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  April 11th, 10:40 am
Cafe Leblanc

---Music: Restlessness ---

"Haven't we waited long enough?" Ryuji whines.
Haru sips her cup of coffee. "They say that for each timezone you pass through, it takes a day to readjust your internal clock."
"Yeah, I was trying to be considerate," Futaba explains, "After they didn't pick up the first time, I figured I would give them some time to sleep. I didn't want to wake them up."
"It's almost eleven," Ann points out, "They're probably awake by now."
Morgana walks to the center of the table and taking a seat, "Lady Ann is right, we should hop to it."
He stretches his back and yawns before looking at me and continuing, "Plus, if we wait too long, Mr. Wright might already head towards the museum."
"Good point," I agree, "Futaba, are you ready to make the call?"
She nods, already on her laptop and just about ready to act. "Sure thing, just let me get my voice changer set up," she tells us. She weaves her hands together and stretches her arms out forwards, cracking the joints in her fingers.
"It still feels kind of like a crapshoot that we're betting on some pearl thing," Ryuji speaks with regretful discontent, "I mean, we don't even know how some dinky little thing could help us at all."
"We don't necessarily know if it's even a pearl," Haru suggests, "We just know it's a small object that looks like one."
"And," Yusuke adds, "Judging by the assortment of strange items we've used in the past to heal our wounds and replenish our spirits, there's really no telling what kind of properties or abilities an unusual item could have."
"Most importantly, it belonged to Futaba's mom," Ann elaborates, "So it's the only lead we have about her research on cognitive psience. If anyone knew about alternate ways to use cognitive psience without the Metaverse, it would have been her."
"Fair enough," Ryuji shrugs, "I wasn't trying to talk us out of getting it or anything, I was just thinkin' out loud, really."
I have to make another point here. "Even if we were to second guess ourselves on the importance of this item, as far as we know, Mr. Wright and his assistant are still going to go try and obtain it regardless."
Ryuji grins. "Plus, I'd never turn down a chance for an exciting, Phantom Thieves-style infiltration!"
"Settle down, Ryuji," Makoto counters. "Nobody is breaking into anything. Let's just get a hold of Mr. Wright and try and see what he's going to do next, and we can plan our next moves accordingly."
Futaba recaptures our attention. "Speaking of, I'm all set up. We can call him as soon as we're ready."
"Let's go," I command. We all gather around Futaba's laptop, as she's going to be using it as her speaker to make the call. "And, remember, don't make noises. We don't want Mr. Wright to know a crowd of people are listening, it might make him on-edge."
"Well put," Morgana agrees, "So let's get this call going."

---(Music End)---

  "Hello, this is Maya Fey speaking..." a young woman's voice answers.
Now it's Futaba's turn to run the show. "Hello, Miss Fey. Could you put me on speaker phone? I would like for both you and your friend Mr. Wright to hear me," 'Alibaba' requests, waiting a few moments to continue. "Have you put me on speaker now? Can you both hear me?"
  "Yes, we can. But who are you?" Maya asks us with an unsteadiness to her voice.
  "Mr. Wright would know me as Alibaba," Futaba answers directly.
  "I'm guessing you are using a voice changer?" a second voice asserts. That must be Mr. Wright.
Since Futaba made the call, her laptop screen has been a lively visual representation of audio levels, portrayed by bars and lines undulating rapidly in response to her voice. It must be the program she is using to alter how she sounds over the phone, in order to keep her voice anonymous.
  "Your guess would be correct," Futaba answers.
  "So, who exactly are you, and why do you need to hide your identity from us?" the young lady asks.
Futaba bites her lip. "I am still treating this matter with slight caution. Forgive me for my rudeness."
"Well, I can forgive you if you answer a few questions," Mr. Wright proposes.
Our group all trade looks with one another, and nod in agreement. "I can attempt to do so, if that will earn your trust," Futaba agrees for us.
Mr. Wright presents his first question. "Alibaba, we were wondering... are you a member of the 'Phantom Thieves of Hearts?'"
*!*

---Music: Tension ---

A few of us gasp, but I raise my finger to my mouth to quiet them.
Futaba looks at me, her demeanor asking me what to do. I nod once, and she continues. "That would be correct as well. Though, you realize, that group name hasn't meant anything for quite a long time, yes?"
"And why would that be? Is the group disbanded?" he infers.
"In a matter of speaking," Futaba replies.
The lawyer keeps firing hard hitting questions. "Is that because the Metaverse no longer exists...? Can the Phantom Thieves no longer act without the Metaverse?"
"I see you have been doing your research. At this point I'm going to assume Masayoshi Shido has told you everything he knows," Futaba infers in turn, verbalizing what I and many of us were thinking. We definitely knew he was informed, but the extent of how much is still a bit concerning. He's only a tourist who has been here for a few days, yet he already knows so much about what our group has done.
Maya jumps into somewhat of a tangent. "How did you get a hold of my phone number, anyway?"
"It wasn't hard to trace your name back to phone directories in America to find your number. I will admit that I would have contacted Mr. Wright directly, but that seemed to be impossible," Futaba explains, tapping her fingers on the table slowly, "Why is that?"
"Nick spilled soda on his phone and it broke."

---(Music End)---

"..."
"..."
"..."
"... It happens..." Mr. Wright mumbles almost inaudibly.
Futaba coughs lightly. "W-well, that aside..."
Over the next couple of minutes, Phoenix Wright and Alibaba discuss some details about the subject of cognitive psience. Our assumptions were correct: Mr. Wright and Miss Fey have the same suspicions we do about someone potentially abusing cognitive psience for murder again. Turns out the lawyer has even had his eye on the same events we have, though to what extent I'm not sure. He's definitely aware of what is going on right now, and we are basically on the same page in terms of information. So that brings us to our next point of discussion, which would have to be the next moves both he and our group were planning to take.
"You are planning to go to the Sniffsonian Museum next, yes?" Futaba questions.
Mr. Wright answers plainly. "Yes, that's right."
Time for Futaba to tell the lawyer what our group agreed on before we made this call. "Good. We of the Phantom Thieves wish to aid you in your investigation."

---Music: Suspicion ---

  "While you are at the museum, I plan to keep contact with you over text like we are doing now," Futaba continues, "If you don't mind, it would be preferable to perform another phone call with you, as well, so that I may listen to whatever it is you are hearing."
There's no answer. "I understand if you are skeptical," our speaker continues, to break the silence. "But I can assure you our intentions are just, and align with your own."
"I don't suppose you'd be able to meet with us in person at any point...?" Mr. Wright suggests.
Futaba looks to me again before answering, and I shake my head no. This is also something we've discussed. We don't know much about Wright or his assistant. Plus, they are just regular people. Why risk roping them even more deeply into an already dangerous situation?
Futaba already understands. "... That may complicate things. When the time is right, we may be able to reveal ourselves to you. But at this moment in time, that could be pose significant risk to both of us..."
As she speaks, she continues discussing the situation. Her words nearly perfectly explain the same thoughts I just had in my head, and I'm sure Phoenix and Maya understand why they should keep separate from us. "... By 'tagging along' via Miss Fey's phone, it's actually the safest way for my group to aid you as you try to get to the bottom of this," Futaba rounds out her explanation.
  "Nick, can we talk about this in private for a moment?" I hear Maya whisper.
I hear some shuffling around and a door shut. The two on the other end of the line want to have a team meeting before agreeing to anything. That's fair.

---(Music End)---

"This is so weird..." Makoto whispers, now that we have the luxury of being able to talk quietly without being heard, "How these two people showed up out of nowhere, immediately earned the trust of my sister... saved one of our friends... and are now tangled into the same conspiracy that we've been investigating."
"But this is totally a good thing," Ryuji says matter-of-factly, "Like Futaba just said, Mr. Wright should be able to stick his nose into places that we might not be able to. If he's on our side, we gain a good advantage!"
"I agree," Ann adds, "We know they want to stop these murders as well, so they've got a sense of justice. Plus, they saved Mishima-kun. I think they'll make great allies."
"We'll have to see what they think, first," Haru brings up, "Whether or not they work with us may be more of their decision than ours."
"Shhh!" Futaba hushes, "I hear them coming back."
The door shuts a second time, and I presume the two of them are back in the hotel room and listening to their phone again. "Is everything alright?" Futaba asks, resuming her talk with them.

