Persona BLEACHED 3: Gaiden Pt. 6

Gaiden: The Long Summer Pt. 6
July 21, 2031
"......" Most of the group were inside the hotel room shared by Ibuki, Sahir and Sakuya. And they were staring in observant silence.
"......" Standing across from them, looking disheveled and like he'd prefer to be anywhere else, was Max.
In between everyone was Barbara, who was looking around expectantly. "Does anyone want to say something?"
"You look like ass." Kat spoke up.
"Smell like it, too." Sahir added.
"It's not exactly encouraging when the receptionist mistakes you for the local dumpster diver." Sakuya said.
"Missed you guys, too." Max replied sarcastically.
Ibuki stepped out of the bathroom, having just showered. "Oh, good, no one's killed anyone yet. Progress."
"Probably because his stench is forming a barrier between us." Kenneth said.
"No, please, keep twisting the dagger. It helps a ton." Max replied.
"You and daggers clearly have quite the history, Maxwell." Carrie responded.
"Okay, okay, I think we've gotten our digs in. We can *try* to be civil. So are you okay in the head now or are we gonna be party to another world-class hissy fit?" Kat asked.
"I'm not gonna pretend that I'm anything close to okay. But I'm hanging up the armor. No more Phantom, or Captain Thunder for that matter. It's brought nothing but pain. I'm done."
"And we're just supposed to take you at your word after lying to our faces for as long as you did?" Sahir retorted.
"I don't expect anything of the sort. I'm still not sure if this is a good idea."
"Can I get a minute or three with him?" Ibuki asked.
"Sure thing. I think we could all use some rest right now. It's been...a day." Kat replied.
"So I suppose we're meant to find something to do for a while?" Sakuya asked.
"Just promise me that our bed won't smell like gator pee when we get back." Sahir added.
Everyone turned to walk out. "This is such a ridiculously bad idea. Are we seriously gonna haul him around the country like nothing happened?" Natalia questioned.
"Doesn't look like we've got much of a choice. But he's on an insanely short leash." Kibō replied.
Kat stared at Max. She scratched her cheek. "Guessing that's a leftover from our little tussle?"
"You'd be guessing right." Max replied.
Kat sighed. "For what it's worth, I'm glad to see you again. We'll talk soon. When you don't smell like my dad's cologne. Nighties." She left.
Barbara rubbed his arm, before giving in and warmly embracing him. "I missed you so much, bro."
"I'm sorry, sis. Aren't you afraid of the smell?" Max asked.
"I already smell like swamp. Even if I didn't, I wouldn't leave here without a hug. Even if the others aren't on-board yet, you'll always have me in your corner."
She let go, and turned to leave. "I'll be back first thing in the AM. Get in that shower and get some sleep. I love you, Maxie."
"I love you too, Barb. Good night."
Barbara left, leaving Max and Ibuki alone. "Welp, you heard the ladies. Time to hop in the shower." she said.
"Yeah, well, slight problem there. I don't have a change of clothes."
"No prob. Your mom thought ahead." Ibuki pulled out a small suitcase from under her bed. "I promised that I'd bring you back, and she gave me this just in case. Enough fresh clothes to last you a while." She handed him a set of clothes. "You were blessed with the mama you got."
Max took the clothes. "I know. Thanks. I'll quit stinking up your room."
"And when you're done in there, we're taking care of...whatever you've got going on with that mop on your head."
"But...it's late. There aren't any barber shops open now."
"There is in here. I'm a licensed hairdresser, y'know."
"Wait, seriously? So you've dropped the wrestling gig?"
"These hands are for something more than hitting people with. That's one of the good things about making your own choices. You aren't tied to one thing forever. Now go on, get that swamp off of ya."
After a long, thorough period in the shower, Max opened the bathroom door. "Better?" Ibuki asked.
"I hadn't had a proper shower in a while. So, yeah."
"I could tell. Alright, let's get that caveman 'do fixed."
Ibuki sat Max down in front of the bathroom mirror, while holding a pair of scissors. "First thing's first. Beard or no beard?" she asked him.
"Um...beard. But cleaned up so I don't look like a hobo."
"You got it. Time for some Fireball magic."
She began working on his hair. "So...where've you been hiding all this time? Y'know, before you started going around beating people up?" 
"Well, after what happened in the Prison, I needed to get somewhere far away, so I stowed away on the first foreign airline I found. The armor functions the same as the hoods did when it comes to keeping my presence hidden. That plane ended up taking me to Alaska."
"Dead seriously?"
"Yeah. I spent about a year living off of salmon and staying out of people's way. It was a peaceful way to live...for a while."
"So what brought you out of it?"
"The thing I couldn't stand the most. Someone abusing their power to do whatever they wanted. The mayor of the town I was living in was illegally hunting grizzlies. I caught sight of him one day when I was out fishing. Then I saw the cubs he'd just left orphaned. All those old feelings just started boiling to the surface. So I put the armor back on and...you can figure out the rest."
