Greetings everyone. I've been an avid persona fan for a few years now, but this is my first attempt writing fanfiction in this universe. I hope you'll give this fic a chance. My intent is to explore a lot of familiar beats from Persona 5 and Royal, but also allow things to diverge. I've always been fascinated with the idea of the butterfly effect, which is probably evident with the title. I think readers might enjoy getting to see some classic moments mixed with plenty of new elements to keep people guessing what might happen next.
Anyways thanks for your time, let's get this show started!
The story that follows is a work of fiction
Similarities between characters or events to persons living or dead in your world are purely coincidental.
Only those who have agreed to the above have the privilege of partaking in this game.
The contract has been sealed.
The world is not as it should be.
It's filled with distortion, and ruin can no longer be avoided.
Those who oppose fate and desire change; From time to time, they were referred to as Tricksters.
You are the Trickster of this tale; Now is the time to rise against the abyss of distortion.
Keep in mind throughout your journey the consequences of one's actions. Every choice, every interaction, big or small...can cause a ripple that may grow into a maelstrom. Be mindful of the butterflies, they can be a thing of beauty and of danger...
Persona 5: Royal Butterflies
Prologue:
The night was still and unmoving. That was until a helicopter came roaring above the surface of a river, causing ripples. The chopper continued towards a specific section of the glowing cityscape. Its destination became very apparent as it soared towards a large casino, adorned with bright neon signs. One in which depicted a large woman in a red dress holding a set of scales and sword in her hands with the word win inside the right scale. The sheer brightness of displays made this particular landmark standout from the rest of the city around it.
The tension inside of the massive establishment was kinetic. The various floors and lobbies were bustling and filled with customers, various card tables, and slot machines. The patrons seemed worried as they shared their concerns audibly. Many of them cast concerned glances around the pockets of shadows that could be found amidst all the vibrant lights. It was as if they expected some monster to lunge out and strike.
Several men adorned in black suits and sunglasses began to push their way through the crowd as they cast trained glances around the room, clearly, they seemed to be on high alert. From their imposing builds, none of the patrons had any issue granting them a wide berth.
Despite the establishment being on high alert, it didn't seem to trouble the hidden figure that silently resided upon a light fixture above the room. A brilliant moon shone through a nearby skylight bathing the man in a faint light.
He slowly rose from his crouched position as he stood before the oblivious crowd below. The man was adorned in a long black tailcoat, a high necked waistcoat with gold accents, black pants and boots, and a pair of red gloves. To top it all off, he wore a black and white bird-like domino mask.
The man himself had unkempt black hair and dark grey eyes, he flashed a cocky smirk as he cradled a briefcase under his left arm.
The frenetic energy from below would build into panic as finally one of the members of the crowd finally noticed the looming figure above them. "Hey, T-There's someone up there!" he yelled with clear fear in his voice.
This immediately seemed to resonate through the rest of the crowd, most importantly the men in black suits wasted no time capitalizing on this information. Swiftly they began pushing through the crowd of panicking civilians. One of the suited men spoke into a phone as his gaze never left the figure above. "He's here. Move-in immediately!"
The lone figure didn't seem phased by being discovered, his smirk merely widened as he waved at the group, then without a word he turned and lunged onto an adjacent light fixture
"Good. Now get running!", a boyish voice said to the masked man through his earpiece.
"Indeed now is time to press the offensive, we shall be your vanguard," a female voice said with fervor.
"This is our only chance! There can be no room for mistake," said a serious male voice.
A halfhearted chuckle followed through the receiver from another different male voice. "Jeez, don't put such a burden on him. I'm sure it'll work out."
"Yeah just stay calm! You can get away now", a young female voice added a moment later.
A soft-spoken girl's voice responded. "Watch out Joker, there's even more than we anticipated."
"Heh, don't worry so much, Knight. I'm sure he's enjoying having a chance to show off," A bemused female voice responded.
"He certainly does have a splendid flair for theatrics," Another girl with a kind voice agreed.
A somber grumble followed from a boy across the headset. "I resent the fact that I cannot capture every angle of such a display."
