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Bound to Hell (PART 1)
Sunday—June 7, 2021
"Rejoice, Deceiver, your day has come," whispered a soft voice.
Goro jerked awake, limbs flailing as he looked around wildly, expecting to find someone hovering over him, yet there was no one. Once he managed to get his heart rate to an acceptable pace, he was able to recognize the stone ceiling, cold metal on his back, and the weight of chains on his wrists and ankles. He groaned this time and sat up, fingers plucking at the horrendous attire; this was not his cognition, so he really had Ren to blame—
Ren.
Goro flung himself off the bed and rushed over to the bars; he was back in the same place...a platform in the middle of a lake underneath a star-lit sky with a single table and two chairs. He knew it was Ren's subconscious for his Velvet Room was a courtroom (which, in turn, did not surprise him in the least given his line of work). He wrapped his fingers around the bar and pressed himself against the steel to get a better look, just now noticing that something was different. The interrogation table no longer sat alone. Accompanying it was his own familiar courtroom.
"Your hearts' cognitions have merged, Deceiver."
Goro's eyes landed on a small, blonde girl adorned in blue. "Lavenza?"
"Yes," she confirmed with a nod, turning away to look at her clipboard. "Welcome."
The door to his cell swung open, allowing Goro to finally step through. The moment he did, it triggered his transformation to the black mask. From the other end, he could see Ren's door open and the second inmate step out from it. He looked as confused as Goro felt.
"Crow…" Ren said the moment their eyes met. "You're here?"
"Formerly wearing your atrocious inmate outfit," Goro grumbled snarkily, gesturing to himself. "Fortunately, not anymore."
Ren threw him a glower of his own. "It's not like yours is very original."
"Pardon?"
Joker wrinkled his nose at the new addition to their now-shared Velvet Room. "Of course it's a courtroom."
"It is by no mere coincidence, Trickster," Lavenza interjected, gesturing between the two quarreling teens. "Your hearts reveal your similar discrepancies. What an honor it is to see."
"We're back?" Ren inquired, voice gentler now that he spoke to her. He decided to ignore what she had said. "Why?"
"You will be forging a new vow," Lavenza apprised and rifled through the papers on her clipboard. "Rejoice, Joker. Your day has come."
Goro was about to make another snippy remark, but was abruptly stopped by the sharp pain in his chest. He grunted in surprise and doubled over; based on the gasp he heard come from Ren and the way he clutched his own chest, Goro guessed Ren felt the same thing.
"On your knees," came a new voice from seemingly nowhere and everywhere.
Goro balked although the pain was enough to send him to his knees anyway. The moment he changed positions, the pain ceased. Ren, too, was taken down by the pain, but his face was no longer screwed up in agony.
Igor, the Velvet Room's host, materialized from the stars, taking his place at the interrogation table. He crossed his legs and rested his chin in his hands, beckoning Lavenza over, who happily obliged.
"Master," she said and bowed respectfully.
"You have successfully summoned them," Igor said, pleased, and turned his bulging eyes to the pair. "Your rehabilitation has taken a turn. It is my duty to see your new vows through."
Ren's chains rattled as he tried standing up, eyes bright and alert behind the mask. "What is this?"
"You wield immense power, one unfit for the Metaverse," Igor replied although he addressed both Persona conjurers. "You will ultimately tip the careful and vital balance of this world. In response, you will fade away with each visit to the Metaverse."
Goro's heart seized as he looked at Ren, who's eyes widened. The thought of never being able to summon his Personas rested heavily in his chest, which began to tighten. He had become so accustomed to his Personas, the thought of them gone made him nauseous. Both were lost for words.
"W-why?" Ren finally choked out, chains rattling more as he began to strain against them. "We have done nothing but use them for your purpose."
"Ever the rebellious one," Igor chuckled. "Your heart is a prison and you are its prisoner, Trickster."
The muscle in Ren's jaw jumped as he clenched it.
"Absurd," Goro added, voicing his displeasure with obvious distaste.