---Music: Suspicion ---

  "Before anything else," Maya alarms us with an impassioned voice, "I have to insist that you stop tracking my phone, or my GPS, or whatever else once this Sniffsonian visit is over. It's kind of creepy being followed everywhere!"
"... We can agree to this. But, should we discover anything pertinent, we may need to remain in contact."
"Also, what do we stand to gain with your help? How can you benefit us in our investigations?" Mr. Wright asks.
Over the next few minutes, I leave things to Futaba. They trade information, and discuss details of their respective investigations. As they talk, Morgana jumps onto my shoulder and whispers into my ear. "What do you think, Akira? About all this."
I hold my chin and really try to weigh the whole situation. "If they are willing to help us, then I'm all for it."
  I hear Mr. Wright speak up again, and my attention resumes. "Alright, Alibaba. I think we're prepared to work with you. But I have a condition of my own."
"What would that be, Mr. Wright?"
  "I don't know anything about your group or their methods of operation, but I have to insist that no laws be broken."
"I think they are breaking a law or two by getting into our phones without our consent in the first place, Nick."
"You know what I mean. Phantom Thieves or not, there won't be any thievery, or law breaking."
"Aw, man!" Ryuji reacts reflexively.
"Quiet, Skull!" Makoto sternly warns, and we pretty much all jump on him with 'shhhh' noises.
"You moron!" Morgana whispers, jumping from my shoulder to Ryuji's to sock him in the jaw with a tiny cat punch.
  "My, er, appologies," Futaba announces, raising her voice loudly enough to cover ours'. "We can agree to this as well. We have no desire whatsoever to commit any crimes."
Quite for a short spell. "Well, Maya... it's about time for us to get a move on."
"Right! Time for us to go visit the Sniffsonian!" Maya speaks proudly.
  "Your cooperation is much appreciated, Miss Fey and Mr. Wright," Futaba speaks, nearing the end of our conversation, "I'll be contacting you once more once I see that you've reached your destination. It would be to your benefits to keep an earbud in one ear in case I do need to communicate with you."
I hear them hang up the phone, and Futaba's computer begins humming a dial tone until she closes it.
"Well... I can't tell if that went better or worse than expected," I joke, "But it looks like we've got their cooperation, for now."

---(Music End)---

"No thanks to Ryuji..." Morgana growls.
"I swear, I didn't mean to! It was an accident..." Ryuji pleads.
"Pardon, but did they say 'Sniffsonian,' at the end?" Yusuke asks.
"Uh... yeah? We've been talking about the Sniffsonian all day, dude," Ryuji answers with a hint of disdain.
"Have you been, um, paying attention at all, Yusuke-kun...?" Haru asks.
"Well, yes... it's just that I've been fascinated by the display on Futaba's computer screen, how the bars ebb and flow like waves in the ocean. Their movement reminded me of my latest painting, where I tried to capture the emotions I experience when listening to my favorite music."
Classic Yusuke. "But, yes, we've been talking about the Sniffsonian," I confirm, "Why do you ask?"
"Well, I was going to go there today, anyway. The painting I just spoke of got accepted into an art exhibit at the Sniffsonian Museum, and I was invited to meet with the curator for a tour."
*!*
*!*
*!*

---Music: My Homie ---

"Yusuke... why didn't you mention this, like, yesterday?" Ann questions with disappointment.
"I didn't really realize we were talking about the same museum," Yusuke answers with a look of wide-eyed surprise.
"Dude, how many 'Sniffsonians' do you think there are?!" Ryuji exclaims in disbelief.
Futaba shakes her head very slowly while looking Yusuke in the eyes. "Inari.........."
"My... apologies," Yusuke states, hanging his head low.
"Well, this complicates things," Morgana sighs.

---(Music End)---

Now, hold on a minute. We can work with this. "Not necessarily," I disagree.
Morgana looks at me curiously. "You only use that sorta-coy-sorta-cocky voice when you're planning something."

---Music: Wicked Plan ---

"This gives us a new opportunity," I announce, "With Yusuke as our in, we can start probing the museum ourselves. We can back up Mr. Wright and then have information to exchange and put together from what each group finds out."
Sojiro, who has been behind the cafe counter this whole time, adds his thoughts into the mix. "Weren't you kids just talking about how risky it could be going out in public?"
"Hear me out," I speak, turning my head in a half circle to look at him as well as each of my friends, "I know we were just talking about how 'dangerous' it is, but... how much truth does that statement actually hold?"
Morgana takes a matter-of-fact approach. "Well, we know for certain that at least a handful of people out there know who you are. We can't forget all the agents who followed you around for a year."
"This is true, but they stopped that a long time ago," I explain, "You can testify to that yourself, because you've been watching my back this whole time."
He sits down with a look that lets me know he's going to concede this point. "That's true enough. They probably gave up after seeing you living a normal life for so long."
"So, what is it that we're afraid of?" I question, "Even the most shady spies stopped caring about me a long time ago."
  "But haven't you been having trouble finding work because potential employers keep finding out who you are?" Yusuke reminds me, which is a fair assertion to make.
"That tells me that people only find out who I am after extensive background checks into my criminal history."
"Yeah," Ann nods, "I assume you've been out and about in public in your hometown all the time, and nothing bad has ever happened."
"Perhaps we've been paranoid for nothing..." Haru speaks softly.
"It's hard to NOT be paranoid in a situation like this," Ryuji moans, "We're always dealing with crazy criminal conspiracies 'n' shit, you can't really blame us for feeling like somebody's watching us."
"It's a decent cover story to explain to Mr. Wright why we aren't going to meet him just yet; not until both they and we can do our respective investigating."
"How do you propose we make our next move, then?" Makoto questions, "I would imagine we'll make a scene regardless if we all show up as a big group."
"Absolutely right, which is another reason we aren't going to meet up with Mr. Wright and Miss Maya yet," I nod. "So I think we should divide some tasks among us. We know Yusuke is going to the Sniffsonian. We're going to plan around this."
"Just give me the word and I'll do whatever you need," Yusuke pledges with unflinching loyalty.
I nod. "We need to think of a way to make the pearl relevant to conversation once you meet with the curator. We'll see where things go from there."
"Perhaps asking what kind of pieces will be on display along side my painting?" Yusuke considers, "Or asking if he has any kind of exclusive items that not everyone gets to see?"
"Things to that effect, that's right," I nod, "We'll play it by ear."
Ann raises her hand for attention. "How do we convince him to actually give us the pearl? Do we just tell him that Shido sent us?"
"We don't know how the curator will act, to be blunt," I shake my head, "For one reason or another, he had some sort of relationship with Shido in the past, back when Shido was a criminal. So we don't even know if he's trustworthy."
"We may perhaps need to negotiate for it, or trade, or pay for it," Makoto considers.
"Or, he may not give it up at all..." Futaba fears.
"That's why it's good with have Phoenix and Maya cooperating with us," I remind, "If for some reason Yusuke can't get through to the curator, a legal professional might give different impression and give us our second shot at trying to get the curator to give up the pearl."
I look towards our resident computer wiz. "Futaba, you already know your role. When they get to the museum, call Maya's phone just like they agreed. Keep on listening to whatever happens on their end of things."
"Aye aye, chief!" she salutes with a cocky grin.
"Can you hack into the cameras to watch what's going on, too?! That'd be super cool!" Ryuji encourages.
"Ha ha... I, uh... I think that constitutes 'breaking the law,'" Sojiro laughs, with a slight hint of disdain.
"Yeah... it would go against our agreement with Mr. Wright," Futaba asserts regretfully.
  "I don't want to condone law breaking to begin with, if it can be avoided," Makoto mumbles softly, her morals clearly conflicted.
"And we can avoid it, and we have someone here who can help us do that," I smile confidently at Morgana.
He notices me looking at him and tilts his head for a moment before recognizing what I'm getting at. "Ooooohhhh! I see, I see. You want me to go with Yusuke, right?"
"Yep," I smile.
"And you want to use me for surveillance, to keep an eye on Mr. Wright and Miss Fey?"
"Bingo."
"Mreheeheeheemreow!" Morgana cackles diabolically.
"I have a job for you as well, Ann," I add, "Your persuasion and negotiating skills are second to none. That could come in handy, especially if we need to get out of any trouble. So why don't you come along with us?"
"No problem!" she winks.
"That's all of the main roles in place," I confirm.
"And the rest of us?" Makoto questions.
"There isn't much else to do but hang tight," I admit, "While Futaba keeps Mr. Wright on her line, we can keep radio contact on a line of our own so we can talk if anything unusual happens."
"Lame..." Ryuji gripes.
"It's a small scale operation, we don't need too many of us out there," I explain, "Just Yusuke, Morgana, Ann, and I should be enough."
"Oh my... you're going yourself?" Haru asks in slight surprise.
"We have no idea how this meeting with the curator will go. I want to be there so I can respond quickly and adjust to however the situation goes."

