- 𝐅𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐝 -

Chapter 22

-

"Execute yourself."

...

Ehhh? No words could describe this rush of confusion that just ran over me. Did she just tell me to kill myself? (again???)
How was I even supposed to execute myself? I didn't even have-

Oh. I stared at where my hands would normally have been, and instead of them being gone, they were BACK. Wow. I swear to God, butterfly lady, if you could've done this all along, WHY DIDN'T YOU-

But whatever. Of course they had those usual chains. After all, the velvet room was a place between mind and matter, so obviously I would have a stable body.

Honestly I was glad... However, it felt unusual, and kind of heavy and weak.

By the way, the story might change back to third person at some point, because I can't witness everything. Hope you enjoy the times when I tell the story~
But moving on.

"And why would I do that?", I then finally replied after getting myself together.

"Because only thou can save humanity...", the small girl then replied, still as calm as ever.

Sigh. What did I expect, honestly.

"So what? I have to sacrifice everything I have left for this world?"

"A small price for freedom..."

I suppose she was right. Letting myself go for the freedom of the world seemed fine... But... I didn't want to.

Before I could say anything else, although, the voice of her suddenly took a drastic change. It really shook me, and nothing normally surprises me anymore. "Trickster, aren't you so afraid of forgetting everything?"

What was she talking about now...?

"Or did you already forget that too? Do I have to remind you of who you were and who you've been...?"

...

- - - -

"OW! Be more careful Ryuji!!!"

Meanwhile, the Phantom Thieves were just thrown back into the 'real' world. However, the sky was mildly red, and that really terrified them.

"What the hell happened...", Ann then said quietly, sitting up slowly and hugging her slightly bruised knees.

"We were thrown back into the real world.", Futaba then started off, "But... Was that... Akira...?"

Silence filled the group, but it was blocked out by the loud crowd that somehow seemed unbothered.

Haru especially looked down. After all, her hand had went right through their dead leader's back. That must've probably been a lot to handle for such a precious flower like her. "I thought he's gone..."

Another sigh left the group's mouths.

"We can't dwell on it for so long.", Makoto then interrupted. "We need to find Akechi and make him explain everything. Is he still in the Metaverse?"

"... I doubt that", the orange haired girl then talked again, "The app... It's gone."

"... EHHH?!"

- - - - - - -

At some other place, the detective indeed woke up.

But it wasn't the Metaverse.

"Urgh... What the hell...", he said, holding his throbbing head as if he had just woken up with a hangover.

'Didn't I just...? Wait...', Akechi thought to himself, and started desperately looking around for the ghost he used to hate. "AKIRA!"

But he wasn't there.
He was alone.

'No no no... Fuck... He' ll think I only used him...'

Covering his face with his gloved hands again, he then curled up on the floor. It seemed the place he woke up at was just a random alleyway, away from Shibuya. And he was alone.

Checking the sky, Goro then noticed the red shade as well.
'We're running out of time...'

Getting himself together, the detective then looked at his phone. Was it really already the next day...? Shit.

He stood up as quick as light and started dashing towards the police station. This was his second chance to fix everything, and maybe if he could learn Akira's past...

It will fix him too.