Prompt: Amagi Inn Sage Ch. 4 (Persona) (Patreon)

Summary: Trapped in the Amagi Inn together during a storm, the Phantom Thieves and Co relax, talk, and take it easy. The fun times only get better when a few familiar faces appear. Includes: No Smut, but some intense kissing, dirty jokes, and fun!

---

Inaba was known for many things. The Amagi Inn, the inn’s springs, the mysterious murders a few year ago, and, lately, it’s sometimes unpredictable weather.

Ren learned this the hard way. 

He and his friends ran towards the hotel, their arms up to try and protect themselves from the pounding rain. He and the other retired Phantom Thieves, plus Hifumi, Shiho, and Sae, ran through the town’s empty streets, trying to make their way to the Amagi Inn.

“The forecast said clear skies! CLEAR SKIES!” Ann roared, holding Morgana in her arms. “Does this seem clear to anyone?!” 

Behind Ann were two others of the group. Ryuji was running by Shiho’s side, helping her keep pace with him so that they were at least in the middle of the group. Normally the girl wouldn’t be able to keep up with him and the others, but Ryuji was doing his best to help, encouraging her and even letting her lean on him. 

At one point he had even tried carrying the girl, but she quickly got embarrassed and asked to be put down. Ryuji had been kind enough to obey and neither said anything as he did so, both slightly red in the cheeks.

“Come on, you can do it! Keep it up! One, two, one, two!” Ryuji yelled beside Shiho, trying to pump her up like she was one of his track teammates. 

“I-I think I need a short break!” Shiho coughed, slowing down. 

“That’s okay, don’t push yourself too hard, you’re doing great!” the young man promised, keeping his own energy up, hoping to share some of it with the girl as Shiho’s best friend turned her head.

“Shiho, are you okay?” Ann asked, coming to a stop. She took a step back towards her friend, but Shiho held up a hand as she she struggled to catch her breath, even as she was pelted with water. 

“I’m fine! K-keep going. I promise, I’m okay!”

At the very end of the group, Futaba coughed and gasped for air. She struggled to keep up. “I can’t… I can’t go on!” The redhead panted as the distance between her and others grew wider. “Go on without me! Tell my story!”

“Futaba!” Haru came to a skidding, slippery stop, running back for her friend. She caught Futaba’s hand and heaved the woman onto her feet. “I’ve got you!”

“No, Haru! Leave me. I-I’m not going to make it!” Futaba wailed. “T-Tell Sojiro, I-I’m sorry I couldn’t see the stars with him…” The younger woman stuck out her tongue and went limp in Haru’s arms. The older girl gasped… before blinking.

“Oh, are you referencing that movie you showed me last week? The one with the alien bugs?”

Immediately Futaba’s mood seemed to improve. “You remember! Good job, Haru! We’ll turn you into a scifi buff yet!” 

“Would you two quit referencing movies and hurry up?!” Ann ordered, glaring at the two.

Both girls replied at the same time, blushing slightly at having been caught. “Coming!” 

Haru pulled away from Futaba to follow the others, but the younger girl had a tight hold on her hand. The auburn-haired woman looked at her friend, who was blushing even more intensely now.

“Um, I am really tired though. I wasn't joking about that. Um, do you think you can… you know…?” 

Haru blinked, before realization hit her.

---

Hifumi kept up with the others, running just behind Makoto and Ren. Yusuke was right beside her, effortlessly keeping up as he looked through his backpack as he ran. Honestly, Hifumi was amazed by the speed and stamina of most of the group, Futaba notwithstanding. 

Being Phantom Thieves must have been great cardio, she thought in the back of her mind. 

“Is something wrong, Yusuke?” she asked, looking at the blue-haired artist. 

“I believe I left a paintbrush behind.” He looked at her, a dead serious glimmer in his eyes. “We have to go back.”

“W-what?! We can’t go back!” Hifumi argued.

“Very well. I’ll simply do it myself.” But Yusuke felt a hand grab his shoulder, and when he turned to look at the person holding him as they ran, he found Sae looking at him with blood-red eyes.

“You will do no such things! There are several flood warnings in Inaba from the National Weather Institute. You will be staying inside the Amagi Inn where it is safe, do I make myself clear?” 

Yusuke stared at her, before he slowly turned his head to Hifumi. “After careful consideration, I have decided that I will simply purchase new paintbrushes.”

“That’s probably a good choice,” Hifumi chuckled, before she noticed someone running by her other side. She didn’t think much of it at first, after all, she was in a big group, but when she saw who it was and what they were carrying, she gasped, eyes wide and jaw hanging open.

“Hi, Hifumi! Hi, Inari! Hi, Makoto’s scary sister!” Futaba greeted, riding on Haru’s back as the older woman ran. “Bye, Hifumi! Bye, Inari! Bye, Makoto’s scary sister! Giddy up, Noir!”

Haru’s cheeks burned with her shame, crying out as the younger girl laughed. “Futaba! I am not a horse!”

“Whoops, sorry! Got lost in the moment!” Futaba gave Haru’s head a scratch, comforting the mighty steed. The auburn-haired woman turned her head to glare at her, and Futaba laughed nervously in response. 

Haru was a fast runner, soon reaching the front of the line where Ren and Makoto led the others, even with the short hacker on her back. Makoto and Ren stared at the two with shock in their eyes as Futaba waved at them.

“Hi, Joker! Hi, Queen! Look! I’m tall now!” Haru let out a quiet huff as she continued to carry Futaba. Meanwhile, the violet-eyed girl beamed, enjoying the sight of her friends looking up at her for the first time ever. 

---

Eventually the group had returned to the Amagi Inn, panting and soaking from the rain water. Thunder clapped outside, and the very building seemed to shake as the boom echoed throughout the small town. Ryuji shook his head, getting droplets of water onto Ann and Morgana as he groaned. 

“Hey, are we sure this place is floodproof?” he asked, glancing outside.

“Ah, Ryuji! Quit it, you jerk!” Ann growled, smacking the man’s head.

“Ow! What was that for?!”

“You got water on me!”

“There’s already water on you! It’s raining like crazy out there!” 

“You got water on me too!” Morgana scowled. “Don’t you know anything about cats?!”

“I thought you said you weren’t a cat!” 

As the three bickered, Ren looked at Makoto. “Guess we’re staying in the inn for the rest of the day.”

“It seems you’re right. Perhaps we should all go and change out of these clothes and reconvene in the lobby?” Ren nodded his head, and the two led the group to split apart, with everyone going their separate ways. 

Ren wished his girlfriend a quick farewell, as he started walking back to his room. As he walked down the halls of the rustic inn, he heard a voice around the corner. It was a familiar voice, and Ren blushed as he realized who just who it was speaking. He steeled himself as he saw the owner of the inn talking on her phone, not even noticing him yet.

Yukiko Amagi of the Amagi Family. The young woman was the one in charge of inn, and the first time he had spoken to her, she came off as a kind, reasonable, and polite woman. 

Then there was the very last time he had seen her. He hadn’t even said a word to her, but that meeting had left a mark on the thief’s soul. He burned with shame and embarrassment as he hoped she had forgotten him, but he doubted that. 

It wasn’t that Ren was scared of her, obviously, he just… really hoped she didn’t say anything to him. After all, the last time Yukiko had seen the young man was when he was with Makoto, and the two had clearly just had, well, sexual intercourse. 

Ren kept moving, trying to keep his walk at a calm and normal pace as he passed by the woman. She said nothing to him, thankfully, too captured by her own conversation. She ignored him as he walked past her, trying not to eavesdrop on her call.

---

Yukiko held the phone to her ear, a look of concern in her eyes. “Are you sure you’re all okay?” she asked, raising her brow.

“Yep. Just a lot of water over here,” Yu replied.

“I heard that whole area is under a flood warning.”

“It’s not too bad right now, but it is getting worse, and fast.”

“Well, how far are you from home?” 

“Naoto and my’s place is close, but Kanji and Rise actually asked if they could bunk with us until it was safer out. I’m more worried about Nanako, Yosuke and Chie.”

Yukiko nodded her head as she leaned against the wall, glancing out the window as thunder clapped in the distance. She knew her best friend was afraid of thunder, but Yu’s concern for his little sibling scared her a little. The entire Investigation Team was especially protective for the young girl ever since the incident with Namatame…

“How is Nanako-chan?”

“Sick. She wasn’t feeling good beforehand, but she really wanted to come with me and Naoto to see the others. Now she’s shivering and sneezing.” He paused, and as if to reassure both himself and Yukiko, he added, “I’m sure it’s just a cold, but I want to get her somewhere warm as soon as I can, so Naoto and I will be taking her straight home.”

Yukiko could understand the silverette’s concern., but she couldn’t help but worry for the young girl. Yes, Yu and Naoto’s place was close to where they were, but close was relative… 

“How is Chie taking the lightning?”

“Better than usual, but I can tell she’s still scared.”

That brought a small smile to Yukiko’s face. Chie had been improving when it came to her fear lately. Still, even Yukiko was getting worried about how intense the weather was getting outside. 

Each of her closest friends, save for Teddie, were peacefully enjoying the serene weather of the TV World, were out before the storm struck. Yukiko had wanted to join them on the outing, but duty and work beckoned her to stay at the inn. 

Now her friends were out in the storm, being pelted by cold rain and strong, biting gusts of wind. She wanted to sigh again, when an idea came to her mind.

“Oh, why don’t you take everyone here? You’re close to the Inn, right?”

“Yeah, but are you sure?”

“You can all stay together, and stay warm in the lobby. Nanako can take one of our spare rooms to rest in! I won’t even charge you!” she promised, before she blinked. “T-that was a joke. I’m not going to charge you anything for staying in the lobby, and Nanako is always welcomed here. She could even taken my room if she wanted. I’ll even make snacks!”

“...Can we pay you not to make snacks?” Yu asked, and Yukiko pouted.

“I’ve gotten better!”

Yu chuckled, before his tone became slightly more serious. “Are you sure it’s no trouble?”

“Not at all! I mean, I am sure. I’m sure it’s no trouble. Please, tell everyone to come over.”

“Alright, I will. Thanks, Yukiko!” 

---

Ren fell onto a chair and let out a long, exhausted sigh. He and the others had changed into some dry clothes and now they finally had a chance to relax. Even if this wasn’t the outing they were hoping for, he hoped the group could find a way to salvage the trip and still have fun with their vacation.

“Man, it is really coming down out there,” Ryuji commented, staring out a nearby window as the group sat and relaxed on one side of the large Amagi Inn lobby. 

Hifumi nodded her head, sitting by Yusuke on a large couch. The famed Shogi player blinked as she noticed that Yusuke kept drawing something in his sketchbook, before erasing it away and trying again. She placed a hand on the young man’s arm and asked him about it, looking over his shoulder.

“Yusuke? What are you doing?”

“Trying to capture the beauty of the rain. How the light reflects off of the the raindrops.” He glanced out the window, before glaring back down at the paper. “But I simply cannot capture the image. The raindrops are falling too fast.”

“Are… You’re trying to draw each individual raindrops?” Hifumi raised her brow, confused by the artist’s endeavor. 

He nodded his head. “Yes. As a child, when I misbehaved, Madarame would often assign me similar tasks.” His voice was surprisingly quiet, to the point where Hifumi had to lean in close to hear him. “Typically whenever I misbehaved.”

“Wait, he’d make you paint the rain when it rained?” 

“Yes.” His hand shook for a moment, and Hifumi could see his lips curve into a subtle scowl. “He would often demand I capture the weather perfectly. I wouldn’t-” He stopped, as if catching himself, and he he shook his head. “I’m sorry. I spoke without thinking. You don’t need to listen to me reminisce.”

Hifumi’s hand hadn’t left the artist’s shoulder. She gave him a gentle squeeze before pulling on him, making him face her. She smiled at him as memories bubbled in her mind. 

Her mother would often make Hifumi practice Shogi moves, especially when the young girl misbehaved. Hifumi still remembered a particular painful night. Hifumi was locked in her room and told to study an entire book about Shogi.

The memory hurt to recall, but it was important that Hifumi never forgot it. Maybe that was what went through Yusuke’s head…

“My mother wouldn’t let me out of my room until I could recite entire pages from a book from memory.”