"Most outspoken," Igor said to Goro, who stiffened. "Your heart is a courtroom and you are its judge, Deceiver."
Goro merely narrowed his eyes in response.
"I need my mask," Ren said softly despite his voice echoing loudly throughout the room. "Please don't take it off."
Goro felt the piercing desperation behind those words. He, too, hid both face and mind behind the mask he wore. Parting ways with it made him feel naked and exposed, vulnerable to the world and to himself.
"It is the end of your rehabilitation," Igor replied, looking at Lavenza. "Unless you wish to proceed with your new vow."
"What is it?" Ren inquired curiously and apprehensively.
"Only when you vow your soul to the Metaverse will you be able to preserve yourself," Lavenza said and walked up to Ren, gently tipping Ren's head up by his chin. "Heed my word, Trickster, for this vow will bind you forever."
"What do you mean?" Goro demanded, straightening up to appear taller and larger than he was...and felt.
"You will live a cursed existence as a servant to the Metaverse," Igor said and looked at him. "Forced to wander this world, the next, and further...bound not by time, but by the chains of this Hell."
Goro's eyebrows pinched as he tried to wrap his head around this. "To clarify...we are going to be…?"
"Unable to move forth," Lavenza said and now walked over to him. Goro pulled back, not wanting to be touched by her. "You will eventually be frozen in time, never moving forward as your soul will now belong to the Metaverse."
"Which will always be around," Ren said slowly, eyes tearing away from Igor in favor of looking at Goro. "We can't die as long as the Metaverse exists."
Goro's head spun uncomfortably, making it hard to focus on anything let alone the words being said. He tried to force air into his lungs, but found them unwilling to work.
"Death is temporary," Igor replied knowingly but offered nothing else on the subject.
Ren's hands went to hold his head, chains rattling. "It doesn't matter what we decide. We're prisoners of whatever fate we choose."
"Can we have a moment to talk?" Goro asked Igor, referring to himself and Ren.
Igor nodded but held up a hand to stop him before he could rise to his feet. "Be wary, for if one chooses, the other must adhere to the vow."
Ren's eyes travelled over to Goro and the two were able to sidle over to one another. Lavenza stepped back as she and Igor waited patiently, not even bothering to hide the fact they were listening. Goro, now back on his feet, felt weaker on them than he felt in a long time. Ren sprung to his feet, ran over to him, and skidded to a halt as he flung his arms around Goro the best he could around the cuffs, taking him by surprise.
Goro was almost knocked off his feet, but the sudden warmth from the embrace made him feel like he could stand again. Without any explanation, he could feel his arms acting on their own accord to return the gesture. For the longest time (or perhaps a mere second or two), Goro relished the feeling of having Ren in his arms, body flush against his so much so, he could feel the other's pounding heart.
They pulled back and stared at each other, brown eyes meeting gray ones as some unspoken thing between them became clear.
"What do we do?" Ren asked.
Goro was thrown off at the question for the leader of the Phantom Thieves always made the decisions. However, Ren stared at him questioningly as if his life depended on Goro's answer. Personally, he did not have to think or sit on the answer for long. His heart had made the decision before his logic could protest. Goro did not want to give up his Personas, the Metaverse, or his mask. Crow still yearned for more and Goro could not bid him farewell.
"For once, make up your mind," he replied harshly but his adrenaline spoke for him.
Ren shook his head and laughed in spite of their options. He looked at himself before lifting a gloved hand and holding it out for Goro. "Isn't it obvious, Detective?"
Goro was not expecting this answer let alone its speed. He frowned sharply, but did not accept the hand.
"You must think what this will mean, Amamiya. Have you thought carefully? You will not be able to change your mind."
Ren blinked at him.
"Whatever future you desire...whoever you desire to share your future with will no longer be possible," Goro pressed bluntly, squashing the rising hope in his chest. Yet, the beast inside him still had lifted its head and sniffed the air. "We will watch everyone around us die one by one while we remain ageless. You will be bound to this Hell until we move on to the next...and we will be bound to that Hell...is that what you want?"
