25 The Judgement.

(Instead of making it a two-parter, I went back to the last chap, and I added the part I wasn't able to finish. So, if you read the last chap a day or two ago, then you should go back and double-check that you have read the newest version with the ramen place.

Also, I know I said I was gonna take a day or two off from posting, but oh well. I really like how the chap ended up, so I wanted to share it instead of waiting to post it lol. Hopefully ya'll enjoy.)

— — —

The next day, after school had finished, Ren was approached by Makoto.

"Hey Ren! Sorry for taking so long. I was pretty busy with the student council, so I wasn't able to find you after school. But I have the recordings with me now." She said as she lifted the bag she held.

"Perfect!" Ren answered as he saw the bundle of CDs that Makoto handed him. However, he smacked his face as he remembered something that had slipped his mind since he had been so busy with other things. "Now I just have to find a TV or computer."

He knew there was a second-hand shop near Leblanc he could stop by, and with the money he had gotten from battling the shadows in Kamoshida's palace, he could probably afford a cheap one. But Makoto, perhaps sensing his predicament, offered a solution, albeit with a hint of hesitation towards the end. 

"Maybe you could come over to my place? My sister's pretty strict about guests unless it's for schoolwork. But this counts as studying, doesn't it?" The longer her sentence went on, the quieter it became as she lost confidence.

Hearing her, Ren perked up, speaking before she could take the offer back.

"You know, the midterm exams are coming up pretty soon. So, after watching the recordings, we could study. I'm pretty good with most other subjects, but I am garbage at history. Would you mind helping me with that?" He asked

Makoto paused, considering, then nodded, her resolve solidifying.

"Yeah, my sister is dealing with a case right now, so she won't be home until it is late, so it should be fine if you leave before dark. She's actually looking into all of the mental shutdowns that have been happening lately and all of the accidents going around. There is not that much evidence right now, so she's been quite busy searching for answers." 

"The mental shutdowns, huh… You know, it'd actually like the chase to meet with her and ask her some questions about that, too." Ren said as the two of them walked out of the school, earning a chuckle from Makoto.

"I doubt you would be able to get anything out of her. If anything, she would probably say it is none of your business." Makoto said with a slightly annoyed tone.

Following behind Makoto, he listened to her somewhat rant about her sister as they made their way via train to one of the nicer neighborhoods. Makoto's house was impressively modern and spotlessly maintained, something that Ren could appreciate. There wasn't a single thing out of place as they both sat down on the couches as Makoto began playing the first recording.

As Makoto dug into her notebook, pulling out a fresh page, her excitement was palpable. 

"I've actually gone over the recordings a few times already, so I took some more notes. I know the whole concept of cognition is not recognized by the scientific community. But I honestly find it fascinating." Makoto said as she pulled out a small notebook and prepared her pen to take notes. 

A hint of a smile appeared on her face as she turned to Ren and said.

"You know, I never would have discovered this if it wasn't for you asking for my help. It also makes it more fun to have someone to study with." She added, her attention shifting back to the screen as Dr. Maruki's lecture began.

As Ren listened, he couldn't help but admire Makoto's note-taking abilities. Her detailed notes made Maruki's complex theories on cognition far more digestible. Watching her, Ren thought amusingly that she was like a momma bird, pre-digesting the information for him to absorb easily.

As he listened to Maruki, he couldn't help but admire the research, which also made one thing clear. At least at the time of the recording, Maruki had not yet been able to enter the Metaverse. He could tell by the way he spoke he was mostly speculating, yet it was impressive how close he had gotten without being able to research it properly. If anything, Ren couldn't help but wonder what he would be able to achieve if he was actually brought into the Metaverse.

Turning to see Makoto's focused eyes on the screen, his eyes narrowed in thought.

'What about her?'

He didn't know Maruki, but next to him was someone who was smart. Someone who had been able to gather more information about the Metaverse than him. Someone he thought he might be able to trust.

Thinking back, Ann had only really been brought because she was so close to Shiho. And as for Ryuji, whether by fate or by luck, he had simply been dragged without choice. Morgana had been the only member that had actually joined after being invited by him. A strange cat that called himself a human, but the ability Igor had given him didn't indicate any traces of him actually being one. 

If anything, Morgana was somewhat tied to the Velvet Room, but that didn't say much since he didn't even know that much about it. He would have to add talking to Caroline and Justine about it in the near future, but that would probably require him to go into the Metaverse.

"Ren?" Makoto asked as she saw him get lost in thought, nudging him slightly with her hand.

Snapping back to reality, Ren turned to look at Makoto.

"What would you think if the cognitive world was real?" He asked, watching her reaction closely.

Makoto paused, retreating into her thoughts before answering.

"You know, with my dad and my sister both being involved with criminals, I have heard many stories. My dad used to tell me that the best criminals often didn't leave any evidence of their crimes. So he would never be able to arrest them. If you could look into someone's mind, then there would be no doubt whether they were guilty or innocent."

