This would be the floor he’d stay and live in, purposefully as far away from her room as possible, which was on the top floor, on the other side of the house.
As they got to the basement, he once again gaped at the luxurious-looking interior. Even though it was far less expansive than the main floor, and probably the floors above that, it was still huge, almost as big as his penthouse back in Japan.
“This is where you’ll be staying. The basement’s got a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, everything you’ll need to be honest.” She stated, disinterested but at least engaged in her task of showing him around. He just hummed in response, and she led him to the kitchen area. Before he could open any of the cupboards or check any of the appliances, he heard her clear her throat.
“Sooo, let’s go over the rules. I’ll call you whenever I need you. I expect you to be ready and at the front door in no less than fifteen minutes after that.” Akira nodded in response, though he was a little in shock. He snapped out when he noticed her face go from indifferent to awkwardly sour. Quietly, he sat down on the tall chair, letting his arms rest on the kitchen island.
“Outside of your bodyguard duties, I want you to stay down here for the most part. Since all the kitchen equipment is upstairs, I guess you can use the kitchen, but everything else you do should be alone, in this basement. To put it frankly, I don’t want to see you around the house. Our arrangement is purely business. How I live should be the same before and after you got here.” He silently gulped at her words, noting that she didn’t have this unexpressive side back then.
Regardless, he could understand her point of view. Before he could respond, she continued, “You play your role as a bodyguard, I’ll play mine as the one being guarded. But do not interfere with my life. Got it?” she badgered, her voice rising, and her true colours finally starting to show. It was at this moment that he finally saw what Futaba and Shiho meant when they indicated she had ‘changed’.
This wasn’t the typical Ann he knew. When she was riled up or against you, it was often a more expressive anger that took her over rather than this cold and rude antagonism. Somehow, though, it seemed to snap Akira out of the daze he’d been in since he first entered the house.
It’s funny how the world worked, where, in an instant, things could magically just click into place. He would often recall his and Ann’s relationship back then, one with nothing but fire. When they agreed, their teamwork was unmatched, but when they clashed, they would clash hard. So, after what felt like hours of touring the house, watching Ann hold in and suppress her distaste at his presence, seeing her finally display how she felt had awoken the part of him that always used to clash with her. His competitive essence and innate nature to rebel against oppressors had broken free through Ann’s hostile words.
But still, he understood he couldn’t come out too strong and cocky. He would have to carefully toe the line between showing enough charisma for their relationship to build, while also not aggravating her and making his job harder than it needs to be. Regardless, all he needed to begin reforging the bond was a deal, and she had just handed one straight to him.
He let a small smirk overtake his face and looked her dead in the eyes.
“Got it.”
I am thou, thou art I…
Thou hast acquired a new vow,
It shall become the wings of rebellion
that breaketh thy chains of captivity,
With the rebirth of the Lovers Persona
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
shall lead to freedom and new power…
Takamaki Residence
Sunday May 19th, 2024
1:34 p.m.
She didn’t know why, but the way this guy’s demeanour suddenly switched to having obnoxious confidence, really pissed her off. It was probably because she wanted this to be easy. The bigger the pushover, the less effort she would need to keep this guy out of her business. So, when she saw his intimidated expression turn to one of poise and determination, she had to suppress the urge to sock the guy in his face. It was made even worse by the fact that he had a smooth baritone voice to accompany his expression.
Scoffing in response to his words, she replied, “Yeah, whatever,” and crossed her arms. She quickly turned her heels and walked away from him. She snuck a glance back, trying to gauge Akira, and found an expression of hope and resolve rather than the somber, unsettled expression he wore during the house tour. The fact he felt like that after their introduction served to piss her off even more.
Enough that she couldn’t sit still. She didn’t know what was making this guy all jolly out of nowhere, but that stubborn part of her felt the extreme urge to dampen that optimistic aura he was giving off. It was only fair that, if he was going to stay here, he should feel how she feels. Dejected. So, when she got to the stairs, she stopped herself and slowly turned back in his direction.
“I know you went to Shujin. I remembered your name from when they announced it during Graduation.” She announced, somewhat dramatically. She saw him slightly stiffen and felt a strike of confidence at that reaction. But just as soon as it had come, she watched his expression turn into something more mindful, as if he was put into deep thought. That annoyed her even further. “You must’ve been one of those kids who just stood by while Kamoshida continued his abuse. You were probably in that crowd when Shiho jumped too, weren’t you?” she accused, her words barely hiding her venom.
To be honest, Akira didn’t think she’d come out that strong. He’d expected a bit more composure on her end, but now he was getting a good gauge on just how volatile and antagonistic her current form was. Just his small shift in behaviour was enough to set her off-kilter. Regardless, he had to think of a response, and fast. Her words were clearly a tactical play to throw him for a loop.
“Shiho and I knew each other before the… incident.” He started, immediately noting the shaken expression on Ann’s face. “When I first came to Shujin at the beginning of the second year, there were some rumours about me. She comforted me about them, something that no one had done before. When I noticed the… bruises she had, I asked her about them. But she brushed it off. I really didn’t know what was going on with Kamoshida.” He explained, trying to carefully toe the line between providing a sufficient explanation, while not coming across like he’s patronizing her. He inwardly held his breath, waiting to see a visible response from her. Instead, he watched her quietly huff to herself before turning and walking up the stairs, out of the basement.
And so, he was left to himself, sitting on the tall chair in the basement kitchen that had no supplies, left to ponder on his current situation.
This was… a lot different from when he first met Futaba. That bond had started rapidly and excitedly, energy and positivity coming from all sides. This was a lot different. It was chock-full of hostility, with no clear path on how to approach the future.
But he knew Ann. He understood more than anyone that she had a heart of gold. She was caring, kind, and someone you could always rely on. More than anything, however, is that she was compassionate and full of empathy. No matter how cold she might be acting now, he could never lose faith in her compassion. She would come around eventually, and when she did, Akira would be there to guide her to the light.
He wanted to witness her bright smile and cheerful voice once more.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 1
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 10
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 10
Strength: 10
Chapter 18: Kitchen
Chapter Text
Sunday May 19th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
7:34 p.m.
Ann stood against a wall near the front door, waiting somewhat impatiently as she refreshed her food delivery app. Her head perked up when she heard footsteps coming up from the basement. When Akira reached the top of the stairs, they shared a glance of acknowledgement, Akira offering a smile. Ann just gave him a look of ire and looked back down towards her phone.
When the food came, Ann pushed herself off the wall and opened the front door. Akira stood right behind her, taking his bodyguard stance, as she nodded to the delivery guy and took the food from them. When she closed the door, Akira relaxed his tense shoulders and looked down at Ann. She opened the bag, double-checking that all the food was there. Reaching in, she grabbed a small box and stuck it out towards Akira.
”Your dinner. Eat it downstairs.” She instructed, emotionless in her actions. Akira just smiled innocently, nodded, and took his food.
“Thanks for the food,” he chirped, and before she knew it, he had walked away and gone back down to the basement. She stood there confusedly for a few moments, put off by Akira’s relaxed demeanour, and then shook her head and walked to the dining room.
She had taken the day off, using the arrival of her bodyguard as an excuse to cancel all her appointments for the day. She took this opportunity to sleep in, something she was only able to do a handful of times per year. When she finally awoke, she contemplated getting properly dressed and ready for the day, but the built-up fatigue convinced her to lie in her bed until Akira arrived. Tomorrow, she’d have to go back to her schedule, waking up early, completing all her tasks, and preparing for the day after that. She had convinced herself sometime along this journey that she would get used to it and thrive like Makoto. But truthfully, she wasn’t meant for this lifestyle. Regardless, all she could do was persevere.
So, as the sun began to set, the orange hues shining beautifully through the glass wall, Ann ate her dinner alone.
She found herself immersed in the deep orange light, searching for some comfort in the warmth. She closed her eyes and imagined Futaba sitting in the farthest booth in Leblanc, a warm plate of curry in front of her, with Sojiro sitting across from her, a loving smile on his face. It made her feel warm while she chewed on her food.
Alone.
Her mind travelled to the diner in Shibuya, Makoto’s healthy brown hair perfectly matching the brown table and interior, books splayed in front of her as she studied for her finals. The thought that Makoto is out there, probably in some cop car, working towards her dream, brought her comfort as she took a sip of her drink.
Alone.
She wondered if Makoto thought about her as much as she thought about Makoto. She wondered the same thing about Futaba. On other days, her mind would often wander to Haru and Yusuke. The days when she really needed to escape, she’d think of Ryuji and Morgana, try to imagine their laughter and bickering, as if they were at the dinner table with her.
But when her mind returned to reality, and her eyes wandered around her mansion, all she could feel, all she could see, was that she was alone. Before she knew it, her throat clenched, and her eyes became blurry. Her mouth threatened to let out a small whimper, but she summoned all her willpower to try and calm down. She didn’t want to shed a tear, not today.
It took her longer than she wanted to regain her composure, and when she did, she picked up the garbage that remained from her meal, gripping it almost hard enough to rip the packaging, and threw it away. She stood for a few more moments, taking in the orange sunset one last time, and walked towards the stairs, heading up to her room.
Tomorrow, she had a typical routine photoshoot, where she’d model for who knows what, and it’s displayed who knows where. She often pondered when she lost her passion for modelling, but the answer was probably the same as the answer to most of her problems. It was when she moved away from her friends.
That night, when she lay her head down on her pillow, her mind struggled to let her fall asleep. Perhaps it was because she slept in today, or maybe it's because her rest day was over.
It could’ve also been because of her new “guest”. Truthfully, she had no idea why she agreed to this. It was a moment of weakness, something she’d take back a million times if she were able to. She just fell into Shiho’s trap. She could never say no to her. Now, she was feeling the punishment for her mistake. Some random stranger, who went to Shujin no less, is going to be her bodyguard and will be staying close to her for the foreseeable future. What an incredible drag.
He was just another add-on to her misery. Truthfully, when she first saw the guy, he looked like the typical dense, ignorant, and anxious guy she’d imagined a Shujin student from her year being like. Before long, she started treating him like one, like a guy who doesn’t deserve to be in her presence. When he tried hiding his surprise during the tour of the main floor, she rolled her eyes in contempt, perfectly placing him in the slot of an imbecile.
Which is why it annoyed her when that confidence and carefreeness of his randomly decided to show up, and when she was being the most rude assertive to top it off. It was insulting to her that he dared to display self-assurance when she was silently suffering from his presence. So, she pulled the trigger, tried to shake him up and put him back in his shell.
That was when he reminded her that he was fundamentally unlike all the other Shujin students. Because he befriended Shiho. She knew he wasn’t lying when he told his story during the Kamoshida era, because Shiho trusted him. In fact, she trusted him so much that she vouched for him to be her bodyguard, which is why he was here in the first place. Perhaps that was when this uncomfortable feeling, keeping her awake, first showed up.
It was only at that moment that she realized how poorly she’d been treating him, like he was scum, and a nuisance to be around. What made it worse was that he didn’t deserve any of it, doing nothing wrong, and mostly staying silent and respectful from the moment he walked through the door to the moment he walked down the stairs with his dinner on hand. Literally the only words he’s said the whole day were, “got it”, probably because she was acting like such a dick.
The longer Ann thought about it, the more guilt started to creep up. She kinda felt bad. When she first walked out of the basement, she internally tried justifying her behaviour as trying to keep things professional, but that went out the door the second she brought up Shujin. Truthfully, she was the only one being unprofessional right now.
She imagined Makoto watching her today, shaking her head in disappointment. Ryuji would be scolding her, tearing her a new one for the way she was treating him. Yusuke and Haru would both give her the silent treatment, and Morgana would lecture her about the clear injustice that she displayed today.
When her mind returned to reality, she decided that, at the least, her treatment of him needed to change somewhat.
Monday May 20th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
5:57 a.m.
Akira wakes up early, due to a combination of jet lag and routine. It was typical for him to wake up early, especially in those years when he was grinding from sunrise to sunset. The exhaustion from the jet lag caused by the long flight made it easy for him to get knocked out before the clock hit 9 p.m.
It was convenient anyway, seeing as he needed to wake up early anyway to begin his bodyguard duties, as well as to avoid Ann in the mornings. He didn’t exactly know what time Ann would be awake, so he estimated around 7:30 a.m. and decided to wake up an hour and a half beforehand. That way, he had enough time to cook and eat his breakfast before she came downstairs for hers.
It might seem counterproductive for him to be avoiding her when the only way he can complete his mission is to do the opposite. But he had decided during his dinner last night that avoiding her in the mornings might be the best plan. People usually weren’t agreeable during the mornings, so it’d be best to engage later in the day when she might be in a better mood.
He quietly went up the stairs, trying to make as little noise as possible, and walked into the kitchen. Before he could start cooking, he needed to familiarize himself with all the appliances, kitchen utensils, and ingredients. It took him longer than he expected, mostly due to the size of the kitchen. The appliances having English text rather than the Japanese he was used to also lengthened how long it took for him to understand what each of the buttons did. While he was fluent in English speaking, his reading could use a little extra work.
The cheap coffee beans she had in the cabinets would have to do for now. Once she gets more comfortable around him, he’d have to request some better coffee beans. He was surprised she even had a siphon coffee maker rather than an instant coffee machine, but he could guess that it was the influence of Futaba and Sojiro that made her this way. Though it didn’t seem like she made her own coffee often, as the bag of coffee beans had a layer of dust on its surface.
He decided to just go for the classic coffee and curry today, mainly because she had the ingredients (probably from attempting to make it herself), and so that he could get into the groove of cooking after the long flight.
Instantly, his mind flies into a state of focus, as he masterfully weaves around the kitchen like he’s been living here for years, carefully constructing his breakfast. He hopes to make a large enough pot of curry that he can store the leftovers and eat them for breakfast tomorrow as well. That way, he doesn’t need to use the kitchen for anything other than coffee tomorrow.
He’s midway through adding the meat into the pot when he thinks he hears something coming from upstairs. He contemplates using his third eye to check whether he was just hearing things, but decides against it since using the ability on the higher floors is probably an invasion of privacy. So, he continues stirring the pot, his eyes fixated on the mesmerizing colours of the curry.
But then he hears some more noises, and this time he can tell that they are footsteps. He glances at the clock, reading that it’s 6:37 a.m. It seems he had overshot his estimation of when she’d wake up by a good hour. He looked down at the curry and confirmed that there was no way out of this one. His curry was barely half done, and he hadn’t even started brewing the coffee yet.
When the footsteps got louder, he glanced back. As if right on queue, Ann turned the corner into the kitchen. They looked at each other awkwardly for a moment, and it was easy to tell that neither of them wanted to be in the other’s presence. He turned back to his curry, deciding the best thing to do was to try and finish his cooking as fast as possible. That was until he heard a low-pitched screech caused by a chair dragging behind him. Turning his head, he saw Ann sitting in a chair at the dining table. He assumed she had decided to wait there until he was done with his cooking, so that she could begin preparing her breakfast.
Turning back to his curry, he continued stirring, but his mind wasn’t letting him settle due to her presence in the background. He was already making enough to feed the two of them, and it just felt wrong that he would make this breakfast and then walk away without giving her a portion. But would she even accept his food? From what he gathered yesterday, she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him, so what made him think this would be a good time to talk to her at all?
It wasn’t long before he made his decision. Letting out an exhausted sigh, he turned his head back, drawing a neutral expression onto his face.
“Do you want some? I’m making enough for both of us,” he stated, expressionless in his offer. She looked up from her phone, seemingly shocked by the fact that he even tried to talk to her. After how she treated him yesterday, she expected him to ignore her or throw her attitude back in her face. Instead, he was offering her breakfast?
She wanted to refuse, but that guilt from last night started to creep back up. Even if it was the last thing she wanted to do, she felt she needed to make up for her behaviour. Plus, that food he was cooking smelled distinctly nostalgic, softening up her mood. After a few moments, she decided to reply.
“Sure.”
To say he was shocked would be an understatement, though he successfully concealed it behind his monotone expression. He turned back to his curry, her confirmation reviving the focus he had from before. If he was going to cook breakfast for Ann today, it would be the best damn breakfast he’d ever cook.
She tried to look back down at her phone, but the way this bodyguard of hers immediately went into the zone, weaving around the kitchen compartments, and carefully concocting the cuisine, had her reluctantly mesmerized. She couldn’t look away, his cooking process captivating her. The smell of their breakfast was getting stronger, and she was finally able to place what he was cooking.
“Are you making Sojiro’s curry?” she asked, trying her absolute best not to display any of the internal excitement she felt at the idea of the Boss’s food. He just looked back and nodded, deciding not to reply verbally. She secretly wished he humoured her question a bit more enthusiastically, but she also understood that she didn’t deserve that kind of response. If only she could see the smirk on his face as he continued cooking.
Her excitement hit a new high when she watched him pull out her coffee beans from one of the cabinets. This guy was making the full Leblanc special. She was salivating at the thought, imagining the taste of the Boss’s infamous coffee and curry. It was a meal she was only able to have once a year when she went back to Tokyo for Christmas.
It was also a meal that reminded her of home. Before she could think any further, she shovelled those feelings as far away as possible. It wasn’t worth it to think about Tokyo this early in the morning. So, she decided to rest her eyes on Akira as he was cooking, letting his movements draw her mind away from any more thoughts.
She was almost shocked when a plate and mug were placed in front of her. She waited a moment for Akira to get his serving and watched as he sat down across from her.
“Let me know what you think,” he monotoned, motioning for her to try the food.
“Futaba mentioned that you were a good cook,” she recalled as she picked up the spoon and scooped a mix of curry and rice. She blew gently to cool the food down, sneaking a glance at Akira while she did so, and took the bite.
Fireworks. Her mind went blank as the euphoria caused by the combination of flavours completely overwhelmed her palate. This wasn’t just a recreation of Sojiro’s curry. It was straight-up authentic, like Sojiro was here in the kitchen himself.
