Persona: The Phantom Masquerade.

After school, Ren contacted Naoto to try to set up a meeting, and he was told something that surprised him.

"You have exams coming up soon, don't you? Forget about setting up a meeting until after the exams. Miss Kirijo will get angry if she finds out you all failed your exams because of her. In fact, the fireworks festival is coming up soon…" Naoto paused, her tone thoughtful. "Let's organize the meeting for the 21st. It should give everyone enough time to finish all of their preparations."

Ren was left slightly dumbfounded as he heard her. 

"Isn't that… we are dealing with more important stuff, are we not?"

Naoto chuckled softly, her voice warm. 

"I'm sure you'll understand once you meet Miss Kirijo. Good luck with your exams."

After hanging up her phone, Naoto turned to look at Mitsuru, who was listening in to the conversation with keen interest.

"He's not wrong, you know?" Naoto asked with a slight smile, her eyes reflecting a mix of amusement and concern.

Mitsuru smiled faintly, taking a delicate sip of her tea. Her gaze drifted to a picture she had taken with her group many years ago, a reminder of the battles they had fought and the bonds they had formed.

"They're just kids, Naoto. Just because we had to fight our battles when we were so young, it doesn't mean that they should, too. They deserve a semblance of normalcy, even amidst the chaos."

Naoto shook her head gently, a thoughtful expression on her face as she grabbed her jacket and prepared to leave. 

"You know, Mitsuru, I have a feeling that we won't be able to help too much directly. Call it a detective's intuition. We both have worked together long enough to know that things like this are always more complicated than they seem."

Mitsuru's smile faded, replaced by a look of reflection. She let out a sigh, her thoughts drifting to the challenges ahead. 

"Any news about Madarame?" she asked, her tone shifting to one of concern.

Naoto's expression grew serious. 

"He's stopped going out. I can only assume that they completed their mission. We should be able to hear more about him soon. Do you want me to intervene? I can send some people his way."

Mitsuru shook her head, her eyes thoughtful. 

"No, let things play out. But I want you to look into him and see what you can find. We need to understand his connections and motivations. The more information we have, the better prepared we'll be."

Naoto nodded, her expression resolute. 

"Understood. I'll keep you updated on anything I find. And Mitsuru… take care of yourself."

Mitsuru's smile returned, a hint of gratitude in her eyes. 

"Thank you, Naoto. I'll do my best. And you take care as well."

As Naoto left, Mitsuru stared at the picture once more before sighing.

— — —

As Ren made his way home, he saw Akechi wandering through the bustling streets, engaging with a small group of enthusiastic fans. His charming smile was unwavering as he exchanged pleasantries and autographs. However, when he caught a glimpse of Ren approaching, he quickly apologized to his fans and made his way over.

Some of the fans continued to murmur excitedly and snapped a few more pictures despite Akechi's polite requests to stop. Yet, his smile remained steadfast.

"Ren, it's been some time. I'm sorry for the pictures, but even when I ask them to stop, they are quite persistent." Akechi chuckled, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Don't worry about it. I don't really mind them that much anymore. How's your detective work? I'm sure you've been quite busy." Ren replied, mirroring Akechi's smile.

"Oh, you know, chasing ghosts. I am not making too much progress, but at least it's interesting to try to track down the trail." Akechi responded, his eyes twinkling with a mix of excitement and frustration. "How about you? I'm sure you must be dealing with some interesting stuff."

"Nothing much, really. If anything, the only real issue right now is the exams." Ren answered.

Akechi seemed slightly disappointed with the answer, a flicker of frustration crossing his face before he quickly masked it with his usual charming smile.

"I see… I actually happen to have some free time. Would you like to have a rematch?" 

Before Ren could answer, he noticed a familiar flash of red. Kasumi, with her signature red ponytail, came running up to them, her face lighting up as she saw the two boys together.

"Ah, Ren! Akechi! It's nice to see both of you. I didn't know you knew each other," Kasumi exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Akechi and Ren exchanged a glance with each other before Akechi answered.

"Ah, yes, Ren and I met a while ago. We have been playing games and challenging each other here and there in the past." 

Kasumi's smile brightened as she heard them.

"That's amazing! I've always thought you two would get along well." She said before turning to Ren. "My dad works in the TV station, so I've actually gotten to meet Akechi a few times before."