Yusuke’s eyes widened for a moment, and she watched as he bit the inside of his cheek, a sympathetic and knowing glimmer in his eyes. “I take it the pages were about Shogi.” She nodded her head. “It seems we were both trained to be the best in our field.”

“Trained?” Hifumi didn’t like the way that word felt on her tongue, but maybe it was just the context. The hidden truth that word hid. “Yeah, I suppose so.” She shook the thought out of her head and smiled at her classmate. “Anyways, maybe you should try drawing something else?”

Yusuke glanced at his sketchbook, before glancing at her. “Perhaps you’re right. I could go over the basics again. One can never refine themselves too much when it comes to the basics of drawing.”

Hifumi smiled at the blue-haired man, and soon he returned the gesture. A moment of clarity, a moment of sympathy, and a moment of unity all blended together. In the back of her mind, the brunette girl blinked.

“Oh, I never thanked you.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I never thanked you for inviting me to this vacation you and the others were having.” She finally pulled her hand off of his shoulder and gave the young man a warm smile. “Thank you, Yusuke.”

The young artist blinked, before he smiled at her and nodded his head. “It was my pleasure, Hifumi.”

“Hey, what are you two talking about over there?” Futaba asked, sitting with Haru on a neighboring couch.

“Oh, nothing. We were just talking about uh… art,” Hifumi replied, not wishing to put Yusuke in an awkward position. The young man nodded his head in agreement, but some of the others did not seem so convinced. 

“Oh? Art? Is that a codeword for you two?” Ann asked, her voice light and teasing. 

“Are you implying something, Ann?” Hifumi asked, frowning as she lifted her brow.

“I mean, a girl and a guy whispering to each other in a big group. I mean, I might not be the one implying things,” the blond commented, before giving Hifumi a good natured grin.

Hifumi smiled despite the teasing remark. She had never been in a group of friends like this before this week so she was still adjusting to the group’s dynamic, but she was beginning to understand the others. Teasing remarks, jokes, poking fun…

Like the great Shogi player she was, Hifumi made her counterattack. “Yeah, I get why you would think that. I mean, a boy and a girl, both from the same school sitting next to each other why, if we were childhood friends then it’d be just scandalous.”

Hifumi glanced at Ryuji, who was sitting down beside Ann. Thankfully the blonde boy was too distracted with a conversation he was having with Shiho to notice. 

Ann blushed profusely as she realized what the brunette was doing. Hifumi, just like the other girls, knew Ann’s secret. It was quickly becoming common knowledge among the girls in the group that Ann had a thing for the Phantom Thieves’ athlete. Ann opened her mouth to counter Hifumi’s counterattack, only for an unlikely ally to help Hifumi.

“Oh, Ryuji, would you mind if I get the arm rest?”

“Huh? Oh, sure.”

Shiho sat on the far side of the couch as Ryuji scooted over so he was between her and Ann. The model blushed, glancing at Ryuji, before looking at Hifumi. The brunette held back a laugh as Ann pouted, before giving a small smile, despite her scarlet cheeks. 

Neither needed to say it, but they both knew what the other was thinking. Hifumi eagerly awaited Ann’s retaliation, as Ann admitted to herself how Hifumi had outplayed her. Truly she was a Shogi player of great skill…

“I’m booored!” Futaba suddenly, and loudly, declared, sitting with Haru on another couch. “Let’s do something!” 

“Alright. Got anything in mind?” Ren asked, smiling at the orange-haired genius. Makoto walked over to her boyfriend, sitting by his side. Their hands found their way to each other, but both paused as Sae glanced at them. Their hands parted from each other as Futaba pondered. 

The group was set up in a square, with four couches on each side. Ann, Ryuji, and Shiho sat on one couch, Makoto, Ren, and now Sae sat across from them, Haru and Futaba sat on the third couch, and finally Hifumi and Yusuke sat on the fourth. There was room for plenty more people, with each couch probably able to sit four or five people comfortably. Meanwhile, Morgana prowled around the fourth, stretching his black, furry legs. 

“Hmm… I got nothing,” Futaba sighed. She glanced at Haru, and gave the older girl a smile. “Maybe we can dare each other?”

Haru and Hifumi both blushed at the statement. They shared a glance, before looking away from the other. Both quickly tried to shoot down the idea. 

“P-perhaps something else,” Haru stuttered. 

“S-so, Ren! How’s dating Makoto? You two been good lately? E-everything good?” Hifumi asked, begging for any kind of distraction, anything to tip the focus on something. 

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Things are great,” Ren grinned, placing a hand on Makoto’s shoulder. She leaned into him as Sae watched the two, frowning.

“Y-yeah, I bet. I can tell, there’s a glow about you two,” Hifumi commented. Despite her panicked tone, she was being honest. There really was a glow around the two that she could see, ignorant of just what that glow was, or that, for a time, she and Haru had something similar. 

After all, sex felt good, whether or not it was with one’s soulmate…

“A-a glow? I-I don’t know about that,” Makoto chuckled, suddenly very aware of her sister’s eyes on her and her boyfriend. Makoto cleared her throat, pulling her boyfriend’s hand off of her shoulder and scooting away from him.

“Man, you two are so lucky. Wish I had a boyfriend,” Ann commented aloud. “Long walks on the beach, candlelit dinners, and watching movies together, all snuggled up under a blanket…”

“Good luck finding a guy to sit through those stupid romcoms with you,” Ryuji muttered beside Ann, earning a quiet laugh from Shiho. 

“What did you say?” Ann growled, making the young man nervously laugh.

“Uh, nothing…”

“He said your choice in movies sucks,” Futaba declared. As she grinned mischievously, she nuzzled up against Haru for warmth, and the older girl blushed, but did nothing to push her friend away. 

“Futaba! The hell?!”

“Oh, is that so?” Ann glared at Ryuji, who looked ready to move seats, before Shiho chimed in.

“Your movies can be kind of melodramatic sometimes, Ann,” Shiho commented. “Not to mention your reaction to them,” she chuckled.

“Shiho, I take it you and Ann saw a lot of movies together?” Ren asked, and the dark-haired girl nodded her head. “She smuggle tissues into the theater for you too then, huh?”

“Heh, I was the one who suggest she start doing that! Before that, she’d use our sleeves!” Shiho and Ren shared a laugh as Ann blushed. “She still owes me a sweater.”

“Every time we go to the movies together, she wants to see the latest chick flick,” Futaba added. 

“I do not!” 

Haru and Makoto shared a glance with one another. As the two most mature members of the movie-going group, they both silently agreed not to join in on the verbal dogpile. They did share a quiet agreement that, yes, Ann did always want to see the latest chick flick.

“You guys suck,” the model pouted, crossing her arms. Shiho was about to apologize to her best friend, before Hifumi spoke up. “You guys never want to go see my movies…”

“Hey, Ann.” The group looked at the Shogi player, who smiled politely. “I’ll see a movie with you.”

“R-really?” 

“Sure. I haven’t seen a lot of movies in my life, so I’d love to go see one with you.”

“You rock, Hifumi! Ooh, you should totally come with us to the movies next time! Ooh, you too, Sae! If we all vote on the same movie, we can totally beat Haru and Futaba!” 

Sae said nothing, merely looking away with cheeks a subtle shade of red. She really didn’t want to weigh in on the topic, ignorant of current movie trends. Despite this, she had an inkling that would be uninterested in Ann’s choice of film.

“Beat them?” Hifumi repeated in confusion.

“Ever since Haru and Futaba formed an alliance with each other, they keep voting on the same movie together,” Makoto explained. “Ann and I typically pick different movies, and Shiho rarely has a strong preference on film genre, so Haru and Futaba tend to win most votes our group holds.”

“The Haba Alliance will never die!” Futaba declared. “Right, Vice-President Haru?”

“That’s right!” the older girl giggled, hugging her friend. 

“Man, and I thought Sae and Makoto were the only sisters here,” Ann chuckled. Both Haru and Futaba blinked at that, looking at the blond. 

“Huh? What do you mean, Ann?” the older of the two asked. 

“Just that you and Futaba are really close. You’re practically sisters.”

“You know, I can see that,” Makoto agreed. 

“Especially if they dyed their hair to match each other,” Ren added with a nod. 

“S-sisters?” Futaba repeated, blushing at the idea as Haru’s eyes sparkled. “I mean, Haru has pretty hair, but I-I don’t think I could make it work…”

“Sisters…?” Haru’s eyes gleamed at the idea. Truth be told, the wealthy girl had always wanted a little sibling to share her childhood with, but after her mother’s death and Haru’s relationship deteriorating with her father, well…

The point was that the idea of being Futaba’s older sister made Haru beam with pride, and she hugged her smaller friend close as the auburn-haired woman chuckled. “I would be honored to have a sister as smart and kind as Futaba-chan!”

As Futaba blushed from the public display of affection, she wondered several things in the back of her head. Would Sojiro adopt Haru into their family? Would Futaba get a portion of Okumura Food’s stocks? Was it weird to find her ‘sister’ attractive? Would Futaba’s breasts grow into the giant bazongas Haru was gifted with? 

God, she hoped so... 

As Futaba and Haru hugged one another, Ryuji lifted up his hand. “Question. How come we never get invited for movies with you girls?” 

“Girls only,” Ann replied with a smug smirk.

“Lame,” he replied. “Joker, us guys should totally get together and do something, dudes only.”

“I can agree with that,” Morgana added, hoping onto the couch and crawling onto Ryuji’s lap. “Men only!” 

“Ah, get the hell off, you stupid cat! You’re still wet!”

“No one dried me! How about you actually support a fellow teammate and dry me, monkey!?” 

---

The others chuckled at the two’s hijinx, though Hifumi, Shiho, and Sae were ignorant of what was actually being said by the cat. After all, only Persona users could understand the feline, leaving the three girls to work things out with context clues.

Currently, their theories were all the same. Morgana insulted Ryuji, and that upsetted the young man.

“Meow! Meow meow meow! MEOW!” the cat hissed.

“Say that again, tough guy!” Ryuji scowled, pulling up his sleeve to punch Morgana. 

They were correct, of course, as Ryuji and Morgana continued to bicker. 

“N-now, now, you two. I’m sure Morgana didn’t mean that,” Shiho quickly said, though she couldn’t stop herself from quietly muttering, “I think…”

---

“A guy’s only thing would be great,” Ren agreed, trying to calm the two down. “Got any suggestions?”

“How about fishing? A man’s sport!” the blonde grinned.

“Ooh, fishing!? I love fish! Yeah, let’s do that!” the cat agreed.

“Yusuke, you want to go fishing with us?” Ren asked, glancing at the blue-haired artist, who quietly nodded his head.

“I would be honored. Perhaps we can ride in the boats at Inokashira Park together and fish there?”

“Yeah!” Ryuji and Morgana agreed, though Ann couldn’t help but poke fun at the idea.

“Bunch of guys all sharing a boat, waiting for a fish dumb enough to actually fall for their bait. Sounds exciting.”

“Pretty sure you can’t fish there,” Makoto commented, though she glanced at her sister for a proper answer. Sae stared back, slowly blushing from shame.

“Fishing laws are… not my strong suit. I’d have to research the topic.”

“Wow, something that neither of the Niijima Sisters know,” Ryuji joked. “Hey, is that a pig flying outside?” 

“Ha, ha,” Makoto frowned, rolling her eyes. 

“Hm… a pig with wings sounds absolutely adorable,” Haru commented, thinking aloud.

“And delicious,” Futaba added. “Bacon, and duck, at the same time! Mmm, get in my belly, pig with wings!” 

Haru gasped, bringing a hand to her lips. “Oh no! Fly away, cute bird-pigs!” The two giggled together as Ann felt like her earlier statement was proven true once again.

“One: You two are cute together,” she teased, before adding, “Two: Pigs with wings would not be cute.” 

“Aw, they would too!” Haru pouted.

“I don’t know, Haru. I think I might be with Ann on this one. Pigs with wings would be just too bizarre to be cute,” Makoto stated. 

“Betrayal!” Futaba gasped.

“No, I’m with Haru and Futaba. I think a pig with wings could be cute. They just have to be the right size of wings.”

“Yes! Shiho, ally of the Haba Alliance! Join us, Shiho, become our Treasurer, and we’ll call ourselves the Habaho Coalition!” 

“I kind of have to agree with the Coalition,” Hifumi thought aloud. “Pigs with wings can be cute. Big, angelic wings, maybe.”