Hearing her answer, Ren couldn't help but answer. He wanted to invite her, but it would be hypocritical of him to invite her without asking the group first. So, for now, he would wait to give her the offer.

"Thanks for sharing the recordings with me; I have actually learned a lot. I guess now it's time to study, isn't it?" Ren asked with a joking tone as he pulled a school book from his bag.

Just as Makoto got up to put away the recordings, the sound of the front door and the unmistakable click of high heels resonated through the room. She froze, her body tensing as she turned to face the new arrival.

Entering through the door was Makoto's sister. Dressed in a sleek black business suit paired with a turtleneck, her long dark silver hair and reddish-brown eyes gave her an aura of authority and elegance that matched her reputation.

"I wasn't aware you had...guests." She remarked, her tone cool as she took in the sight before her.

Makoto, slightly flustered, quickly tried to explain their presence. 

"Oh, um, yes, we were just... working on some school research. I didn't want to bother you, knowing how busy you've been with your case," she said. Nervously meeting her sister's analytical gaze.

Ren stood and respectfully bowed to Sae, introducing himself, only to receive a lukewarm response. 

"I'm Sae Nijima, Makoto's older sister," she stated, her eyes narrowing slightly at him.

Hoping to ease the tension, Ren smiled warmly.

 "Makoto's mentioned you before. Not many can say they've made it into the Special Investigation Department. That's pretty impressive," He complimented with a smile as his eyes focused on her face, or to be more clear, the distortion around it.

The eyes Igor had granted him were quite a thing. Even before they were fully awakened, he could see the distortion of a king's mask in Kamoshida's face. Yet now, he could clearly see a similar distortion in Sae's face. A strange metal helm that covered the upper half of her face, filled with spikes. What it meant for her distortion, he did not know, but it was enough to bring his full attention to her.

Sae's suspicion lingered even as she acknowledged the compliment with a nod.

"Makoto, could you retrieve my suitcase from the closet? The black one with golden decorations. I need it specifically," Sae instructed, her gaze still fixed on Ren, probing for his intentions.

Makoto, hearing her sister's tone of voice that left no room for argument, quickly scrambled away to try to find it as fast as possible, leaving Ren and Sae in the room alone.

"Now, what are you really doing here?" Sae's voice was sharp, cutting through the silence with precision.

Giving her an honest smile, Ren answered without a hint of hesitation.

"I was researching some stuff at the school's library after school when Makoto offered to help me when she saw me struggling. Since I just moved here not so long ago, I still don't have good access to a computer or TV, so she offered to let me come by to watch what I needed." He explained. He knew that Makoto would be interrogated, too. So, if he tried to hide anything now, it would only raise her suspicions more.

Sae's eyes briefly shifted to the TV, still displaying the last remnants of the lecture they had been watching, before landing on the stack of CDs marked with her sister's handwriting. Each disc was meticulously labeled with a lecture number, just like Makoto always did.

"I see." Sae murmured, her gaze returning to Ren as she pondered his words. "And that's all you came here for?"

"We were also going to go over some of the history notes. That's the only real subject I struggle with, so Makoto offered to help."

Sae's skepticism seemed to wane as she glanced at the notebooks scattered across the couch, a silent confirmation of what he had just said. A momentary smile flickered across her face, a rare glimpse of approval as she spoke.

"Very well, since you appear to be truthful, I'll let you go. I need to discuss something privately with my sister." She concluded, her gaze shifting towards the door, a clear signal for him to leave.

As Ren gathered his belongings, he reached for the CDs, only to be stopped by Sae's firm interjection.

 "No, I am keeping these. Makoto can give them to you later. After all, it's not like you can use them right now." she stated decisively.

Respecting her decision, Ren bowed politely and made his way out, heading back to Leblanc with mixed feelings. He wasn't really sure how bad it would be for someone with a palace to have those recordings, but he could only hope that Sae didn't look too deeply into them. However, he turned around in confusion as he felt the familiar feeling of a new bond being created.

"I guess it makes for a good show. Isn't that right, Igor?" He muttered to himself as his eyes focused on the faint, newly created thread.

— — —

Makoto, after a frantic search through Sae's belongings, finally emerged from the room with a hint of confusion and apprehension. Her voice carried a blend of hope and nervousness as she ventured.

 "Uhm, Sae. Do you know where it might be?"

Sae turned towards her sister, a rare smile breaking through her usually stern demeanor. 

"Oh, I must have forgotten. I left that one in my office." She said. Then, with a casualness that belied the tension-filled room they were in just minutes ago, she added, "Your friend had something come up, so he had to leave."

~Confidants~

Makoto Nijima (The Priestess) Rank 3

Sae Nijima (The Judgement) Rank 1