---(Music End)---

"Yusuke, what time are you supposed to meet with the curator?" I ask.
"I'm to ask for him at the front desk around 1:00," my teammate answers.
"The next train leaves at 11:30," Futaba announces, having already looked up the schedules. "You'll arrive at the station around 12:45, and the museum should be walking distance from there."
  "Sounds like it's time to get moving, then," I speak, more or less concluding our planning.
"Good luck, all of you!" Haru encourages with a bright smile.
"You can count on us!" Morgana promises, jumping right into my bag so I can take him with us unnoticed.
"Hey," Sojiro calls to us, "I want all of you to stay careful out there, alright?"
I nod my head, and with that our small party is out the door.

  April 11th, 12:57 pm
Sniffsonian Museum Entrance

"Looks like we got here just a few minutes early," Ann comments.
"Does everyone have their ear pieces in?" I hear Makoto ask. She, Haru, and Ryuji will be on standby and communicating with us.
"Affirmative!" Morgana replies excitedly. "We're going to approach the front desk now."
As we enter the building, the lobby seems par for the course for a museum. Its carpet and metal furnishings are well kept, and the red and gold coloration create an impressive visual environment which appears more regal than outright flashy.
"Excuse me," Yusuke politely calls to the desk attendant, "My name is Yusuke Kitagawa. My art piece was accepted to the Sniffsonian a few days ago. The curator--Hebi Hibiki, I believe his name was--invited me to discuss its inclusion into his next art collection."
"Ah, Kitagawa-san," the worker repeats, looking at what I assume is a guest list, "You're perfectly on time. Mr. Hibiki should be here to meet you any moment now."
As if on cue, a different man greets us immediately. "No need to wait, for I'm already here!" he announces in a very posh sounding voice.

---Music: Elegant ~ And Excellence ---

This man is dressed like he just stepped out a time machine that brought him from the 1600s. His attire is entirely Western-European, from high socks and buckled shoes to a decorated coat and... is he seriously wearing a periwig? Yes, yes he is.
  Cylindrical rolls of hair on each side of the head is par for the course for these types of wigs, but his in particular are colored distinctly. Each side has two rolls vertically adjacent to one another, with the top ones colored deeply red while the bottom ones are instead jet black colored. The combination of colors is an echo to his red coat and black pants which are both the same darkened shades as the wig accents.
It's not often that I see someone so bizarre that their very appearance causes me to zone out for several seconds of visual analysis.
"Hibiki-san, it's an honor," Yusuke greets with a very formal bow.
The curator laughs lightly. "Come now, no need for that. And, 'Mr. Hibiki' is fine," he replies. "I am simply enthralled to make your acquaintance, Mr. Kitagawa. Please, follow me!"
I hear Haru back at Leblanc talk to us through our headsets. "You don't happen to see the pearl as part of the normal exhibits, do ya?"
Morgana, tucked away and zipped inside my bag, is free to communicate back in whispers. "Not yet. I'm not sure it would just be on display, if he's keeping hold of it for a friend."
"You don't think he'd just show it to us if we ask, do ya?" Ryuji asks.
"I'd be careful about that," Makoto warns, "We don't know who this man was or what his relationship to Shido was... back when Shido was pure evil."
The curator leads our group into the museum. "Our ultimate destination will be the area where your painting will be on display. We will be headed towards the atrium, but until then, feel free to view all of our other pieces as we traverse the museum. Of course, I will allow all of you to enter free of charge. I assume this gentleman and this young lady are your guests?"
  "Yes. These are two of my sponsors, Mr. Kurusu and Miss Takamaki," Yusuke introduces, "The two of them are connoisseurs always looking to fund and purchase fine art."
"Ah! Splendid, quite splendid," he responds, walking ahead of us as our guide. "I trust all of yourwill find much enjoyment in our humble museum. And, remember: no touching the art, and no flash photography. I'm sure you have been in plenty of museums to know the basic rules to follow."
Good. He thinks that we are art patrons and interested in buying. If we do in fact need to buy it from him, or otherwise convince him to give it to us, then it'll seem more natural if he thinks we're collectors.
He beckons us to follow him, and we enter.
"Time to break off," I whisper to my feline friend in my bag. "Wait around until Wright shows up, and keep an eye on him once he does."
"Got it, leader!" Morgana nods, and hops out.
  Right before I leave the front lobby, I manage to snag a brochure. A map showing the layout of the public sections of the building could prove useful.

---(Music End)---

  April 11th, 1:15 pm
Sniffsonian Museum Interior

---Music: Investigation ~ Opening 2004 ---

  The interior of the museum is exactly what I expect of a first rate establishment. Paintings of all varieties line the walls. There are abstract sculptures in small squares which have been roped off as to not be touched, but still displayed within the center of rooms so we can walk around them and view them from all sides. Ramps and staircases help us to navigate the vast complex, following the curator as he directs us.
"The lawyer and his assistant have arrived," Morgana communicates to us through our ear pieces. "I think they're going directly to the curator's office."
Seeing as the curator is right here with us right now, that won't accomplish much. "Just hang tight, Morgana," I whisper, "We'll see what we can accomplish on our end first."
While I've been whispering, the curator has been talking to Yusuke. "I believe you were a former pupil of Ichiryusai Madarama, is that correct, Mr. Kitagawa?" Hibiki asks.
Yusuke nods. "That is correct."
The curator looks up with a mild smile and a sense of nostalgia. "Very interesting. Believe it or not, Madarame was an acquaintance of mine. He actually had a lot of influence on the architecture and layout of the Sniffsonian. He had a hand in the construction and design of this museum."
That explains how so many sections of this museum look familiar. We once explored Madarame's palace in the Metaverse, and his mental museum was similar in many ways to this real world one, albeit with a different color scheme.
I stop to turn and look at one particular wall. It is almost tanned in the sense that the paint coloration is lighter and cleaner in specific areas, shaped like rectangles. there are gold plaques with names under each empty space, though the names have been removed. "This entire section is empty," I comment. "There must have been dozens of paintings here. Where did they all go?"
  Hibiki sighs. "Alas. Once Madarame publicly announced his plagiarisms, housing his works became... somewhat of an issue."
  Yusuke turns his head away slightly. "It is unfortunate things ended how they did."
Hibiki agrees with a nod. "At the very least, I've been trying to locate his former pupils and give them proper credit for the pieces still in my possession."
Yusuke blinks. "Is that so?"
"Indeed. There's no reason to keep holding paintings with no artist to attribute them to. I've made every effort to research each piece formerly part of Madarame's works and, if possible, reach out to the students of his truly responsible for the pieces."
"And that's why you contacted me?" Yusuke infers.
Hibiki chuckles. "Though I took note of your connection to him, rest assured that I chose your painting based on your own merit. I can see traces of his influence, of course, but you have certainly taken to your own style. And you've done very well, at that!"
"I thank you for your kind words," Yusuke smiles with surprise, "And I'm glad to meet a man of taste who can appreciate my work."
"There is much to appreciate!" the curator continues, "You bring about stylized environments only the likes of Katsushika have managed to capture. Yet, your work incorporates a color scheme and style of brush strokes that bring to mind Van Gogh. The juxtaposition of reality along with the more abstract conceptualization of emotion was breathtaking. I've never seen anything quite like it, and I'm certain your works would go for very high prices among enthusiasts..."
Yusuke and the curator go off on their own conversation about the finer points of art.
"The lawyer duo knocked on the curator's door and then left with a guard to go somewhere else," Morgana announces, "I'm following them now to see where."
  For now, I'll let things just keep on rolling and continue the tour.

