Chapter Text
"So, today's the big day," Goro said. After placing his textbook on the bartop, his eyes wandered to the wall-mounted TV, where a news report droned on. In no time flat, the reporter confirmed the utter catastrophe he'd witnessed on his way back from school.
"Widespread railway strikes continue in an unprecedented move by Tokyo Metro employees. Every subway line has stalled, as drivers protest alleged safety hazards, both to employees and passengers alike. Many of these protesters decry the Minister for Transport and demand immediate action before they even consider resuming their duties…"
Another commentator said, "I just don't know what came over them. We haven't had a strike like this in decades…"
"And as a result, they've interrupted the daily routines of students and workers alike. Traffic is at an all time high, with no sign of stopping…"
An abrupt and unprecedented strike. Once complacent workers suddenly acting out… Goro scoffed. Perhaps one could argue that it was simply a matter of repressed frustrations reaching a tipping point, but the severe disruption their little strike caused fell eerily in line with other scandals that had piled up over the years.
As if on the same page, Futaba glared at the TV. "Okay, that's obviously another brainwashing incident! It's way too—"
"Futaba." Sojiro looked up from his crossword just in time, as a kettle whistled beyond the bar. "See about helping these customers with their coffee, won't you?"
Futaba blew an enormous sigh, dragging her feet over there. "Fiiine. But I'm watching you!" She pointed at the TV screen as if it were a living being, and Goro didn't even try to suppress his chuckle.
"If it's any consolation, Futaba, I'm of similar mind. I shall have to investigate the matter when I get the chance."
Sojiro raised an eyebrow at him. "But instead, you're waiting here for that kid. You're one strange boy, Akechi."
"We've known each other for years, and you only realized that now?" His words carried a light, almost singsong tone, and Sojiro snorted in turn. A wry little smirk of his own served as his silent reply.
The circumstances of their first meeting were hardly ordinary, after all. It was…
Goro's grip on his coffee cup tightened. With Wakaba still… incapacitated, such memories proved bittersweet at best. So, rather than dwell on it, he took a long sip of his coffee to wash it all down. The refreshing blend of flavors did well to sweep away both the bittersweet memories and the lingering aftertaste from Kamoshida's bullshit.
Moments later, the door opened, and Goro promptly turned his head to see… a boy in a Shujin uniform, carrying a bag over his shoulder. He walked in with a slight slouch, hands tucked in his pockets. His wild, black curls framed a set of glasses over his deep, grey eyes.
Goro shut his book, smiling warmly at the boy. "Ah, hello. You must be Ren Amamiya."
The boy blinked a few times, staring with his jaw ever so slightly agape. "Uh… yeah." He kept his head low. "That's me."
Goro would have offered a friendly greeting, but after delivering coffee to a nearby table, Futaba just had to spring up between the two of them, grinning and steepling her fingers. "Mwehehe… So you're the Crime Boy."
"Futaba!" Sojiro got up from his stool, pulling his daughter back. "Don't mind her. She's…"
"Hey, I'm allowed to investigate, too, Sojiro! If he's a 'criminal,' then I gotta make sure he's a misunderstood rogue and not some scary slasher."
Ren winced, looking away. Clearly her words hardly offered encouragement, so Goro rose from his stool and circled around the little gathering.
"For what it's worth, I think you did the right thing. I'd be happy to discuss it further…" He cast a glance at the elderly couple seated at a nearby table. "But perhaps in a place with a bit more privacy."
A deep frown crossed Sojiro's lips, and he tipped his head toward the stairway. "Your room's upstairs. I'll leave the cleaning up to you."
"Good luck!" Futaba said. "...Seriously, it's a trash heap up there."
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Sojiro growled out a sigh. "I'll make sure you at least get some sheets."
It seemed they had drawn the eyes of that couple, and poor Ren just stood there, clearly uncomfortable with the way he inched backwards. Well, that wouldn't do.
"Come on, Amamiya-kun. I'll help you tidy up." Already, Goro had taken a few steps toward the stairway, smiling over his shoulder.
"...You sure? I don't want to hold you up."
Goro chuckled. "I insist."
And so, before long, the two of them climbed the steps to the elusive attic. Upon arrival, one thing became absolutely clear:
Futaba was right.
Bags piled up on the dusty, wood floor. Stacks of books clustered together near shelves and atop a table to the left. A metal ladder lay on its side, over a blue tarp. Cobwebs sprawled across the ceiling. Piles of assorted boxes surrounded a large plant that desperately needed care and attention. Another box with a shipping label must have contained Ren's belongings, while up against the wall by the window sat a mattress atop a 'foundation' of milk crates, if you could even call that a foundation. No sheets yet, but Sojiro had at least provided a pillow and a comforter.