"...You kids are giving me a migraine. Try to remember what's important alright?" a mature female voice interjected.
A moment later another serious female voice spoke up. "She's right. Joker, we'll retrieve the briefcase on our end. So the rest is all on you."
Following the words of his allies, the sound of a distorted transmission could be perceived, immediately drawing everyone's attention.
"…Suspect isn't yet confirmed. Hold your position…"
"Huh, what was that?", a female voice asked curiously.
The boyish voice interjected, "don't worry about us. Just concentrate on getting away!"
"I know it's already been said, but please be safe Senpai. Don't do anything too reckless," yet another girl's voice said with clear concern in her tone.
A brief chuckle escaped the masked man as the voices in his ear silenced for a moment. "What, aren't I always careful?" he asked anticipating the rebuttal as he lunged to another adjacent light fixture as he began to traverse the room.
"Negative, you constantly make foolish maneuvers. Oh...I see that was sarcasm wasn't it?.." A female voice queried before falling silent.
An awkward laugh followed by a quiet platitude from a male voice. "Don't be so hard on yourself Gold. He has a poker face, so it's hard to read when he's being serious or not."
"Some of you just need to learn how to talk to people. Sheesh how do you expect to succeed in life if you can't even tell when you're the butt of a joke?" the older female voice questioned in a disapproving tone.
"Yo teach, aren't you like nearly thir-" A rambunctious male's voice was suddenly cut off by a groan over the end of the receiver.
"Skull's stupidity aside, I have to say showing yourself above the crowd earlier was an excellent move. Nice work!", the young male voice said with admiration.
Joker grinned to himself. "What can I say, Mona? I always aim to please."
"I bet Skull or Ranger wouldn't pull it off that smoothly", a playful female voice added to the conversation.
"That would be because they both lack vision. Which unfortunately is not easily obtained.", a rather refined male voice added.
"Nobody asked you, Inari!" came the irritated response from Skull.
A click followed a split second later as the boy known as Ranger spoke up. "Seriously! Why do I always get lumped together with Skull? I'm not the one who constantly has to retake tests."
"Be that as it may, you both do lack tact. I can't believe you both roped Joker into that maid service," a soft female replied.
"Speaking of which, I could really use a massage when all is said and done. What do you say Arbiter?" Joker questioned as he continued agilely shifting from one structure to another.
An indignant and clearly embarrassed huff followed the query. "Not another word, unless you wish to spend an eternity doing homework."
"I never expected you all to be such a rowdy group. Color me truly surprised," a male's voice said betraying a modicum of amusement.
Before anyone else could respond a nearby voice took priority. "He's here!"
One of the suited men emerged from a nearby emergency exit and onto the connected balcony before signaling to his reinforcements below.
"Just run! Get out of there!", the young female voice yelled worriedly.
Joker nodded before dashing across several more light fixtures without ever slowing his speed.
"Okay, the enemy is completely focused on Joker. Looks like the rest of us can slip away," Mona stated.
Everyone remember where we're meeting up?", a kindly female voice inquired.
The young female voice who'd spoken moments prior responded with such confidence that it was easy to picture the grin on her face. "No worries! I can guide you all. Just leave it to me!"
"They're in your hands Oracle, so I have complete faith.", Joker responded.
"Mwehehehe, well now I really have to push my skills to the next level!, Oracle cackled mischievously.
Joker found himself now standing in a circular platform with an adjacent set of stairs behind it. However, he found himself waylaid before he could make a break for it.
"Stop right there intruder!" "You won't get away from us!" the two agents exclaimed as they blocked his path, their presence seeming to radiate an aura of malice.
Suddenly the two figures began to shake and glow as the human forms warped into two odd-looking monsters. They still wore the suits but their bodies were slightly bulkier and hunched over with their arms dangling in front of them. As for their faces, a blue mask was present and their bright golden eyes glared at the thief with a look of sheer malice.
The boy didn't show even a hint of fear as he set the briefcase down upon the floor.
"Take those bozos down, Joker!", Oracle yelled enthusiastically through the receiver.