“Yeah! Four votes! The Habahomi League prevails!” 

Ann elbowed Ryuji, and the blonde blinked. “Huh?”

“Ryuji votes with the, uh…” Ann looked at Makoto, and the two silently discussed something as Ann threw their names together. “The… Mann Team has three votes!”

Makoto sighed, palming her face with a small smile. 

“That’s not fair! You’re using a threat of force to coerce his vote!” Futaba frowned. 

“I vote with Lady Ann! Down with winged pigs, up with winged cats!” Morgana declared, joining in with the chaos.  

“Morgana votes with us! That’s four!” Ann cheered, translating for Shiho, Sae, and Hifumi.

“Gasp! The Habahomi League is being threatened! The Mann Team has us matched! The Habahomi League needs help! We call upon Joker for aid!”

“I agree with Makoto.”

“Ah!? Joker’s whipped!” Futaba whined, pouting as Haru chuckled, patting her friend’s back.

“I’m not whipped,” Ren commented, frowning slightly at that.

“Uh, yeah, dude. You are,” Ryuji replied.

Ren opened his mouth to argue, but decided he’d get his revenge later. He scooted closer to Makoto’s side, nuzzling against her as the brunette blushed.

“Okay, so Makoto, Ann, Ren, Morgana, and Ryuji don’t have souls,” the small redhead pouted. “While me, Haru, Hifumi, and Shiho still have ours.” She turned her head to Sae, who blinked under the intense stare. “Sae! Winged pigs! Cute or not cute?”

Sae blinked, before glancing at her sister for help. Makoto gave her sister an amused smile, shrugging her shoulders. It was clear that Sae was on her own, leaving her up a river without a paddle. 

As humiliating as it may have been to admit, Sae skipped over most of her childhood. Growing up, she focused on being a good student and an even better sister. She always strove to be the best, working with laser focus towards her goal.

It was always her father who had to remind her how important her own happiness was, but when he passed away, suddenly Sae had to be an adult. She had to be even more mature and focused than she was before. This made her excellent in the academic and, her profession, but the childish, silly topics that Makoto’s friends took part in, well... 

“I abstain.”

“Huh?”

“I choose not to vote. I abstain.”

“Ah, you’re no fun,” Futaba pouted, and Sae silently agreed with the young teenager. “Fine, I guess that’s everyone…”

“What about Yusuke?” Haru asked.

“What about him?” 

“It is completed.” Everyone turned their heads to look at Yusuke, who stood up with a proud smile while twirling a brush between his fingers. He held up his sketchpad in his hands, turning it so the others could see. The group was surprised to find that Yusuke had painted a beautiful image on the paper, specifically of a winged pig. 

The image was majestic, with the pig soaring into the sky, towards the rising sun. The sun’s rays shined down on the pig as it flowed through the trees and neared the clouds. The image dazzled the group, shocking each of them.

“Whoa, that’s awesome!” Ryuji commented. 

“You just drew that? How?!” Ann wondered.

“Way to go, Vincent.”

“Thank you, Theo.” The two friends smiled at one another as Futaba and Haru beamed. 

“That proves us right!” the smaller of the two declared, and the group shared a good-natured laugh, letting the battle go as quickly as it had begun. 

Sae, on the other hand, was left rather confused. Not of the painting, but of the general silliness the group participated in. Even her usually serious sister was laughing, leaning against Ren as the two giggled. 

She supposed it was simply a part of being young… 

---

Eventually conversations began to divide the group, and soon different groups of friends were talking to one another. Ann glanced around the group, watching everyone talking to each other and just having a good time.

“You know, Hifumi, we should play virtual Shogi sometime!” Futaba beamed. “I’m still upset you and I haven’t gotten to play.”

“Why not just actually play Shogi? I have the board and pieces in my room.” 

“Uh, cause online is way better? We can play when we’re in our rooms, or halfway around the world, or, ooh! I can try and program a training partner for you! Think about it! A program that learns your moves and become a better opponent the more times you beat it! That’d be so cool!” 

“Sounds a little too science fiction for me, but I wouldn’t mind playing with you later tonight, maybe.” 

“Awesome! I’m super pumped! I can’t believe you all had a battle royale without me!” Hifumi and Futaba smiled at one another, competitive spirits burning brightly as Haru spoke to Shiho.

“So what was it like fighting Shadows? Ann tells me they were pretty scary.”

“Oh, not at all! They were actually kind of cute, and I absolutely loved the way they looked when they begged.”

“I… W-what?”

“Mmhm! Sometimes I’d bring some of the vegetables I grew and the Shadows would follow the smell and beg for some food.”

“Oh.”

“Of course, after I fed them some and the others told me I couldn’t keep it, I had to put it down with my axe. They’re usually too distracted eating to notice me bringing it down until it’s too late.”

“...What?”

Ren and Makoto were certainly getting comfortable with one another, holding each other with an arm around the other’s waist, talking about something private. Of course, they, and Ann, noticed Sae’s watchful eyes glaring at them and they quickly pulled apart.

Beyond that, Sae mostly kept to herself, like how Yusuke was. The blue-haired artist continued to draw and paint on his sketchpad, quietly glancing up every now and again to look at the others. Ann wondered what exactly he was painting, but decided he would show her if he wanted to.

Morgana hopped onto Ann’s legs, crawling onto her lap as the blond’s blue eyes fell upon Ryuji. She frowned at the sight of him, glaring into the back of his head. Ann was petting Morgana’s back as she used her hand to gently tug on Ryuji’s hair, annoying him.

“Ow, the hell? What the eff, Ann?”

“What was that?” she asked as he turned to face her.

“What was what?”

“Those comments about the movies I like! I didn’t hear you complaining about seeing them last week!” 

“Sh!” Ryuji suddenly hissed, slapping his hand over Ann’s mouth. “Shut up, Ann…” But the young woman didn’t want to hear it.

“Oh? You don’t want everyone to know you cried when you saw the movie, ‘Final Days of Summer,’ with me, in theaters?”

“I wasn’t crying, there was just something in my eyes!”

“Yeah, tears!”

Ryuji motioned for his friend to shut up once again, looking around the lobby to make sure no one had overheard her. It was true. Ann had done the impossible, and actually got Ryuji to enjoy himself with some pretty girly stuff. 

The two hung out, especially after Joker left Tokyo to return to his hometown. They went shopping together and Ann would suggest the latest fashion for him to wear, and he’d… wait outside the dressing room and nod his head in approval everytime she inevitably asked him if it looked good on her.

It wasn’t like he was lying. Ann looked good in lots of stuff. She was a model, after all.

Shopping hadn’t been too bad, but then Ann started showing the young man her music collection. Lots of happy, bubbly, high-pitched pop music. Generic, tone deaf stuff that Ryuji wanted to hate, but… damn it, he ended up really liking some of the songs.

The quick, high energy beat was great to work out too, and Ryuji was humiliated to admit that he actually listened to some of her songs while he worked out at the gym. If anyone at the gym found out what he was listening to he’d probably never live it down, and that wasn’t even touching on the movies Ann had showed him.  

Ann had shown him several of her favorite movies, and to Ryuji’s infinite annoyance, he actually enjoyed them. The plot was cliche, the character two-dimensional, and he was pretty sure the plot was full of melodrama, but… but the music was beautiful, and the acting was fantastic, and damn it, he did tear up last week when they saw ‘Final Days of Summer’ together!

He denied it, of course, and he would keep denying it until he died. 

“I didn’t cry,” Ryuji growled, glaring at her.

“Uh, yeah, you did.”

“I did not.”

“You did too.”

“Did not!”

“Did-”

“Excuse me? Is everything okay?” a voice asked, and both blondes turned to find the owner of the inn standing by, staring at them, her dark eyes bouncing from one to another. Ann turned her head around and saw that their friends were also watching Ryuji and Ann with confused and concerned gazes.

“Uh...”

“We’re good! Just getting into a debate about-” Ann began, but Ryuji decided to interject with his own answer.

“Push ups!” 

Ann’s veins wanted to pop out of sheer annoyance and frustrated, but she played along, putting all of her acting skills to good use. “Yep! Debating about… push ups.”

“Oh. I see. Well, I hope you two work things out!” The woman, Yukiko Amagi, gave the two a sympathetic smile. “Don’t worry. All the best couples argue with each other now and again.”

“Right, of cou- Wait. Did you say couples?” Ann’s face burned with embarrassment as Ryuji’s cheeks turned a bright shade of red.

“W-we’re not-she’s not my girlfriend!” he argued, waving his hands and shaking his head. 

“Huh? Oh, I’m sorry. I just meant a couple of friends.” Yukiko gave the two a smile that told them she knew exactly what she was doing. As nice and sweet as the older woman seemed, she certainly knew how to make the two feel embarrassed…

She walked away as Ryuji and Ann continued to burn with shame. The awkward silence was soon broken by a laugh and a familiar voice. 

“So, push ups, huh?” Futaba giggled, grinning as the two groaned.

“Not a word,” Ann muttered, rubbing her forehead. Silence overtook the group once as the two walked away from each other, seeking shelter on different couches, surrounded by others. Anything to put a bit of distance between them.

Eventually conversations began again between the groups, and slowly the awkward tension was pushed aside. None in the group realized that their large party was growing to be almost doubling in size very soon.

---

Yukiko stood outside the inn with a worried expression, looking over the entrance area as she waited for her friends. She was beginning to get worried when she saw the familiar figures of the Investigation Team. She waved at them, beaming as they greeted her.

Most of the group hadn’t changed much since they were young. Yosuke and Yu were the most similar to their younger selves, with simply more adult frames to house their young spirits. Chie let her hair grow out slightly, though she tended to cut it before it reached past her shoulders. Like Chie, Yukiko had grown up, but while Chie let her hair down, Yukiko tended to wrap hers up in a bun on the back of her head.

As for the three younger members of the team, they changed their styles the most out of the seven. Kanji stopped dying his hair blonde, though tonight he forgoed the glasses he usually wore. Rise let her hair down, letting the long, copper locks flow down her back, but most different of all was Naoto. 

Naoto’s hair had grown long over the years, reaching down her back. She also wore clothes that, while masculine, did nothing to hide her feminine body. Naoto Shirogane was a woman, and the world knew that when it saw her curvaceous, almost hourglass figure. 

Yukiko wasn’t the jealous type, but she did notice Naoto’s figure was curvier than most of the group’s, save Rise’s. The detective’s bust strained against almost any top, and her hips did the same with any pants she tried to wear.

How the detective found a bra her size was beyond the innkeeper, and no, she wasn’t jealous, even if Naoto was sporting an impressive rack and Yukiko was a measly C-cup, the smallest sie of the four girls. 

Yukiko’s mind was sidetracked as she noticed Nanako by Yu’s side, coughing and sneezing into her hand. 

“Nanako, you poor dear! You look terrible!”

“I’m fine,” she replied, sniffling. “I’m just a little c-c-ACHOO!” The small girl, barely thirteen years old, sneezed so loudly that she was almost lifted off of the floor. She groaned, as Yu rubbed her head.

“Come on, Nanako. Let’s get you a room.”

“What is up with the weather? I thought ‘Mariko’ said it was going to be all clear!” she huffed. 

“It is odd that Marie would change the weather so suddenly,” Naoto commented as she and the others stepped inside.

“I tried calling to ask her what was going on, but she didn’t pick up.” Yu shrugged as the group walked. “I’m sure she has her reasons, though.”

“Sure would like to hear those reasons,” Chie grumbled, glaring at the stormy sky. “Better be a good…” Yosuke placed a hand on his girlfriend’s shoulder, pulling her out from inside her own head. 

“Come on. Let’s get dry,” he smiled, and Chie returned the gesture as the eight walked into the lobby. 

The group didn’t get far. They entered the lobby, when something happened that they should have seen coming. After all, one of their members was a famous idol. Rise Kujikawa may have worn her hair differently when she was with her friends, but her biggest fans would no doubt notice her. 

It was basically like tossing chum into a pool of sharks. Rise never stood a chance.

---

“Oh my… S-Shiho! Shiho!” Ann grabbed the closest part of her friend she could, and she tugged on Shiho’s hair, nearly pulling the girl off her feet. “Shiho, look!”

“Ow, Ann! Stop! Quit-” Shiho’s hair became the last thing on her mind. Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she and Ann’s jaws hit the ground. 

