Chapter 1: Destruam et aedificābo
Summary:
The journey begins
Notes:
Rewriting!!
I started this fic a year ago, it was one of my first ones in English. I was writing in my first language and then translating it.
But now?? Now I wrote it straight up in English! Working on another fic helped me to gradually progress my writing in English
Plus, I wanted to add some other idea here
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Akira failed. He failed to defeat Maruki, he had lost to him and his twisted world. He let his friends down. And now he stood in the Velvet Room, in his very own prison cell, and it felt so right, like nothing before. He could let himself look at other cells though, it reminded him way too much of the support of his friends during their fight with Yaldabaoth, and how now he was useless.
On the opposite side of the cell bars stood Lavenza. Right now he would rather have Caroline and Justine with their harsh words of disappointment than Lavenza’s sad gaze. Her eyes always bore some sadness, and now it was so impossible to look in them. In a way she reminded him of Alice, the same emotionless, yet dangerous little girl.
“My Trickster,” her voice got his attention. “It looks like your journey ended earlier than it should have,” Lavenza said. She sounded sorry, but at this point Joker wondered if she truly felt that or was it just a face she put on. Her statement also had no weight so Akira didn’t understand why she had to say it in the first place.
Suddenly, one of the shadows of the table caught his attention. The darkness there was thicker than anywhere and soon part of it started separating from the general mass, gradually becoming bigger. The girl picked it up, revealing Morgana, who was in the form he had in the real world. The poor thing was trembling and clinging to her, before she handed him to Joker. He cradled his companion, before pressing the ‘cat’ to his chest.
“Your fire of rebellion became dim,” Igor, the true Igor spoke, reminding of his presence in this room. He didn’t accuse, he didn’t judge, he just stated it. “But it was not your fault. You were meant to rebel against the oppressor, which you did, not to seek truth and unveil it,” he said.
Whatever he wanted to say next didn’t matter, as he was interrupted by the loud bang of an opened door of one of the cells. That clanky noise made Morgana flinch and hiss, too loud for his gentle ears. An unknown woman entered the Room, her connection to the domain was obvious. It made Akira wonder if Jose was somehow connected to the Velvet Room as well. While his hair was just a tone darker than what this woman and Lavenza had, there still were a lot of similarities.
The woman was around the same age as Takemi-sensei. She also had the same mysterious aura around here, albeit inhumane one. She looked like she knew what she wanted, and knew she would get what she wanted.
“It reminds me of my charges,” she immediately started talking, giving no space for empty pre-talk, reminding more of Sae-san. "The Trickster had failed to reveal the truth. The Truthseeker had failed to recognize the Jester's cunning nature and rebel against a strong opinion. And in the end, both came to ruin. So maybe they can help each other? Who better than a Trickster knows trickery and rebellion? Who if not the Truthseeker can make a grand reveal of what is true?" She spoke in her strong stern voice, sounding like people she was presenting a case.
“Hmm…” Igor frowned, deep in thoughts. “Each of the Wild Cards has their own journey that they have to go through.”
"But weren't the journeys of the Martyr and the Liberator closely intertwined? And the Martyr also influenced the journey of another Wild Card," she countered. "The Truthseeker is tied with the Jester, and the Trickster has found a rival in the face of the Forsaken," she continued. Who is it? Who is she talking about? Was there someone before him? Was the Forsaken one Akechi?
(I'm going to be completely honest with you: I hate you.
nonostopno
This is how your 'justice' ends
nonononoNO
Did you really believe in this love?
It hurts me to love you...)
“Moreover, I’ve got the permission from the higher-up,” that woman smiled. There was someone even higher than Igor? Morgana too perked up hearing this.
The mysterious woman waved her hand and a golden butterfly, yet it was so different. Igor looked utterly surprised upon seeing this. The butterfly flew off, suddenly becoming a swirl of gold, before revealing a beautiful man with a golden butterfly mask.
He looked at Akira with a kind gentle smile.
“Greetings. My name is Philemon and this is Margaret,” that man introduced himself and that woman. He snapped his fingers and everything had changed. They were now in a space, standing in some type of shrine? Akira didn’t know how to refer to this place. Checkered floor and massive pillars, all made of marble, and the glass-golden dome, with golden stars. The table from the centre disappeared, leaving the butterfly mark.
“It seems that on your journey you met an unexpected enemy,” Philemon started. “I granted the power to summon the power of selves within you, Persona, to those I respect. However, there are outside forces that can grant this power as well,” he explained. “And the one you faced and lost to was not the one I was aware of,” he admitted. “I cannot personally intervene, so I made a place between consciousness and unconsciousness, the Velvet Room, to aid those who face a powerful foe,” Philemon said. He came closer to Joker. “I failed to foresee the enemy, and in result the Room was unable to fully aid you,” he said with sadness. “As for the Thruthseeker…” he got silent for a bit. “His journey started just days after the Martyr and the Liberator finished their own. Moreover, unexpectedly it caused another Wild Card to appear, an unforeseen variable. So the Truthseeker didn’t receive all the help he should have,” he pursed his lips.
Philemon came closer, petting Morgana.
“That’s why I felt like you needed a companion,” he admitted. Oh.
“The Trickster has a very interesting item,” Igor noted. “And it looks like the Martyr decided to influence one more journey,” he chuckled.
With Morgana in one of his hands, he had to struggle a bit to rummage through his pockets, before he found… a Star. The one that Jose gave him. The Martyr… Was Jose his attendant at the Velvet Room?
As Akira looked at the Star, it started shimmering in his hand. It shone brighter and brighter, until it crumbled into a sparkling sand. Philemon chuckled.
“I see… For once an unseen variable was in our favour,” he commented.
“Magnificent. The wish is a great help to the plan to fix everything,” Igor smiled in his creepy way. “In that case, Trickster. We have an offer. An actual deal from our room,” he started. “Help the Truthseeker to rebel, and in return he will help you to uncover the truth. Is it a deal?”
“...” Akira had so many thoughts in his head, but a feeling of a wet nose poking into his palm grounded him. “Will Morgana be with me?” he managed to ask with a heavy heart.
“Nothing could separate you two,” Philemon said. “He was made to guide you, to be your companion,” he smiled.
“Then… I accept the deal,” Joker said.
“Excellent! Everything will be arranged by the wish upon the star. Your bonds will stay with you,” Igor said.
“I hope this journey goes better,” Philemon said, coming even closer to Akira and cupping his cheek. “Both you and the Truthseeker have so much love within yourselves,” he said gently. “Take care of each other. I shall pray for your success,” he said and leaned a bit, his lips touching Akira’s. Half of the touch was cold, covered by the mask, and the other half was so warm and human.
Before Akira disappeared he heard Philemon say something more to himself than to anyone.
“Joker, huh? What a peculiar choice of name…” he said.
The darkness finally enveloped him.
Akira woke up in a moving carriage. Huh, yet again the journey starts with a train. Ended too. A lot of media portray the afterlife as a train station… Hm.
To his right Morgana started stretching, blinking rapidly. He was still on the verge of consciousness. And in front of them sat an unknown young man. Morgana looked at him, sniffing the air, before settling down. So he sensed something in him. It was definitely their guy.
“...The Trickster?” the new guy asked with uncertainty in his voice. Fortunately for both of them, only two people were there besides them, they were sitting at the very end of the carriage.
“The Truthseeker,” Akira acknowledged him, easing him seemingly.
“And Morgana!” his companion reminded of himself. The Truthseeker jumped a bit, which made Joker chuckle. He was obviously surprised to see the talking (not) cat.
“R-right…” the new boy stuttered, before shaking his head. “My name is Narukami Yu. Thank you for agreeing to help me. And I hope I can help you too,” Yu gave a weak smile. There was grief in his eyes. Akira knew it too well. They truly were the same, huh.
“Kurusu Akira,” Joker nodded as a greeting. “And my companion already introduced himself,” he smiled a bit.
“I’m not a cat, and you better respect me! The pro came to help you!” Mona’s boisterous self showed itself again. It reminded me of their first day of meeting.
“Only Persona users can understand him,” Akira immediately warned. “A slip-up helped us to realize who our opponent was,” Akira also said. Akechi was not an enemy. “I’ll look for reactions, in case the enemy is a Persona-user or controls a Persona-user,” he added. Yu nodded with a frown. Yeah, Akira immediately went to the bad topic, sue him. Well, no, no suing, he had enough.
“We will arrive in 30 minutes,” Yu quietly said.
“You should examine your bag,” Morgana advised. “There could be clues about your legend in here,” he explained.
On top of all belongings laid two letters. One had a golden butterfly seal, so Akira immediately tore it open.
Dear Trickster,
Or do you prefer to be called Joker, instead of the title?
I hope the arrival will find you well. The Wish Upon a Star was a great help, however even I cannot fully predict how much it changed to allow you to travel here.
You and the Truthseeker will arrive and live with his Hierophant. He will tell you details of your story in those times. I am sure, your mastery will help you to get everything you need to know.
The Truthseeker cannot tell you any detail of his journey, I’m afraid it’s the rule that was not set by us. However, I’m sure of your abilities and personal experience. Moreover, your companion is there as well to aid.
Do not try to contact any person from your journey, outside of Shady Merchant.
The Velvet Room attendants and their Master would not remember you. You will have access to your Mind Palace, however not to the Velvet Room, as it is not your journey to go through.
Keep the love in your heart and don’t succumb to the cruelty of this world.
Your rebellious self can ignite the world.
Stay true to yourself.
With Love,
Philemon.
That was an interesting letter for sure. The Shady Merchant, did he mean Tanaka’s Shady Commodities? He was there as well? Well, that was an interesting fact.
It’s bad he would be in the dark about Narukami’s journey and the future, but it said nothing about sharing Akira’s one, his knowledge. Maybe it would help Narukami to realize something new, and would give him missing puzzle pieces. Plus, Joker liked to think he was smart enough to realize things before they happened. Yeah, one of his advisors and second-in-command Makoto was not here, but he had Morgana, who was both advisor and a mentor in Metaverse-related things.
Akira looked at the first letter and it was… from Sojiro. Oh… Morgana rushed him into opening the letter, poking into the text. He wanted to know what Boss wrote them.
Akira,
I hope you got to your uncle without running into trouble. I know you are like a magnet to them.
