A Thief's Prison

What Are Friends For?

-Sunday, May 1, Daytime-

Today, I felt like doing a clinical trial for Dr. Takemi. On my way, however, I saw Melody-chan's dad with a small, chestnut brown haired girl who was wearing a mask over her mouth and nose. He had a bag of things as he was walking out of the small Yongen supermarket, and the girl held a box of crackers and a parrot plush.

"Ginny, do you have your crackers?"

"Uh-huh..." the little girl responded.

"You're feeling okay, right? I know you wanted to come with me, but..."

"Dad, I'm fine...! I'm a big girl, y'know!"

"Ginny, I worry about you. You're my daughter..."

I approached the two.

"Good afternoon, Kabel-san"

He turned to me, a smile on his face "...Ah, the boy from LeBlanc! ...It was Akira-kun, right?"

"Yessir" I nodded.

"How have you been? I'm just here picking up stuff for my lil' girl. Say hi, Ginny"

I could see the little girl, Ginny, smile even underneath her mask "Hi, Ginny"

Mr. Kabel rolled his eyes and smiled softly at his child "...You're still such a smartass even when you're sick"

"Yup!~"

"Uh- If Ginny-chan is sick, Takemi Medical Clinic has some really good medicines" I told Mr. Kabel.

"Oh...? Well... I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. Thank you so much" he replied, then added "By the way, Akira-kun... You haven't seen Melody at all today, have you?"

This caught me off guard. He doesn't know where Melody-chan is!? Did she go missing!?

"Uh... No, I... I haven't... Why?" I stuttered out.

He sucked in a breath through his teeth "That's bad... See, she didn't tell me she was going anywhere and I can't contact her phone. Every time I try, it doesn't go through. Her phone must have died... If you see her, please let me know. Ginny, say bye to Mr. Akira"

"Bye bye, Akira-san"

After she said that, the two went back to their house. I... I'm still processing this. Melody-chan is missing!? She's not answering her phone!? I mean, I understand why he can't search for her, his other daughter is sick and his wife is at work... But where the hell is Melody!? I remembered Morgana was in my bag when he spoke.

"That's... Concerning. Think there's anyone who'd know where she is?"

I shook my head, pretending not to care despite it being all I'm thinking about "...Not my concern, I'm gonna do a clinical trial with Dr. Takemi"

Morgana's little blue eyes widened.

"Are you serious!? ...Well, I can't make you do anything about it, I guess... I'm gonna wander around"

He hopped out of my bag and began wandering around Yongen-Jaya. I took this opportunity to duck into the doorway of Takemi medical clinic and open up the MetaNav.

No way of contacting her... No idea where she is... My eyes narrowed at my phone as I spoke words quietly that I remembered. The culmination of the collective unconscious...

"...Mementos..."

I felt the familiar feeling of being warped to the Metaverse, but everything around me was the same. Except, of course, with a darker red tint. I immediately decided to search near Melody-chan's house for any clues. All of the doors seem to be unlocked in this version of reality. So, I simply pushed through her front door. I feel weird doing this, but I went into her room to check it out. Her phone is on the floor, as if it's been knocked over or dropped in a panic, but Melody is nowhere to be found. At least not here. I pocketed her phone and made my way to the station, realizing that this is another branch of Mementos. In the previous run, I only went in from Shibuya, so seeing a branch over at this station was... Strange, to say the least. I changed into my Joker outfit, too. Oh, that's my codename, by the way. As a Phantom Thief.