A/N: This story is now on AO3! See the note at the end of this chapter for details about why it took so long and how to find it on the other site!

Akira lies down in bed ready to sleep as his phone rings. He glances at the name on the caller ID and hits 'Answer.'

"Hello?" Akira says.

"Hey, it's me," Mishima responds.

"What's up?"

"Well I had someone who had a change of heart on the Phan-Site get in touch with me. Seems like he wants someone else to have their heart changed."

"Someone we targeted wants someone else targeted?" Akira asks.

"Weird, right? Said his name was Nakanohara. Said he wants to meet with the Phantom Thieves, but I've got my concerns…"

"About him finding out who we are?"

"Mhmm," Mishima agrees.

"Then we're on the same page," Akira says. "Does he seem genuine? This doesn't seem to be a set up?"

"I don't think so, but I can't know for sure unless someone meets with him. I was thinking of doing it to keep your identity secret."

"I appreciate that Mishima," Akira says. "But what about you being involved?"

"Oh, I'll tell him I'm planning on sending a representative. Good idea, right? And besides, the Phan-Site isn't associated with me on any official records so even if I were to get taken, they wouldn't know about me being the admin of the site."

"What about this phone call?"

"You're a friend from school," Mishima replies. "Nothing suspicious about that."

"OK, I'll trust you," Akira replies. "Let me know what he says as soon as the meeting is over."

"Will do, he's wanting to meet on tomorrow, so we've got a little time in case we want to come up with a better plan. I'll talk to you more after school tomorrow?"

"Sure, see you then," Akira says.

"Bye!"

Akira hangs up the phone and plugs it in before rolling over.

"You sure you trust Mishima for something like this?" Morgana says.

"He seems like he wants to help. If he can't help in the Metaverse he can at least help in this way."

XXXX

5/18

The Phantom Thieves lean against the railing in the walkway waiting for Mishima. Akira spots him as he walks up to the group.

"Hey guys!" Mishima says.

"Hello," Ann replies. "Akira said you spoke with Nakanohara?"

"Sure did, just a few minutes ago," Mishima says with a large smile. "Pretended to be the middle-man between him and the Phantom Thieves! I was super nervous, but I think—"

"What'd he say?" Ryuji asks. Mishima's face sinks.

"Nothing good. He mentioned that he was another student of Madarame's and that he wanted Madarame's heart changed. Apparently, when he lived there, a student older than Nakanohara-san apparently killed himself because he couldn't stand to see Madarame taking credit for all of his work."

"That's awful…" Ann whispers.

"So Nakanohara-san asked that you guys change Madarame's heart before what happened to his friend happens to someone else," Mishima says.

"If we hadn't already agreed to do it, we certainly do now," Ann says. "Madarame is going to pay for what he's done. We cannot fail this!"

"Agreed," Akira says. "Mishima, please continue to monitor the site and alert us of any more mentions of Madarame."

"Will do, good luck!" Mishima says with a wave as he leaves.

"How much time do we have then?" Ryuji asks.

"Well the exhibit ends on the fifth…" Morgana says.

"So just under three weeks," Ann adds.

"Eighteen days," Akira says.

"Alright, so eighteen days to secure a route to Madarame's treasure," Ryuji says. "That's even less time than we had with Kamoshida…"

"That's true but we finished Kamoshida with about a week to spare," Morgana reminds them. "Granted, evidence shows that Madarame has been doing this longer than what Kamoshida was doing so suffice to say his Palace will likely be quite a bit tougher as his cognition convinces him he's invincible."

"What will Madarame's treasure be anyway? A crown?" Ann asks.

"I doubt it," Morgana replies. "But I know I'll know it when I see it."

"Alright, then let's begin infiltration the day after tomorrow," Akira says. "Spend the next couple of days getting ready and stocked up for what we might find."

"I can stop by Untouchable and pick up some new guns," Ryuji says.

"I was planning on hitting Tae's tonight," Akira responds. "See if she can hook us up with more medicine for the Palace."

"Tae's?" Ann asks. "You're on a first name basis with your doctor?"

"Well he does help her test new medication so it would make sense some level of bond exists there," Morgana says.

"When did that start?" Ryuji asks.

"A couple of weeks back. It's how I get the medicine we use in the Palaces," Akira explains. "I volunteer to help her test new medication she's working on and in exchange she gives me the meds without asking too many questions."

"And you trust her?" Ann asks, worry spread across her face.

"Hasn't killed me yet," Akira shrugs. The sound of a phone ping is heard, and all three students check their phones. Ryuji's was the one with the ping as he gasps.

"Mishima said that they finally installed the new game in the arcade on Central! I'll catch you guys later!" he says as he takes off into the crowd. Akira laughs as Ann rests her head in her hand.

"He's a child," she says.

"He's a good friend," Akira replies.

"Yeah, that too," Ann says. "You busy tonight?"

"Unfortunately," Akira says. "Promised Tae I'd test another batch of her new meds."

"Alright, are we still on for tomorrow?" Ann asks.

"Definitely. See you later?"

"Count on it!" Ann says. She gives Akira a wink before grabbing her bag and walking in the direction of the underground mall.

XXXX

Akira stands outside of Tae's clinic in Yongen-Jaya. His heart races as he thinks about the next medical trial he'll be taking tonight. The loss of consciousness has never been pleasant before and if bad things truly come in three's then tonight will not be enjoyable at all.

"It's kinda late, do you think she's still in?" Morgana asks.

"She messaged me earlier saying she was expecting me," Akira replies. "And the light is on."