Joker's only response was to smirk as he leapt gracefully into the air before landing on the creature's back, grasping its mask and tearing it away. The creature stumbled forward as its pitch black face and red eyes were revealed to the world. It began to twitch more and more before it bent backwards and erupted into smoke. In place of the hunchbacked creature was a far larger chimera of a creature with the head of a bull, the upper body of a man but the lower half of a snake.
However, despite the imposing size of the monster, Joker seemed unphased as he scrutinized the abomination.
"Sheesh, this thing isn't even worth your time. Let's show him what our fearless leader can do", Oracle informed Joker giddily.
"Say no more. Time to go to work," Joker said as he sprinted forward swiftly, before brandishing a knife from his coat followed by a handgun with his other hand. He slashed the beast several times before landing backwards and pulling the trigger of his gun. This caused the beast to collapse, disoriented but still very much alive. Swiftly he sheathed his knife before holding out his hand over his mask as he yelled. "Eiagon!"
A torrent of blue fire emerged behind him as well as a large mysterious figure as his mask temporarily vanished. The sinister-looking figure mirrored the boy's motions as an eruption of black and red energy surged forward before engulfing the creature, utterly erasing the monster from existence. Then as if nothing had happened the figure dissipated as Joker's mask reappeared and he wordlessly picked up the discarded case.
"Good. You defeated them with ease," the youthful male voice commented.
A sigh followed from another male voice. "He really does make this look too easy."
"That's all part of deception, I have to put on a good show," Joker mused before shifting his attention as he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye.
"Wait there's more of them already? Be careful Joker!", Oracle interjected worriedly. "Wait Violet where are you? That's the wrong way!"
"I know but I can't just let Senpai handle them alone. There's too many of them,"
Oracle groaned loudly. "This is how raid parties wipe. You don't just change the battle plan in the middle of the fight."
"Nevermind that! She's right. I'm picking up more readings every second. Besides any help she can give him, will mean less I have to heal later,"
A snort came across the receiver. "That's our lazy teach for ya!"
"Ugh, whatever! Joker hurry get through that door in front of you!" Oracle ordered.
The boy twirled out of the way of three more suited monsters, narrowly avoiding their stun batons as he burst through the double doors in front of him. He noticed the walls plastered with words like 'Justice' and 'Winning' and were repeated over and over, to an excessive degree.
A few minutes elapsed as he caught idle chatter between narrowly avoiding the patrols of increasing security members. However, this eventually came to a halt as he found a security member at the end of a long hallway blocking the only visible exit.
"Oracle, you got anything for me? I don't really have time to be fighting every one of these guys," Joker whispered as he ducked behind the wall for cover.
"Everything alright? The security level might spike if you stay in one place too long", the serious male voice warned.
"I know, Crow, I know! I'm looking for another route. I won't let him down.", Oracle announced as a brief moment elapsed. "Perfect! Joker, look up, that's your ticket. You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"I think I owe you a shopping trip to Akihabara when this is over," Joker responded with a grin as he noticed a grate above him. He deftly flicked his wrist causing a grappling hook to fly out and latch onto the metal surface before pulling him forward. He soared over the agent before sprinting into the room beyond. 'I could do that all day.'
No sooner however had he entered the room did he register an abrupt yell from Oracle. "Joker stop! There's an enemy signal basically right on top of you."
The boy obeyed without question as he narrowed his eyes as two monsters landed almost on top of him. He narrowly dodged backwards only to find several more now blocking his retreat. "This is karma for getting cocky," Joker muttered as he tried to devise a course of action.
"Joker, even you can't take that many at once. Do you have any smoke bombs left?" Oracle asked with a hint of fear in her voice.
"Fraid not, and I don't think running is in the cards either. I'm doing this the old fashion way," the boy said with an uneasy smile as he rested the briefcase onto the ground. "I'm not going down without a fight, just stick to the plan."
A series of voices flooded the receiver as he saw the two creatures in front of him begin to stir and move towards him.