Then, as if realizing something, she stepped back.

"Oh, sorry, am I interrupting something? If you two were about to head to play another game, I didn't mean to intrude."

Shaking his head, Ren chuckled.

"No, don't worry about it. In fact, could you join us for this game? It would change things up if we had someone else join the match." Ren suggested, smiling as he saw Akechi's slightly annoyed expression that quickly turned into his usual smile.

"Of course, Miss Yoshizawa. The more the merrier." Akechi added.

Smiling brightly, Kasumi nodded with excitement.

"Ah, I would love that! Do you have a place in mind? What kind of game do you guys usually play?"

Akechi and Ren exchanged another glance, silently debating their next move. Seeing their hesitation, Kasumi quickly spoke up.

"How about we go to the batting cages? I've meant to go for some time, and wouldn't mind going with friends. There's one near Yongen-Jaya." 

"Ah, that's just next to Leblanc, isn't it? I've seen it a few times on my way over." Akechi mused, causing Kasumi's smile to brighten even more.

"Really? Maybe I'll finally get a chance to taste that scientifically made curry!" Kasumi said, her enthusiasm bubbling over.

As the three of them made their way down to the batting cages, Kasumi led the small talk, her voice animated and cheerful. Ren couldn't help but notice how her positivity seemed almost over the top, more so than usual. It felt as if her smile wouldn't drop no matter what.

As they arrived at the batting cages, the atmosphere charged with a mix of anticipation and friendly rivalry. 

"Alright, Akechi, how about you step up first? I want to see how the real Detective Prince performs in action!" Ren suggested, his tone light yet challenging.

Nodding, Akechi adjusted his gloves with a composed smile, entering the batting cage. Meanwhile, Kasumi took the opportunity to lean in close to Ren, her voice a hushed whisper.

"Thanks for inviting me, Ren… I've been trying to hang out with more people lately, but it's a bit hard. I'm actually really looking forward to the fireworks festival. Maybe I'll also be able to befriend your friends. They seem like nice people."

Ren smiled reassuringly. 

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure they'll get along great with you. I actually wanted to get the chance to ask you something. How's everything been going? You seem a bit different than before."

Her smile faltered for the first time that day, a flicker of confusion and discomfort crossing her face. 

"I do?" she asked, her voice uncertain. She shook her head slightly, as if trying to dispel the feeling. "Ah, look, Akechi is ready!" she exclaimed, quickly changing the topic.

Ren turned his attention to Akechi, who was now positioned in the batting cage, his stance impeccable. The machine whirred to life, and the first pitch flew towards him. Akechi swung with precision, the bat connecting with a satisfying crack. Kasumi clapped enthusiastically, her earlier discomfort seemingly forgotten.

"Wow, Akechi! That was amazing!" Kasumi cheered, her eyes sparkling with genuine admiration.

As he looked at Kasumi's strange behavior, Ren felt slight discomfort as the scalpel suddenly stirred, as if asking Ren to use it again. That was enough to tell him that her issue was probably related to the Metaverse or could be solved with the Metaverse. 

However, he pushed that to the back of his mind for now. He wanted to avoid using the scalpel as much as possible.

Snapping him out of his thoughts was the next hit from Akechi. He seemed determined, his focus unwavering as he clenched the bat, not letting any emotion show on his face as he hit ball after ball. Each swing was calculated, almost mechanical in its precision. Kasumi watched in awe, clapping enthusiastically with each successful hit.

After a few more flawless hits, Akechi stepped out of the cage, wiping some sweat from his forehead.

"Wow, Akechi! You're really good at this!" she exclaimed, her admiration genuine as she stood up. "Alright, my turn! I can't hold back anymore."

She snatched the bat from Akechi's hands and ran up to the cage. 

"Alright, next up to the plate, Yoshiza-" As she introduced herself, the first ball flew past her. "Oh- wait. That one doesn't count."

Ren stood up as the next ball flew past her before she could react again. Moving closer to the cage, he called out to her.

"Just take a deep breath. You've got this."

Kasumi nodded, but there was a hint of uncertainty in her eyes. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but the next pitch still whizzed by her untouched. She hadn't even gotten the chance to react.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared for the next one. But this time, she swung her bat before the ball even left the machine, letting the next ball pass by her as she steadied her stance.

"Come on, Sumi, you got this." Kasumi subconsciously muttered to herself, tightening her hands around the bat. But once again, the ball flew past her.

