Lose Your Way

Prologue: Shibuya Labyrinth

'Come to mementos alone tonight. Tell no one.

If you tell anyone, you will regret it.

-A'

Funny how a single piece of paper can make you break out into a cold sweat.

At least, that was what a corner of Akira's mind mused as he ran over the note again, his mouth set into a hard line, eyes scanning every single kanji for what had to be the thousandth time since he'd found it in his pants pocket.

The handwriting... no, no matter how long he looked at it, he definitely hadn't seen it before. Oddly clean and neat, though.

...Okay.

So it wasn't some kind of weird, offputting prank by Ryuji or Ann - not that they were the kind of people to do something like this anyway. Or at least, it'd be a little more obvious.

...Actually, does Morgana know how to write? He'd have a hard time with just cat paws and his mouth, though if he went in the metaverse -

...He really wished that little corner in his brain would just shut up already, because there were much bigger issues at hand than just wondering if a cat (self-proclaimed human) had the ability to take notes.

Like, say... the fact that someone else - not a member of Phantom Thieves - knew about Mementos. And even worse...they knew that he was a part of it. Probably even knew he was the leader, if he was the only one who had gotten this note, which was the most likely outcome.

After all, neither Ann nor Ryuji had texted him in a panic - and while Ann might stay quiet, there was no way Ryuji would.

He was sure of it.

...Okay, reasonably sure.

People could still be unpredictable at times, and they had only been working together for almost a month...

Still, he was pretty sure that he knew the two of them by now, since you don't go changing the heart of a molesting asshole and not learn a few things about the people you're working with.

...Well, reasonably sure.

You're getting off track, Kurusu, chimed that corner of his brain.

Right.

The note.

Rubbing his eyes, he ran over the situation in his head once more.

Assuming he was the only person in the Phantom Thieves who had gotten this note, then he was the only target. And whoever had given him the note had done it in such a way that he didn't even notice them slipping it into his pants pocket, of all things. He'd tried to think back to earlier that day, but...for fuck's sake, he went on the Shibuya railway. A better question would be to ask who didn't bump into him.

Still, he didn't notice. And that...

That took experience, right?

...Experience in being a thief.

And that thought led to a single conclusion, one that couldn't be denied-

We might not be the only ones with the ability to go into the Metaverse.

Akira let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding, as an involuntary smirk began to spread across his face. With a single deft movement, he folded the note back up, placing it back in his pocket.

Sure, this was from an unknown sender, from this mysterious 'A'.

Sure, this might be a trap just for him, and he might not come back.