5/13

Ryuji spins to face the group with furrowed brow and set jaw. He takes a deep breath, clenches his hands into fists, and growls, "Are you ready?"

Ann and Akira look at one another. "Yeah," Akira says. At the same time, Ann replies, "I guess."

Ryuji frowns and jabs at them with his finger. "That is not the right attitude for training." Ryuji half turns and gestures towards the treadmills, collecting dust in the back corner of the gym. "These might not be impressive, but they'll get the job done. If you're going to train, you need to train seriously, regardless of the situation!"

"Oh, so like how you study?" Ann deadpans.

Ryuji's eyes widen, and he sputters, "Th-that's different." Then, mumbling something under his breath, Ryuji bends towards his bag and starts rummaging around.

Akira has to admit that Ryuji seems to be in his element regarding physical fitness matters. It was a shame his discipline and enthusiasm didn't extend to academics.

"Hey," Ann whispers. Akira leans in towards her. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Akira shrugs. "We've just got English tomorrow. Are you worried about how you'll do?"

Ann makes a face. "Uh, no. I'm super excellent on English," she says in English.

That doesn’t sound right, but English is weird, so Akira lets it slide. "Right, well, I'm not worried either."

"Yeah, but Ryuji..."

Akira glances back at their friend. "You know how much this means to him. Did you want to spend another study session listening to him talk about PRs and strength percentiles?"

Ann sighs. "I know. But shouldn't we be helping him study?"

Ryuji withdraws a few sheets of paper from his pack with a triumphant yell. A few other gym patrons glance in their direction, looking annoyed.

"We will," Akira promises. He wasn't sure it would do much good, though. The only way to get Ryuji to shut up about his concocted exercise programs had been to give in. That's why, on the afternoon before their final exam, the Phantom Thieves found themselves in one of the gyms Ryuji had visited while establishing his day-before alibi for the Takanashi operation. If the Phantom Thieves promised to indulge and take Ryuji's efforts to exercise seriously, then Ryuji was expected to take his final study session - scheduled for right after their collective run - seriously as well.

Akira felt it was a fair trade-off. Akira and Ann felt confident in their English abilities, so time spent on a treadmill at this stage wouldn’t likely impact their score. Plus, if it got Ryuji to study, it was worth it.

"Alright," Ryuji says, and holds out two pieces of paper, one in each hand, towards each of his friends. "Here's the program I put together. Since this is the first day, it's mostly light cardio and warm-up exercises, topping it off with a bit of low impact." He grins at Akira. "I've already seen how you run, so I was able to put a few more details and challenges in yours, bro. Ann, I have no idea what you're capable of outside of the Metaverse," he says this last part quietly, "so I kept it pretty simple."

"Simple?" Ann asks, snatching the paper. "How long does this workout last? There's like, multiple intervals on here."

"Uh yeah, just because it's low impact doesn't mean it can't be challenging, right? Don't worry about it. Make adjustments as you need to, but try to push yourself. Alright, so-"

"Excuse me," Morgana snaps. The three Thieves glance down at Akira's open bookbag, which has housed the - up until now, silent - cat. "But what exactly am I doing? You don't just expect me to sit here, do you?"

"Course not," Ryuji snaps. "I was getting to you, dude. Damn." Ryuji reaches into his bag again and yanks his hand out with a flourish. "Check it!" He declares and tosses a small piece of black string at Morgana.

The string lands in front of the cat, who regards it with a blank face, before looking back at Ryuji. "You've got to be kidding me."

"What?" Ryuji asks. "You can't exactly run on a treadmill with us, but I looked up exercises for cats, and they said the type of cardio you'd get with this should be good."

"I'm not-"

"Yeah, I know, bro. You're not really a cat. Hate to ruin your day, but you've got a cat's body," Ryuji reminds Morgana. "So, I don't know what to tell you. You wanna work out? I've got some string. Maybe Akira could build you some sort of maze to play around in back at LeBlanc, but-"

"A maze? What am I, a rat?"