"I would've guessed that it'd stop working after that AI went kaput."
"The Prison creation program died with Bemular...or Edelhardt, or whatever his name was. But the Metaverse transport is still functional. Same with the combat abilities, but it's not nearly as powerful now as it was back then."
"So what did you do after that?"
"You've seen the headlines. You already know. I wandered around for a bit before I found myself in Tulsa. I had to see how my mom was doing, even if I couldn't bring myself to talk to her. I hadn't realized that Barb had come home. So I hung around for a while. I watched her graduation from far away. Even if no one else could see me, I just...couldn't let her look at me. But I had to be there for her, even if she didn't know. Not long after that was when she went back to Japan to see everyone else graduate. I followed her there."
"Must've felt crazy coming back after how you left."
"I debated whether I should've gone at all. I was risking too much by coming back around. But part of me was longing to be there around everyone again. I couldn't find the courage to reveal myself. Seeing everyone's faces just now reminded me why. I don't know if they could ever forgive me for what happened."
Ibuki put a hand on his shoulder. "Last year I would've had the urge to put these scissors in your neck. But I've put things in perspective, and I've learned to forgive. So if I could do it, the rest of the gang should, too. Okay, that should do it. Whatcha think?"
Max's hair had been shortened to levels closer to before he'd left the group. His beard had been cleaned up. "I'd started to forget what I looked like without all those strands drooping around my face. Thanks for that."
"You're so welcome. Go ahead and wash those extra bits off, and then you can get some shut-eye. I'll make room in the--"
"A pillow and a sheet is good enough for me. I'll sleep on the floor."
"On the--c'mon, Sparkplug, I don't mind sharing."
"I appreciate the help, really I do. And I haven't forgotten...what you've told me. But at this point, I don't think it's proper."
"Cuz it's not." a voice spoke up. Sahir had come back into the room. Sakuya was with him.
"Hey there, buddy."
"Don't you 'buddy' me. I dunno if you're still in her head or what, but I'm not drinking the same Kool-aid as Fireball. I don't think a guy should mastermind a scheme that includes nearly having us all killed and be allowed to walk back in, no questions asked. That doesn't sit right with me."
"My head's never been clearer, ace. What happened can't be changed. But people can be. And not to sound like an ass, but you're one to talk considering who's right next to you. You got any opinions, Saku?" Ibuki countered.
"Don't bring her into this. What she did and what this bum did aren't the same--"
Sakuya put a hand up to quiet him. "I put on a mask and pretended to be something else, all for the purpose of gaining information that would lead to your possible demise. Doesn't sound so different to me."
"But Saku--"
She walked up to Max. "Max-kun, what you did was reprehensible and underhanded to a catastrophic degree. But if there is anything I've learned from our friends and Kubo-sensei, it's that people aren't static. To let the past define you would be to trap yourself in a never-ending torture session. I acknowledge my own wrongs, and work every moment to ensure that I never repeat them. Can you say with certainty that you'll do the same?"
"I...I'm a human screw-up. My whole life's been one mistake after another, and it's always someone else that pays for it. I want to make things right. I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make things right. I'm not asking you all to forgive me overnight. Or ever. All I want is the chance to fix it. I just want a chance...to live." Max replied.
"....." Sakuya pondered her response. "I'm going to hold you to that. But let me make one thing perfectly clear. You are on the thinnest of leashes. If I detect any sign that you're falling back into old habits, no matter how miniscule, I'll dispose of you myself. That isn't a threat. It's a cold fact. Tread carefully."
Sahir grumbled. Sakuya took him aside. "I understand your frustration. But causing a scene would just upset Hinotama-san and Senpai. If he means what he says, then I'm willing to allow him to prove it. If he makes a snide remark and you feel the urge to punch him, however..."
Sahir sighed. "Guess I don't have much of a choice. I'm gonna take a shower."
"Go on. Try to ease your thoughts."
Sahir went into the bathroom, taking the opportunity to flash Max one last dirty look.
"I'm looking forward to sleeping with one eye open." Max said.
"Guess this is just how it's gonna be, huh?" Ibuki questioned.
"Don't blame them. I've brought it all on myself. It's on me to fix it." Max grabbed a pillow and a bedsheet. "I'll be alright. Really. I'm just glad to have a roof over my head. I don't know if I can ever be worthy of forgiveness, but I can try. Thanks for sticking by me, regardless."
Ibuki hugged him. "You're gonna be fine. You have Barbie and me. The others'll come around. One day at a time. What's my catchphrase?"
"Fight for the happy ending."
"Bingo. That's what we're gonna do. Are you sure you don't want the bed?"
"I'll be fine. Good night, Ibuki." Max lied down on the floor.
Ibuki sighed. "It'll happen eventually. Patience is friend to the wise. Good night, Hinotama-san." Sakuya said.
"Night, Saku." Ibuki got under the covers, and with the events of a chaotic day fresh in her mind, she drifted off.
