TW: Mentions of abuse and slight, non-explicit homophobia. No extreme slurs. These are the character's and not my own feelings.
**?/?/20? — Inaba…?**
Akira's alarm woke him out of a deep slumber. He turned it off and got out of bed. He looked around his room; Morgana was nowhere to be found. He pulled back his curtains to see a blood-red sky covered in dark clouds, but didn't think anything of it. The sky looked normal to him.
"It's probably going to rain again…" Akira disinterestedly thought. He went stepped out of his room and into the hallway.
"Mom…?" Akira searched the house, but it was devoid of people. Again, he didn't think anything of it. The house looked normal to him.
He showered, got dressed in his school uniform, and walked out the door as he put in his earphones. He hit shuffle, and the song that came on was Nine Inch Nails' "Every Day Is Exactly The Same." The song began with a delicate and foreboding piano intro as Akira walked along the sidewalk to school. Something felt wrong, yet at the same time, nothing felt wrong. The song completed its intro before drums and synth bass kicked into gear.
(I believe I can see the future)
As Akira walked to school, it started raining red droplets, just as he predicted it would. "Called it…" Because the same thing had happened the previous day and the day before.
('Cause I repeat the same routine)
Akira thought about how mundane his life had gotten as he thought back to his time as a Phantom Thief. The great Joker, stealing the hearts of corrupt adults and reshaping society. He felt good, but now…he felt nothing.
(I think I used to have a purpose)
"Was it all even real…?"
(Then again, that might have been a dream)
Akira arrived at school, but it didn't look like Yasogami High at all. He went up to his classroom and took his seat at his desk. Again, it wasn't Yasogami High, but it still felt familiar. Akira figured it out. "Why does this place look like Shujin…?"
"Hey, Akira!" To his surprise, Ann sat down in front of him and started talking to him, but Akira didn't say anything. He was only speaking in his head.
(I think I used to have a voice)
"Hmph…" Ann turned back towards the chalkboard, looking unhappy that he didn't talk to her.
"What did you expect? I don't like to talk about anything…"
(Now I never make a sound)
Kawakami was the teacher. "Now then, Akira-kun, can you please tell me the answer to the following question; what was the name of the fighting techniques used by Muhammad Ali in his heavyweight bout against George Foreman in 1974?"
Akira nodded. "The rope-a-dope."
(I just do what I've been told)
"Correct!"
Akira closed his eyes. Suddenly, he found himself walking back home, alone. On the way back, he passed by the school coach, Suguru Kamoshida; the renowned artist Ichiryusai Madarame; the crime boss, Junya Kaneshiro; the owner of Big Bang Burger, Kunikazu Okumura, and the prime minister candidate, Masayoshi Shido. Akira knew who they were, but he didn't know why. Still, he didn't think anything of them. He simply ignored them as he kept walking past them, just like he had the previous day and the day before.
As Akira walked up the pathway to his front door, he noticed two men staring at him. One looked drunk; one looked like a cop. He was about to enter his house when he turned back. He saw two people he did recognize; the man who abused him and the boy who bullied him. He ignored them and entered his house. It was dark and empty. He had nothing else to do, so he went to bed. Just like he had the previous day and the day before…
(I really don't want them to come around, oh no)
The next day, the cycle repeated: Getting up, calling out to Morgana and to his mother, receiving no response, walking out the door…
(Every day is exactly the same)
…getting the cold shoulder from Ann, answering Kawakami's question…
(Every day is exactly the same)
…walking home, passing by the same people, entering his house…
(There is no love here and there is no pain)
…being all alone, going to bed, rinse, repeat…
(Every day is exactly the same)
Akira closed his eyes. When he reopened them, he was at Leblanc with all his friends. Nothing made sense to him, one moment he was in Inaba, the next, he was in Tokyo. Akira was confused; his head began to hurt.
(I can feel their eyes are watching)
The setting might've changed, but the feeling was all too familiar. They all stared at him, smiling; Not saying anything, just smiling.
(In case I lose myself again)
Akira tried smiling as well. After all, it seemed like everyone was having a good time…
(Sometimes I think I'm happy here)
…but not Akira. He felt no joy, no excitement, nothing. Just the way he liked it.
(Sometimes, yet I still pretend)
He forced a fake smile and sat in his booth, not saying a word. He heard a voice in his head. He couldn't tell if the voice was Trent Reznor still singing to him…
(I can't remember how this got started)
…or someone else.
( " But I can tell you exactly how it will end " )
Akira's head was beginning to hurt intensely, so he closed his eyes. He reopened them and found himself in his bed, his alarm going off once again. He stepped out of his room and into the hallway.
(Every day is exactly the same)
"Morgana…?"
(Every day is exactly the same)
"Mom…?"
(There is no love here and there is no pain)
"…hello?"