It's hard for me to say this personally, so I'm writing it here. You are part of the family, both for me and for Futaba. You've become like a son to me during this year. I've already told you that after graduation you can return to Tokyo to us. Futaba is no longer afraid of the world, so I want to offer you a room in our house. Or do you want to come to the attic? You've definitely made that place a home. Anyway, we will be waiting for you, there's always a place for you in Leblanc and our home.
I want to keep teaching you the art of coffee. How to run a cafe. Tell you more about managing it. Didn't you and Okumura want to open something together too? Maybe someday Leblanc will be yours when I retire! But not too soon, I'm not this old. Ha, maybe they'll call you 'Boss' after that. I don't want this place to close, I don't want Wakaba's curry recipe to die. And besides me, this place's secrets are known only to you. That's why I want to invite you. Officially make it a family business? Yes, I think so.
Don't forget to go to the doctor. Niijima isn't here to pester you about it, but I'm sure Morgana will. I know that the effects of your head injury are not improving. I talked to Dojima about that too. All your medicines and prescriptions from Takemi-sensei are in the bag.
Also, I used my connections from my last job, and got the documents for Morgana. He will be something like your service animal. Your uncle already has the documents, he promised to negotiate with the school. You didn't go anywhere without Morgana in Tokyo, did you? I think with the documents it will be easier to take him everywhere with you, you won't have to hide him in a bag.
And look after him there. And let him look after you. Treat him to some fatty tuna there when you get there, okay? Tell him I'll miss his company. Though, finally he won't touch my counter for now.
Take care of each other. Futaba and I will be waiting for you two to return.
- Sojiro
Akira reread those words again and again, blinking away the wetness in his eyes. Morgana was sitting by his side, so warm and alive, also looking at these words. To know that you have a family waiting for your return… But there will be no one to return to. After all, the journey will have to start anew. But maybe next time he can help Futaba sooner. He will be able to make friends with the Boss faster by charming him with his refined skills.
Soon they arrived. The Yasoinaba Station. It was very green. Akira liked spending time with Ann in the Inokashira Park because of the greenery, so he might even like it here.
Morgana jumped into the bag, opting to stay there until they would be outside. They didn’t need to be stopped or be stared at because Morgana was not at the carrier. He complained that the bag was stuffy and cramped, it was uncomfortable because of all the belongings there.
The station looked old, like it would fall apart in a few years, and it did not inspire Akira’s confidence. After a whole year in Tokyo, he got used to everything being new, modern, and most importantly – clean. But even his last city, which was also a hole in the wall of about the same level, had a more decent station.
Yu was in the lead, while he looked confident, Joker’s third eye saw the slight tremor in him. A man called them over, he was standing at the end of the station staircase. He looked like a light version of Iwai, albeit, a bit younger. He looked tough, but not an ex-yakuza level of tough.
“Hey, you two!” that man called them over. “Well, you two are more handsome in person than in the photo,” he said, shaking their hands. Was it a compliment or an insult..? Akira looked great in any photo, excuse you!
"Welcome to Inaba, my name is Dojima Ryotaro, I will look after you," he smiled encouragingly. Then he looked at Yu, "so, I'm your mother's younger brother, she asked me to look after you," he explained. And then he looked at Akira, "my late wife was your mother's twin. Your parents thought that the calm atmosphere in Inaba and the absence of any rumors would help you recover from your injury," he said. Seeing Akira's frown, he hurriedly added more. "Are you having an amnesia attack again? Sakura-san was talking about this. I'll explain the details to you in the car then."
Akira’s mother did not have any siblings as far as he was aware. Was it a permanent change or what? Would Dojima remember it at Akira’s original time? Question it? Is it only in his mind, or were there actual new documents to support this?
Actually, where would Akira go after this? Continuation of this timeline, or back to his own and now Narukamin would appear with him the way Joker just did? He hoped not, because Akira arrived in Tokyo as a criminal and was treated badly. He didn’t need additional ‘criminal’ nor did he wish it on him.
Yu said the usual nice to meet you, while Akira just nodded silently.
Next Dojima introduced his daughter, who was noticeably shy around new people. Yu shivered, which didn't went unnoticed to Joker. Morgana, seemingly, noticed it too, so he decided to jump off from the bag onto Akira’s shoulder, complaining about the crampy space. He was animated and a bit silly, the way he would always do to get attention from a bad atmosphere or to cheer others up. From Akira’s shoulder Mona jumped at his hands, a familiar ritual, a habit even.
"Kitty!" Nanako immediately brightened up. She clearly liked Morgana. "Can I pet it? What's its name? Will it be with us now?" she started asking, delight on her face. Akira chuckled softly at this, in the corner of his eye he noticed others smiling as well. Morgana nodded to the Trickster, so he crouched down to be on the same level with the girl. She happily petted the animal.
"His name is Morgana. He is my companion," Akira explained quietly. Dojima looked surprised by the choice of words. But that was what Morgana was to him. A companion. A literal partner in crime.
"Oh, yes, your service animal. You can take him to school and cafes, but only if he wears a special jacket. I already got it. I will also give you Morgana's documents, where it says that he is a service animal. Please, carry it with you. If anyone has any questions, show it right away. Legally, you can't be banned from bringing Morgan when you have documents with you. If someone gives you a problem about this, tell me. I'll deal with it," Dojima said. Morgana looked delighted at the prospect that he wouldn’t need to hide.
After that, Dojima ushered them to the car. Nanako wanted to continue petting Morgana, so both of them sat in the back. The girl was clearly fascinated by the feline thief. Yu lagged behind, but Akira didn’t manage to see why. If it was important, he would mention it later.
Dojima began to explain to Akira what he knew whilst driving. As he said, Sakura-san told him about it on the phone. Last fall, Akira was shot in the head. Yu, hearing this, was visibly surprised and looked uncomfortable. Nanako looked sad and even stopped petting Mona. Akira just looked at the window. Dojima really just straight up laid it like that? Huh.
The shot was from Akechi, obviously. They thought that it happening in a cognitive world would be a clever solution, but because Akira didn’t have his Persona protection and Akechi used a real gun… Yeah, he didn’t die, but it didn’t mean there were no consequences. While it left no obvious wound, some of the brain damage was there, scan showed so too. With all the drugs, the beating and the official suicide record, him being shot in the head was not even questioned. Takemi was his Doctor, and she was backed up by Chief Oyamada, it was after his heart was changed, but before he resigned. In Maruki’s reality the problem had disappeared and now it was back and it was really hitting him.
Dojima confirmed that his ‘record’ was erased from the files, seeing how everything was falsified. He scoffed at the action of other police officers, detectives and every authority figure involved, calling them a disgrace for servers of law. He then mentioned that he himself was a detective that worked for the local police. This revelation caused Akira to visibly flinch. Dojima assured him that his colleagues wouldn’t visit their house as per his request, except his new partner. He also said that if he ever feels uncomfortable he could go to his room or have a walk outside. Even if it’s Dojima who made him feel like that, he was always welcome to tell what exactly was wrong, so they could be better. Although, during the evening he better not go far. Dojima recognised that Akira was almost an adult, so there was more freedom for him, but Dojima was still his current guardian and had responsibility over him. Well, he didn’t sound harsh like Sojiro in the beginning. Perks of not being a ‘criminal’.
Akira saw Yu looking at him from time to time, he was worried. Ah, poor home-boy, didn’t expect Akira to have such a wild story? Well, this set expectations for this year. If he found Akira’s background wild, then what about the whole journey? At least it meant this year was not going to be a crazy show. they were in a small town after all, and with outdated technologies, it looked like. So it’s not like they were going to have a group of anarchists who were starting a revolution, to the point they became worldwide famous. Yeah, that sounded crazy even now… Oh, he might even double down next time.
Dojima continued ‘reminding’ him his story. His parents decided to send him here, because there were no rumours about him, as his hometown wouldn’t forget the story for a long time, despite his name being cleared. The calm and rumour-less atmosphere, the greenery and the fresh air should help with his recovery. Though, if it was a reality, Akira would say that they just didn’t want to associate with him in any way. Also, he’s been told that he had a new phone with a new provider, so it would be hard to contact his friends. Well, not like he was allowed to anyway and not like any of his friends even knew him. He was in the past after all. How long ago in the past though?
Lastly, Dojima said that Sakura-san mentioned a diary that Akira kept to help with amnesia attacks. Morgana said it was his probation diary, of course it was. Might find something useful there.
They stopped at the gas station in the shopping district, and Akira opted to stay in the car. Yu walked around and came back full of thoughts. Maybe he had noticed or realised something about his journey, a hint he didn’t know was a hint.
They arrived at a traditional Japanese house, which shouldn’t be a surprise, yet it was. Back in Akira’s hometown some of his childhood friends had traditional houses and that’s it. He didn’t live in such house before. Apparent;y Dojima ordered some sushi to celebrate their arrival, which was good. On his first day at Tokyo Akira only ate a pack of crackers he had in his bag, which was mostly crashed, because god knows how long it was there for, but it was his only food option. There probably was food in the fridge, but back then he was too afraid to even touch anything.
Joker promised Mona to leave those with tuna for him. Dojima was not used to Morgana’s antics yet and it was too early to test the waters.
During the small talk Dojima made, Akira learned that Yu’s parents were overseas, which was the reason he was sent here. Huh, so just because of it? Good, probably. Ann felt lonely with her parents being overseas for over a year, she rarely stayed at home, because it felt lonely.
As soon as they were going to touch food, Dojima’s phone rang, calling for attention. It was a work call, so he hurriedly disappeared. It made Nanako upset, which Morgana took as a sign to make some fuss. He jumped on Akira’s lap, kneading them, and sniffed the sushi.
“Come on! Give me that fatty tuna sushi! I want it!" The Magician was obviously impatient. His eyes were shining. Akira couldn't help but laugh at that.
“Does kitty want sushi?” Nanako asked curiously.
“Yeah. Mona loves sushi with tuna, I often bought them for him in Tokyo," Akira said, separating the sushi so that Morgana could eat them in peace. He immediately dug into them, causing everyone to laugh. Morgana was trying to lighten the atmosphere yet again today. He knew when to do it: he did it with Haru, with Shiho, even a couple of times with Hifumi when she was seriously upset.
