A/n: Many of you asked for a social link between Akira and Mikono. I went back through the story and counted the really important moments and the current rank is 4. I'm really sorry for not keeping proper track of it. I'll be incorporating the social link at the end of each chapter so y'all know what rank it is and if it has increased. Love you all!!!
~✨Celestial✨~
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The phantom thieves found themselves in the lobby of the museum. Akira, Ann, and Mikono stood in front of Yusuke as he sat on the couch with Ryuji leaning against it. Morgana hopped up on to the couch, standing beside the navy-haired boy.

It was silent for a few minutes until the pigtailed girl spoke up with a melancholic tone. "You've known for quite some time, haven't you?"

"I'm no fool," Yusuke sighed. "Strange people have been coming by for years, and the plagiarism was an everyday affair. But...who would want to admit that the man they owed their life to was doing such terrible things?"

Mikono shook her head with a sorrowful frown. "No one wants to believe the person they owe so much to is a bad person regardless of seeing the truth with their own eyes."

"Why didn't you leave, Kitagawa-kun?" Ann asked.

Yusuke hung his head. "Well, he is the one who painted the "Sayuri." On top of that, I owe him a great debt."

"You mean 'cause he raised you?" Ryuji questioned.

"I...never knew my father," he confesses. "I was told my mother raised me by herself, but she died in an accident when I was three. That's when Sensei took me in. I heard he helped my mother while she was still alive."

Ann's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Heard?"

"To be honest, I don't remember much about my mother either. I did everything I could for Sensei. I thought of him as a father, but he changed. To think he would treat the "Sayuri," the very foundation of his art, like that!"

Ryuji stared down at the floor. "A lot's happened to you, huh?"

Yusuke looked over at the blonde. "When you had mentioned plagiarism, deep down I knew you were right. That's why I so vehemently denied you. I was simply running from the truth. I'm sorry."

"No worries," Akira smiled. "We understand."

"You'd be surprised how many people we've met who were in the same position," Mikono added.

Yusuke looked between the two. "I'm grateful for the chance to face what I have been denying all this time."

Ryuji pushes himself off the couch. "You're way too serious, man. That's why you're always gettin' stuck in your own head. Mikky does the same thing, and she's a real space cadet. Look at me! I just go with the flow."

"For real," Ann grinned in amusement.

"I'll say..." Mikono muttered. "You are the one always ending up in trouble..."

"I heard that!" The blonde boy hollered.

Morgana interrupted before the two could continue bickering. "What are you going to do now?"

"I don't know..." Yusuke admits.

"We can't help the fact that Madarame's gone and changed, but we can change his heart. We'll make him pay for his crimes," Ryuji declared.

"That reminds me, you mentioned something about that "change of heart" earlier..."

"Have you heard the rumors? The ones about the Phantom Thieves that steal hearts?"

Yusuke gasped, eyes wide as saucers as he looked around at the group. "Don't tell me...?!"

Out of the blue, numerous of Shadows appeared and set their sights on them. Yusuke flew to his feet when spotting the foes closing in. Mikono acted fast, summoning her Persona and commanding Sekhmet to create a barrier of flames between them and the assailants. The Shadows, unable to reach them, waited patiently for the flames to extinguish. The sable-haired girl looked toward the others. "We have to go, now!"

Yusuke went to reply, but he stopped when he felt his mask and looked down at his attire. "When did my clothes change...?"

Ryuji turned to the boy in bewilderment. "You just noticed that now?"

"Save it for after! Let's go!" Ann bellowed.

Akira led the group back to the entrance of the museum and safely out of the Metaverse. He suggested heading to the nearby diner where he, Mikono, and Ryuji frequently visited to study together. Everyone agreed and they shared everything with Yusuke during the walk to the diner. When they arrived, they claimed one of the many booths available and continued their explanation after ordering drinks.

Mikono, who sat between Ryuji and Yusuke, trailed her finger around the rim of her coffee cup. She fell silent the moment Akira explained what all Kamoshida had done, her mind filling with the horrid memories of the man. What image plagued her mind the most was the day they sent the calling card and the coach sexually assaulted her in the PE faculty office. She could feel his grimy hands touching her and his sinister grin fester as he enjoyed seeing her squirm in his grasp. She would be lying if she claimed the event left no scar. The reoccurring nightmares, which she refused to mention to her friends, haunted her sleep. Though the nightmare had decided to give her mind peace for a few days, she knew it would take time for it to completely vanish.