Akechi, leaning casually against the fence, watched with a polite smile, though a hint of boredom flickered in his eyes. 

"You can do it, Miss Yoshizawa. Just focus on the ball." He said, his tone encouraging but lacking genuine enthusiasm.

One after another, Kasumi either swung too late or too early until the machine eventually stopped. She was smiling, but her eyes were filled with frustration. Her expression kept shifting between determination and disappointment, but in the end, she shook her head with what appeared to be a forced smile.

"Ah, I guess it's not for me. Weird. I feel like I used to be pretty good at it." She said, her voice tinged with a mix of confusion and frustration.

Even Akechi, who looked slightly bored, raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Really? Perhaps it's just an off day." He remarked.

Ren stepped closer, his expression softening with concern. 

"Come on, let's try it one more time. Just relax and don't overthink it. You've got the skills. Trust yourself."

Kasumi shook her head as she tried to pass the bat onto Ren, but he simply avoided her before moving to place some more money in the baseball machine.

Seeing him, Kasumi couldn't help but smile, more naturally this time, before taking another deep breath and readying herself.

The first ball flew past her, yet she didn't flinch; she only tightened her grip on the bat. The moment the next ball shot out, Kasumi swung with all her might, the bat connecting and sending the ball flying towards the net.

"Yes! I did it!" she exclaimed, her earlier discomfort momentarily forgotten.

After a few more failures, Kasumi's next swing connected, sending the ball soaring. Her smile widened, more natural and bright than ever. With each hit, her confidence grew, and she began to enjoy the game. Just as she was finishing her turn, a group of kids and parents wandered in, one of them wearing a birthday hat.

"Ah, sorry, we came here for a birthday party. We only have an hour before our reservation at Big Bang Burger. So, would you please let us take over the batting cages for that time? We didn't book a reservation because they are usually free at this hour," one of the parents explained, looking apologetic as the kids began to run around excitedly.

Kasumi, who was stepping out of the cage with a bright smile, nodded.

"Oh, yeah, don't worry about it! We can swing by later. Happy birthday!" She exclaimed.

"Yes, of course. Happy birthday to the little one." Akechi, added with his usual charming smile. "It's unfortunate that we were interrupted, but I guess that just opens up a new opportunity. Shall we head to Leblanc? I believe a nice cup of coffee might be a good way to unwind."

In just a few minutes, the trio reached the Cafe. As they entered, Sojiro was busy behind the counter but gave them a nod of recognition. Sojiro quickly pointed to a table and wrote down their orders. 

As Kasumi drank some of the tea, she let out a satisfied smile.

"There is something to this place. It's strangely relaxing. It must be nice living in here." She commented. "It also has some nice decorations. I like the flowers." she added, looking slightly nostalgic as she spoke.

"Yeah, you can blame that on Ren." Sojiro chuckled as he brought over some plates. "I swear, I leave him alone, and the next time I check on him, I see that he has an infestation of flowers in his room. The kid has no self-control. Thankfully, they bring the atmosphere to the cafe; otherwise, it would have been a shame to have to throw some away."

Ren shook his head with a smile.

"I don't know what you are talking about."

Kasumi seemed slightly surprised, picking up the flower in the middle of the table with a slightly complicated expression. 

"You grew them? I didn't know you were into gardening."

Akechi also glanced around the room and noticed the countless crimson flowers, chuckling to himself.

"I'm guessing you bought too many seeds of the same type? A little variety doesn't hurt."

Ren shrugged, still smiling. 

"Maybe I just like poppies."

As they began to enjoy their food and drinks, Akechi spoke up again. 

"Say, Miss Yoshizawa, do you want to play a little game?" he asked, a smile appearing on his face.

"Sure, I'm always up for anything," Kasumi replied eagerly.

"I've been looking into the Phantom Thieves, and it would be helpful to hear some outsider opinions. What do you think of the Phantom Thieves, Miss Yoshizawa?"

"The Phantom Thieves?" Kasumi asked before smiling once again. "Ah, I actually have two different answers."

Placing her drink down. Kasumi raised her finger.

 "If you had asked me before, I would have agreed with them to a certain extent. I looked into Kaneshiro after all the news popped up, and he was truly a disgusting man. I'm glad that he turned himself in. It's hard to generalize that part, but when it comes to bringing people who are really harming others to justice, I think it's for the best… Sort of…"

"Sort of?" Akechi asked, tilting his head with curiosity.