He's here with me, she thought. For now, that was enough. Tomorrow, the work could begin.
---
Max found himself in a grassy field, surrounded by tombstones. In front of him was a headstone that bore the name of James O'Donnell. He could only stare at it.
Suddenly, the ground became disturbed. A hand burst out from beneath the earth, and grabbed Max by the ankle.
The hand's owner emerged. It was his father. "You're comin' down here with me, Maxie."
Though he resisted, Max was slowly pulled beneath the ground by his leg. He only had the strength the yell.
---
"GAAH!' Max awoke with a jolt. He started panting. He was still in the hotel room.
"Maxie, Maxie!" Ibuki whispered, coming down from the bed. "It's okay, it was just a nightmare. You're okay. Man, you're sweating like you just ran a marathon. What did you see?"
"......"
"Maxie, don't keep it bottled up. It's just gonna make it worse. What happened?"
"...I was at the old man's grave. I stood there looking at it, when a...a hand came out of the ground. His hand. He grabbed me by the leg and said he was gonna take me with him. So that's what he did. He dragged me further and further, and all I could do was scream." Max put his hands on his face. "My worst fear is that he's going to drag me to Hell with him. An eternity of listening to him gloat that I wound up just as bad as he was. That's what's waiting for me at the end, and nothing I can do can change that..."
"Stop it, that's not true. You've got years and years ahead of you to fix things. You're not gonna go to Hell, Maxie."
"How do you know that?"
"Cuz I'm not gonna let it happen, that's how. I won't let something you did as a dumb, naive kid get you damned for eternity. We're gonna make sure of that, okay?" She tugged on his shoulder. "Come on, get in the bed."
"No."
"I'm not okay with you being on the floor."
"It's where a dog like me belongs."
"You're not a dog, and they sleep in beds, too."
Max put the covers over his head. "I said no."
Realizing that any further attempts would be fruitless, Ibuki climbed back into bed.
"Patience, Hinotama-san. Gradual feeding will yield a bountiful harvest." Sakuya whispered.
"Or a knife to the back." Sahir responded without lifting his head from the pillow.
"Shut up, striker. You're not helping." Ibuki chastised.
"Don't say I didn't warn you when he goes off the rails. We'll be getting a front row seat to the Captain Thunder Revenge Tour. I'm just being real with y'all. I didn't come all the way stateside to spend a month looking over my shoulders."
"He doesn't need fear or snappy little comments right now. The best way to keep things OK is to make things normal. So on that note..."
Ibuki plopped a pillow onto the ground next to Max. She followed suit. He poked his head out of the covers. "Are you being serious?"
"Yeah. I am."
"You aren't paying the money to stay here and then sleeping on the ground."
"Well I guess there's only one other option here."
"You can't make this easy, can you?"
"It's not like I'm gonna hold your hand or anything. Maybe a comfy bed can help with those nightmares." She got back on the bed, and patted the spot next to her. "Come on."
"Dude, just take the hint!" Sahir griped.
"Huh?" Max responded.
"This is exactly why you and Kitty Kat didn't work out, cuz you're such a blockhead that you can't tell when a girl's giving you the green light! Get your ass on that bed so I can go back to mine, jeez!" Sahir turned over.
"Sahir-kun..." Sakuya groaned. "I'm sorry. I'll give him a talking-to in the morning. Don't let it bother you too much..." She went back to sleep.
Ibuki turned back to Max. He sighed. "Guess I'm out of excuses." He got into bed, but looked away from her.
She patted his shoulder again. "We'll get there, Sparkplug. Don't let it get to you." She turned and went to bed.
Max stared into space. This was going to be a long, *long* process.
---
July 22, 2031
"...they couldn't get away from me fast enough, could they?"
Max was up in bed. Sahir and Sakuya had already left.
"They went to go grab everybody else. We're all still on for breakfast. And Saku was giving Ace the evil eye on the way out, so chances are he's gonna be a bit choosier about what he says to you." Ibuki replied.
"He didn't say anything that wasn't true. I roomed with him for almost two years and I spent half of that time lying to his face. He has every right to not trust me. Same with everyone else."
There was a knock at the door. "I know one gal that still trusts you." Ibuki opened it. "Morning, Barbie. Your bro's where you left him."
"Hey, Barb." Max greeted.
"Heya, bro~." Barbara walked over and hugged him, before sitting down next to him. "Ooh, look at you, all cleaned up. Is that our Fireball's handiwork?"
"You know it is." Ibuki affirmed.
"How are you feeling today? You sleep good last night?"
"That depends. Are we talking before or after the trauma-induced night terror?" Max asked.
"Oh...I'm sorry. Well, I've got something that should lift you up." Barbara took out her phone. "I'm just gonna let you know...I'm gonna be video calling Mama."
"Barb--"
"She needs to see you. She has to know that you're okay and back with us."
"'Okay' might be stretching it."