---(Music End)---

  April 11th, 1:40 pm
Sniffsonian Museum Atrium Third Floor

     It's been quite a spectacle. By now we've seen a lot of what the museum has to offer, but we still haven't made any progress towards our true goal. Yusuke and the curator chat away, and I continue to listen in and out in case I hear anything interesting, but I notice my team talking into my ear, and pay them a little more attention at the moment.
  "Have you seen anything on display in the museum that looks like the pearl?" Ryuji asks us.
"Nothing yet," I whisper.
"I wouldn't imagine it would just be on display," I hear Haru say, "He's probably keeping it somewhere safe."
By now we've made it to the third floor of a large atrium. "Our tour will conclude at the ground level of this atrium," Hibiki explains, "And I'll show you the floor space alloted for the gallery your painting will be a part of, Mr. Kitagawa."
  A ways in front of us I see a door marked with Hebi Hibiki's name on it. "But first, if you'll excuse me, I need to grab my phone from my office. I'll only be a moment."
  "Could the pearl be somewhere in his office?" Makoto wonders.
He unlocks the door, and as he enters, we all take a peek inside.

  April 11th, 1:45 pm
Sniffsonian Museum Curator's Office

---Music: Elegant ~ And Excellence ---

  I don't see anything immediately recognizable as a pearl, but it's hard not to notice a large door in the back corner of the office with some sort of electronic pad in front of it. Even without my third eye sense, my intuition tells me that door is important. I can tell the others see it too.
"Oh, Mr. Hibiki!" Ann announces, grabbing his attention, "My legs are very tired from all of the walking. Would you mind if we take a seat in your office, just for a few moments...?"
"Oh! Go right ahead, Miss," he allows. "I do apologize, but I only have two chairs for guests in this room, however."
"Not a problem, I'll stand," I smile and nod. We enter the office, and Ann and Yusuke take seats in front of the curator's desk.
Nice work, Ann. Your quick thinking just got us in here, and bought us some time to analyze the situation. I scan my eyes across every detail of the room, just to get an understanding of what's in here. I've been keeping an eye on all of the camera locations in the museum, and I take note that there are no cameras inside of this office. Now to figure out a way to get the curator to spill the location of the pearl.
"Mr. Hibiki?" Ann asks, with her vocal inflection suggesting shy curiosity, "I've never actually gotten to see Mr. Kitagawa's latest painting. Would it happen to be behind that door...? Could I see it, pretty please...?"
The curator chuckles. "Oh? You must be impressed with his previous works if you are sponsoring him without having even seen his latest piece! Unfortunately, no, it isn't back there. Mr. Kitagawa's painting is down in the atrium in the area we have roped off in preparation for the exhibit."
"Then, what's that room right there for?" Ann asks further, not letting the subject change from that door.
  "That's a room I have for keeping some personal belongings."
Hmm. He may have just confirmed that door as leading to the most likely place for him to be holding onto a valuable for someone else.
"That just makes me even more curious~" Ann continues playfully. For us, who know her, it's painfully obvious she's acting. But, turning on the charm seems to be working on Mr. Hibiki, and her flirtatious tone of voice is clearly effecting him. "Wouldn't you let us have a little peek...?"
He clears his throat and adjusts his collar. "Well, um, hmm..." he mumbles to himself. "You did say the two of you are buyers, correct?"
"Yes, of course we are!" Ann cheerily affirms, "We're always in the market for precious things!"

---(Music End)---

We all hear a loud vibration from behind the desk. Ann stops talking upon noticing the curator's eyes glued to a phone. Hibiki seems totally zoned out, and his lips are moving very slightly as if he is silently speaking the words he is reading. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry," he apologizes, "It's just that some of my museum staff were trying to contact me."
He continues reading for a moment, and then he puts his phone away and adjusts his collar. "Oh, damnation," he mutters with a curt grunt. "I do apologize, there seems to be a complication I must attend to," he explains with regret, standing up from his seat. "And I suppose it would be close to time for my lunch, after this matter is settled..." he mumbles to himself.
Ann and Yusuke stand as well. We all trade looks, and we all three seem to be equally frustrated. It felt like we were getting close to convincing him to reveal if he has the pearl or not.
  "Once more, I am sorry for this. I invited you here to allow you to choose where to place your painting in the gallery, but I ended up taking your time with this tour. Mr. Kitagawa, I understand you must be very busy. There's still a while before the exhibit opens, please allow me to reschedule for another time."
"Of course," Yusuke nods understandingly.
"Well, this sucks!" Ryuji pouts.
"Maybe not," I hear Futaba's voice. I had almost forgotten that she was at Leblanc too, since she has been monitoring the lawyer rather than us. "He said something about eating lunch, right? Mr. Wright and Miss Maya are at the food court right now, right Morgana?"
"Roger," Morgana replies, "The guard suggested Hibiki would head there for lunch eventually, so they've been down here waiting for him to show up."
"Hibiki will run into them just like that, then," Futaba reasons, "Maybe we can let them take a shot?"
Well, we did plan on having them as a plan B.
  Our group walks towards the door, but before we leave, I feel a hand on my shoulder.

---Music: Suspicion (Ghost Trick) ---

Hibiki has reached out and tapped my shoulder as well as Ann's. He raises an eyebrow suggestively and, his voice begins to sound rather... slithery, for lack of better description. "If you two are indeed interested in purchasing fine pieces... ssspecifically, purchasing with no questions asked... then come see me again sssoon. We can sssee where things go from there," he whispers.
He is the last to leave the room, and he closes the door behind himself. From there, he heads off.
So... that just happened. And it was extremely suspicious.
"There's a good chance the pearl is in that office, probably behind that door," Yusuke asserts once Hibiki is out of earshot.
"Surely he locked the office on his way out, right?" Makoto assumes.
Unexpectedly, the door to the office creeks open slowly. I hear Ann giggle, and I see that she's holding a slightly-squished makeup sponge in her hand. "Whoops, it seems I accidentally got this caught in the door while he was closing it, accidentally blocking the lock from latching..."
"Awesome!!" Ryuji comments, "Now you guys can get in there and do some digging!"
"Are you joking? You guys will get caught for sure!" Makoto warns.
"The atrium cameras are constantly rotating," I comment, "So if we time it right, no one will see us go in. And there aren't any cameras once we're in his office. I've already checked."
"There aren't actually any other people up here on the third floor balcony, either" Yusuke comments, "I guess most of the rooms up here must be for staff."
"What about museum security?" Haru cautions.
"Got it covered, actually," Morgana chimes in, cackling as he explains. "The guard down here in the cafeteria with the lawyer is the one who's supposed to be watching over the third floor. You guys should be in the clear."
I give a signal as soon as the camera positions are in our favor, and we all scuttle into the room.
My first instinct is to look towards the inner door once again. "It's protected by a keypad..." Yusuke speaks with melancholy weight to his voice, "There's no telling what could be the code or password."
My attention shifts to try and spot anything else of interest in the room, and Hibiki's desk stands out. Ann and Yusuke follow me over and we all begin going through the drawers. Maybe he has a note somewhere about the password. Or, even better, maybe the pearl could just be in his desk right now. We'll never know until we check.
It's... all paperwork. Nothing else.
"Head's up, team," Futaba calls us urgently, "The security guard is heading back up. And it looks like Hibiki and Wright aren't far behind him."
Before I leave, I see one paper of interest. At a glance, it looks like some sort of bill, or ledger of some sort. It's definitely tables of information. "Wait, let me check this out really quick."
Something jumped out at me on the paper which caught my attention, but I'm not entirely sure what. "Yusuke, what was the name of your latest work again?"
"Hmm?" he returns, slightly surprised. "It's titled, 'Brave and Brazen,' why?"
So that's what it is. I see the name of his painting on this paper. It's the top paper on a stack of two or three pages paper-clipped together.
"He's coming up the stairs on the left side... you're going to want to split--like, now," Futaba pushes.
As the others meticulously get everything neatly organized to hide our interference, I quickly snap pictures of the various pages with my phone--just barely in time to get a clear shot on the last page before Ann grabs my sleeve and pulls me. "C'mon, we've gotta go!"
Our group quickly leaves and locks the door behind us, and we quickly make our way across the third floor balcony and to the right side staircase to make our way out of sight before either the guard or Hibiki can catch us. It will be like we were never there.
"I'll get noticed for sure if I follow them into a small room like that office," Morgana explains. "I'll break off from the lawyer and meet back with you guys downstairs in the atrium."
"Got it," I confirm.
And, just like that, we're gone.

  To be continued...

  ---(Music End)---

  ---Music: Victory ---

Would you like to save your game?

