Chapter Text
When Goro entered Mementos that day to take care of the list of people Shido had sent him that morning, something felt off.
It wasn’t the typical exhaustion he felt when he had to skip school to attend an interview, then having to catch up on the work he missed, just to remember that Shido had sent him shadows to take care of.
His head felt empty. Like there was something… or someone missing…
He felt lighter too. Loki’s helmet wasn’t on his head and he didn’t feel Robin’s cape around his neck and shoulders. He reached up to his face, there was no mask.
“Loki? Robin Hood?” He called out, waiting for a response that never came. He could feel his breathing become shallow.
They couldn’t have simply left… not like that!
Goro knew Persona users weren’t capable of having shadows, but if he couldn’t even hear or summon his Personas anymore, that wouldn’t make him much of a Persona user anymore.
He left Mementos quickly, heading straight back for his apartment.
He opened the Nav there with a shaky hand, taking in a shaky breath.
“Akechi Goro.”
“Candidate found.”
Of course, not just some mere shadow in Mementos.
Now where and what could his palace even be?
“Kichijoji.”
“Match not found.”
“The Diet Building.” God forbid it’s that.
“Match not found.”
Goro knew what his next answer would be. Yet he didn’t want to say it out loud. He wanted to lie in some sort of obliviousness and ignore that there was something clearly wrong.
He hesitated, before saying the word.
“Japan.”
“Match found.”
He tapped his foot anxiously, wondering what other key word there would be.
“A prison.”
“Match not found.”
Well, at least it wasn’t something as pitiful as that.
He recalled the interview earlier that day. The way they introduced him to the crowd.
“And for today’s interviewee, we have the beloved, darling Detective Prince, Akechi Goro!”
God how he wanted to puke at that.
“A castle.”
“Match found.”
Now all that was left was to go into his own palace. He felt something stop him from doing so.
He didn’t know the consequences of what would happen if a palace ruler went into their own palace. He didn’t know how he was supposed to talk to his shadow and get back his Personas.
Goro knows what Loki would say. Likely something along the lines of figure it out yourself.
Goro knows what Robin would say. It’s not weak to ask for help.
Help from who? Amamiya Ren himself and his little thief troupe?
Asking Amamiya himself would end up becoming some death trap and Shido hasn’t told him to infiltrate the thieves yet, no that was a moment saved for later. Later when he finally triumphs over Amamiya, finally shows him who’s better. Then the rest of the thieves would fall. Then at last, Shido.
But none of that would be achievable. God forbid this would require some change of heart.
He didn’t even know how to do that! Killing his own shadow would just end up killing him. Not that he was fully opposed to that outcome.
Directly asking Amamiya would be a stupid idea, Goro knows that.
If I can’t directly ask him…
He walked over to grab a sticky note, holding a pencil in his right hand.
Goro wrote down his key words. He hoped that using his right hand could at least somewhat differentiate from his actual handwriting. It looked different enough at first glance.
Amamiya-kun should still be at school for now…
Goro put the note in his pocket and headed to Leblanc.
*
Goro stood in front of the small cafe. It wasn’t too late to stop, to change his mind and figure all this out himself.
He took a breath, and headed into the cafe.
“You’re here early, did school let out this soon?” Goro heard Sakura ask in surprise.
“Ah, no. I had an interview earlier today and it left me feeling quite tired. I figured that I could stop by here for a quick drink before I head back, if that’s fine, Sakura-San?” Goro said, putting on a polite smile. “Oh and is Amamiya-kun here?”
“No, the kid’s at school.” Sakura said, starting to make the coffee.
“Is it fine if I leave something for him? Just don’t tell him it was from me, please?” Goro asked.
“Hm? Sure.”
With the approval, Goro headed upstairs into the cafe’s attic. He withdrew the note from his pocket and set it on the mattress. He hesitated. He walked over to Amamiya’s desk and took the pencil on it, walking back to the note on the bed.
“Please” Was all he wrote, before leaving the pencil next to the note, and heading back down.
*
3:18 PM
Ryuji: Sooo we gonna continue Okumura’s palace?
Haru: I have a feeling we’re close to the end! We can secure the route today most likely.
Ann: Yeah! Then after that we still have like until the 11th yk
Yusuke: And today is the twenty-fifth of September.
Ren: Yeah that’s fine, Sojiro told me to stop by Leblanc though cuz someone left something for me
Futaba: Ooooo, a package or a secret admirerr (｀・∀・´)
Ren pocketed his phone in response, stepping off the train that had arrived in Yongen-Jaya.
“What do you think was left for us?” Morgana asked.
He shrugged in response, heading to the cafe and into its attic. There he saw a note and pencil on his mattress.
“Do you think Futaba was right?” Morgana asked hopefully.
“Not really, I’m getting kind of a bad feeling looking at the note.” Ren responded, he walked over to it and picked it up, holding it in the palm of his hand. “… I think this is a change of heart request.”
“What?! From who?” Morgana asked, climbing onto Ren’s shoulder and looking at the note, beginning to read it out loud, “Akechi Goro, Japan, Castle, please…?”
“He can’t have a palace, right? I mean, he understood you at the TV station and you said Persona users couldn’t have shadows or palaces.”