However, that's when he saw something that gave him renewed hope. A familiar figure. Violet
She wore a strapless black leotard, a chain belt with two rose motifs on it, a black choker, and red gloves. Also, over her leotard, she wore a black bolero with gold highlights, ruffled sleeves, and three floor-length coattails. Furthermore, her legs were adorned with black pantyhose and stiletto heels that resembled ballet shoes on top. Finally, she had her red hair tied up in a ponytail with a black ribbon and her red eyes peered through a black mask with silver highlights.
The girl walked forward calmly, the sound of her heels resounded throughout the otherwise quiet room.
"Aren't you glad I'm such a rebel Senpai?" The girl asked with a hint of a smile as she drew an elegant rapier from the scabbard on her side.
A genuine smile spread across the boy's face. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Shall we dance?"
"With pleasure," Violet responded as she nimbly tossed her rapier into the air before catching it in her right hand and throwing it towards the group. The blade flitted past Joker's head and embedded itself in the chest of one of the monsters behind him. Joker couldn't help but marvel at the display as he peered over his shoulder.
The impaled monster fell to its knees while its allies looked uneasy before their discomfort changed to anger as the remaining five monsters charged the girl. As one swung at her with a raised baton, she cartwheeled to the left flawlessly and for a moment stood there with her eyes closed before opening them as she began to retaliate. She looked right, seeing an approaching enemy, before bending backwards with a small old-fashioned rifle in her hand, the shot that followed took the creature's head clean off. The resulting recoil of the weapon sent her into another cartwheel before she leapt over the head of another monster while aiming the gun at its head. When she landed, she let loose another shot, dispatching one more foe before she turned to face Joker. "How was that?" she asked with a sincere smile on her face.
Joker chuckled audibly. "If you were anyone else, I'd assume you were fishing for compliments. I know that's not the case though," he mused as he took a step forward till he was standing at her side. "I think that these guys are about to wish they had more reinforcements."
"Well, I can't rely too much on you. I have to be strong in my own right," she said as she swiftly turned before kicking her rapier free of the wounded monster, causing it to disappear into dust, she deftly caught the weapon before bringing it to rest in her right hand.
"Funny, because I definitely rely on all of you, and probably you most of all. What do you say we finish up here?" he suggested as he mirrored her by brandishing his knife.
The red-haired girl nodded with a vivid smile. "Let's do this, Senpai!", the girl yelled encouragingly, a smile just visible under her mask.
The pair moved in harmony with one another as Joker went low as Violet went high, a few swift strikes and series of shots echoed through the room before more dust flitted into the air as the creatures disintegrated in nothingness.
"I believe that's the last of them. Thank you for the dance, we'll have to make the next one last longer," Violet remarked with a warm smile.
Joker flashed her a wink in response. "Consider that a promise then."
"Sheesh, you two cleaned that mess up quickly. I wouldn't get comfortable though. There's more on the way. The good news is that you're near the exit," Oracle said.
"Roger that and thanks Oracle," Joker said before he let his attention return to the girl in front of him. "You know what I have to do. We just have to have faith."
The girl's expression faltered a moment as she stepped forward and grabbed the boy's coat with her hands as she pressed herself against him. "I-I know Sen...I know Ren. I'm just afraid. I owe you so much, and putting this all to chance...it scares me."
"Sumire, I put my faith in you and everyone else. As far as I'm concerned this isn't gambling at all."
The girl flushed momentarily. "B-But Senpai, there's just so many things that could g-"
The redhead was silenced as Joker lifted her chin up before stealing her lips with his own, their masks lightly clinking together in the process. "I made you a promise didn't I?" he asked as he pulled back savoring the shade of crimson she'd turned.
She shyly nodded her head. "And a Phantom Thief always keeps their word right?"
"Of course and consider that as a promise from a Phantom Thief and from Ren Amamiya," he said as he gently patted her cheek with a gloved hand.
The girl blinked back tears from the corner of her eyes. "Right, well I'm holding you to that Senpai. I'll try to draw some of them off you, and clear a path. Think you can handle the rest?"
The boy nodded before smirking. "Of course, I was just sandbagging earlier hoping to see you. See? All according to plan."