"C'mon, Maxie. Ms. Annie misses you like mad. Not knowing where your kid is has to be one of the worst things to go through as a parent. For nothing else, just put her mind at ease." Ibuki dictated.
"...alright. Get her on the line."
Barbara dialed her mother. The screen turned on, showing Annette sitting at the kitchen table, having clearly just woken up. "Mornin', Moonbeam. Sorry, you got me before I could get my makeup on."
"Please, like you need it. And it's good that you're already sitting down. I've got someone here that wants to say hi." Barbara responded.
"Okay...? Don't know who'd be--"
Barbara turned the camera to show Max sitting next to her.
"--wanting to...talk to..." Annette dropped the fork in her hands.
"Hey, Mama." Max greeted.
Annette rubbed her eyes. "This isn't me being tired, is it? Is the lens on this thing foggy? I've gotta be hallucinating..."
"You're not going crazy, Mama. It's really me."
"Oh...oh my GOD! Starbolt, it's really you! You're okay, and...looking rugged."
"He looked a lot worse when we got a hold of him, Ms. Annie. Like he was living out of a boxcar." Ibuki said.
"Mama..." Max uttered.
"You absolute boneheaded...do you have any idea how worried I've been about you? How many nightmares I've had about you lying dead in an alley somewhere, or you doing something horrible? Or how much I must've failed you that you thought that changing people against their will was the right thing to do?" Annette asked.
"It wasn't your fault. You told me never to do the wrong thing for the right reasons. And you told me never to think about killing the old man because that'd make me as bad as he was. I broke the first one and would've done the second one if karma hadn't gotten to him first. I should've listened to you. Now I get to pay for it."
"Starbolt...I need you to promise me some things, okay? You need to listen to what your Mama has to say, alright?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Promise me you'll never, ever try anything like that again. That you'll check in with me whenever you get the chance. And that you'll listen to and follow along with everything Ms. Ibuki has to say, you hear me?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"That's a special woman you've got there. In spite of everything, she still wants to help you get through this." Annette looked at the time. "I'm sorry, but I've gotta start getting ready for work. I don't know how I'm gonna get anything done now, but I'll have to try. If I could hug the screen right now, I would. Mama's so relieved and happy to see you, baby. Promise me one more thing. You'll stay safe and out of trouble long enough for me to give you the biggest hug when I see you again. You hear?"
"I promise, Mama. I never want to upset you again."
"I'll hold you to that promise. I love you so very, very much. You take care. You too, Moonbeam. You look after each other like always. Talk to you soon."
"Bye, Mama, love you~!" Barbara hung up.
"....." Max looked pensive.
"Y'all lucked out in the mama department. What I'd give to have something like that ball of sugar." Ibuki mused.
"She does everything to make us happy, so it's on us to do the same! Right, Maxie?" Barbara asked. "Maxie...?"
A vacant stare overtook Max's face, as old memories swam through his head.
"(You don't mess with my head, O'Donnell! You don't mess with my head!)"
"Maxie...Mission Control to Maxie. There anyone in there?" Ibuki asked.
Max blinked. "I'm alright. Sorry."
"That glazed look on your face said otherwise. What was going through your head?"
"Just...thinking of all the times I hurt you. And how much you wanted to destroy me for it. And how insane it is that what I'm seeing in your eyes right now isn't hatred."
"Hate is a poison. I'm not the same Ibuki that I was last year. I've had a lot more time to think. I'm not gonna go off like last time...so long as you keep it together."
"It's gonna be fine, little bro. We'll be back to being a happy unit in no time, just you wait and see." Barbara assured.
"With that kind of confidence, I almost believe it." Max uttered.
---
"...is it really okay for him to be alone like that?" Kat asked.
The group were eating breakfast at a diner, and Max had opted to sit in a booth away from the others.
"I tried to get him to sit with us, but he wouldn't budge. Said it'd be too awkward." Barbara replied.
"Baby steps. He'll get there eventually." Ibuki said.
"In a couple centuries, maybe." Sahir responded.
"Don't start." Sakuya chided.
"So we only need put up with the awkwardness for the duration of this trip? Money well spent." Kenneth added.
"Well what were we gonna do, leave him out there to possibly hurt someone or get himself killed?" Kat questioned.
"We would start to look hypocritical if we were to abandon someone so clearly in need of help." Carrie added.
"Dude doesn't need our brand of help. My take? He needs to be in an asylum, not partying around on a bus with the rest of us." Sahir answered.
"My brother's not crazy. He's had his every belief and worldview shattered over the last year and change. I dare any one of you to be alright after that." Barbara chided.
"Everyone at this table's gone through some kind of trauma. Now out of the ten Persona users in this diner, how many tried to make the rest of the world submit to them?" Kibō posed.
"And the mecha. Let's not forget the mecha. I know you haven't, Fireball. I dunno how you could stand to share a bed with the guy after his murder robot blasted you to hell." Sahir said.