Ryuji opens his mouth to respond, but Akira steps in. "Okay, I think we're getting a little worked up. Ryuji, I don't think the string will work in this case. And Morgana, you can't blame Ryuji for not devising a suitable workout plan. I don't think anyone's ever tried to develop a thief-based workout plan for a human trapped in a cat's body."

"Hmph," Morgana answers, as Ryuji says, "Yeah. Okay. My bad, I guess."

Ann glances back towards the other gym patrons. "I mean, no one's really in this corner with us? Couldn't Morgana just hop on the treadmill? Is it going to bother anyone?"

Ryuji frowns. "I don't know. People in gyms can be... problematical.”

“Are you trying to say ‘problematic?’” Morgana asks.

Ryuji ignores this. “You never know what's going to set someone off. Or what they'll let slide." He shrugs. "Alright, well, whatever. Morgana, why don't you hop on the treadmill next to mine? That way, I'll keep an eye on you, and I'll be able to adjust your speed if you want."

Morgana rears onto his hind legs and crosses his forepaws over one another. "Am I supposed to be grateful?"

Akira manages not to roll his eyes. "Morgana, come on. You don't want the string, right? Ryuji's compromising."

"Yeah," Ann says. "Can we just get this over with so we can finish studying?"

Ryuji glares at her. "I told you, that's not the right attitude for training!"

Akira, to his delight, does not have to spend much more time rallying his friends to just get on with it, and soon all four Phantom Thieves are executing their workout programs on their respective treadmills.

The session lasts about twenty-five minutes, and Akira is drenched in sweat by the end. In the Metaverse, this would be nothing, he thinks, and hopes that Ryuji's theory about the strength correlation between reality and the Metaverse pans out.

Akira removes himself from the treadmill. Ann slows to a stop, and leans against the treadmill’s handrails, gasping. "Ryuji...what...the hell...?" She demands.

"Oh, cool," Ryuji replies, slick with sweat and breathing hard but seemingly unperturbed or bothered. "You managed to finish it."

He joins the other two as Morgana continues to trot along the treadmill, a surprisingly satisfied look on the cat's face.

"So, how was it?" Ryuji asks.

"I'm okay," Akira replies, and Ryuji nods.

"That was too much," Ann gasps, despite having caught some of her breath. Akira wonders if she's laying it on a little too thick.

Ryuji shrugs. "Well, this was to test your limits, so I guess we sorta found them."

"You..." Ann tries, but a new voice cuts her off.

"Sakamoto?" It comes from behind them. Ryuji peers over Akira’s shoulders, and his eyes practically bulge out of his head.

"I-Ikeda-senpai?" He asks.

Akira turns and finds a boy only a bit older than them. The boy’s eyes are alight, and he wears a handsome grin. His dark hair is tied back in a small ponytail, and he wears the clothes Akira is beginning to associate with runners.

When Ryuji names him, the boy throws back his head and laughs. "Hey, Sakamoto, come on. You don't have to call me senpai anymore. I'm an official college kid now, after all." Ikeda steps around the group and approaches Ryuji, who stiffens a bit. But Ikeda just reaches out and slaps Ryuji on the back. "How are you, man?"

"Uh...good, I guess. Good," Ryuji replies. He glances away, eyes flickering all over the place, and Akira knows enough about his friend to see the nerves.

Ikeda also seems to sense this, and he takes a few steps back. "Hey, sorry, Sakamoto. I didn't mean to surprise you. I thought I heard you, but I wasn't sure. Once I finished my workout, I glanced over and saw the hair." He chuckles once more. "I knew it was you."

Ryuji begins to relax into his usual, laid-back posture. Whatever danger he sensed seemed to be dissipating in Akira's eye. "Right, sorry, uh, Ikeda." Ryuji finally breaks out a smile. "It's good to see you. How you been, dude?"