"Is that what you want?" Ren echoed, firing the question back at him.
Yes. Goro was not ready to let Crow die...but most importantly, he was not ready to let the bond between him and Ren die...perhaps it was his own insecurity, but he believed if they did not have the Metaverse holding them together, their paths would split and he could not bear the thought of losing Ren...whatever that meant. Goro knew that whatever future he desired, Ren was there...even if all Goro could do was follow from a distance. In the end, he knew his future would include him…
"Isn't it obvious?" Goro parroted, face hardly giving away all the feelings he held inside.
Ren's face broke out into a smile. Goro finally released his spirit as he grasped the other's hand, gripping it tightly. The moment they had touched, Goro's hand felt locked in place (although, he wouldn't have been able to pull away regardless). Loki erupted from the stars above, followed by Ren's Persona. The two demons looked at one another before Arsène's great, black wings unfurled and wrapped themselves around himself and Ren and Loki's chains sealed the bond.
The sky above the Velvet Room began to glow, starlight dancing until it was blinding.
.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
Goro cried out and bolted upright in his bed, sweat pouring down his face and back, left hand searing in white-hot agony. He looked down at it, staring blankly at the newly formed burn scars that criss-crossed around the front and back of his hand, winding all the way to his wrist. He flexed his fingers carefully, grateful they still worked and moved normally.
Was it a dream?
Goro knew it could not have been yet the atmosphere changed so drastically, he could not help but wonder. Sunlight penetrated the blinds in his room in stark contrast to the stars from above.
It wasn't a dream...
Goro's mind immediately went to the one other person, who now shared the same fate as he. One habit that developed since Ren's return was a single text in the morning, sent by whoever was awake first. Goro woke slowly but the surge of energy jolted him to full consciousness the rest of the way. He checked his phone from the bedside table and scrolled through his notifications. Most were worthless to him, meaningless media articles about his still-growing publicity and comments about whatever life choices he had made this far. He had set up a special ringtone for more personal notifications, and even a separate one for him. However, Goro could not find a notification from Ren anywhere in his phone, which meant the other had not yet sent him a morning text.
Goro (07:51): When will you wake?
Goro had awoken with crippling soreness and debilitating exhaustion, but he was still able to rise off his bed with some effort. Any normal person would have assumed Ren was just sleeping, given that he took more hits in the Metaverse than anyone and earlier in the week, he received a brutal beating from some officers. Any normal person would have allowed their friend to sleep without checking up, but Goro was not normal. He was a very nosy person, something that came with being a detective; so, when Ren did not reply to him for another eight minutes while he got ready for the day, Goro decided to go and find the teen. He ventured down the hall and spotted Ren's door that was cracked open slightly. He was definitely awake at this point…
Goro pushed the door open a bit more, poking his head in. At first, he did not see anyone, but his sharp ears picked up the staggering and uneven footsteps behind him. He whipped around and straightened up, staring at Ren up and down. How could he have missed the shower going? Ren flicked him a tiny smile but it disappeared as soon as it came. Goro frowned and watched Ren's arms come up and wrap themselves around his torso.
"I need to get in," the black-haired boy said and dipped his head to the door. "You, too?"
Goro pushed the door open and sidestepped to let Ren in, following in close behind and closing the door the moment they both entered. His friend seemed to square his shoulders and carry himself differently, forcing a normal gait for show. Goro was more observant than that and scowled; did he really believe he was convincing? He watched Ren force the limp away, deciding he would be making a decision today.
"We won't go back today."
Ren looked up at him and tilted his head to the side, producing a genuine face of confusion.
"The Metaverse...not in our condition," Goro clarified and pulled out his phone, pulling up his messages. He scrolled through them until he reached the group chat he had been recently invited into and began typing a message. "We can hold off a day. We don't have a deadline."