(Every day is exactly the same)
Akira looked behind him when he heard a click. He saw that his desk lamp had turned on. It shined on a framed picture of him and all his friends together. He went and sat down at his desk and found a blank piece of paper. Without him doing anything, a message began to write itself as he held it in his hands.
(I'm writing on a little piece of paper)
To whomever, it may concern,
(I'm hoping someday I might find)
If you're reading this, it means that I am already gone. Don't worry; I'm not dead, not physically at least, but I will be going away for a while.
(Well I'll hide it behind something)
I can't stand being in Inaba anymore. I thought Tokyo would be better, but sadly, I feel the same way about it. I don't feel like there's anything left for me here or there. I don't feel like I have a home to go to.
(They won't look behind)
It's time I had some time alone. I don't know if I'll ever be back. If you care enough to try and find me, be my guest, but the way I see it, Akira Kurusu no longer exists.
There is only Joker.
The message ended. Akira twitched as he felt something inside him change. His head began to hurt a lot.
( " I am still inside here " )
"…who's there?"
( " A little bit comes bleeding through " )
"…what are you…?" The pain in his skull was amplifying by the second.
( " I wish this could've been any other way " )
Akira's hands were shaking, as was his entire body.
( " But I just don't know " )
He wanted to dig inside his cranium and scrape out the pain. Akira felt like his head was about to explode.
( " I don't know " )
"…somebody?"
( " What else I can do " )
"AAARRRGGGHHHHH!" Akira shouted as he flipped his desk. He got up and threw the chair. He then threw the vinyl record player down and smashed it with his foot. Somehow, the music didn't stop. It was like he was hearing it in his head.
(Every day is exactly the same)
Akira threw the TV he had out of the window. Then, he picked the picture frame off the floor and threw his friends out the window as well, figuring the odds were he would go out the same way.
(Every day is exactly the same)
Finally, Akira picked up the box with the Kurusu family dog tag in it and tossed it across the room, leaving a dent in the wall.
(There is no love here and there is no pain)
"AAAARRRRGGGHHHHH!" Akira shouted one more time, clutching his head in pain, before leaning against the wall and sliding down to the floor. He felt powerless. He wanted nothing but to forget and to change the past, but to him, the past was a broken bottle of whiskey; if Akira tried to pick up the pieces, he would only end up cutting himself on the broken glass. He thought he wanted a way out, but the problem with wanting something is the fear of either never getting it or losing it completely. That thought made him feel weak at the knees.
(Every day is exactly the same)
For Akira Kurusu, there was no way out. He was always running, and there was always someone chasing him.
(Every day is exactly the same)
Akira couldn't run from him. The man in the red coat. Himself.
(Every day is exactly the same)
There was nothing left for him here.
(There is no love here and there is no pain)
Akira thought about walking away and vanishing into the night. Finally, letting the man in the red coat take the wheel and drive. It was then that he realized…
(Every day is exactly the same)
He couldn't do it.
"…Trickster…" Akira looked up and saw a blue butterfly flying around his room. "Trickster…" He got up off the floor. The butterfly transformed into a blue door. When Akira saw it, his migraine disappeared. Despite it looking like a prison cell door, something felt oddly comforting about that door, like an echo of the past that was trying to heal rather than hurt. "Trickster…" Akira knew the voice. He'd heard it before, but he didn't know where. Music was coming from beyond the door. It sounded like the Frank Sinatra song, "Fly Me to The Moon." The blue cell door opened before him. "It is time…"
Akira stepped inside and found himself in complete darkness. He tried to walk forward, but ran head-first into a wall he couldn't see. He then turned around and tried going in the other direction, but ended up in the same position. Akira felt trapped in a small box. He couldn't see the walls that confined him, but he could feel them. Though they didn't move, they felt like they were slowly closing in, about to crush him. Akira looked behind him; the blue door had vanished. The operatic rendition of "Fly Me to The Moon" could not be heard anymore. The blue light that drew him in had disappeared. Closing his eyes meant looking at the darkness inside him. Either way, Akira was left, all alone, in the shadows.
"…is this it…?" he meekly thought.
"Only if you let it…" a voice said. Akira looked up. The blue butterfly was back. Akira watched as it landed in front of him. It emitted a bright light, causing Akira to avert his eyes. When he looked once more, he saw a table in front of him with two items: a cell phone and a piece of paper. A voice began speaking to him. "Do you truly wish to be free?" Akira didn't respond; he wasn't sure what to think. He had heard a voice in his head also instructing him to seek them out. This voice, however, wasn't ominous or demonic. On the contrary, it was calm and soothing, as well as familiar. "Do you seek a way out?"
"…I-I don't know…" Akira responded.
"Your heart is troubled, but not lost. You are not lost. You will find your way back to the correct path."
"…how can I?"
"I will aid you to the best of my abilities. In the end, however, the decision of whether or not you choose to fight for your desires will ultimately be left in your hands."