"Tsutsui-san?" Yusuke called out to her, concerned when noticing the state she was in.

When hearing her last name, Mikono lifted her head and looked around the table and the various faces. All of them were worried.

"You're crying, Mikono," Ann said, frowning sorrowfully.

The sable-haired girl wiped at her eyes, feeling the tears spilling from them. "I didn't even realize I was crying."

"You okay?" Ryuji asked.

"Y-Yeah..." She accepted the tissue Yusuke handed her and dabbed at her eyes gently. "I'm sorry for worrying you all."

Akira could see through her lie in a heartbeat. "You're not okay, Mikono. What's wrong? Is it something you can't tell us?"

Mikono was taken aback at how quick the boy was able to detect her lie. She lowered her head, using her hair like a curtain to cover her face. "It's not that I can't tell you... It's the fact that if I tell you, I know you guys will want to help, but this is something you can't help me with. That's why I can't tell you."

"Y'know we're gonna find out one way or another," Ryuji sighed. "No point in hidin' it from us."

Seeing Mikono's hesitation to speak, Yusuke believed he was the reason why. "If you cannot say what's bothering you because of my presence, then I will-"

The girl shook her head and promptly interrupted him before he could leave. "It's not because of you, Kitagawa-kun..."

Ann leaned forward, crossing her arms atop the table. "It has to do with Kamoshida, doesn't it?"

Mikono was hesitant to respond. She wasn't one to reveal all her issues to her friends regardless of how close she was to them. But seeing their concerned faces was making her want to spill the truth. After pondering how to respond, she sighed and gave in. "Yeah. Ever since he...tried to have his way with me, I've had the same nightmare almost every night. I haven't experienced it in the past few days, but that doesn't mean it's gone."

"So that's why you've been spacing out in class recently," Akira said.

"Ridiculous, isn't it?" She exhaled through her nose. "I've been able to hide it until this moment. Even I tried to forget it. But all this talk about Kamoshida made me remember..."

"It's not ridiculous," Ryuji retorts. "The shit Kamoshida did to you... Even I had nightmares after that bastard broke my leg."

"It seems all of us have been victims," Yusuke said.

"We formed the Phantom Thieves to help other victims," Mikono stated. "What do you say, Kitagawa-kun? I think I speak for everyone here when I say we'd love to have you join us."

All eyes fell on Yusuke. He looked around at the faces around the table, noticing they were all smiling. There was no way he'd say no to such an offer. "Yes, I will join you. Had I faced reality sooner, this may have been avoided. I must put an end to this for the sake of the others whose futures as artists were robbed, as well. That...is the most civil thing I can do for the man who was, in some manner, my father."

"Civil, huh," Ann mumbled.

"Sounds fine to me," Ryuji stated. "We're gonna deal with Madarame anyways."

"He may have a mental shutdown if we screw up. We have ways to prevent them, but they aren't fail-safe," Morgana warned the boy. "Remember how we mentioned this on our way here?"

"Madarame is a man who has the art world under his thumb. He has connections to many organizations. If someone like me raises my voice, it'll only be snubbed out. We have no option but this," Yusuke stated.

"Kitagawa-kun..." Ann muttered melancholically.

"It's a deal then," Morgana said.

"We have a new member in the Phantom Thieves now!" The pigtailed girl chanted. "I hope we get along, Yusuke."

"You better not slow us down," Ryuji smirked.

"Welcome to the team," Akira said.

"I'm glad you'll be joining us, Yusuke," Mikono smiled.

"I'll do my best," the navy-haired boy replied with a faint smile.

"Oh, and no nude paintings," Akira added.

"So that was all a plan?" Yusuke looked toward the girl sitting beside him. "That's quite daring, Tsutsui-san."

"I was totally against the idea from the beginning, but these two were the ones who decided I had to..." Mikono pointed at Morgana and Ryuji. "You two are traitors..."