Ikeda matches Ryuji's smile. "Not too bad. College ain't easy, but it's got its perks." He nudges Ryuji in the ribs. "College girls, you know?" He laughs and glances at Ann and Akira. "Oh, hey. Sorry, I didn't introduce myself." He squints at Ann and says, "I think I recognize you. You're Takamaki, right? You're in Sakamoto's grade?"

Ann nods. "Yeah, that's me. Sorry, I don't recognize you."

Ikeda shrugs. "That's okay. I wasn't a big man on campus or anything. Just on the track team." He looks at Akira. "I don't think you were on the track team, right?"

Akira shakes his head. "Nope. I transferred in this year."

"Ah," Ikeda replies, and inclines his head. "Well, I'm Kiyotaka Ikeda. I was on the track team with Sakamoto, last year. Nice to meet you."

"Yeah," Akira responds, somewhat taken aback by the lack of disrespect, fear, or discomfort this newcomer has concerning him. The world's a bigger place than Shujin, Akira reminds himself. Why would Ikeda know who Akira is, let alone any rumors surrounding him? The thought serves to warm Akira to Ikeda almost instantly. "It's nice to meet you too," he says, far more pleasantly. "You were friends with Ryuji?"

Ikeda beams. "Oh, I think it's fair to say I took him under my wing." He throws an arm around Ryuji's shoulder, who grins in response. "We had some good times before... well, you know."

"Oh, we know," Ryuji says, face falling. He takes a deep breath, steps away from Ikeda, and then takes a deep bow. "I never said I was sorry about losing my cool and getting the track team disbanded. I played right into Kamoshida's hands and let everyone down."

Ann frowns. "Ryuji..." She says, but trails off when Ikeda lets out a scoff.

Ryuji glances up, and Ikeda shakes his head. "Man, you're still upset about that?" Ikeda claps his hands to his side and gives an even deeper bow. "That's on me, Sakamoto. Not you."

Ryuji holds out his hands and mutters, "No, no, no-" but Ikeda cuts him off.

"Sakamoto, you were a freshman. You were a freshman, and I was an upperclassman. We all saw what Kamoshida was doing. He picked you to hassle, and to be honest, I think we were all just happy he wasn't focused on us. But we still saw it. He pushed you to your breaking point, and of course, you had a breaking point. Maybe you did what he wanted, but those of us who were older, we should've stepped in and stopped it." Ikeda sighs and averts his gaze. "I don't blame you for what you did, Sakamoto, or the outcome. You certainly don't deserve that stupid nickname."

"'Track traitor,'" Ryuji mumbles.

"Yeah, talk about original," Ikeda says and scowls. "It's not like anyone else, Nakaoka included, would’ve done anything differently."

"Thanks," Ryuji says. "For saying that. That, uh, means a lot."

Ikeda appears embarrassed now too. "Don't mention it." He shrugs. "But hey, it looks like the track team might be coming back. I just wish it was under better circumstances."

"Eh?" Ryuji asks. "What'd you mean? I knew Nakaoka and those guys were still drilling, but I didn't hear about them getting reinstated."

"I still keep in touch with some of the guys," Ikeda replies. "I guess after Kamoshida's confession, the school realized it would look bad if they kept his changes intact. But, unfortunately, it looks like Yamauchi is the guy they chose to advise it."

Ryuji's face falls. "For real? That jerkoff?"

Ann takes this moment to speak up. "Wait, isn't that the guy who was always following Kamoshida? I haven't seen him much this year, but I remember him from when I was a freshman."

Ikeda nods. "The very same. I guess he volunteered or something. I know some of the others are enthusiastic, but I didn't have the heart to tell them not to hold their breath."

No one says anything for a moment, then Ikeda takes a deep breath and exhales. "Well, I don't know. Maybe it'll all work out. Or maybe those Phantom Thieves will need to visit him."

Ryuji and the others glance at one another. "The Phantom Thieves?" Ryuji asks.