“I-is that Rise Kujikawa?” the blond whispered, her voice hushed and awestruck.

“A-and Kanji T-T-T-” Shiho’s voice was stuck on repeat as she stared at the handsome, rugged older man. 

“Tatsumi?” 

“Mmhm… W-what do we do?” Out of their group, Shiho and Ann were the only ones to notice. The others either didn’t notice the large group walking by, or simply did not recognize the famous superstar, a fact that made Ann want to scream.

“Okay, stay calm. We’ve already met them once-”

“That was backstage at a show, not in the real world! What if they’re on a date? What if we’re intruding on them just by staring? Do you think he sees me?” she gasped, before grabbing Ann and trying to hide behind her friend.

“Shiho, quit it! We just need to handle this maturely, and subtly.”

“So we’re going to ignore them?” Shiho’s lips twisted into a grimace. “That sounds… good?” She wanted to mean it too, but the idea of just ignoring Risette and THE Kanji Tatsumi made her almost shiver in disgust. It just felt wrong…

“No way! I want an autograph, and I know you want a whole lot more from Kanji!” Before Shiho could argue the point, Ann’s lip fell on the other girl’s lips. “Watch. I learned all about playing it cool when I was a Phantom Thief. Prepare for some subterfuge.”

“I don’t think you know what subterfuge mea-”

“H-Hey Rise!” Shiho’s eyes widened again as Ann suddenly stood up and waved at the group. “Remember us?!” 

“Huh?” Rise turned her head, blinking as Shiho pulled on Ann’s arm. 

“Ann, what are you doing?!’”

“Oh, Ann Takamaki, right?” the idol grinned, waving at the blonde.

“Y-you remember me?! Y-yes! A-and this is my best friend, and Kanji’s biggest fan, Shiho Suzui! We met at your last show when you visited Tokyo, remember?”

“Of course, we remember!” Rise chuckled, walking towards the group.

“Wait, what?! Risette? Here?” Ryuji gasped, catching Ren’s attention. 

Both boys looked around the lobby, but soon found the Rise Kujikawa walking towards the group.

---

“This’ll only take a moment,” Rise promised the others as she broke away and walked towards her fans.

“Come on, Nanako,” Yukiko took the smaller girl’s hand. “Come with me, you can sleep in my room while all the adults talk.”

“Okay…” The small, brunette preteen looked at her big brother, waving goodbye to him. “Bye, big bro. Bye, big sis.”

“See ya, Nanako,” Yu replied, returning the wave.

“Get some good rest, Nanako-chan.”

“Ann, Shiho! It’s great seeing you two again. Kanji and I-”

“Risette?! H-holy crap! This is so cool!” Ryuji beamed, practically leaping out of his seat to greet the idol. He took her hand in his, shaking it up and down as Rise blinked, not sure who the young man was exactly.

“Oh, h-hello. It’s nice meeting you!” Rise cooed, pouring on the sugar.

“W-wow. Shaking hands with the one and only, Risette! T-this is easily the coolest moment of my life.”

“I hope they don’t embarrass themselves,” Makoto chuckled, only to blink as her boyfriend pulled away from her and stood up. “Ren?” The brunette was ignored as Ren spoke, slowly approaching the famed star. Rise turned her head, and she saw the young man walking towards her, his cheeks a light shade of red.

“Rise, hi,” he began, immediately regretting his first words. “S-sorry, can I call you Rise?”

“Course you can! And you are?”

“Ren! Ren Amamiya. I’m a huge fan. I love your music.” 

Huh. For some reason, Makoto had always assumed that poster in Ren’s room was just a gift from Ann he kept to decorate his room. She was surprised to find him so infatuated with the idol, before she immediately felt an inkling of jealousy. Ren was able to keep it together better than Ryuji or Ann, but still. It was clear he had a ‘thing’ for the idol.

“Well, I always love meeting my fans.” Rise smiled at Ren, and he felt his heart skip a beat. He took a deep breath, and he picked up his dignity, brushing it off and composing himself. 

“I’m a big fan of your movies too. I thought your last film was amazing. The ‘raw-ness’ you portrayed, and the sheer emotion was simply captivating.”

“Aww, you’re so sweet!”

Makoto felt a frown pulling on her lips, and she wasn’t the only one. Kanji felt his own heart fill with jealousy as he watched his girlfriend being surrounded by so many young guys. It wasn’t like male fans were a new thing for him, but he still hadn’t gotten used to seeing guys walk right up to Rise and drool all over her.

He had a scowl on his lips as he cleared his throat, walking over. “Hey, we should probably get g-?”

“K-Kanji?” The man blinked, before he turned his head and found a familiar sight. Shiho Suzui, the girl that was actually a fan of him, just as much as she was a fan of Rise. Maybe more than.

“O-oh, hey! Shiho, right?” Kanji greeted her, his cheeks a faint shade of red.

“You remember me? I mean, yes. That’s me. I’m Shiho! Um, h-how have you been?” 

“Good, good. Me and Rise have been good…”

Rise smiled as her boyfriend talking to his own fan. She kept making small talk with Ann, Ryuji, and Ren when one of them stared at something behind the older woman. Rise blinked, before turning around to find another girl inches from her face.

“Ah!” she gasped, practically jumping away from the bespectacled girl.

Futaba had a wide smile on her face, and she was practically shaking with excitement. She stared at Rise with wide eyes as bounced in place.

“Oh, uh… Hi. Are… are you a fan of mine too?” Rise tried putting on a smile, but she had to admit, this girl was a bit out there.

Futaba nodded so vigorously that Rise was actually worried about her hurting herself. 

“Well, it’s nice to meet you. And your name is?” The girl didn’t answer, and Rise glanced at Ren and the others, silently asking for help.

“Her name is Futaba. Sorry, she’s a bit shy,” Ren explained.

“Least she isn’t wrapping her head up in a towel this time,” Ryuji muttered.

“Or a big, creepy doll head…” Ann added.

Rise had no idea what they were talking about, but she smiled at Futaba all the same. “It’s nice to meet you, Futaba. Don’t worry, it’s okay if you don’t say any-”

“Risette knows my name!” Futaba screamed, throwing her hands into the air and jumping with joy. “She knows my name! She knows my name! Heehee!”

As Rise, Ren, and the others watched the joyful Futaba, Makoto shook her head. She looked at her sister, who had an equally confused look in her eyes.

“They’re not usually like this.”

“I know. I supposed this is what starstruck looks like,” Sae commented.

“I can’t imagine acting like this just because of someone’s profession.”

“Agreed.” 

As soon as the two had said that, the group that Rise and Kanji had entered the inn with walked over. Their clothes were damp from the rain outside, but the warm air of the inn was already doing a good job of drying out their clothes. 

“Fans of yours?” one of them asked, walking up to Rise and Kanji.

“Yeah, sorry,” the idol apologized with a faint blush. Futaba clung to her arm, giggling with joy at meeting the famous star.

“It’s quite alright,” a voice said, and both Makoto and Sae felt their hearts stop. 

They looked up, and just behind the silver-haired man was a woman. A beautiful woman with long, blue hair and navy eyes. A woman that both sisters knew from just a single glance, yet neither could actually believe was there.

“Is that…?”

“It is…”

Both of them suddenly stood up and approached the woman, who turned her head to spot the Niijima sisters. 

“May I help-?”

“N-Naoto Shirogane?” Sae whispered, her voice hushed, awe spilling from her mouth.

“Um… Yes?”

“It is such an honor to meet you!” Makoto beamed, reaching out to take Naoto’s hand, only to pull away. “I’m sorry, I-I don’t want to be too forward, but it is an honor to meet you. I grew up listening to you as my dad, I-I mean, I grew up listening to you from my dad, I mean-”

“Our father read us your books, and we would watch your interviews on the news. You were an inspiration for us.” Sae was slightly more put together than her sister, but Ren couldn’t help but chuckle at how… excited both sisters seemed.

“Oh, you’re fans of my book?” Naoto smiled, only to step back, eyes wide as Makoto answered.

“W-we have the complete series! Both of us! Hardcover and paperback! Our father would read them to us almost every night growing up, a-and I was such a fan of your adventure in Italy! The gondola race made my heart race, a-and your adventure in the Alps-!”

“And the story of you in Mexico, hunting down the famed Chupacabra, only to discover it was an escaped genetic experiment. It was a wonderful, heart-pounding tale. A perfect mix of horror, action, and mystery,” Sae added with a rare, wide smile. Ren had certainly never seen her look so happy before. 

“Most of those stories are fictitious,” Naoto explained with a nervous laugh. “But I’m glad you enjoyed them. They’re actually made by my boyfriend, Yu Narukami.”

“What? I thought they were written by a man named Souji Seta?” the younger of the two sisters asked.

“My pen name.” The silver-haired man stepped forward with a polite smile. “My real name is Yu Narukami. I write all of Naoto’s books. Based on real events, but with a bit of embellishment.” 

“Really? What details were the same?” Makoto asked.

“Well, that shot at the end of ‘Naoto Shirogane and Secret of Atlantis’ was actually a real shot. One bullet, right into another man’s gun, stopping him from firing his gun.”

“T-that was real?” Sae blinked, mouth agape like a fish as she tried to understand it. “T-that’s amazing!” She cleared her throat, trying to calm herself down. “That’s amazing,” she repeated, her tone softer and lighter this time, though her excitement was the same.

“I-it was just a lucky shot, really.”

Ren glanced over to the four, and he saw Sae’s expression. He had never seen the older woman looked so excited before. He glanced at Makoto, and the young man was shocked at the way she was staring at Yu, like she was meeting her childhood hero.

Of course, Ren didn’t feel any jealousy. Not even a little….

“Okay, this is getting way too crowded,” Morgana groaned by Ren’s foot. The black-haired thief looked down at the cat, who was stretching, butt in the air. The cat looked up at Ren. “I’m going out for a walk. There are way too many people in here, and I don’t want you all looking crazy talking to me.”

“You sure? We’d be happy to have you, Mona,” Ren stated, speaking for the group.

“I know you would be, Joker.” Morgana placed a paw on Ren’s foot and gave his friend a subtle, cattish grin. “But I’m getting restless. I’m going upstairs and just walk around.”

“Alright. If you want, you can go into our room. I’ll give you my key and-”

“Joker, please. I’m a master thief, remember? If I wanted to, I could easily break into our room and steal everything inside.” Morgana beamed with pride as Ren chuckled, before he snuck away, slipping between legs, bolting towards the stairs like a black bullet. Before he left, Morgana gave his close friend a knowing grin, before vanishing up the stairs. 

---

Yukiko Amagi brought Nanako to her old room and motioned her inside. “You can rest in here, Yukiko. I’ll have someone bring you some hot soup for your cold.”

“O-okay… Can you tell big bro I’m really sorry?” the young girl requested, sniffling again.

“You have nothing to apologize for, but I’ll make sure he knows.” Nanako walked into the room, watching as Nanako fell onto the bed with a loud sigh. “Do you need anything? Anything at all I can get you?”

“No, I’ll be o-o-okachoo! Ugh…”

“I’ll make sure to bring up some tissues.”

“Thanks, Yukiko… You’re the best.” Nanako gave the older woman an absolutely heartwarming smile, and the raven-haired girl smiled back, before she closed the door and left the brunette to get some rest. 

Yukiko then walked towards the kitchen, stepping inside to find a few members of her staff working. “Excuse me?” She approached her head chef, a tall, burly man with a thick beard, but bald head. “I have my friends in the lobby. Would you mind putting together some food for all of us?”

“Friends? Wait, is Risette here? And the Tatsumi boy?” the chef asked, his eyes wide. 

“Is the Detective Prince? You know her, don’t you, Yukiko-san?”

Yukiko blushed as the staff members lifted up their heads and looked at her. She scratched the back of her head, trying to answer their questions, but soon several workers were surrounding her, asking her who exactly was here and what they wanted to eat.

That was simply a natural consequence Yukiko faced due to her social circle. Two of her friends were routinely on the news. They were the talk of not just Inaba, but all of Japan. A famous idol? A world class detective? Whenever the younger workers found out, they always pestered Yukiko with questions, ranging from the simple to strange. 

“C-can you get Risette’s autograph for me? I’ve always to meet her! Oh, I don’t have any paper, oh! She can sign my cheek! Can’t she, Yukiko-san?!” a younger girl beamed. 

Case in point.

