(MAJOR SPOILERS for November and beyond, including the traitor's identity. Don't read if you haven't played to that point.)
It was the fourteenth day of November, and the Phantom Thieves, with the noted exception of their newest member, were meeting in their hideout in LeBlanc's attic, also known as Akira Kurusu's room. After a week of training, battles, gambling, and annoyances, the thieves had finally secured a route to the treasure of Sae Nijima, star prosecutor of the SIU, sister of Makoto Nijima, and current thorn in the Phantom Thieves' side.
“So we've secured our route to the treasure, and the next step is to send the calling card, correct?” asked Yusuke.
“Yes, but Akechi-san is demanding we wait until November 18th,” said Makoto. “He was very specific about that date.”
“Tch, yeah, 'cause THAT'S not suspicious,” scoffed Ryuji. “Why are we dealin' with him? We know from Futaba's bug that he's just gonna sell us out anyway, right? Hell, we knew anyway 'cause of the pancake thing.”
“Pancake thing?” Haru asked, confused. The others promised to explain later.
“That's why I didn't invite him to this meeting,” said Akira, adjusting his glasses. “I'm wondering if it may be best to ignore Akechi and send the calling card today. I wanted us to talk about it and put it to a vote.”
“That's why I asked Sojiro to close early,” Futaba said. “That way there's no way Mister Detective Jerkface will come in and hear us talking.”
“I'm not sure this is a good idea,” Ann said. “If we send the calling card, won't Nijima-san tell Akechi? He'd tell her everything then, wouldn't he?”
“I don't think so,” Makoto said. “From what I've picked up eavesdropping on her, my sister and Akechi are currently at odds, so that part of Akechi's story is at least true. In fact, she suspects the worm I planted on her computer was actually done by him. I don't think she'd inform him of the calling card, at least not right away.”
“There's also the possibility that he's suspicious of us anyway and may change his plans,” Morgana said, jumping up on the coffee table. “How long has it been since he used the phone you bugged, Oracle?”
“Three days,” Futaba said. “It might not mean he's onto us, since we've been busy in Big Nijima's casino lately, but it's still a total red flag.”
“So if he knows we're onto him,” Akira said, “then our best bet may be to move on ahead of schedule and force him to... wait, do you guys hear that?”
Everyone quieted down and listened. A hissing sound could be heard coming from beneath the floorboards. Ann let out an uncontrollable yawn. “Huuuaaagh... I'm sleepy all of the sudden...”
“There's some kind of gas leak!” Akira realized, standing up in alarm. “Everyone! We... need to...”
Whatever Akira was about to say was lost as one by one, the Phantom Thieves dropped into unconsciousness. Unbeknownst to them, they were also slowly shrinking.
In the floor below in the middle of the cafe itself, a young man grinned beneath his gas mask as he removed the hose he had stuck into the ceiling. Goro Akechi chuckled to himself. These fools had really made it too easy. Any doubts that they figured out his plan vanished when he discovered they were having a secret meeting without him in the cafe while it was closed. And with the cafe empty, it was simple to set up his backup plan.
A low level member of the conspiracy- a former colleague of Dr. Tae Takemi before her fall from grace- had stolen a formula from her that could shrink any living thing once ingested or inhaled. Akechi's instructions were clear: he was to shrink the Phantom Thieves and then, quite literally, crush them under heel. However, the second part of that plan didn't sit well with the wicked detective. In spite of his best efforts, the friendship he had struck with Kurusu-san over the past six months was somewhat genuine, and being directly responsible for the end of his life in such an anticlimactic manner felt... wrong, somehow.
His looked around the cafe as he thought, and his eyes landed on the yellow payphone on the counter. He smirked as a brilliant, terrible idea came to him. Retrieving his notepad and pen from his pocket, he jotted down a quick note, carefully forging Kurusu's handwriting. He then picked up the phone and started to dial. One of Kurusu's good deeds was about to come back and haunt him... in a big way.
“Thank you for calling Victoria's Housekeeping! Would you like to request a maid?”
“Yes, please. Very much so.”
“Is there anyone in particular you would like to request?”
“Why yes,” Akechi said with a malevolent grin. “Is Becky available tonight?”  | Members who added to this interactive story also contributed to these: |
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