"…"
"Take hold of these items and come find me." Akira, feeling like there was nothing else to do, took the phone and paper in his hand. The voice spoke to him one more time. "I'll be waiting for you, Trickster."
Meanwhile, a sleep-deprived police officer walked into the station to work a shift as a security guard for the holding cells. He walked through the front entrance with a coffee in one hand, his phone in the other, and a cigarette in his mouth. He was about to head downstairs where the cells were when is his captain caught him.
"Inoki?" the captain called out. The officer stopped in his tracks as his aging, senile, old captain walked up to him. He pocketed his phone.
"Good morning, Captain. How are you doing?"
"Well, I'm fine. I'm just wondering what you are doing here?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, isn't today your day off…?"
"You told me to watch the cells this morning, you dumbass," Inoki thought. "I just had something I needed to do."
"Ah, I see," the captain smiled. "Well then, I wish you a great day, Officer Inoki."
"Thank you, Captain. You as well," Inoki bowed before the captain went back to his office. Once his back was turned, Inoki used his free hand to flip his captain the bird.
"I could've been in bed with Kota right now…" Inoki internally whined. "Although…I could just go home?" he grinned. "No, no. I don't want to hang Nakano out to dry. She's probably itching to go home as much as I am. God, why am I here?" Inoki sighed, took a sip from his coffee, and headed down to the cells.He hit the buzzer on the door to the lockup, and the officer currently in charge buzzed him in. The mechanical door slid open to reveal a desk with a lamp, a buzzer, and a coffee cup on it. Behind the desk sat a young, raven-haired female officer who looked ready to go home and crash out.
"Morning," the officer greeted Inoki in a tired tone.
"What's 'good' about it?" Inoki walked in with all the enthusiasm of filing paperwork.
"I don't recall saying 'good,'" the officer chuckled; Inoki sighed.
"Sorry, Nakano. I don't mean to sound grumpy."
"No worries," Nakano laughed it off. "Not a morning person, huh?" Inoki shook his head. "Hey, I get it. I'm not a night person, and I get stuck with the graveyard shift. Talk about shitty luck."
"Tell me about it…" Inoki took another sip of coffee before pulling out his pack of cigarettes.
"You know you can't smoke in here, right?" Nakano crossed her arms and shot him a look.
"Meh, no one cares. Besides, there's no one else down here but us two." Inoki argued.
"And the trash."
"I thought the cells were empty?" Inoki raised an eyebrow. Nakano shook her head.
"Nope, they were when I started, but then a few of them filled up, late last night."
"Huh," Inoki shrugged. "Still, what are they going to do? Rat on us?" he chuckled; Nakano huffed. Inoki looked at her; she looked like she could use a smoke herself. "You want one?" Inoki smirked; Nakano sighed.
"Fuck it, hit me!" she stuck her hand out. Inoki chuckled and handed her a cigarette and gave her a light. She drew on her cigarette. "Since when do you smoke Marlboros?"
"I don't, but the place I go to was out of Luckys."
"Oof, talk about no luck." Inoki rolled his eyes at her. "Thanks for the bump though, seriously."
"Don't mention it," Inoki said as he lit up his own cigarette. "So, how many mice did the cats drag in last night?"
"Four," she simply answered with a smirk; Inoki's eyes went wide.
"Four? Jeez, what'd they arrest the whole town or something?" he said sarcastically.
"Ha-ha." Nakano faked laughed before taking a sip from her cup of coffee.
"Is that a fake laugh?" Inoki sarcastically asked.
"Yes, you jerk," Nakano replied, in turn rolling her eyes.
"Who checked into our fine establishment?" Inoki asked as he took another drag.
"Three regulars and a newbie. See for yourself if you want," Nakano said as she gestured her thumb down the hall of cells. Inoki took a walk down the hallway of mostly empty cells out of curiosity and came upon two that were anything but. He sighed and began to laugh when he saw who was in one of the cells.
"Ahahahahaha… really, Raden? We really gotta stop meeting like this, kid." He took a sip from his coffee.
"…" Raden didn't respond, which Inoki thought was odd. This would be when Raden hurls insults at Inoki, usually homophobic ones, but today, he bit his tongue.
"What? Got nothing to say? Did you forget your 'A' material? Too bad, I was really looking forward to a good follow-up after 'fudge-packing butt pirate' last time." Inoki chuckled, though he was surprised that Raden "never-shuts-the-fuck-up" Takagi was being so quiet. He understood why when he saw the black eye, busted nose, and bruises on the delinquent's face. "Jeez…and I thought I looked like shit…" Inoki took another sip of his coffee. "Who'd you fight with this time?"
"…" Again, Raden didn't respond. He just sat on his bench, looking down at the floor.