"Well, here comes the second part. I think the Phantom Thieves are only going to hurt the world more the longer they are around. And today showed me exactly that." Kasumi added, raising a second finger.

Hearing her, Ren raised an eyebrow, leaning in closer as he asked.

"How come? They're helping people, aren't they?"

Kasumi nodded her head.

"Sort of. After their website came up, I saw many people reacting differently. But I've seen the Phantom Thieves become both a weapon and a safety net. While going to my gymnastics class, I overheard a couple of kids who wanted to report their teacher just because they wanted better grades. Since I don't know how the Thieves work, there's a chance they could target an innocent person just because of someone malicious."

Hearing her, Ren sat back, thinking about her answer. Even though they could see through the hearts of people in the Metaverse, it was true that they had already wasted time with a few false reports. A jealous boyfriend reporting another guy who had done nothing wrong, and so on.

"Plus, it would be dangerous if people just suddenly began to rely on the Phantom Thieves for every issue they had. Like before, there is a world in which neither of you supported me, and I just gave up trying to hit the ball. It was frustrating, but what if instead of trying again, I simply thought, 'Well, the Phantom Thieves can change my heart, and then I'll be fixed.'"

"So, you wouldn't want the Thieves to change your heart?" Akechi asked. 

"No," Kasumi answered, shaking her head. "I am well aware of some of my issues and just how easily I was discouraged. However, I still think people should work through their own issues, even if they need help from friends or counselors. Even now, I am still working through many things, and I still tend to get discouraged and anxious, but I want to be the one who makes the effort. I'm sure others would agree with me in the fact that it isn't right to force your salvation onto others."

Ren's face became slightly complicated as he sat back. He had been ready to find her in the Metaverse or even check again if she had a Palace just moments ago. 

Akechi smiled as he heard her answer and saw Ren's expression.

"That's a great answer, Miss Yoshizawa. In a sense, the Phantom Thieves are hindering the growth of people by forcing changes of hearts. Would you mind if I took some inspiration from it next time I had an interview?" Akechi asked with his usual charming smile.

"Go right ahead, Akechi! But as I said, it's a two-sided thing. It depends on how severe the problem is and how many people are being affected. If the issue is on the level of Kaneshiro, I still think someone should do something. It's hard to generalize everything, you know?"

Akechi nodded as he heard the answer, turning to look at Ren, who was still lost in thought. 

"What about you, Ren? What do you think of what Miss Yoshizawa said?"

Snapping out of his own thoughts, Ren nodded.

"She's not wrong." He continued, since the two of them were still looking at him. "I can easily see how some people can try to abuse the 'power' of the Phantom Thieves. I don't doubt that countless people have already tried."

"Oh, what about forcing changes of hearts on people who don't want them? Or allowing people to become overreliant on them? Do you think the Phantom Thieves should stop doing their minor escapades and focus on bigger targets?" Akechi asked, his smile seeming more genuine than ever.

"No." Ren answered, surprising both Kasumi and Akechi. The latter of which burst into a chuckle.

Ren's main goal at the moment was to become stronger. Strong enough to stand up to Igor should the time come. The best way to focus on that goal was to target the strongest enemy at the moment: the people behind the mental shutdowns. 

To do so, they needed to gain influence over the collective unconscious. Fulfilling the Metaverse requests would allow them to not only train but also gain influence. The only reason Kasumi had made him get lost in thought was because she was his Faith, his confidant.

Kasumi looked at him with somewhat expectant eyes, so he gave her the answer the Phantom Thieves had found together when Shiho had brought up the question. The Thief's collective answer, rather than his own.

"Like she said, it's a two-sided issue. Not everyone will need the Phantom Thieves; some people could have a better future if they faced their issues head-on. But that would be putting aside the people who would have never faced their issues otherwise.

People who would continue to hurt others. People trapped in abusive relationships, criminals blackmailing innocent people to work like slaves for their own profit, and doctors who hurt patients while trying to increase their reputation.

I believe the Thieves only go for those who are truly unredeemable. So even if countless people are trying to use the Thieves to threaten people with minor issues, the Thieves would probably ignore those requests.

I don't think people should become reliant on the Thieves. But that is something they, as individuals, are responsible for."