She felt tears threatening to break from the corner of her eyes, the overwhelming feeling of home overpowering her. She pushed down those feelings as hard as she could, but the second she took her next bite, they were back. She couldn’t shake the image of Leblanc out of her mind, imagining Futaba sitting right next to her as she took her first sip of coffee.
At some point, she forgot that Akira was sitting in front of her. The second she came to that realization, her head shot up at him and away from the food. It was beyond embarrassing that she might’ve displayed any emotion within his presence. One meal might’ve been all that was needed to shatter the emotionless image she was trying to present to him as a means of intimidation.
When she looked up, however, he was just staring lazily to the side and away from her, seeming not to care at all about her current state. His plate was almost empty too, indicating he had eaten his food extremely swiftly and would be going back downstairs soon. It didn’t take a genius to understand that he was doing it to make her feel better. The less reaction she got from him, the more she’d be able to enjoy the food without shame. Her throat clenched as she turned her head back to her food and took another bite.
Beyond his indifferent and uninterested face, however, Akira was feeling a mixture of emotions. On one hand, there was some joy at the fact that she was eating his food. A part of him felt that it was an indication that she had somewhat accepted his presence. That feeling was aided by the fact that she seemed to be absolutely loving the food, her expression barely hiding her euphoric reaction to his coffee and curry.
But that was what made this reaction more conflicting for him. He could see behind her expression of enjoyment that there was a pool of emotion that was being restricted from bubbling out of her. It was here that he was getting his first glimpse into the truth of Ann’s issues. Her reaction to his cooking wasn’t really because the food tasted good.
It was because it was authentic Leblanc coffee and curry, made exactly the way that Sojiro makes it. He couldn’t help but feel a small sense of pity form in his stomach, understanding that this wasn’t about the food. Just seeing her with this sense of sorrow lit a rage within him, an intense need to solve her problems and bring happiness back to her life. He understood, though, that this wasn’t something he could solve immediately. This was a slow and steady type of race. So instead, he kept his head turned away from her, feigning disinterest so she could enjoy her food.
Regardless, he could guess that this breakfast didn’t change her feelings about his presence much. Sure, the food was good, and reminded her of home, but at the end of the day, she would still rather have him gone than here. But if this was a step in the right direction, he was happy with the outcome. He turned his head back to his food and took his last few bites. When he got up out of his chair, she glanced up at him, a shocked expression on her face. He ignored her and put his dirty dishes in the dishwasher. Afterwards, he put the pot with leftover curry in the fridge.
Sneaking a glance back at Ann, he saw that the blonde was nearing the end of her meal too. Satisfied by this morning's events and deciding no more words needed to be exchanged, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and walked towards the staircase. Before he reached the staircase, however, he felt the world come to a pause.
RANK UP!
LOVERS
LEVEL 2
He couldn’t help the smile that crept onto his face as he made his way downstairs.
Monday May 20th, 2024
Los Angeles, California, USA
11:42 a.m.
Akira couldn’t see. The ocean of paparazzi that crowded around the car as Ann exited was something he had only seen in viral videos online, and their extremely bright and obnoxious camera flashes were overwhelming him. He went into overdrive, blocking her from aggressive photographers and ensuring no one even dared to get close to her.
He looked down at her, trying to gauge any reaction, but instead saw a bored, if not slightly annoyed, expression on her face. This was just a typical Monday for a celebrity of her stature. She looked perfect right now, her iconic pigtails flowing behind her as she walked towards the entrance of the building where her scheduled photoshoot was. Her skin was practically glowing, and she held this air of confidence that could draw people in from miles away. This was a lot closer to the Ann he pictured in his head when Shiho and Futaba explained her discipline.
When they finally made it into the building, he couldn’t help but let out a sigh at the exhausting task. She side-eyed him, glancing at his current state, and then rolled her eyes. It took everything in Akira’s power not to get a little irked by that reaction after he protected her from those leeches. He turned his head to scan the area, making sure they were clear of any potential dangers.
“Thanks. Getting out of the car is usually a lot harder.” He heard her grunt, making him shoot his head to look down at her. She still held that cold expression, but he understood that the sentiment of her statement was true.
“No worries,” he replied, a kind smile on his face. She just sighed and walked away from him in response. Still a long way to go.
Wednesday May 22nd, 2024
Los Angeles, California, USA
3:42 p.m.
He couldn’t help but feel utterly mesmerized at her stone-like focus, even 6 hours after the photoshoot had begun. If there was one takeaway Akira could make about Ann compared to how he remembered her, it was that she had become a true professional. She was perfect at her job, holding all her poses and expressions perfectly, looking gorgeous as she did so. Her blonde hair was untied and flowing in today’s photoshoot, glowing in the intense lights of the canvas.
It’d been a couple of days since his first day on the job, and he’d been slowly getting used to the chaos of being a celebrity’s bodyguard, though a little slower than he’d like. He didn’t know when he’d get used to this, though. He remembered going to her modelling sessions back in 2016, finding a lot of humour in seeing his friend amateurly pull off goofy-looking poses for cheap magazines.
Now, though, he’d be hard pressed not to acknowledge her new intimidating aura. He wondered whether it took her long to build this skill, or if being alone forced her to develop this persona anyway. Perhaps with no one to share her joy and cheeriness with, a cool professional demeanour was her mask to hide her true self. When he put it that way, his expression of awe turned to one of pity.
In the few days he’d been here, he’d gotten nowhere close to breaking the real Ann free.
Finally, when the clock hit 5, she was finished with her photoshoot for the day. He remembered the migraine he got when he looked at her schedule on Monday night. She was busy almost every day, which meant he was busy almost every day too. This kind of lifestyle was in stark contrast to the ‘do nothing all day’ lifestyle he was living back home before this whole mission came up. Tomorrow would be another photoshoot for a different clothing company, and Friday would be a fashion show that she was set to participate in. Yesterday was a skincare photoshoot, and he remembered seeing a haircare company somewhere on the schedule as well. She wouldn’t have a full day off until next Wednesday.
He waited another 25 minutes for her to change out of the photoshoot clothes and back into her own clothes (which were more stylish in his humble opinion) and bid her farewells to all the staff for the day. When she finally reached him, they nodded at each other and walked towards the elevator. Once they entered, Akira secretly glanced at her, once again taking in her image. He didn’t know if he’d ever get over seeing her again.
He was used to seeing different expressions on her face, from anger to poutiness, to the bright happiness that he loved seeing the most. Even though he’s stayed with her for 2.5 days now, he feels like he hasn’t seen even a fraction of the level of expressiveness he cherished back in the day. Her face had only ranged from mildly annoyed side-eyes to actively cold glances. Even when she tried his breakfast for the first time on Monday, the reaction was non-verbal and concealed, rather than bursting out at the seams. He decided now, in the elevator, was a decent time to try his luck at a conversation.
“How do you stay so composed after hours of modelling?” he inquired, figuring it would be a segway into a decent conversation.
“It’s easy,” she stated, an air of finality in her response, not subtle in communicating that she didn’t want to speak. Akira took that at face value, and they continued to the car silently.
Friday May 24th, 2024
Los Angeles, California, USA
8:47 a.m.
As they approached the entrance to the runway show venue, Akira guarded Ann from the paparazzi and fans who flocked towards her. Akira was always one who was quick to adapt, his perfect proficiency at full display when he picked things up for the first time, which is why it only took him 4 days to have this bodyguarding thing down pat.
When they finally reached the door, Ann was let in. However, before Akira was able to enter, a large hand got in his way and stopped him in his tracks.
“Permitted guests only,” the giant bouncer bellowed, with enough intimidation to scare anyone who dared trespass. It didn’t work on Akira, though, who stood confusedly for a second before realizing what was happening.
“Sorry, I think there’s been a mistake. I’m actually Ms. Takamaki’s bodyguard,” he clarified, hoping it would clear things up. The bouncer, who had at least 5 inches on Akira, glanced back at Ann, who was just beyond the door.
“Is he telling the truth?” the bouncer asked. Ann looked between Akira and the bouncer, seemingly deliberating something in her head. It was only then that Akira realized she could just say no and have him out of her hair for the whole show.
“Yeah, he is,” she replied, surprising Akira, though he hid it. The bouncer turned back to Akira.
“Alright, you can enter. Sorry about that, thought you were some crazy fan or something,” the bouncer jested, his concrete aura going down for a moment.
“Yeah, no worries man,” Akira chirped, a smirk on his face. He patted the bouncer on the back as he walked past, causing the bouncer to return Akira with his own smirk, recognizing the strength behind that pat. Walking up to Ann, he nodded his head, and they continued further into the venue.
“Thanks for that,” he mumbled.
“Quite the charmer, aren’t you?” she quipped, surprising him that she said anything at all. When he looked towards her, though, it was just the same emotionless expression he’d gotten used to. Regardless, this was probably the first non-negative thing she’d ever said to him, so he’ll take it for the time being.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 2
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 10
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 10
Strength: 10
Chapter 19: Living Room
Chapter Text
Sunday May 26th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
10:07 p.m.
After saying his goodbyes to Futaba and Morgana, Akira ended the call, sighing as he did so. He already missed them, and though phone calls were nice, he silently waited for the day he would walk back into Leblanc.
It’d been a week since Akira landed in L.A., and his progress has been… terrible. Seven days, and only one level up. He remembered how he had advanced Futaba from rank two to rank seven in roughly ten days. Then again, he also remembered getting Futaba from rank seven to rank eight, taking 10 days on its own right after. It was clear that when it came to Ann, this was the hump that he needed to get over for things to start rolling. It made sense, someone as stubborn as her just needed her walls to get broken down before she started being more open.
It hasn’t been completely stagnant, though. He’s noticed small steps of progress since rank 2 was achieved. When the bond last grew, Ann was still non-vocal with him, not sharing any words, and holding a cold, antagonistic expression towards him at all times. Now, though, her expression was more neutral, with no signs of animosity, and she’d sometimes throw comments his way, though no real conversation had been had yet. They even had a consistent breakfast routine that they’d both naturally just fallen into. He was hopeful that with her current state, he should be able to progress their bond any moment now.
Monday May 27th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
6:15 a.m.
Ann stalks down the stairs, suppressing a yawn as she makes it to the bottom, with another busy day ahead of her. Turning the corner into the kitchen and dining area, she was greeted with the same setting she had gotten familiar with over the last week. A fresh plate of coffee and curry, served and waiting for her on the dining table. She looked to the right of the dining room, towards her huge living room, where a man sat, typing away at his laptop. Akira Kurusu.
They’d settled into this consistent schedule, him waking up an hour before her, cooking their breakfast, and eating it before she came down. This routine had been consistent since the first day that he made breakfast, though since last Thursday, he’d begun settling in the living room on his laptop after breakfast rather than leaving her alone by going downstairs.
She was genuinely shocked at how having some company, as awkward and quiet as it might be, had drastically helped her mentally, even if Akira didn’t know it. When she looked in the mirror, her eyes held a light that she hadn’t seen herself with in years. She was so used to the dead look in her eyes that had become familiar during her stay in L.A. It shook her that having someone, even a person she didn’t know, had made her feel things again. Her skin felt softer, her vision felt sharper, and her focus when it came to modelling had improved, too.
And it was all because of his presence. It just fueled her guilt further. It was undeniable that she was better because he was here, but she ignored him and brushed him off, refusing to entertain the idea of speaking with him. If anything, the only emotions she’d displayed were bitterness and sarcasm. She knew most celebrities wouldn’t care how they treated their bodyguards, but the second she started using the ultra-rich as a standard for how she treats others, is the second she fails as a human. That was one lesson she'd learnt back in that fancy hotel buffet from when she, Ryuji, and Morgana officially founded the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
The way she was treating him wasn’t like her. She was able to realize now that expressing herself to him was who Ann Takamaki really was. Not the cold-hearted statue she’s been since moving here four years ago. Huffing to herself, she walked up to her plate, picked it up, and walked towards the living room. Akira glanced up from his laptop to see what she was doing, but then glanced back down, his expression unchanged. She sat on the couch on the far side from where he was sitting and began munching on her food. She thought moving like that would be enough for him to start a conversation, but obviously, she was in over her head. Why would he try to talk to her when every time he’s done so, she’s brushed him off? She understood what she had to do and cleared her throat.
“Y’know…” she started, his head immediately looking up from his computer screen, “even though it was weird having you here at first, I think I’ve grown to kinda enjoy your company now,” she said, reluctant, but honest. Akira snickered in response, her compliment sounding like the most hesitant backhanded one he’d ever received. Still, he genuinely appreciated what she said.
“Thanks, happy to help,” he chuckled in response. His reaction made her realize the way her comment came across, but he continued before she could respond. “I was alone for a long time before I met Futaba, so I know how it feels to finally have some company,” he admitted, though the smile on his face never wavered. That was when he saw it. After so long, an expression emerged from Ann’s face that he hadn’t seen in eight years. A true, though weak, smile.
“Thanks for understanding, I-… I’m sorry for being so unfriendly this past week. I just wasn’t that comfortable with having someone here, and I ended up taking it out on you.” She apologized, her face going a bit more somber. He just waved her off, giving no credence to her regret.
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it,” he soothed. She smiled in response and watched as he turned his head back to the computer. She looked down at her curry and pondered for a second. It was only now that she began to recognize just how comforting Akira was. He had this warm aura about him, like things would work out if he were nearby. It made sense now how he’d become friends with Shiho and Futaba. Looking up at him one more time, she smiled as she began eating.
Today, Akira was able to see Ann eat her breakfast, without her face hiding how she really felt about his cooking.
RANK UP!
LOVERS
LEVEL 3
Though he was able to progress the rank today, he was feeling slightly greedy. He couldn’t let the conversation end here.
“I don’t know if I should tell you this, but… Futaba kinda warned me you’d be all prickly like that when I got here,” he hinted, a sneaky grin on his face.
“Oh, did she now?” Ann replied, feigning offence at his comments, though she couldn’t help the smile that crept onto her face. “I’ll have to speak to her about that…” she said dramatically, looking down at her food so she could take another bite. Akira laughed before he replied.
“I mean, she wasn’t wrong, was she?” he questioned. “I guess she knows you pretty well,” he deduced, before turning back to his laptop. He glanced back up and saw a somber, nostalgic smile on her face, as she seemingly reminisced on her old friend.
“I guess so...”
Monday May 27th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
7:49 p.m.
He hadn’t been able to fit his workout in today, mainly due to Ann’s stacked schedule. From 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., all they’ve been doing is running around from one job to another, with no rest and no breaks. Lunch would be eaten on the way from one shoot to the next, with no time allocated for a lunch break. This is without mentioning the chaos that ensued when she stepped out of a car or a building. He understood now why celebrities hated paparazzi so much.
He usually tried to do his workout before they left for the day, around 7 a.m., but since they had to leave early, he couldn’t do so. Picking up his water bottle, he walked up the stairs and eventually reached the gym. What he didn’t expect to see was Ann.
He had completely forgotten that she had to keep up a consistent conditioning schedule for her modelling career. He didn’t know what time she usually worked out at, but it seemed she had the same idea to fit her session in now. She sat on the leg press machine, her quiet but intentional breaths indicating she was somewhere close to the middle of her workout. She wasn’t using the machine, though, and had a phone in her hand, which told him that she was in between her sets.
She glanced up from her phone, and they immediately made eye contact. He gave her a nod and began turning to walk away. She realized he was about to leave, so she could work out alone.
“W-Wait!” she yelled, her high-pitched voice immediately stopping him in his tracks. He looked back at her, an eyebrow quirked up in surprise. “Y-You don’t have to leave! I don’t want to ruin your flow if you were about to work out.” She squeaked. His face went thoughtful for a second, weighing whether he should leave anyway, or do his workout like he was planning. He smiled and walked into the gym to begin stretching.
She grinned at him before turning back to the machine and beginning her next set. Suddenly, the weight felt much easier, like she could do double the number of reps she was used to. It didn’t take a genius to realize that it was because of his presence. Though she didn’t admit it, just having someone near her while she worked out was lighting a fire she hadn’t felt in a long time. It reminded her of the old days, when Ryuji first helped her build some fitness discipline.
When she finished on the leg press machine, a jaw-dropping sight was in front of her. Akira was lifting weights that equalled even the amounts that Ryuji could lift. It was made crazier by the fact that he had a slimmer build in contrast to Ryuji’s muscly physique. She had to stop herself from externally gawking at him, though it made sense that he could do this, considering he was her bodyguard. Still, it didn’t change the fact that she found it impressive. With his body and looks, he could probably have a more successful modelling career than hers, though she would never say that aloud.
Tuesday May 28th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
7:15 a.m.
Akira stood in front of the treadmill, dreading the workout to come. Cardio was always dreadful, especially this early in the morning. It was made worse by the fact that he had just worked out last night, reducing his recovery time from 24 hours to just 12. He sighed and pressed the button which powered on the treadmill. He internally groaned as the treadmill beeped, it's lights coming on, ready for him to begin.
Before he could start the treadmill, a noise near the entrance to the gym room made him turn his head. What he didn’t expect to see was Ann, standing with her arms crossed.
“I thought it might be good to shift my workout to the same time as you. That way we could, y’know, spot each other and stuff,” she stated, trying to make it sound sensical, when in reality, she just felt better working out with someone else there. He prevented a snicker from escaping, but couldn’t help himself from an amused expression. She just pouted, to which he waved her in.
“I got cardio today,” he informed, turning back to the treadmill. On the inside, Ann decided that Akira was a complete lunatic for doing cardio this early in the morning. But on the outside, she summoned a determined expression onto her face and began stretching her legs for the run. Cardio was her specialty, and while he definitely had her in strength, she’d be damned if she got outperformed by him when it came to running. This is what Ryuji trained her for all those years back.
She confidently stomped over to the treadmill next to him and turned it on. They shared a glance, both knowing that a full-fledged competition had just ensued.