"There's always a deadline," Ren replied and rubbed his eyes tiredly, sitting on the edge of his bed and adjusting the sleeves of his sweatshirt. "We need to figure out how we'll get the calling card to Gahr."
"We will think of something," Goro said, still looking at his phone. "However, I am going to let the others know we are not infiltrating any Haven today."
"You're not one to beat around the bush," Ren said rather abruptly, causing Goro to snap his head up and narrow his eyes at him. "So, let's not dance around it, Akechi."
Goro nodded.
"The dream," Ren continued and rubbed his mouth thoughtfully. "Well, not necessarily a dream, but…"
Goro nodded in understanding.
"Are you having reservations now?" the ravenette asked with a bit of a teasing smile although there was a note of seriousness in it.
"Reservations," Goro snorted and shook his head. "You must mean regret. There is no returning point, Amamiya."
"Fine," Ren said in exasperation, correcting himself. "Any regrets?"
Goro was not sure what his honest answer was. He had regrets but not in the sense that Ren must have thought.
"I took away your future, Amamiya."
There it was, the spilled and revealed confession.
"What?"
"I regret that," Goro said with a resigned sigh. "And please do not disagree."
"I extended my hand first," Ren replied, striding across the room to charge his phone, brushing Goro's shoulder as he did so. "And I don't have some big plan for my future, Akechi."
Goro didn't want to believe Ren had no bright future all laid out perfectly for him, surrounded by his real friends and adored by them, constantly swarming him for his company and his approval. He hated the way Ren commanded the attention without even trying, without even wanting it. Goro wanted nothing more than attention, but even as hard as he worked to become the ace detective, he felt more alone than ever. He did...before he met Ren.
"There's still a chance," Goro settled on saying after a moment of silence.
"Yeah, well…"
"Well what?"
"Let's do this," Ren said with such determination, it made Goro's bravado falter.
"Do what?" Goro asked, bewildered.
"Stick together...after this," Ren said, crossing the room and closing the distance between them in a few, long strides. He stood before Goro with his left hand still twirling the pencil between his fingers. His fingers always seemed to be on the move. "We'll go to school together, we can even live together…"
"Ren."
"Learn about life and figure out futures together" Ren continued, plowing through and ignoring his name. "Just us."
Goro's breath hitched at the beautiful promise of the paradise he had been seeking since he returned; Ren seemed confident in this newfound plan and whatever he was picturing in his mind. But, something was nagging at his heart in the back of his head. Every time Ren talked to him...touched him even as simple as a brush of the arm or grasp on his shoulder...Goro was reminded of his soul and his heart and that it still beat...his heart beat for the Trickster. He was not familiar with this feeling nor did he really know what to do with it or what to call it, but he knew he wanted more of it and it only came with Ren. Whatever these intense feelings were, Goro did not want to let it go.
Realistically, he knew better than to let his hopes soar. While he wanted nothing more than to take on the world with Ren, Goro could not bring himself to trap the soul of someone so innocent and chain him to Hell. He could not take the heart of someone who deserved so much better...who could promise him the world one day. He wanted to protect him, shelter him from all the wrongs of the world, including himself. Goro hated Ren, envied him, and was hellbound by him. But, he wanted to cling onto the other with everything he had because Ren was his beacon of hope. No, he did not hate Ren...he hated that the ravenette had taken his heart. He stared into those eyes that always shined so bright. Goro wanted to save that light. He needed to let him go.
"What d'you think about that idea?" Ren asked with confidence that broke Goro's heart. "We've got all the time in the world. You and me?"
He turned his shoulder to Ren and looked away to blink away the tears pricking the corners of his eyes and blurring his vision. In truth, the idea of searching for his future with someone at his side, someone as reliable and promising as Ren, sounded like his personal paradise, but he knew he could not be selfish. He could not keep Ren for himself, not someone this pure. He wanted nothing more than to close the remaining gap between them and show Ren how he truly felt, but he just couldn't.