When Mona finished his sushi, Yu offered some of his own, smiling gently. It definitely won the guy some points in Morgana's eyes. Nanako meanwhile turned on the TV with a weather broadcast.
Akira paid attention when the local news started, he needed to be aware of current affairs. Nanako, however, thought it was boring, switching to the next channel. It was a Junes commercial, and the little girl sang their jingle happily.
That’s how the dinner went.
After the dinner the boys went to their shared room. It was obviously meant to be a one person room, the bank-bed was a recent addition. Who was the previous owner of that room? Hm. Anyway, it was different from last year.
It was not a spacious Leblanc attic he had. It had a similar table though. And this time with a working TV, he didn’t need to buy one. It was homey in a different way than his attic was. And no spider-webs. And there was an actual shower, no need to go to the bathhouse. And a normal bed instead of a futon on wood pallets. And a door he can close. But it’s a small space he needed to share with someone… He felt so conflicted right now.
Yu took the upper bed, while Akira opted for the bottom one. Plus, with Akira’s head problems it’s just safer, a conclusion that Yu came to as well.
Akira went to the stack of boxes, he wanted to unpack now. Yu looked tired, but joined him in this effort. Somewhere during that Morgana brought Joker’s meds in his teeth, so he would take it. And who was Joker to disagree with Mona. His partner said take meds, he takes them.
They prepared uniforms for tomorrow. In Akira’s opinion they looked so boring. He liked Shujin one’s, they looked stylish and red-black was his theme. Kosei had an elegant uniform, with their interesting bows and ties. Akechi’s school had those cool brown jackets. Or when they went to the aquarium, they saw a uniform for the local school with a beautiful floral pattern, and it looked like students had a great variety of types to choose from. They also prepared their bags for tomorrow. The briefcase looked so awkward, just a few steps away from Akechi’s, plus Morgana wouldn’t fit there and wouldn’t be able to jump in and out whenever he pleased. Fortunately, his last bag was still there. He just needed to use seam remover on a school emblem. It took time to find his sewing kit, but it was a matter of time. In the end Mona checked how they packed, which amused Yu.
They finally decided to change into comfortable night clothes, and, funnily enough, they had the same outfit in the same colours. They also made some tea. Oh, they were going to have to talk and talk tonight…
It was like a Band-Aid, it’s better to rip it off quickly so it wouldn’t be as painful. Plus, Yu was going to help him after that. It was the best option to tell most of it now. So they would have a year to think about it and a solution, to reflect, to see if it could give Yu an insight or some clarity on his own journey. And they were going to be a team. To be in this together. They were alike, the fools on their journey. Right here, outside of Morgana, Yu was the only person who Akira could trust without any doubt. Of course, it would still take them time, Akira definitely had a lot of trust issues. and maybe Yu had those too.
It was hard to tell, about your journey and eventual failure. The probation diary helped to keep up with the timeline. Morgana added details, explained some aspects more or told his own perspective.
And Yu… He helped to make it not seem like another interrogation with Sae. He asked gently, and wrote down questions for later that weren’t needed for immediate understanding. He also shared his own opinion, and he was understanding and sympathetic.
Also, he was very shocked just by the scale of events and how they were against a LEADING PRIME MINISTER CANDIDATE. This made Akira chuckle. And the type of people that were Akira’s Confidants, they were also interesting people.
During the interrogation and torture part, about the police brutality, about… About being shot by his Justice… Yu just sat near him and asked to hug. Akira nodded weakly, feeling others embrace.
Ann and Ryuji never asked, they would always tackle him and hug whenever it was possible. If they were in proximity, they were on each other. Yusuke wasn’t used to hugs and was a touch-starved person, so Akira was the one who would always hug him. Makoto was not a hugger, but she would hold his hand (or hug his hand maximum). Futaba was still getting used to contact and it was always sudden with her. Sumi would use hugs for greetings and goodbyes. Akechi… Well, he was Akechi.
And Haru… She would sit near him and ask the very same way, she always radiated this kind energy (and what a contrast Noir was).
And here was Yu, the same gentleness and kindness in him. Yeah, Akira probably could rely on him… Was it the natural charm and power of the Wild Card in him? Who knows.
They were still sitting next to each other when Akira was talking about Maruki and the new reality, Morgana plastered all over their laps. Yu looked at him with a grave face, promising to do everything possible to help him. And for once, Akira felt he could trust such words.
Yu knew defeat, he saw ruins. He had too much weight on his shoulders. He was a leader of his team, always thinking if he was leading them to death or not.
Akira made the Truthseeker promise to be honest about the burden. To share his insecurities and thoughts. They were in it together, so they needed to help each other. Akira didn’t realize he could rely on Morgana with it in the beginning. Now there were three of them.
Yu agreed, and it was easier to breathe, as they felt a precious bond form.
With that, Morgana jumped and started hurrying them to go to bed, it was already late. Akira fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.
And that was the beginning of a new journey.
Notes:
Thank you everyone who waited for this fic. New beginnings!!
Chapter 2: Cras melius fore
Summary:
The school days begin, and with that the new game starts
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Akira woke up early. He always woke up early, no matter how late he went to bed. Not like you can stay up late with Morgana, he would eat Akira alive for this. Plus, in Tokyo he would have to leave way in advance to be on time with how busy Shibuya was.
As Akira opened his eyes, two bright blue ones were looking at him. That’s why his chest felt so heavy… Little thief started poking his face with those fluffy little paws, demanding food. Well, he had to hope there was something in the kitchen. And apparently they woke Yu up too, who looked sleepy, and went back to sleep immediately. Weak.
Joker found a tin of cat food in the fridge with a note that Dojima wasn’t sure what exactly was best so they needed to buy more today. Well, that was Morgana’s food for the morning.
Akira wanted to make something sweet for breakfast. Out of irony he thought of pancakes, but all the flour and baking powder he found were way out of date. He found some cooked rice, plenty of it in the fridge, though, as well as plenty of eggs and milk. Hmm…
He mixed rice with one egg (why the hell were they so big here??), a bit of milk, less than a cup of rice flour (the only type that was available and still good), sugar and a drop of lemon juice. After some thinking he added the zest of lemon as well.
He made one 'pancake' for starters, tasting it, and adjusting the mixture a bit. The second one tasted perfectly for him, so he continued making rice pancakes. He was greeted by a surprised Dojima, who looked like he barely slept.
Apparently, he didn’t actually sleep, he came for a shower and to change clothes, but grabbed some of the pancakes in a tupperware to have later. He immediately ran off after this. Joker remembered how Sae apparently spent days on the job, had sets of clothes there and showered in the nearby gym (she had an hour-long session each day as well, because she knew she spent days sitting).
Akira was almost done making the pancakes, as Nanako descended fully ready, with her red backpack in hand. She drops it near the entrance, before coming to the kitchen. She marveled over the sweet breakfast and started making some tea. Apparently, she could cook toast, eggs and sausages for breakfast, but they usually ordered the diner. Dojima didn’t know how to cook and didn’t really have time for it.
Nanako's excitement made Akira actually smile. He always liked children. Shinya was like a little brother to him. Futaba and Kaoru were also like younger siblings to him. And Jose… He was indeed a cute kid, and Akira felt more like a proud parent, than a brother, every time he listened to the new things the kid learnt.
Yu came down in the uniform, bringing both of their school bags with him. He looked at the breakfast with surprise, before thanking him.
Akira wanted to shower, as the heat from cooking and the night itself made him sweaty. Nanako told him to use the bathroom downstairs. There was one upstairs, but it was neglected for years so even after some cleaning it was not enough. Yu mused if they could clean it properly later.
After having breakfast and getting ready for school, Nanako brought Morgana's vest. It was green with 'service animal' written on both sides. It didn't bother the 'cat', so it was good.
They grabbed umbrellas and took off to school. How ironic, a rainy first day yet again. Yu knew the way to their school, so he walked confidently in the right direction. He faltered as a squeaky sound reached them. A guy rushed past them on a bike, clearly losing control and flying off as a result. It looked painful.
Obviously, Akira went to check on him without a thought. Yu let out a sigh, with such tiredness in it. Did they know each other in the past..?
"Are you alright there?" Akira asked, looking over the bike. "Hmm, the bike is obviously broken," he picked it up, looking closely. "I would advise to replace the chain, and lubricate everything, judging by the noise. It was a bit wobbly, so tighten the bolts too," he hummed.
"Eh, really? This junk is savable?" The boy said, patting his pants to clean them a bit. Akira decided to finally look at the boy, and oh, he was cute. But those thoughts were immediately dismissed.
"Wouldn't call it junk. Neglected? Yes. Some fixing and proper maintenance could save it. I don't see rust, it's not that wobbly, all spokes are in place," he noted. Speaking of those, he pushed each wheel. "The pressure is a bit weak in the front wheel, that's why you flew off," he said.
"Whoa, you know your stuff!" The guy sounded surprised. "I don't think there's a place to fix it for me, though," he pursed his lips. "By the way, you two are transfer students, right? Name is Hanamura Yosuke!" He introduced himself, all cheerful.
"Kurusu Akira, and Narukami Yu," he nodded towards the other Wild Card. "I still need to buy myself tools, but after that I can look over your bike, if you want to," he offered. "I fixed a bike older than me, so it's nothing hard," he shrugged. Yosuke made a noise of agreement, but Akira was already lost in thoughts.
Leblanc's attic had a really old bike. It would be cheaper to buy a new one, than fix this one. However, when it became obvious, it was a matter of pride to fully fix the bike instead of giving up and getting a new one. He also fortunately had Iwai, who helped him and taught him how to fix it. Iwai taught him a lot in a lot of areas… And so did Morgana.
Hey, kid, tighten the bolts here. Or you don't have enough strength? Didn't you regularly brag that you work out?
Push here. Do you feel how it bends under your fingers? And it shouldn't. A wheel with low pressure is a risk. It's the same in cars.
Haha, you're a wild kid! Can you drive already? I think you can easily get your license. Have you ever thought about actual bikes?
Really? Sounds cool. Well, at least someone in your gang has taste.
A soft tap on the shoulder brought Akira back to reality.
"Everything alright?" Yu asked. "We can go straight to the infirmary if you need to," he said.
Akira just shook his head. It looked like Hanamura had already left. He needed to get himself together, no time to be lost in own memories.