    Yes No

Description
body div#devskin0 hr { }

  April 11th, 10:40 am
Cafe Leblanc

---Music: Restlessness ---

"Haven't we waited long enough?" Ryuji whines.
Haru sips her cup of coffee. "They say that for each timezone you pass through, it takes a day to readjust your internal clock."
"Yeah, I was trying to be considerate," Futaba explains, "After they didn't pick up the first time, I figured I would give them some time to sleep. I didn't want to wake them up."
"It's almost eleven," Ann points out, "They're probably awake by now."
Morgana walks to the center of the table and taking a seat, "Lady Ann is right, we should hop to it."
He stretches his back and yawns before looking at me and continuing, "Plus, if we wait too long, Mr. Wright might already head towards the museum."
"Good point," I agree, "Futaba, are you ready to make the call?"
She nods, already on her laptop and just about ready to act. "Sure thing, just let me get my voice changer set up," she tells us. She weaves her hands together and stretches her arms out forwards, cracking the joints in her fingers.
"It still feels kind of like a crapshoot that we're betting on some pearl thing," Ryuji speaks with regretful discontent, "I mean, we don't even know how some dinky little thing could help us at all."
"We don't necessarily know if it's even a pearl," Haru suggests, "We just know it's a small object that looks like one."
"And," Yusuke adds, "Judging by the assortment of strange items we've used in the past to heal our wounds and replenish our spirits, there's really no telling what kind of properties or abilities an unusual item could have."
"Most importantly, it belonged to Futaba's mom," Ann elaborates, "So it's the only lead we have about her research on cognitive psience. If anyone knew about alternate ways to use cognitive psience without the Metaverse, it would have been her."
"Fair enough," Ryuji shrugs, "I wasn't trying to talk us out of getting it or anything, I was just thinkin' out loud, really."
I have to make another point here. "Even if we were to second guess ourselves on the importance of this item, as far as we know, Mr. Wright and his assistant are still going to go try and obtain it regardless."
Ryuji grins. "Plus, I'd never turn down a chance for an exciting, Phantom Thieves-style infiltration!"
"Settle down, Ryuji," Makoto counters. "Nobody is breaking into anything. Let's just get a hold of Mr. Wright and try and see what he's going to do next, and we can plan our next moves accordingly."
Futaba recaptures our attention. "Speaking of, I'm all set up. We can call him as soon as we're ready."
"Let's go," I command. We all gather around Futaba's laptop, as she's going to be using it as her speaker to make the call. "And, remember, don't make noises. We don't want Mr. Wright to know a crowd of people are listening, it might make him on-edge."
"Well put," Morgana agrees, "So let's get this call going."

---(Music End)---

  "Hello, this is Maya Fey speaking..." a young woman's voice answers.
Now it's Futaba's turn to run the show. "Hello, Miss Fey. Could you put me on speaker phone? I would like for both you and your friend Mr. Wright to hear me," 'Alibaba' requests, waiting a few moments to continue. "Have you put me on speaker now? Can you both hear me?"
  "Yes, we can. But who are you?" Maya asks us with an unsteadiness to her voice.
  "Mr. Wright would know me as Alibaba," Futaba answers directly.
  "I'm guessing you are using a voice changer?" a second voice asserts. That must be Mr. Wright.
Since Futaba made the call, her laptop screen has been a lively visual representation of audio levels, portrayed by bars and lines undulating rapidly in response to her voice. It must be the program she is using to alter how she sounds over the phone, in order to keep her voice anonymous.
  "Your guess would be correct," Futaba answers.
  "So, who exactly are you, and why do you need to hide your identity from us?" the young lady asks.
Futaba bites her lip. "I am still treating this matter with slight caution. Forgive me for my rudeness."
"Well, I can forgive you if you answer a few questions," Mr. Wright proposes.
Our group all trade looks with one another, and nod in agreement. "I can attempt to do so, if that will earn your trust," Futaba agrees for us.
Mr. Wright presents his first question. "Alibaba, we were wondering... are you a member of the 'Phantom Thieves of Hearts?'"
*!*

---Music: Tension ---

A few of us gasp, but I raise my finger to my mouth to quiet them.
Futaba looks at me, her demeanor asking me what to do. I nod once, and she continues. "That would be correct as well. Though, you realize, that group name hasn't meant anything for quite a long time, yes?"
"And why would that be? Is the group disbanded?" he infers.
"In a matter of speaking," Futaba replies.
The lawyer keeps firing hard hitting questions. "Is that because the Metaverse no longer exists...? Can the Phantom Thieves no longer act without the Metaverse?"
"I see you have been doing your research. At this point I'm going to assume Masayoshi Shido has told you everything he knows," Futaba infers in turn, verbalizing what I and many of us were thinking. We definitely knew he was informed, but the extent of how much is still a bit concerning. He's only a tourist who has been here for a few days, yet he already knows so much about what our group has done.
Maya jumps into somewhat of a tangent. "How did you get a hold of my phone number, anyway?"
"It wasn't hard to trace your name back to phone directories in America to find your number. I will admit that I would have contacted Mr. Wright directly, but that seemed to be impossible," Futaba explains, tapping her fingers on the table slowly, "Why is that?"
"Nick spilled soda on his phone and it broke."

---(Music End)---

"..."
"..."
"..."
"... It happens..." Mr. Wright mumbles almost inaudibly.
Futaba coughs lightly. "W-well, that aside..."
Over the next couple of minutes, Phoenix Wright and Alibaba discuss some details about the subject of cognitive psience. Our assumptions were correct: Mr. Wright and Miss Fey have the same suspicions we do about someone potentially abusing cognitive psience for murder again. Turns out the lawyer has even had his eye on the same events we have, though to what extent I'm not sure. He's definitely aware of what is going on right now, and we are basically on the same page in terms of information. So that brings us to our next point of discussion, which would have to be the next moves both he and our group were planning to take.
"You are planning to go to the Sniffsonian Museum next, yes?" Futaba questions.
Mr. Wright answers plainly. "Yes, that's right."
Time for Futaba to tell the lawyer what our group agreed on before we made this call. "Good. We of the Phantom Thieves wish to aid you in your investigation."

---Music: Suspicion ---

  "While you are at the museum, I plan to keep contact with you over text like we are doing now," Futaba continues, "If you don't mind, it would be preferable to perform another phone call with you, as well, so that I may listen to whatever it is you are hearing."
There's no answer. "I understand if you are skeptical," our speaker continues, to break the silence. "But I can assure you our intentions are just, and align with your own."
"I don't suppose you'd be able to meet with us in person at any point...?" Mr. Wright suggests.
Futaba looks to me again before answering, and I shake my head no. This is also something we've discussed. We don't know much about Wright or his assistant. Plus, they are just regular people. Why risk roping them even more deeply into an already dangerous situation?
Futaba already understands. "... That may complicate things. When the time is right, we may be able to reveal ourselves to you. But at this moment in time, that could be pose significant risk to both of us..."
As she speaks, she continues discussing the situation. Her words nearly perfectly explain the same thoughts I just had in my head, and I'm sure Phoenix and Maya understand why they should keep separate from us. "... By 'tagging along' via Miss Fey's phone, it's actually the safest way for my group to aid you as you try to get to the bottom of this," Futaba rounds out her explanation.
  "Nick, can we talk about this in private for a moment?" I hear Maya whisper.
I hear some shuffling around and a door shut. The two on the other end of the line want to have a team meeting before agreeing to anything. That's fair.

---(Music End)---

"This is so weird..." Makoto whispers, now that we have the luxury of being able to talk quietly without being heard, "How these two people showed up out of nowhere, immediately earned the trust of my sister... saved one of our friends... and are now tangled into the same conspiracy that we've been investigating."
"But this is totally a good thing," Ryuji says matter-of-factly, "Like Futaba just said, Mr. Wright should be able to stick his nose into places that we might not be able to. If he's on our side, we gain a good advantage!"
"I agree," Ann adds, "We know they want to stop these murders as well, so they've got a sense of justice. Plus, they saved Mishima-kun. I think they'll make great allies."
"We'll have to see what they think, first," Haru brings up, "Whether or not they work with us may be more of their decision than ours."
"Shhh!" Futaba hushes, "I hear them coming back."
The door shuts a second time, and I presume the two of them are back in the hotel room and listening to their phone again. "Is everything alright?" Futaba asks, resuming her talk with them.