Ann clears her throat. "You think they're real?"

Ikeda nods. "Of course. Anyone who could take down Kamoshida and get him to confess to all that crap has got to be something special. Gotta say, I'm a fan. But listen, I got to go. I’ve got a part-time job interview, and I still need to shower." Ikeda soon insists that he and Ryuji exchange contact information, and they do so. Ikeda makes his goodbyes to the rest of them and stops only briefly to inquire after the cat running on the treadmill, but Akira assures him that it's his, and this answer seems to satisfy Ikeda, who takes his leave.

Ryuji is silent for a few moments after his old friend leaves. "Yamauchi, huh?" He finally says.

"You're going to look into him, aren't you?" Ann asks.

Ryuji crosses his arms. "Better freakin' believe it."

#

Principal Kobayakawa grunts and slams the phone down. Another journalist. Someone else who wanted to discuss Suguru Kamoshida. Kobayakawa had - once more - referred them to the superintendent's office and had to keep himself from cursing them out. He fumbles with the wire behind the phone and yanks it out. He can't afford to waste any more time thinking about that bastard. The calls had diminished as the neverending news cycle moved forward, but still, some upstarts were desperate for a scoop.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

They were vultures, enjoying Shujin’s carcass. Kobayakawa had worked so damn hard on this place, and Kamoshida skyrocketed the school's prestige. So if Kobayakawa looked the other way to keep the man happy, what of it? But now?

Kobayakawa sighs and debates, not for the first time, actually taking a vacation. It's been a long time, and God knows he deserves one.

He glances out his office window and sees the sun hanging high in the late afternoon sky. A moment later, he imagines himself on a beach somewhere, relaxing, with no one and nothing else around. How pleasant that would be.

Something pounds behind his eyes, and he reaches up ■ rub his temples

Andthen ■■■ andthen ■■■■■■■■■■■■■

and

then

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as

And then Kobayakawa jerks in his seat. He blinks a few times and lets his eyes adjust. The light is different from a moment ago. When Kobayakawa looks out the window, he sees that the sun has begun to set. Kobayakawa checks his watch, and his mouth falls open.

Two hours have passed.

"Oh," he says. "Oh." Kobayakawa leans back in his chair, which creaks beneath his bulk. There is a wine bottle on his desk. It is open and three-quarters of the way empty. He does not remember bringing it in nor drinking any of it. His mouth does not taste of it. Searching his immediate vicinity, he sees a small drawer at the bottom of his desk unlocked and opened. The bottle must've come from within, though he has no recollection of placing it inside.

It must've happened during the last… session.

The door to his office is locked. Kobayakawa can see the latch from his desk. Of late, he has taken to locking himself within, as it is the only way to get actual work done and save himself from the endless refrain of his subordinates, concerned parents, and students.

Kobayakawa is stalling and knows it, but he does not like any of this. Still, he takes a moment to shut his eyes and recollect.

Fragments of the conversation return to him. Words, phrases, instructions.

But the door is locked, his phone remains unplugged, and the chairs on the other side of his desk are unmoved. Kobayakawa does not know why he thinks he has just talked with someone, but Kobayakawa knows he has. He has a strong suspicion but does not allow himself to dwell on it. Kobayakawa does not let himself even think about it.

Thinking about it might trigger something. Kobayakawa is not the kind of person to use that word: trigger. Yet, it is the word that comes to mind when he gives any thought to giving any thought to the cause of his memory lapses and the sensations of having just had a conversation. So Kobayakawa does not believe the word came from him. He thinks someone warned him.

Think about it too much, and you're liable to trigger it.

A thought comes to mind in a voice not his own. So Kobayakawa shuts down that mental line of inquiry.