"Akechi?" Ren said a bit sharply, snapping him out of his stupor.
"I doubt it," Goro said coldly, trying to keep his hands from shaking. But, the pressure behind his eyes began to steadily grow worse as his heart beat faster. "I doubt we are going much further after this."
"What do you mean?" Ren asked, his smirk fading and morphing into a frown. He pinched his eyebrows as he tilted his head to the side a bit.
"After we finish studying abroad, we graduate and go our own ways," Goro replied slowly as if the answer was obvious even though he knew it wasn't. He hated watching Ren's metaphorical gears turning as he scrambled for an answer. Ren always had a comeback.
"You think we can't go to the same university?" he asked, looking up and folding his arms over his chest. "Or at least universities close to each other?"
"No," Goro answered simply, staring at him but making sure his face revealed nothing but impassiveness. It was a definite chore to keep his expression this blank because inside, he was screaming.
Deceit. Lies. That's all it was. He could easily get into any university with a near guarantee he would be accepted by whichever ones he would apply to; he would simply follow Ren to wherever he decided to go and would do it in a heartbeat. He would take Ren across the world like he wanted, solving cases together, battling Shadows in the Metaverse as they took on new targets from every corner of the world.
They would eventually become frozen in time, stuck to wander this Earth, but Goro was fine being damned to this Hell as long as he stood on Ren's left, where he always felt he belonged. Goro knew Ren would never adjust to the idea of spending the rest of time stuck in this life, unable to die, while he would watch his friends depart one by one. He would not be surprised if Ren did whatever he could to try and move on to whatever life there was after this...but it did not matter.
Goro would follow him into the dark.
"Why can't you take a look at the bigger picture?" Ren demanded, his voice cracking but it quickly steeled and turned cold. "Have you ever?"
He could guarantee Ren a future with him, but he refused to chain him down. Ren belonged to the world and the world alone...Goro could not take that away from him even if he wanted his saving grace for himself.
Ren was an angel with a shotgun.
"More than you have," Goro stated factually although there was nothing harder to see than watching the other's face turn stoic.
Ren hummed thoughtfully and turned his head to look out the window, stuffing his hands in his pockets, a habit he did when he was beginning to close in on himself. It was what Goro was looking for this whole time, but...it hurt more to see it than he expected. He hated the way Ren had become suddenly guarded.
"You're right," Ren said after a minute or more of silence. "With my record, I could never go to the same universities as you."
Goro, taken aback, had no quick response ready at the tip of his tongue. He blinked owlishly, opening and closing his mouth a few times. He watched the other teen's body tense as he curled his hands into fists.
"I can't follow you," Ren rasped, the confession finally off his chest but leaving him feeling worse now that he had put it into words he could hear. He worked the words from his lips, his expression becoming more troubled the longer he spoke. "I'll slow you down."
"Please, Ren—"
"Don't worry about it," Ren said, forcing such a fake smile, Goro was wondering if he really thought it would fool him. But, no...Ren was doing what he was doing—disguising his emotions behind a mask. He slipped on a jacket over his sweatshirt and exited the room without another word.
.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.
"I thought we weren't going to the Metaverse today," Ryuji said as he pulled out his phone and scrolled through his apps until he landed on the MetaNav. "What changed your mind?"
Ren's eyes filled with tears but he refused to let them fall. "Time."
He looked away; Ryuji clicked the app and waited for the world to warp. The Phantom Thieves found themselves standing at the precipice of Central Park, a soft breeze blowing through the grass. Ren looked at the others, blinking away the wetness, grateful the mask hid his tears. He looked to Goro, who kept his head turned away.
"Joker?"
Ren looked around then down at Morgana, realizing it was he who called out his name.
"What's our plan?"
Ren scanned the area as his mind reeled, taking note of his surroundings. There was not much, but this Central Park was much larger than the real one in New York City. The ground they had to cover was immense, which meant they were at a greater risk of being spotted if they were to travel on the ground.
"The trees," he said softly and tilted his chin up.