Shaking his head, Goro followed Ren to the room's center. "It's a good thing I'm here. This could take a while…"
Ren continued staring at him. Perhaps it was all still difficult to believe. "And you're serious about this."
"I wouldn't have offered otherwise." Goro winked, and in turn, Ren… grunted, mouth slightly ajar, as if Akechi's words had made his brain short circuit. It was… cute, honestly.
After a moment, Ren's face fell toward the dusty floor. "I don't get it. You do know I have a criminal record, right? You sure it's safe to be alone with a guy like me?"
"I'm a detective. If I couldn't handle 'dangerous criminals,' I'd be ill fit for the job." Goro moved toward the large pile of books on the floor. What a waste of perfectly good reading material. "More to the point, I'm well aware of how our legal system operates and how it punishes those who seek to enact justice. A dear friend of mine used to have quite the reputation with the local police force, and it turned out there was far more to him than simply being a 'thug' and a 'delinquent.'"
He watched Ren over his shoulder, taking in the way his eyes widened and then relaxed. Even still, he reached up, playing with a curl of his hair, then turned toward the three trash bags piled near the ladder.
"...Hey, what's your name?"
"Goro Akechi. I'm a third year at Shujin Academy, which if I'm not mistaken is where you'll be attending, too." Goro grabbed an armful of books, setting them aside in a neat little stack. He'd need to first make room to reach the shelf, so he could reorganize that. "Oh, and don't worry about calling me 'senpai.' Akechi will do." No sense in introducing an uneven power dynamic when this boy already had enough to fret over.
"Gotcha." Ren lifted the bags, moving them aside. When he got to the ladder, he narrowed his eyes. "Man, what do I even do with this thing?"
Goro turned from the shelf. "We can take it downstairs when we're done. I'm sure Boss will know what to do with it."
"Right. Guess I'll leave it alone for now." He watched Goro for a few moments, then looked down at the floor. "You think he's got cleaning supplies we can use?"
"I'll go ask."
"You don't have to—"
Too late. Goro made his way down the stairs. Thankfully, after a quick chat with Sojiro, he returned with two mops in his left hand, a bucket of soapy water in the right, and a feather duster tucked beneath his arm. He probably looked like a fool, but no matter.
When he returned to the attic, he found that Ren had changed out of his uniform into a pair of jeans, a white T-shirt, and a loose, black jacket.
"...Perhaps I should have announced myself. It would have been rather rude of me to barge in while you were still getting changed."
The way Ren's cheeks tinted pink squeezed a quiet little laugh from Goro. "...Sorry. Just didn't wanna get the uniform dirty."
"You have nothing to apologize for. They are rather expensive." With the cleaning supplies ready, Goro set the bucket down and passed one of the mops over to Ren. A quick glance at the table revealed that he had cleared the books off its surface and moved them over to the halfway reorganized shelf. Good. Then he'd set the duster there for now.
With that, the two got to work, starting with the floors. They moved slowly and methodically, like hands on a clock, scrubbing away the dust and grime.
As they worked, Goro couldn't help but ask. "By the way, what truly happened to lead you to this predicament?"
Ren stopped for a moment. "Didn't he tell you? I got sent here on probation because I've got a criminal record."
"And as I already established, I don't put a lot of stock in the justice system." Goro paused to wipe some sweat off his forehead. In hindsight, perhaps he should have changed his clothes as well.
"But you're a detective, right? …Man, and you're still a teenager, too. Just like—"
"Naoto Shirogane? Yes, I know. I've worked with Naoto-san for years." Goro took a few more steps, moving toward that milk crate bed.
It took Ren a few seconds to resume his own work. "That's crazy. What're the odds?"
"I'm also acquainted with Risette and a few other famous figures, but this isn't about me, Amamiya-kun. Tell me more about you."
"After you lead with something like that? …You're a tough act to follow."
"I'll be the judge of that."
"All right, I get it." Ren leaned his mop against the table, fetching the feather duster in its place. "It was late at night. I was heading home when I saw this bald guy harassing a woman. She was screaming and struggling, trying to get away…" Ren attacked the dust and cobwebs near the windows, his posture suddenly tense. "I remember him saying the police were his 'bitches'—"
Goro's mop hit the floor. He staggered closer. "You said the man was bald, yes? Do you recall any other details?"