"What else were we supposed to do?!" Ryuji jabbed a finger toward Yusuke. "It's his fault for goin' on and on about the nude modelin' thing!"

A faint smirk appeared on the artist's face. "I haven't given up on that yet, though."

"Th-There's no way I'm modeling nude!" Mikono protested. "You're a nice guy, Yusuke, but I am not getting naked in front of you regardless if it's for a painting. My parents would also kill me if they learned I posed nude..."

"Dude, your dad would skin Yusuke alive," Ryuji commented. "He's a scary guy..."

Yusuke's eyes widen. "Dr. Blackwell?"

"Yeah. You might wanna prepare yourself for a dinner with Mikky and her parents. That's when he decides if you're worthy of Mikky's friendship or not."

"A...dinner?"

"Don't worry about it, Yusuke. My dad thinks all boys are evil. Akira had to suffer an evening with my parents not too long ago," Mikono said.

"I actually enjoyed it," Akira confessed.

Yusuke glances at the boy before looking back at Mikono. "If it's not too much trouble, I would enjoy meeting Dr. Blackwell and Dr. Tsutsui."

"That's...a little difficult to do at the moment. They're both currently working at an excavation site in Italy," she responded. "But when they come back home, I'll gladly introduce you to them."

"Do you think once Madarame changes it'll affect your parents' art gallery?" Ann asked.

"They might receive some backlash from the public, but they'll know how to handle it."

"Speaking of Madarame... I wonder what's going on with the real one."

"I'm kinda curious, too," Mikono said. "Yusuke and I were in a pretty tight situation."

"Actually, I contacted him before we came here. He believes that I continued pursuing Tsutsui-san," Yusuke explained. "And, just as you all explained, it appears he knows nothing about his Shadow."

"What did he say?" Ann questioned out of curiosity.

"He was complaining to the security company how they couldn't even catch one high school girl. However, he's still furious about it and said that he's going to take legal action against everyone."

Mikono sunk in her seat, her body tense with worry. "Madarame knows who my parents are. If he takes legal action against them because of me, I am in deep trouble..."

"I wouldn't worry just yet, Tsutsui-san. If he were to act, it'd be after the exhibit is over. Any scandal during the show would be his loss."

"That makes me feel a little better, but still..."

"We'll have to force a change of heart before then if we're to dodge this "legal action" thing," Morgana claimed. "Looks like our plan must be accomplished while the exhibit is open!"

"By the way..." Yusuke stared wide-eyed at the feline. "What is this?"

"Huh?" Ryuji then realized what the boy was referring to. He pointed at the animal. "A cat."

"But it's talking."

"You have a problem with that?!" Morgana hissed.

"No, not really."

"Why not?" A wide-eyed Ryuji questioned out of shock.

"He's just on a different wavelength than other people," Ann sighed.

Morgana smirked at Yusuke. "Do you wish to draw me? You better bring out the best of me in that case."

"Hm..." The boy reached out his hand toward the cat.

"Hey, don't touch me like-!"

He pressed the button in front of Akira's bag. "I was thinking of ordering some black-bean jelly."

"I bet he got that idea from a "black cat"..." Ryuji murmured.

"Oh!" Yusuke suddenly gasped, startling the others. "I didn't bring any money."

"Don't worry about it. I'll pay for the jelly. In exchange..." Mikono's cheeks turned red. "C-Could you bring me my clothes? The ones I left at Madarame's atelier, I mean."

"Of course, Tsutsui-san."

|| 5/20 Friday ||
|| Lunchtime ||

After finishing lunch, Mikono wandered to the library. As she was walking down the hallway, she heard mumbling from a group of students gathered around a bulletin board. Curious as to what they were looking at, she meandered over. On the board were the grades from the exams.

Searching for her name, she sighed in relief when she saw her grades were between As and Bs. Her math grade was on the verge of a C, but she smiled when seeing it was a low B.

Hearing Morgana's voice, she turned her head and saw Akira standing behind the crowd of students. His eyes were scanning the list for his name to see what he made on his exams. When he saw his grades, a pleased grin appeared on his face and gave a small fist pump. She chuckled under her breath at the small gesture as she approached him. "I'm gonna assume your grades are good."