Yukiko was worried she’d have to put her foot down to calm the staff, but thankfully the head chef was able to bring order to the kitchen. “Alright, that’s enough, everyone.” He glared at the younger workers, putting them back in life, before he looked at Yukiko. “Sorry about that. Fans of Risette. I mean, who isn’t?” 

“It’s quite alright. I understand.”

“Of course we’ll prepare some food for them, but Yukiko-san, I hope you weren’t planning on getting back to work. You should be with your friends.”

“Oh, I appreciate the offer, but I still have some chores to run, and it’s my job to take care of everything, and-”

“Nonsense! Go be with your friends. I’m sure the rest of the staff and I can keep things in order, at least for the night.”

“I… Are you sure?” The young woman blinked, not daring to hope unless she was sure things would still run smoothly without her.

“Of course! These are your friends! From what I remember, you hardly get the chance to see them. Go, have a good night with them.”

Yukiko couldn’t wipe the smile off of her lips. She was practically bursting with joy as she nodded her head. “Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you!” She took a step back, before pausing. “Oh, I almost forgot! I have another friend in my room? A little girl who is feeling under the weather.”

“Say no more. We’ll bring up food and tissues for her at once.”

“Thank you so much.” Yukiko bowed her head, before she turned and walk down the hall as quickly as she could. 

---

It was funny how quickly friendships could be formed by complete strangers, but Ren was a man known for making fast friends. It seemed Yu Narukami had a similar talent, because both he and Ren were currently talking to the other’s respective group. The two large bands had joined together until all nineteen of them were seated in the lobby.

They were spread out, most on the couches, forming a box, while a few others sat on some spare chairs, joining into discussions and debate. 

“So, you’re a police officer?” Ren asked, looking at an older woman named Chie Satonaka.

“Yep. I’m the sheriff around these parts,” she grinned. 

“Hm.” Ren couldn’t help but feel a mild distrust towards the brunette, but he wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt. He just had a few too many bad run ins with dirty cops. “So, do you see a lot of action in this town?”

“Not really nowadays,” Chie replied. 

“Which is nice,” her boyfriend, a man named Yosuke, added. “But it can be a little dull at times.”

“Yeah, but hey. A quiet town means I’m doing my job. There was this biker came that rolled around a couple of weeks ago. They were bothering everyone with races in the middle of the night, and causing public fights, and stuff.”

“Really?” Ren lifted his brow. “What’d you do?”

---

Chie kicked the door of the bar open. It slammed against the wall beside it, leaving a mark as she stepped inside, chewing a toothpick. She spat it onto the ground as the bikers stared at her. Yosuke laid on the ground, tied up with a gun aimed at his head. 

The leader of the bikers scowled, cocking the gun. “Sheriff Satonaka.”

“Release the idiot, now.”

“Chie! Help me! They easily captured me!” 

“I know, Yosuke. I know,” Chie replied with a slow nod. 

“Ha. Never! Get her, biker gang members!” 

Several bikers pulled swords out from behind their backs and they roared with demonic rage as they attacked Chie. The young woman’s eyes glowed as she shattered a sword with her hand, before slamming her leg into another man’s head, knocking him into a table. Her fists were like lightning as she shattered the other men’s swords with her her knuckles, before she leapt into the air and did the splits.

Like a tornado, she spun in the air, smashing her feet into the faces of over a dozen biker gang members. They flew across the bar, slamming into the walls and their fellow brethren as more of them charged at Chie.

WHen she fell back to the ground, she watched several criminals aiming their guns at her. They opened fire as Chie leaned back, her feet clinging to the ground as she leaned further and further back, until the tips of her hair were almost touching the ground. The bullets flew over her, before she stood back up and ran at them.

“Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!” she shouted, punching the bad guy’s lights out.

“Enough!” The leader of the gang held Yosuke up, barrel of his gun pressed against Yosuke’s temple. “You’re dead, Chie!” 

“No. You’re already dead.”

“Nani?!”

---

“And then the guy just exploded! It was awesome,” Chie beamed proudly, placing her hands on her hips. “Oh, and I saved Yosuke, of course.”

“Whoa.” Ren blinked. “That was… quite the tale.” Now, obviously Ren wasn’t Ryuji. He didn’t believe Chie right off the bat, but… he had to admit, the sheer fact that Chie had the gall to try and spin that tale as the truth? That impressed him.

“Yep. I’m pretty cool.”

“That’s not at all what happened! You just told them to stop, the leader got made and punched you, and you punched him and knocked him out!” 

“Well, I mean… that’s what the police report says,” she muttered, her cheeks turning a faint shade of crimson as Ren chuckled.

---

Meanwhile, Yu was having a conversation with Yusuke and Ann. The silverette grinned, motioning to Yusuke’s sketchbook.

“So, you’re an artist?” he asked.

“I am.”

“That’s really impressive. I have a huge respect for the craft.”

“Well, your respect is returned. A writer is of a similar skill, only while I paint with color, you paint with word. I would love to see some of your work.”

“Right back at you.”

“Hm.” Ann pouted, glancing at Shiho and Kanji talking to one another. Her best friend looked like she was having the time of her life, and the blond was happy for her BFF, but that didn’t change the fact that Ann suddenly felt self-conscious. 

It was obvious that Yu and Yusuke were two peas in a pod, but that left Ann as the carrots on the side. Ignored and out of place.

“Ann?” Yu waved his hand in front of her face and she blinked, turning to him. 

“Oh, sorry. You say something?”

“Just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Oh, I’m alright! Just, y’know, don’t have a lot to contribute to the conversation…”

“Well, why don’t you tell me about yourself? I’m an excellent listener,” the silver-haired man smirked.

His confidence was calming, and Ann smiled at the older man. “Alright, well, I’m a model.”

“A beautiful one at that,” Yusuke added. “I wanted to use her as a naked model, but alas… Actually, I still do,” he admitted, not even realizing what he had said.

“Ew, no, Yusuke! I told you, I’m not going to be naked just so you can paint a picture”

Yu chuckled, shaking his head with an amused smile. “Well, if you ever need a male model-” The young man meant it as a joke, but Yusuke turned to him, and the artist’s eagle-like eyes picked Yu apart.

“You do have an excellent frame. I could use a man of your build. If you were in town...”

Ann and Yu blushed at the comment, but before the blond could apologize for her friend’s antics, the older man grinned. “Sure, why not? Next time I’m in Tokyo.” Ann had to pick up her jaw as she watched the two men shake hands with smiles on their faces.

---

Morgana was walking down the empty halls of the inn, quietly sighing to himself. He was so bored, but he wasn’t desperate enough to go back down to the huge crowd in the lobby. Way too many people for his liking. 

The blue-eyed cat was more a fan of the quiet and personal kind of company. Just a few people, like his group of friends. 

“Achoo!” 

“Hm?” Morgana came to a stop, before walking over to a door left ajar. He heard that same sneeze again coming from inside the room and when Morgana peeked inside, he was surprised to find a young girl on a bed, sneezing for a third time. 

“Ugh,” she groaned, rubbing her face. She reached for a bowl of something sitting on a nightstand, but her fingers were clumsy. She hit the spoon’s handle, knocking it out of the bowl and towards the ground.

For any normal person, it would be pointless to try and catch it, but Morgana was a master thief. He moved like a black lightning bolt, catching the spoon by the handle in his mouth. He jumped up, landing on the nightstand and staring the hazel-haired girl in the eyes.

She gasped, almost falling off the bed, before blinking. “Whoa,” she whispered. “That was so cool… Thank you so much, kitty!”

For any normal master thief, stealing the spoon would have been their next move, but Morgana was a master Phantom Thief. A hero to the people. He gave the teen her spoon back, and he watched as she brought some soup to her mouth. This time, she did it.

“Ah, that’s good,” She sighed, before looking at Morgana .”Thank for the help! That was very nice of you,” she grinned, petting the thief’s ear. 

“Don’t mention i-ah…” Morgana shivered as the girl’s soft fingers scratched against his fur and skin, leaving him a trembling, joyful mess. The brown-haired girl pulled her hand back and smiled. 

“You want to stay with me for a bit, Mister Cat?”

“Sorry, but no.” Morgana hopped off of the bed, ignoring the girl’s saddened eyes. “I’ve got my own adventures to live, I can’t stay here and play babysitter.” The dark feline walked towards the door, tail held high as he imagined himself resembling royalty.

Before he could walk out, a giant of a man stepped inside the room, blocking the thief’s way. Morgana’s eyes widened as the man towered over him. He was built like a giant, with a bushy beard under his lips.

“How are you, Nanako? Anything we can get you?” he asked, not even noticing the small cat by his feet.

“Oh, no, I’m okay.” She smiled at the man, before glancing at the cat that had found its way into her room. It was a beautiful cat, with fur as black as night, and the most amazing, blue eyes. Nanako knew it probably belonged to someone, but she wasn’t going to take him. She just wanted to see if he’d give her some company?

“Do you want some sushi?” she asked the feline. Despite knowing the cat wouldn’t answer it, it sort of did. It turned to look at her, eyes wide. “Could I have some sushi please? For my new friend and I?” Nanako requested, looking at the tall man.

“Sure thing. I’ll bring some up at once.”

The large man walked away, freeing up the exit, but Morgana didn’t move. He just stared at Nanako, before moving closer, hopping onto the bed and staring at the teenage girl. This young lady was clearly sick, and probably very lonely. 

If Morgana could help them, and get a free serving of sushi, well… What Phantom Thief wouldn’t?

“So… sushi, huh?” He licked his lips and Nanako giggled. She lifted up a hand and gently stroked his head, massaging his scalp. Morgana couldn’t help but purr, leaning closer as the girl giggled. 

---

Back in the lobby, Hifumi was sitting awkwardly alone. Yusuke and Yu, the silver-haired guy, were talking and laughing together, much like most of the group. Everyone seemed to have formed their own little group, save for her. 

Sae and Makoto were listening to Naoto recount her adventures, Chie, Kanji, Yosuke were now talking to Shiho, Ren, Ryuji, and Ann about their jobs and how they became a police officer, professional tailor, and manager of the local Junes respectively. Futaba was with that famous idol, Risette, by the lobby’s TV, looking through a box of movies. 

“Are you okay, Hifumi?” a voice asked, and Hifumi turned to find Haru sitting on the same couch as her, smiling at the Shogi player. Despite her friendly demeanor, Hifumi couldn’t help but burn with embarrassment. 

After all, could things simply be the same after what the two had did…?

Haru certainly seemed to think so, because despite her own blushing cheeks, she held her hand out to Hifumi. “Come on. Why don’t we go mingle with everyone?”

The brunette glanced at her friend’s hand, before she put on her own smile. Things would only be awkward if she let them be awkward. She should try and be like Haru and just… let things be. They were still friends, weren’t they?

Hifumi took Haru’s hand and the two stood up. “Sure, let’s mingle.” The awkward barrier keeping the young woman from talking to the others evaporate from her rising confidence, and the two walked over to Futaba and Rise.

“Hey, what are you two up to?” Hifumi inquired, pulling her hand from Haru’s when they were close. 

“Looking for movies! Come on, there has to be one with Risette in it!” Futaba huffed, tossing a DVD behind her. Haru ducked, dodging the flung projectile as Risette chuckled.

“Hey, I’m Rise.” The idol held her hand out to Hifumi and Haru, though the former woman couldn’t help but think about how the idol didn’t need to introduce herself. Who didn’t know her name?

“Hifumi Togo.”

“Haru Okumura.”

“Hold on. You’re that famous Shogi player, aren’t you? And you’re the new CEO of Okumura Foods, right?” 

Well, Hifumi had to admit that she was surprised. She certainly didn’t think a famous pop star like Risette would know who she was. Haru was one thing, but Hifumi? She was just a Shogi player!

“Oh, um… That’s us,” Hifumi admitted.

“That’s so cool! Man, talk about star power! I can’t believe I get to hang out with you!” Risette giggled. Hifumi smiled, finding something peaceful in the star’s laugh. She certainly knew how to play humble, but maybe it was genuine. Futaba certainly seemed to like the older girl.

“I can’t believe we get to hang out with you, Risette! It’s an honor,” Haru grinned.

“Please, call me Rise. We’re all friends here.”

“Yeah, famous friends,” Futaba pouted, her head halfway in a cardboard box, searching through movies. “Except for me…”

“Give it a few years, Futaba,” Haru commented, patting her friend’s back. 