Ren turned from the window, taking his chin in his free hand. "He might've said something about steering the country? Guy was drunk as hell, and it was months ago, so…"
Shutting his eyes, Goro struggled to steady his breathing. "...I think I understand what happened now. You saw a woman in distress, so you rushed to her defense. He escalated the matter, one thing led to another, and—"
Ren's fingers coiled tightly around the duster's handle. It trembled in his grasp. "I didn't do anything. He came at me, I dodged, and he banged his stupid, bald head on the car. All I did was try to help someone, and I'm the one who got punished for it."
"...I'm sorry." Those two words wiped the glare from Ren's face. Tempting fate, Goro moved closer. "I believe I know that man. He's… a powerful politician who tramples all over the innocent masses, all while the public is none the wiser. You did the right thing. You just happened to encounter a man with the power to twist justice in his favor."
Ren's shoulders dropped like rocks to the bottom of a pond. His arms fell limp at his sides. He stared down at the floor once more, the fire in his voice long gone. "...Just my luck, huh?"
"It's all right. I believe you. That means you'll have at least one upperclassman as your ally."
"...You sure? I don't wanna make things worse for you."
"Listen. I have lived through hell. A little dent to my reputation is nothing, and I believe I have the means to navigate the situation in a way that could prove advantageous to us both."
Ren slowly looked up, but he remained quiet. His eyes seemed to lock onto Goro's, as if searching for something.
So, naturally, Goro continued, "I realize this may be a lot to accept from a stranger, but…" He glanced at the window. "A long time ago, someone took a chance on me when the rest of the world refused to care. One single act of kindness altered the course of my life, so how could I ignore such an egregious offense? Especially when the man who did this to you is…"
It had to be. The description fit him to a T. After all these years, after living a fraught but ultimately happy life with his friends and family in Inaba, a ghost from his past had finally reared its ugly head.
"...his name is Masayoshi Shido, and he is regrettably my biological father."
"He's your—"
"Make no mistake," Goro growled. "I have no love for that monster in human flesh. My real family is safe in Inaba, barely a blip on that demon's radar, if that. In all likelihood, Shido doesn't know I exist, but I know all about him and his aspirations to lead this country." He scoffed at the notion. What a joke. "Regardless, if Shido put you in this precarious position, then that's all the more reason for me to undercut your wrongful conviction and bring you the justice you so clearly deserve."
"Time out," Ren said, his voice just a little bit strained. "You just met me, and you're seriously gonna—"
Goro cracked a crooked smile, picking up his mop in his left hand. "Who knows, Amamiya-kun? Perhaps it was fate that brought us together. That I'd find someone wronged by the man I despise certainly is quite an odd turn of events, but it means the two of us have more in common than simply being two transfer students who happen to be attending the same school."
To Goro's surprise and delight, Ren actually laughed. It was short, barely a snort, but at least it was something. "Was that supposed to be a pickup line?"
He didn't seem offended. He even wore the tiniest trace of an impish smile. Interesting…
Goro wanted to banter back. It was the perfect opportunity, and yet…
Don't hesitate on my behalf, Goro. If the need arises, you can always introduce me later.
Damn it. A part of Goro yearned to bite back, to reassure his stubborn Shadow of what he'd told him countless times before…
But now was not the time, and so he stroked his chin and played along. "That depends on if you want it to be."
"Maybe." Ren returned to dusting the window. "But what's the fun if I tell you? I thought detectives liked mysteries."
An actual quip? Oh, what a fascinating turn. At the very least, he didn't seem averse to the idea of another boy flirting. That was one less awkward hurdle to explain, given Goro's utter lack of interest in the fairer sex. And after the day he had, why not have some fun? Why not cut through the tedium of this task?
Just to be extra showy, Goro swept more dust away with a smooth, showy gesture. "Ren Amamiya, the man, the mystery… Oh, I am definitely going to keep an eye on you."
Ren's tiny smile soon grew to a grin. "Good, because you never know. I might relapse. You might be next on the list…"
Though the cleaning took time, the pleasant company made the task more bearable. In the end, the two of them successfully wiped away the grime from the floor, tore the cobwebs from the ceiling, and cleared the trash bags that once cluttered the attic. The desk in the corner would have to wait, along with that ladder and the assorted boxes behind it. At the very least, Ren had a bit less clutter to tend to later and, more importantly, a friendly face to ease his doubts as he began this new stage of his life.