Violet rolled her eyes but still giggled. "Sure Senpai. Just be safe okay? I can't lose you too."
Joker's expression became more stoic as he nodded. "You won't, just keep your head down alright?"
"I understand, I'll see you soon," the redhead said as she cast one more lingering glance before lunging onto a raised platform and disappearing from sight.
The boy took a steadying breath before quickly turning back towards the stairs in front of him and swiftly climbing them. As he reached the top he glanced around the corner to make sure there were no enemies nearby before dashing to the opposite wall. He glanced through a nearby window. He noticed several people regarding monitors that were showing various areas of the casino. He chuckled at the banter he heard from the room.
His amusement didn't last long as he heard more footsteps approaching swiftly. He started running once again up several more flights of stairs, as he could register footfalls behind him. He soon found himself on another floor from which he sprinted forward before barging through an emergency door.
The boy found himself on a balcony overlooking the commotion downstairs.
"Hey, is there something wrong Joker? Your exit should be just up ahead", Oracle stated.
The boy frowned. "It's a no-go, there are too many guards between me and the exit."
"Ah, where did they all come from? Give me a second, I'll search for another way. Stand by," Oracle said slightly panicked.
"Calm yourself Oracle. You mustn't let fear consume you. Otherwise, our plan will crumble," a sagely female voice stated.
"Thanks for the encouragement Sun Tzu, but that's easier said than done," Oracle fired back.
"Don't sweat it. I've got this," Joker said radiating confidence as he spied a stained glass window that lay beyond a large chandelier.
"Wait, Joker! You can't be serious. I'm not picking shards out of your body if you screw this up," the mature female voice chided through genuine concern could be heard in her tone.
"He's planning on jumping through the window? Jeez if only we could stream this to the site," a male voice commented.
"For real! That would be freaking amazing dude. Hey Joker I'll buy our next round of ramen if you pull this off," Skull commented.
Joker stretched in place a moment as he heard voices growing closer. "Not like I'll have to worry about paying up if I don't, but sure you're on."
"Hey don't even joke about that!" a loud female voice exclaimed.
"Sorry Panther, just a bit of morbid humor," Joker replied. "Besides I'd much rather bleed Skull's wallet dry."
"There is a certain satisfaction in seeing him be humbled," Fox admitted.
A rare chuckle escaped another girl. "That certainly never ceases to be entertaining. Put on a good show then Joker."
"You can count on that Queen," he grinned as he gripped the briefcase under his arm before landing on the chandelier.
"Violet have you been teaching Joker gymnastics? He's really become even more graceful," A soft voice mused. "He certainly wasn't this athletic at volleyball."
"O-Oh I don't know about any of that. I mean he's been to a few of my practices, but it's not like I've done anything special. He's just a natural Knight," the redhead responded.
"That's our leader for you!" a sweet female voice chimed in.
"Jeez Noir, between you and the others, this guy is gonna have one heck of an Ego," Mona remarked.
Joker smirked as he landed next to a stone railing that was adjacent to the stained glass window. "Ah come on Mona, you should know me better than that."
Any responses were drowned out as three more agents suddenly appeared with their weapons trained on Joker. "Freeze, there's nowhere for you to run now!"
The boy grinned before lifting an eyebrow in response and then without another word he vaulted over the railing startling the agents in the process. He offered a two-finger salute as he sailed through the air. "See Ya!" he called out before he launched himself through the window.
He glided effortlessly despite the inherent danger before landing on the ground below without so much as a scratch.
"What a show off," Oracle commented.
The boy smiled victoriously. "Actually I prefer daring if you had to pick a description."
Before he could savor the moment though it was cut short. Without warning several glaring spotlights flooded the area blinding him in the process. He immediately tried to shield his eyes as he barely caught a few series of panicked words over the receiver.
"Enemies here?...An Ambush?.. Joker can you handle this?.. Senpai be careful!"
The words however fell on deaf ears after a moment as he saw what appeared to be an entire police force wearing riot gear in front of him accompanied by dozens of armored vehicles.
"Capture him!" one of the officers yelled out.