Tuesday May 28th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
7:34 a.m.
She heaved as she continued to try and keep up with this guy’s pace, though internally, she knew it was going to be over for her anytime now. She wouldn’t be surprised if she dropped dead, right then and there, from trying to match his cardio. It was a lost cause trying to beat him in the first place. She looked down at the machine and did the quick mile-to-kilometre conversion in her head, something she did often since she started having to use American machines. They’d already run 5 kilometres in 21 minutes, something she’d never done until, well, until now.
Looking to her left, she gaped. This monster had forced her to destroy her record, yet still looked like he could run another 5 without breaking a sweat. He glanced down at her and smiled, an encouraging expression written all over him. All that did was fuel her further, and she summoned every ounce of fire that she could muster up. Her fierce determination taking over, she turned up the speed on her treadmill, going faster than he was now. She now gave Akira a challenging look, egging him on to up his speed too. She hid the anger that emerged when he didn’t follow.
Akira couldn’t help the cocky, amused smile on his face from emerging when he saw that. Ann’s face was beet red, and her teeth were grinding as she heaved in large breaths. She was doing everything in her power to beat him, right then and there. If he laughed, he would break his breath control, but God, did he want to.
It took longer than he thought for her to finally give in, and when she did, she collapsed to the floor, heaving in breaths. He could tell that she had never run that fast, for that long, before. Looking over to her treadmill, he saw that she held on until the machine read 4.00 miles. He grinned, a sinister idea forming in his head. He turned up the speed, almost to its max. His legs immediately shifted into a rhythmic pattern, like a championship runner doing some routine practice. Even she, in that exhausted state, had to marvel at the athlete in front of her.
But then, out of nowhere, he stopped. He hopped off the treadmill, as graceful as can be, and offered a hand to Ann, who was still on the floor. An annoyed expression appeared on her face as she grabbed his hand. When she got up to her feet, she sent a light punch into Akira’s chest.
“Damn show off…” she muttered, causing him to break out in laughter. Before she could say anything else, Akira walked out of the gym, leaving her alone. She took more deep breaths, as well as some long gulps of water, before turning her head back to the treadmills. Her curiosity piqued, she dragged herself to the treadmills.
Akira ran 4.01 miles, in exactly one less second than her. She really should’ve punched him harder.
Tuesday May 28th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
2:17 p.m.
He and Ann stood together, watching carelessly as the modelling set was shifted around for her next set of photos. Something Akira had to realize over the last week was just how boring a lot of his bodyguarding duties were, especially when Ann was at work. All he’d end up doing a lot of the time was standing and watching, occasionally pulling out his phone for some mindless scrolling here and there. The only times he was really needed were whenever she was outside, in the open.
He glanced down to his left, taking in Ann’s bored expression. He still couldn’t help himself but feel amazed at her presence. Just two months ago, he was alone in his apartment, but now he was in L.A., standing next to Ann of all people. It seemed he had glanced a bit too long, though, as Ann looked at him and then turned away, giving him the cold shoulder. He couldn’t help the snicker from escaping his mouth at her reaction.
“Are you still mad about the cardio?” he chuckled, holding his right hand up to his mouth to stop himself from laughing any further. To that, she just scowled, causing him to giggle even harder. It didn’t take long for a reluctant smile to emerge on her face, unable to suppress herself from reacting to the humour of the situation.
“Y’know, I got a friend who could totally run circles around you.” she challenged playfully.
“Oh really? Maybe I’ll meet him someday...” he replied. He had a feeling he knew who she was talking about.
Wednesday May 29th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
10:04 a.m.
Today was one of her sacred days off. Anyone who knew her understood that she’d only get one of these every few weeks, and after the exhausting gauntlet of photoshoots and runway shows she had to do over the last week and a half, today felt like heaven.
After eating breakfast, she’d done nothing but lie in her bed, hair flowing as she watched some cheesy drama on her phone. As the episode came to an end, she looked up from her phone towards the window. It was a beautiful day outside, which was typical in this part of the world. Sometimes she would miss the more varied weather conditions back home, but she couldn’t deny her preference for the consistency here in L.A.
She found herself under a trance, unable to pry her eyes away from the window. She hadn’t gone outside for leisure ever since the incident that happened outside the arena a month ago. Part of it was fear of a similar incident happening again, though another part was just a lack of motivation. In her mind, going outside and living a little seemed more trouble than just staying inside and rotting on her days off.
Now, though, she couldn’t help but desire to spend some time outside, enjoying the weather, maybe going for a walk. She paused for a few more moments, deliberating what she should do. Maybe a quick walk around the house would do for now. Slowly, she got out of her bed and stalked out of her room.
After lazily walking around the top floors, she eventually dragged herself down the stairs and onto the main floor. It didn’t take her long to get to the living room, and when she did, an interesting sight was there waiting for her. Akira was playing video games on the TV, deeply immersed in the game. She had forgotten she even had those game consoles at all. Futaba insisted she get them and had been remotely installing games on them for ages now, trying to get Ann to play them in her free time. It never occurred to her that they might actually get played anytime soon, though.
Sweat trickled down Akira’s forehead as he threw his full focus towards the game. Ever since he first spotted the consoles during the house tour the day he landed, he had been silently waiting for the day he could dive in. With today being their first day off since he arrived, he was practically salivating at the idea of playing.
He had been taken out of his focus, though, when he felt someone sit next to him on the couch. Quickly glancing over, he saw Ann, a relaxed expression on her face as she watched him play. This was the first time she’d ever sat next to him anywhere. He let a small smile creep onto his face as he turned back to his games and charged towards victory.
Ann watched attentively, studying Akira’s expressions as he continued to play. She watches as he goes thoughtful, pondering his next move. She finds it amusing when the expression becomes concerned, the tides turning away from him as the game continues.
She couldn’t help but grin as a smirk took over his face, with the word ‘VICTORY’ displayed on the screen in bright, large, capital letters. She continued to stare at the smirk, watching as he relaxed and stretched his arms after his win. These expressions of his had lit something in her.
She realized then that she didn’t know anything about him, and she wanted to learn. Over the week and a half he’d been here, Akira hadn’t spared much info past that comment he made about being alone before he met Futaba. Maybe it would be good to get to know him a bit better. She glanced at the massive window to the left of them, once again taking in the bright sunshine that continued to pull her outside.
“You wanna go for a walk?” she asked, a smile on her face as she did so. Akira looked down at her, shocked she would ask him anything. He quickly realized that if she wanted to go on a walk, he would have to come anyway to fulfill his bodyguard duties. But the way she asked made it seem like she was implying that he should come as a friend rather than a bodyguard. He smiled brightly at the thought.
“Sure”
Wednesday May 29th, 2024
Los Angeles, California, USA
11:47 a.m.
The blazing hot sun shone aggressively on the top of their heads, the dry climate making the outside temperatures feel even harsher. That couldn’t distract Ann though, who was focusing on something far juicier. She had googly eyes, staring intently at Akira as he continued his story.
“So, after that, she proposed a deal that she would make me coffee if I talked to her about cognitive psience. Looking back, it was a pretty good deal. Yap for half an hour and get free coffee, who wouldn’t take that?” he questioned, amused by Ann’s cartoon-looking expression.
She loved listening to some good stories, and learning how Akira met Futaba was more than enjoyable. It was a hilarious story, and she nearly doubled over from laughing earlier when she heard about Futaba’s terrified expression when he took over her laptop during her game.
“I can’t wait to tease her about this! So, so, what happened next?!” she beamed, trying to pry more details out of the guy. He chuckled at her before continuing.
“Well, I came back the next day to ask Sojiro for a part-time job and-“
“That softie gave it to you, didn’t he?” she interrupted, smiling amusedly.
“Yup. I mainly asked him for one because I just loved the café. It has this comforting aura about it. The way the sun shines through the windows, and those old brown booths that creak when you sit on them. I don’t know, I just found it really nice.” He finished, reminiscent of the dingy eatery. He looked down, expecting to see Ann’s entertained smile, but instead found her looking a bit more somber.
“You okay? Is it something to do with Leblanc?” he inquired, concern riddled in his voice. She looked up at him with a wavering smile before closing her eyes, internally deliberating something.
“Yeah, I umm. I kinda miss the place.” She confessed. She had planned to end her statement there, but when she looked up at Akira, his comforting smile had an immediate effect. She felt like she could tell him anything, and it would be alright. “To be honest, I miss Tokyo in general. Most of the time, I’m fine, but sometimes I just can’t help but think back to when I was home. So, when you started describing Leblanc, it made me feel kinda homesick,” she admitted, though her smile stayed wavering.
“Sorry about that, I-“ he began, trying to apologize before Ann interrupted.
“No, no, it’s okay! I really enjoy hearing about Leblanc! It makes me feel like I’m still there somehow…” she divulged. She felt like she was saying too much. That was until Akira gave her an encouraging expression.
“Don’t worry, I know what you mean,” he started, trying his best to comfort her. Of course, she didn’t know the extent of just how much he understood her feelings of missing Leblanc. “But if you miss home so much, why leave in the first place?” he asked. Her face went conflicted, and she looked forward before responding.
“The opportunities here are like a thousand times better, both in number and quality, compared to the ones I’d get in Japan. It was just what I had to do for my career…” she explained, though it seemed even she wasn’t convinced by her reasoning. She turned to see his reaction, but rather than seeing the comforting expression she was expecting, she saw a slightly humorous one.
“If that’s a good enough reason for you, then I guess it works…” he muttered with a cheeky smile.
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?!” she questioned, annoyed at his snarky comment. Instead of responding, he just laughed, causing her to suppress a smile herself.
“Well, even if I miss home, I’m glad I have you here now. You know, you're probably like the closest thing I have to a friend here!” she beamed, a bright smile on her face. It was the first time he had seen that smile since landing here.
“Glad to be here,” he replied, his own calm smile being illuminated by the intense sun.
RANK UP!
LOVERS
LEVEL 4
“So, are you gonna continue your story about Futaba, or are we just gonna keep saying cheesy stuff?” she said, barely containing the excitement in her eyes. Akira chuckled, about to continue his tale. That was until he wavered.
He felt his breath being ripped from him as the world started to slow down. His hands and legs started to shake violently, and he could feel his heart beating out of his chest. His face felt ice-cold and unmoving. By the time he realized what was happening to him, it was already too late.
The last thing he saw was her smile, before the world went blank.
Thursday, May 5th, 2016
PRE-YALDABAOTH FLASHBACK
Tokyo, Japan
4:43 p.m.
He strolled into the subway station, Ann and Ryuji at his side, and Morgana in his bag. An hour ago, they had officially founded the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
The energy they shared as they continued their journey back home was electrifying and contagious, confidence and chaos flaring wherever they went. Akira glanced to his right, revelling in the cheeky smile on Ryuji’s face. He glanced to his left and enjoyed witnessing the devilish grin on Ann’s face.
Morgana’s charisma had rubbed off on all of them. He remembered the not-cat exclaiming that, “This was the beginning of their legendary journey as justice-bringers”. While they all agreed that the line was cheesy, Akira couldn’t help but savour the bubbly feeling in his heart at the prospect of what they could achieve with their abilities.
Eventually, Ryuji split off from the other three, bidding a happy farewell as he took his train line. Akira continued on his way with Ann, who took the same train line, the energy somewhat subsiding now that their main spark had gone his separate ways, though the vibe stayed the same. When they finally got to the subway platform, Morgana ruffled his head out of the duffle bag.
“Y’know guys, our opponents will probably only get tougher from here on out.” he warned, his cat face going unexpectedly serious. Ann scratched the back of her head, the confident smile she wore turning into a more nervous one.
“L-Let’s hope not haha...” she laughed nervously, trying to play off her awkward aura.
“Why not? We are the phantom thieves; we can take on anyone! In fact, I want tougher opponents, because it will only heighten our greatness!” Morgana exclaimed, the intense enthusiasm catching Ann off guard. It was made worse by the fact that Akira seemed to agree with Morgana, patting him on the head. Ann cleared her throat, trying to think about how to approach her next words.
“D-Don’t get me wrong, we’re really strong, but if we get too in over our heads, things might get, I-I don’t know, dangerous n’ stuff…” she faltered, rubbing her arms as her sentence trailed off. Before she could go any further, she felt Akira pat her shoulder encouragingly, a comforting smile on his face.
“When you held fire in your hands, and Kamoshida’s shadow was at his knees, did you feel nervous?” he questioned, his grin going slightly sinister as he spoke. She continued looking up at him, but her nervous smile was replaced by a determined scowl as she shook her head no. “What about when you shouted in front of all the students and demanded that he pay for his crimes. Did you waver then?” he challenged. He inwardly cheered when he saw her cocky smile return.
“No. I didn’t waver at all. I made sure that human scum got exactly what he deserved.” She stated matter-of-factly, as if she was bragging about her greatest life achievement, which she probably was. Akira’s grin deepened.
“If you keep that passion in you, I promise we’ll never lose.” He swore, with so much confidence that Ann couldn’t help but agree. “If Ryuji is our energy, then you’re our fire. And as long as our fire is lit, then we can never bow out, no?”. His rhetorical question cemented just how she felt about the future. She would never let her team down, and she would never falter.
Akira watched as Ann’s expression burst with resolve that gave him flashbacks to the roof of Kamoshida’s palace. Yet this time, it was channelled within a bright smile that brought Akira nothing but confidence for the future to come.
Wednesday May 29th, 2024
Los Angeles, California, USA
12:04 p.m.
“I promise we’ll never lose.”
Those words haunted him as his mind came back to consciousness, echoing through his brain, getting louder and louder. The sentence made him sick, his enthusiastic promise contrasting with their failure against Yaldabaoth, which felt as fresh on his mind as the day after they had lost. He had forgotten what it felt like, but after what was a long period of solace, the feeling had come back with its full intensity. The guilt of his failure. What a sick dream he’d sold to his dead friend.
He stumbled forward slightly, losing balance as a result of going blank for a few seconds, but felt a hand catch him.
“W-What the fuck just happened?!” Ann blurted, the alarm in her voice barely hidden. As she helped him steady, she noticed the sweat drops on his forehead, as well as the shakiness in his posture. Akira looked at her, ready to laugh at her profanity, but flinched away at the sight of her dead face. She realized now that she hadn’t even hit the tip of the iceberg when it came to knowing Akira. Her face softened, sympathy blossoming in her heart as she took in the conflicted expression on his face.
“Y-You went blank for a couple of seconds…” she hesitated. He could feel the nervousness in the way she spoke, and even more guilt formed within him, now at the fact that he had blanked out and made her worry for nothing. He turned his head back to her, willing himself through the guilt, and forced a smile on his face.
“It happens from… from time to time.” He stumbled out, still needing a few more breaths.
Her incredulous look told him that she wasn’t convinced.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 4
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 10
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 10
Strength: 10
Chapter 20: Basement
Chapter Text
???
Blood.
Blood everywhere.
He grabs her left hand, the only limb of hers that remained intact, as tears continued to fall. He tightens his grip, hoping, needing some life to be restored to her eyes. He needs her fire. He hears nothing.
He can’t look at anything but her hand. Everything is so wrong. None of her is recognizable. Yaldabaoth had left her as nothing but flesh and bones, with no form. This wasn’t just a painful death, no, this was an intentionally gruesome one. All he could do was grip her hand tighter.
He couldn’t help but hear her laugh, imagine her giggle as his brain scrambled to comfort him in a fight-or-flight-like reaction. It was no use. His eyes dazedly drifted around him, watching as a flash of blonde hair continued to dance around the battlefield, focused and unyielding, a small black figure dragging behind him, trying to keep up.
Finally, his eyes drifted to the demiurge.
Rage. Killing intent. Akira’s emotions were exclusive in nature. He didn’t just want to win. He wanted to hurt.
Every death had unleashed a strong emotion within him. This time, it was true, unfiltered fury. He gripped Ann’s hand one last time and then let go.
Thursday May 30th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
2:47 a.m.
He opened his eyes, immediately feeling the sweat that drenched him. His eyes darted around, trying to find solace in his surroundings, but all he could see was red. He looked down at his hands, trembling as red splotches flashed in and out of his eyes, the pattern of blood splatters seemingly all over his hands. He rubbed them vigorously, trying to get the blood off, but to no avail.
He tried to get out of his bed but stumbled onto the floor as a result. He flinched as his eyes were drawn to the floor beneath him, gazing at a puddle of blood on the ground he was kneeling on. He frantically got to his feet and darted to the bathroom. He heaved in breaths, shifting his eyes from the sink to the mirror, and then quickly back to the sink. He hasn’t hallucinated like this since the year after Yaldabaoth.
Something had to have been wrong. His eyes shot up, going wide as he quickly sprinted back to his bedroom in Ann’s basement. Grabbing his phone, he quickly scrolled through his contacts before hitting the call button.
*Brrrt*
*Brrrt*
*Brr-
“Akira?” Futaba’s voice wrung softly into the darkness of his room. She sounded concerned. Before picking up, she must’ve already made note of the time in L.A., at least mentally. Akira’s voice came out rushed and panicked as he responded.
“Futaba! I-Is the metaverse back?!” Akira quavered loudly. It was the only possible explanation for his hallucinations. Nightmares, he was used to, but they’d never been bad enough that he started seeing things after he woke up.
“W-What?! I don’t think so, but lemme double check… nope, nothing on my phone.” Akira could only listen dazedly, confused at her response. It was almost as if he wanted the metaverse to be back. “You feel anything Morgana?” she asked. The phone didn’t pick up what Morgana’s response was, but it didn’t take long for Futaba to confirm the answer. “Morgana said he doesn’t feel anything. Why is something up?” she inquired, though Akira didn’t respond initially. Instead, he had to take a few moments to swallow that his hallucinations came from nothing but himself.