"Fine. Stay quiet like this, and maybe this shift will go by quicker than I thought." Inoki was about to walk away when he remembered something. "Oh! Happy belated Birthday, by the way. It was yesterday, right?" No response. "You know how I remembered? 'Cause I've read your file so many times that I memorized it, haha."
"Fuck you! You fuckin' pole smoker!" Raden shot up for his seat and yelled. He wanted to hurt Inoki, but it didn't work. Instead, the officer laughed some more.
"He-Hey! There's the Raden I know and despise! Phew, I was worried there for a second," he smirked as he took another drag. "Pole smoker? Really? That's all you got for me today? Tch," Inoki scoffed. "Well, now that you're talking again, what did you do this time, huh?" he asked as he dragged on his smoke; Raden walked up to the bars and stood face to face with Inoki.
"None of your fuckin' business, fruitcake!" Inoki's response was to grin and to blow smoke in Raden's face through the cell bars, causing him to cough. Inoki then turned around to the cell opposite Raden's, where Jiro and Kaz sat, also looking bruised.
"What about you two? You got anything you want to call me as well? There's more than just 'pole smoker' and 'fruitcake,' you know? What about the 'big one,' huh? Come on, free shot, I'm open…-ly gay, that is, hehe." Inoki spread his arms, but the stooges didn't even react.
"…"
"…"
"Yeah, that's what I thought," Inoki said before turning back to Raden. "Word of advice, Takagi. If you want to walk, talk, and act tough like you're in a gangster movie, then consider getting yourself some 'goodfellas' with an actual backbone. I've eaten gummy bears with tougher spines than those two eggheads," Inoki said, gesturing to the stooges before walking back down the hallway and back to the desk.
"I own this town!" Raden yelled.
"Yeah, yeah, sure you do, amigo…" Inoki muttered as he rolled his eyes. Back at the desk, Nakano had an apologetic look on her face.
"I'm really sorry about that," she said.
"About what?" Inoki raised an eyebrow.
"I-uh, heard what he called you…"
"I'd be concerned you were going deaf if you didn't," Inoki smirked. "Don't worry about it. That little bastard can't say anything to hurt me. He's not the first one to call me garbage like that, and he won't be the last." Inoki took another sip of coffee.
"Good on you for having thick skin," Nakano smiled.
"Thank you," Inoki smiled back as he put his cup down on the desk. "So, what'd those idiots do this time, anyway?"
"A patrol car picked them up last night, they were fighting with our fourth guest outside Cinema City…and before you ask, yes, they were drunk."
"RADEN! I TOLD YOU LAST TIME!" Inoki comically shouted down the hallway. "YOU CAN DRINK WHEN YOU'RE TWENTY!"
"Gym queen!" Raden shouted back.
"GYM QUEEN CAN MEAN STRAIGHT OR GAY, DINGUS!" he responded. "Swear to God; he never learns," Inoki shook his head; Nakano laughed. "Anyway, what about the fourth?"
"Also intoxicated, but this one was legal at least. One of Cinema City's security guards called the cops when they heard a window break."
"Who smashed the window?"
"Your guess is as good as mine," Nakano shrugged. "Cameras didn't catch anything but the brawl. But seeing as how Raden's father owns it, I think it's safe to assume the newbie did it."
"Uh-huh, and does this newbie have a name?" Inoki asked as he took another drag.
"Yeah, one sec…" Nakano pulled out a file of the drawer in the desk. "Never heard of him, though. Think he's new in town." She opened up the file. "Ren Amamiya." Inoki inhaled the smoke the wrong way and loudly coughed. "Woah, you okay there?" Nakano asked; Inoki waved her off. "Here, drink some coffee." She handed him his cup. He took small sips. "You good?"
"What *cough* did you say his *cough cough* name was…?"
"Ren Amamiya."
"Ren Amamiya?"
"Yeah."
"Ren. Amamiya?"
"You sure you're not the one going deaf?" Nakano chuckled. "Yes! Ren Amamiya. Why, do you know him?" Inoki didn't know him personally, but he remembered the young man drinking whiskey in the rain outside the convenience store the previous day. The young man who reminded him of someone he used to know.
"Where is he?" Inoki asked.
"B Block. I had to move him during the night due to him screaming in his sleep. Last time I checked on him, he was spasming and flailing around; he must've been having a really intense nightmare. Go check to see if he's awake."
"What cell?"
"5B, last cell down the corridor on the right. It's the only occupied cell in the block. You can't miss him."
Inoki nodded and walked through the door on the left, which lead to another block of holding cells. He walked down the hall and came to cell 5B. The inmate was wearing the same suit as when Inoki saw him last, but the white shirt was stained red with blood. He was still asleep, but Inoki got a good look at his face. It looked worse than Raden's. Inoki could tell there were bruises and plenty of swelling, even from afar, along with a large bandage that covered a giant gash in his forehead. Inoki had a hunch. He tried to visually separate the beard and de-age the prisoner in his mind.