“Yeah… Oh! No way! Guys, look what I found!” The glasses-wearing girl held up her hand, a small case in hand.

“What’s that?” Hifumi questioned.

“Only cinematic gold! Neo Feathermen VS Godzilla: Rise of Heroism! Rise had a cameo in this film! Isn’t that amazing?!” she beamed, standing up and hugging the film.

“Oh, yeah. I remember that,” the idol thought aloud. “Honestly, I only took the role cause a friend of mine’s a huge fan. We can try to put that in, if you want, though.”

“YES! PLEASE. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!” Futaba grabbed Haru’s arm, bouncing in place as the older girl nearly fell over. 

“C-calm down, Futaba! Let’s ask if everyone else wants to watch a movie right now.”

“Boo! Curse your common sense,” the excited child hissed, before giggling and skipping over to the others. “Who wouldn’t want to watch this cinematic diamond?!” 

“Where does she get the energy?” Hifumi sighed as Rise laughed.

“Reminds me of a friend of mine,” she commented, as Yukiko walked down the stairs and greeted everyone.

“May I have your attention, please!” Futaba declared, catching everyone’s gaze. The orange-haired girl glanced at her Key Item, and he beamed with pride, giving her a subtle thumbs up. Futaba felt his energy coursing through her, before she looked at Haru. Her ‘big sister’ gave a similar gesture, smiling at her friend.

Her friends gave her the energy she needed to unleash her new attack. The Socializing Bomb! 

“Who wants to watch a movie together? Look what I found! Neo Feathermen VS Godzilla: Rise of Heroism!” 

“Ooh, cool! Butt kicking action!” Chie beamed.

“Sounds fun,” Yosuke added. 

“Sure, a movie sounds like an excellent distraction,” Yukiko nodded, glancing towards the rainy weather outside. She was glad that Chie seemed distracted. The brunette didn’t even react when the thunder clapped outside. 

The rest of the group seemed in agreement, with only one person actually against watching the film. Sae Niijima fought the urge to sigh. She didn’t blame Futaba. She was a young girl. A child. It made sense she would be excited for such a childish movie.

Men and women in spandex fighting actors in rubber suits… Oh, to be young again, though Sae had to admit that she was surprised so many of Naoto’s group seemed excited about the idea. They were adults, like her. She would have thought they would be more mature, with a more sophisticated taste in cinema. 

“N-Neo Feathermen VS Godzilla?” Naoto’s voice caught Sae by surprise, and the silver-haired woman watched her idol grin. “That sounds wonderful!” Was that… excitement Sae was hearing?

“Careful, sweetie. Your fangirl is showing,” Yu chuckled, kissing Naoto’s head and earning a blush from the girl. 

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” she muttered. “P-please, Futaba-chan, put the movie in.”

Yu must have caught Sae’s shocked expression, because he looked at her and said, “Naoto’s a huge Tokusatsu nerd. Been one since she was little.”

“Enthusiast,” the Detective Prince muttered, elbowing her boyfriend, gently. He simply laughed it off and gave his girlfriend a one armed hug.

Sae’s mouth parted open as her brow furrowed. Did she hear that right? Naoto Shirogane, her idol, and one of the most inspiring women in Makoto’s life was a fan of a… children’s genre? The woman slowly turned her head to Makoto, who was wearing a similarly shocked expression, but unlike Sae, was able to chuckle at the idea.

Meanwhile, Sae was still struggling to comprehend this new fact, even as the movie started.

---

“So, what should I call you?” Nanako wondered as she fed Morgana. 

“Call me whatever you want, as long as you feed me more sushi!” the cat grinned. 

“How about… Noir?” she thought aloud.

“Ha, no, that’s Haru,” he replied, eating another piece of fish.

“No… Panther?”

“Nope. That’s Lady Ann.”

“Oh, what about Crow?”

“Ew, no!” Morgana rolled his eyes and gestured to the collar around his neck. Nanako blinked, before leaning down to look at the small tag the feline had. 

“Oh! Your name is Morgana? So you’re a girl cat!” Morgana let out a groan, palming his face in his paws.

---

It was easy for the group to move two of the couches so that roughly half of them could sit there. The other half sat on the floor, with Sae sitting behind Futaba, Haru, and Shiho on the cushioned couch.

The movie was exactly what one would have expected from the title. The Feathermen facing off against Godzilla, summoning their giant robot to do battle with the titan. The heroes fought the monster, but as was typical for these kinds of films, the two sides joined forces to face off against the real threat, another giant monster with three heads and cybernetics implants.

“Mecha King Ghidorah!” Futaba gasped, grabbing Ren’s arm and shaking. “It’s MECHA KING GHIDORAH! EEEE!” 

Sae had lost count of how many times the movie made her want to roll her eyes, but it was Naoto’s reaction that truly stunned her. 

“He’s being powered by Dinosatan’s crystal heart… I can’t believe they actually brought it back. What an excellent idea,” she smiled. While Naoto was much quieter than Futaba, the sleuth was no less amazed. Her voice was like a hushed whisper, lost in awe of the movie.

“Oh, Rise just got captured,” Yosuke chuckled, watching as Mecha King Ghidorah’s robot tail shot into a building and coiled around the woman.

“That’s so cool! You were actually held captive by Mecha King Ghidorah!” Futaba squealed, releasing Haru to shake Shiho. “I would die for the chance to be eaten by a kaiju!”

“E-easy, Futaba!” the dark-haired girl laughed. 

Godzilla and the Feathermen’s robot shook hands, agreeing to a truce as they rushed to save Rise, and all of Japan. The battle was the same strange, childish storytelling that Sae expected. Eventually, Rise had to sing a song for the heroes, cheering them on with the rest of the world. Everyone’s hopes and dreams empowered the two giants, and they both fired a powerful attack together that eradicated Mecha King Ghidorah.

All in all, the movie was… well, not as bad as she expected. There was a lot of ridiculousness, but there was an entertaining subplot about an older woman trying to protect her little sister and the sister’s boyfriend, plus a rather heartwarming character arc about the red Feathermen reconnecting with his son. 

It was silly, but hopeful and optimistic, something Sae could at least respect…

There was one twist that Sae hadn’t been expecting. 

“Oh no,” Haru pouted, watching Godzilla fall to the ground. 

“He spent his life energy to destroy Mecha King Ghidorah,” Shiho whispered, her voice quivering. 

The group watched as the Feathermen’s robot held Godzilla’s hand, sitting by the kaiju as he slowly began to wither away. The heroes thanked the monster for his help and promised to care for his son, Godzilla Junior. 

Nearby, Sae could hear some of the group actually tearing up. 

“Oh no,” Ann sniffled. “Godzilla…”

“He died a hero’s death,” Yusuke declared, wiping tears from his eyes. 

“He was so cool,” Chie added, wiping away her own tears. 

Even Ryuji, who was sitting by Ann, was wiping away tears from his eyes. He blinked, and quickly tried to recover his lost dignity. “Oh, man, Ann, are you seriously crying?” he laughed. “C-come on, it’s just some dude in a costume! He’ll probably be back for the sequel.”

It didn’t take long for Ryuji to realize that everyone was looking at him. Haru, Futaba, Ren, and especially Ann, plus everyone else there. They were looking at him, a mix of annoyed, surprised, and disappointed stares burrowed into him, before a foot poked his back. He turned around and looked at Kanji Tatsumi, who was sitting on the couch.

From their respective spots, Kanji was practically a giant. “Hey. You got a problem with crying?”

“N-no. I mean, it’s totally cool if a girl’s gotta cry, I’m just saying that… y-y’know, I’m a guy. You know what I mean, right?”

Judging by Kanji’s glare, he did not. The man crossed his arms and glared down at Ryuji. “There ain’t nothing wrong with men crying. Real men cry when the situation calls for it.”

“I… uh. R-right.” Ryuji hung his head low as Kanji shook his head. Thankfully the rather tense moment was soon brushed aside when Ryuji lifted his head up again. “Sorry.”

“It’s cool, man. Don’t worry about it. Just get that mindset out of your head. It’ll only hurt you growing up.”

Sitting by Futaba, Shiho couldn’t help but stare at Kanji with glittering eyes and a blushing face. “So cool,” she whispered, biting her lower lip.

---

“Say, ahhh.” Nanako held up a piece of tuna with her chopsticks, and Morgana obeyed, opening his mouth. The young girl gave the cat the last piece of fish, and he happily scarfed it down. “Careful, I don’t want you to choke!”

“I’m not gonna cho-ack!” Morgana rolled around and writhed on the bed, kicking his legs as he gasped for air. He spat out a piece of the tuna he didn’t chew up properly, before he was left gasping for air.

“Morgana! You have to be careful!” Nanako sighed, leaning her head back. “You scared me…”

“Sorry, sorry,” Morgana replied, before looking at the piece of fish he had spat out. “I know I shouldn’t…” 

“Ew!” Nanako laughed, watching as the feline ate up the food he had spat out, this time chewing it properly. She giggled, before taking the cat and pulling him into her arms. If Morgana could, he’d be blushing by now. “You’re gross, but I love you all the same, Morgana.” 

Nanako kissed the cat on the head, and Morgana felt an odd warmth in his chest. This girl was incredibly sweet, and her confession of love made the feline warm and fuzzy inside...

---

Eventually the group moved away from the lobby when the head chef announced that a feast was prepared for everyone. Each of them were shocked at the food laid out for them in the dining room. 

Two already large tables were moved together to form one long table, with a wide selection of food placed on it. Meats, vegetables, soups, and more. The spread was amazing, and it stole each person’s breath away, even the wealthy Haru. 

“This… this is amazing,” Ann beamed, seeing some desserts on the table.

“Meat!” Ryuji and Chie shouted, licking their lips. 

“Thank you so much!” Yukiko grinned, smiling at the chef. 

“Our pleasure. Please, eat, enjoy the lemonade. It’s my secret recipe.” The man bowed his head, before leaving the group to sit down and enjoy the feast.

The food was as amazing as it looked, and several members couldn’t help but comment on how good it was. Ryuji and Chie were soon having a race to see who could shovel more steak down their maws as Ann and Yosuke watched with a mix of disgust and amazement. Ann, Shiho, and Rise were enjoying some sweets together, each moaning with joy at the taste. 

Everyone partook in eating, meaning everyone also took long swigs of their drinks. The special lemonade mix. Yu realized something was wrong when Naoto called out to Chie.

“H-hey, Chie.”

“Hm?” the brunette replied, swiveling her head towards the detective.

“Remember… Remember that time we, y’know…” Naoto grabbed her fork and held the handle to her lips as she grinned. Yu felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as the detective began to sing. Loudly began to sing. “You know I can’t smile without you!” 

“Oh! Oh, I remember!” Chie laughed, clapping her hands, before she stood up on her chair, spoon in hand. “So give me what you want, what you really, really want!” 

“That’s not how the song goes,” Naoto laughed.

“What’s happening?” Makoto slowly asked, looking between the two. 

“Oh, no,” Yu sighed, rubbing his forehead with an amused smile on face. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to hold Naoto to her chair or videotape her. “They’re drunk.”

“Wait, what?!” 

“Whoo! Music time!” Ren suddenly shouted, throwing his hands into the air, before grabbing a fork. “Impromptu karaoke!” I’m on a highway to hell! Highway to hell!” 

“Whoo! Go Ren!” Naoto cheered, clapping her hands. 

“R-Ren! What are you doing?!”

“I think-hic-I think that when he said special, he meant… this has licky in it!” Yukiko declared. “Er, liquor.”

“Wait, so why aren’t all of us acting like that?” Kanji asked, before suddenly Rise fell onto his shoulder. 

“Kanji. Kanji. Kanji.” She licked his neck. “I wuv wou, Kanji.”

“R-Rise, quit it… G-get off of me!” 

“Heehee! Ooh, Kanji, you’re so strong!” 

“Random chance, I suppose,” Hifumi commented. “Either we didn’t drink enough, or they simply drank more. You can barely taste the alcohol in these drinks. Plus, Chie and Naoto are kind of short, aren’t they? That probably had something to do with it.”

Several eyes glanced towards Futaba, who blinked, before frowning. “I’m not short, I’m compact! Plus I didn’t even drink that much, I don’t like lemonade.”