"Same way that you share a bed with a girl who would've slit your throat and not thought twice about it." Ibuki retorted.
"Oh, come on! It's not the same! You're gonna put up with that, Saku?"
"I can't object to something when I know it to be true." Sakuya answered. "Max-kun was with you all before I was. If you could find it in you to forgive me for my misdeeds, I don't see how the same couldn't hold for him."
"I'm not asking you guys to forgive him all at once. All I want is that you give him a fair chance to prove that he's changed. He needs friendship now more than ever. If not for him, then...at least do it for me." Barbara pleaded.
Having remained silent throughout the conversation up to this point, Natalia got up from her seat. "Hoods?" Kat asked.
She walked over to the booth where Max was seated and sat down opposite him. "Not who I was expecting." he said without looking up. "I thought by sitting away from everyone that I'd curb any conflict. But it sounds like it's just made it worse."
"Are you really sorry?" Natalia asked.
"About what, the squabbling?"
"Everything. Is all this moping around because you feel bad about what you did? Or just that you're feeling sorry that you lost? Do you care about all the people you've hurt?"
Max paused. "I know what this is about. How is your friend Layla these days? No lasting damage...I hope?"
"She's doing great. Better than I've ever seen her. You'd never tell that anything bad ever happened to her. Doesn't mean that what you did is suddenly okay."
"No. No it doesn't." Max kept his head looking down. "It's a hollow thought now, but I truly, 100% believed that what I was doing was helping people face their pain and overcome it. Even though I knew that my methods were dubious, I thought that in the end it would lead to a better world. But I've had a lot of time to think. And over time I realized that...Kat and the rest of you were right to fight me. People deserve to live and change the way they want to. All I did in the end was cause a mess for everyone."
His hands began to shake. "And after everything, the one thing I wanted more than anything was stolen from me. I can never get 'closure' because I can never go up to the old man and finally stand up to him. My mom told me my whole life that getting revenge against him would lead to nothing and she was right. What's this scheme gotten me? Nightmares and friends who can't stand the sight of me. 'Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!' So, what I'm trying to say is--"
"Boo." Kat appeared sitting next to him.
"GAH! How long have you been sitting there?!"
"Long enough."
"For the whole rant, basically." Natalia added.
"I see the Bookster got her hands on that fuzz." Kat scratched Max's beard.
"Hey, c'mon, stop that!" he complained.
"It looks good, man. A lot better than the 'greasy middle-aged lumberjack' look you had going on before."
"Well what's that in your nose?"
"Oh, this? Something I'd wanted to get for forever, and when I turned 17 my mom finally let me get it. But she gave me a note to give to the girl doing it. 'I hereby give you permission to stab my daughter in the nose'."
"Did...did you actually give the girl the note?"
"I had to send my mom photographic proof." Kat presented a picture on her phone, of her, clearly annoyed, handing a confused young woman a slip of paper.
Though he tried to keep his composure, Max couldn't help but snicker. "That could only be *your* mom."
"Finally, a genuine laugh. I'm not gonna tolerate any frowny faces on this trip. Look, Sparky. You and me don't have what anyone would call an 'easy' history. The last time we saw each other that wasn't you photobombing our grad pics, you tried to kill me. There's really no nice way to put that."
"I know. And that's why--"
"Let me finish. A redheaded lady *way* smarter than me preaches the power of forgiveness. I want to be on your side, my dude. So I'm gonna give you the opportunity to prove to me that the hero shtick is over and done with."
"Okay. And how do I do that?"
"Look Natty in the eyes and tell her that you're sorry for hurting her friend. Then look *me* in the eyes and tell me that you're ready to make things right. My granny has a saying, 'The eyes speak the truth the mouth doesn't'. No matter how good of an actor you are, I'll know if you're being honest. Go on."
"Okay..." Max turned to Natalia. "Natty, I'm...I'm sorry for hurting your friend Layla. I had no right to tamper with her heart the way I did. Especially when you were already working on that with her. I'm happy that she's doing well now. But I really am sorry for causing such a mess."
"....." Natalia thought about it. "Okay. That's all I wanted to hear." She gave him a smile. "Promise you'll never even think of doing that again."
"I promise. Never again."
"My turn, Sparky. Right in the eyes." Kat said.
"Okay...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for causing everyone I care about so much anguish. I'm sorry for almost ruining the world just to satisfy my own feelings of revenge. I'm sorry for interfering with people's minds because I thought they needed saving. And I'm sorry for attacking you all. I want to go back to living. I don't know if you guys or my own head will let me, or if I even deserve it. I'll probably be cursed by my mistakes forever, but..."
"....." Kat looked at him. "........."
"....." Max waited for a response.
"...you're expecting me to make some snarky remark-ey now, aren't you?"
"That's usually what happens, yes."
"Well I'm not gonna do that. You're way too young and fit to have eyes that tired." She got up. "I believe you. Come on. There's room for one more at the table."