"Oh, my Holy Lord…" There was no doubt in Inoki's mind. "…Akira." Inoki power walked back to the desk, not noticing Akira was slowly waking up. Inoki left B block. "Nakano, can you buzz me out for a second? I need to grab something in the rec room."
"Uh, sure. But hurry up, will you? I wanna go home…" Nakano activated the door, and Inoki left the holding cells.
Meanwhile, Akira awoke from a nightmare immediately into another one; stiff as a board, and his head feeling two sizes too small for his brain. He blinked his eyes and rubbed them before slowly sitting up from the uncomfortable bench he was lying on. His bod ached so much that he could barely move at all. Despite his head being bandaged, he still woke up in a tiny pool of drying blood. He coughed a bit and spat out a mixture of phlegm and blood. He then gagged on some more phlegm, which made him throw up what he could only assume was whiskey and stomach juice. There were also a few chunks that must have been the convenience store sandwiches and chips he had for dinner. His head was hurting, but that was nothing new. Was it a hangover? Or just another migraine? In the end, it didn't matter; it was all the same.
Akira didn't remember much from the previous day, only bits and pieces. He remembered performing "Patience" on stage with Rise at the wedding reception, then storming off in anger. Subsequently, then things went dark for a bit. He remembered talking to a cop outside a convenience store and then fighting with Raden outside Cinema City, getting his ring back in the process, before getting arrested. That was the last thing he remembered from the previous day. Akira wasn't oblivious; he knew where he was and what led to him being here. Three months ago, if a stranger had walked into the World's End bar while Akira was there, sat down next to him, and told him that this was where he would find himself in the future, Akira would have ordered a double of whatever they were drinking, drunk it, then hopped on the first train out of Tokyo. It was too late now, it finally happened; Akira hit rock bottom.
"Hello?" Akira called out. No one responded. "Anyone there?" Same thing. He figured he was alone. So far, things were running true to form, or rather, he was running true to form.
"Right…" he thought as he reached into his right pocket, expecting to find the ring. "The cops probably took it when they booked me." Nevertheless, Akira reached into his left pocket, expecting the same result. His eyes widened.
"What the-?" he said aloud. There was something in his left pocket. He pulled out his cell phone. "Wait, didn't I throw this away?" Akira scratched his head. There was something else in his pocket, a piece of paper. He thought it might be his receipt from the convenience store, but instead, it was a folded-up note. Akira unfolded it and began to read it. He didn't understand what it meant. "…what?"
*BEEP* Akira's phone then went off. He picked it up, checking to make sure no one outside heard it, and saw something he hadn't seen in a long time, the MetaNav. It opened up and automatically inputted the keywords.
Akira Kurusu.
Cemetery.
Movie Theater.
Suddenly, the note made all the sense in the world. Akira couldn't believe it, but it was the most horrible thing he could think of.
Inoki walked back down to the cells with a bag of ice in hand. Nakano buzzed him through and was confused by the ice.
"What are you doing with that?" she asked.
"I'm taking it to the guy in 5B."
"Huh?" Nakano raised an eyebrow. "You know, we make a lot of jokes about this place being a hotel, but you do realize that this is, in fact, not a hotel, right?"
"Nakano, the kid's face is super messed up."
"I'm sorry, 'Kid?'" Nakano scoffed. "He's not a kid anymore." She pulled out a box that had the possessions of the prisoners in zip lock bags.
"Wait, why do you have that stuff? Shouldn't that be in inventory?"
"The guy in charge of inventory went home early yesterday, and I don't have the key," Nakano explained. "So, on top of the babysitter, I was also the Lost and Found during the night. I was going to take it up on my way out, but here," she handed Inoki a wallet, "check his ID." Inoki opened up the wallet and pulled out the ID card. Inoki didn't need any more assurance, but this proved his hunch was definitely accurate.
"Shit…" he muttered.
"What?"
"It's a fake."
"What is?"
"The ID." Inoki handed Nakano the card.
"Are you sure? How do you know?"
"Remember how I told you I worked as a bartender back in college?" Nakano nodded. "Well, I've seen enough fake IDs during my time there to know how to spot a fake…" Inoki sighed. "…but that's not the only reason why I'm sure… I know that kid."
"You do!?"
Inoki nodded. "His name is Akira Kurusu…and he's not twenty. He should be closer to eighteen if I remember correctly."
"Really? Well, shit…guess I'm going to have to add underage drinking to his list of offenses… God dammit, I'm going to have to redo the whole file, aren't I?" Nakano huffed. "How do you know him, anyway?"
"I-uh… I was close with his older brother years ago."
"Oh, how close? Like, best friends or, uh…more?"
"More…" Inoki paused. "He was the first guy I fell in love with."
"D-Did something happen?"
"… He passed away."
