Yeah I'm posting this again late at night. I won't be able to sleep unless I do it.

Flashback to a few days ago

Overseas outside of Japan, Ann is finishing up her remaining work, still thinking about when she will be able to return to Japan and visit her friends again. She's looking outside the door to the dorm room she's staying at, studying for her finals

Ann: ...

Friendly Female Student 1: Ann?

Ann: Huh? Oh sorry

Friendly Female Student 1: are you ok? You've been getting distracted a few times

Ann: I'm fine, don't worry, just other things on my mind

Friendly Female Student 1: You Sure you're ok? Our teacher is expecting us to finish our project if we're to graduate

Ann: I know, don't worry, we'll get it done and graduate happily

Friendly Female Student 1: okay, oh right you said you're going back to Shibuya in Japan after you graduate right?

Ann: yeah, I have people there waiting for me to come back, and I don't want to make them wait any longer... especially him

Friendly Female Student 1: Him?

Ann: nevermind, let's get back to work, we can talk about it later

Friendly Female Student 1: okay then

The student walks out as Ann sits there

Ann: I'm almost done here, once I'm done I can go back to Japan, I can see everyone again... especially Akira...

She missed Akira a lot. She still loved him but didn't let that distract her, most of the time

Ann: I can't thoughts of him distract me from this... does he even actually love me...? He didn't say he did when I asked him before... but he never did say no either... yet he definitely heard me, did he just not wanna hurt me due to what we were working on back then? I wonder if maybe his feelings have changed... I doubt it

Friendly Female Student 2: love problem?

Ann: AHH! N- no it's nothing, don't worry about it

Friendly Female Student 2: Who's Akira?

Ann: No one important, don't worry about it I'll be out in a second just let me get changed hahahahahahahaha

Friendly Female Student 2: (She's weird) *leaves the room*

Ann: I'm getting distracted, just get this done and I can see him again

She gets dressed to go hang out with some girls she promised to hang with today, but she keeps spacing out a bit

Ann: *spacing out*

Friendly Female Student 1: hey Takamaki, you ok? You're kinda spacing out with a sad face

Ann: I'm fine... just tired

Friendly Female Student 1: are you sure?

Ann: Yeah, it's nothing important... (it's very clear it is important if I keep thinking about it, and it's distracting me from doing a lot of things here) Let's just have fun ok?

Friendly Female Student 1: ok

Friendly Female Student 2: what kind of fun?

Ann: well the amusement park is close by, we can go to that

Friendly Female Student 2: nice

These two love birds, so far across the world from each other, want to confess to one another but doubts cloud their minds on whether the other loves them back as well, how will this play out for them

Back in the present

Akira: ... A- Ann?

Ryuji: For real?!

Yusuke: Takamaki-San!?

Makoto: Ann!?

Haru: Huh!?

Ann: Can you open the door please?

Akira: Coming. *Unlocks the door for her*

Ann: *Enters* Thank you.

Akira: It's so good to see you again.

Ann: It's great to see you all again!

Makoto: Ann! How have you been!?

Ann: I've been great! I graduated from modeling school early so I can come back earlier!

Ryuji: It's great to see you, but you came at a horrible time.

Ann: What's up?

Ryuji: The MetaNav is back.

Ann: Wait what?!

Akira: What a great welcome back am I right,

Ryuji: And we already found ourselves a target. Makoto is the one with the details.

Makoto explains what's been happening in the last few chapters (I'm lazy)

Ann: Geez... guess we're coming out of retirement as the Phantom Thieves...

Akira: For one last job.

Ann: Didn't we say that last time we thought that was the last job we were doing as the Phantom Thieves?

Akira: Yeah I'm guessing there's gonna be more after this.

Futaba: Yep....

Akira: I know everything's in place, but this is a unanimous decision, and you just came back. So do you want in?

Ann: You bet!

Akira: Alright, check your phone for the Nav then.

Ann: *Checks her phone* Yeah I have it...

Akira: Alright, after Sojiro comes back we'll be on our way.

Ann: Oh, Boss told me once I'm here we can all go. I asked him to bring you all here since I'm returning today and wanted to meet you all together.

Akira: I see.

They go to the location and then enter the Metaverse.

Ann: *Checks out her outfit* Geez... I forgot this was my outfit while in here.

Akira: *stares at her*

Ann: Akira?

Akira: Oh- It's Joker. Remember?

Ann: Huh? Oh right! Code names! I'm Panther in here.

Ryuji: Mines Skull if you don't remember.

Ann: (can't slack off now) Don't worry. I remember our code names.

Makoto: Good.

Akira: Alright, that's the place, and the Treasure is in the basement. There isn't many Shadows but it's still gonna be tricky.

Ann: Huh. Pretty small for a palace. Or has it been a while?

Akira: It's just the Palace seems to be smaller because it's more of a mementos request, but no mementos

Ann: But man. It's been a while since I was here. It feels weird but also nostalgic.

Ryuji: For real.

Sumire: So shall we get started?

Akira: Let's go.

They enter in and find the materialized Treasure.

Akira: *Grabs the Treasure* And still got time to do something in the afternoon.

Shadow Hanasuke: *Appears and locks the door*

Sumire: Knew it couldn't be this easy.

Akira: *Grabs a lock pick from his pocket* Just a minor set back.

Shadow Hanasuke: No escaping. Not after what you did.

Akira: It might not look like it but we're trying to help you.

Shadow Hanasuke: Help me?! How is stealing and lying to me helping me?!

Akira: Worked for everyone else we did it to.

Shadow Hanasuke: I will not allow this!

Cognitive Asami: *Takes the treasure out of their hands and goes to Shadow Hanasuke's side*

Ryuji: Hey!