---Music: Suspicion ---

  "Before anything else," Maya alarms us with an impassioned voice, "I have to insist that you stop tracking my phone, or my GPS, or whatever else once this Sniffsonian visit is over. It's kind of creepy being followed everywhere!"
"... We can agree to this. But, should we discover anything pertinent, we may need to remain in contact."
"Also, what do we stand to gain with your help? How can you benefit us in our investigations?" Mr. Wright asks.
Over the next few minutes, I leave things to Futaba. They trade information, and discuss details of their respective investigations. As they talk, Morgana jumps onto my shoulder and whispers into my ear. "What do you think, Akira? About all this."
I hold my chin and really try to weigh the whole situation. "If they are willing to help us, then I'm all for it."
  I hear Mr. Wright speak up again, and my attention resumes. "Alright, Alibaba. I think we're prepared to work with you. But I have a condition of my own."
"What would that be, Mr. Wright?"
  "I don't know anything about your group or their methods of operation, but I have to insist that no laws be broken."
"I think they are breaking a law or two by getting into our phones without our consent in the first place, Nick."
"You know what I mean. Phantom Thieves or not, there won't be any thievery, or law breaking."
"Aw, man!" Ryuji reacts reflexively.
"Quiet, Skull!" Makoto sternly warns, and we pretty much all jump on him with 'shhhh' noises.
"You moron!" Morgana whispers, jumping from my shoulder to Ryuji's to sock him in the jaw with a tiny cat punch.
  "My, er, appologies," Futaba announces, raising her voice loudly enough to cover ours'. "We can agree to this as well. We have no desire whatsoever to commit any crimes."
Quite for a short spell. "Well, Maya... it's about time for us to get a move on."
"Right! Time for us to go visit the Sniffsonian!" Maya speaks proudly.
  "Your cooperation is much appreciated, Miss Fey and Mr. Wright," Futaba speaks, nearing the end of our conversation, "I'll be contacting you once more once I see that you've reached your destination. It would be to your benefits to keep an earbud in one ear in case I do need to communicate with you."
I hear them hang up the phone, and Futaba's computer begins humming a dial tone until she closes it.
"Well... I can't tell if that went better or worse than expected," I joke, "But it looks like we've got their cooperation, for now."

---(Music End)---

"No thanks to Ryuji..." Morgana growls.
"I swear, I didn't mean to! It was an accident..." Ryuji pleads.
"Pardon, but did they say 'Sniffsonian,' at the end?" Yusuke asks.
"Uh... yeah? We've been talking about the Sniffsonian all day, dude," Ryuji answers with a hint of disdain.
"Have you been, um, paying attention at all, Yusuke-kun...?" Haru asks.
"Well, yes... it's just that I've been fascinated by the display on Futaba's computer screen, how the bars ebb and flow like waves in the ocean. Their movement reminded me of my latest painting, where I tried to capture the emotions I experience when listening to my favorite music."
Classic Yusuke. "But, yes, we've been talking about the Sniffsonian," I confirm, "Why do you ask?"
"Well, I was going to go there today, anyway. The painting I just spoke of got accepted into an art exhibit at the Sniffsonian Museum, and I was invited to meet with the curator for a tour."
*!*
*!*
*!*

---Music: My Homie ---

"Yusuke... why didn't you mention this, like, yesterday?" Ann questions with disappointment.
"I didn't really realize we were talking about the same museum," Yusuke answers with a look of wide-eyed surprise.
"Dude, how many 'Sniffsonians' do you think there are?!" Ryuji exclaims in disbelief.
Futaba shakes her head very slowly while looking Yusuke in the eyes. "Inari.........."
"My... apologies," Yusuke states, hanging his head low.
"Well, this complicates things," Morgana sighs.

---(Music End)---

Now, hold on a minute. We can work with this. "Not necessarily," I disagree.
Morgana looks at me curiously. "You only use that sorta-coy-sorta-cocky voice when you're planning something."

---Music: Wicked Plan ---

"This gives us a new opportunity," I announce, "With Yusuke as our in, we can start probing the museum ourselves. We can back up Mr. Wright and then have information to exchange and put together from what each group finds out."
Sojiro, who has been behind the cafe counter this whole time, adds his thoughts into the mix. "Weren't you kids just talking about how risky it could be going out in public?"
"Hear me out," I speak, turning my head in a half circle to look at him as well as each of my friends, "I know we were just talking about how 'dangerous' it is, but... how much truth does that statement actually hold?"
Morgana takes a matter-of-fact approach. "Well, we know for certain that at least a handful of people out there know who you are. We can't forget all the agents who followed you around for a year."
"This is true, but they stopped that a long time ago," I explain, "You can testify to that yourself, because you've been watching my back this whole time."
He sits down with a look that lets me know he's going to concede this point. "That's true enough. They probably gave up after seeing you living a normal life for so long."
"So, what is it that we're afraid of?" I question, "Even the most shady spies stopped caring about me a long time ago."
  "But haven't you been having trouble finding work because potential employers keep finding out who you are?" Yusuke reminds me, which is a fair assertion to make.
"That tells me that people only find out who I am after extensive background checks into my criminal history."
"Yeah," Ann nods, "I assume you've been out and about in public in your hometown all the time, and nothing bad has ever happened."
"Perhaps we've been paranoid for nothing..." Haru speaks softly.
"It's hard to NOT be paranoid in a situation like this," Ryuji moans, "We're always dealing with crazy criminal conspiracies 'n' shit, you can't really blame us for feeling like somebody's watching us."
"It's a decent cover story to explain to Mr. Wright why we aren't going to meet him just yet; not until both they and we can do our respective investigating."
"How do you propose we make our next move, then?" Makoto questions, "I would imagine we'll make a scene regardless if we all show up as a big group."
"Absolutely right, which is another reason we aren't going to meet up with Mr. Wright and Miss Maya yet," I nod. "So I think we should divide some tasks among us. We know Yusuke is going to the Sniffsonian. We're going to plan around this."
"Just give me the word and I'll do whatever you need," Yusuke pledges with unflinching loyalty.
I nod. "We need to think of a way to make the pearl relevant to conversation once you meet with the curator. We'll see where things go from there."
"Perhaps asking what kind of pieces will be on display along side my painting?" Yusuke considers, "Or asking if he has any kind of exclusive items that not everyone gets to see?"
"Things to that effect, that's right," I nod, "We'll play it by ear."
Ann raises her hand for attention. "How do we convince him to actually give us the pearl? Do we just tell him that Shido sent us?"
"We don't know how the curator will act, to be blunt," I shake my head, "For one reason or another, he had some sort of relationship with Shido in the past, back when Shido was a criminal. So we don't even know if he's trustworthy."
"We may perhaps need to negotiate for it, or trade, or pay for it," Makoto considers.
"Or, he may not give it up at all..." Futaba fears.
"That's why it's good with have Phoenix and Maya cooperating with us," I remind, "If for some reason Yusuke can't get through to the curator, a legal professional might give different impression and give us our second shot at trying to get the curator to give up the pearl."
I look towards our resident computer wiz. "Futaba, you already know your role. When they get to the museum, call Maya's phone just like they agreed. Keep on listening to whatever happens on their end of things."
"Aye aye, chief!" she salutes with a cocky grin.
"Can you hack into the cameras to watch what's going on, too?! That'd be super cool!" Ryuji encourages.
"Ha ha... I, uh... I think that constitutes 'breaking the law,'" Sojiro laughs, with a slight hint of disdain.
"Yeah... it would go against our agreement with Mr. Wright," Futaba asserts regretfully.
  "I don't want to condone law breaking to begin with, if it can be avoided," Makoto mumbles softly, her morals clearly conflicted.
"And we can avoid it, and we have someone here who can help us do that," I smile confidently at Morgana.
He notices me looking at him and tilts his head for a moment before recognizing what I'm getting at. "Ooooohhhh! I see, I see. You want me to go with Yusuke, right?"
"Yep," I smile.
"And you want to use me for surveillance, to keep an eye on Mr. Wright and Miss Fey?"
"Bingo."
"Mreheeheeheemreow!" Morgana cackles diabolically.
"I have a job for you as well, Ann," I add, "Your persuasion and negotiating skills are second to none. That could come in handy, especially if we need to get out of any trouble. So why don't you come along with us?"
"No problem!" she winks.
"That's all of the main roles in place," I confirm.
"And the rest of us?" Makoto questions.
"There isn't much else to do but hang tight," I admit, "While Futaba keeps Mr. Wright on her line, we can keep radio contact on a line of our own so we can talk if anything unusual happens."
"Lame..." Ryuji gripes.
"It's a small scale operation, we don't need too many of us out there," I explain, "Just Yusuke, Morgana, Ann, and I should be enough."
"Oh my... you're going yourself?" Haru asks in slight surprise.
"We have no idea how this meeting with the curator will go. I want to be there so I can respond quickly and adjust to however the situation goes."