Nakano softly gasped. "God… I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's fine…" Inoki exhaled. "Anyway, afterward, I lost contact with the family after moving to Tokyo for college. I know Akira; he's not a bad kid. He had some really shitty luck, losing his dad and his older brother within two years."
"Christ…"
"Look, I'm going to go talk to him for a sec. Don't worry about the file, Nakano. I'll make the corrections. You can just go home."
"You sure?" Inoki nodded. "Okay then." Nakano got up, handed him the keys to the cells, and put on her raincoat. "Sorry again about your loss."
"Don't worry about it. It's been years. See you later."
"Bye." Nakano walked out of the lockup while Inoki walked back to B block. Akira heard someone approaching and quickly put the phone and note back in his pocket. His eyes met with the police officer's holding a bag of ice.
"Oh, you're awake!" Inoki said; He then noticed the vomit. "You okay there?" Akira shrugged. Inoki unlocked the cell and stepped inside. "Stay there, okay? You're in enough trouble already," he said sternly. Inoki handed Akira the ice for his face and pulled a rag to begin cleaning up the vomit. The smell was nauseating. "Ugh…" Inoki couldn't hold back his disgust. "This was supposed to be my day off, and here I am, down on my knees, cleaning up puke…"
"…sorry," Akira quietly said.
"Ah, don't worry about it. It's just nature's way of saying, 'Everybody, out of the pool,' hehe," Inoki chuckled, but Akira stayed the same. "You know how it is; life just sometimes sucks, you know?"
"…yeah, I do."
Inoki looked up at Akira. "You don't remember me, do you?" Akira looked at him intently; he did recognize him.
"You're the cop from yesterday, outside the convenience store."
"Yeah, that's me…" Inoki went back to cleaning the puke. "What did you say your name was, again?" Akira wasn't sure how to respond.
"Ren… Ren Amamiya."
"Heh, right…" Inoki chuckled.
"Something funny?" Akira asked.
"Nah, nothing," he looked back up and smirked. "I was just wondering how you went from Akira Kurusu to that, that's all."
"Huh…?" Akira raised an eyebrow. "D-Do we know each other?"
"It's been a while, but yeah, we do. I remember you, anyway."
Akira was confused. "I-I'm sorry, I don't-"
"I taught you how to play guitar, dude."
"Wha-" Then it clicked, and Akira got it. "Wait… Naito?"
"In the flesh," he softly chuckled. "How long's it been, six years?"
"Y-Yeah…" Akira couldn't believe it. "Didn't you move to Tokyo?"
"I did, but I came back with my boyfriend after graduating from college and became a cop, like my dad."
"Huh, well, that's great. I'm happy for you."
"Heh, thanks. As you can see, I'm living the dream," Inoki joked as he kept on cleaning puke of the cell floor. "What about you, what's new in your life?"
"…too much. Most of it not good."
"Sorry to hear that," Naito sympathized with him as he finished cleaning the puke. "So, what are you doing here, Akira?" Again, Akira didn't quite know how to answer that.
"You remember Rise?"
"Your cousin, the idol, yeah."
"She got married yesterday."
"Huh, good for her. Guess that explains the suit." Naito pointed at Akira's wrinkled and ruined tuxedo. "But, I meant, why are you here, in a cell?"
"I was drinking last night and got into a fight…" Akira saw no reason to lie. "…I also broke one of Cinema City's windows."
"Ah, so that was you, huh?" Akira nodded. "So, we can add vandalism to your list of offenses…" Naito sighed. "Never thought you would go down this road."
"It's not what you think, Naito. I'm not the same quiet kid I was when you left."
"Well then, why are you here? What changed?"
"Honestly… I don't know…but a lot changed. I was happy for a while, but recently, I've felt horrible… I've been feeling alone and angry, and, last night, I think I reached my boiling point. I wanted just to leave, run away from it all. I started running away, cruising around for a while, until I stumbled upon Cinema City. Who knows where I'd be right now had I not gotten arrested?"
"Why did you want to run away?"
"There's…nothing left for me here. Inaba isn't home anymore; it's just too painful. Even Tokyo, which is where I've lived for a while now, isn't home to me. I don't feel like I have a home to go to."
"Akira, this is going to sound clichéd, but home isn't just a place you go to once the day is done and over with. Home is a feeling; it's where your heart is. If you feel like you don't have a home, then something's probably wrong with your heart."
"Hmm…" Akira thought about the note and the MetaNav.
"But you have a good heart, man. You can figure out what's wrong and get through it. It might take some time, but I believe in you," Inoki softly nudged him; Akira nodded. It's true; he knew it now. He did have a problem with his heart, and it led him here. Naito got back up; Akira went to hand him the bag of ice. "It's fine, keep it, it'll help with the swelling," Naito waved it off.
"Thanks."
"Listen, I know you just threw up and all, but are you hungry?" Naito asked.
