Immediately following the long and dangerous climb, the Phantom Thieves peered down to find the large Shadow gone. There was not a single trace of its escape. A sign of its whereabouts could not be found. Ann and Haru attempted to revive Ryuji as Yusuke, Futaba, and Morgana kept their eyes peeled on the ground below. The Shadow of Makoto had disappeared as well. Whether it was sheer luck or a trap, the Phantom Thieves were grateful for the present safety and dismissed the possibility of an attack.
“Why are these Shadows helping us?” Haru questioned, breaking the silence. “I mean, the ones of us. Do you think Ren might be worried about us?”
“He may know by now what is happening,” Futaba chimed in. “Who knows how long we’ve been in here? It could have been days.”
“Don’t you think he would have tried to help us by now?” Ann asked.
“He has changed,” Yusuke sighed. “I believe that would not be the case. And he has been rather ill lately. It would make further sense for him to stay behind.”
“I agree with Inari,” Futaba stated. “I fear that if Ren came into the Metaverse, he might end up hurting himself.”
They sat in silence.
“His Shadow seemed to not care about us,” Morgana pointed out. “And yet these other Shadows seem to care... What in the world is up with this place?”
“When that Shadow of Ren appeared,” Ann began, “Ryuji told me it was strange and that it was as if we were seeing different sides of him.”
“These problems merely existed because of their ‘other’ selves,” Yusuke quoted. “This split in identity has caused you to crumble and waver in your own confidence. You love your friends dearly, and yet this other side of the coin causes you distress. You now understand what it is that you hate...” He glanced up at the others. “You hate the Phantom Thieves.”
“That has been troubling...” Haru murmured. “What could it mean? Ren doesn’t hate us, does he?”
“Guys,” Morgana piped up. “I think I might know. Ren and Joker are seen as separate beings here. Even though they’re the same person, they’re two different people in this palace. They’re... two sides of the same coin.”
“I can see where you’re going with this,” Futaba interrupted. “Are you saying that we’re the same way? That us, the Phantom Thieves, are a different version from our normal selves?”
Morgana nodded. “He doesn’t necessarily hate us. He doesn’t like the Phantom Thieves anymore.”
“But why would he not like the Phantom Thieves?” Ann questioned. “He was our leader!”
“If he knows he has a palace by now,” Futaba muttered, “then he would probably do everything in his power to keep us safe from his distortion. That is, he’s trying to hinder us and lead us away from his treasure.”
“So, if Ren knows, then it would all make sense why this is happening?” Ann inquired. “But how would he-” She stopped. “I remember Ren telling Ryuji and me that he’d been able to enter the palace, but he didn’t know whose it was. The only reason he probably hasn’t explored it yet would be... Queen! We haven’t seen Queen! Do you guys think she may have told him about this?”
“We haven’t seen her for a while,” Yusuke contemplated. “That could very well have happened...”
“Wait, guys,” Futaba exclaimed. “Hold on. Wait, wait, wait...”
“What is it, Oracle?” Haru asked.
“Ren... He’s the kind of person to deal with his problems. He doesn’t just walk away. How do you think he would get rid of a palace without going into the Metaverse?”
“S-Suicide?!?” Ann abruptly cried out.
“What? No! Ren’s not that dumb! With us inside? He knows that would get us killed! And that’s just running away from his problems! I think... I think he’d ask for guidance. If I were Ren, I would make a solid plan and prepare for something so largescale and potentially fatal.”
“Who would have information on such a matter?” Yusuke pondered.
“Oh! Lavenza!” Ann replied. “The people in the Velvet Room know all about the Metaverse! Say... We haven’t heard from Lavenza either. We should-”
“I’m back!” a voice shouted.
The Phantom Thieves looked down in surprise to see Shadow Makoto leading a perfectly fine Sojiro towards them.
“Boss?!?” The Phantom Thieves exclaimed in unison.