Kasumi's mouth was left in pure surprise before she giggled slightly.

"Woah, Ren, I never would have thought you would be such a massive Phantom Thief fan. Even though we don't really think the same, I can see your points…"

"Indeed. To think you would be so set with your views of the Thieves' 'Justice.' I must admit, I am a bit impressed myself." Akechi added with a smile, almost holding back some more laughter. "I have to say, I didn't quite expect today to go this way, but I am glad you joined us for today's game, Miss Yoshizawa, even if it was interrupted by the birthday party."

Smiling brightly, Kasumi nodded.

"No, thank you for inviting me. I had a lot of fun. If you wouldn't mind me joining, I would love to hang out with the two of you again in the future."

During their discussion, enough time had passed for Leblanc to close down, but Sojiro had simply let them keep eating while he headed out to spend some time with Futaba. Just as the trio was about to finish their meal, Akechi's phone began to ring, and his expression became apologetic.

"It seems duty calls. I will see you both later." Akechi smiled as he stood up and reached for his wallet. "I'm guessing Mister Sakura meant for it to be on the house, but the meal was truly delicious. I haven't had one like it in a long time. It actually brought back some memories."

He placed the money down before quickly leaving Leblanc, leaving Kasumi and Ren alone in the cozy café.

The two of them focused on their food, allowing the energy to die down a little. As Kasumi finished, she reached for the flower once again.

"Poppies, huh," Kasumi muttered, turning to Ren. "I didn't feel comfortable asking with Akechi and the other people around, but is there a reason you chose this flower?"

Ren noticed her nostalgic yet sad expression, which broke through the forced smile she had worn during the day. Activating his third eye, he looked at her again. Her disturbing patchwork mask was still present, but some of the "threads" forcing the mask in place let out a slight blueish flame.

"I saw them at a store in Shibuya, and I liked them. So I planted a few in my bedroom, and well, like Sojiro said, it got a bit out of hand. Why?"

Smelling the flower, Kasumi sighed.

"They brought back some memories… I recently lost someone very close to me… and their favorite color was red. She always made sure to wear at least one red thing. So, instead of the usual white lilies or chrysanthemums for her funeral, we went for a mixture of poppies and spider lilies. Both flowers that signify death."

Kasumi smiled slightly as she thought back, her eyes looking slightly lost.

"It's actually a bit funny… some people gave us strange looks because red usually means happiness, and it's weird to use that color in a funeral…. But she would have liked them."

Hearing her, Ren wasn't quite sure how to react, so he simply placed a hand on her shoulder to try to reassure her.

"Do you want some? I… actually do have a lot. Sojiro wasn't kidding when he said I have no self-control." Ren joked, trying to help lighten the mood.

Kasumi's smile became a bit more genuine as she looked at him. 

"That would be nice. Thank you, Ren. It means a lot to me."

Ren nodded, his hand still on her shoulder. He had read many of psychology books, and some of them had touched on death and grieving. But as embarrassing as he found it, he felt uncomfortable breaching the topic.

So, after a moment of silence, he moved upstairs to pick up some of the best flowers he could find. He even grabbed some of the poppies he had picked from Mementos since they looked more beautiful than the normal ones. 

After assembling a full bouquet, he walked downstairs to see Kasumi preparing to leave. Who smiled as she saw the bouquet.

"I didn't realize how late it was, so I will have to call my parents and head home. They are probably worrying a lot since I haven't called them, and I am late."

As she grabbed the bouquet, she gave one last bright smile.

"Thank you… If I am being honest, I want to visit her to give her these flowers, but I am not ready yet…. So when the time comes. Would you help me get another bouquet?"

~Confidants~

Kasumi Yoshizawa. (The Faith) Rank 3 - 4

Goro Akechi (Justice) 4

~A/N~

Usually, I try to avoid double Rank-ups if possible. But it felt like this had to be a double rank-up. One for the Royal trio discussion and one for the Poppy discussion.

Lots of hidden easter eggs here... or well. Two lol. But hey, see if you can find 'em.

Also, I am actually a bit behind on the calendar from where I would like to be. And since I have the following chaps planned, I can say that I will skip over a few weeks after chap 114 to get ahead in the calendar.

Lastly, long-ass chap. My usual chap length for this fic is 2.4k words, but this one is 4.3k.