"I-I guess…" Akira shrugged; Naito pulled out a candy bar and handed it to him.
"Here, sorry, I know it's not exactly breakfast of champions."
"Thank you, I appreciate it."
"I'll come check up on you in a little while," Naito nodded and walked out of the cell, locking it behind him. "It's weird…" he pondered.
"What is?"
"Nah, nothing, it's just…this is the most I've heard you talk since…well…"
"Since before Tetsuya died?"
"…yeah," Naito somberly said before walking away, leaving Akira alone. He unwrapped the chocolate bar and started eating it. It had nuts and caramel in it; combined with the lingering taste of vomit still in his mouth, and it was a weird flavor to say the least. After finishing it, Akira pocketed the wrapper and thought about things. It was strange; he didn't feel great, but he somehow felt lighter than he had in the past few months, even in the past year. Did it have to do with the note he received? Akira pulled out and re-read it.
To Akira Kurusu,
You have committed the sin of drowning in Wrath. Your troubled and tragic life has led you to act harshly and shun those who care for you. Let it be known, however, that this is not your fault. Nothing that has happened to you was your fault. Our goal is not to make you confess your sins, but, rather, to absolve you of your pain because we love you and we care about you. We refuse to stand by any longer while you suffer, alone in your mind. We will show you that you, Akira Kurusu, are not alone. We are your friends. We will set you free. We will take your distorted desires without fail.
Sincerely, The Phantom Thieves of Hearts.
*They won't survive!*Akira clutched his head in pain as he heard a voice in his head. *I will tear them apart!*
Meanwhile, officer Naito Inoki went to sit behind the desk as someone buzzed the door. Confused as to who it could be, he buzzed them in. To his surprise, it was Nakano again.
"What are you still doing here? Did you forget something?" he asked her.
"Not exactly; I was on my way out, when I found out something interesting."
"What did you find out?"
"You know how I primarily deal with missing persons cases, right?"
"Yeah?"
"Well, that prisoner in 5B, you said his name was Akira Kurusu?" Naito nodded. "Get this, he was reported missing yesterday."
"Really!?" Naito was stunned. "By whom? Was it Kairi Kurusu, by chance?"
"Nope," Nakano shook her head and handed him the report. "A police officer in Inaba by the name of Yu Narukami. He didn't just report him missing, either; he called in a full-on APB."
"Jesus…" Naito thought for a second. "Did you call him?"
"I tried; there's no answer."
"What about this other number here?" Naito pointed out in the report.
"That belongs to the Kairi Kurusu you mentioned; same thing." Naito thought some more before clicking his tongue and exhaling.
"Shit…" He grabbed the zip lock with Akira's belongings, which included his wallet and the ring.
"What are you doing?" Nakano asked. "Don't tell me you're doing what I think you're doing?"
"Nakano, I'm gonna need a big favor," he said. Akira heard someone coming back in the cell block and pocketed his items once more. Naito was back, and he unlocked the cell. "Come on," Naito said, opening the cell door.
"What are you doing?" Akira asked, confused.
"Something that could get me in a lot of trouble, but fuck it. I'm taking you home."
With Nakano's help, Naito got Akira out of the police station, claiming that bail had been posted. This still meant that Akira was going to have a record. He would have to show up later for a court date in a week or two for underage drinking and vandalism. Furthermore, it was likely that Raden's family would try to sue him for assault and battery. Luckily, Akira already knew a great defense attorney. They began driving back to Inaba. They were on the highway; Naito switched on the radio, and Akira zoned out as Journey's "Wheel in The Sky" played. It was the second verse.
(I've been trying to make it home)
(Got to make it before too long)
(Ooh, I can't take this very much longer, no)
(I'm standing in the sleet and rain)
(Don't think I'm ever gonna make it home again)
"…no. I will make it home," Akira muttered after doing a lot of thinking.
"Did you say something?" Naito asked; Akira shook his head. "By the way, you still living in the same house?" Naito asked, eyes on the road. Akira didn't respond. His mind was on other things; the calling card, the Palace, the voice in his head, and the MetaNav. He knew what he had to do. "Hey! Akira, did you hear me?" Naito asked again.
"Uh, yeah, sorry. Yeah, I am, but…"
"But?" Naito raised an eyebrow.
"I can't go home yet. There's somewhere I need to go first."
"Akira, I'm taking you home, and that's final," Naito stated firmly. "Your mom's probably worried sick about you."
"I know, I know, but please, Naito…" he paused as he recalled the keywords. "I need to go to the cemetery."
"The cemetery? Akira, you can visit your brother after we get-"
"NAITO!" Akira snapped. "I need you to trust me. Please! I wouldn't be asking if this wasn't important."
"Why? Why now?"