The blackouts began several months ago. Kobayakawa would be somewhere, alone and secure - in his office, his apartment, wherever - and his head would start to hurt. Time would pass unaccounted, and Kobayakawa would wake to feel compelled to do certain things, say certain things, and look into certain things. Kobayakawa can recall typing something on an old typewriter and handing it to someone, but he cannot remember what he typed or to whom he gave it. He does not even know where the typewriter is now.

Whatever Kobayakawa retained of his instructions were little things.

Be here.

Witness this.

Take the train to this location.

Pointless little excursions that meant little to him.

He tried talking to a therapist and then went to a doctor, but no one could help. Afterward, Kobayakawa suffered from intense migraines that kept him housebound for three days. He stopped looking for help after that.

Kobayakawa picks up the bottle, licks his dry lips with his tongue, and brings the bottle to his mouth. The people who can do this to him are not happy.

Kobayakawa does not understand why, but he supposes that is the point. Kobayakawa's assessment of the 'Phantom Thieves' was that they were little more than pranksters. He'd received a list of individuals to investigate, and he had. He had spoken to teachers and kept tabs on them during the recent exams—nothing out of the ordinary, from what he could tell. Most of them didn't even know each other. The only ones that did were those on the volleyball team and that loose collection comprising Sakamoto, Takamaki, and that transfer student. Kurusu, or whatever.

Kobayakawa had reported as much. At least, Kobayakawa assumes that's what he reported. Again, he recalls the sensation of collecting his findings and sending them... somewhere, but he does not know where, and he doesn't even remember how he sent them. He doesn't think it was an email.

Keep looking, the voice in his head says, or had said. Keep investigating. We want to know more about these people. The names again. Students. Fewer students than before, but all from the original list.

"Fine," Kobayakawa says, setting down the bottle and pushing himself away from the desk. "Fine, damn you," he shouts at his office walls. Trepidation settles over him. This minor seizure of anger is all his mind will allow. Kobayakawa is soon tamed once more.

Kobayakawa is not an evil man. Kobayakawa does not think of himself as an evil man, anyway. He wants what's best for the students, which means he wants what's best for the school. What's best for the school is what's best for him. Yes, Kamoshida had his issues, but ultimately many students would've received scholarships thanks to his influence. In addition, his presence would've driven up enrollment, which meant more funding, better facilities, and faculty. The students would’ve benefited.

Why did it seem like he was the only one who could see that?

No, Principal Kishi Kobayakawa did not consider himself an evil man. All this strange business terrified him and shook him to his core.

Principal Kishi Kobayakawa did not consider himself an evil man, but he knew he wasn't a brave man, either.

Kobayakawa will go along with whatever this was and hope that one day, he will have done enough.

Kobayakawa begins to brainstorm on how best to approach the problem.

#

After fifteen minutes on the subway and the short walk through Yongen-jaya to LeBlanc, Ann turns to Ryuji, brings her hands together, and bends forward, pleading. "Ryuji. I swear. Tomorrow, after the exams, we will talk to you about Yamauchi all you want."

"Speak for yourself," Morgana mumbles from Akira's shoulder.

"But in the meantime," Ann says, sparing a glare for the cat. "Please, just let it go until the exams are up. Please, please, please."

Ryuji lets out a sigh and looks at Akira. "What do you think, dude?"

Akira shrugs. "We'll look into it with you, Ryuji. But we do have our final exam tomorrow. So yeah, all this exercise and track team stuff, let's set it aside for now. That was the deal, remember?"

Ryuji holds up his hands in surrender. "A'ight, you guys are right. I said I'd study and shit. Deal's a deal."

Much to the chagrin of the others, Ryuji had speculated wildly on their return from the gym. Ann had pointed out, various times, that there wasn't much they could do about Yamauchi or the track team, but Ryuji insisted that the man's position as the new track team coach was problematic. A 'disaster waiting to happen,' as he'd put it.

Still, the Phantom Thieves had collected their things and were now making their way to LeBlanc, for one last cramming session before the final exam. Akira had cleared it with Sojiro, who'd informed him that he would be closing early to take care of some business around town. Akira and his friends would have the run of the place. Sojiro reminded Akira not to let anyone steal anything, but Akira could tell it was said more in jest than anything else.

