Chapter Text
"The watertight bulkhead door has closed. All personnel within the patrician wall: evacuate at once."
The announcement had been running through his head for the past 3 days.
"Hurry up and go."
Akira has been drifting through the past few days, which he knew he shouldn't be doing, they still needed to send the calling card.
"The real fools… are you guys. You should have just left me here a long time ago…"
Yes, they had been slowly going through Shido's palace, which was probably incredibly stupid.
"You would have all perished… If you had tried to face these with me weighing you down…"
But they still had a lot of time before the election, so nothing bad would happen if they took their time right?
"Let's make a deal, okay?"
Right?
"You won't say no, will you?"
But it was stupid.
" Change Shido's heart…"
Everything went wrong.
"In my stead…"
This wasn't supposed to happen.
"End his crimes."
No one else was supposed to die.
"Please!"
What did it matter if he still had the glove if the owner was gone?
" Heh… After all this, that's what you have to say? Seriously, you really are…"
What did it matter if he was gone?
"His signal is… gone."
He changed during their last meeting.
"Under different circumstances, we could have been great rivals..."
They were already great rivals.
"Should the opponent accept the glove, the duel is also accepted."
The glove sits cold in his hands.
"Or perhaps even friends."
They were friends, right?
" It's a shame our discussion was interrupted today… I rather enjoyed having a breather with you."
Were they really friends?
"I suppose it goes to show we do have some strange connection."
Acquaintances?
"The more I get to know you, the more it makes me think."
Friends?
"I'm going to be entirely honest with you: I hate you."
…
"Case closed. This is where your justice ends."
…
"Let's make a deal, okay?"
His head hurt.
"You won't say no, will you?"
He's gone.
"Change Shido's heart…"
He needs to help everyone else. They're still alive.
"I'm my stead… "
Why couldn't he save him?
"End his crimes. "
There has to be a way. They can enter the unconscious mind for God's sake. So why can't he save his friend?
"Please!"
He heard it hit the paper before he realised he was crying.
June 9th
Most of the trip to the tv station was boring. Ann and Ryuji managed to keep me awake... kinda (Morgana wasn't any help, he just kept saying he told me so).
The only interesting part was the strange boy who interrupted us. He was cute but also kinda strange when he mentioned something about pancakes.
Dome town was fun, but Morgana was almost sick in my bag and-
If only he could go back to the beginning, to fix everything… he would be alive.
Load data?
Yes No
Akira quickly rubbed his eyes, but the text wouldn't disappear. It seemed to have printed itself onto the end of his diary extract. It was strange and confusing but seemed simple enough.
What was the worst that could happen?
"The watertight bulkhead door has closed. All personnel within the patrician wall: evacuate at once."
…
No… he couldn't wouldn't let that happen again.
Akira pressed his finger against the 'Yes' and his vision faded.
Now loading...
“Keeping your diary up to date, huh?” He could already hear the unmistakable sound of Morgana’s voice through the darkness. Thankfully it was enough to actually get him to try and open his eyes.
His ‘room’ was as dusty as ever, as he realised he was sitting on the edge of his bed, a pen in his right hand and his left holding his diary still. It looked as though he only just finished writing about his day in Dome Town, which made him drop his pen in shock.
“Hey! Hey Akira! Are you okay?!” Morgana jumped off the bed to follow him as he ran to the bathroom downstairs to empty his stomach.
It took him a few minutes of resting over the toilet seat to make him realise exactly what position he was in, to which he stood up faster than he should’ve and quickly splashed water into his face. He made a quick mental note to find some mints, make a quick trip to the bathhouse and to clean the LeBlanc bathroom thoroughly. But first he had to figure out exactly what was going on.
“Hey Akira? Are you doing okay?” He almost forgot about Morgana, with a quick splash of water to his face he left the bathroom to find the cat sitting on the table of the side booth. “You kinda just… stopped moving while writing it was kinda freaky.” Yeah Morgana, going six months into the past may do that to you. “And then you run down here to throw up! Did the rides make you feel sick too? I’m glad I skipped out on them then.”