"Won't the others have a problem with that?"
"If the boys forgot what our mission statement is, I'll be more than happy to remind them. Along with the other lovelies I'm surrounded by. Right, Natty?"
"Mmhmm." Natalia affirmed.
"...If you say it's alright, then it's alright." Max replied.
"Atta boy. And would you look at that, there's an empty spot right between your sis and the Bookster. Imagine that. Almost like it was planned." Kat said.
"Right. Of course."
The girls went back to their table. "Hey folks. Look what we found." Kat chimed.
Max lurched over. "Hey..."
"Hiya, bro~." Barbara greeted. She discreetly pinched Kibō on the arm.
"Ow! I wasn't gonna say anything!" he griped.
Sahir grumbled, but opted against saying anything else once he felt Sakuya's eyes burrowing into his head.
"Is there anything you want to get off your chest, Maxwell?" Carrie asked.
"Yeah, actually. Look, I know how insanely awkward this all is. I did something incredibly reckless and short-sighted that caused a lot of people a lot of grief. No amount of 'I'm sorry's can change that, and if you all aren't completely ready to forgive me, I understand 110%. I'm not asking you to forget everything that happened in the span of one day. I just...want the chance to prove that isn't me anymore."
"Actions speak louder than words, bro." Sahir responded.
"Sahir-kun..." Sakuya groaned.
"Let me say my piece and then I'll drop it. No one's gonna argue that you had a crap upbringing, and no one's gonna shed a tear for your old man kicking the bucket. But it's not just the Prison crap by itself. It's the fact that you could lie to our faces for half a year like it was nothing. How much of that time was us hanging out in our dorm or wherever? How do we know that you're not just sitting around waiting for the chance to do it all over again?"
"Your distrust is valid. But I'm not gonna hurt the people I care about like that again." Max replied.
"You did once already."
"Yes, I...I did. You're right. Any words I utter are meaningless. This was a mistake..."
Max turned to go back to his table. Ibuki grabbed his arm to stop him.
"Don't." she said.
"It's pointless, Ibuki. I'm just gonna be an awkward distraction."
"I believe you're serious about changing. If you go back to that table, I guarantee that you'll be back on your vigilante rampage before the day's over. You really wanna dangle that carrot in front of Ms. Annie and then return to a life on the run? No one said this was gonna be easy."
"Please, PLEASE, I'm begging you guys. Don't turn your backs on him when he needs help now more than ever. Everyone here got a second chance at some point. I know that what he did was bad, but what would that make us if we turned away when he needed help? I don't want the entire trip to be me having to stand up for him, but I'll do it if I have to. If any of y'all have a problem with that, I'll book your return flight home right now. Any takers?" Barbara dictated.
"Barb..." uttered a stunned Max.
"....." Sahir mumbled. "Okay, fine. He'll get his opportunity. But if there's even a *hint* that he's keeping up the Captain Thunder business, that's it. No more olive branches."
"Suppose it would be hypocritical of us to object considering all prior history. Growth from mistakes is part of life, after all." Kenneth relented.
Kat stared at Barbara, and began fanning herself. "Gotta tell ya, beautiful...ya got me a little excited for a second there."
Barbara turned to Max. "Barb, I..."
"No no, you don't gotta say anything else or apologize more than you already have. I've got your back no matter what. But you've gotta stay on a good path from here on out. No more funny business in that armor, okay?"
"(Ask her to define 'funny business'.)"
Max looked past Barbara. That voice sounded eerily familiar. Almost like...
"Maxie, you okay in there?" Ibuki asked.
Max snapped out of it. "Yeah, uh...I'm fine. Just a lot to think about. Am I alright to sit?"
"I don't see a 'Reserved' sign on it."
Max sat down. "(That voice just now...none of them heard it. Sounds to me like someone's not ready to let go.)" he thought.
"Okay, if we're gonna do this now, there's something I've gotta know." Sahir began. "Did you really punch a bear?"
"I...what? I never punched a bear."
"Fireball said ya did."
"I said he punched a *guy* who shot a bear. Big difference." Ibuki replied.
"Oh, yeah, that. I was out doing some fishing and I heard the sound of a gun going off. The guy who fired it must've seen me, since he ran off after. I went over and saw a grizzly lying there bleeding. With a cub next to it." Max elaborated.
"Ohhh, that's horrible..." Natalia commented.
"It was beyond upsetting to see. Something inside of me just screamed 'find this guy'. So after calling in help for the cub, I followed after the guy and found him hiding in a cabin. Turns out to be the mayor of the town I'd been staying in. I erred on the side of caution. It was illegal to hunt them this time of the year, but maybe he was defending himself. There was just one way to find out." 
"You went into the Metaverse." Carrie said.
"I did. And what I saw set me off even more. He had no remorse for it. He thought his position in town put him above any sort of punishment. He'd been hunting out of season for years. Another scumbag using his power to bend the rules for his own gain. I saw red after that. By the next morning he had resigned and was confessing everything to the police. But it woke something up inside of me that'd been sleeping ever since our battle."