"I see," Morgana said and rested his sword's blade on his shoulder. "Good call."
"Although they might be expecting us to use them as cover…" Ren guessed, adjusting his glove as his eyes cast themselves over each carefully placed tree. "One of us should be on the ground to draw out any Shadows...keep the fight below."
"I'm down for that," Ryuji said, stepping up and putting a hand on Ren's shoulder. "Whaddya think? You need me down there?"
"No," Ren said softly, turning and putting his hands in his pockets. "Cover the right flank."
"You sure?" Ryuji asked, frowning at the suggestion. "I don't think it's a good idea to have one guy down there."
"I'll be fine," Ren insisted and put his own hand on Ryuji's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze, eyes avoiding everyone else. "Go."
Perhaps any other day, he would have accepted aid, but he had no desire to fight alongside anyone. Ren did feel responsible for his teammates' safety and their health, and as their leader, he felt expected to stack the odds against himself in favor of his friends. Still, any other day, he would have asked Crow to stay with him…
"Joker," Morgana said again as the rest of the group began climbing the lowest hanging branches. "You'll be okay. Just focus."
Ren nodded and set off at a steady pace, jogging lightly with his hand wrapped around the handle of his blade in case he needed it quickly. In the beginning, nothing happened, giving off a sense of eerie isolation. Ren had to strain his ears to listen, but the breeze rustling the leaves in the treetops made it hard to distinguish an oncoming threat. He came to a halt, breathing a bit heavier, and put his back against the trunk for protection.
"Hello?"
The new voice rang out in his ear as if it was right there; he whipped around, knife brandished, but he was still alone.
"Hang on…"
"Joker? Is that you?"
"It's me!"
"And me!"
"Where are we?"
Joker's heart stopped when he recognized the sound of those voices. They belonged to people who he knew were still in Japan…
"You hear that?" Ryuji's voice said, shattering his concentration. "Yo, is that Fist of the Phantom Star?"
"Ready to use it on your face if necessary, Skull," Makoto's voice said curtly though there was a hint of jest in her tone. However, it turned somber once more. "I was sitting in a lecture when I was transported here. Can someone tell me what's going on?"
"Oh my gosh! Queen?" Ann's voice joined in.
"I see Noir," Yusuke's voice chimed in.
"Where are you?" Ryuji asked.
"Focus!" Ren hissed, interrupting the conversation to stop the cacophony voices in his head. He spoke a bit louder than he would have when infiltrating a Haven, but his emotions were running high. "Regroup at the pond to the left!"
The voices eventually died out, leaving him in peaceful silence once more. He took off for the pond, skidding to a halt when he spotted Yusuke's long katana, and Ann's bright, red outfit. What he did not expect to see was Futaba's orange hair, Haru's feathered hat, and Makoto's motorcycle joining the rest of the Phantom Thieves.
"What's going on?" Sumire asked as she came to a graceful stop in front of everyone.
"You tell me," Futaba said and waved her arms, beaming. "Hi, everyone! I can't believe it's all you!"
"Enough," Ren said and threw out his arm to stop the meaningless conversations for the second time. "We can figure this part out later. Right now, we have more numbers we need to figure out what to do with."
"Joker's right," Morgana said, looking at the unexpected but not unwanted guests. "Oracle, you'll stay up top, okay? What should the rest of us do?"
"Split off into smaller groups," Ren said as he looked at each one. "Panther, Skull, and Queen will go together."
He gestured to Sumire. "Violet, Crow, Fox, and Noir will go with Mona."
Everyone nodded, but Morgana looked like he wanted to object. However, Ren hissed in frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose, summoning every last bit of patience he had left in himself.
"We don't have time to debate," he said sharply, waving a hand to the pond. "The distortions are still strong here. This isn't a safe place to stay. Christ..."
"You're right," Morgana said, hanging his head for a fraction of a second. "We're ready."