“Nah, nah, I’m-It’s fine. I’ll call you back in the morning,” he quavered. He barely heard Futaba’s refusal to end the call before he dropped it himself. He took a few moments of processing before passing out on his bed.
Thursday May 30th, 2024
Los Angeles, California, USA
10:22 a.m.
Akira didn’t call Futaba in the morning like he promised, though he imagined Futaba expected he wouldn’t. The truth was that he didn’t want to burden Futaba, or any of the others when they returned, with whatever baggage he was carrying. There was the reasonable side of him that felt Futaba, who was entering a new phase in her life, didn’t need more to worry about with him. The more selfish part of him felt like it wasn’t her business regardless, though he knew it wasn’t right to think that way. He’d learnt when reforging his bond with her that true companionship stems from being there for your loved ones, whether it is their business or not.
He sighed as he continued to slouch in his seat, eyes lazily looking at the modelling director as he gave directions to Ann. Instructions for her pose, expressions, and everything in between. Usually, he would stare at Ann in awe, for multiple reasons.
The first was that she was incredibly talented, and very focused, something he couldn’t say back in their phantom thieves days. The second was that he still couldn’t believe that she was right there, in front of him, after all these years. The third was that, well, she was really beautiful, though he’d never tell her that.
Today, though, he had one reason not to watch her, which overruled everything else. After the few weeks of what felt like a dramatic comedy show, Akira’s perception was brought back to reality. Every beam of light that shone from the California sky above him reminded him of a bright sunset, glaring as it illuminated their dead bodies.
He still saw the red splotches of blood on his hands, and every time he closed his eyes, he couldn’t help but feel a sensation on his t-shirt as if it was still soaked in Ann’s blood. Every time he looked at her, his eyes would blink images of her torn, destroyed body, mixed in between the reality of her current image.
He knew she noticed too. He didn’t wake up to make breakfast and coffee, nor was he awake for their early morning workout. When he eventually awoke, he did everything to avoid her, and when it was time to leave for her first appointment of the day, she immediately asked what was wrong, which he shrugged off. On the car ride she tried making conversation, which he deflected effortlessly, as if he would rather do anything but talk to her. It was ironic how their roles had seemingly reversed from what they were a week ago, though he knew he couldn’t let this mood of his last. Whether or not he’s able to push those feelings far back enough doesn’t matter, because he’s ultimately still on a mission.
He'd give himself the day to try and calm his mind, and be back at it tomorrow, whether he was ready or not.
Thursday May 30th, 2024
Los Angeles, California, USA
9:28 p.m.
How was Ann feeling? Conflicted, but mostly terrible. After years of loneliness, finally a light from above had shone on her, and a potential friend was blessed to her. And the first time they hang out, the guy immediately collapses and then begins avoiding her. The worst part is that she has no idea why or how any of this happened.
She sighs are she rolls over in her bed, closing her eyes as she does so, and replaying the day. Images of Akira’s expressions play over in her head. She knows that whatever is causing this problem isn’t her fault, and yet it kind of… is? It’s all in his expression. There was this depth in his eyes that felt as deep as the ocean, and yet the rest of his face remained stone cold.
He’d often turn his head away at the sight of her, and yet every time he had to direct his attention to her, nothing about his expression showed any ill feelings. In fact, it felt like he looked at her with a strong sense of… pity? Grief? She didn’t know, but all she could tell was that it was the same look Ryuji gave her when they took down Kamoshida. It was the same look she herself had given Yusuke when Madarame revealed what happened to his mother. Regardless, his look was one of someone who cared immensely, though she still didn’t understand why.
Her heart felt conviction at this conclusion she’d formed in her head. Whatever the reason was, she wasn’t going to let it continue this way, especially when she was so close to making a real friend for the first time in years.
She picked her phone up from the bedside table and opened her messages, smiling as she scrolled past the phantom thieves group chat and opened her chat with Futaba. Typing quickly, she told Futaba to cancel all her appointments for tomorrow past 12 p.m. Whether Akira liked it or not, she was going to cheer him up. Happy with her work, she placed her phone back onto the table.
Friday May 31st, 2024
Los Angeles, California, USA
12:49 p.m.
It was weird how quickly his aura could change. Weird enough that it kind of made Ann jealous, seeing that one bad moment could ruin her mood for months. But as if nothing had ever happened, Akira seemed to be back to his charming, stoic self. Then again, she couldn’t really say she knew him well enough to be sure about what was and wasn’t his true nature. This version of him felt nicer, though.
She couldn’t really help the bubbling excitement in her stomach when she smelt curry as she walked down the stairs in the morning, nor could she hold back the smile when she watched him walk inside the gym behind her. He wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, but he seemed to be in a better place at least. It looked like her ‘Cheer Up Akira’ mission had kinda solved itself.
Then again, she knew better than to consider it so. She’d spent her entire life being best friends with people who were practically professionals at having heavy baggage and not letting it show, and she would be a fool to think that Akira had just magically been cured from the still unexplainable fainting and drastic mood swing he had over the last few days. Luckily for her, she had a nice afternoon with the guy to try and parse his brain.
They were driving in her limo, on what Akira would assume to be the way home. However, as expected, Futaba had easily cleared up her schedule, and instead the driver was on the way to her favourite crêpe place in L.A.
She tried to convince herself she had picked the destination to cheer up Akira with some dessert, but even she knew she had her own sweet ulterior motives. She had to stop herself from salivating cartoonishly at the thought. Clearing her throat, she prepared to reveal the surprise.
“So, Akira, you may have noticed that we-“
“We’re not going back to the house.” He said deadpanned, though she could see the amusement in his eyes. He had read her like a book, though it made sense that a weirdo perfectionist like him would memorize the streets of the city in just a few weeks. Then again, who is she to call him a weirdo when he’s at least twenty times less weird than she and all her friends?
“Way to kill the joy…” she pouted, causing him to snicker in response. “I noticed you were a bit down lately, so we’re gonna go to my favourite crêpe place!” she exclaimed, unable to hide the glee from her face.
Akira couldn’t help from laughing, knowing that her destination was based far more on self-interest than good intentions, though she didn’t know he knew that. Still, Ann has always been the person who would take action to help someone when their down, so he should’ve expected she’d do something like this.
There was a small voice in the back of Akira’s head that tried to bring him back down, though his determination to get some progress was barely managing to counteract his guilt. Only he knew how torturous it was getting through this morning. He almost tripped over himself on the treadmill, because images of his failure would appear at her sight.
But here, Ann was giving him the opportunity to move forward, at least temporarily. For now, he’d continue to grit his teeth and make it through the day.
“Why crêpes?” he inquired, though he knew the answer. He watched her eyes light up as if she’d been given a million dollars. Then again, that analogy probably wasn’t that valuable here, seeing as she makes that much money in her sleep. Regardless, he could tell a storm of passionate words on the art of crêpes was on the way.
Friday May 31st, 2024
Los Angeles, California, USA
1:27 p.m.
“You look like you’re enjoying yourself…” Akira mumbled, a sly smirk on his face as he failed not to find the image in front of him amusing. If there were a cloud ten above cloud nine, then Ann would safely be on cloud eleven right now. To say she was devouring her dessert would be an understatement large enough to shake a mountain. Her expression was pure euphoria, the happiness almost palpable as she picked up another bite with her fork, the white chocolate sauce dripping from her fork.
She briefly side-eyed him before swiftly returning her attention to her lovely crêpe. He couldn’t exactly blame her for her reaction, though. Akira had eaten all types of sweets from all around Tokyo, but he couldn’t deny how exceptional the food was here. The internet wasn’t lying when it said American cities had amazing food culture. He’d have to make use of his time here to eat food from all types of cultures before he went back to Tokyo.
He could almost laugh at how much better the crêpe here was compared to that mediocre dessert place she always raved about in Tokyo. As if she could hear his thoughts, she turned to him, swallowing down her bite as she prepared to speak. He was surprised she had the self-control to try and speak right now anyway.
“You know, once this whole security predicament dies down, and my workload slows, you can go back to Tokyo often. I mean, I know how homesick I was when I first left so-“
“Ann, I’m not homesick,” he interrupted, with an amused expression. A brief look of shock splayed across her face, though it quickly transformed into a pout.
“Well, look, whatever got you so down recently, I think visiting Tokyo would help. Every time I’ve visited, I’ve felt much better…” she trailed off, Akira looking thoughtfully at her, gauging her expression. It was clear she was projecting here, but it only made him more sad for her than anything. Before he could respond, her expression brightened slightly, and she continued, “Besides, if you go back, you can visit my favourite crêpe spot! You can even go with Futaba as well!” she exclaimed, trying to lighten the mood.
“Wouldn’t it be weird going to your favourite spot without you?” he questioned. She mildly scoffed at that.
“Well, it’s not like I have much of a choice,” she replied crassly. Suddenly, his demeanour shifted, his expression going from mild interest to full acknowledgement. It shook her, and the fact that he went from curious to dead serious in the blink of an eye only amplified the effect.
“Ann, you always have a choice.” he stated, leaving no room for argument. She could practically feel the purpose in his words, strong enough that they almost convinced her he was right. Unfortunately, her mind killed the brief sense of optimism he had given her. She looked away, looking slightly apprehensive.
“You wouldn’t get it…” she sighed. The fact that Akira kept looking at her thoughtfully for a few more seconds only unnerved her. Didn’t she plan this outing to help him? It was scary how quickly he could flip the conversation onto her problems. For now, though, she’d indulge in her crêpe. She knew that Akira wouldn’t pry further if she started eating again. Seeing as how this conversation was going, it was safe to say she wasn’t getting any information about his problems any time soon.
Friday May 31st, 2024
Los Angeles, California, USA
2:06 p.m.
She couldn’t get the moment out of her mind. They had enjoyed the remainder of their desserts and began heading home, now sitting quietly in the limo. Akira seemed to have been completely fine with the idea of the conversation ending there. But she couldn’t let it go. It wasn’t just what he said. It was the way he said it. It replayed through her mind, again and again.
The way he spoke in that moment, his tone reassuring, yet stern and imposing, reminded her of her days as a phantom thief. Each time it replayed in her mind, images of safe rooms and shadows would pass through her mind. They were so fuzzy, but she couldn’t help the images from emerging. It was alarming to her because she didn’t know why. What about his words brought her mind back to the phantom thieves?
Perhaps it's because her biggest stimulus associated with Tokyo was that year. Maybe it was that she missed arguing with Ryuji, teasing Makoto, and laughing with Haru. She’d lie in her bed every night, and imagine idling with Yusuke, joking with Futaba, and petting Morgana. Now her only contact with them was through text.
But that was the way it was. There was nothing she could do about it.
Nothing.
It was frustrating, enough that she felt she had to respond. ‘You wouldn’t get it’ wasn’t good enough. She had to prove to Akira that she was right. That she was doing this for a reason. She turned towards him, causing him to look away from the window and towards her curiously.
“Look, you know I miss home Akira,” she started, and though her words had a negative connotation, her expression almost looked confrontational. “But at the end of the day, I can’t let my feelings get in the way of my career. Tokyo doesn’t have half the market that they have here in L.A. From a logical standpoint, being here is what’s best for me, regardless of whether I like it or not.” She declared, immediately putting all her attention towards Akira.
She longed for confirmation that she was right, that he understood. She needed this affirmation. She needed to know that what she was doing, and the life she was subjecting herself to, was for the best.
Instead, all she was returned with was a weird look. A look that almost gently asked her, ‘Are you serious?’ without actually saying it. She didn’t get the reassurance she desired, and as a result, frustratedly turned away from Akira and back out the window.
Truthfully, he didn’t even know what to say, because no matter what he said, he knew it would fall on deaf ears. It was clear to him now that she wasn’t at the stage yet where she would listen to him openly. If he opposed her, she would get more defensive. So, he decided not to rebut and instead understood that he needed to react in a way that made her think and forced her to sit in her own thoughts. That’s why he gave her that look, and that’s why he remained silent.
A moment passed. Then another. He continued to look her way as she stared out the window. He was about to turn away, until he heard her mutter something just loud enough for him to hear it.
“Well, even if I don’t have home here with me, at least I have you now…” she murmured.
He smiled.
RANK UP!
LOVERS
LEVEL 5
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 5
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 10
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 10
Strength: 10
Chapter 21: Lobby
Chapter Text
Thursday August 4th, 2016
Leblanc
2:08 p.m.
PRE-YALDABAOTH
Warm colours and warmer scents filled the place he called home.
Leblanc. If you’d told him four months ago that he’d ever consider this place anything except a prison away from actual prison, Akira would’ve scoffed at you. Now, there was no place more beautiful to him than this homey café.
His eyes glazed towards Sayuri, sitting on the wall, its elegance ever-enchanting. Leblanc was his haven. Growing up, he would’ve begged for a place like this where he could just be himself. And yet, while he gazed in the humble café’s beauty, the Sayuri begged to differ.
Rather than admiring the café, Yusuke’s mother instead gazed solely at her son.
Akira stared at the baby in the painting a moment longer before his eyes slowly moved to the friend of his that sat comfortably in the booth closest to the door. The phantom thieves had planned to meet today at 2:30 p.m. to continue progress on Futaba’s palace, but as was expected by this point, Yusuke showed up early. His blue hair was illuminated lightly from the rays of sunshine that shone from the blue sky and through the café’s windows. His expression was soft, his eyes warmly watching the painting.
Since the beginning of the summer, Yusuke had been frequently visiting Leblanc, coming by almost every day, and staying for hours before he took his leave. Though he hadn’t revealed the reason for his visits, Akira knew why.
Yusuke had no place to call home.
The way Akira feels about Leblanc was the same way Yusuke used to see Madarame’s shack. But now, Yusuke had nowhere. The thought made Akira’s throat catch.
“H-Hey Yusuke, I know I already told you this, but… you can stay here as much as you want.” Akira reassured, though slightly awkwardly. Yusuke shifted his gaze from the painting to Akira, a warm expression on his face.
“Thank you, but might I ask why you felt the need to tell me again?” he asked, causing Akira to stumble a little. Akira thought for a second before responding.
“I just felt like ever since Madarame, you must be feeling isolated. If being at Leblanc makes you feel better, then you can spend as much time here as you’d like.” Akira replied, bringing a thoughtful expression to Yusuke’s features. The blue-haired teen pondered, his eyes slowly gliding between the painting and Akira, before finally settling on his friend.
“When it first happened, I must admit, I did feel quite lonely. But, as time has gone on, I learned that I was not as alone as I initially thought.” Yusuke started, his words drawing Akira’s attention. ”This group, they provided me with…” Yusuke paused for a second before continuing, “Frankly, they provided me with a family, something I’ve never truly had. The most important piece of all was you. So don’t feel sorrow for me, Akira. I’ll be fine if I have you and the others.” Yusuke smiled. Akira returned him with his own gentle smile, thinking on what Yusuke had said.
“The sentiment is shared. Honestly, I think loneliness is a problem all of us have had to endure here or there.” Akira observed thoughtfully. He himself had been lonely for a long time before coming to Tokyo, and the same could be said for Ryuji and Makoto. Yusuke thought for a second before steeling his face.
“Perhaps that’s why we should hasten in helping Futaba.” Yusuke declared, though still cool and collected. Indeed, they should.
Saturday June 1st, 2024
Takamaki Residence
5:18 a.m.
PRESENT DAY
It was early in the morning, the orange hues of the rising sun shining through the small windows close to the roof in Ann’s basement. The beams shone brightly and beautifully into the basement living room, highlighting Akira’s black hair with an orange glow as he sat tiredly on the couch wearing a black t-shirt and green joggers, staring down at his phone that lay on the couch cushions. If the conversation he was having on said phone was more pleasant, perhaps he’d be able to admire the beauty of dawn. His slumber being interrupted by a memory of Yusuke didn’t help either. Unfortunately, having this call extra early like this was the only way he could be sure that Ann wouldn’t overhear him.
“I don’t think there’s any other way Futaba…” he said groggily, still fatigued from waking up just fifteen minutes prior.
“I get it, but you do understand how detrimental this will be to her career, right? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I agree her happiness is the most important thing, but her demand worldwide will drop rapidly if she leaves.” Futaba replied, trying to play devil’s advocate, though even she knew which side she stood on.
“I’m telling you ‘Taba, she’s not going to change her mindset unless I bring her back to Tokyo permanently. She has no one here. I’ve been here for less than a month, but it feels like every ounce of her is screaming for home. The longer she stays here, the more it feels like she’s tearing herself apart.” He asserted, prompting a few seconds of silence from Futaba before Morgana decided to respond.
“It’s really that bad?” Morgana questioned simply.
“She feels like she has no one, Mona. She never sees her friends, she still barely communicates with her parents, and she refuses to make any new connections. The only reason she tolerates me is because I was handed to her, and that’s without mentioning how cold she was for the first few weeks. The only way she becomes happy again is by going home to you guys.” Akira assured, trying to drive home the point. As he expected, Morgana replied with more than sufficient levels of enthusiasm.
“Then I don’t see any other way we can fix this. It’s time to bring Panther home!” Morgana exclaimed, replying like he was in a dramatic shonen anime. Akira tiredly smiled at his partner’s tone.
“I guess that’s just what we have to do…” Futaba dragged, convinced, but still weary at such a drastic move. “I’ll start cancelling her latter appointments from late June and early July and start terminating as many legal obligations as possible that she’s signed to.”
“I think for her sake, try to work out compromises for the big companies. She has dual citizenship, so she can always fly back and stay in the U.S. for big events when she needs to. Stars like her commute all the time, no? She’ll just have to get used to the Tokyo to L.A. journey.” Akira reasoned, trying to figure out a plan of action that worked out best.
“C’mon Akira, you think I haven’t already figured that part out? You gotta realize I’m a real professional, so this’ll be done in no time.” Futaba bragged, though before Akira could respond, he heard faint footsteps coming from the stairs, causing him to freeze.