"And that's how the Phantom came about." Kat said.
"I'd actually carved out a peaceful life for myself out there before then. Fishing out in the wilderness like that was great. And I was actually able to finish out my high school diploma online. With help from Professor Kubo."
"Wait, so...she knew where you were this whole time?" Barbara asked.
"I kept my location a secret from her, and she promised not to let anyone know about it until I was ready myself. I crammed everything in less than a year. I kept myself afloat doing odd jobs around town. It was a lot to do in that time, but up until the hunting incident, I thought I could carve out a decent life for myself there. But we know how that turned out."
"That sounds like a Prof thing to do. She never even hinted at it." Kat replied.
"I wasn't surprised at all when she agreed to it. Even after everything. That's the kind of person she is. I did get a lecture at the beginning, but past that? Not even a mention of the Prison incident. I kept telling myself 'nobody is this forgiving and nice', but that entire clan is built differently."
"After years around them, that much is obvious." Ibuki said.
"Say, Kitty Kat...do you still have DJ Tan Man's mix tape? The one you were clamoring for all that time?"
"Yep. I still listen to it on the regular. Literally the worst thing to ever grace my ears. I love it." Kat replied.
"Knowing who her father is, that means something." Kenneth quipped.
"Amazing that you haven't become tone deaf after years of listening to that, Kitty Kat." Natalia added.
"Helps that my mom teaches chorus and knows, and I quote, 'music doesn't always raise the dead from their graves'. But speaking of daddies, Hoodsie, you wanna spill the deets on Kenny's meeting with your folks? If we're keeping things light." Kat responded.
"Oh, lord." Kenneth mumbled.
"Well, hehe, after graduation, I asked Kenny and his family to have dinner with me and my parents." Natalia began.
"I actually hadn't met them in person before then. Exceedingly well-meaning and attentive people, but in regards to her father, he, well...has a habit of twisting the truth around."
"Mr. Yannick also has a rather, shall we say, intriguing manner of speech." Carrie added.
"So I ask him at dinner, 'Why do you talk like that, Mr. Van Damme?' And he responds with, 'Oh man, when I was thirteen, some guy broke into our house and hit me in the face with a crowbar'." Kenneth mimicked with a nasally voice. Natalia snickered at the impression. "I say 'Oh dear, really?' 'No'."
Natalia broke into laughter. "And that was the end of that. Never brought it up for the rest of the dinner." Kenneth said.
"What's even better is that later on, his aunt Catherine asked Papa, 'Oy, man, why do ya sound like ya've been huffin' on balloons all day?'" Natalia mimicked a Liverpool accent. "And Papa answers with, 'Well my vocal cords were tied together when I was born and every time the doctors untangle them I come out sounding different, like I legit sounded like Morgan Freeman once upon a time.'"
"So...do you know the real reason why your father sounds like that?" Sakuya asked.
"Every time someone asks, he gives a different answer! I've heard every explanation in the book. He got punched in the face trying to stop a bank robber. He swallowed an entire nest of moths. Mama kicked him in the nose when he tried lifting her up on their wedding day. I don't know if any of them are the real reason, and I'm afraid to ask."
"Maybe the actual explanation is so ridiculous that he has to make stuff up since the reality is too absurd." Kibō surmised.
"Or maybe it's not that interesting so he has to make it fantastical." Barbara replied.
As the banter continued on, Max remained silent for the most part. Kat took notice of this, but decided against prodding him. 
---
"Well, considering how last night went, that could've gone a lot worse. Credit to your sis for laying down the law when she did." Ibuki commented. She and Max were back in the hotel room. He was lying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.
"That's how it's always been. If there was ever only one person in my corner, it was her. I just have to prove she was right to do it." 
"We'll get there. Getting Kitty Kat to pull for you helps a ton. She'll make sure there's peace."
"'Peace' and 'Kitty Kat' don't tend to mesh well together, but I'm not gonna doubt her now. So, uh...what's next on the magical mystery tour?"
"Barbie's already got it all planned out. Next up is Atlanta. Supposedly they've got this gigantic aquarium there that Saku's been gushing about since we started planning this trip. After that it's a beach trip to Miami, then a gradual trek up north. Your sissy has been going on and on about visiting NYC. Beyond that? All I know is it's the return trip to LA. Anything after New York is bonus money."
"She wants to see Broadway, no doubt about it. At least once before she takes the stage herself."
"Just what she's been destined for, huh? I've actually never seen her perform."
"Oh, man. Since the day she got up in front of people, she's had 'it'. I can't really explain what 'it' is. When you see her perform live, you'll know."
"I could tell from how many trophies were sitting in your mom's living room. But something tells me those weren't all Barbie's."
"I've gotten a few in my time. Talent shows, mostly. Couple of cooking competitions mixed in there, too. My thing's always been doing impressions really good."