“Alright, Chie, that’s enough for you,” Yosuke sighed, reaching Chie’s glass. The officer responded by grabbing his hand and using her other hand to pour the lemonade-liquor mix down her throat, splashing some of it on her face. “H-hey! Chie!”

“Whoo! Anarchy! Who wants to see pictures of Yosuke in a skirt?!” she yelled, taking out her phone and instantly showing off the screen. There was a full screen picture of Yosuke in a schoolgirl outfit, complete with skirt.

“W-what the hell, Chie?!”

“It’s the night I realized I loved you, whoo!” Chie shouted, shocking her boyfriend again as she waved her phone in the air. 

“Kick his ass!” Ann shouted with a grin. 

“Heheh. Ass,” Shiho giggled. “Butt. Gluteus maximus…” 

“So, they’re clearly drunk,” Ryuji sighed, sitting nearby. 

“Man, Yosuke. I forgot how good you look in the skirt!” Yu teased as he stared at the screen, only to suddenly be hit in the face by something large and soft. 

“No, Senpai! Look away! You’re mine! Mine!” Naoto screamed, burying Yu’s face in her breasts. The silverette struggled to escape, even calling out for help, but his voice was muffled by Naoto’s bosom. No one helped him.

“This is getting ridiculous,” Sae sighed, rubbing her forehead as Makoto blushed. 

The dining room was certainly a strange sight. Several members of the group were currently intoxicated, and they certainly acted like it. Rise was playing with Kanji’s hair, giggling as she kissed his face. Naoto was suffocating her boyfriend in her breasts. Ann and Shiho were in the middle of a poking fight, laughing as they they prodded one another. Chie had her boyfriend in a headlock, laughing as he tried to escape. Finally Yusuke was wildly drawing in his sketchbook, lifting his head up only to analyze the scene.

Actually, was he drunk? Makoto wasn’t sure…

“Behold!” Yusuke shouted, catching everyone’s attention. He slammed his sketchbook on the table, revealing what he had drawn to the others. “I call it… ‘Ode to the Ladies of Summer’s Last Tomorrow.” 

It was a a line, drawn over and over again on the same spot. 

“I think Inari’s drunk,” Futaba commented.

“It looks like a penis!” Ren laughed, giggling, almost falling out of his chair. 

“Lies! LIES AND SLANDER! IT DOES NOT LOOK LIKE SUCH A THING! You take that back!” Yusuke demanded, holding his pencil like a knife. 

“Come over here and make me, Naoto’s illegitimate son!” 

“You son of a lady canine!” Yusuke and Ren glared at one another as Makoto groaned, grabbing her boyfriend’s ear.

“Ow, ow, ow, Makoto, stop!” he whined, grabbing her arm and trying to pull her off. 

“Clearly things are out of control,” Yukiko declared. “If I might make a suggestion?” The others at the table turned to look at the young woman. She had collected over a dozen chopsticks in her hands, before she stood up and walked towards Yusuke. She took his pen out of his hand, and he let out a quiet whine as she began to use it to mark each chopstick. 

“Oh no,” Yosuke groaned, realizing just what Yukiko was making.

“What’s happening? I still can’t see anything.” Yu pushed Naoto off of him, though the detective was still trying to cling to him. 

“King’s Game!” Yukiko declared, holding up the chopsticks. 

“Whoo!” Rise cheered. 

“King’s Game! I barely got to participate in the first one!” Naoto declared. 

“I don’t know what that is, but I’m excited!” Ren added, hands in the air.

---

In the end, the King’s Game was a strangely good idea to contain the chaos. It was like a bubble around a tornado. Yes, it did nothing to stop the whirlwind, but it kept the problem in one location. 

Those intoxicated were given some rules, rules that they would at least follow for now. Those still sober heard the same rules and agreed to them, either out of a desire for entertainment, or a desire to keep an eye on their intoxicated friend.

Everyone was handed a stick with a number on it, but there was only one King, and their identity was soon made known. 

“Whoo! First King!” Chie grinned, holding up her stick. A crude crown was drawn at it as she looked around the room.”Numbers seven and three, I demand you battle each other! To. The. Death!”

Both Kanji and Ryuji looked at one another, everyone seeing the numbers on their sticks. They blinked, unsure how to proceed.

“Kill each other!” Naoto demanded. “Your King demands it!” The drunk detective high fived her intoxicated partner, both of them laughing. 

“Um, hey, how about no battles to death?” Yosuke suggested. 

“He’s right, Chie! Where would we put more bodies?” Yukiko wondered, and Hifumi quickly scooted her chair away from the raven-haired girl.

“Hm. Your king sees your reasoning, Court Jester Yosuke.”

“Court what?!”

“Very well. I demand seven and three arm wrestle! And the winner shall receive a kiss from my most beautiful daughter, Princess Rise!” 

“I’m a princess!? This is the best! Oh, I hope Kanji wins!”

“A-a kiss from Rise? Oh man, I got to win!” Unlike Naoto or Yukiko, Ryuji didn’t need alcohol to say something stupid. As he prepared himself to arm wrestle the larger man, Ann pouted, glaring at the blond boy.

“I wish I had a sandwich,” Shiho suddenly commented by Ann’s side.

“Huh?”

“Cause you so jelly.” The dark-haired girl laughed, holding her stomach as she laughed. Ann scowled, giving her friend a hard poke at her sides. That just seemed to make Shiho laugh more, snorting and giggling like a child. “Peanut butter and Ann. A PB and A sandwich!”

“S-shut up!” Ann ordered, elbowing her friend. Shiho’s laughter finally began to die down, though a few squeaks and giggles still escaped as Ryuji and Kanji’s hands grabbed one another.

“Kill!” Chie declared, motioning for the two to start. They did so, locked in a perfect standstill for the first few seconds.

“Chie’s a scary drunk,” Yu muttered, staring at the brunette. 

“She’s… she bounces around a lot, mood-wise,” Yosuke explained with a sigh. He frowned as he looked at his friend. Naoto was sitting on Yu’s lap by now, shaking her butt on his leg. The silverette blushed, but did his best to ignore his girlfriend. “Naoto’s…”

“Yeah. I know.”

“Ooh! Senpai, is that your wallet, or are you happy to see me?” Naoto giggled, licking her lips.

“Wallet. It is definitely my wallet.”

Back with Kanji and Ryuji, the two continued their battle, struggling to overpower the other. Hazel eyes glared into light blue ones as the two men scowled. No one spoke, and soon the only thing heard were each men’s quiet, straining groans. 

A whole minute passed before things began to sway in one’s favor. First Ryuji pushed forward, slowly bringing Kanji’s hand down, before Kanji fought back every inch he lost, returning the battle to square one. Then the older man pressed forward, and suddenly Ryuji’s hand was slammed into the table.

Rise cheered. Ann cheered, though much more quietly. Yusuke grabbed a bowl of rice and threw its content into the air. Hifumi’s eyes widened as she moved her head, dodging the falling food. 

The copper-haired woman embraced her boyfriend, nuzzling her cheek against his. “Great job, Kanji! That was super hot!”

“Oh, uh… T-thanks?” he quietly replied, turning a bright shade of crimson. The star then placed her hands on Kanji’s cheeks and kissed his lips, moaning quietly as her lips pressed against his. Kanji froze, before he placed his hands on Rise’s back, slowly stroking her skin through her thin clothes.

Futaba blinked, captivated by the kiss despite only being a member of the audience. Rise stroked Kanji’s cheek, before freeing the young man. She slowly pulled back, licking her lips as she fluttered her eyes.

“You still got it,” she commented, before rubbing her nose against his. 

The two pulled apart, but their eyes didn’t break their gaze just yet. They didn’t notice most of their friends were blushing, clearly shocked by the kiss, some, like Shiho, jealous. Sae coughed into her hand, clearly hoping to move from the awkward moment, but Haru suddenly spoke up, catching everyone’s attention. 

“Excuse me? I’m sorry, but I was wondering if I could try arm wrestling Kanji-kun.”

“Huh? Why?” Kanji asked.

“Just curious.”

“The king allows it!” Chie shouted. “Court jester, feed me!”

“Yes, your majesty,” Yosuke sighed, rolling his eyes.

Kanji and Haru both sat down, with Haru taking Ryuji’s seat. Ryuji sat nearby, pouting over his loss as the two competitors stared each other down.

“Man, I can’t believe I blew it! My one chance to get a kiss from the prettiest girl in the world.”

“Ahem!” Ann growled, clearing her throat. 

“Hm?” Ryuji lifted his brow to look at Ann. He blinked as she smiled at him, before he picked up a nearby glass of lemonade. “Something in your throat? Here, this outta clear it up.”

Shiho was laughing as Ann growled, grabbing the cup and downing it as angrily as she could. 

“Promise to go easy on me?” Kanji joked.

“Oh, I wouldn’t dare. I respect you too much to give you nothing less but my best!” 

“Heh. You’re alright, Haru.” The two locked hands as Chie began the match. “Good luck, H-Whoa!” Kanji, and the chair he was in, was suddenly sent falling onto the ground as Haru slammed his hand into the table. The room rocked from the sudden crash as Kanji let out a groan. “W-what just happened?”

“I-I’m so sorry, Kanji-kun! I thought you were ready!” Haru felt a wave of guilt hit her, but that guilt was soon evaporated by embarrassment as Rise kissed the young woman’s cheek. It was just a quick and chaste peck, but it was enough to leave the auburn-haired girl flushed. 

“And our winner! DING DING DING!” Rise giggled, lifting up Haru’s arm. “You okay, Kanji?” 

“Ugh, yeah…” The young man rose up, rubbing his arm. 

“I’m so sorry,” Haru repeated, her lip quivering. “I never meant to hurt, I just-”

“It’s cool, Haru. You got a strong arm.”

“Yeah, stronger than Kanji’s. Way stronger,” Rise commented.

“I-I was using my left hand!” 

“Oh? You want to have a rematch?” Rise inquired, and Kanji blushed as he looked away. 

“N-no. I’m good.” The copper-haired beauty giggled, before kissing Kanji’s cheek. 

“I think humble guys are hot,” she whispered, painting a scarlet blush on his face. 

Meanwhile, Ryuji blinked, his cheeks a subtle shade of scarlet. He leaned over towards Ann, and whispered. “H-hey, maybe you should challenge Kanji. I bet Haru weakened him for you.” Ann responded by elbowing him.

---

Soon the group handed in their sticks and took new ones. The next king was soon announced to be Yu, who was still dealing with Naoto on his lap, rubbing her round rear against him. But Yu had a will of titanium, and he ignored the beautiful detective as best as he could. 

“Alright, I’m the k-king,” he declared, glaring at his girlfriend. She giggled in response. “Let’s make this quick and simple.”

“You’re everything, but quick, Senpai.”

Yu chose to ignore that. “Number eleven, sit on one’s lap for the next few rounds.”

“Seriously, me again?!” Kanji frowned, holding up his stick. He was number one, and the person going on his lap would be.

Shiho’s laughter went dead as she saw her stick’s number. She was eleven, and when Ann saw that, the blond burst out in a fit of giggles. 

Revenge was sweet. “Well, what are you waiting for, Shiho?” Ann smirked. “Your throne awaits!” 

“Ooh. Tough break, Rise-chan” Naoto commented.

“I’m perfectly secure in my relationship, Naoto. I trust my boyfriend,” Rise declared.

“I don’t. That’s why I put that chip in his arm while he was asleep years ago.”

“Wait, what?” Naoto pulled Yu’s head between her breasts again, silencing him as he struggled to escape. 

“Nothing!”

Shiho took a deep breath, but eventually the blushing girl obeyed the king’s decree. Her face, neck, and ears were all painted with embarrassment as she walked around the table like some kind of walk of shame. She soon reached Kanji, and she cursed how much she liked him.

He was just.. Everything she liked in a man. Truth was, Shiho had a thing for strong men, and Kanji Tatsumi was the perfect mix of brawn and heart. A big, strong man that seemed as kind and soft as a teddy bear…

Shiho turned around so her back was to Kanji. She felt her heart racing, pounding in her ribs, powerful enough to make her whole body shiver. The young woman took a deep breath, before she sat down, sitting right on Kanji’s lap.

She was stiff as a board, yet trembling like a leaf as she sat there, trying not to make it look like she had no idea what she was doing. She failed. She failed, miserably. 