Peaking around the corner and out of the living room towards the stairs, he used his third eye, which revealed his suspicion to be true. It also revealed that Ann was definitely close enough to hear Akira talking to someone. Lowering his voice, he whispered into his phone, “Ann is coming, I’ll talk to you later.” before abruptly ending the call. He did feel a little bad for dropping the call on Futaba and Morgana out of nowhere, but he knew they’d understand.
Sneakily peeking back around the corner, he saw that Ann had already reached the bottom of the stairs, wearing a red t-shirt and grey sweatpants. He could immediately tell she was sleep-deprived, her slightly baggy eyes and tired demeanour being dead giveaways, though this only made him more confused as to why she was down here this early.
Her luscious platinum blonde hair was flowing down rather than the pigtails that she usually wore. Most of the time he spent with her, both back then and since arriving here, she had her hair tied rather than letting it flow. He couldn’t deny that he preferred the flowing hair slightly, though the pigtails were still iconic. Often, he couldn’t help but admire her beauty whenever he saw her in this casual, natural state. He shook the thought from his head.
She currently stood awkwardly, rubbing her elbow, her eyes shifting around the basement. Seeing her caused flashes of her broken body to run through his mind. He still remembered holding her limp hand the day she died. He bit his lip, trying to suppress the memories.
“Uhh, you okay over there?” he asked, his voice echoing through the large basement. Ann jumped at his voice, apparently unaware that he was peeking from the basement’s living room. Her eyes darted toward the source of the voice, though her startle was quickly eased by the amused expression on Akira’s face.
“S-Sorry, I didn’t know if you were awake or not, so I thought I’d come down here and wait for you…” she trailed off, her words only making it more apparent to him that she was clearly distraught about something. Akira waved her over to the couches, a comforting smile on his face. She offered her own measly smile as she approached him, before falling onto the couch and letting out a tired breath as she rested her head on the armrest.
His mind almost immediately offered him a memory of her doing that exact thing in the attic back in Leblanc all those years ago, and he once again shoved it back to a place he hoped it’d never show up again.
“Sooo… what has you in my humble basement early in the morning?” Akira asked, causing Ann to squint in fake annoyance.
“Just for the record, this is still my basement.” she snarked back. Akira smirked and looked up at the ceiling, though Ann letting out a deep breath brought his attention back to her. “I heard you on the phone…” she started, though she trailed off, clearly getting shy at the question she wanted to ask.
“Just talking with Futaba. Apparently, Sojiro has been complaining about being overworked since she stopped helping him out.” He joked, keenly observing the smile on Ann’s face as she heard about them.
“I don’t… check up on them enough.” she admitted suddenly, causing Akira’s eyebrows to quirk up. He’d heard that the phantom thieves had drifted apart slightly since their prime, but he would’ve guessed they’d at least keep in good contact. He knew better than anyone that all they had were each other.
“Why not? Futaba always talked about you with good spirits, so I would’ve guessed you were tight…” he replied, his words causing Ann to jolt up.
“We are!” she yelled, causing Akira to throw his arms up in humorous defence. Her demeanour calmed down before she continued, “Look, it’s just that, well, I’m sure Futaba has told you we had a larger group of close friends, right?”
“Yup”
“Well…” she mumbled, though she still held some frustration in her tone, “All of us have our own responsibilities now. It’s just natural that as we grow older and get busy, we’ll drift apart.” She concluded, though when she looked at Akira, she could see he wasn’t convinced.
“That only happens if you choose to let it happen, at least from my perspective.” he advised, slightly shocking Ann. This guy and his introspective answers were simultaneously getting on her nerves and starting to grow on her.
His perspective reminded her of a time she thought of it that way too. She distinctly remembered talking to Yusuke and Haru about this problem. How could she forget? It was the day after they had beaten Yaldabaoth, Christmas of 2016. Yusuke had been thinking about whether the thieves would be able to stay close as time passed. That was the day she and the others decided to set up yearly meetings on Christmas to prevent them from drifting apart. Looking at it now, the idea that meeting up once a year would keep them close was wishful thinking. Just pondering on these memories made her sink back into the couch cushions, laying her head on the armrest once again.
“Yeah, well, it happened, so what can I do about it…” she mused, mostly to herself, before continuing, “…and nowadays, I’m probably the most absent in our whole group. More than half of them are always in Tokyo, and the ones who aren’t only have to travel for work before returning home. I’m the only one who’s always gone.” She admitted, frustratingly. Akira looked at her reflectively, observing the way her face was slightly scrunched up and the annoyance in her voice.
“So how often do you guys keep in contact then?” he questioned, though this time, his genuine curiosity had broken through, causing Ann’s eyebrow to quirk up slightly. He truthfully could not believe he hadn’t breached this topic with Futaba or Morgana before.
Then again, Futaba’s personal journey was far less related to her friends than Ann’s is. He’d been silently bothered by the fact that he didn’t get to spend more time with Futaba before he left, mainly because he was worried about the level of trauma she must be enduring from the experience of remembering their failure and her death.
“Well, in our group chat, we all barely talk, though the ones living in Tokyo will sometimes text there to meet up for coffee and other stuff. Other than Futaba calling me about career stuff, I don’t call them often either.” She admitted, though she didn’t like speaking about how she’d drifted away. It only took one glance at Akira’s expression to know he could see it too.
“Why not?” he asked simply. Ann looked into Akira’s eyes, gauging his intention. She quietly read his expression, and everything was telling her that, for some reason, this guy really cared about her. She didn’t get that feeling from many other people she’d met in her life.
“Well… after a while of being here, I think at some point I just gave up on being able to connect with them the way I did before. Eventually, I gave up on being able to connect with anyone here too.” she found herself admitting. Akira ran his right hand through his hair, concern clear on his face. “It sucks because I remember myself being one of the more expressive members of the group, who hung out with everyone. Now I’m just… disconnected.” She confessed, an air of somber finality to her words. Akira looked back down at her, and he found that her expression told him she had nothing left to say.
Akira decided right then and there that he was finally going to lay it out. Over the last few rank-ups, he often aimed to trigger thought and make her question what she was prioritizing. But after holding his tongue for so long, he felt now was the time to put his plan into action.
“Honestly, Ann…” he started, Ann’s attention immediately shifting towards him. “I don’t think it’s possible for you to move on if you stay here. From my perspective, you really have two options.” He explained, causing Ann to sit up, her focus solely on Akira.
Akira was… talking? Like, actually explaining what he thinks? It’s felt like weeks of vague answers with no explanation, but the way he was speaking now felt like he really had something to say to her. Like he wasn’t humouring her, but he cared about helping her.
“The first option is that you stay here, and make new connections that are strong enough to help you be who you really are here in L.A.,” he deduced.
“Well, I connected with you so- “
“Yeah, but that’s only because Futaba and Shiho handed me to you.” He pointed out, causing Ann to cross her arms, because she knew he was right. “If you want to be happy here, you need to make connections on your own that are strong enough to overpower the ones that tie you to Tokyo.” he deduced. Ann’s demeanour shifted, becoming uncomfortable, her eyes shifting around her.
“Akira… we both know I can’t do that…” she muttered, dejected as her eyes gazed away from him. She’d been here long enough to know that. Akira couldn’t help the twist in his heart at her tone. He softened before continuing.
“That leads me to the second option. You move back to Tokyo.” He finally suggested, though with a more comforting aura. Ann’s eyes immediately darted to Akira in shock. In that moment, as he gazed into her bright blue eyes, he saw a spark. That was all he needed to conclude that he’d hit it right on the mark. Just as soon as the spark came, it left, and she retreated to her unsure demeanour, though he could tell this time it was because she was confronted with an uncomfortable truth.
“I’ve told you before why I’m here, Akira…” she started, causing Akira to think she was going to relay her same career excuse. “…but I think you’re right. Those are the only two options I have. I’ll… think it over.” she concluded, her eyes drawn away from him and into the couch cushions. Suddenly, he put his hand on her shoulder, causing her to look up at him.
“I’ll be with you every step of the way.” He consoled, a comforting smile on his face. Before she could respond, he got up and started walking away. “Come upstairs, it's about time for breakfast.”
Ann couldn’t help but smile. She didn’t know how Futaba and Shiho had made friends with such a great person. But she’d thank them infinitely for introducing him to her.
RANK UP!
LOVERS
LEVEL 6
Saturday June 1st, 2024
Takamaki Residence
6:10 a.m.
As Akira prepared breakfast and coffee, he thought back to their conversation. It was hard to ignore the irony he felt in many of the words he’d offered her today. It felt like a lot of the advice he provided could have been said to himself. He’d spent the last eight years living miserably, thinking about his friends, and being unable to connect with anyone else like he could with them. Looking at it now, the only real pathway to peace was always reconnecting with them.
In his current state, he was still damaged, still traumatized, and still burdened. He felt he’d have to confront his problems eventually, most likely throughout his journey of reclaiming the thieves. But the difference between now and then was that he was no longer lonely. That’s why Ann’s problem was starting to hit a little too close to home. Because accepting the truth, accepting that she can’t live without her loved ones, was something he had struggled with ever since that fateful battle. He feels in many ways, that until he fully reassembles the team, he won’t be able to shake that feeling off.
He glanced behind him, looking at Ann for a moment as she sat at the dining table, watching something on her phone.
Ann Takamaki. Perhaps he’d spent so much time since arriving here rushing to progress their bond, and trying to adjust to the new environment, that he hadn’t truly grasped who he was here with. Eight years alone. Now, one of the most important people he had ever met was sitting right there.
She cried on his shoulder more times than he can count. During his worst moments, she was there. During their greatest victories, she was always on his left. She would scream as she let out the most devastating fire you could imagine. Yet she would laugh, so brightly and bubbly that it felt there was nothing wrong with the world if she was by your side. For the first time, Akira was able to connect in his brain that the friend he’d cherished all those years ago was the same woman in front of him today. He felt a shiver go through his body, causing him to turn back to his cooking.
He'd do everything to help her.
Monday June 3rd, 2024
Los Angeles, California, U.S.A
1:14 p.m.
Ann and Akira sat together in the lobby of some fancy building, waiting for Ann’s photoshoot. Today was for a makeup company. Ann sat professionally on one of the expensive leather chairs, gazing around lazily. They were dressed casually, though Ann would obviously have to change into a fancy-ass dress or something once the photoshoot started.
He thought that Ann would’ve noticed some of her future appointments being cancelled by this point, but he had once again underestimated how well Futaba could mask the truth.
It’d been a couple of days since he had reached rank six, and unfortunately, he’d seen minimal progress since then. It wasn’t for a lack of trying; rather, it was more a lack of approaches. What could he even do or say beyond what he’d already explained to her? It was this morning that he realized, at this stage, while it was still about her problem, it was also about how close he was to her. At the end of the day, a bond is a bond, so he just needed to come up with new ways to get closer to her.
He looked around, noting the rich pricks that were littered all around the lobby. No different than the arrogant scum they dealt with back in Japan. In his short time here, dealing with the extreme upper class as Ann’s bodyguard had been nothing short of a massive headache. Looking back at Ann, a question sparked in his mind.
“Sooo, existential crisis aside, what do you think about America?” he questioned. Ann rolled her eyes at his delivery, though she responded earnestly.
“Well, the food is good here, but the people can be pretty rude from time to time.” she answered, a thoughtful expression on her face. Looking at Akira, though, she saw an amused expression.
“C’mon Ann, you and I both know better than anyone that the people in Japan aren’t that much better.” he snickered, thinking back to all the evil they had to deal with together as phantom thieves. He knew he had messed up when he saw the suspicious expression on Ann’s face.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Nah, just all the stuff that happened at Shujin is more than enough proof that home isn’t any better. Terrible people are everywhere.” He clarified, hoping that his cover-up was good enough. Luckily, it seemed it was.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She conceded.
Akira would have to be more careful. It seemed he was getting too comfortable for his liking.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 6
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 10
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 10
Strength: 10
Chapter 22: Sun
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Wednesday June 5th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
8:46 a.m.
Akira could feel his skin searing in the blazing sun, the intense UV rays making their presence known. He’d heard about the climate in California before, but he didn’t understand how dry the hot weather felt until he got here. His idea of hot temperatures was the pasty, humid summers in Japan.
Ann’s driver was already in front of the house waiting for them, her appointment scheduled for a little over an hour from now. Akira had decided to wait outside today and take in the environment, seeing as he planned to be out of this place within a few weeks. His eyes glazed around, looking at the neighbouring mansions. He couldn’t help the disgust he felt at the sight. It was usually people like this who needed their hearts stolen.
He probably shouldn’t have worn a black t-shirt today, seeing as the sun was currently roasting him alive. Just as he was about to turn back to the stairs and go inside, the door opened, and Ann walked outside with squinted eyes as she adjusted to the brightness of the outdoors. She wore a white blouse, with light-blue jeans and gold earrings.
Akira bowed to her like a butler would, causing Ann to roll her eyes with a sarcastic smile. They got in the limousine wordlessly, Ann pulling out her phone once she took a seat. He glanced over and saw that she had no notifications. Even though Ann hadn’t noticed, he still felt bad for intruding and turned to look out the window.
It’d been roughly four days since he’d last made progress, their conversation in the basement having been the event that triggered rank six. Since then, while they’d been joking and talking as usual, nothing had really budged with her bond.
That didn’t mean he didn’t have a plan. He remembered being in a very similar situation when he was dealing with Futaba. He’d gone almost two weeks with no progress and no good leads, which led him to one memorable conversation which broke the drought.
He asked Futaba if she was a phantom thief.
Truthfully, it made sense that this conversation was one that had to happen at some point. If someone were hiding a big secret from you, it’s a given that you could only get to a certain level of trust with them without the secret being addressed. He recalled all his confidants having found out he was a phantom thief before he reached rank ten.
For him to get things rolling again, Ann had to feel that she could tell him everything, which wasn’t possible if he “didn’t know” her identity.
Luckily, he’d already done this once before. He remembered how disastrous it had been when he just blurted out Futaba’s secret without any context. This time, though, he had a reasonable alibi, using the situation with Kamoshida as leverage to explain why he suspected her. Additionally, he could use Futaba as an explanation. Ann knows he’s close with Futaba, so if he tells her that he knew Futaba’s secret, and it made sense for her to be a thief by extension, then things should go more smoothly than last time.
Regardless, his main aim should be to do things gently this time. He knew more than anyone that she didn’t need more to stress about, so approaching her about this would have to be done lightly.
By the time he zoned back in, he’d found they were already in the city, a few minutes away from their destination. He glanced towards Ann, seeing that she was no longer on her phone, now staring out at the surrounding city. He felt warm looking at her, the tension in his shoulders being released at her sight. She seemed to notice him glancing, causing her to turn towards him. The expression on his face confusedly amused her.
“Is something on my face?” she questioned. He just smiled before turning back towards the window.
“Nope.”
Wednesday June 5th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
6:56 p.m.
They sat at the dinner table, bright lights illuminating the dining area. He still found it sad that the table had space for eight people, but had most certainly only been sat at by one person up to the point that he arrived here. That one person was sitting across from him, slowly taking bites of her dinner as she scrolled lazily on her phone. Dinner time had become significantly less tasty than it was when he first arrived here. He found out soon enough that when Ann’s nutritionist learned of her daily curry and rice breakfast, they’d cracked down on her meal planning. She was still allowed to eat the Leblanc-style breakfast, but she’d have to sacrifice her tasty dinners for a meal that made up for the high calorie count in the morning.
The modern-looking chandelier above them cast a golden glow onto Ann’s platinum blonde hair, similar but different from the way the orange hues of Leblanc used to do the same back then. He felt a pang in his chest but held back the feeling for now.
He had planned to breach the topic of the phantom thieves while they ate dinner, so it was about time that he started his approach. If things went smoothly, then their bond would progress by the end of their meal. He’d already prepared a casual but perfectly aimed question for the occasion.
“So, I’ve told you how I met Futaba, but how did you two meet?” he inquired. He held back the amusement he felt watching as she slowly lifted her head, bewilderment clearly written on her face.
“Oh, uhh, me and er-Futaba, we…” she paused, trying to come up with a convincing story. Akira was really fighting the smile on his face now. He was usually great at keeping a poker face, but he’d completely forgotten how terrible a liar Ann was. She was always undoubtedly the worst liar of the group. “We-we met in school! Yup, when I was in my third year, she entered her first and I-er I tutored her!” Ann finished, though she knew she’d messed up when a smile finally broke onto Akira’s face.
“You tutored… Futaba?” he questioned, completely amused. I mean, he tried his best to keep a straight face, but, c’mon, tutoring Futaba? She might as well have said she gave Yusuke art lessons. If there was any residual doubt in his mind that this was his Ann, then this just about extinguished it. Only Ann could lie like this.
“Y-yeah, what, you don’t think I’m smart enough to tutor her?!” she challenged, though even she didn’t seem confident about her words. Akira just shrugged, though he had found his way in. He looked down at his food and picked up a bite with his fork.
“Don’t worry, I believe you…” He assured, noticing Ann release some of the tension in her shoulders as he said so. He wasn’t done yet, though. Holding his fork, he looked back up to Ann, making sure he was staring right into her eyes. Another beat passed before he spoke.
“I was beginning to think you met her as a phantom thief,” he stated, his voice quiet but knowing. He finally ate the food on his fork.
…
…
Ann felt her heart stop, a chill running through her body as the words rang through her mind. Phantom Thief. Did she hear that correctly? No, she couldn’t have. The expression on Akira’s face told her otherwise. Another chill followed the last one, and she couldn’t help but feel terrified.
“W-What the fuck did you just say?” she interrogated, though he could tell she was fully shaken up. Her eyes were wide, and her posture had fully straightened.
“Don’t panic, I’ve suspected it for a while…”
“That doesn’t explain anything!” she yelled, panic evident in her tone. By now, she had gotten up and out of her chair, leaning over the table.