---(Music End)---

"Yusuke, what time are you supposed to meet with the curator?" I ask.
"I'm to ask for him at the front desk around 1:00," my teammate answers.
"The next train leaves at 11:30," Futaba announces, having already looked up the schedules. "You'll arrive at the station around 12:45, and the museum should be walking distance from there."
  "Sounds like it's time to get moving, then," I speak, more or less concluding our planning.
"Good luck, all of you!" Haru encourages with a bright smile.
"You can count on us!" Morgana promises, jumping right into my bag so I can take him with us unnoticed.
"Hey," Sojiro calls to us, "I want all of you to stay careful out there, alright?"
I nod my head, and with that our small party is out the door.

  April 11th, 12:57 pm
Sniffsonian Museum Entrance

"Looks like we got here just a few minutes early," Ann comments.
"Does everyone have their ear pieces in?" I hear Makoto ask. She, Haru, and Ryuji will be on standby and communicating with us.
"Affirmative!" Morgana replies excitedly. "We're going to approach the front desk now."
As we enter the building, the lobby seems par for the course for a museum. Its carpet and metal furnishings are well kept, and the red and gold coloration create an impressive visual environment which appears more regal than outright flashy.
"Excuse me," Yusuke politely calls to the desk attendant, "My name is Yusuke Kitagawa. My art piece was accepted to the Sniffsonian a few days ago. The curator--Hebi Hibiki, I believe his name was--invited me to discuss its inclusion into his next art collection."
"Ah, Kitagawa-san," the worker repeats, looking at what I assume is a guest list, "You're perfectly on time. Mr. Hibiki should be here to meet you any moment now."
As if on cue, a different man greets us immediately. "No need to wait, for I'm already here!" he announces in a very posh sounding voice.

---Music: Elegant ~ And Excellence ---

This man is dressed like he just stepped out a time machine that brought him from the 1600s. His attire is entirely Western-European, from high socks and buckled shoes to a decorated coat and... is he seriously wearing a periwig? Yes, yes he is.
  Cylindrical rolls of hair on each side of the head is par for the course for these types of wigs, but his in particular are colored distinctly. Each side has two rolls vertically adjacent to one another, with the top ones colored deeply red while the bottom ones are instead jet black colored. The combination of colors is an echo to his red coat and black pants which are both the same darkened shades as the wig accents.
It's not often that I see someone so bizarre that their very appearance causes me to zone out for several seconds of visual analysis.
"Hibiki-san, it's an honor," Yusuke greets with a very formal bow.
The curator laughs lightly. "Come now, no need for that. And, 'Mr. Hibiki' is fine," he replies. "I am simply enthralled to make your acquaintance, Mr. Kitagawa. Please, follow me!"
I hear Haru back at Leblanc talk to us through our headsets. "You don't happen to see the pearl as part of the normal exhibits, do ya?"
Morgana, tucked away and zipped inside my bag, is free to communicate back in whispers. "Not yet. I'm not sure it would just be on display, if he's keeping hold of it for a friend."
"You don't think he'd just show it to us if we ask, do ya?" Ryuji asks.
"I'd be careful about that," Makoto warns, "We don't know who this man was or what his relationship to Shido was... back when Shido was pure evil."
The curator leads our group into the museum. "Our ultimate destination will be the area where your painting will be on display. We will be headed towards the atrium, but until then, feel free to view all of our other pieces as we traverse the museum. Of course, I will allow all of you to enter free of charge. I assume this gentleman and this young lady are your guests?"
  "Yes. These are two of my sponsors, Mr. Kurusu and Miss Takamaki," Yusuke introduces, "The two of them are connoisseurs always looking to fund and purchase fine art."
"Ah! Splendid, quite splendid," he responds, walking ahead of us as our guide. "I trust all of yourwill find much enjoyment in our humble museum. And, remember: no touching the art, and no flash photography. I'm sure you have been in plenty of museums to know the basic rules to follow."
Good. He thinks that we are art patrons and interested in buying. If we do in fact need to buy it from him, or otherwise convince him to give it to us, then it'll seem more natural if he thinks we're collectors.
He beckons us to follow him, and we enter.
"Time to break off," I whisper to my feline friend in my bag. "Wait around until Wright shows up, and keep an eye on him once he does."
"Got it, leader!" Morgana nods, and hops out.
  Right before I leave the front lobby, I manage to snag a brochure. A map showing the layout of the public sections of the building could prove useful.

---(Music End)---

  April 11th, 1:15 pm
Sniffsonian Museum Interior

---Music: Investigation ~ Opening 2004 ---

  The interior of the museum is exactly what I expect of a first rate establishment. Paintings of all varieties line the walls. There are abstract sculptures in small squares which have been roped off as to not be touched, but still displayed within the center of rooms so we can walk around them and view them from all sides. Ramps and staircases help us to navigate the vast complex, following the curator as he directs us.
"The lawyer and his assistant have arrived," Morgana communicates to us through our ear pieces. "I think they're going directly to the curator's office."
Seeing as the curator is right here with us right now, that won't accomplish much. "Just hang tight, Morgana," I whisper, "We'll see what we can accomplish on our end first."
While I've been whispering, the curator has been talking to Yusuke. "I believe you were a former pupil of Ichiryusai Madarama, is that correct, Mr. Kitagawa?" Hibiki asks.
Yusuke nods. "That is correct."
The curator looks up with a mild smile and a sense of nostalgia. "Very interesting. Believe it or not, Madarame was an acquaintance of mine. He actually had a lot of influence on the architecture and layout of the Sniffsonian. He had a hand in the construction and design of this museum."
That explains how so many sections of this museum look familiar. We once explored Madarame's palace in the Metaverse, and his mental museum was similar in many ways to this real world one, albeit with a different color scheme.
I stop to turn and look at one particular wall. It is almost tanned in the sense that the paint coloration is lighter and cleaner in specific areas, shaped like rectangles. there are gold plaques with names under each empty space, though the names have been removed. "This entire section is empty," I comment. "There must have been dozens of paintings here. Where did they all go?"
  Hibiki sighs. "Alas. Once Madarame publicly announced his plagiarisms, housing his works became... somewhat of an issue."
  Yusuke turns his head away slightly. "It is unfortunate things ended how they did."
Hibiki agrees with a nod. "At the very least, I've been trying to locate his former pupils and give them proper credit for the pieces still in my possession."
Yusuke blinks. "Is that so?"
"Indeed. There's no reason to keep holding paintings with no artist to attribute them to. I've made every effort to research each piece formerly part of Madarame's works and, if possible, reach out to the students of his truly responsible for the pieces."
"And that's why you contacted me?" Yusuke infers.
Hibiki chuckles. "Though I took note of your connection to him, rest assured that I chose your painting based on your own merit. I can see traces of his influence, of course, but you have certainly taken to your own style. And you've done very well, at that!"
"I thank you for your kind words," Yusuke smiles with surprise, "And I'm glad to meet a man of taste who can appreciate my work."
"There is much to appreciate!" the curator continues, "You bring about stylized environments only the likes of Katsushika have managed to capture. Yet, your work incorporates a color scheme and style of brush strokes that bring to mind Van Gogh. The juxtaposition of reality along with the more abstract conceptualization of emotion was breathtaking. I've never seen anything quite like it, and I'm certain your works would go for very high prices among enthusiasts..."
Yusuke and the curator go off on their own conversation about the finer points of art.
"The lawyer duo knocked on the curator's door and then left with a guard to go somewhere else," Morgana announces, "I'm following them now to see where."
  For now, I'll let things just keep on rolling and continue the tour.