"Ooh, I wanna hear some. Everyone says it was so freaky."
"Right now? I dunno..."
"C'mon, pleeeeease?"
"It's really not as easy as you'd think. It's not like--" Max's voice suddenly shifted to sounding like Kibō's. "--I can just turn one voice off and another one on, there's a--" He switched to Sahir's. "--very delicate art to it, the key being that--" Then to Kat's. "--you've gotta get the inflections right, really make it sound like they're talking and--" Then to Kenneth. "--not just you doing a voice. But the best part of this is that--" Finally, to Carrie. "--I can make our dainty Ms. Blackthorne say 'fuck'."
Ibuki burst out laughing. "Oh my God, STOP, you're gonna make me cry, holy crap..."
"Alright, alright, I'll give it a rest. For now." He replied, mimicking Rin's voice for the last two words. "Anyway, what did you want to do today? Any spots you wanted to visit?"
"Honestly, I'm fine with chilling here for a bit. This trip's been non-stop from the get-go, and I'm in need of some TLC. If you wanna go somewhere, that's fine, but I need a vacation from the vacation."
"It's fine. I wasn't planning on going anywhere, either. I'd be good with hanging around here."
"It's a plan. I'll order us a pizza and you can teach me all about the wonders of American television."
"Well then call me your Sensei of...hotel cable TV."
---
A short while later, the two were sitting at the head of the bed. Ibuki looked perplexed by what she was watching. "So...these guys go out into the middle of the woods. At night. With all this camera equipment. To hunt for a giant ape man. I'm reading this correctly."
"Uh-huh."
"But all every episode amounts to is these hillbillies running around and panicking over every noise they hear. And they never actually catch this 'Bigfoot'. Do people seriously buy this crap?!"
"You'd be surprised."
"Like, these shows are filmed months in advance, right? If someone really caught a legendary ape monster in the middle of the woods, wouldn't people know about it way before the show aired? But no, every episode is the same, 'Aw it's a Squatch, bro, I tell you what, that there's a mighty fine Squatch we got here, fellas.'" Ibuki put on a thick Southern accent.
"You should see the ghost hunting shows. They're basically the same thing, only instead of running around the woods at night, they lock themselves in some old mansion or prison and spend the night screaming and cursing about how a ghost threw a pebble at them or something. 'HOLY SHIT DUDE I'VE GOT CHILLS, LIKE THERE'S ALL THIS ENERGY'. Oh my GOD, the 'energy'."
"Like, the stuff we've seen and can do, we know this kind of thing exists. But something tells me that these uber-goth wannabes and their tape recorders aren't hearing the same things."
"I've actually met Bigfoot, you know."
"Really?"
"Mmhmm. Up in Alaska. Had a nice long conversation with him. His name's Harold. Harold Squatch."
"Ooookay, now you're bullshitting me."
"I'm serious, he was a real cool dude. Has his own TikTok channel, 'SquatchAndLearn'. Doesn't know why people are going nuts over him. I mean, his foot's not even that big. Barely a size 8."
"You've GOTTA be lying."
"Yeah, I'm totally messing with you."
"Freakin' knew it, Mr. Wild Man here acting like he's in on some massive secrets the 'Southern Squatch Scalpers' don't know about."
"C'mon, don't act like you're not getting a kick out of this."
"I mean, as charming as these beer-bellies are..."
"Would you believe most of these channels used to primarily be educational? And you'll still find more informative bits here and there, but now it's mostly stuff like, 'hunting for Bigfoot', 'street racing', 'this mundane thing is cuz of aliens', et cetera."
"Well if we're gonna be fair, the aliens thing might not be as off-base as people would think."
"Dr. Rose isn't *really* an alien, though. She's human...or was. Then she came from the moon and...damn."
"But there ARE aliens, though. Or were. Along with the demons and gods and all that good stuff." Ibuki shook her head. "Man, our life is messed up."
"That's putting it lightly." Max thought of what to say next. "So, um, Ibuki...this isn't too dumb, is it? Like, hanging around watching weird TV shows when you could be sightseeing."
"I'd be whining more if I was bored. Honestly this stuff's so weird to me that it's fascinating. And it helps that you're finally relaxing and being so casual."
"Well when the source of my anger just *poof* disappears, it helps to have time to settle down and rethink everything. This is a second chance I don't want to screw up. He says to the girl he's watching Bigfoot hunting shows with."
"I've had worse first dates." She raised her eyebrow, a smirk on her face. "In case you were wondering, Sparkplug. Yeah, that's what this is."
"I...had a feeling. Sorry it couldn't be something nicer. I'm...kinda short on cash."
"I'll take whatever you'd call this over a sleazy pub with some creep that's never gonna call back. So in the interest of not holding anything back anymore..." Ibuki got closer to him and grabbed his arm. "You wanna show me what else Yankee Television has to offer?"
"Gladly. Let me teach you about the magic of the Food Network..."