What followed was a tidal wave of officers that began to close in on that boy, who in response began to run to the side of the building as fast as he could. He lunged up to a fire escape ladder that dangled above him all the while still carrying the briefcase. He managed to pull himself up. He stared down in amusement at the ground below, however, he failed to notice he wasn't alone on the fire escape. A butt of a gun collided into his face, causing him to be sent falling to the ground below.
He landed in the midst of dozens of officers who quickly converged on him, despite his attempts it didn't take long till he was pinned down and surrounded by more weapons to pacify him.
"Subject secure," one of the officers called out.
A moment later he could only make out a pair of feet approaching him, before hearing an unfamiliar voice. "Didn't expect to find some kid. You know you have your teammate to thank for this."
"What?" Joker questioned with what appeared to be genuine disbelief.
"Yep, that's right. You were sold out. This is the end of the line Phantom Thief. Cuff him, we're done here..."
Absolute darkness and silence. That pretty much summarized the atmosphere of the cramped interrogation room.
Its only inhabitants were three black-suited men and a teenage boy who was handcuffed to a chair. The boy who a short time ago was the image of confidence now resembled a normal high school student, with the only exception being the extensive bruising. Which of course was courtesy of his captors.
One of the men glanced at a discarded syringe before focusing once more on the restrained student.
"Heh, guess the drug was too strong. Wake him up!" he barked before folding his arms.
One of the men raised a bucket filled with water before wordlessly throwing the contents at the unmoving boy.
The frigid water almost immediately elicited a reaction as Ren's swollen and weary eyes opened as he took a sharp breath. Even with his blurred vision, he could see the resentment in the men's eyes, though his mind was so addled he couldn't determine what he'd done to receive such treatment.
The man who stood in the middle offered a cold look as he sneered slightly. "No dozing off. We've got a lot of questions for you kid."
Ren tried to muster the strongest glare he could as he struggled in vain with his restraints, the effort was fruitless. In part due to his own impairment and in part to their thoroughness.
"You still don't get it, do you?", the man in the middle questioned as he took a step forward and suddenly kicked the boy in the stomach. "Give it up!" he yelled as the boy was sent to the ground before coughing and sputtering in pain.
The boy gritted his teeth before feeling the pressure of a foot against the side of his head.
"Still some defiance huh? Come on, kid. Cooperate or do you want me to go another round?"
Ren weakly shifted his gaze before noticing a security camera and the red light that indicated it was recording. His shift of attention wasn't missed though.
"Oh, you think that'll be your saving grace? Do you really think that it can be used for video evidence?", the man asked mockingly as he roughly grabbed the student's hair, forcing him to look into the man's eyes.
The boy didn't respond though he didn't need to. Of course, he knew all too well, even in his disoriented state that it wouldn't help. The system had failed him before and now...he'd done something...what was it though?
"Didn't hear my question? Answer me dammit!", the man yelled letting go of his hair and once again, burying his foot in the student's abdomen, leaving him gasping and wheezing.
Turning his back on the helpless student, the man walked up to one of his silent associates who handed him a clipboard.
"Obstruction of justice, blackmail, defamation, possession of weapons …. and manslaughter as well, huh? Talk about the works. That of course is only what we've been able to pin to you. By the time we're done, who knows what else will come out..", the man mused with a sinister smile. "There's plenty of outstanding cases that need to be closed. A lot of people would sleep easier if the boogeyman was off the street. To think that all of those crimes were organized by a little punk like you. And you seemed to enjoy every second of it, didn't you?" the man questioned as he stared down at the battered boy. "Are you enjoying yourself now brat?"
Ren winced as he tried to concentrate. 'Was I truly enjoying it? No...my mind. My memories are so hazy...must be drugs.'
"If you don't know your place, you will soon enough," the man in charge said with clear distaste before gesturing at the man on the left. "Do it. We need to secure it."
Without a word, the other man strode forward and removed the boy's cuffs before hauling up and forcing him into a chair.
The boy massaged his bruised wrists before weakly raising his head as the main interrogator strode forward once more with a document in hand.