“Yeah Morgana, it was the rides, I think it only just hit me now.” Thinking of a better excuse wasn't on his mind right now, he really needed to find his phone to confirm everything. “You should get down from there Mona, or boss will freak.”
Morgana grumbled as he jumped down from the table and made his way upstairs, with Akira following, he needed to find wherever he left his phone.
By the time they made it upstairs Morgana was already curled up on his bed waiting for him. Akira found his phone poking out from under his sofa, he definitely didn't pounce on it and unlocked the screen faster than he ever had before.
19:46pm
9th June 20XX
He was back?
"Under different circumstances, we could have been great rivals..."
He could save him.
"Or perhaps even friends."
He wouldn't make the same mistakes twice.
“Hey! Akira!! Stop zoning out! You’ve been standing there for 5 minutes now, this is why you should go to sleep early like I keep telling you.” He could feel Morgana’s tried gaze on him as he turned around to meet it.
“Actually Morgana, I’m gonna run to the bathhouse for a little bit, I don't think I could sleep after that without some kinda help.” He was already pulling out some spare clothes before Morgana could answer.
“Well, alright but only if you promise to get me some fatty tuna.”
“I’ll put it on your tab.” And with that, he left.
--
Akira spent over an hour in the bathhouse, mainly thinking about what he should do about Akechi. The easiest thing he could think of is having him join the phantom thieves earlier, but how exactly? Makoto was next to join, and he would be officially meeting Akechi tomorrow. There were way too many things to factor in, Akechi already said the pancakes line so he was already suspicious, not to mention Madarame already mentioned another metaverse user with a black mask.
It wasn't until he was lying in bed an hour later when he finally figured out something (it was too generous to call it a plan). First, he had to hang out with Akechi, more than he did last time. Then he would get him to hang out with the other thieves (easier than it sounds). Next, he would somehow get him into the metaverse with them. Finally, he would save him, and avoid getting shot in the head this time, and they would steal Shido’s heart, together.
“Akira? Are you gonna go to sleep yet? You've been facing the ceiling with this creepy smile for a long time now.” He felt Morgana crawl on his chest and close his eyes again.
“Sorry for worrying you, I owe you some extra sushi” Akira added an extra point to his plan of making sure he kept an eye on Morgana, they could still meet Haru without Morgana running away. He should try and hang out with Haru more, he really did enjoy gardening with her, it was incredibly relaxing during the time they spent in the metavese.
“No take backs Joker.”
---
It felt strange being back at the tv station, maybe it was because the past week thinking about being here again, but actually being back here just felt… wrong. Especially when Akechi walked in with his fake smile, perfect uniform and glossy hair, as opposed to the last time he saw him in his black metaverse costume and broken mask. Akira felt like he was intruding on him, it made his gut flip and his eyes sting, but that hasn't happened yet, he couldn't just sit there and watch his rival and friend struggle. He couldn't let it happen again.
“All right, let’s try asking this student here.” Before he knew it a microphone was in his face, and he finally snapped out of his thoughts. “Hypothetically speaking, what are your thoughts on these Phantom Thieves, if they were real?”
“They’re justice itself.” He decided to mix it up this time, which seemed to have paid off, considering he had the other boys full attention.
“You say that with such firmness.” Akechi’s voice was so different compared to what it was the last time he saw him. It was cold and calm and with just the right amount of charm, the exact opposite of the breathless and weak voice he heard behind the metal door of Shido’s palace.
“This completely goes against the opinion you had about them being tried by law, Akechi-kun.”
“Indeed. It’s rather intriguing to hear such a strong acknowledgment.” He forgot how much Akechi winked during interviews, he hoped it wouldn't be the last time it was directed at him though. “In that case, there’s one more question I’d like to ask… If someone close to you, for example your friend next to you… If his heart suddenly changed… wouldn't you think it was the work of the Phantom Thieves?”
“What would you think?” Checkmate, detective.