“I found out Futaba was a phantom thief a while ago, and once I found out you were her friend, I connected the dots to Kamoshida, and it all just made sense,” he explained. Ann was still shaken, but now her eyes were looking down at the table, shifting side to side, concern still clear on her face. She looked back up, a new question forming. Someone who went to Shujin could definitely connect Ann to Shiho and Kamoshida. But Futaba? If anyone’s identity was hard to find among the thieves, it was probably hers.
“How did you figure out Futaba was a thief then?” she questioned, her mind cooling down as time went on, though worry was still clear on her face.
“We talked a lot about cognitive psience, and she had mentioned changing people’s cognition, how modifications on a deeper level could change a person. Everyone knew that was what the phantom thieves did, so, you know…” he trailed off, feeling he’d said enough for Ann to understand. Ann shifted uncomfortably, not looking up from the table. She felt naked. Surprisingly, this was the first time her identity as Panther had been exposed like this since back then. The main question on her mind was what Akira thought about it.
There were plenty of people who hated the thieves, though she also knew they had avid supporters. Public perception was polarized and full of controversy. While Mishima’s documentary had shifted opinion in their favour, there were still plenty of people who opposed the phantom thieves, because they ‘destroyed the order’ during their reign.
As she continued to think, it became obvious which side Akira would support, at least from her experience with him. The whole time he’s been here, everything he’s said has sounded rebellious, which is why he so often brought her mind back to that time. That, and he already knew Futaba was a phantom thief, but was still friends with her.
“D-Do you wanna hear the story?” she asked, feeling sure he would be curious about getting the scoop from her.
“No, don’t worry, I already heard it all from Futaba. Crazy stuff,” he replied nonchalantly, causing her to cross her arms and puff out in anger.
“Yeah, but she doesn’t know everything. I was there from the Phantom Thieves' first job with shithead Kamoshida,” she revealed, somewhat passively aggressive, causing Akira’s eyebrow to quirk up. She was still standing, though her aura had shifted from panic to aggression. Luckily, it was the more familiar, friendly aggression he knew, rather than the murderous aggression she showed as Panther. He also noticed the rather vulgar way she addressed Kamoshida, though he was completely supportive of that.
“I would’ve thought you’d be, I don’t know, I bit more hesitant about sharing before we got to this part,” he snickered.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t think we’d be having this fucking conversation today, so I guess we’re both surprised!” she exasperated, which turned Akira’s snickers into straight-up laughs. She fell back into her chair, letting out a deep breath. Seeing Ann’s exhausted demeanour forced Akira to tame down his laughter.
“Sorry, I’ve just been suspecting this for a while, so I thought now would be a good time,” he shrugged, his sincere smile diffusing the tension in her shoulders, though she still didn’t smile back. Her eyes looked off to the side, before she let out another deep breath she was mysteriously holding. It felt like she’d been doing that a lot lately.
“It’s been like years since the last time someone found out my identity. Like, literally since 2016. I didn’t think this would happen ever again. I’m pretty sure the only people who know it are Shiho, Sojiro and Mishima, the guy who made the documentary,” she divulged, her eyes still diverted, but clearly more comfortable than earlier.
“Mishima, like, the kid from Shujin?” Akira questioned, though, as usual, he already knew the answer. Ann turned her eyes back to him, though this time she had a small, amused smile.
“He actually asked me right after we took down Kamoshida. Shit, it gave me and Ry-uh it gave me a heart attack. We confirmed our identities to him when he approached about the doc so that he could hide any details that were too revealing,” she thought back, though she silently hoped her slip-up of almost saying Ryuji’s name went unnoticed. Of course, that was wishful thinking, though as expected, Akira wouldn’t let her know that. Instead, he felt like commenting on something else.
“Really letting the potty mouth loose now, aren’t we?”
“Shut up…” she muttered, though she was holding back a smile. Internally, she came to the small realization that she’d never really let her speech loose like that here in L.A.
It was a welcome milestone. She glanced at Akira for a second, noting his smile and soft features, before looking back down. A real friend.
RANK UP!
LOVERS
LEVEL 7
He picked up his fork and motioned towards her, “We can talk more later, but we should eat before the food gets cold.”
She looked at him thoughtfully before she followed. Revealing something this major and then telling her they should focus on the food was beyond bizarre, but this type of shit should be expected from Akira at this point. They ate in silence, Ann mulling over what just happened, and Akira, thinking about a particular piece of information he’d just learned. Only Mishima, Sojiro, and Shiho knew? That couldn’t be true.
Sae should definitely know, though he suspected Ann had omitted her name since she didn’t want to give away anything that would hint to Makoto. But the others, like Tae or Iwai, what about them? It didn’t make sense for them not to have figured out at least one thief’s identity.
He vividly remembered when he woke back up after making his deal with Yaldabaoth and then passed out in the Yongen Jaya and woke up again in the clinic. If the phantom thieves hadn’t helped Tae in the world’s current cognition, then the clinic would’ve been shut down by that dickhead who sabotaged Tae in the first place. So, she was helped, but also didn’t know any identities?
A thought went through his head that Ann might have held back some names to protect their privacy, but at the same time, she had no reason to mention Mishima, but did anyway. Regardless, he could make the reasonable assumption that any of his confidants who found out only his identity, rather than everyone's, didn’t know any identities in this reality.
Everything aside, this went much smoother than it did with Futaba. He noticed that while Futaba’s bond-building was far more theatrics, Ann’s was more therapeutic. He found victories in the small nuances, like the glances and the smiles. It was assuring but also saddening at the same time. He knew Ann to be a bright, bubbly, and expressive person. If anything, he would’ve expected something like this from Makoto.
Today, though, was a victory. After so long, it really felt like the truest and most raw version of Ann was finally starting to show. The resentment of the first few ranks and the semi-manufactured energy of the middle ranks were mostly gone, and he felt he was beginning to enter familiar territory with her expressiveness today. Of course, the expression was mostly stress, but it was still more than he’d gotten before.
He knew that by the time he got to rank nine or ten, he’d finally reunite with the truest version of the Ann he’d loved. The confident, bright, and caring version of Ann, who was one of his closest companions. For now, though, he’d have to make do with thoughtful conversations, abrupt reveals, and playful banter.
Ann, on the other hand, had gone down the nostalgic trip that normally came about whenever she thought back to her days with the others. Recalling Mishima had thrown her into that familiar feeling of homesickness, though this time it felt more somber than suffocating. Ever since her conversation with Akira, where he helped her realize the decision she had to make, she’d spent lots of time battling within herself.
She’d already sunk so much time here. She’d already enveloped herself in misery, so why throw it away in the hopes that she would find the peace she yearns for back home? There was no guarantee that going home would fix her, but there was a guarantee that her career would take a hit, and the numb workaholic life she’d been living for the last four years would be partially wasted.
But she missed home and missed her friends, and she couldn’t deny that. Before she could think any further, she saw Akira look up from his food and toward her.
“I know I said we should finish eating before it gets cold, but I gotta say, you are a really shitty liar,” he smirked, causing her eyes to dart up from her food, her brows furrowed.
“Just shut up and eat your food asshole…” she jeered back, though she knew he was right.
Thursday June 6th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
6:25 a.m.
IM Chat
Futaba Sakura
5:47 a.m.
Futaba: lololol look whos in all the rumours
Futaba: ts is hilarious
Akira: wdym
Futaba: *Takamaki Ann spotted with new hot boyfriend?! Click here for the details!*
Akira: omg
Futaba: LMAOOO
Akira: im dead lolol
Akira: I didn’t even realize the paparazzi could frame it this way
Akira: they got pictures of us and everything
Futaba: monas been laughing all night XD
Akira: this isn’t gonna be a problem right?
Futaba: nah luckily ur face isnt in any of the pics so youll be fine
Futaba: might pop up in the thieves chat tho
Akira: wtf
Futaba: dw me and ryuji are the only ones that use that chat anymore anyways
Akira closed the app with a wry smile as he watched Ann walk down the stairs towards the kitchen, where breakfast awaited her. She was disheveled as most people would be at 6 in the morning, but Akira knew his coffee would wake her up in a heartbeat.
“You wanna see something funny?” he snickered, opening the online tabloid and sliding the phone towards the edge of the table. Ann rolled her eyes as she approached him.
“Yeah, because I want to see something funny this early in the morning Akir-“ she paused her sarcastic response as she reached the table and saw what was on his phone. The article’s headline immediately caught her eye and was followed by a picture of Akira and herself at the dessert place a week ago.
Her eyes darted up to Akira, who looked like he was ready to burst into laughter. They held eye contact for a moment before the laughs started pouring out. Ann was still giggling as she walked to the counter and reached for her coffee mug. She took a swig as she walked back to the dining table, watching as Akira fidgeted with his phone.
“Look, it's all over the gossip pages too,” he said, handing the phone to her once again, this time with a popular Japanese social media page opened up. It showed the same pictures again, this time edited with the text, “Takamaki spotted with a mysterious heartthrob” and the caption, “Our chance with Takamaki-san might be gone…”. All the comments were full of people half-joking about how they were depressed that she was taken.
She shrugged as she looked up at Akira, who was walking back to the table with two plates of curry. “It comes with the job,” she put simply. Akira smiled warmly as he laid the plate in front of her and took a seat himself. This composure warmed his heart, especially knowing it was something she didn’t have back in the day.
“So how does it feel being spotted with a jaw-dropping ‘heartthrob’ like myself?” Akira jested, trying to suppress his giggle as he did so. Ann, who was about to take a bite of her food, dropped her fork.
“Oh my god, you’re never gonna let this go, are you?”
“Nope.”
“Yeah, well, you should feel privileged to feature in a rumour with someone like me,” she bantered back, though Akira just replied with a smirk.
“I don’t know Ann, I seem to remember only one of us being called attractive in both headlines, and it wasn’t you…” He teased, causing Ann to roll her eyes. Suddenly, though, he noticed Ann slightly tense, something Akira wouldn’t have noticed if he hadn’t trained himself to be perceptive.
“You… don’t have anyone that would be…” she paused before continuing, “upset about these pictures, right?” she asked, though Akira didn’t get what she was alluding to.
“What?”
“I’m asking if you have a girlfriend, dumbass.”
“Oh, yeah, nope.”
A weird silence lingered for a few moments, neither of them knowing what else to say, and both feeling kinda awkward. Ann took a bite of her curry, trying to distract herself from the weird vibe, but when she looked back up at him, her eyes immediately caught his piercing gaze. She felt a weird sensation before a blush started to form. She quickly turned her attention back to the curry.
Akira had to bite back the sly smirk that was threatening to break onto his face. Still got it, Kurusu, still got it.
Back in 2016, he had purposefully steered away from romance due to a combination of factors. Part of it was self-esteem issues, that feeling that he wasn't good enough for anyone. Once he got past that, it became more of a practical decision. With all the stresses and chaos of his thieving lifestyle, he knew he couldn’t dedicate himself to someone properly because his responsibilities already demanded the most out of him. He figured once he had taken down Shido, that he would finally make time for someone, which, of course, didn’t go to plan.
After his thieving days ended, he mostly stayed single. He had a few flings during university, but nothing serious, mainly because the scars from what happened with Yaldabaoth made him afraid of forming connections. Now, with his new circumstances, he wondered if he had space for romance. The likely answer was a firm no, but this time, he felt that if anything happened naturally, he would take it as it came rather than pushing it away like he did when he was younger.
Friday June 7th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
7:33 a.m.
Ann focused in front of the mirror, carefully tying her hair into her iconic long, flowing pigtails, making sure to prevent the presence of any loose strands of hair. It was common for her to do her hair as best she could at home to avoid needing a hairdresser during her photoshoots.
It had been a stressful couple of days. Mainly because she’d been doing a lot of thinking. It sucked to admit, but ‘thinking’ was something she hadn’t been doing ever since she moved here four years ago.
It was because of him, Akira Kurusu. She was ready to lead her miserable life, to live complacently and succumb to the lifestyle that let her drain herself endlessly. Then he showed up and made her think.
It’d been six days since they had laid out her two options. She’d been debating it endlessly within her head. Go home and sacrifice much of the progress she’d made in her career here in L.A., or stay here and accept things the way they are.
Truthfully, she knew Akira was right that she had to make a final decision. Even worse was that she understood the logic in going home. It would make things so much easier, not to mention staying in L.A. would force her to move on from her life in Tokyo for the most part.
But honestly, she just couldn’t do it. She’d worked too hard, for too long, to give up what she had built here. She knew that going home was the dumb decision, the decision that made her heart flutter, but only because it was tempting. It didn’t work out logistically, and if she wanted to succeed in her industry, she had to play by the rules, which meant staying here.
So even though Akira had helped her understand her two options, and even though she knew she hated it here, she had decided to stay away from home. It didn’t matter what she wanted. It didn’t matter whether she missed her friends, the only people in her life to make her feel like herself. None of it mattered. After all the thinking that Akira had made her do, she hadn’t changed her perspective. To her, what 'made sense' mattered far more than doing what she wanted.
And she planned to tell Akira that today.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 7
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 10
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 10
Strength: 10
Notes:
Okay, so we're nearing the last stretch of the Ann arc, with the next two chapters being important ones. This chapter was needed in its own right, but the upcoming ones are pretty high in magnitude, so I'm looking forward to seeing how it shapes out.
Also, a quick note on romance, but for now, I don't plan to write in any romance, though I'm not opposed to the idea. The main reason is that I want this fic to give each character their own shine, and not favour or lean towards one character more than the others. Like if a person has a favourite character, they should be able to see that character given their fair due in this fic, rather than one character getting all the spotlight. So I feel like if I add a romantic aspect, it kinda spoils that part because now one of the characters is clearly favoured compared to the others. Let me know your thoughts tho if u have any.
Chapter 23: Visions II
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Friday June 7th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
6:07 p.m.
Akira reached into the pockets of his black cargo pants, gripping his set of keys to the mansion. He really needed to stop wearing black in this hot, dry-ass city. At least this time he wore a white t-shirt, though that didn’t change the fact that he’d spent the entire day feeling like his legs were on fire. He glanced behind him, his eyes on Ann, who wore a white graphic tank top and dark-blue jean shorts. Her outfit today far more closely resembled the clothes she wore back when they were younger. Her figure cast a shadow as she typed on her phone, the bright yellowish-orange sun beginning to set behind her. She seemed to have been completely unfazed by the boiling hot conditions today.
He turned back to the door and unlocked it, the air conditioning hugging him in a comforting, heavenly embrace that made him let out a deep breath of satisfaction.
“It wasn’t that hot.”
“Sorry boss, I’ll do better next time,” he snarked back, straightening his posture and saluting like a soldier who’d been reprimanded. His sarcasm was not lost on her as she rolled her eyes with a smirk. On the inside, though, she felt her mind and body storming. She’d planned to speak to him today about her decision, but she couldn’t help feeling tense at the idea of doing so. For some reason, she felt like she had some expectation to meet with him, like his judgment really mattered to her, though she didn’t know why. After all, when she really took a step back, Akira hadn’t even been here for a month yet.
When she zoned back in, she saw Akira already at the steps down to the basement.
“W-Wait!” she yelped, causing him to freeze and look at her confusedly. A moment passed before he replied.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, I just-, I wanted to talk to you about something...” she said, though the lack of confidence in her words struck him. He turned back around and motioned them into the living room, that signature comforting smile on his face. He flicked the light switch, illuminating the room in a golden hue, and sat down on the couch. She entered after and sat on the couch opposite him. Akira waited patiently for her to begin, but the way she pursed her lips and fidgeted with her hands showed she was seriously nervous about whatever she wanted to say.
“So, we talked before about whether I should stay here or move back to Tokyo…” she started, which immediately woke Akira up.
Oh. They were having this conversation. His posture straightened from its previously relaxed form. As he did so, though, he noticed Ann’s eyes shift, and her demeanour became even less confident at his reaction, so he offered her an encouraging smile. She smiled back, the words ‘thank you’ going unsaid, but communicated.
“Well, I’ve thought about it, a lot by the way, and I think I have a decision. I definitely understand the reasons I would move back, but I’ve decided to stay here in L.A.,” she stated.
His face dropped. A moment passed.
“You can’t be serious,” he replied, disbelief oozing from his voice. Ann’s posture straightened, completely taken aback.
“W-What do you mean?” she questioned, her tone giving away that she wasn’t prepared for this reaction.
“You literally hate living here, why would you decide to stay?” he puzzled, genuinely confused at her decision. His tone had become far more serious than it had ever been before, which irked Ann for some reason.
“Obviously because I’ve spent the last four years of my life building what I have now! Why would I throw that away just because of some immature feelings?”
“Immature?”
She stood up as she spoke, “Yes immature! I have every reason to be here, but I wanna go back because of what, the fact I’m homesick? I just need to move past it,” she explained, annoyance breaking through her voice. She’d expected this to go smoother.
“You think after failing to move on for four years, that you’re gonna magically be able to do it now?”
“W-well-“
“Ann, missing home and missing your friends is not childish. You admitted to me that you used to be bright and expressive. You’re willing to let that part of you go for what, your career?” he rebutted. He was standing now. The absurdity of her logic was disappointing him, because he’d thought she had made progress.
“What, so I’m supposed to throw away all the work I’ve done just because I miss home?”
“What’s the point of doing anything if you’re not happy doing it?” he countered. She looked up at him, the words clearly having shook her. For a second he thought he had finally gotten through to her. Until she looked down, a frustrated and standoffish expression on her face.
“You just wouldn’t get it…” she muttered.
He hated those words.
“I wouldn’t get what?” he retorted. She looked back up at him, this time with a more outwardly opposing and aggressive expression.
“Everything! You wouldn’t fucking understand anything of what I’m going through!” she bit back. Now, it felt like this wasn’t even about going home anymore. Ann was just angry.