“Only one way to find out now.” Morgana sighed, gesturing his nose towards Ren’s phone.
Ren put Akechi’s name in the Nav. It was a hit. He had a palace.
“Think we should tell the others?” Ren asked, Morgana nodded in response.
3:34 PM
Ren: Hey guys? I think I got another change of heart request. It’s also a palace.
Futaba: That's what the thing was? Who’s palace?
Ren: It’s Akechi. He has a palace. Someone left a note on my bed asking me to change his heart.
Makoto: Are you sure? You said he might be the Black Mask that Kaneshiro mentioned. It wouldn’t make any sense for him to have a shadow.
Ren: Morgana and I checked the Nav and it was a hit.
Futaba: I think we should do it
Futaba: Once we’re done with okumuras palace though
Futaba: I mean if he really is the one behind the mental shutdowns, changing his heart would make him stop right? And confess.
Yusuke: I agree with Futaba.
Ann: That’s a first, but I agree with what Futaba said. What if the one who left the note is someone who’s also been hurt by him? It would be better to do his palace once we do get the route for the treasure though
Ren: So do we all agree to change his heart? Morgana agrees if you're wondering.
There was a resounding yes coming from the group chat, before deciding to meet up to finally secure the route to Okumura’s treasure.
*
“Joker!” Ren heard a shout, looking down to see Mona.
“Oh, sorry. What’s up?”
“You looked pretty spaced out.” Mona stated.
Ren almost laughed at that, he saw Mona frown. He guesses he did laugh at that. “You said spaced out.”
“Yes, and?”
“We’re in space.”
Ren heard a frustrated growl in return, Mona frowning harder.
“Is everything alright?” Makoto asked, walking up to them.
“Yeah, don’t worry. Should we continue on? I have a feeling this time we’re close.”
*
Ren was wrong and he hated it. Why was there a space puzzle that involved going into space in the first place? Granted it was fun the first few times before he and the rest of the Thieves got stuck in a circle, doing the same thing over and over again, hoping for a different result.
“Perhaps we should take a break? I am feeling quite dizzy after that.” Yusuke suggested, already sitting down in the cold flooring of the palace.
“Good idea, Fox. Let’s take a quick break and then move on.” Ren agreed, sitting down, away from the group.
Mona walked to where he was sitting, taking a seat next to him. “Joker, is everything okay?”
“I guess? I’m just… worried, you know?” Ren responded, looking down at Mona.
“About Akechi?”
“Yeah. I just want to get this over with and check out his palace if I’m being honest. I’m worried about him. Sure he…” Ren trailed off, frowning. “He doesn’t seem like the type to have a palace.”
“What do you think it’ll be like?”
Ren shook his head with a sigh. Morgana looked like he wanted to persist, but dropped the subject.
Ren called for the break to be over, and the Thieves continued on.
*
After what seemed like forever, they finally managed to secure the treasure route. Leaving the palace and making plans to meet up again tomorrow to check out Akechi’s.
Ren collapsed onto the mattress, Morgana crawling on top of his chest. He started at the history of the Nav, stared at Akechi’s palace. Almost as if he would wake up and this would’ve all been a dream. Morgana seemed to notice this.
“I know you’re concerned about him, but when it comes down to the final moment, you can’t trust him.”
“… I know.”
*
God, Goro thinks he’s going to die. He felt his phone buzz on his nightstand. He knew it was Shido. He shakily picked it up, seeing a simple message.
SM: Have you taken care of the targets today?
He was so exhausted of this. He wanted it to be December. He wanted Shido to become prime minister just so Goro could strike him down. Hit him when he’s strongest, when he thinks he’s won.
Goro: My apologies, Shido-San. I’m afraid that after my interview I had begun to feel unwell. Rest assured they will be taken care of by the time Okumura is.
SM: What have I told you about using my name over the phone?
SM: I expect you to follow through on this. You know what happens to those who cross me.
Goro: Of course, sir.
Goro placed his phone face down onto the nightstand, covering his face as he let out a loud, tired sigh. Now he could only hope Amamiya would follow through on this.
Relying on him of all people, what a joke…
*
The group was in Ren’s attic, waiting around until it was time for them to go into Akechi’s palace.
“So, with his keyword being castle, doesn’t that remind you of someone?” Ryuji asked, a scowl forming on his face. The group remained silent.
“He can’t be as bad as Kamoshida.” Was all Ren said, tugging on his bangs.
“His distortion’s all of Japan, also. Not jus’ one place.” Ryuji added.
Ren let out a sigh. “We should head out to his palace now.” He said, ending the mostly one-sided conversation there.
*
“Beginning navigation.”
The world became distorted around them, before soon they arrived at the entrance of a castle. The castle looked like something out of a fairy tail, it had red roofing and white walls. There was a bridge in front of them that lead to the castle doors. A boy sat with his legs hanging off of the bridge. He had caramel hair reaching to his shoulders. He was wearing a mostly white and red princely outfit, gold in some places as well.
“Hello!” The boy said, looking up at them. His eyes were yellow.
“Is that his shadow…?” Ren asked, looking at Futaba. She nodded in return.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Phantom Thieves!”