"We're behind you, Joker," Haru said, her gentle and soft voice carrying over to him. Her melodic tone sent a wave of peace to his roiled mind. "Let's go."
Ren set off once more, breaking out into a run in hopes of closing the distance between them and the single apartment complex standing in the middle of the park. The closer he got, however, the bigger the building seemed to get. He tried not to think about it, but he was beginning to realize this was not like a palace nor was it like a jail. He was in new territory and making rash decisions on unkempt emotions. Was he making the right ones?
Ren came to another halt, ears and heart thrumming heavily as he sensed something behind him.
"Intruders spotted."
Ren tucked and rolled before an axe came swinging down, missing him by mere inches. He leaped to his feet and did a backflip away to avoid getting slashed by a second Shadow. He tried running to put some distance between them all, but they pursued him heavily. He jumped up on a low-hanging branch of the nearest tree. He ripped off his mask.
"Anubis, frei!"
The Shadows faltered at the nuclear blast, but it merely slowed them down. Ren had to climb higher to avoid the Shadow's blast of lightning.
"Moloch! Agidyne!"
Crow came down from the trees, throwing his mask up and behind him as he summoned the strange Persona. The Shadows roared in agony as the bull creature threw out balls of fire, consuming its enemies in bright, red and angry flames.
Ren looked at Goro before he recalled his Persona and winced as he clutched his side. Crow pulled out his gun and began firing as more Shadows began to materialize before them.
"Eligor! Finish them... maragi!"
The Shadows winced as they were blinded by the Emperor's bright light. Ren went in for a follow-up attack, neutralizing two of the six. He was definitely winded, but his adrenaline kept his reflexes sharp.
"Throne, inferno!" Goro shouted and aimed his blade at his adversary. The Persona's fire from its wheel burned and sent out flames from each torch, singing the Shadow into dust. He let out a hearty laugh as he watched his enemy disintegrate, distracted.
"Crow!"
Ren tried to call out in warning, but it would come too late. He rushed forward with his gun and began shooting at the oncoming Shadow, who was lunging for Crow's back. He jumped off the branch and twisted in midair, using the rest of his ammunition to stop it. Joker landed behind Crow, covering his back and twirled the gun around his finger before putting it away.
"I don't need your help!" Goro hissed ungratefully. "I had it!"
Ren grunted and stiffened his spine, standing up straighter as he stared at the last two remaining Shadows.
"I don't need you, Joker," he continued, body starting to quiver. Ren looked over his shoulder at the other, who was now hunched over with his head in his hands. "Why are you always coming back? Why are you always there for me?"
Ren's eyes widened at this sudden and unexpected outburst.
"You piss me off!" Goro roared, the red gleam sparking in his eyes before he threw his head back and howled to the sky, black smoke casting itself around him. Ren did a front handspring to avoid getting caught in it. "Christ, Joker, stop caring!"
Ren's eyes narrowed as his eyebrows drew in together.
"Crow…"
A red trail of smoke trailed off from Goro's eyes behind that black mask, hands contorting unnaturally as his chest heaved with the immense effort of breathing. He ripped off the mask, blood spraying the grass at their feet as he called upon his greatest Persona.
"Stay back!" Ren called out as Ann, Ryuji, and Makoto came down from the trees, ready to join the fight.
"We'll fight," Makoto said.
Loki emerged with a deafening scream, using his chains to bind the Shadows. Goro came surging forward, hands outstretched, and shoved them deep within the Shadow's form, tearing it apart from the inside. Ren swallowed as he shot forward and sent his blade into the head of the second Shadow, which was still shackled by Loki's chains. The Shadow melted into the ground and exploded with enough force to knock Joker back.
"He's losing himself," Haru said from above, her voice mingling with the note of panic. "Someone needs to stop him!"
"Got it," Ryuji said, summoning his Persona.
"No!" Ren demanded and threw up his arm to stop his friend from intervening. "Don't."
Goro cried out, head back in his hands as he doubled over, the power of his uncontrolled emotions beginning to consume him completely. Loki's power grew the closer Goro got to a rampage.