They continued their way to school, nothing happened on that part of their journey. They got to the staff room without any problem as well. They were met by two teachers, and one of them was… eye-catching. And rude, incredibly so. Yu’s face was miserable upon seeing him, the poor guy got him as a homeroom teacher. Akira was approached by an unremarkable woman, whose name he remembered, but overall she wasn’t really important. And she was not Kawakami.
She said that he was placed in the class 3-1. Due to his head injury, he was allowed to skip classes, as long as he brought his assignments in a timely manner. Luckily, Akira was one of the best students, he even got on top of his class and 5th overall in Shujin, where the competition was cutthroat. It was an elite school for a reason. Yes, they were focused on sport, but their grades had to be excellent too. He also was told that if he felt unwell, he could go to the infirmary at any time, no need to ask the teacher’s permission. He also could always refer to her if anyone gives him problems or won’t let him leave. Morgana was allowed to be present and even sit on his desk as long as he didn’t make any fuss, wasn’t too loud and didn’t distract Akira much.
The teacher took him to the classroom he would be studying in from now on. The desk arrangement was not a typical one, but it looked like Akira didn’t have a neighbour, lucky him. Yet again he was sitting in the back, albeit this time near the wall, and not near the window. He wondered if he would be able to do his own things in class. Although now he could skip without a problem, he doubted Morgana would allow him to slack too much.
When he introduced himself the room immediately was drowned in whispers. It was a bit strange to hear dreamy sighs about him, and not the rumours that he carried a knife and would deck you at any given moment. He was also asked to introduce Morgana, few people squicked, calling him cute.
"This is Morgana, my companion. He's not a pet to play with for you. He is a service animal that I need because of my health problems. Please do not distract or try to play with him, do not touch him without my permission. At the moment he is, roughly speaking, on duty, at work," Akira explained a little coldly. He was afraid of how they might react to Mona, how they might treat him. The animal was sitting in his hands all this time, proudly showing himself.
As soon as he sat down at his place, Morgana decided to settle on his shoulder. That way he could whisper to Akira, so no one would hear loud meowing. In Shujin he hid less, because in front of him sat Ann, who could always cover. Behind him sat Aoki, who wasn’t a snitch. He saw Morgana, he saw all the bombs Akira was making at his desk, and didn’t show any reaction. The rest of the class noticed it too, but kept quiet, too afraid of his reputation. Here, however, he was going to be in the centre of attention for a while, so they could complain about Mona if he's too loud.
After the homeroom, an announcement was made, asking students to stay in their classrooms and for teachers to attend an emergency meeting. Several students immediately approached him, trying to make a conversation, but Akira waved them off, saying that he was not interested in meaningless chatter. There were few stubborn people, but he simply ignored them, instead he busied himself with Yu’s messages. Morgana jumped off his shoulder onto the desk, peeking at the phone screen. Yu said that after they are dismissed, they should meet near the gate, and that he probably won’t be alone.
"Hey, can we go shopping today? You can buy the toolkits, you shouldn't forget your skills. Oh, and you wanted to find something for coffee, right? Hmmm... Can we buy something yummy too? We are lucky that all the money was transferred here!" Morgan got carried away. Akira just listened to him, used to such moments. The guys nearby sighed, mumbling about the new guy getting all the attention from girls.
Soon the announcement that they could go home was made, so Akira got up, put his bag so Morgana could jump in, and went out. Morgana reminded him to take his meds, so he had to make a detour to a restroom. He felt a bit dizzy and the ringing in his ears was too loud, so it was really time to take meds.
At the entrance gate Yu was standing with two girls, most likely his Links. One of them looked uncomfortable, and when Akira came closer, he noticed a guy harassing her. He left before Akira was able to intervene.
"Yo, Yukiko-san. Turned down another lovelorn fool, huh?" Yosuke appeared from around the corner with his poor bike. He's not going to ride it, is he..? "Man, you're cruel. You got me the same way last year."
"And what is cruel about being said ‘no’?" Akira asked before that Yukiko-san could say anything. "It is the right of any girl to refuse. She doesn't have to agree, she owes nothing to anyone. If you like someone, it doesn't mean that they like you in return, it's not a guarantee that your feelings will be answered. Refusal is also an answer, there is nothing cruel in it," Akira shrugged. Yukiko blushed a little while looking at him, but Akira didn't pay attention to it. It hit a bit close to home. He might be a bit too much when it came to consent and lack of it, but he didn’t care.
Hanamura waved off that he didn't mean anything like that, and understands when to stop (and Akira hoped it was true). He also told the girls not to bother the transferred students too much. The second girl shouted that they were just curious and that was it, and also offered to leave, since they were already stared at. For Akira, such glances no longer meant anything, he knew how to ignore them, but for others it was unusual and unnerving.
On the way they introduced themselves to each other. Akira allowed Yu to deal with answers to Satonaka's curiosity, while the young man himself occasionally answered questions directed at him. Yu, fortunately, seemed to notice that his comrade was not well, so he tried to move the conversation away from him. And also just tried to walk next to him, which caused a faint smile from Kurusu. He was really considerate.
Satonaka also talked about Inaba, as well as about Amagi's business. And then she suddenly asked if they thought Yukiko was cute.… And her tone implied that she wasn't talking about aesthetic appeal. Yu just chuckled and shook his head.
"What about you, Kurusu-senpai? You really were a shining knight just now," Chie said slyly. Amagi looked confused.
"I'm gay," Akira said simply, and it wasn't anything special for him. His whole group of friends was full of different sexualities and gender identities, or straight up furry (namely Futaba). Plus, he often spent time in Shinjuku and Shibuya, places that also had a positive attitude towards LGBTQ+ people. But he had to stop because Chie stumbled and screamed.
"WHAT?! SERIOUSLY?!" she exclaimed. But she quickly caught herself. "Aah, I have nothing against it, of course! Just unexpected, that's all. You must have a boyfriend in Tokyo, right?" she asked curiously. Akira thought about it. Who was Akechi to him? What was between them… Before he was shot. Those dates at the jazz club, quiet evenings at Leblanc... the days when they ran away from Akechi's fans, laughing and then kissing in the back alley. Photos that Akechi made for his blog about food, inserting Akira's commentary. And then, in Maruki's reality, long looks, quiet evenings filled with awkward silence, a hand that reaches out awkwardly to another.
"Ah, if you're uncomfortable talking about it, then you don't have to answer!" That's how Yukiko interpreted his silence, showing Chie with her elbow. Akira just sighed.
"He's dead," he finally said gloomily. No matter how hard he tried to convince himself that he had accepted it, it still hurts to talk about it. The girls, of course, began to apologize for this question, but he just shook his head at it, waving it off.
Chie tried to lighten up the gloomy atmosphere and Yu quickly supported her, still sticking close to Akira. When they passed one of the intersections, they saw a bunch of police cars and, apparently, a crime scene.
The policemen trying to catch him, chasing him in a crowd while he ran away from them, laughing. Of course, his goal was to get caught by them, and he tried to be a bright, noticeable leader, but... deep inside he was scared.
...
An interrogation room, with a bunch of syringes and blood on the floor. The detective's fist flying in his stomach. A kick in the ribs when he fell.
...
...
...
The policeman handcuffing him, despite his words. The scared woman. Shido, with a nasty grin on his face
Someone pulled his arm, leading him somewhere. Who knew how far they'd walked, where they'd been walking. He came to his senses when something warm was shoved into his hand, and Morgana bit him on the nose. Akira found himself in their room with Yu. He had a hot cup in his hands, and Morgana was looking straight into his face.
"Are you with us now? How are you feeling?" Narukami asked worriedly. Akira just nodded and sipped his tea, warming his numb fingers on the warm ceramics for some reason. "Shops are closed. If you want to have a walk, then better not going further than our street," he said. And the offer to get some air sounded just fine right now.
At the corner of the street sat a ginger cat, which Akira petted nicely. Nearby, two women were discussing all sorts of things, but he was alerted when they mentioned a small plot of land near Dojima's house on which vegetables could be grown. So, he decided to approach them and find out more about it. One of the housewives used this as an opportunity to go away, it was time for her to meet her child.
"Ah, you must be one of the boys who Dojima-san took! Yes, he has a plot that is unused, it's even a pity to look at it. Are you interested in growing vegetables?" asked a woman who had obviously been gardening all day.
"Yes, a little. My friend and I were growing vegetables. She wants to open a cafe where the fresh produce is used. They taste better than the store bought ones," Akira replied. The woman told him about different places where he could buy everything for making a garden here and also jokingly asked him to share the first harvest.
"Oh, one more thing. I heard that the shops were closed because of the investigation… I arrived only yesterday and was going to buy food for my cat today. Do you know if anyone in the area sells their produce or fish?" Akira asked something that had been bothering him for a while.
"Oh, don't worry, my dear! Wait a minute, I have some canned cat food. I also live with a cat, Tama-chan is sitting right there," she pointed to the ginger cat that Akira had recently petted. After a couple of minutes, she brought him some good canned food that Mona would definitely like. Akira bowed to her, thanking her.
"Thank you…" and then Akira realized that he didn't know her name.
"Oh, where are my manners! My name is Josuiji Kotomi," she introduced herself. Akira introduced himself in response. "So the silver one is Narukami-kun, right? Dojima-san was so worried when he was asked to look after you two. Especially about you. I used to work as a doctor, I remember Dojima-kun as my patient! He was very worried whether staying here would be good for you or not. Anyway, you can come to me whenever you want, honey. I'm already old, I live alone and it's quite lonely. I can give advice on gardening, or if something is wrong with your health, and the hospital is too far to go. Oh, I won't keep you with my chatter, you probably have things to do," she said and went home. Talking to her lifted Akira's spirit a bit. He needed to ask Dojima if it is possible to use the plot land near his house for growing vegetables. The shopping list only expanded, it would be better to write everything down in a notebook, which he now had to carry with him for quick notes. Previously, all this was stored on the phone, but the local to this time flip-phones hardly had any functionality in them.
When Akira returned home, Nanako immediately asked if he was okay, but without this childish curiosity, as if she had seen this before. Oh, yes, her mother… This probably wasn't new to her. Akira showed the canned food, saying that Josuiji-san had shared it with Morgana, so that he could eat normally. Mona, as if sensing the food from afar, rushed over and jumped on Akira's shoulder. Yes, he could jump really high… And if he wanted to, he could even knock someone off their feet.