“Hey, it’s okay. Just relax.” Kanji, ever the gentleman, tried to comfort the young woman. He placed a hand on her leg, only to pull away, blushing. “Er, s-sorry.” Shiho said nothing as her entire face burned red, when suddenly both heard a click.

They saw Ann, phone in hand, taking pictures of the two. “Don’t worry, Shiho. I got you, girl. I’ll make sure to hold onto these pictures so you never forget this moment…”

Shiho buried her face in her hands and groaned, silently hoping she could hide in some hole. Kanji just looked away, hoping his body wouldn’t choose this moment to betray him…

---

By now, several fun commands had gone through. Hifumi was forced to juggle spoons for the amusement of King Shiho, King Futaba ordered Ren and Yu to dance for the group without any music, and King Haru forced Ann to compliment Ryuji. 

Funny enough, the last decree was the one with the most resistant, but eventually Ann told Ryuji that she’s never met anyone as smart as him. After the stealth insult, Haru sighed and gave up her crown. 

“Alright!” Yukiko beamed as she held up her stick. “I’m the King!” And I demand… that numbers five and seven give each other a big smooch! With tongue!” 

Yukiko might as well have told everyone there was a bomb in the room. Everyone went stiff, looking at each other, each wondering if their friend or partner was going to be the one kissed. The tension was thick, and no one said anything for a long moment.

Until Naoto held up her stick. “I’m five…”

“I’m seven.” Everyone looked at Rise, and from his seat Ryuji’s jaw hit the floor. 

Yu and Kanji’s eyes both widened, neither saying anything as Naoto mulled over the details. She was going to have to kiss Rise…

Wait. She was going to kiss Rise! Despite being slightly drunk, Naoto was still the Detective Prince, one of the smartest people in Japan. Her quick mind pieced together a plan, one in which she would finally get her Senpai to notice her how she wanted to be noticed.

Sexually. 

Perhaps with Rise’s help, she could finally break that strong will of his…?

Without warning, Naoto stood up and approached Rise. The idol had no defense against her friend as Naoto wrapped arms wrapped around Rise’s neck. The blue-haired woman closed the distance between them, catching the other girl’s lips with hers. 

Rise froze up as Naoto’s lips nibbled on hers, before she began to melt from Naoto’s tongue slipping into her mouth. The detective, Rise discovered, was a really good kisser…

Yu and Kanji watched, their hearts a cocktail of different emotion. They felt mix of confusion, jealousy, and… something else. At first they tried to look away, embarrassed by the display, only for their girlfriends’ moans to erode their wills. Both men were looking now, watching as Naoto and Rise clung to one another, their tongues wrestling between their mouths.

Nearby, Futaba got a practically front row seat of the kiss, her face turning red as Makoto leaned over to cover her eyes. The image was still burned into her mind, marking her with a hunger...

Their hands adjusted. Naoto had one arm on Rise’s back and another stroking her hair. Rise had her arms around Naoto, pressing their bodies together. Rise could feel Naoto’s large breasts their her clothes. Without a sarashi, Naoto was a very stacked woman, and any jealousy Rise previously experienced just turned into lust as she sucked on Naoto’s tongue. 

The idol placed a hand on Naoto’s breast, feeling her large chest as the boys in the audience watched. Many of them began to feel the same thing Yu and Kanji were, some had from the very start, even some of the girls felt their breath stolen away by the two women.

Naoto had her arms around Rise as she gave her a slight dip. Rise held onto Naoto by her neck, trusting she wouldn’t be dropped onto the floor. Their tongues smacked against one another in the open air for a moment...

Their kiss continued for almost one whole minute. That minute felt like an eternity as Naoto tasted Rise’s strawberry lip gloss. It was a very nice flavor, before the two eventually pulled their lips apart. Their chests were still pressed together as both of them looked at Yu and Kanji.

“Do you think Senpai enjoyed the show, Rise-chan?”

“I think he did. Almost as much as Kanji did.” Both girls smiled at their boyfriends, who burned with embarrassment. The two women giggled, pulling away from one another and returning to their seats.

“This is the greatest dinner of my life,” Ryuji whispered, drool hanging from his lip.

“I am a good king,” Yukiko beamed. 

---

The King’s Game continued, though thankfully there was nothing as extreme as the kiss. Chie did a backflip as decreed by King Shiho, King Yusuke ordered Ann, Yosuke, and Kanji to take his make a human pyramid for him to draw, and King Hifumi ordered Ryuji to walk and talk like a cat for a turn. 

Eventually, though, the group took a small break to eat more food, or go to the bathroom. Haru was sitting down, enjoying some of the food prepared by the Amagi Inn when Futaba poked her shoulder.

“Haru, can you come with me? I need some help grabbing something from my room.”

“Of course, Futaba,” the older woman smiled, nodding her head. The two then stood up and walked away from the dining room, going up the stairs. They walked down the halls towards Futaba’s room, before suddenly coming to a stop. Haru nearly walked into her friend’s back as she blinked. “Futaba? Is something wrong?”

“Haru, I… need your help.” The young redhead turned to Haru, biting her lower lip. “I’m worried about my first kiss.” The auburn-haired woman blinked, tilting her head. “What if I mess up, o-or what if I lose it to some drunk asshole at a rave or something? I’ve read so much hent-er. I’ve read so much manga where the first kiss is like this super amazing event, but what if I mess it all up? What if the person I kiss will?!”

“Oh, Futaba…” Haru embraced her friend, pulling her into a hug. Futaba returned the gesture, tightly squeezing the older woman. “I know for a fact that anyone would be lucky to kiss you. You’re a beautiful, intelligent, and amazing young woman.”

“Thanks, Haru. So, can you help me?”

“I’m sorry? How could I help?”

“I…” Futaba buried her face into Haru’s chest, making the woman blush. “I want you to be my first kiss.” 

“W-what?”

“Please, Haru!” Futaba pulled away, just enough to stare into Haru’s eyes. “Since we got here, I’ve seen you get kissed by like a million girls!” A slight exaggeration, maybe. “It’s just… I want my first kiss to be with someone I know and trust, and feel something for.”

Haru raised her brow, and now Futaba was redder than Haru. “Er, well, I mean, I feel strongly towards you. You’re like my best pal, and you’ve been with me ever since Ren had to go home. You’re like my second Key Item!” Haru didn’t know what that meant, but it sounded good. 

“My point is, I just… I want the kiss to be special, and even if we never kiss ever again, I know a kiss with you would be just that.”

Haru didn’t say anything at first. She just stared at her friend, before looking at the ground. Her mind wrestled with her heart, logic against emotion. On the one hand, Futaba needed help. On the other hand, wasn’t this odd? Was it strange for two friends to kiss?

Actually, considering how sheltered Haru had been growing up, she wasn’t sure what was ‘normal’ for girls her age. She rarely got to even watch TV, while Futaba practically drank in pop culture. 

Haru glanced at her friend, and in the back of her mind, she wondered if maybe she was bisexual considering all the girls she had kissed, and been kissed by. Her night with Hifumi played through her mind, but Haru quickly shook it off, blushing from the memory.  

Eventually, Haru made her choice. Her friend wanted help, and Haru would always help her friends. 

Haru didn’t give a verbal answer. She just placed a hand on Futaba’s cheeks, stroking it. The younger girl blushed, before inching closer. Haru placed a hand under Futaba’s hair, stroking her thin, yet elegant neck. 

“W-what should I do with my hands?” Futaba whispered, her breath hot against Haru’s. 

Honestly, even Haru wasn’t sure. “Put them wherever it feels natural.”

Futaba obeyed, placing them on Haru’s chest for the moment. The two girls ignored the feeling as Futaba’s fingers pressed against Haru’s breasts, before the distance between them was closed. 

The kiss wasn’t like Naoto and Rise’s. Their kiss was hot, passionate, a show for anyone to see. Haru and Futaba’s kiss was gentle, experimental, and just for them. Haru could feel Futaba shaking in her hands, but Haru’s gentle hands on her back slowly calmed her down. 

Futaba’s lips were clumsy against Haru, and her tongue smacked Haru’s lips, trying to mimic Rise and Naoto. A gentle squeeze on her shoulder from Haru told her to stop, and she did. Haru eased her into the art, gently suckling on Futaba’s bottom lip. 

The younger woman thought of Haru as an expert, but honestly, Haru just did what came naturally. Her hands went down Futaba’s back, slowly tracing circles on her back as they began to moan. Futaba pressed their bodies together, slipping her hands out from between their bodies. 

Their kiss broke, but only for a second so Futaba could throw her arms around Haru. The older woman had no idea what kind of effect she was having on the younger girl. The kiss was… it was good. Really nice. Haru was so soft, and she tasted like cherries. Futaba had her arms around Haru’s neck, fingers going through her hair. Haru moaned with surprise, but didn’t pull away.

The two girls continued to kiss, and eventually Haru thought Futaba was ready. She opened her mouth, and licked Futaba’s lips. The smaller girl squeaked, but returned the gesture, and soon their tongues were pressed against each other as Haru thought Futaba what a French kiss was. 

Futaba’s leg moved on its own, lifting up, popped up behind her back as she melted into the kiss. Haru held their bodies together as their tongues played with one another. Eventually the two broke apart, and both girls were blushing as their hands still held one another. 

“That was… good,” Futaba commented, her face, neck, and ears painted scarlet. Haru nodded her head in agreement, blushing just as vibrantly. “Did I do… good?”

“You did fantastic, Futaba.” Haru gave her friend a smile, before she cleared her throat. “We should probably get back to the others.”

“Oh, right!” The two parted, and Futaba’s jelly legs sent her falling to the ground, face smacking against the floor. “I’m okay…! Ow…”

---

The group soon regrouped, and Sae looked at the others at the table. She wasn’t sure what to think of them. Many of them seemed friendly, but there was something in the back of Sae’s mind that felt like… she didn’t belong. 

“Sometimes, it’s in groups we feel the most alone.” Sae blinked, before turning her head to look at Naoto. The woman was standing by Sae, who was still seated at the table. “During the first King’s Game, I felt what you no doubt feel now. I even said, aloud to them, ‘Are you all a bunch of idiots?’” 

Naoto laughed at the memory, and Sae actually chuckled with her. “How many times tonight did you wonder the same thing about this group?” the detective asked, gesturing to the others. Sae didn’t answer, looking away with shame. “It’s alright. I understand, Niijima-san.”

“I do feel out of place,” the silverette admitted.

“We’re all happy to have you here, Sae. Please don’t think otherwise. And if I may offer a piece of advice?” Sae nodded her head. “It’s alright, every once and awhile, to… let down your guard. To have a bit of fun. To be the child you never got to be.”

Sae blinked, before she watched the famed Detective Prince return to her seat. She chuckled, remembering just why she idolized the famed woman.

“Excuse me, everyone?” Naoto held up a full glass of lemonade, calling for everyone’s attention. The others looked at her as she smiled. “I’d like to make a toast. To friends, new and old.” Rise and Yusuke handed out drinks, each filled to the brim with lemonade. 

“To family,” Ren smiled.

“To nights we’ll never forget,” Haru added. 

“To hot girls making out,” Ryuji added, before he was elbowed by Ann. “Ow! What?!”

Everyone lifted up their drinks, as Naoto smiled. “To the quirky characters we call our friends.” She laughed before taking a swig of her drink. The others followed, each of them pouring the sweet liquid down their throats. 

When the toast was over, everyone began to put their glass down, only for Yosuke to blink.

“Wait…” Yu smacked his hand against his forehead as he realized they had been had. “Was that the spiked lemonade?” 

Ryuji let out a low burp, and Ann giggled, pushing him. Rather than be upset, Ryuji just laughed with her, burping again, this time in Ann’s face. She gagged, shoving him as Shiho tried to burp along with Ryuji. 

“Whoo! The drunkness is spreading!” Naoto cackled. “You all fell for my clever ploy! I love you, Senpai!” 

Yu felt his cheeks turn hot as he shook his head. Leave it to Naoto to be an intelligent, but mischievous drunk. It was obvious, judging by the way she smiled at him, that the night was still young, and there was a lot more fun to be had. 

Drunk: Naoto, Rise, Ann, Yusuke, Chie, Yukiko, and Shiho. 

Not Drunk: Yu, Ryuji, Yosuke, Kanji, Sae, Futaba, Makoto, Ren, Haru, and Hifumi.