Akira smiled at her. "All thanks to you. Studying really did pay off."

"Too bad Ryuji doesn't think the same," she sighed. "He barely passed..."

"He truly is a moron," Morgana snickered. "Then again, he's a moron that still passed his exams..."

Akira and Mikono decided to head back to class before the bell rang. As they walked up the stairs side by side to the second floor, the boy shattered the silence. "Has the nightmare returned?"

"No," she smiled faintly. "For the past few days, I've been able to sleep peacefully. There was also something I wanted to discuss with the rest of you at the diner yesterday, but it slipped my mind."

"What is it?" He asked.

"Thanks to Yusuke, I was able to figure out the meaning of the auras detected by the Eye. That golden speck all of you have located near your hearts, they're your Personas. Whenever you summon them, they're surrounded by a brilliant golden aura. And Madarame's aura was something I've never seen before. It was red and crimson roots webbed everywhere across the museum. The floor, the ceiling, the walls..."

"Madarame's strong twisted desires created the Palace. It makes sense that the roots spread across the entire museum. Once he's gone and those roots vanish, there's nothing left keeping the museum together," Morgana said.

"That's what I was thinking," Mikono commented. "I wonder if the Eye can detect the same aura around the real Madarame. Igor did say it could detect human desires in the real world."

"He also said it could kill you," Akira stated. "You need to be more careful using the Eye. You were close to being injured by that Shadow. If Yusuke hasn't stepped in..."

"You saw that, huh?" She tugged at an inky strand.

"You've been acting strange ever since what happened in Mementos. Are you worried you won't be able to find the fragment?"

"Am I really that easy to read?"

"You're an open book to me," Akira admits.

"Then I guess there's no point lying," she said. "You're right, Akira. I am worried I won't find the fragment. I don't even know where to begin looking. And I still have three more to find if I manage to find the second one."

"And the only way to locate the fragments is using the Eye," Akira exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "This really is a predicament..."

"I advise only using the Eye in the Metaverse until you're able to regain another fragment to somewhat stabilize it," Morgana recommended.

"Why couldn't there have been one or two fragments?" She groaned. "Why does there have to be five?!"

"Did you ask Igor that question?" Akira pondered.

"He skirts around the questions he doesn't want to answer. I feel like he enjoys watching me squirm as I beg him for answers... And when he does have an answer, it's convoluted."

"That definitely does sound like Igor."

"I might visit the Velvet Room again to see if I can get more answers."

"That reminds me..." Akira stopped just as they reached the door to class 2-D. "You aren't familiar with Justine or Caroline. You said something about someone named Theodore, right?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "He's the attendant to the Velvet Room. Well, the attendant to mine, at least. Why do you ask?"

"I've been wondering... What is the Velvet Room to you?"

"It's this large room with glowing hieroglyphs carved into the walls. There's also these Egyptian deity statues along the back wall behind where Igor sits. What does the Velvet Room appear to be for you?"

"A prison," he simply responds.

"Igor did mention the Velvet Room takes shape after ones heart," Mikono said. "You must feel trapped since you're on probation. I still think those assault charges are false. The guy who claimed you assaulted him sounds like someone who's snobby and walks over others like he's the king of the world. I can't believe that woman took his side after what he did to her! I really wish that woman would've told the truth. None of this would've happened if she had..."

"To be honest, I'm glad she didn't," Akira admits, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Mikono's eyes narrow in bewilderment. "Why's that?"

"I wouldn't have met you."

The girl blinked profusely, her mouth slightly ajar in shock at his response. After replaying his words a few times inside her head, her cheeks lit up with a bright red hue. She placed her hands over her burning cheeks, hiding them from Akira. "Th-That was not the answer I was expecting..."

The bell rang, signaling the end of the lunch period. Akira continued to smile at the blushing girl as they entered the classroom and returned to their seats. Class resumed, but the boy kept glancing over at his classmate. Her cheeks were still red, causing his smile to widen. He was pleased by the effect his words had on her and found it amusing how easy it was to make her blush. Before dedicating his attention to the teacher, he muttered to himself, "I call that a victory."

*****
Confidant: Mikono Tsutsui
Arcana: The Puppeteer
Rank: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*****