Shadow Hanasuke: You enter my home, lie to me, and attempt to steal from me. I will not allow you to escape from here! You will fall here! *Transforms into a Shadow Boss looking like a heart*

(A/N: I was out of ideas, now prepare to watch the lamest persona battle in history)

Ryuji: Holy shit!

Morgana: Why are you surprised?! We did this many times before in the past!

Ryuji: He turned into an effing heart!

Yusuke: Actually no. Not the actual heart, the symbol of one.

Akira: Guess we're literally stealing his heart.

Ann: Hah...

Haru: I enjoyed that joke.

Ryuji: *Chuckles*

Yusuke: They don't call him Joker for nothing...

Makoto: Anyway! Let's focus on the fight!

Shadow Hanasuke: You won't escape alive!

Akira: Oh we will.

Ann: It's been a long time but we should be able to get back into the groove of this.

Akira: Let's go, Arsene!

Arsene: *uses eagion*

Shadow Hanasuke:*Takes the damage and counters back with Assault Dive on Akira*

Akira: *Dodges*

Ryuji: Captain Kidd!

Captain Kidd: *uses Ziodyne*

Shadow Hanasuke: *Reflects it back*

Ryuji: Electric does nothing to him!

Yusuke: Goemon! Strike!

Goemon: *uses Bufudyne*

Makoto: Johanna!

Johanna: *Uses Freila*

Sumire: Cendrillon!

Cendrillon: *Uses Kouga*

Haru: Milady!

Milady: *Uses Psio*

Morgana: Zorro! Show your might!

Zorro: *Uses Garula*

Shadow Hanasuke: *Gets hit by everything sent at him*

Ann: It's been a while but, dance Carmen!

Carmen: *Uses Agilao*

Shadow Hanasuke: Gah! *is weak to Fire but not downed*

Ryuji: Bosses have weaknesses now?

Sumire: I guess.

Haru: It's good that Panther returned when she did.

Ann: Hehe.

Akira: *Checks what Personas he has* (Oh crap. No Fire skills, screw it, just remember to give her a fire skill after this) Ishtar!

Ishtar: *Uses wild thunder*

Shadow Hanasuke: Gah! I won't let you escape alive! *Attacks with Megidola*

Cognitive Asami: *Joins in to increase the damage*

Akira:*Takes a lot of damage and falls*

Ann: Joker!

Morgana: Zorro! Recarm!

Zorro: *Uses Recarm on Akira*

Akira: *Gets up* Sorry about that. (That hurt way more then it should of. I'm getting sloppy)

Makoto: Why couldn't we do that before in the past...?

Akira: *Shrugs* you were all too sad to do it

Ryuji: I'll give our attacks some extra strength! Captain Kidd!

Captain Kidd: *Uses Tarukaja on Ann*

Ann: Thanks! Let's finish this Carmen!

Carmen: Uses Maragilao on the enemies to defeat them*

Shadow Hanasuke: Nooooo!!!!

Cognitive Asami: Gah! *Disappears*

Shadow Hanasuke: *Reverts back still holding his Treasure*

Akira: *Grabs the Treasure*

Shadow Hanasuke: ...

Akira: I still don't get it. Why is your cognition like this...?

Shadow Hanasuke: I just wanted to be with her... have a perfect life as I envisioned with her...

Akira: But she said no didn't she...?

Shadow Hanasuke: No.... I just never had the courage to ask...

Akira: ...

Ryuji: Wow...

Akira: Well, how close are you two?

Shadow Hanasuke: We work together.... and we've spoken a few times. She has such a way with words and such a beautiful voice...

Akira: Sounds like a nice person.

Shadow Hanasuke: I even imagined all the moments of us being together... eventually my desire for her to be mine and mine alone grew. I wanted her... just her.

Akira: Maybe you should just ask her out. You might have a chance. That will help more then just hoping for it to happen. There's some unlucky people who don't have a chance, but you do.

Shadow Hanasuke: Heh... had I been brave enough to actually ask her out... then I wouldn't have suffered so much...

Akira: True... It's not like she rejected you yet right?

Shadow Hanasuke: Yeah... thanks... *Disappears*

The Palace starts falling apart.

Akira: ...

Ryuji: Joker let's go!

Akira: Coming Skull.

Makoto: Let's move!

They make their escape back in the real world. Akira holding the treasure which is a picture of Asami. With words on the back reading "Hang in there! I'm here to support you as best as I can!"

Akira: (Looks like a nice girl)

Makoto: Well all that's left is to just wait for the change of heart correct?

Morgana: Correct. I'll be monitoring Hanasuke and keep you guys updated.

Ryuji: Alright then.

Ann: What a time to return... I never expected to come back to this again.

Akira: What were you expecting? Modeling?

Ann: Still as lighthearted as always huh?

Akira: We're probably gonna end up doing like two more of these and then we'll be done. Still, his distortion didn't seem powerful enough to be a Palace yet it was one, and a small one at that.

Morgana: Sometimes a desire can be strong enough to form a Palace but not enough to make it a big one like the previous Places we were in. He just desired to be with her and have a life with her in a fancy home. Nothing else really outside of that.

Akira: Maybe since Mememtos no longer exists it the small Palaces exist outside of it.

Morgana: Maybe. Anyway. If Palaces still exist it seems our job as Phantom Thieves isn't over.

Ryuji: This should be fun.

The Phantom Thieves make their return to Japan. Whatever Palaces they encounter they'll take it head on. But since Ann has returned, what will this do for her relationship with Akira? Will they be distant to one another? Or attempt another confession hoping it will go different?

End...