"Sign this brat. It's a confession under your name. Seems pointless for us to need something like this considering the circumstances, but that's how it works," the man said in a gruff manner.
The student scowled as he pushed the paper away. 'No way in hell. I don't even know what I did, no way I'm signing shit'
"I see, so that's how you want to play this", the man said with a bemused look in his eyes. "I need your hand to sign this, but the rest of you is in question,"
Without warning, he bought a leg up before slamming his foot down hard into the boy's hurt leg. "Honestly, I couldn't care less if you lose a leg in the process. Though I think you might have a different opinion. You may not believe it, but this is me being gentle. I can get more creative if you like?"
Ren weakly and begrudgingly nodded his head as the document was present again, at what point the man presented a pen. However before he could accept it, the man took a rough hold of the boy's shoulder. "Don't expect to walk out of here in one piece. We are going to make you understand. One must take full responsibility for their actions", the man announced gravely.
The boy said nothing in response as he slowly took the instrument and in the next few moments, the sound of pen meeting paper filled the room.
The click-clack of heels against the floor was the only sound resounding throughout the almost empty hallway. Those heels belonged to a tall woman with long ashen brown hair parted asymmetrically on her right side and brown eyes. As for her attire, she wore a black business suit with a black turtleneck while the cuffs and lower parts of her blazer had a clamshell-like design. As for accessories, she was wearing a necklace with a section sign and had a black bag over her right shoulder.
Her countenance portrayed a woman who was all business and one that was likely tough as nails.
A detective who was stationed not far from the interrogation room saw the woman and spoke up.
"Excuse me, miss, but this area's off—"
However, the woman didn't allow the man in question to finish speaking.
"My name is Sae Niijima and I'm from the Public Prosecutor's Office", she said, barely missing a beat.
"Wait, you're from the Prosecutor's Office?", the detective inquired incredulously before he reined in his surprise. "Then what business exactly do you have with the detained suspect ?", he asked with a furrowed brow.
"Just let me through", Sae insisted, a sliver of impatience making its way into her voice. "There's something that I need to confirm with the suspect myself. Now, if you'll please."
The detective simply sighed at the woman's stubbornness. "Niijima-san, I'm pretty sure that this case no longer falls under your jurisdiction. This case is under our supervision now", the man stated with an air authority in his tone.
"And further—"
"Are you prosecutor Sae Niijima?" a voice from behind Sae questioned interrupting the other man.
Sae turned around, hardly fazed, to be confronted by an older detective who simply looked tired and annoyed.
"I am", Sae replied with a nonplussed expression.
"Well, I just got off the phone with your director. Could you just hurry it up? Quite frankly, you're more of a nuisance to us than anything", the older man said with a haughty expression
Sae's eyes narrowed in response as she took out her smartphone and dialed her boss who picked up almost immediately.
She was instantly met with a tired sigh. "I thought I told you to stand by", came the frustrated voice of her director from the other end.
"Sir, with all due respect, did you honestly expect me to do just that? I was placed in charge of this case yet I'm not even being allowed an interrogation of the suspect?", Sae replied, her tone carrying anger as well as indignance.
"I'm calling because I knew that you would bring it up", the director confessed.
"Of course, I'm not going to be convinced unless I hear it from the suspect himself. This is my case", the prosecutor said resolutely.
Another sigh rang out from the other side as the man seemed to relent. "Very well. Good luck to you then. But I'm honestly not expecting much though", the director admitted bluntly.
Without another word, Sae ended the call but before she could take another step the older detective interjected once more. "Ah, Prosecutor Niijima, there is one important detail. Your time with the suspect will be cut short. We can't allow you to talk with him for too long."
This elicited another sigh from the woman.
"It's for your own safety. After all, we have no clue as to his methods. We don't even know if it's safe to meet and speak with him", the older detective explained. "You'll be on your own if he pulls some sort of stunt and be responsible if something happens."
"… I understand", Sae responded flatly before she started headed towards the door.
After reaching the door, the police guard on duty opened it, making the light from the hallway flood into the interrogation room, illuminating the figure sitting at the table.
