Howdy! Bet you weren't expecting anything from me quickly but, alas I waited till I had a stockpile of content for your eyes to bare glorious witness to. Simply put this story is an idea that popped into my head. I had thunk with my brain machine that it would be pretty funny if Akira didn't turn back into a person after getting rattled in Futaba's palace and the other Phantom Thieves had to take care of him. So obviously no Futaba and no Haru but, to make up for it I'll add Kasumi, Tae, Kawakami, and Sojiro in as replacements. I'm planning on giving each confidant there own chapter so expect some decent stuff.

It was a tough battle no one on the team could dare say otherwise. This mid boss had a fair amount of hp and some strong attacks but, nothing was as dangerous as that spell that turned them into rats luckily it wore off pretty quick. They finally defeated it after Joker took the hit and Fox got a critical hit killing the coffin. So, now they were just waiting for the spell to ware off...but, it was taking an incredibly long amount of time to ware off. They'd been waiting for almost thirty minutes now and they were gonna have to leave the Metaverse soon or they'd all miss the trains back home.

Queen alerted them to the amount of time that had passed had finally reached half an hour and suggested it would simply be easier to break for today and hope the spell wore off when they left the Metaverse or soon after since time passed quicker in the real world after all. So they left and on the way out of the pyramid Queen realized something important that they hadn't thought about; is rat Joker, fully rat? or just Joker in a rat body? "I dunno when I got turned into one I panicked and couldn't really focus but, I'm pretty sure normal me and rat me would both think that", Skull had really added nothing. Everyone who got turned into a rat said pretty much the same thing it's hard to tell if the spell makes you full rat or just part rat and this was obviously at least slightly different and with as fickle as the Metaverse is how can they really know anything. Such are the woes of the tactician of the Phantom Thieves. For now they would simply make it back home.

So far Rat Joker was being held by Panther and had so far been pretty still and calm so, was this Human Joker just being chill despite someone holding him or was it a rat that was chill with being held. Do rats like being held?

Alas thinking time was up they were leaving the Metaverse...and Ann was holding a rat with glasses so Akira was still a rat despite not being in the Metaverse. "Makoto can you hold him?", Ann held Akira towards Makoto with not exactly a disgusted look but, certainly not a pleasant look.

"Yeah sure, is something wrong?" Makoto took to her role and asked with a motherly concern as she grabbed the furry fella from her friend.

"Nothings wrong I just can't take him home. My caretaker hates rats and mice she'd flip out and probably attack him or something". Oh yeah, someone had to take Akira home. Everyone realized this at the same time. Makoto held him up as though offering him to anyone who would take him yet everyone shied away and turned their heads. Morgana scoffed at them, "look at you guys. What shameful friends would he hesitate to offer you all help. Yusuke he gave you, a HUMAN who requires much more, somewhere to stay when you had nowhere else to go but, look at you all. For shame. Sadly, I can't take care of him I lack the facilities". Sadly the cat was right their dear friend is always there for them whether it be something big, small, or life changing.

Ann was ashamed but, she really couldn't take him. "I was serious when I said I couldn't take him though my caretaker really will flip out and she'll call my parents and they'll tell me to get rid of him. I could try and sneak him in but, my acting isn't great. She'll know somethings up".

Ryuji sighed and nodded his head "Yeah I know what you mean my ma would flip out if I brought a rat into our houses there's no way I can take him tonight she'll be worried cause I was out late so I can't sneak in".

Yusuke put a hand hi head and shook it in shame, "I have nowhere to keep him so he doesn't escape and their are other rats at the dorms, I fear I may get them confused. Besides I have no food to offer I refuse to be a poor host who would let their guest starve". That left Makoto and only Makoto since she hadn't come up with an excuse.

"Well I suppose that leaves it up to me... sis is usually home late so I can sneak him in. I can put him in a shoe box and poke some holes in it for air. There's plenty of food back home for him to eat" she shook her head and looked down at little rat Akira, she realized she owed him a lot. At the very least she could take care of him for the night. It couldn't be so bad. "What about you Morgana? You can't exactly get back into LeBlanc". A fair point.

The cat looked up at his fair Lady and she conceded hesitantly, "I don't think she mind a cat so I guess you can stay with me for a bit. Wait what are we gonna tell Boss?" a rather worrisome point.

"Got it covered I picked up his phone when we came back texted Boss and told 'em Akira was crashing at my place tonight" Ryuji actually did good this time.

Makoto moved the rat boy into her purse and addressed the others, "I guess we'll brake hear for now we better hurry to our trains".

Short little something for the intro to get you invested. Next chapter will have Makoto facing a rat problem so, I hope you'll be excited to see it.