In the evening they watched TV, but Akira didn't pay much attention to it. When Nanako sang a song from the commercial, both guys sang along for her, which greatly pleased her. Before going to bed, Yu told him more about the murder, but he didn't know much. But, the fact that her body was on a television antenna, somehow reminded him of what happens when a Shadow of a person was killed just by sheer weirdness. Although Akira still didn't know how to get to Metaverse here, this murder and the location of the body were definitely suspicious to be something normal.
In the morning, Akira got up early to make actual pancakes. Fortunately, there was everything he needed. Dojima, who returned pretty late yesterday, brought some products he thought might be useful, apparently he got help from people in the shop. The pancakes reminded him a little of Akechi, but it was more of a funny memory of their first meeting. The man mentioned above came for breakfast too.
Akira had to interrupt his cooking to give Morgana some food. As he was doing that, he noticed a bag of instant coffee. He even held it to make sure he saw it right.
"Hmm? If you want, you can make it for yourself too," Dojima said, almost finishing his drink.
"Instant coffee? I’d rather die. I'm still a barista, and I'm proud of this title," the young man snorted. "I should look for coffee brewing equipment here... or go to the city…" Akira was already murmuring to himself. Then he turned to Dojima. "I can make you some real coffee later. Even the effect of it is different. I often used to make coffee for friends, one even took a thermos to work."
Oh, your new one? I really liked the last time. To be honest, your coffee is the only thing that keeps me from going crazy at work. Other detectives won't stop trying to belittle me at every opportunity, tsk. And Sae-san has been... clearly on edge lately.
You really spoiled me with your coffee, you know? I can even get used to it...
Hmm? I suppose I could keep you with me if it means I'll have a lifetime supply of coffee.
Did I say something wrong?
...Ah. I... you know, why not?
Akira blinked out of it only because Morgana bit him hard on the arm.
"I'm hungry!" he said.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Mona. I'll put everything on now," Akira said hastily. With coffee talk he forgot to put down Mona’s food.
"Is everything all right? Are you seriously zoned off here for a minute," Dojima asked. Akira just said that everything was fine. Finally, the detective went to work.
Nanako and Yu came together this time, thanking him for breakfast. Nanako looked happy, saying she was glad that Akira was cooking for them. Akira offered to cook dinner from time to time, and Yu offered to help too.
When they were walking to school, Yosuke raced past them on his bike and landed right in the trash. Akira and Yu hurried to get him out. He thanked them with a wink. Akira, of course, scolded him a little for his carelessness, since he rode a broken bike, and even without protection. Hanamura laughed and thanked him for his concern, promising that he would be more careful. Something told Akira that he wouldn't.
"Damn, we're late!" exclaimed Hanamura.
"A couple of minutes? Hardly late. Last year I was late for 4 lessons on my first day," Akira shrugged.
The boys looked amazed at this. Didn't he mention to Yu how late he was? Hm. Yu sent Hanamura ahead, while they walked slowly. Akira could always say that he felt unwell, and Yu helped him. So in the end they did just that, and they were not told off in any way.
After school, Akira decided to wait for Yu at the gate. He came with Satonaka and Hanamura, they were heading to Junes for some reason. Akira just wanted to go there to buy groceries, as well as look at different tools to compare the quality with the shopping district later. But Akira doubted that he would buy something in Junes. Maybe coffee beans, if there is something good there, but not tools for sure.
Hanamura offered to treat them, Akira also decided to buy something to eat for Morgana. Chie was complaining about where Yosuke had taken them, and was clearly looking at the food that Akira had bought with envy. How surprised she was when he said that it wasn't even for him, but for his cat. While they were talking, Akira finely chopped the meat so that Mona could eat easily. He also took a paper cup with water and ice, opening the lid. This was also for Morgana, who immediately started drinking from this cup. The others looked at it curiously, but didn't say anything.
Previously, after school, Akira would from time to time go to the Big Bang Burger and buy water and wings for Morgana there, the cafe even quickly began to turn a blind eye to Mona openly eating there, especially after they became friends with Haru.
Hanamura went to talk to his friend, who, apparently, decided to take a little break from work. After a couple of minutes, she confidently headed towards them, standing uncomfortably close to Narukami. It felt like she was trying to flirt with both of them, and she was also expressing a strange patronage over Yosuke. It didn't sound like she was looking out for her friend, but as if she was sneakily trying to belittle him. So Akira didn't even look at her.
Moreover, Morgana had finished eating, and the cup was too high for him to continue drinking. So Akira took the cup in his hands, and Mona jumped on his lap. He tilted the cup so Mona could reach water..
"Wow, you have a good understanding of your cat, Kurusu-kun. There are already rumours at school about your cold attitude towards everyone, it's a bit bizarre how different you are with your cat," she said. It's not clear if she was trying to insult him or not.
"Morgana is my companion, obviously we have a good understanding. And I like Morgana. I don't see any reason to play sympathy for those I don't like," Akira said coldly. He tried last year to be kind and welcoming to others at school. It hadn't changed the way they saw him. The opinion that they formed on the first day stuck in their heads, and nothing could change that. So now Akira won't even try, because there's no need for that.
Konishi awkwardly took her leave. Yosuke complained a little about the fact that this girl treats him like a younger brother. Chie instantly saw the opportunity to tease him. And then she told a local story about how you can see a soulmate at midnight. Judging by how tense Yu was, the rumour was not just a silly story, but something important.
When the guys left, Yu decided to stay with Akira and help him with shopping. In Junes, they bought groceries for dinner, for Morgana, and also Akira noticed several good brands of coffee for a good price in one of the stores.
They ran home to put everything up in the fridge, and then went to the shopping district. They were lucky that Yu knew some shops well enough. Therefore, Akira managed to buy a good set for brewing coffee, as well as several thermoses. The owner of the store, of course, wanted to sell him first what was worse in quality, but the Boss took him to the store several times, where he explained well how to choose and what to look at. So the shopkeeper here quickly gave up and even offered a discount for buying everything in a bulk. In addition, Akira also bought tools for his work with his hands to create lockpicks, bombs, and so on.
At home, Akira decided to make a signature curry from Leblanc to cheer up others. And himself too. He missed the smell of coffee and curry, which always hovered in the cafe and eventually soaked into his clothes. He had a certain favorite sweater that always gave him comfort even on the other side of Tokyo. After a little thought, he decided to make coffee for himself and Yu to compliment the combination.
Everyone was delighted with the dinner, plus, Akira cooked enough so that he could be taken to school for lunch. And in the morning he would make several thermoses with coffee, one for Dojima, and the other for him and Yu.
During the dinner, Dojima returned, visibly tired. But it seems that the smell of curry and coffee convinced him not to fall asleep on the couch right away and at least eat a little. He refrained from coffee, but Akira wouldn't give him anything stronger than decaf anyway.
At midnight they checked the TV, and Yu was visibly tense. A couple of minutes before midnight, he started pacing from one side of the room to another, and Akira soon couldn't stand it and pulled him onto the sofa. Yu glanced at him briefly, and then began to stare at the small TV, his whole body tense. Akira sighed, but didn't know what to do. He didn't know Yu well enough to know how to calm him down.
Exactly at midnight, the TV turned on by itself and began to flicker, showing the figure of a girl. Yu sucked in a deep breath, clenching his fists. Akira put his hand on Narukami’s shoulder, squeezing it slightly. Narukami came closer to the TV and drew his hand as if trying to touch the screen. His hand went through, so he quickly pulled it out, pressing it to his chest.
Akira remembered that Yu had offered him a hug to help calm him down. And so he hesitantly hugged the young man, who quickly squeezed him tightly in response. Akira felt his T-shirt getting a little wet. Morgana looked at them sadly from the table. They exchanged glances, clearly deciding that Mona would stay with Yu tonight to make him feel calmer and check on him during the night. They went to bed.
Akira was able to catch Dojima in the morning when he was making coffee. His 'uncle' praised the aroma, and when he tasted it, he was even taken aback by it. Yes, brewed coffee was much better than the cheapest instant one, which Dojima had been drinking for several years. He also thanked Akira for the lunch he had made. Before leaving, he gave Akira some money so he wouldn’t spend his own savings on food for everyone.
When they went to school, Chie ran under Yu’s umbrella. Turns out she broke hers.
Beautiful girl under the roof
Her kind smile
The white car that took her
…
Red hair next to him
Morgana, who put an umbrella in his bag
He and Sumire, Kasumi back then, under the same umbrella
Suddenly, Chie left the umbrella, saying that it was a little awkward and that she could just run to the school. Akira immediately put his umbrella over her.
"You'll get sick. And don't run on wet asphalt, you'll slip," he immediately began to grumble. Yes, Sumire also wanted to make running under the rain into an impromptu training session. It's good that no one from the Thieves tried to give up the umbrella anymore, there was nothing wrong with that. And fortunately for Akira, Morgana always packed his umbrella if the young man forgot himself. Chie thanked him and they peacefully made their way to the school.
Notes:
My birthday is tomorrow, on 27 of February! Count this as birthday posting :)
Also, I forgot to put it in tge last chapter: my Tumblr!! @tiredkershyff
Feel free to talk to me or interact in any way. I'm a talkative person so you all are welcome :)
Chapter 3: Aut viam inveniam, aut faciam
Summary:
into the TV
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Today school was not bad, but not good either. Most of the teachers were lacking in his opinion. Especially English being taught by a P.E. teacher. Ms.Chouno would throw a fit.
He also had a class with Yu's classroom teacher, who everyone sweetly called King Moron. And he was a philosophy teacher. He was a cute parody on Ushimaru-sensei, his social studies teacher back in Shujin.
And Akira had a class-long debate with him. Akechi loved philosophy and that was one of the topics of their daily debates. It got to the point when they had actually started citing sources and quoting material. So Marooka was shocked how knowledgeable Akira was. He looked kinda subdued after their class.
Other teachers were obviously testing him too, asking him to answer multiple times. They knew their own students, while Akira was a high-ranking student from an elite school. They wanted to have a bite of it, and Joker provided. There were also a lot of rumours about Konishi Saki and how she was the one who had discovered the body.
After school he went to Junes. Yu, Hanamura and Satonaka wanted to go too, so they went together. Apparently the girl's parents wanted a new TV.