And so, perhaps a tad reluctantly, Goro made his way to the cafe's entrance, slinging his bag over his shoulder. With traffic undoubtedly still a clusterfuck, he'd have to take a more scenic route if he hoped to make it back in time for dinner.
Perhaps as reluctant as him, Ren followed closely, while Sojiro and Futaba glued their eyes to his back. "So… guess I'll see you around?"
"That goes without saying." Goro winked again. "I rather enjoyed your company, after all, and I do have a mystery to solve."
Behind them, he could hear Futaba snickering, though a sharp glance from Sojiro silenced her fast.
Well, if that's how it was going to be… Goro smirked at Futaba. "And keep an eye on this one. She's a menace." When Futaba made a face at him, he just shook his head and reached for the door. "Well, good night, Amamiya-kun."
"Call me Ren."
Well, that was fast. Goro peeked over his shoulder to find Ren actually smiling.
"You just spent the past few hours helping me clean an attic, and you're willing to look into my case. …That's more kindness than anyone's shown me in a long time."
Ah. Then again, perhaps that wasn't so surprising. His parents had sent him away, after all. Had they even tried to defend him when the allegations hit? And now he was alone in the city, stuck in an attic with no one to turn to.
No one but Goro Akechi.
A single individual, a single action… Kanji's kindness had proven utterly life changing for Goro. It was precisely what he aimed for, and yet he still breathed in slowly. Still hesitated before nodding. "Very well, Ren. Take care."
He slipped out the door without lingering a moment more, heart racing ever so slightly. Only then did reality truly sink its fangs in. He had just spent hours helping a cute boy clean an attic, and that boy just so happened to share a deep seated vendetta against the man Goro hated the most. And, if that wasn't enough, he didn't seem particularly perturbed by a bit of light flirting.
Goro took a few steps forward, then gazed back at the cafe. Interesting… But best not to get ahead of himself. After all, they had only just met, and he had a mission to fulfill, not to mention…
His Shadow hummed. A new transfer student arrives at his lowest point in life. I don't want to make hasty assumptions, but given everything that we know…
Goro made his way to his bicycle, planting a hand atop the seat. Three years after the Velvet Room was compromised. Three years since Lavenza-chan disappeared and her siblings were thrust into a cruel world and forced to adapt...
His Shadow stepped in. And in August, it will be two years since the start of the cognitive anomalies, and Isshiki-san's…
He didn't need to finish that statement. In fact, Goro was grateful when he didn't. Nonetheless, he couldn't deny the uncanniness. In April of 2009, Makoto Yuki arrived in Iwatodai and would join SEES as its leader. In April of 2011, Yu Narukami arrived in Inaba, turning Goro's life upside down. And considering the larger gaps between the SEBEC Scandal in 1996 and the Sumaru team's ordeal in 1999, not to mention the formation of Tartarus that same year, there was clearly no set interval. Five years between the Inaba case and today hardly disproved anything.
So, naturally, Goro read between the lines. You honestly believe he's a Wild Card?
All I'm saying is the timing is just right, and if he is a Persona user in the making, then all your worries are for naught.
Goro kicked the kickstand out of the way before climbing atop his bike. Another cognitive world rests beneath our feet. By all accounts, a new team of Persona users is sure to follow…
And no doubt, another malevolent god pulled the strings, because there was always some higher power toying with the lives of humans. Some delusional deity claiming to represent humanity's utmost wishes, or some greater symbol of the collective…
Hmph. Goro slipped his helmet on, turning the bike down the street. He'd have to update Mitsuru and Sae as soon as possible. Perhaps take another plunge into those tunnels…
But just as he prepared to leave Yongen-jaya behind, a pair of piercing blue eyes shimmered in the shadows. All too swiftly, that strange black cat from before launched itself forward with a piercing, "Mrrroooowwww!" and promptly flung itself on his shoulders.
And so the two of them stared at one another beneath the setting sun. Once or twice, and he could have passed it up as coincidence, but no ordinary stray would pursue him with such persistence. No. Something wasn't right here.
So Goro took a chance. He whispered to the cat, "You aren't an ordinary feline, are you?"
The cat nodded, a startling intensity in its eyes. Moreover, it prodded the Shujin emblem on his uniform, yowling.
"...Do you want to go to Shujin Academy?"
The cat nodded again.
And so, just when Goro thought he might get some peace that night, he swept out his phone, texted Sae, and took off down the street with this furry interloper.
But such was the life of Goro Akechi, ace detective, Shadow Operative, and former wayward stray.