The Phantom Thieves make the final turn down LeBlanc's street, and Akira halts.

Standing outside the cafe's door, leaning against the window and staring ahead at nothing, is Tae Takemi.

Ann and Ryuji peer around his shoulder. "Ain't that the doctor?" Ryuji asks.

Ann lets out a groan. "Great. Another distraction. I thought you said we'd have the place to ourselves?"

"We're supposed to," Akira says and starts to walk once more.

Why is she here? I haven't missed any appointments. She wouldn't come here just to grill me on the whole 'therapy' thing, would she?

She would, another voice in his head insists.

Takemi turns to face them and straightens from her position. Her hands are shoved deep in her white coat, and her forehead is a furrowed mess. She does not look pleased.

"I didn't realize Boss was closing early today," she says as the four Thieves approach. "We need to have a conversation."

Akira glances back at his friends. "We're supposed to be studying. Tomorrow's our final exam."

"It won't take long," Takemi replies. "Besides, I'm assuming these are your... confederates?"

"Confedewhats?" Ryuji asks.

"Yes," Ann replies, crossing her arms. "We're the Phantom Thieves. Akira told us you knew about us."

Takemi frowns. "Well, he told me he was a member. He didn't tell me who you all were, but it wasn't hard to guess."

Ann reddens. "O-oh."

"So, you three took down Kamoshida?" Takemi asks.

Morgana meows, and Akira jerks his thumb at the cat. "He helped too."

"Prince?" Takemi asks.

"'Prince?'" Ann and Ryuji ask together and turn towards the cat.

"Th-that's-" Morgana starts.

"The cat's name is Morgana," Akira tells her. "Sojiro is the only one who calls him Prince." He glances around. The street is as empty as it always is, but Akira does not feel comfortable talking about this in the open. "Let's head inside, okay?"

Takemi nods. "Lead the way." Akira steps around her and takes the key from his pocket. He braces himself for whatever is coming, unlocks the door, and leads them inside.

A few minutes pass, and formal introductions conduct. Though Ann and Ryuji had dragged Akira to Takemi's after Kamoshida's assault, they had not spent time socializing. Nor do they do so here. Instead, Akira goes behind the bar, makes everyone a quick cup of coffee, and slides Takemi's over to her, where she sits on one of the stools.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Akira asks as he hands Ann and Ryuji their cups.

"After we last spoke, I remembered something and-" Takemi gets cut off as Ryuji spits out his coffee onto the table.

"Ryuji, what the hell?" Ann demands, sashaying her way out of the booth they share, away from the encroaching liquid.

"Dude," Akira says, reproachfully.

"What are you doing, Bonehead?"

"It's hot!" Ryuji complains.

"It's coffee," everyone - including Takemi - counters.

"Well, yeah, I know, but I've never had it before," Ryuji says.

"Then why did you ask for some?" Akira demands.

Ryuji shrugs. "I thought I'd like it. Sorry, bro. Give me some towels or something. I'll wipe it up."

Akira goes to fetch said towels and notices Takemi giving him a look. Yes, Akira thinks. He is a Phantom Thief.

Akira returns from the kitchen with some wadded-up paper towels and thrusts them towards Ryuji. Ryuji takes them, not meeting Akira's gaze, and begins to dry up his mess. When Akira turns back to Takemi, he takes a moment to compose himself and asks, "You were saying?"

"Right," Takemi says and takes another sip of her coffee, eyes on the floorboards. "When we last spoke, you gave me a lot of information. And I believe you, I think. But I'm not sure I believe in everything you told me."

"Huh?" Ann asks. "How's that possible?"