In the shopping mall he asked Yosuke about the restroom, because he needed to take meds. He felt a bit weird, so he decided to take an Alert Capsule from Takemi. He wondered how they should acquire strong medicine here. He also wondered if they would actually need it. It's a local phenomenon, so who knew how strong or weak everything was going to be here. Call him cocky, because he was.
After that they went to the electronics section of the store. Akira had spent hours and hours in Akihabara's shops with either Futaba or Mishima, and occasionally with Shinya too. So thanks to them he had some knowledge about various electronics. Though, it appeared that everything was too expensive to Satonaka's taste. In Akira's humble opinion the prices were okay. He bought a second-hand TV for a similar price. Given, it was Tokyo and it was in the future. Still, it looked cheap to him. He could easily buy several with his own funds.
After grinding in Mementos he literally had a few millions yen. Honestly, it made him a bit price-blind. And now, with current past prices it's going to be even worse. Moreover, Haru liked to treat them all (especially Yusuke, but they all liked to treat Yusuke and made a rotation schedule to feed him, and indulge on Mementos funds).
Yosuke played a fine gentleman when he was showing Chie different options and it would be kinda funny any other time, but right now Akira was more concerned about Yu, who was noticeably for his Third Eye on edge. Something was about to happen.
Morgana jumped onto his shoulder to have a better view, ready for whatever was going to occur.
Yu took a deep breath and stuck his hand inside of a TV screen. He did this last night too, but Akira was too tired to have any reaction outside of slight worry. So right now it made him quite surprised upon seeing this. Not everyday you see someone go through a TV. Their companions noticed it too, judging by their explosive reaction. Chie was trying to cope, bubbling something about new TV features. Akira could imagine Ryuji saying something like this, with Yusuke agreeing and Futana calling them stupid.
They surrounded Yu, looking at his hand stuck in a TV, Akira almost flinched when Hanamura said ‘for real' to one of Satonaka's responses. Ryuji said this phrase so many times that it stuck with Akira, and by the end of their journey all thieves used this phrase at least several times, always with a smile of realisation. There was also one memorable moment of Akechi using it and then making a painful grimace, probably berating everyone and everything for it.
Suddenly Morgana started meowing the way he did near the Treasure, which was worrying. He jumped on Yu's outstretched hand and then inside of a TV.
“Mona!” He exclaimed, trying to catch his feline companion, but it was fruitless.
Yosuke and Chie were panicking, because customers were coming, and as a result of their panic they all fell in the TV.
Joker managed to graciously land and even catch Satonaka, similarly to how Yusuke caught Ann back at Madarame's Palace. The girl thanked him shyly, to which he simply nodded and let her go.
“So… uh… we’re still alive… right?” Chie asked, looking quite frightened.
“Are you guys okay?” asked Yu, giving everyone a look over, though it looked like Hanamura had the worst landing of them all.
“I think my butt’s cracked now…” complained the boy. Huh…
I think I cracked my ass…
Ann, are you all right?! Is yours cracked as well…?
Of course not!
…
…
Isn’t it supposed to be though?
“We need to find Morgana” came back to reality Akira, interrupting whatever they were talking about.
“Oh, right! What the hell was that with your cat?” started Yosuke. “And we can’t see anything in this fog!” he exclaimed, while moving his hands energetically.
He was right, it was impossible to see through this fog, although… Akira used his third eye, and suddenly everything was all clear.
He could see their surroundings, the image was so crisp and vibrant.
“What the-!”
“What’s wrong with your eyes!” exclaimed the duo.
The ringing sound in his ears started to become unbearable, he felt cold and hot simultaneously, his head was getting dizzy.
“Stop,” Yu said, or more like ordered, in his leader's voice, leaving no space for disobedience. He put his hand on Akira's shoulder to ground him and help keep steady. “Don't worsen your head even further,” he reasoned and so Akira closed his eyes, and then opened them with normal vision.
“What was it?! What happened to his eyes?” asked Satonaka again, but this time in a more demanding tone.
“My Third Eye,” nonchalantly said Akira, as if he was talking about the weather. “I usually use it momentarily, to give myself a clue. But using it for prolonged time allows me to see through the fog, though it looks like it has a side-effect” he explained, wincing from a headache.
Yu quickly searched his pockets and gave Akira an ibuprofen. While in the real world it wouldn’t do jackshit for him, here it at least made everything somewhat manageable.
Akira pointed which way Morgana went, and they set off in that direction. The other boys sped up, leaving him and Satonaka behind. She complained about it, saying that it was hard for her to see anything, so Akira offered his hand, as it would be easier to navigate together.
They found a weird passageway that looked like it belonged to Mementos. Its bright colours were like a beacon in this fog. It led to a bedroom, surprisingly. Here the fog was much lighter, so they could see more.
“Isn’t this the actress that’s all over the news?” asked Akira looking at the posters that covered the walls. While the face on posters was ripped off, it was still obvious who it was, especially with it being everywhere in the real world.
“Oh, yeah!” agreed Chie. “Hiiragi Misuzu, right? I think her husband had an affair with that announcer lady who died the other day.”
“Huh. Could this place be related to that Yamano lady’s death?” Yosuke looked thoughtful, he probably had much more on his mind that he didn’t reveal now.
“Still no sign of Morgana, though…” pointed out Yu. Akira did a quick scan with his Third Eye.
“But he definitely was here” he said, seeing part of his companion’s path.
“But this noose…” Yosuke added solemnly. It lit brightly for Akira. He would need to add it to his diary, as one of the aspects of the case. Who knew what it would give him, but it was something to start with.
After this eerie sight they decided to go back in hopes of finding the exit. Morgana was still nowhere to see. That made Joker nervous a bit.
Near the place they had originally landed at, they met a strange bear. It looked like a clown with a costume made out of some flag. Considering that their current location looked like a circus stage, the clown get-up was not that out of place. Chie immediately started yelling and asking if it wanted to fight, which in result scared that bear. It looked miserable. Yu slowly came closer to it, asking nicely about this place.
“This place is what it is. It doesn’t have a name,” It answered, suddenly all calmed again.
“Now that’s plain wrong!” Said a very familiar voice. Morgana jumped out of nowhere, surprising everyone with his appearance. He looked like he always did in the Metaverse, which was probably surreal to others.
“W-what do you mean? I know it doesn’t have a name! I live here!” Exclaimed the bear, looking a bit annoyed.
“YOU didn’t bother to give a name to the place you live in. Others, however, like me, were blessed with more knowledge about it!” Mona said smugly. “This place is called Metaverse and it’s formed out of the collective unconscious,” said Mona with the tone he always got, when he was explaining something.
“Collective… Unconscious? Aren’t we all conscious right now?” asked the bear worriedly.
“... what an idiot,” sighed the not-cat, shaking his head. Then he turned to the group and lightened up. “Look! Look, Akira! Don’t I look cool? And I can talk to you back!” he ran to Joker and started circling around him, beyond excited. An act they discussed earlier. “You… You do understand me, right?” he stopped and looked worriedly at his companion.
“M-morgana?” Akira tried to act surprised. He squatted to be on the same level as the feline. “What are… Huh?” he grabbed Morgana, lifting it closer to his face.
“I look so cool, right? Do you think Lady Ann would like me like this?” Mona said with such hope in his voice, that Akira chuckled upon hearing it.
“I’m sure she would very much like you in this form, Mona,” he said softly.
“YES!” the cat exclaimed, jumping from his hands. “Anyway, I’m going to continue exploring this place! I’ll come back to you later!”
“You… won’t come back with us now?” Akira asked.
“I’ll be back at 10, I promise” said Mona, looking weirdly sad. But then his exuberant look came back. “As your caretaker, I can’t just leave you!” he exclaimed. “I think this guy can help you getting back. Now I’m off!” he waved in the bear's direction and then ran away. Akira could only let out a deep sigh.
“Okay, now I have a talking cat. Seems about right,” Akira shook his head and chuckled.
“A-anyway,” said the bear awkwardly. “I think you’d better hurry up to the other side. Someone’s been throwing people in here. It’s a big headache.”
Huh, so it was aware of the situation somewhat. And it was an inhabitant of this place. Was it like Jose? Though, no one was sure what exactly Jose was.
Chie was yelling at the bear and it ran behind Yu to hide. Everyone was getting nervous and angry, and it unnerved Akira, so he wasn’t processing everything again. He had spent the previous year listening to every single whisper around him, now he wasn’t even listening to the talks he was technically part of. Well, that’s a change of heart, huh.
A bunch of TVs appeared and the bear-creature hurried them to get away from here. They appeared back in Junes. As always, Akira was the only one with perfect landing, a habit from his days as a Phantom Thief. No matter what his condition was, the landing was something that both Morgana and Ryuji drilled into him, and Sumi then honed. Yeah, he was good with hands, gun proficiency and cooking. But landing? Landing was his first lesson, something that he trained much more than anything else. Especially with him making more dangerous stunts both in the Metaverse and the real world.
Akira offered his hand to Chie, more of a habit than anything, and she was physically the closest to him right now. They heard Junes’ ad for dinner sale, realising how much time had passed. Yeah, it had always been like that with missions, and Makoto always was the one watching time. She was also the one, who helped Akira with schedules, when he had realised he started having hard time putting it together and keeping track of everyone. They ended up using some app that Futaba made, and made a habit of actually adding stuff to their shared calendar. It actually helped some of them to keep track of tests as.well.
They all went their separate ways, Akira and Yu went to buy some groceries, but it might already be too late to cook something elaborate. And it was a right thought, Dojima and Nanako were making some instant ramen.
“Instant ramen? That’s not good food for a child. I can whip something really quick, if you want to,” immediately offered Akira. He didn’t like the idea of a child eating unhealthy food.
“Really?” Nanako said excitedly. Usually children preferred junk food, but she probably had too much of it and just wanted something homemade.
“Ah, thank you,” said Dojima. “Then I’ll eat it so it won’t be a waste,” he added. Akira nodded.
“I’m gonna make something simple right now from what we’ve bought. What’s the situation with the pantry? Do you have it? It could help in the future,” he wanted to know.
“Ah… I’m afraid I wasn't keeping up with such stuff after… After my wife’s passing. She was the one who kept up our pantry, and a first-aid kit and everything…” their uncle said sadly. It’s been a few years, but Dojima still was not fully over it. It was noticeable with food, it was noticeable in the house. He obviously didn’t have time to clean the house, and Nanako was too small to do or even know some stuff.