The figure, Ren Amamiya, looked up with dull eyes at the serious visage of Sae Niijima.
"So …. It is you", Sae said finally with the smallest hint of surprise tinged with annoyance as she shut the door behind her. Wordlessly she took a step forward before taking a seat opposite of the student. She crossed her legs as the boy cast his gaze downward. "I must admit that I didn't expect it would be you. Even when I was shown your picture, I didn't truly believe it", Sae confessed with an uncomfortable look in her eyes to the weary teenager who looked up for a second.
But, the woman shook her head and steeled her face. "But that doesn't change the fact that you'll be answering my questions from now on, not the police's", the prosecutor stated.
Ren didn't respond as it seemed as if he was only halfway paying attention to her words.
Sae couldn't help but notice the condition the boy was in from the visible bruising and his disheveled attire. What stood out the most though was the glassy look in his eyes, it was then she noticed the discarded syringes and made the connection. "Those bastards.." she cursed under her breath in disgust.
No matter his crimes, these methods should be beneath anyone in law enforcement.
She slowly returned her gaze to the boy who sat cradling his forehead with his hand. "Ren Amamiya. I need you to try and focus..."
The boy slowly lifted his chin as a hint of recognition seemed to show in his eyes.
"I'm going to assume you can at least make some sense of what I'm saying. I think it's clear by now that anything can happen in here and this isn't my jurisdiction. That's why I need you to be honest with me here and to be quick about it. I don't have a lot of time, I may be the only one that can lighten your sentence. Though that depends on your cooperation."
The boy shakily laced his hands as if waiting for her to continue.
"Very well, then let's start with the obvious first. Why did you cause such a scene? What was the purpose of all this fanfare? Was it simply for attention?" she questioned.
No response came from the boy who simply stared back at her wordlessly.
The Prosecutor continued however without missing a beat. "To be honest, I never saw any of this as a mere prank. However, at the beginning, I couldn't even assemble a case that could be prosecuted much less anything else. Most of this is down to the fact I couldn't determine the method behind your crimes."
"That doesn't surprise me. It's still hazy, but even thinking about what I can remember...no one would believe it," Ren said quietly.
"That's true I suppose. There's no way that a rational human being would believe such outlandish claims, that something like a cognitive world exists. However, you seem to be getting more coherent. So let's continue while we still have time. When and where did you first find out about this other world? How is it even possible to steal someone's heart? Tell me your account of everything. How did this all begin?"
A moment passed as the student cradled his head once more as he tried to recall what led to this moment...
Like a fog...it seemed as if the truth was obscured. All he could see was Sae sitting in front of him.
A sense of hopelessness settled in his stomach, before easing ever so slightly. Suddenly without warning a shimmering blue butterfly fluttered in front of his face and with it, a mysterious female voice followed. "You are held captive. A prisoner of fate to a future that has been written in advance. This is a truly unjust game. Your chances of winning are almost none. However, if my voice is reaching you, then there may be a possibility open to you."
'A possibility? What does that even mean? What can I do?'
"I beg you Trickster, please win this game...and save the world from ruin."
'Save the world? How can I even save myself?'
"The key to your salvation lies within the memories of your bonds; the truth you and your friends discovered together. You must remember when the game began half a year ago. For the sake of the world's future and your own...you must remember."
What followed was like the early morning sunlight burning away the fog obscuring the boy's mind. It was gradual...but piece by piece started to click into place...
Ren's hands trembled a moment as he lifted his chin once more to meet Sae's gaze. "It all began six months ago, shortly after I arrived in Tokyo."
*Author Note*
I'd like to thank everyone who read this chapter. I know it was clearly just the prologue sequence, but I tried to incorporate some pretty interesting changes, that I hope will excite or at least intrigue some people. I wanna give a big shoutout to ME1905's Persona-5-Royal-the-Novelisation. Their story and particularly the beginning gave me a lot of inspiration as to how to structure the prologue.
Please if you could favorite or drop a review, I'd be very grateful. I'll respond to any possible reviews going forward. My plan is try to aim for weekly updates for this fic!