“Ah, throwing the question back at me? Well, this is my opinion on the topic. Whether the Thieves’ actions are good or not, I feel there is a more important issue at hand.” The fake smile dropped from Akechi’s face and changed into a more saddened expression.
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“The matter of how they change people’s hearts. If they honestly possess that ability… it could be used for more than extracting confessions. It could be that what seem to be ordinary crimes are actually being perpetrated by these methods…” Akira still had to admit that he was stunned by how good Akechi’s acting was at times, if he hadn't of slipped up Akira could've had a bullet in his head a long time ago.
“You know, you’re absolutely right.”
“Oh, please don't misunderstand. This is all purely hypothetical… It is only id people who can use such a power truly exist. Either way though, this cannot be ignored. The existence of the Phantom Thieves would be nothing but a threat to our everyday lives. To be honest, I’m already working alongside the police to help sort out this matter.”
Before he knew it, the interview was over and it was time to leave, and for his ‘plan’ to finally begin.
“Oh sorry, I gotta go take a leak. Can you guys wait here? I’ll be right back” Ryuji already ran off before any of them could give an answer.
“Oh my god… I’m gonna keep going, ok?” Ann and Ryuji, they had both been beside him since the beginning and he adored them both for it, they both had come so far since he first met them. All the thieves had, it made him so proud of the rag-tag group he led, but he wouldn't change any of them for the world, even the ones who wouldn't admit they were a part of it yet.
“Oh, it’s you…!” Just like clockwork… “I’m glad I found you, I wanted to thank you in person. To paraphrase Hegel, advancement cannot occur without both thesis and antithesis…” He couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion, it made him miss their soon to be several conversations over a chess table.
“Haha, my apologies. What I mean is that our discussion was quite meaningful. Few people around me are so willing to speak their minds as freely as you did earlier. Adults are only interested in using the young, while they simply do as adults say.” Did you leave this many hints last time?
“There are too many irresponsible people in these modern times, I can understand why you’d support the Phantom Thieves. It’s possible that this group is just as you believe and they are truly acting with good intentions. Since they have special talent, I assume their hearts must be burning with a sense of justice and duty… But that justice is merely a façade concealing their lack of true strength. That’s why I believe, if a truly powerful opponent were to corner them, they would flee without a second thought.”
“They wouldn't run” Maybe jump six months into the past but who’s keeping track.
“Oh…? You really are intriguing. I bet you’d make for a worthwhile debate partner on the subject.” Hook, line and sinker. His hand was already outstretched for a handshake, his gloves looking brand new. “If it’s all right with you, would you continue sharing your thoughts with me?”
“I’d love to.” and their hands met.
“Thank you, that’s great news. I sense something in you that’s quite different from other people.” Thanks, it’s the knowledge of the next six months. “I guess you can call it my detective’s intuition? Haha, kidding, of course.” Akira makes a mental note to ask Akechi if he writes his own jokes.
I am thou, thou art I…
Thou hast acquired a new vow.
It shall become the wings of rebellion
That shall breaketh thy chains of captivity.
With the revival of the Justice Persona,
I have obtained the winds of blessing that
Shall lead to freedom and new power…
Akira could feel his bond with Akechi strengthen, he thanked every being out there for his calm demeanor, otherwise a grin would’ve stretched across his face.
“Ah, yes - we should exchange contact info.” Akechi’s ‘media-darling’ mask was back on his face and his hand retracted back from his own and into his pocket retrieving his phone. “...And, registered. Well, I hope to see you again sometime soon.” he turned and walked away.
“A detective’s intuition, huh? We shouldn't underestimate that. On the other hand, there’s an awful lot we could learn from him. If he contacts you, try hanging out with him.” Morgana commented from his bag.
Akira now had two options, contact Akechi first or wait for an invitation. Waiting for an invitation should be the obvious choice, but Akira had the upper hand of knowing the detective's favourite drink. But that was a decision for tomorrow's Akira, for now he had to read Ryuji’s rant about Akechi on the chat and get his cat the tuna he promised.
With that he got on his train home and stuffed his hands into his pockets. They were a glove lighter.