“I see… I’ll look into it on the weekends. Good stocked pantry could allow you to cook even without going to the shop for each recipe. I can also make some cooked dishes for the freezer. This way, if I’m not available, there’s still a dinner to heat. I’ll look into the first-aid kit too. I was friends with a doctor and she ranted plenty about expired meds,” Akira said, making notes in his notebook. He would probably need another dairy like his probation one, with days to map. He would also look into the cleaning situation, to see what supplies needed and to clean places with time. He would probably do some general cleaning on the weekends, and then would go thoroughly room by room. Obviously starting with the bathroom.
“Thank you. You know your way around housekeeping, huh? You usually don’t expect such from a guy. Make a list of stuff we would need to buy, and don’t worry about money,” Dojima said, with sadness in his eyes. Yu gave Akira a look, that definitely meant that they’re doing it together. Well, it was good he was willing to help. That would make it easier to clean the house, especially with Akira’s problems with head. He was getting tired easily, and now fumes from cleaning supplies immediately make him dizzy, even if he’s wearing a mask.
“Ah, well previous year I was in a tight spot food wise, and in the beginning had to skip dinners, cuz I couldn't afford it. My homeroom teacher actually helped me with the pantry and taught me a lot about housekeeping,” Akira explained, smiling sadly. Kawakami-sensei had told him to save money, and then took him shopping to start his pantry, she also brought him some organisers to keep everythings. She taught him how to cook cheap, but still healthy, how to thrift, food-wise including, she taught him about different supplies. Of course, after he had become close to Boss, the man taught him too, especially about food, and bought some cooking equipment specifically for Akira. Maybe he will find it in one of the boxes.
“Huh? But what about your guardian? Why didn't he feed you then?” Dodjima said angrily, and Akira didn’t like the implication.
“Boss fed me every morning, making sure to give me warm curry and coffee. And if I wanted, I could always grab more for lunch at school. He always said that it was just leftovers from the previous day, but he actually cooked it specifically for me. I know he then secretly stocked my pantry from time to time. I was distrustful in the beginning, that’s why I never took lunch and never had dinner there. So I relied on my own money to take care of myself. Moreover, he always bought the best food for Morgana, got him all the supplies and took to the vet. He also offered a plate of curry and a drink for free for all my friends, especially for one, who was actually starving,” protected Boss Akira. While the man disliked Akira in the beginning, he still wanted the teenager to stay fed and clean, always offering money for a bathhouse and a laundromat, but Akira was too distrustful of adults, to accept it. And later thanks to all his jobs and Mementos he had accumulated enough money to properly provide for himself. Although, it worsened his food insecurities. He had them thanks to his parents dearest, but it got much better thanks to Yusuke and Morgana. Cooking for Fox and keeping with him helped Akira to heal himself. And Morgana took care of him. Sure, people saw him and his ‘cat’ and immediately thought that Akira was Mona’s caretaker. But it’s so far from reality. Mona was the one who was taking care of him, who always reminded him to eat, to sleep, to take meds, to shower, to… to do everything, when Akira couldn’t function. That’s why when he ran away - it was so hard for Akira. It, and separation anxiety.
He didn’t even notice zoning out again, until Yu touched his shoulder. Akira just nodded and started making an actual dinner. Dojima asked Narukami something about Konishi Saki. Apparently, she’d disappeared.
The news was talking about Amagi Inn, especially Yukiko. It reminded him about Haru, people were always seeing her family business, and not her. They were always talking, disrespecting her to her face.
While they were not friends, Akira wanted to make a gesture to show his support. He would try to ask Chie later. Those two were friends after all, right?
Plus, she was most likely to be in their future gang. It would be best to make friends with her.
That’s the plan.
Notes:
shorter, than prev chapters. Which size do you prefer more? Also I've been getting so many new ideas of the second part - P5R - already so i''ll need to write it so I won't forget anything
Chapter Text
After the dinner Akira decided to do some of the homework for the next day. Yes, there were already some subjects with homework. He decided to do it in the main room, on the kitchen table. He didn't like one in his shared with Yu room. Nanako was sitting at kotatsu, watching a quiz show. Dojima was sitting on a couch and was looking at the TV, although he was somewhat absent.
Yu emerged from the second floor soon, schoolbag in hand. He sat in front of Akira, deciding to do homework there as well.
Akira didn't have much trouble with his work. While it was a new material, and the third grade was obviously tougher, it was still the very beginning of the year. Plus, the material in rural school, a few years in the past? Yeah. After Shujin it was easy. He saw Makoto's textbooks. He had something to compare with.
When it would be over… He would have to be a second year in Shujin again, and then the third year yet again. So counting this year, he would spend two additional years in high school. More than he should have. Should he even try?
He tried his best last time, because he had a criminal record. The judge sent him on probation and after it he would decide if it would be a permanent mark or not, because Akira was a minor, it was his first incident, and he had a good prior record.
So there was a high chance that if Akira would stay on good behavior it would not be in his record so it wouldn't affect him. Although, he knew, it would. And he didn't trust the system enough, he was so sure it would screw him up again. So he studied as well as he could, he was offered a year in an elite school after all. If not PT and the record leak, he was actually going to be as active as possible. To beef up his portfolio. He hoped that maybe with that they would overlook his assault record and he would have a chance to get a higher education.
The leak, obviously, put a cross on it. So he took as many part-time jobs as he could. It looked like he would have to go to work right after high school, if his parents would accept him back. Or maybe he wouldn't even finish high school. However, those part-time jobs opened a lot of doors to him, gave him connections. Gave him hope to have a future. He had work experience and recommendations.
So should he study right now? As in, be a good student? It wouldn't affect his future in the slightest, at least he thought so. He would study for himself, maybe, so he wouldn't have much trouble in future years. So he wouldn't need to waste time on this. Would also be funny to actually have a 100 in every subject.
After the first exam they made him retake everything in ONE DAY, several teachers were watching it. They also added a verbal part for him. So an ideal score with his record? Hilarious.
He might study just for such a reaction. Obviously, he was talking only about academics. When it came to erudition, Akira liked to educate himself on anything he could. Academic knowledge and actual knowledge were too different.
For now he would study and see, but he wouldn't try too hard. This year wouldn't affect anything.
He was mindlessly doing math, before Yu interrupted his thoughts.
"You are a good student, right, Akira?" Yu asked, frowning at his own homework.
"Yeah," Akira stretched. "I was in the top-5 overall," he added.
"Wow, you are so smart!" Nanako praised him.
"And what subject were you best at?" Dojima joined.
"All of them?" Akira raised an eyebrow. He wouldn't be that high, if he wasn't. "I had a 98 average score," he said. He heard Yu choke on air.
"98 and top-5? Not 1 place?" He coughed.
"First three have an average of 100," he grinned. He liked their shock. "It's an elite school," he reminded them. And with years you had to score higher and higher to get into University. "Everyone has to keep their marks high, if they want to keep scholarship," he added.
"Didn't realize there was such competition," Dojima murmured. Akira laughed at it.
"You don't even know it. It's a state other elite schools are in too," he remembered Kosei. And Akechi's school too.
"So you were on scholarship there?" Dojima asked.
"Ah, no…" Akira frowned a bit. "The guy who sued me was a politician," he reminded them. "The Principal was one of his people," he explained. He hoped they got it, because he was not going to elaborate.
Yeah, he got into one of the best schools thanks to Shido. Or his people. More likely them.
Their school had a lot of important people. Haru was an Okumura. Makoto's sister was a known prosecutor. Sumi's father was not the last person on TV. Kamoshida was a famous athlete, and a lot of athletes go into politics with time.
Considering how Shido was connected to Okumura and Sae's boss, it was not a surprise, he had some type of control over Kobayakawa.
That's the reason Haru went there. The reason Makoto got her scholarship there.
So Akira was sent there, as it was a trusted by them school. It was not that no school wanted to accept it, no. It was that Shido's people decided that it was best for Akira to be there.
His record was not supposed to be leaked. Kobayakawa kept quiet about it, because he would definitely be punished over it. Yeah, it was a small thing, but what if someone dug into the reason Akira was on probation? His story was a loose end that needed to be watched. So, Shujin.
"So you are good with social studies?" Yu asked. Ah, he needed help. That's why he asked. It looked like even reliving this year didn't help Narukami.
"One of my favorite subjects, actually," Akira smiled. And, funny thing, Yu needed to write an essay about a political figure, including the analysis on their role in a particular historical setting, analyze their political stance, weight and a lot. It was a two week project. Looked like last time Yu did it poorly, but knew points he needed to improve.
Oh. Oh, it was good. Akira started talking about Kuramoto and Kuramoto's children. Although, he had to omit the insider information he knew. Yu was going to write an essay after all, so he needed information that was known and available to the public. He mentioned Toranosuke and 'no-good Tora', but also mentioned that he was distrustful about this.
"You know a lot," Dojima noted. He was listening as well. Yu was carefully writing all of that.
"I actually know Yoshida-san, I help him from time to time, when he gives speeches," Akira shared. "So I know this from him and some people he introduced me to," he said.
"You want to pursue politics?" His uncle wondered. Was he actually his uncle or the wish made it so? Hm.
"No, actually," Akira shook his head. "I want to run a café," he smiled. Dojima hummed in surprise.
"Well, your coffee and cooking are good enough," Yu added.
"Yeah! It's so good!" Nanako added. She wasn't listening to them really much, but heard a piece where she could contribute. Akira chucked.
"Boss owns a café, Leblanc. Curry and coffee is its signature combo," he grinned. "A very good scientist actually made the formula for curry, so it would taste the best," he said in a secretive tone and winked to Nanako, who giggled in response.
"No wonder it tastes so good," Yu smiled at him.
With that Akira added few more points to Yu about Kuramoto. After that the boy would need to make additional research and write his own opinion, add other analysis. This part was on him. Akira agreed to check it later, Yu really wanted the perfect essay. Nanako soon went to sleep, and so did Dojima. The boys relocated to their room, they finished work for tomorrow anyway.
Yu looked nervous, now that the evening has arrived. He tried reading, but fruitlessly. He was interrupted by Morgana, who jumped out of their small TV, at 10, as he promised.