---(Music End)---

  April 11th, 1:40 pm
Sniffsonian Museum Atrium Third Floor

     It's been quite a spectacle. By now we've seen a lot of what the museum has to offer, but we still haven't made any progress towards our true goal. Yusuke and the curator chat away, and I continue to listen in and out in case I hear anything interesting, but I notice my team talking into my ear, and pay them a little more attention at the moment.
  "Have you seen anything on display in the museum that looks like the pearl?" Ryuji asks us.
"Nothing yet," I whisper.
"I wouldn't imagine it would just be on display," I hear Haru say, "He's probably keeping it somewhere safe."
By now we've made it to the third floor of a large atrium. "Our tour will conclude at the ground level of this atrium," Hibiki explains, "And I'll show you the floor space alloted for the gallery your painting will be a part of, Mr. Kitagawa."
  A ways in front of us I see a door marked with Hebi Hibiki's name on it. "But first, if you'll excuse me, I need to grab my phone from my office. I'll only be a moment."
  "Could the pearl be somewhere in his office?" Makoto wonders.
He unlocks the door, and as he enters, we all take a peek inside.

  April 11th, 1:45 pm
Sniffsonian Museum Curator's Office

---Music: Elegant ~ And Excellence ---

  I don't see anything immediately recognizable as a pearl, but it's hard not to notice a large door in the back corner of the office with some sort of electronic pad in front of it. Even without my third eye sense, my intuition tells me that door is important. I can tell the others see it too.
"Oh, Mr. Hibiki!" Ann announces, grabbing his attention, "My legs are very tired from all of the walking. Would you mind if we take a seat in your office, just for a few moments...?"
"Oh! Go right ahead, Miss," he allows. "I do apologize, but I only have two chairs for guests in this room, however."
"Not a problem, I'll stand," I smile and nod. We enter the office, and Ann and Yusuke take seats in front of the curator's desk.
Nice work, Ann. Your quick thinking just got us in here, and bought us some time to analyze the situation. I scan my eyes across every detail of the room, just to get an understanding of what's in here. I've been keeping an eye on all of the camera locations in the museum, and I take note that there are no cameras inside of this office. Now to figure out a way to get the curator to spill the location of the pearl.
"Mr. Hibiki?" Ann asks, with her vocal inflection suggesting shy curiosity, "I've never actually gotten to see Mr. Kitagawa's latest painting. Would it happen to be behind that door...? Could I see it, pretty please...?"
The curator chuckles. "Oh? You must be impressed with his previous works if you are sponsoring him without having even seen his latest piece! Unfortunately, no, it isn't back there. Mr. Kitagawa's painting is down in the atrium in the area we have roped off in preparation for the exhibit."
"Then, what's that room right there for?" Ann asks further, not letting the subject change from that door.
  "That's a room I have for keeping some personal belongings."
Hmm. He may have just confirmed that door as leading to the most likely place for him to be holding onto a valuable for someone else.
"That just makes me even more curious~" Ann continues playfully. For us, who know her, it's painfully obvious she's acting. But, turning on the charm seems to be working on Mr. Hibiki, and her flirtatious tone of voice is clearly effecting him. "Wouldn't you let us have a little peek...?"
He clears his throat and adjusts his collar. "Well, um, hmm..." he mumbles to himself. "You did say the two of you are buyers, correct?"
"Yes, of course we are!" Ann cheerily affirms, "We're always in the market for precious things!"

---(Music End)---

We all hear a loud vibration from behind the desk. Ann stops talking upon noticing the curator's eyes glued to a phone. Hibiki seems totally zoned out, and his lips are moving very slightly as if he is silently speaking the words he is reading. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry," he apologizes, "It's just that some of my museum staff were trying to contact me."
He continues reading for a moment, and then he puts his phone away and adjusts his collar. "Oh, damnation," he mutters with a curt grunt. "I do apologize, there seems to be a complication I must attend to," he explains with regret, standing up from his seat. "And I suppose it would be close to time for my lunch, after this matter is settled..." he mumbles to himself.
Ann and Yusuke stand as well. We all trade looks, and we all three seem to be equally frustrated. It felt like we were getting close to convincing him to reveal if he has the pearl or not.
  "Once more, I am sorry for this. I invited you here to allow you to choose where to place your painting in the gallery, but I ended up taking your time with this tour. Mr. Kitagawa, I understand you must be very busy. There's still a while before the exhibit opens, please allow me to reschedule for another time."
"Of course," Yusuke nods understandingly.
"Well, this sucks!" Ryuji pouts.
"Maybe not," I hear Futaba's voice. I had almost forgotten that she was at Leblanc too, since she has been monitoring the lawyer rather than us. "He said something about eating lunch, right? Mr. Wright and Miss Maya are at the food court right now, right Morgana?"
"Roger," Morgana replies, "The guard suggested Hibiki would head there for lunch eventually, so they've been down here waiting for him to show up."
"Hibiki will run into them just like that, then," Futaba reasons, "Maybe we can let them take a shot?"
Well, we did plan on having them as a plan B.
  Our group walks towards the door, but before we leave, I feel a hand on my shoulder.

---Music: Suspicion (Ghost Trick) ---

Hibiki has reached out and tapped my shoulder as well as Ann's. He raises an eyebrow suggestively and, his voice begins to sound rather... slithery, for lack of better description. "If you two are indeed interested in purchasing fine pieces... ssspecifically, purchasing with no questions asked... then come see me again sssoon. We can sssee where things go from there," he whispers.
He is the last to leave the room, and he closes the door behind himself. From there, he heads off.
So... that just happened. And it was extremely suspicious.
"There's a good chance the pearl is in that office, probably behind that door," Yusuke asserts once Hibiki is out of earshot.
"Surely he locked the office on his way out, right?" Makoto assumes.
Unexpectedly, the door to the office creeks open slowly. I hear Ann giggle, and I see that she's holding a slightly-squished makeup sponge in her hand. "Whoops, it seems I accidentally got this caught in the door while he was closing it, accidentally blocking the lock from latching..."
"Awesome!!" Ryuji comments, "Now you guys can get in there and do some digging!"
"Are you joking? You guys will get caught for sure!" Makoto warns.
"The atrium cameras are constantly rotating," I comment, "So if we time it right, no one will see us go in. And there aren't any cameras once we're in his office. I've already checked."
"There aren't actually any other people up here on the third floor balcony, either" Yusuke comments, "I guess most of the rooms up here must be for staff."
"What about museum security?" Haru cautions.
"Got it covered, actually," Morgana chimes in, cackling as he explains. "The guard down here in the cafeteria with the lawyer is the one who's supposed to be watching over the third floor. You guys should be in the clear."
I give a signal as soon as the camera positions are in our favor, and we all scuttle into the room.
My first instinct is to look towards the inner door once again. "It's protected by a keypad..." Yusuke speaks with melancholy weight to his voice, "There's no telling what could be the code or password."
My attention shifts to try and spot anything else of interest in the room, and Hibiki's desk stands out. Ann and Yusuke follow me over and we all begin going through the drawers. Maybe he has a note somewhere about the password. Or, even better, maybe the pearl could just be in his desk right now. We'll never know until we check.
It's... all paperwork. Nothing else.
"Head's up, team," Futaba calls us urgently, "The security guard is heading back up. And it looks like Hibiki and Wright aren't far behind him."
Before I leave, I see one paper of interest. At a glance, it looks like some sort of bill, or ledger of some sort. It's definitely tables of information. "Wait, let me check this out really quick."
Something jumped out at me on the paper which caught my attention, but I'm not entirely sure what. "Yusuke, what was the name of your latest work again?"
"Hmm?" he returns, slightly surprised. "It's titled, 'Brave and Brazen,' why?"
So that's what it is. I see the name of his painting on this paper. It's the top paper on a stack of two or three pages paper-clipped together.
"He's coming up the stairs on the left side... you're going to want to split--like, now," Futaba pushes.
As the others meticulously get everything neatly organized to hide our interference, I quickly snap pictures of the various pages with my phone--just barely in time to get a clear shot on the last page before Ann grabs my sleeve and pulls me. "C'mon, we've gotta go!"
Our group quickly leaves and locks the door behind us, and we quickly make our way across the third floor balcony and to the right side staircase to make our way out of sight before either the guard or Hibiki can catch us. It will be like we were never there.
"I'll get noticed for sure if I follow them into a small room like that office," Morgana explains. "I'll break off from the lawyer and meet back with you guys downstairs in the atrium."
"Got it," I confirm.
And, just like that, we're gone.

  To be continued...

  ---(Music End)---

  ---Music: Victory ---

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