"Someone get him!" Morgana said, this time in a far more authoritative tone. "Before he loses control completely. Joker!"
Loki sent another white blast of light at the nearest tree, causing it to erupt into flames. Yusuke pulled out his assault rifle and began firing at Loki, who was now sending blasts of light at the trees the rest of the Phantom Thieves were in. Ren knew it was exacerbating Goro's anger for Loki raised a hand and sent his chains Yusuke's way. Fox had to jump from his branch and topple to the ground in a dazed heap.
"No!" Futaba shouted from above, trying to restore some of his strength. "Someone cover him while he's down!"
Sumire leaped from her spot and brandished her gun, standing between him and Loki.
"Don't," Ren shouted to Goro, but his head was still in his hands as he screamed. "Crow!"
Without warning, the Leader was struck with a rush of emotions that took him to his knees. Something happened that he could not explain, but he was feeling every emotion all at once and it hurt more than any physical injury he had ever endured. He felt as though his skull was cracking open, causing Ren to scream in fury.
He gripped his hair, unable to abate the voices or the pain. His eyes widened as his blood seemed to boil his veins and melt his skin. He threw his head back as the power exploded from within him. Arsène groaned in response, his wings flaring out as he, too, found this newfound power to be uncomfortable.
"Joker! Something's wrong with him!"
"They're sharing Crow's power," Morgana explained breathlessly, watching the scene unfold with wide and curious eyes. "His pain...Joker needs to get a grip on it before he loses it, too!"
"I think there's more comin', too," Ryuji said with a grimace, whipping around as more Shadows began to approach them. "Oh, shit. Yeah, there is."
"Joker, focus!" Morgana shouted above the chaos. "You need to control your emotions!"
Ren could vaguely hear someone's voice, but he had a hard time concentrating on anything let alone words. His thoughts felt scattered, painful even; he began to buckle as the pain became unbearable.
"Focus," came an echoing voice directly into his head, squandering everything else going on in there. "Cease thy turmoil. Unleash thy powers and damn thy enemies to Hell."
Arsène's wings churned the air as Ren stood straight and threw out his arms, the pain in his body ceasing as his breathing and heart rate slowed. Truly, he felt exhausted, but his vision was beginning to return.
"Joker! It's Crow!" Ann shouted as a Shadow overwhelmed her.
He looked over at Goro, who was still writhing. With nothing but pure desperation, Ren came up from behind and held fast.
"Let me go, trash!" Goro bellowed, lashing out in any way he could.
Ren wrapped his left arm underneath Goro's while his right arm went over his shoulder; in the midst of the Deceiver's oncoming rampage, Ren could feel Goro...the pain, the anguish, and the fury behind his cries. He felt Goro's desire to unleash it on his enemies and make them feel the pain it had caused him.
Ren buried his face in Goro's shoulder as he held him back, losing his grip, footing, and strength.
"Please," Ren gasped, screwing his eyes closed tight as he hugged Goro to his body with everything he had left. "Goro."
Goro wailed in pain as his hands curled into fists; while he was free to use them, Ren trusted Goro. He clung onto the other's heaving and trembling body, slowly sinking to his knees. Goro, too, went down despite his best efforts, but the Trickster refused to let go of his counterpart until Loki folded his hands together and slowly faded away with a soft groan. Arsène, who protected the rest of the Phantom Thieves, blocking Loki's blasts with his wings, slumped over and faded back into Ren.
"Joker," Goro said between his panting, eyes returning to normal. He looked up at Ren, who held Goro in his lap.
"Damn…" Ren rasped, drained of the energy he had left, slumping over Goro. His head felt too heavy to lift. "We...need...to...go…"
He could barely see the rest of his friends gather around them in a circle before his eyes began to close.
A peaceful darkness enveloped him with the promise of sleep. Ren welcomed it gratefully.
Part 2 will come later. I had to break up this chapter otherwise it would have gotten too long.