“What makes you think you know me so well?” he questioned. It was then that Ann asked herself, what did she know about Akira? It didn’t take long before she realized it was close to nothing. “All I’ve seen since coming here is you screaming to yourself that you want to go home, you want to see your friends, you want to be happy again. But then you come and spout bullshit about work as if that’s more important,” he shot. Internally, Akira knew that he’d stepped over the boundary, his delivery clearly going from advisory to scrutiny.
“What the fuck makes you think you know what I want?” she snapped. Akira looked at her confusedly before he started massaging his temples.
“You literally started crying the first time I made Leblanc curry. You remember that, no? What about when you admitted you missed home? Oh wait, you did that twice, when we went for a walk AND when we went out for crêpe’s!” he pointed out, though Ann responded quickly.
“Yeah, and I also told you that it didn’t matter because my career was more important, so what’s your point?”
“My point is that you keep taking your career over yourself, and you don’t even have a reason why. I mean, seriously, Ann, give me one goddamn reason for you to take your career over going home. One solid reason, and I’ll drop this,” he finished, his index finger pointed and his tone telling her he was dead serious. He didn’t want to hear any excuses; he wasn’t looking for a rebuttal or for her to answer his question with another question. He wanted an answer.
She didn’t have one. Her eyes stuck onto him as she searched her brain vigorously, trying to find an answer to his question. Why should she put her career first? What makes it more important than what her heart desires? She recalled the contract she made with Carmen all those years ago. What makes living like this more important than living for herself and her own justice?
But she hated being wrong. She was too stubborn, and she wasn’t willing to let Akira be right on this. She’d come this far while being away from home without breaking, and she could keep doing it.
“Who said I needed your opinion anyway Akira?! I never asked for your help!” she badgered, her voice booming, and her anger reaching a fever peak.
He froze at her words. What she said wrung around his head, thoughts of what he’d done up to this point, and what had happened in the past replaying in his mind. Their time together as thieves, the fights they had, when they made up, and brought justice to the oppressors. He remembered the days she cried on his shoulders, unable to cope with what happened to Shiho. When she and the others stayed for hours, comforting him as he recovered from the damage the policemen had done to him while he was in custody.
Perhaps she was right. Maybe he was impeding on her life. Maybe he shouldn’t have involved himself in her life, because last time, he led her to death.
His frustration had defused, and his demeanour had become unreadable. He had straightened himself and was no longer looking in her direction, staring off towards the kitchen. She felt a tremor go up her spine as she observed his expression go from a look of opposition to an expressionless poker face. She tried to summon more words, but she was out of things to say. He began walking away from her and out of the living room. Just as he was about to disappear from her sight, he stopped, though he still looked away.
“I’ll stay out of your business.”
He walked away, and her heart dropped. She’d pushed away the one person who was there for her. She collapsed into the couch and grabbed her face, trembling at what had just happened. His expression flashed through her mind, followed by the faces of her friends. Shiho, Ryuji, Morgana, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, Haru. He reminded her of her loved ones, and it only made her miss them more. She missed home.
He was right, and she’d lashed out at him. The first tear broke through, and she’d begun running up the stairs to her room before the next one could.
Saturday June 8th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
6:12 a.m.
Her eyes had uncharacteristic bags underneath them. She hadn’t slept very well last night, because she couldn’t stop thinking about how she’d messed up. The words they’d exchanged kept replaying in her mind, preventing her from entering slumber and forcing regret to continue dominating her mind.
Now, as she stood at the top of the stairs, she couldn’t help but tremble as she looked down. Her legs were shaky, and her breath was uneven, because she was terrified of facing him. She was terrified that the damage she’d done to their friendship wasn’t as temporary as she hoped it would be.
She reluctantly took her first step down. It wasn’t long before she had reached the bottom floor, her breath held as she walked a few steps before she got a view of the kitchen. Her heart dropped at what she saw. One plate of curry, and a fresh mug of coffee next to it, sitting dimly as the sunrays of dawn shone through the glass wall, with Akira nowhere in sight. She slowly took her final steps to the kitchen before sitting in the chair where the curry waited.
He'd cooked breakfast for them, but unlike every day since he had arrived here, he wasn’t there waiting for her. Instead, he was gone, presumably in the basement, eating his coffee and curry alone. She felt her lips quiver and her throat clench as she brushed her disheveled, flowing hair out of the way and picked up her first bite.
It tasted amazing, which made her even more upset.
Saturday June 8th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
8:04 a.m.
A deep breath escaped her as she prepared to open the front door, anxious about the person who was waiting outside. She hadn’t seen him at breakfast, and by the time 'their’ morning workout time came around, she had become far too anxious to go back down the stairs again. It was only now, the start of her working day, that both she and Akira would be forced to face each other after their spat.
The brightness hit her like a truck, mainly because she’d been in her dark room since finishing breakfast. She covered her eyes with her left arm, though it wasn’t long before her eyes adjusted to the light, and she saw down the doorsteps and towards the limo.
Akira stood there, leaning against the vehicle, looking up at her. His face was cold and indifferent, observing her at the mansion’s door, but with no real acknowledgement behind his eyes. It made her heart skip a beat, though before she could process anything, he had already turned around and opened the door to the limo. He glanced back one more time before entering the vehicle. She looked down, noticing the way her hands trembled at her sides, and started walking down the stairs.
She was terrified as she entered the limousine and closed the door behind her. She snuck a glance to her left at Akira. He felt cold, as if he would rather be anywhere than here. It’d taken a while for her to properly acknowledge, but she cared about Akira. She cared about what he thought of her, about his input and his help.
But she couldn’t speak. It felt like there were a million things she could say, but she didn’t have the courage to say anything. So, they rode together in silence.
Saturday June 8th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
9:52 p.m.
She wore nothing but a loose white t-shirt and red pajama pants as she collapsed onto the bed.
He’d gone the whole day without saying a word. Every moment felt daunting and terrifying. More than anything, it made her feel like shit. This was her fault, and she knew it. She closed her eyes as she got under the covers, though no matter how hard she tried, sleep never took over. She tossed and turned, but her mind wouldn’t settle.
Four years of loneliness.
She spent the first year crying, her eyes often running out of tears, needing a few days to recharge before she had more tears to give. She’d call the others every day; sometimes they’d pick up, sometimes they wouldn’t. It only made her feel more useless, more homesick, and more miserable. They could live without her, but she couldn’t live without them. When she went back home for Christmas that year, the others gathered around her, and she was smothered with hugs from left and right. It only made leaving again even more painful.
She spent the second year angry. That was the year that the nickname ‘Bitchy Takamaki’ started being used, because of the way she treated those around her. So much frustration, so much pent-up emotion, and only one way to release it once she was done with tears. It was also the year she stopped messaging in the Phantom Thieves chat as often as before. Every time she did, she felt her heart ache in the same way it did when she first left, so she cut it out of her life. That Christmas, she was quiet because she was afraid that once the tears started, they wouldn’t stop, and she promised herself she’d stop crying.
She spent the third year numb and emotionless. The feeling of misery had become a constant, and rather than fight, she decided not to feel at all. She often saw staff whispering as she walked by, murmurs calling her ‘scary’ floating in the air. It wasn’t because she’d accepted her life, no, it was because she had no more emotion left to give. This attitude carried into Christmas, where, for the first time, she played the background role. She was known as the bright one, the expressive one, but this time her numbness ruled her. She’d laugh quietly, smile hesitantly, and joke half-heartedly. It was only when Makoto hugged her at the airport that Ann broke into tears. Makoto held her for a while before she left.
The fourth year was when her career skyrocketed to the heights it reached today, and with that came different, but familiar emotions. Distrust. Paranoia. Fear. Everywhere she looked, she saw people who wanted to cheat her, take advantage of her, and use her. Nobody’s intentions were pure, whether it was the fans, the media, the companies, or her own family. Her parents spent their whole life treating her as an afterthought, until her money started flowing in quantities they hadn’t seen before. She’d already retired them, yet they still wanted more. Showing up in Tokyo that year was like feeling the rain after a long drought. The thieves showed her trust, friendship, and love. Things that weren’t so common in her newfound fame. Her emotions this time around weren’t suppressed or downtrodden, but rather grateful. The people she could trust were around her. It only made the contrast between them and the rest stronger once she returned.
The paranoia only got worse as time went on. Her mistrust of others, her resentment towards those who wanted to use her for their own gain, hadn’t faded. She largely expected things to stay the same this year, and that was only proven right when the attempted assault happened at the end of April.
Then Akira appeared.
He walked in calm, but clearly starstruck, and her immediate reaction was that he was no different than anyone else. He was treated as such, with the expectation that his true intentions would be revealed with time. She couldn’t have been any more wrong.
A new person she could trust. A new person she could laugh with. He approached her kindly, with comforting eyes and open conversation. There was never any doubt in her mind that he always held pure and caring intentions for her and deeply cared about trying to be what’s best for her. He never intruded, yet was always available when she wanted to approach, even though she treated him like shit to begin with. It had been four years with no one here for her; she had never joked with someone unless it was over the phone.
Now, she had someone to talk to. Perhaps that was the most valuable thing he’d provided to her. She vented to him, opened her mind to him, and in return, he helped her understand what she was feeling and provided her with options, albeit clearly favouring one over the other. Through it all, he did it because he cared about her. Because he hated seeing her sad and homesick, and loved seeing her happy. She knew all this because she could see it in his eyes.
Her hand slowly moved until it reached her cheek, though she quickly pulled it back when she felt the moist stream that had formed from the tears she’d been shedding unconsciously. Her hand floated towards her phone, which had been sitting on the bedside cupboard, where she checked the time. Two hours had passed, with not a minute of sleep.
She put the phone back down and curled back into a ball, shivering as her thoughts continued to storm. She felt so alone. Her mind flashed images of her old home, the Shujin rooftop, and Leblanc. Soon, she saw Makoto’s face. She felt fresh tears breaking through, becoming worse as images of the others soon arrived. People she could see more often if she were back home.
Akira was right. There was nothing here for her other than money and opportunity. But neither of those things compares to the happiness that being home would bring. With that realization, she fell asleep.
Hours passed, full of restless sleep, memories floating around her mind, transformed and manipulated into what we know as dreams. It stayed familiar at first, her imagination now taking her to Shiho, where they sat together on a beautiful grassy field. Eventually, other blurs started being mixed in, and it wasn’t long before she saw Ryuji running in the background, being chased by Morgana and Futaba. Makoto was running behind them, scolding them for some unknown reason, while Haru ran alongside her, a bright smile on her face. Haru’s laugh faintly wrung through her consciousness, identifiable, but jumbled and contorted.
Eventually, things stopped being familiar. From the start, her dream had a glaring sun, which blazed brightly and partially blinded her vision. It was becoming more and more intense, causing her to squint her eyes and look back at Shiho for answers. Her best friend seemed to be unbothered. She tried looking back at the others in the background, but the light only got more intense, blinding her to the point that she couldn’t make out their figures anymore. She felt rumbling beneath her, causing her eyes to go wide as she looked down and saw cracks in the soil.
The ground broke. The grassy field she was sitting on transformed into cement. She looked up, and everyone was gone, except a blue flash. The blur dashed around her, moving at breakneck speeds, and partially diffusing the light that was blinding her vision. She watched it carefully until her eyes finally trained onto the figure. His aura was mesmerizing and unique in its elegance. He moved gracefully, but deadly, calculated, but beautiful, as if the battlefield was his canvas, and his katana was his paintbrush. The focus in his eyes was unyielding, an intensity that was unrivalled in its precision.
Ann looked back down at her hands and saw Panther red. She looked back up, and Yusuke had an arrow of light through his chest, a dark figure hugging him tightly.
Sunday June 9th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
5:45 a.m.
Akira groaned as his ears were assaulted by the abrasive-sounding alarm. Groggily, he lifted his arm up and tapped his phone to turn the alarm off. He closed his eyes for a few more moments, taking in the warm embrace of his bed before he had to get up for the next day. He let out a deep sigh as he finally willed himself to sit up.
He couldn’t believe he had lost his cool like that. Through this whole predicament with Ann, he’d done well to keep his emotions in check and his mind in order. But for some reason, when Ann revealed her decision, he couldn’t help the frustration that mounted. That didn’t excuse the fact that he let it happen, though. Now, he was unable to speak to her due to a combination of embarrassment and disappointment.
That was without mentioning the rising guilt that had been gradually returning ever since he buried it on the day they got crêpes. Akira had fixed a few problems at this point. His loneliness was mostly smothered thanks to Morgana, and his perspective had been at least partially shifted by Futaba. But the guilt, the nightmares, the trauma, that was all still present and active. He’d done his best to suppress it, hold it back in the pursuit of success, but what she said at the end had gotten to that part of his brain that says they were better off without him. The part that said he shouldn’t have interfered, just like Ann suggested.
He ran his hand through his messy raven hair as his mind continued to start up for the day. He couldn’t sit around forever. Futaba had already begun cancelling Ann’s obligations, and the timeline to get back home and start on the next thief was something he didn’t want to deviate from. But he was scared to face her again, because he wasn’t sure what to say. For the first time, he didn’t understand what angle he could take to guide her on the path that’s best for her.
More than that, though, was that he was ashamed that he’d put her in this position in the first place. Not only did he argue with her, but he abandoned her once the heat got too intense. He saw it in her eyes yesterday, though he gave little to no reaction. The remorse she was feeling was immense, and it was his fault for making her feel that way. If he can’t convince her to go home, the least he could do is apologize for how he acted.
He slowly got up from the bed and stretched deeply, the tension in his shoulders and back being released. Stalking away, he gripped the handle of his bedroom door and opened it up.
A weight immediately hit him in his chest, and he felt hair touching his chin. He froze before looking down, seeing nothing but platinum blonde. He felt her hands gripping onto the sleeves of his t-shirt, and the moist sensation made it apparent that Ann was crying.
“I’m sorry Akira, I’m so, so sorry, I-“
“No, no, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-“
“NO, no Akira, you were right, I was-“ a hiccup interrupted her as she whimpered. She pulled away slightly from Akira, enough that he could finally see her face clearly. She had deep eye bags, clearly showing she hadn’t slept much last night. A deep frown was on her face, and the tear tracks were clear across her cheeks.
“You were right, Akira, I-I want to go home…” she finally admitted. Akira immediately felt a weight being released from his shoulders that made him want to collapse to the ground. Instead, he put his hands on her shoulders.
“A-are you sure?”
“I can’t stay here anymore Akira! I want to go home!” she wailed, her mind still playing her dream of Yusuke on repeat, not letting the images leave her head. She buried her face back into Akira’s chest. Akira swallowed the lump in his throat before responding.
“Y-yeah, yeah, we’ll go home, Ann, we’ll go home…”
RANK UP!
LOVERS
LEVEL 8
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 8
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 10
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 10
Strength: 10
Notes:
Next chapter SHOULD be out next week, and then after that I'll try to keep up a consistent biweekly schedule. Also, I've been revisiting the earlier chapters and kinda cringing at some writing stuff that could be cleaned up. But I decided that going back and cleaning up the old chapters would get in the way of progressing the story/writing new chapters, and I don't want to have this story be abandoned or move so slowly that I never finish it. I genuinely want this to be a completed story, even if it has flaws, so I'll probably just leave those earlier chapters the way they are.
Anyway, this chapter was a doozy to write, so I hope it turned out well!
Chapter 24: Breakpoint II
Chapter Text
Monday June 10th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
2:12 p.m.
An exhausted exhale forced itself out as she brought her right arm up to wipe the sweat off her forehead. Steeling herself, she huffed in a puff of air before picking up the next stack of clothes from her walk-in closet and placing it neatly into a cardboard box, her arms trembling as she did so. Yesterday, after she told Akira she wanted to go home, she called Futaba and told her the news. Futaba sounded ecstatic, more than Ann thought she would be, considering the career implications. Ann asked to cancel this week’s obligations, but Futaba cut her off, saying she ‘had it all covered’ and that she had the next few days to pack. She and Akira took Futaba’s suggestion of a ‘few days’ as a challenge and spent the last 8 hours packing. She was taking around 70% of her clothes and belongings, making sure to leave essentials here for when she had to travel back to L.A. for work.
“You might have to get an army cargo plane to send all this shit back to Tokyo,” Akira snickered in the background. She glanced over her shoulder with a sarcastic smile as Akira drank a sip of water while sitting on the couch in her bedroom. “You know, having a couch in your bedroom should be something reserved for hotels. I mean, do you even need this? And by this, I mean this whole mansion, cause it's just excessively grand.”
“I don’t know, I don’t really need it, but I just felt like I’d worked hard enough to earn something like this, and I had more money than I knew what to do with,” she mused. Akira looked thoughtfully until she suddenly shot, “Also, I’d appreciate it if you got off your ass and started helping again, please.”
Akira smiled wryly as he got up from the couch and walked over to Ann. This morning, on one of the last days he would be here in L.A., he finally got to explore the higher floors of the mansion. They were almost as grand as the bottom floor, with more bedrooms and bathrooms than even the biggest family would ever need. That was without mentioning all the other recreational rooms that were spread throughout the upper floors. He thought the theatres and game rooms were already covered on the bottom floor, but that wasn’t the case, apparently.
Akira picked up the tape and started carefully sealing the box, ensuring it was ready for transport. “You were a phantom thief, wasn’t your guys’ whole thing to help the voiceless?” he questioned. Ann looked up at him curiously as he continued, “…with the amount of money you have, you could give a lot to those who need it,” he concluded. Though his words held a slightly somber tone, he still had that familiar smile that made her comfortable around him.
“Yeah, I- you’re right. I think I felt so empty that I tried to fix it with different things, including this,” she motioned to the mansion around them, “rather than actually hitting the source of the problem. But now that I’m going home, I think I’ll just live comfortably and give back with the rest,” she smiled, bright and truthful. Akira smirked at her conclusion, before glancing down at the sealed box he and Ann stood on opposite sides of. Signalling to Ann with a head nod, they bent their knees and lifted the heavy box into the hallway, laying it down gently next to the other boxes. Akira had flown economy from Tokyo to L.A. but would be flying on Ann’s private jet going back.