"I told you," Akira says. "Providing proof would be dangerous, and I'm not-"

"I'm not asking for a tour or anything like that," Takemi snaps. "But what you told me about Yukio Kan. The heart attack that wasn't. And when you mentioned what your friend said he read online. Well, all those tiny dots started to connect in my head. I remembered something I read about back in medical school.

"This weird thing called cognitive science. One of those fields that shows potential for all of five minutes before all the quackery latches on. No one believed in it, and I don’t know if I do either, but it sounds a lot like what you described."

Takemi proceeds to provide a brief overview of what she can recall. She had spent some time looking through archives of online medical journals but could find no mention of the topic, so everything she tells the Phantom Thieves comes from her memory banks.

When she finishes the rough outline of cognitive science, the Phantom Thieves look at one another.

"I mean," Ann says. "I guess that kinda sounds like the Metaverse."

Takemi chuckles. "The Metaverse. Does it beat the shit out of the U-Stor-It?"

"Huh?" The Thieves ask, as one.

"Nothing. Nevermind."

"Yeah," Morgana pipes up. "A place where you could physically rewire someone's brain? Sure sounds like a Palace and Mementos."

"If that's true," Ryuji says. "Wouldn't that mean the Metaverse has something to do with all these mental shutdown cases?"

"How's that possible, though?" Ann asks. "We're the only ones who can enter the Metaverse."

No one says anything about this. The natural follow-up question floats in the air.

Aren't we?

"This is all just something you pieced together though, right?" Akira asks, finally.

Takemi nods. "True enough. I have no idea if any of this relates at all. If someone ever did any more work on cognitive science, they never published. From what I can tell, anyone who ever breathed any interest in cognitive science got laughed out of their research grants, academia, everywhere and anywhere."

"So we don't have any conclusive evidence that the mental shutdowns are linked to the Metaverse, Palaces or Mementos, or anything," Akira says.

"But dude, don't you remember?" Ryuji asks. "Back when we had cold feet about stealin' Kamoshida's Treasure? Mona told us it could cause him to, like, stop eating and wanting to breathe and shit."

"I never said he'd stop breathing," Morgana insists.

"Whatever," Ryuji counters. "I mean, doesn't that sound like a mental shutdown?"

"Not really," Ann replies. "If Akira saw a real mental shutdown, it was a bunch of black stuff pouring out of the guy."

"But all we have to link that to the mental shutdowns is what Mishima saw online a few months ago, and even that was only one of a few rumors flying around," Akira points out. "I know we've been leaning towards thinking that way, but we don't know anything for sure." He pauses, considering. "Now that you mention it, Mishima said he hadn't seen any online activity speculating about the mental shutdowns, which he said was strange."

"Look," Takemi says, in a voice that silences the Thieves. "I have no idea what any of this means. I don't know if it's connected, or if cognitive science is a real thing and linked to what you do, or if what you do is some weird...magic shit with your phone. I don't know. The point is, I wanted you to know about it since you're all so settled on doing this."

"Thanks," Ryuji says, with a big grin.

"Also, who's Mona?" Takemi asks.

"Morgana," Ann says, nodding towards the cat.

"Present," Morgana replies.

"It's his code name," Ryuji explains. "We all have them."

"And the cat, whose real name is Morgana, and whose code name is Mona, told you about the potential repercussions of targeting Kamoshida?"

"Well, yeah," Ryuji says.

"She can't understand me, remember?" Morgana says.

"Morgana can talk," Akira says, with a sigh. "Did I not mention that before?"

"No," Takemi says. "You didn't." Takemi takes a long drag on the coffee. "I'm assuming I can't understand him?"

"You'd have to have gone to the Metaverse," Ann says.

"Naturally," Takemi replies. She sets her now empty mug down on the counter. "Well. I'll let you get back to your Thievery, or whatever it was you were about to do."

"Studying, remember?” Akira asks. “Last exam and all?"

Takemi blinks. "Oh. I see. Well, that's good, then."

"Thanks for all the info about the cognitive what's it," Ryuji says.

