(Set after the game. Spoilers for Endgame events and December)
Monday February 13, 20XY
Juvie was way more boring than Akira thought. He had been spending his days either in his cell or the hall's library. However, he kept reminding him that this was the best case scenario. It was going to be either just him, or him all of the other Phantom Thieves.
He kept to himself while locked up. The only times he felt like his old self was when someone came to visit, which was often, thankfully. Still, he missed going out to see them on his own terms. As it turned out, "terrorizing" Japan for about a year led to a long sentence.
"Inmate, you have a visitor," said a voice, cold. At this point, he even missed Caroline and Justine. At the very least, it was fun messing with their childish tendencies. Akira nodded, hopped off his cot and slowly ambled his way to the visiting area. Normally, he could count on Makoto and Haru arriving regularly, Ann and Ryuji dropping in on random occasions. Sojiro would even bring Futaba sometimes. The visits he would most often look forward to were from Sae Niijima.
Ever since Akira agreed to turn himself in, Sae sparely visited, but she made it a point to come by to fill him in on Shido’s trial. More often than not, she came in with some good news.
With the contemplative look on her face, Akira assumed this would be a bit more than just an update. He took a seat on the other side of the glass, staring at the woman who had tried to put him behind bars just a few months ago.
“Long time no see,” she said quietly, taking a seat. “I have two great pieces of news for you today. First, we finally managed to prosecute Masayoshi Shido. He’ll likely be found guilty.”
*
“Now for the other piece of good news,” she said, a small smile forming on her face. “I’ve struck a deal for your release.”
Akira’s eyes widened. “I get to leave? Why so suddenly?”
Sae’s smile disappeared. “It’s a bit… unconventional. You’re going to be placed back on parole for a year—“
“That’s great!” Akira said, holding himself back from jumping up.
“I’m not finished,” Sae continued. “Since you turned yourself in as the leader of the Phantom Thieves, the justice system wants to make an example of you.”
“An example of me how?” Akira asked, his smile gone.
Sae crossed her arms. “This is all if you accept the deal, of course. I wouldn’t blame you if you decided to stay here.”
“Just what are you getting at?”
“There’s an… experimental punishment, one for violent offenders. It’s a way to ensure they won’t be a threat to the general public.”
Akira swallowed nervously. Sae was usually direct. Something had to be wrong if she was avoiding saying it outright. “What is it?”
“If you take the deal, they’re going to shrink you down.” Sae looked down at her hands. “You’ll be at around an inch or two, so about the size of my thumb.” Sh
“What?” he asked, still trying to process the information.
“I know, it’s strange,” Sae conceded with a sigh. “But it’s the only way I could get you out. Otherwise, you’re facing juvie until you’re transferred to prison when you’re older.”
Akira bit the inside of his cheek, thinking it over. All he had to do was get through the year, and it would all be over. Surely it couldn’t be too bad. “I’ll do it.”
Sae gasped. “You’ll take it…?” Her eyes were wide. “Are you sure you don’t want to think it over?”
“It’s only one year,” he explained. “I can manage it.”
“I admire your optimism,” she said. “I don’t know if I would be able to take the deal.”
“I have a few questions,” Akira said.
“Of course.”
***
14 February, 20XY. Early Morning.
Akira lay uncomfortable in his cot. The room around him reminded him of a dentist’s office, but with the already limited fun sucked out of it. The room was so clean, white and sterilized that he felt dirty just being inside it. Across from him, there was a giant machine that looked like it was pulled directly out of Kunikazu Okumura’s Palace.
He closed his eyes as the laser began to fire up. All he could do was wait as his sentence was being carried out. He felt a strange sensation overcome him before he quickly passed out.
Some time later, Akira sat up. His head was pounding, and his vision was blurry.
“Welcome back,” said a voice. Akira had to shield his ears. Once his vision cleared, he realized he was sitting in the palm of Sae Niijima.
Akira was left speechless. Even after Sae’s explanations for the day before, he was completely unprepared for the shock of seeing another person hundreds of times his size. Her attempts to lessen the surprise from speaking softly to smiling gently proved to be ineffectual as the shrunken boy’s heart began to race.
“It’s okay, Kurusu-kun,” she hummed, trying to console him. “It’s going to be okay.”
Akira swallowed nervously, taking long, slow breaths in an attempt to calm down. “Is it too late to say that I hate heights?”
Sae chuckled, recognizing his defense mechanism of making jokes. “You’ll adjust. I’m sure all your friends will try to help you get through the year.”
“Right,” Akira said, looking up at the giant attorney. “This is still so strange.”
“As for your living arrangements…”
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