Akira takes a deep breath and steps inside the clinic. The smell of iodine and other cleaning and disinfecting agents hits his nose as the teal floor tiles try to blind him with the LED lights in the ceiling. Akira looks behind the counter to see Tae sitting on her stool with a magazine in her hands.

"About time you showed up," she says, "I was starting to worry you were gonna be a no-show." Akira smiles and scratches the back of his neck.

"I'm a man of my word." Tae's eyes narrow and stare into his.

"Riiight. Well, come on back. I've got the new treatment ready," Tae says as she stands up and gestures to the door next to Akira. Akira walks through and down a small hallway to the examination room. Tae follows Akira inside and takes her seat at her desk and gestures to the stool next to it.

"Sit," she orders as she wheels over to a mini-fridge and pulls out a vial of amber liquid. She wheels back to Akira and places it on the desk and grabs her tape recorder and hits 'play.'

"This is Dr. Tae Takemi, May eighteenth of 2016, here with Subject Zero. Testing out formula 13-5-3. Here."

Akira takes the vial from Tae and pops the cap off. She stares at him intently as he gives a smile and downs the whole thing. Tae leans closer and begins scribbling on her clipboard while talking to the recorder.

"Let's see… Eyes are focused. Breathing isn't changing. Look this way," she says holding her pen in the air. "One, two, three, four… Motor functions unaffected. How do you feel?"

"The… inside of my mouth…" Akira struggles to say as he begins to sweat slightly. "It feels… like it's burning… nose… itchy!" Akira sneezes violently.

"Interesting…" Tae says. "The inhibitory effect is just as I had hoped."

"The what?" Akira asks as the sweat begins to roll down his face.

"Subject's weight seems to have made the effect of 13-5-3 take longer than expected," Tae says. "Expected result from a teenaged patient. Progress continues to be made," Tae says as she hits the 'stop' button on the recorder and turns to Akira with a large smile.

"You did great!" she says warmly.

"Great," Akira says before sneezing again. "How long will this—" he begins before Tae's office phone begins to ring.

"Only a few minutes," she says reaching for the phone. "Hello, Takemi Medical Clinic of Internal Medicine. How can I help you?"

Akira focuses on the feeling in his face as Tae continues the call. He feels the moisture returning to his mouth and the burning sensation turn more to a dull numbing feeling.

"An emergency, huh? Well we're not a designated hospital," Tae says. "Besides the head physician here is… Tae Takemi," Tae says as her face drops. "Ah! Well that's awfully rude, just hanging up on a lady like that."

"Maybe they're in a rush… on their way here," Akira says.

"Kinda," Tae replies. "It was an ambulance driver looking for a transfer location. All the designated hospitals are full. It's kinda weird that they'd call a general practitioner though, must be new."

"Why'd you say your name like that?" Akira asks. "Like it's something people should know about?"

"Caught that did you?" Tae says with a small smirk. "Well, I've been blacklisted by the larger medical community. They call me 'The Plague' due to a grave medical error I made."

"What do you mean?" Akira asks.

"This goes way back to my old job… I used to work at a university hospital in the city. I was never convicted of anything, but I'm still considered a pariah in the medical industry."

"When you say grave…"

"Dead," Tae says. "I got someone killed. Made a bad call and a patient paid the price for it. Does that… scare you?" Tae says looking into Akira's eyes. A mix of sorrow and worry fill her brown eyes as she awaits his response.

"No… I mean not really," Akira says. "Bad calls happen to everyone. And I… kinda need the medication…"

"So, you've said," Tae says with a slight smirk again. "What was the excuse we're going with? Exams?"

"You think that's not why I need them?" Akira asks nervously.

"I know it's not, but I also know you're not abusing them. You don't act, sound, or even talk like an addict. Believe me, I'd know," Tae says. "But if you don't want to tell me what they're really for, then I'll trust you for now on the condition that I found out some day."

"I thought the condition was that I help you with these trials?" Akira replies with a smirk of his own.

"It's both," Tae replies leaning back in her chair. "As thanks for helping me with this trial, I'll be a little more laid back regarding what you ask for. My little guinea pig," Tae says with a large smile. "Now go on, get out of here," she says with a wave. "I've got to close up and file these notes, and I can't do that while you're still here. The brown bag on the counter has got what you asked for."

"Thank you, Tae," Akira says as he stands and walks down the small hallway again. He grabs the bag from the counter and heads out of the clinic to meet Morgana sitting on the curb.

"You're back fast this time," Morgana says in astonishment.

"Didn't pass out this time," Akira replies. "Her medicine is already getting better."

"Looks like you got the meds too. If Ryuji can get some better guns by tomorrow, then we'll be set for beginning the infiltration!" Morgana says.

A/N: What a crazy month it's been. Sorry it's taken me so long to get this next chapter out. Final year of University started so with that comes old roommates moving back in, beginning of classes and work, and the start of my senior project for the next 8-9 months. Finding time to sit down and write was difficult but now things are slowing getting into a rhythmic groove and time to write will be easier to find. I'll tentatively say we're back on to our old schedule of a new chapter every week or two.

In addition to being back, I finally went through and reread the whole story so far for errors and typos and posted it over on Archive of Our Own. My profile name on both sites is the same, as is the story's title so it shouldn't be too much of a hassle to find I hope.

Finally: Thank you, as always, for sticking with me as the story continues to move along and develop and my writing (hopefully) continues to improve. Please feel free to comment, review, and share the story on either site with anyone you think might be interested in a grounded approach to novelizing the game with a Shu/Ann pairing at its core. I appreciate each and every person who reads my story :) -Anthony