Akira looked to Ann, who was getting more exasperated by the minute. “I think that’s enough packing for now. You wanna go out and do something? We have the whole day, and we can come back and continue later,” he suggested. Ann looked up at him, thinking of a good destination, potentially the final destination she’d go with Akira here in L.A.
“I think I know a good place.”
Monday June 10th, 2024
Griffith Observatory
4:04 p.m.
Akira felt breathless as he looked out at the amazing view of the city. It reminded him of the view he had of Tokyo from his apartment, the one that provided him solace more times than he could count. He looked to his right and glanced at Ann, who held a satisfied smile. Her expression held an emotion he related to and had only recently experienced. That feeling of finally having people after being alone for so long.
“I’m happy for you, Ann,” he stated simply. She turned her head and smiled brightly as she replied.
“You’re the only reason I even made a decision like this,” she turned her head to look out at the view, “without you, I would have been stuck here, living miserably for who knows how long…” she admitted, her tone sad, but her expression still positive.
“I didn’t make the decision for you. Honestly, the decision was like, almost completely yours, I just complained when you picked the other option,” he snarked, causing Ann to giggle and turn her head back to Akira.
“Yeah, but your reaction literally said it all. You wanted me to go back home.”
“Of course I did,” he snickered. Ann laughed as Akira looked back at the view in front of them. Ann kept her eyes on Akira. She felt her nerves tremble before she spoke again.
“Th-thank you, Akira… for everything. I don’t know what I would have done if you didn’t come into my life,” she thanked, true and genuine. Akira looked back down at Ann and smiled brightly.
“It was worth it,” he replied warmly, before they both turned to look back at the view.
RANK UP!
LOVERS
LEVEL 9
His eyes glazed around at the surrounding city, catching onto the unique trees and houses that he would never see back home in Tokyo. On the inside, an imminent sense of dread had found its way in, at the realization that Ann would remember the truth.
He dreaded it more than he had with Futaba and Morgana. Ann wouldn’t take it well; in fact, he anticipated she would take it the worst that he had seen thus far. Morgana, in his nature, was a creature that always hoped, always dreamed, and always persevered. Futaba was devastated, but the only one she had to watch die was Haru. Her memories of the fight stopped the second Yaldabaoth fired at her.
She didn’t watch the light fade from Makoto’s eyes in an instant, one shot ending her chance at victory. She wasn’t there when Yusuke was hit with that perfectly aimed arrow of light. But Ann was. Ann lost four of her friends that day. She wailed and shed tears unlike Akira had ever seen before, until Yaldabaoth beat her into submission, until she didn’t have the ability to make any more noise. Only then did the demiurge finish her. Not only would she have to grasp the fact that they didn’t win, but she’d be hit with the memories of her and her friends' deaths, after thinking they were victors for the past eight years.
This was without mentioning the fact that she would remember him, too. That was something he didn’t want to think about further, lest his paranoia start coming up with scenarios on how she’ll react to that. He remembered it being one of the main things that upset Morgana and Futaba when they were reforged. Regardless, it was safe to assume it would only compound on everything else she would be feeling.
His mind flashed back to his feline friend. Morgana had told him before that he found it hard to speak to Futaba after he remembered the truth. How the pain and grief he’d felt watching Futaba die would resurface in an instant at the sight of their orange-haired teammate. Ann would feel something similar, yet without the innate hope that Morgana possessed. Instead, Ann was emotional, volatile, passionate, someone who would be beyond hurt, beyond scared, and beyond devastated.
All that fell onto him to be there for. He couldn’t let her feel that way. He hated seeing her cry the same way he hated seeing Futaba cry. It made his heart collapse, and the idea of how Ann would react to the truth terrified him beyond belief. Suddenly, the view in front of him lost its beauty, because he had already begun grieving for the one standing next to him. He glanced to his right and felt his throat catch at her sight. This feeling of rank nine was one he would never get used to.
Why did he do this? Why was he going to subject one of his best friends, a person he cherished, to this level of grief and anguish? He had helped her climb out of her loneliness, yes, but why did this terrifying part have to be the main goal of all this?
Yaldabaoth. Ann would be destroyed at the revelation. But the grief he felt at the idea of Ann remembering was minor compared to the excitement he felt at the idea of Ann melting the demiurge, burning him into submission as she got her revenge, until they finally tasted the victory he’d been craving all this time. That image was far too tantalizing for him to turn down.
He could never have let her live in ignorance because truth-seeking and true justice was who he was. It was why he stopped Shido. It was why he did all his work as a phantom thief. When the metaverse re-emerged, it would be why he takes up the ‘Joker’ title once more. And it was why he was awakening his friends to the truth today, painful as it may be. Because his form of justice was to rebel and destroy the oppressors, and the ultimate oppressor was Yaldabaoth.
So, he would be there for Ann. When she remembered the past, and when she remembered him.
Tuesday June 11th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
6:01 a.m.
“That’s way too soon Futaba.”
“What do you mean ‘way too soon’, you don’t have a choice, genius.”
“She only made the decision to go back home two days ago,” He reasoned, though Futaba just sighed in response.
“Yusuke’s art exhibit is scheduled for June 15th. Unless you want to land at the airport and then be driven half-asleep straight to his exhibit, then you and Ann have to fly tomorrow, land on the 13th, plan on the 14th, and meet Yusuke on the 15th.”
“I know, I know, but look, it’s gonna be complicated to make her remember the truth so quickly, she-“
“What, you afraid of Yusuke or something?” she asked incredulously.
“You don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to talk to the guy again, so no,” he mused, though he let out a deep breath as he continued, “I’m afraid of Ann, Futaba. I’m afraid of what this will do to her. You remember how bad it was for you?” he questioned, though he got no response. Futaba had gone silent until her voice came out quiet and wavering.
“Of course I do. I still haven’t fully processed it.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of ‘Taba,” he breathed, though he could tell they were both exasperated at the topic.
“I know Akira, trust me, I understand. But that doesn’t change your timeline,” she concluded, her tone convinced, but tired. Akira felt a tinge of sorrow hearing Futaba, knowing she was still wholly affected by the revelation she’d received a month ago.
As much as he didn’t want to acknowledge the facts, she was right about his timeline. He massaged his temples, trying to calculate a different way to go about things so that he had more time to smooth things out before and after Ann remembered, but no configuration made sense other than the plan Futaba laid out.
“Yeah, yeah, you’re right. I’ll see what I can do,” he caved, though on the inside, his mind was scrambling.
“I’ll figure out all the flight logistics. We’ll aim for a departure time in the late afternoon, so be ready to leave the mansion around noon. I’ll get some trucks or something to get Ann’s stuff to the airport, too.”
“Thanks Futaba, you’re… amazing,” he praised, his words full of admiration.
“Yeah, yeah, I know…” she mumbled. They exchanged their goodbyes, and Akira dropped the call.
They were lucky they decided to spend all day packing yesterday, because now, they are flying out tomorrow.
Which meant Ann had to be reforged today.
Tuesday June 11th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
7:12 p.m.
Akira sat on the couch in the living room, shivering. His mind was in a frantic state, and his hands were firmly clasped. He was terrified of what was to come.
Through the glass wall, the dim light of dusk illuminated the room weakly. It was that unique lighting that occurred when the sun’s orange beams had disappeared, yet light still managed to peak through. He was too jumpy to get up and turn on the lights.
It was almost dinner time, and soon enough, Ann would come downstairs and pull out her healthy meal-prepped dinner. He planned to reforge the bond now, but he was afraid. There was no running from this for either of them. The faint footsteps he heard from the upper floor only confirmed that fact. He looked out through the glass wall one more time, his eyes mesmerized, before Ann reached the bottom of the stairs and rounded the corner to the kitchen.
His eyes were drawn to her immediately. Her pigtails were tied, and she wore grey sweatpants, and a black tank top. It seemed she had been enjoying her day off by lounging and relaxing, finally at peace with her decision and what was in store for her future. It only served to make him more upset.
“AKIRAAA, IT’S TIME FOR DINNER!” she yelled, not noticing he was sitting in the living room. The kitchen was just far enough from the living room that her turning on the kitchen light didn’t illuminate the living room enough for her to see him sitting there. Just a month ago, Ann would have scoffed at the idea of eating with him. Now, she yelled after him, not willing to start her dinner unless he was sitting there with her. It made him feel worse.
“I-I’m right here, Ann,” his voice came out scratchy, though it was stable enough to pass as normal-sounding. Ann jumped at the sound of his voice before looking toward the couch where Akira was sitting.
“Were you trying to scare me or something, because that totally didn’t work,” she joked, though the reaction she got was not what she expected. Instead, Akira, dressed in his familiar loungewear of green sweatpants and a black t-shirt, only smiled at her. But the look in his eyes held something… sad? She didn’t know what it was, but it concerned her greatly.
“Something up?”
“Um-“ he stopped himself, closing his eyes and steeling his nerves, which only served to make Ann more nervous. “Y-yeah, I guess you could say something’s up,” he shuddered. Ann’s face showed extreme concern as she began walking towards him. She stopped at the entrance of the living room, standing, though still clearly wary.
“What’s up?” she asked, trying to feign confidence, though concern was still evident in her tone. Akira huffed out a breath before he responded.
“Well, Ann, I said before how you don’t know much about me, and well… I wanted to fix that,” he stated, trying to make it sound as anticlimactic as possible. This failed, though, as Ann felt a chill run up her spine. Akira, someone who was closed off and clearly had some baggage, was going to open up to her. The memory of him blacking out on their walk all those weeks ago resurfaced, and she steeled herself, expecting a heavy conversation.
“Whatever it may be, I’m not leaving you behind Akira. You’re my friend for life now,” she assured, true resolve on her face. Akira got up out of his seat, standing now as he acknowledged Ann’s statement. The smile he held was both somber and grateful. The look in his eyes, though, held something deeper, something so dense with emotion that she couldn’t grasp what it was. All she knew was that it was aimed towards her.
“The day we first met, I told you I came to Shujin in my second year. I told you I didn’t know about Kamoshida. I… lied,” he admitted, causing her eyes to go wide. Her entire body tensed as she continued to dive deeper into the expression that was still on his face, and the look he had in his eyes. It started to look increasingly… familiar. He started slowly walking towards her, sending an unwarranted shockwave through her body. Akira knew the sensations that would barrage her once the bond was reforged, so he needed to slowly close the distance so he could catch her when the memories started flooding in.
“It was my first day, and I remember the rain was pouring. I ran from the subway station to this small clearing and checked my phone to make sure I was on the right path to Shujin. I remember looking up and thinking that the clouds looked extra dense that day, yet still, rays of sunshine managed to peek through,” He quavered, his words purposefully descriptive, as if prodding her brain to discover the memory too.
Ann’s whole body was trembling now. Her mind scrambled, trying to explain what she was feeling and why she was feeling this way. But nothing came to her mind, except that she couldn’t move her eyes from the person in front of her. His eyes were drowning in emotion at this point, holding such an intense look of both care and anguish. She felt something cold running down her cheek, a tear, but she didn’t know why.
“Ak-“ her throat clenched before she could finish his name, and she physically flinched at the feeling. Her body was losing its ability to function, preventing her from speaking and forcing involuntary tears to be shed. Akira continued walking towards her.
“I was so alone and isolated, away from everything I knew, and at a new school where nobody knew me. That feeling of loneliness was suffocating, until someone stepped into the clearing next to me. I didn’t even know this person, but the idea of a friend? It gave me comfort,” he admitted, a small, sad smile on his face.
The cold sensation on her face became more potent as more tears started to emerge from her eyes. She felt her heart quivering and her breath becoming increasingly shaky, yet still, her eyes could not be peeled from the person in front of her. They couldn’t be peeled away from Akira. Why did his name feel different now? Why did it carry a weight she didn’t understand? Her legs were close to collapsing as he finally reached her, though her brain stabilized when he placed a hand on her shoulder.
“That was the day my life changed, because that was the day I met you,” he finished, his final words coming out shuddered, yet still defined. That was when Ann finally felt the click. Akira.
I am Thou, Thou art I
Thou hast turned a vow into blood oath,
Thy bond shall become the wings of rebellion
And break the yoke of thy heart,
Thou hast reawakened to the ultimate secret
of the Lovers, granting thee infinite power…
LEVEL UP
RANK 10!
December 24th, 2016
Shibuya
BATTLE WITH YALDABAOTH
Prison of Regression
She couldn’t feel her legs.
She didn’t want to look down at them again.
She tried looking around, but the sharp pain she felt in her neck told her she couldn’t.
She couldn’t lift her arm, though she’d given up on the idea of trying to.
All she could do was think, and even that was difficult, because her body was screaming in pain. Her nervous system was in a frenzy, panicking as it tried to understand where she was damaged, which was everywhere.
Still, she thought. Throughout all the torturous feelings of agony she felt in her body, one sensation prevailed. The cold feeling of tears that continued to fall down her face.
Her body tried to wail, tried to weep tears uncontrollably until she forgot about everything, until she forgot about how she failed, until she forgot about how Morgana was limping across the battlefield, until she forgot about how Ryuji continued to fight a losing battle, until she forgot about how Akira continued to empty every piece of energy inside him in the pursuit of revenge.
But she couldn’t forget. She couldn’t forget the way she screamed out in agony when Haru stopped responding, endless cries escaping her mouth. She couldn’t forget the hopelessness she felt when Futaba shrieked in fear before her demise. She couldn’t forget the way Makoto fell limp, gone in an instant as the sound of a shot reverberated through her brain. She couldn’t forget the way Yusuke fell to his knees, coughing blood, while she had to sit, watch, and cry because her leg was already broken by that point.
So, she lay there on her side, silently watching as tears fell from her eyes. Suddenly, she heard it laugh. Yaldabaoth.
It said something, though she couldn’t fully make out the words. Something about ‘putting’ and ‘misery’. In her peripheral vision, she saw the demiurge waving his book, casting another attack. Her eyes continued to gaze across the battlefield, and she caught sight of Morgana stiffening and yelling something to the others. The sight of those three, Joker, Skull, and Mona, was sickeningly nostalgic.
Suddenly, all three of them turned to look at her, panic on their faces. That was when she heard it, clear through the rest of the words that Morgana was saying.
“…Bufudyne…”
The sensation of tears started to intensify, though she couldn’t do anything about it. All she could do was watch. She watched as all three of them ran towards her. She watched as their eyes widened, and a freezing sensation appeared above her. She could do nothing when the large glacier crashed onto her.
…
…
…
She couldn’t see anything anymore.
She couldn’t smell anything anymore.
She couldn’t hear anything anymore.
All she could feel was someone holding her hand.
Tuesday June 11th, 2024
Takamaki Residence
7:31 p.m.
Her legs collapsed as she lost all feeling, her mouth agape from shock. Before she could hit the ground, someone caught her in a strong, comforting embrace. He caught her. Still holding her, he gently brought both of them to the cold ground, their knees hitting the hardwood floor with a gentle thud. Her mind raced, but there was too much to process. In an instant, her psyche stopped and focused on the sensations she was feeling now. His embrace was so warm. His embrace. Slowly, she pulled away, and that’s when she saw him, truthfully, for the first time since then.
Akira. Joker. His eyes were filled with love. His eyes were filled with love. Their leader. Her leader. Tears distorted her vision, yet she still saw him clearly. The way he shifted his left hand to hold her from falling, the way he shifted his right hand to hold hers.
He was holding her hand. Right now, and back then. Her throat caught when she tried to make a noise. She swallowed, though it only partially cleared.
“Ak-“ she started, but she couldn’t get the name out, her vocal cords failing her from the continued shock. She tried again. “Akira,” she whimpered, not being able to say anything else. He smiled back.
“Yeah, it’s me, I-I’m here,” he comforted, but that smile, that tone, it all brought her back. Back to that year. But not like she remembered it before, no. It brought her back to him. His smile faded as his lips started to quiver, though tears never fell from his face. “Ann,” he breathed, “I’m sorry, but we-we failed,” he shivered.
She shrieked, his eardrums shaking as her agony reverberated within the walls of the living room. Her wails got louder and louder, her vocal cords screaming for solace, screaming for help as she continued to relive the truth, continued to relive her death, and continued to remember the person that was with her. She felt her face get buried in his shoulder, his hand gripping the back of her head as he pulled her back into a tight embrace. She bawled into his t-shirt, her cries getting stronger the deeper his embrace became.
“I’m here, Ann, I promise you I’m here, and I won’t leave,” he quavered, trying to comfort her the best he could. “N-Never again…”
She cried, but her sobs transformed from incoherent sounds to his name. “AKIRA,” she screamed, over and over into his chest as he continued to hug her, her voice cracking at the intensity with which she screeched.
Was she in hell?
Maybe she was in hell. This pain, this anguish, it felt like hell. Her death, the sensations she felt in her final moments, felt like something from hell. The deaths of her teammates, her memories of each of those gruesome moments, felt worse than hellish.
But hell wouldn’t have given her an embrace like this. Hell wouldn’t have given her Akira. Her cries got louder.
Akira, after holding onto his emotions for so long, after trying to stay strong while Ann grieved, was unable to stop a stray tear from falling, though he never made a sound.
Ann was back. They were together again. He and his team were slowly building themselves back up after their failure. He could feel himself getting closer to being whole as he embraced Ann truthfully, as teammates, as confidants, and as friends once more. He was nothing without her, and with another piece of himself restored, he felt his focus renewed on never failing them again. Soon enough, they would all be together. Soon enough, Yaldabaoth would pay.
Chariot: 0
Magician: 10
Lovers: 10
Emperor: 0
Priestess: 0
Hermit: 10
Empress: 0
Hierophant: 10
Strength: 10
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