“I see...” Yusuke breathed. “The key to get past the Shadow was using its own kind.”
“Ha!” Morgana laughed. “My smarts worked once again. Sorry for not telling you guys, but I asked, uh... Makoto a little favor.”
“It was the least I could do for you,” Shadow Makoto said, nodding.
The Phantom Thieves scaled down the curtains. Futaba ran up to Sojiro and hugged him. He hugged back, looking slightly confused.
“That thing... turned into a thing...” he muttered.
“Come on, let’s get you back home,” Futaba told him. “There’s a lot that we need to talk about.”
A door appeared across the room and a blonde girl in a blue uniform stepped out, surprising the Phantom Thieves.
“Ugh, finally!” the small girl snapped. “Hurry up! There’s not much time! We can’t hold out much longer!”
“Who are you?” Ann asked.
“No time for questions, get in here! I can’t stay as these two for long!”
She stormed over and began to push Haru. The small child was stronger than she looked. She shoved each of the Phantom Thieves into the door, seeming to melt reality as she did so.
<><><>
“We’re finally back,” Futaba breathed. “I’m so tired...”
The Phantom Thieves and Sojiro had returned to Cafe Leblanc. Futaba collapsed in one of the booths and began to snore. Ann and Yusuke had carried Ryuji upstairs for the time being and tended to his injuries. He hadn’t woken up yet.
Morgana sat on one of the barstools, staring up at Sojiro. The old man seemed exhausted as well but was willing and determined to feed the tired Phantom Thieves. It had been days since they had first entered the Metaverse. They needed a plan, and a good one at that. They still hadn’t found the treasure. Morgana had an idea on where the treasure was. Joker hadn’t let them into the theater. The treasure had to be somewhere around there.
“Futaba,” Morgana said, breaking the silence.
Futaba sat up and rubbed her cheek.
“What?”
“Was there something off about the theater? What exactly did you see in there?”
Futaba closed her eyes. Morgana could tell that she was reluctant to talk about it. She took a deep breath and shook her hands.
“It was... demented,” Futaba explained. “It was... a play, like everyone had heard of. It must be where the treasure lies. That’s where I could sense the most distortion from.”
“What was the play about?”
Futaba fiddled with her fingers. “It was about us.”
“Us? The Phantom Thieves?”
“Yes, but... we all seemed drained and... faded out.”
“What happened during the play?”
“It was as if everyone was in pain,” Futaba said. “It was while Ren was in the interrogation room.”
“Then... how were we there?”
“It was like... his thoughts? He was worried about us. I’m not sure if it was because he was drugged or what, but how the pain was expressed was...”
Futaba shuddered. This only led to more confusion on Morgana’s half.
“That doesn’t even make any sense. It was playing his thoughts during the... interrogation scene? Is that what we should call it?”
Futaba stared at the ground. “The way that the part where Akechi shot him was played out... It makes me want to believe that Ren feels guilty about Akechi’s death.”
Morgana’s tail flicked from side to side. “Guilty?”
“When Akechi pointed the gun at Ren’s head and fired, everything turned hazy. And then suddenly when everything sharpened, Joker was standing there behind Akechi, a gun pointed at his head. And then the lights went out and the curtain closed...”
“Almost like Ren was the one who killed Akechi? But Ren didn’t kill Akechi. It’s just to symbolize his feelings, that he feels as though he’s the cause of death?”
Futaba nodded. “I was worried at first that Ren was the one who killed him, but... then I thought of it that way.”
“If Ren feels guilty about Akechi’s death because of the Phantom Thieves, then... Wait a minute. Ren was talking to his parents about the Phantom Thieves when the accident happened. Could that be an added reason on why he hates the Phantom Thieves?”
“He thinks that the Phantom Thieves got people killed? Is that why he hates us so much?”
“It’s not just us,” Morgana told her. “Ren’s hatred is towards the Phantom Thieves. He also hates himself.”