"Right," Takemi says and steps towards the door. She stops, balls her hands into fists, and turns back to the group. "I don't think you should be doing this." When Akira opens his mouth, Takemi holds up a hand. "I know. I know. You've all got your reasons. But this is serious. Yukio Kan didn't die of a heart attack, but that's what the report said. The mental shutdowns still happen, and no one knows why. There's no evidence of cognitive science anywhere, at least no place I thought to look. So if all these things are connected, and they all have something to do with however you're all able to do whatever it is you do, then what you're doing is more dangerous than just fighting monsters."

The Thieves are silent. Then, Akira says, "To be honest, I was starting to get that impression myself." He looks over at his friends. "But as you said, Doctor, we have our reasons."

"Yeah," Takemi says. "And by this point, I know better than to try reasoning with you." She turns and heads back towards the door. "When you need supplies, drop by and see me. Otherwise, I expect you to come by the clinic once your exams finish. I've got another batch of medicine for you to try."

"Will do," Akira says.

"Thanks for the info and all the other stuff," Ryuji calls after her. Then, he snaps his fingers. "Hey, I know! You want a code name?"

Takemi stops and turns back to the group. "Excuse me?"

"What're you talking about, Ryuji?" Ann asks.

Ryuji shrugs. "Well, she's going out on a limb for us. With the stuff we get from her and all. I know she can't come beat up Shadows, but maybe she could be an honorary member?" He looks around at his friends for what appears to be confirmation. "What'd you guys think?"

"We have honorary members?" Morgana asks. "I don't know if that's a good idea."

"Why not?" Ryuji asks. "I mean, she already knows who we are."

"You want me to join your teenage crime-slash-monster fighting group?" Takemi asks, and Akira is somewhat surprised to hear a faint hint of excitement in her voice, disguised as doubt.

"It can't hurt," Ann says, shrugging. "We're all on the same side, right?"

Akira chuckles and shakes his head. "Do you want a code name?" He asks. "I think I once asked if I could call you 'Doc,' and you said no."

"Yeah, and I'm saying no to that one again." Takemi reaches up a hand and rubs her temples. "Why not? I'm already in this deep, aren't I?"

"Cool," Ryuji says, pumping his fist. "So, welcome to the Phantom Thieves - sort of - Doc!" He makes a little 'meep' sound when Takemi glares at him. "Sorry, sorry. Uh, so like, what do you want to be called?"

Takemi is silent for a time, face blank in thought. "Never thought I'd have to come up with a code name," she mutters.

"You don't have to come up with one now," Ann says. "We could-"

But suddenly, Takemi laughs and says, "No, it's fine. You can call me 'Plague.'"

Once more, silence fills LeBlanc.

"Uh, you sure?" Ann asks.

"Badass," Ryuji points out. "But-"

"I should get going," Takemi says. She meets Akira's eye, and the two regard each other for a few moments. Then, Takemi nods and walks out the door.

"Not being able to talk to people is annoying," Morgana complains.

"Plague, huh?" Ann asks, ignoring the cat. She glances at the others. "There's probably a story there, right?"

All Akira can think to do is nod.

#

"I should get going," the doctor's voice comes in, clear and final. There's silence for a few moments and then the sound of the door opening and closing.

The cat meows, and the girl says, "Plague, huh? There's probably a story there, right?"

The listener knows the story. The listener did their research. Knows all about Tae Takemi and the controversy that surrounds her.

But the listener never expected this. Never expected the ten minutes of recording information to be as earth-shattering as a thing could be.

The listener brings their knees to their chest and hugs themselves tightly.

"Phantom Thieves," the listener whispers. Then, the truly terrible words. The ones that bounced around in her head like a ricochet. "Cognitive science."

The listener stops listening and switches off the computer's monitor. No longer awash in the screen's blue light, the listener lets the room's shadows congeal. Their patterns lull her into sleep—one filled with nightmares and the screech of tires.