(Man, work has been nuts. Here's a longer-than-usual snippet to make up for the lack of updates.)
xxxx
/Cognitive Protection Center, Tokyo-3, the Metaverse/
There were particular rooms within the Cognitive Protection Center that reflected an isolated cognition by design. Thoughts of loneliness, emptiness, void, and withdrawal combined to form literal squares in the middle of empty space. Through ironclad repetition, the formation of doorways was cued to occur only for those recognized as proper authority. It was for this reason alone that Goro Akechi could see a solitary door at the edge of the square, serving as his means of departure to the Cognitive Protection Center proper.
But that would defeat the point. He had chosen one such cell solely for the purpose of collating the information gathered from Pumena Sushin's interrogation, the peripheral research from Misato Katsuragi's logs over the past week, and - most significantly - the data packet sent to him earlier that morning by one Dr. Ritsuko Akagi.
After putting it all together, he could understand why someone had gone to the trouble of surveilling Katsuragi's apartment.
A shame that the man's real identity has proven elusive, thus far. If he had known the truth of who Dr. Akagi's attempted assailant had been, he would have already authorized an interrogation of the man's Shadow (in the likely event that said Shadow was already a resident of theirs) to find out who had hired them. "Hmm..." He calmly leaned on the long folding table sitting in the middle of the square, the chain connecting his manacles clinking from the movement. The table was rife with stereotypical stacks of paper that represented the information roiling through his mind; over the past hour, a chaotic mess had self-organized into neat towers of sheets as he reviewed the information available. "...so, let's recap."
First: Katsuragi's mission load for the past week had been lighter than usual. Her official rationale had been a mixture of
personal time and
professional research.
Second: She had gone to the trouble of removing her investigation materials from her work terminal in the Metaverse, leaving them with her pet penguin in a sort of dead man's switch.
Third: She had not been seen since June the 27th.
Fourth: Yesterday, Pumena Sushin had apparently received a 'job' through an unknown intermediary to try and 'remove' Katsuragi's investigation materials.
Fifth: Sushin had no idea who had offered him the job. It had simply been another payday for him. (How often Sushin had utilized his position as an A.T. Agent to act as a proverbial mercenary or contractor was going to be the subject of an entirely
separate investigation. But that was another story.)
In line with the attempted surveillance of Katsuragi's physical residence, it stood to reason that Katsuragi had found whatever she had been looking for, but had probably been kidnapped. Not killed, but kidnapped;
someone - be it an individual or a group, likely an organization - had gone to some trouble to try and find out what Katsuragi knew. That indicated a desire to remain hidden, secretive; outright murdering an A.T. Agent of some renown - at least as far as Japan was concerned - didn't fit the profile. Granted, there was no guarantee that would stay the case...which was why time was of the essence. Especially given Katsuragi's relative...'importance', so to speak.
With this information, we can trace her steps, and find out where she went...hmm? His A.T. Agent medallion was vibrating. Quietly thumbing it, Akechi let the mental communications flow through. "Yes?" A pause. "...an order to
stop...?" His eyes narrowed with suspicion. "I highly doubt that
Iwai-san would be so crass," he muttered; the Superintendent for all agents within the Kantō region was a fairly lucid and straightforward individual. However, his irritation gave way to surprise. "No? From
above him...?"
Well. This promised to be interesting.
xxxx
"
I've heard a lot of good things about you since you became Warden of Hakone," echoed a gravelly voice from Goro Akechi's phone. "
I'd rather not put you on my shitlist."
"...so let me get this straight, if you don't mind my saying so," murmured Akechi; he stood atop one of the Task Force's public buildings within the real Tokyo-3's downtown area. He probably looked like quite the sight, pacing back and forth along an empty rooftop. "You want me to officially list Misato Katsuragi as
Missing In Action...without actually taking steps to find her."
"
Got it in one," answered Kinshiro Morooka, the Commissioner of Japan's Anti-Terror Task Force. "
The mission load is too high to spare resources looking for someone who decided to drop off the grid without so much as a note."
"Commissioner, there's more going on here than it seems-"
"
Katsuragi was a bit of a loose cannon anyways. Combat ability can only go so far in this day and age. Focus more on keeping your region of the Metaverse under control so we can keep Acolyte incidents to a minimum."
"Sir-"
The man brusquely interrupted him. "
Tch, typical. Kids get some cognitive power, and they suddenly think they're tough shit. I'm gonna level with you: drop it. If you decide to be persistent, then I'll replace you with someone who actually knows how to respect authority. Are we clear?"
"..."
"
Are. We. Clear?"
"...yes, sir."
"
Good. I'll know if you decide to use your position to cause trouble. Now get back to work." With those words, the call ended.
Akechi petulantly wished for laser vision so he could melt his phone into slag.
Wretched little pissant, you DARE to take that tone with me-?!
The quiet stranger calmly raised a hand. "Temper, temper."
"Don't you dare presume to lecture me, you wretched fool!"
"The temptation to use your power to enact your will...is striking."
"Power...that I still have-"
"I am not Loki. Morooka is not Shido. And you are not the Black Mask."
"..."
"...have you calmed down?"
Akechi grimaced, forcing himself to inhale and exhale.
"...my apologies. Lashing out at you was rude."
"Apology accepted."
"...the Commissioner is still being unreasonable."
"What do you know about Morooka and Katsuragi?"
"You mean, other than how he helped me with my...situation, in 2008?"
"But of course."
Akechi thought about what he knew, analytically thinking about Katsuragi's personnel record, and what he knew professionally about Commissioner Morooka.
He was one of the original members of Japan's A.T. Task Force...generally considered an asshole by the rank and file, but is an able administrator and has a devastatingly powerful Persona...prior to becoming the Commissioner in 2013, he was Superintendent of the Kansai region...oversaw the training of numerous Agents until 2010...including...including? Akechi's head jolted up.
Morooka administered Katsuragi's final examination to become an Agent.
"Connection. Relationship. Bond. A link, between two human beings."
"...not all trainers have to necessarily like their students..."
"But for all his cantankerous nature, has he ever been considered unfair?"
"...not to my knowledge...then..."
"Do alternative explanations exist?"
"Of course. The question is if they're probable..."
Akechi frowned, tapping at his elbow as he continued pacing.
I wonder...what other explanation would fit? The Commissioner of the entire country's Task Force orders the Chief Warden of Hakone's Cognitive Protection Center to list an acclaimed Agent as MIA after being gone for less than forty-eight hours...an Agent that he oversaw the training for to some degree...so why...? The answer came like a flash.
Ah. I see. In retrospect, given his 'experiences'...the answer should have been obvious.
Pressure from authority, whether subtle or overt. Katsuragi must have stumbled upon something more important than she realized...
"So...what will you do?"
Akechi smiled knowingly, placing a hand over his face to hide his grin; an old habit, alas.
If I cannot act as Chief Warden of the Cognitive Protection Center...then we will have to act using other methods. And I think I know at least one individual with a vested interest in Katsuragi's survival...
xxxx
/Class 2-A, Junior High Branch, Hakone Academy/
Right as classes ended for the day, Shinji Ikari blinked as his phone buzzed. Quietly taking it out, he blinked at the notification's text.
A special mission request?
SUBMITTED BY: A brotherly bird (Ultramarine Melon, Incorporated)
LOCATION: Unknown
MISSION: Search and Rescue for an A.T. Agent
...search and rescue?