The cat immediately went to check if Akira took his evening meds. Then he asked about their homework, which made his companion chuckle. Worrywart.
With the three of them here, they could discuss today. Yu was interested in Metaverse. Apparently, they went almost blindly there last time. Yeah, they already explained their journey previously, but now Mona explained it more in depth, now using the TV-world as an example. It was different from how their Mementos and Palaces worked.
However, Inaba was a smaller city. Literally, everyone knows everyone, so no wonder that Palaces there wouldn't be separated from the mass unconsciousness. They would be part of it.
It was a bit surprising, that it was all through a TV. Yu speculated that it could be because of the Junes. It split people on those who favored it or the shopping district. Which led to the dying of the said district. Plus, everyone was glued to their TVs. It's a source of news, entertainment and a lot of things. So foreign to Akira. To think of it, they did access everything through the phone. Hm.
With their distortion being a TV, a room they visited yesterday and the owner of the room found dead on the antenna… Someone was using it to kill.
"The soulmate on TV," Akira realized. They would appear at Midnight, such a peculiar time in culture. A time between days. Of course it's not just a rumor, not exactly!
"You are really smart," Yu gave a weak smile. He looked pale.
"Try dating a detective," Akira tried to joke.
"Almost did," Yu shook his head. Oh, so they would have a detective? Either in their team or as a confidant? Neat.
With that Morgana made them go to sleep. He decided to sleep with Yu again, the boy looked painfully terrible. Something was going to happen. Something that wasn't possible for them to change, not enough time. Ugh.
In the morning Akira made a quick breakfast again, he decided to keep it light, though. Something was going to happen, so he was not in mood for food, he was sure Yu would share that feeling.
Dojima packed some of the food for himself, yet again he was going to eat at work. As well as a thermos to go. The call he received sounded urgent.
If Akira were more sympathetic, he would think about cooking something in the evening beforehand, so his uncle would be able to go immediately, without waiting those few minutes. A full bento, even. For lunch, and in case he stayed late too. Like those bento Sumi did for herself.
Akira wasn't going to do so, though. After all that happened to him, his sense of ACAB was more prominent than ever. Even if it's his 'uncle', who he didn't know. Especially if it's someone he didn't know and had no feelings towards.
Nanako, on the other hand, was a cute kid. He didn't mind doing something for her.
Despite Akira being aware that something was going to happen today, the sirens outside still gave him a scare. So Yu had to lead him to school, because Akira felt like he was going through a fog. The teacher, however, rushed them, saying that the Principal was going to hold an assembly after the morning classroom meetings. He had an important announcement to make.
Later there was an assembly, much different than how Shujin had it. Well, it *was* a local school and not a stuck-up elite one. It was not famous for anything, and was probably the only school in the area. So, obviously it was different from school with sports scholarships.
The news was not great and Akira saw Narukami flinch. Again, noticeable only thanks to his third eye.
But it also made him realize the date. Friday, 4/15. The day Shiho tried to kill herself. And Konishi was found dead. Four years apart, both are damn Fridays. Fate likes irony, doesn’t it? It made him feel sick.
He went to the nurse's office, feeling nauseous. She looked at him with pity. On the next break Narukami came and sat next to him. He was solemn. The nurse left them alone, thankfully.
“Today Shiho tried to kill herself,” finally said Akira, almost in a whisper. “It was also a Friday, April 15th. She would never be able to enjoy volleyball. Any additional trauma brings a risk of amputation,” he said and then looked at Narukami. “I can’t let this happen to her again,” he said, his voice breaking. “I’m gonna perform a fucking miracle, but I won’t let it happen. No matter what,” Kurusu said with determination.
“After this year I will have four years to prepare for your journey. I couldn't do anything to save her , but I will have time to prepare and prevent another tragedy," Yu looked right in the Joker's eyes. "Akira, I promise you , this won't happen again."
And Akira believed him. He saw it in his eyes. He knew, Yu would help him. And he allowed himself to cry, for the first time since getting to the Leblanc after an interrogation. In the last few years he cried only a few times: when his parents disowned him for being gay, when he realised no-one believed him, after Akechi shot him… and now. There was no one to play stoic and unbothered in front of. Right now he could allow himself to cry. And then he won't cry for a long time again. He was not allowed to. Not yet. Not until his year in Tokyo will come to an end. And it's… it's not gonna happen soon.
Would he… would he have to face detention centre again? Will he hear the disappointment of his parents? Visit another trial?
…
Another beating and drug induced confession?
…
…
…
Another gunshot from someone he loved?
…
Would he be able to bear this? Because Akira really didn't want to go through this again.
But Yu promised to help him. Would he? Would he be able to? Could everything really go another way?
He was scared. So scared to go through everything again.
He just wanted to live in peace. He just wanted to rest. He just wanted to live without fearing everything and expecting troubles to happen.
He was so tired of dreading what the next day would bring.
He was tired of being a puppet in this sick game.
Later, after school they met with Yosuke and Chie. The boy had some sounding reasoning about the case of death being similar to the announcer lady, as well as bear's words about people being thrown into the Metaverse.
"For an amateur uou sure have some brains!" Morgana commented, and Chie with Yosuke yelped in surprise.
"You can talk?!" Yosuke exclaimed.
"Maybe I overestimated your intelligence…" Mona murmured. "Of course I can! I always could, but now you understand me!"
"It's because we heard him in the TV world," Akira explained.
"So you now can talk to your cat..?" Chie wondered.
Morgana definitely wanted to say his beloved phrase about not being a cat, but now that they knew that Morgana wasn't a human either, it would be pointless. He was a shadow made to guide Akira. But it would be too much to explain.
After some talking they had decided to go in again, they went to Junes.
Yosuke met them with a rope and a hockey stick. Morgana immediately ushered them to a TV in the back, covered in all the boxes, where no one could see it. He said that he could navigate from any place if needed, so it would be better to use a more hidden place.
Akira would offer to buy the TV, but where would they put it?
Chie tried to stop them, but it was a majority vote, although Yu showed his worry for her. This is why Yosuke has a lifeline.
"Don't worry, I have a knife and Mona," Akira calmed them down, when it came to discussing their protection.
"You have a knife?!" Yosuke yelled in a whisper.
"He has a collection," Yu noted.
"What?!" Chie didn't know subtlety, so she was pretty loud. Luckily, she didn't catch anyone's attention.
After putting a rope around Yosuke, they went inside of the TV, landing at the same arena like before, just a few metres away from the previous spot.
When they went in, the rope fell off showing it was futile endeavour.
The bear was surprised to see them, blaming them for throwing people inside. He was definitely surprised to hear that the fog was shifting to their world, saying that the shadows went crazy when it happened. Mona and Akira so far stayed away from the conversation.
Eventually Yosuke tried blaming the bear, resulting in showing that the inside of the costume was empty.
After that they came to an agreement, after the bear started crying about his home being ruined.
The bear's name was Teddie, obviously. He gave them special glasses to see through the fog, Akira's being the exact copy of his regular ones, and led them to a place where the previous victim was dropped.
When it came to the talk about safety against monsters…
"As long as I'm on the team, you have nothing to worry about!" Mona said.
"Huh, and what a kitty like you can do?" Yosuke was sceptical. Morgana scoffed, before grinning.
"Mercurius!" He summoned his Persona.
"Whoa! What is that?" Yosuke was shocked.
"Something to protect is with!" Morgana smugly said.
"You have something this powerful? Whoa! Sensei is so cool!" Yep, now it was a thing. Yu shot a weird glance towards Akira, apparently something went wrong. Welp, can't do anything about it right now.
They then went to the shopping district. Akira deduced, that it was where Kinishi's family held their liquor store. It was distorted. Probably a mix of her own perception and general public.
Suddenly, weird looking shadows had appeared, not like those they knew. Morgana was just in time to protect Yosuke, but there were 4 of them. Way too many to cover everyone. Akira didn't have any of his Personae as well. It was that time that Yu had awoken his, albeit in a way safer way than they had to. No dramatic and incredibly painful tearing of your own face, just a card and surge of energy. Cool.
Teddie instructed Yu, while Morgana fought another two. Meanwhile Akira helped Yosuke to get up.
After that show, Yu was now promoted to sempai. Akira understood the weird look from earlier. Yu was originally the sensei here.
Kinishi's distortion reminded Akira a lot about Futaba's Palace, with others talking over.
Hm…
The distortion was intimately interwoven with the district, which was everyone's unconscious mind. There was a theory that other's perception of you were part of you as well, so that might be it here.
The pocket distortion was a small Palace as well.
But what was weird was meeting Yosuke's shadow there…
Lavengale on Chapter 1 Sun 28 Jan 2024 03:47PM UTC
Last Edited Sun 28 Jan 2024 03:49PM UTC
Comment Actions
Kershy on Chapter 1 Sun 28 Jan 2024 09:46PM UTC
Comment Actions
Lavengale on Chapter 1 Sun 28 Jan 2024 10:38PM UTC
Comment Actions
Kershy on Chapter 1 Sun 28 Jan 2024 09:51PM UTC
Comment Actions
Lavengale on Chapter 1 Sun 28 Jan 2024 10:47PM UTC
Comment Actions
Kershy on Chapter 1 Mon 29 Jan 2024 04:37PM UTC
Comment Actions
Guest (Guest) on Chapter 1 Tue 15 Apr 2025 01:39AM UTC
Comment Actions
Kershy on Chapter 1 Sat 21 Jun 2025 06:34PM UTC
Comment Actions
DuskShade on Chapter 2 Mon 26 Feb 2024 04:49PM UTC
Comment Actions
Kershy on Chapter 2 Wed 28 Feb 2024 12:30PM UTC
Comment Actions
SnowRose6 on Chapter 2 Tue 10 Sep 2024 01:11AM UTC
Comment Actions
Kershy on Chapter 2 Tue 10 Sep 2024 02:31AM UTC
Comment Actions
Lavengale on Chapter 3 Sat 09 Mar 2024 05:31PM UTC
Comment Actions
Kershy on Chapter 3 Sun 10 Mar 2024 06:34PM UTC
Comment Actions
Lavengale on Chapter 4 Sat 21 Jun 2025 09:30PM UTC
Comment Actions
DuskShade on Chapter 4 Sat 21 Jun 2025 10:39PM UTC
Comment Actions