"You said that home was a feeling in my heart. I know what's wrong with my heart, and I know what I need to do to fix it." Naito felt awful for Akira. He didn't know why, maybe the ghost of Tetsuya whispering into his ear in Akira's favor, but Naito exhaled and gave in.
"I have no idea why I'm doing this," he said before he shifted gears and changed directions, heading for the cemetery instead. On the way there, they passed by Cinema City. Akira looked out at it and exhaled. He didn't feel angry anymore; he just felt exhausted, ashamed that he was in this position in the first place. It was almost like a dream. The thing about dreams is that they have a nasty habit of going bad when the dreamer isn't looking. Akira didn't have to worry about that; his dreams were always nightmares, usually about the past. Akira had been stuck there for too long. Maruki was right; he couldn't get on with his life this way. It was time to act.
The thing about rock bottom is that, once you hit it, there's nowhere to go but up.
Back in the Theater of Pain, the Phantom Thieves found themselves outside the golden double doors that led to the grand theater hall. Yu pulled out the key that had formed out the four will seeds morphing into one. He walked up to the door as the others stood back.
"Hopefully, this works…" he tentatively said.
"It has to," Sumire believed. The key floated out of Yu's hand and into the keyhole in the center lock before disappearing. Nothing else happened.
"Well, so much for-" Kairi began.
*BANG* A lock burst off the door. The noise startled the group. *BANG* Another lock burst. *BANG* Then another. *BANG* And another. Finally, the center lock simply evaporated, and the Phantom Thieves watched as the chains fell to the ground. The doors gently, slowly swung open, like they were the gates of Hell and the devil was inviting them in.
"Jeez! That was loud!" Futaba commented, unplugging her ears.
"Tell me about it. My ears are still ringing," Rise added, tugging on her ears. "Anyway, come on, let's go." The Thieves walked through the golden doors. Like with the theaters, there was another set of doors they had to go through, but they found another poster before they did. It looked less like a movie poster, however, and more like an advertisement for a stage-play. It featured a dark, shadowy, winged figure standing between two large guillotines while surrounded by blue fire. It was titled, "Regret & Pain."
"This must be it," Makoto began. "The 'feature presentation,' like the marquee said."
"Won't be playin' for long, that's for damn sure," Ryuji huffed.
"Will the treasure be inside?" Kairi asked.
"Count on it," Futaba said as she ran a scan of the area ahead of them. "The treasure has appeared and it is definitely through these doors. Somebody owes me a year's supply of instant-yakisoba, mwehehe."
"W-Wait! You were serious about that!?" Ann exclaimed.
"In any case, seems like it was a good move, leaving the calling card up to Lady Lavenza. I knew she wouldn't let us down," Morgana assured Kairi.
"I wonder how she managed to deliver it to Akira?" Haru pondered.
"Wherever he is, I hope he's all right," Sumire worriedly said.
"Agreed, however, we will be on our own heading forward," Yusuke added.
"We'll be careful." Yu turned around to face everyone. "Is everyone ready?" Everyone smiled and nodded. "All right," he smirked. "Let's do this."
The group entered the main theater hall. It was gigantic. It resembled less a movie theater and looked more like something one would find in a late eighteenth-century French opera house, complete with boxes and balconies occupied by the cognitive audience from the theaters, and a large chandelier dangling from the ceiling. The floor and walls were the same as the other theaters, but the ground floor had no seats whatsoever; it was just a flat surface leading up to a much larger stage than what was found in the previous theaters. There were no curtains and no movie screen on the stage, but in their place stood two tall guillotines and standing in front of and staring at them, a small child.
"Look!" Ann pointed. "It's the little kid from yesterday." The boy turned around when he heard Ann's voice.
*You're back! The superheroes!* he smiled; Kairi stopped in her tracks.
"I-Is t-that…?" she stammered as she couldn't comprehend what she was seeing.
"Y-Yes…it's Akira," Rise said.
"Or his shadow, at the very least," Morgana added.
"H-Hi there," Sumire smiled and waved at him. "Are you all right?"
*Sorry about last time…* the boy looked down. *I just get scared whenever he appears.*
"Oh, uh, don't worry about it. But, um, who are you talking about?" Sumire asked.
*I hoped you would come back,* the boy began, dodging the question when he noticed a new face. *Who's that?* He pointed to Kairi.
"Akira," she began walking towards him, but the boy stepped back, still afraid of this person that he didn't recognize. "It's me. I-It's mommy. See?" Kairi lifted her mask after climbing on stage.
*…M-Mom?* The boy stepped forward. *Y-You're a superhero?* he asked before twitching. Suddenly, he had a thousand-yard stare.
"Y-Yes, I am, ha-haha…" Though Kairi was smiling, she was also shedding small tears. "A-Are you okay?"
*I've…been trapped in…here for so long. Trapped…with him,* the boy began speaking in a stilted, monotone voice. Kairi recognized his speech pattern; it was similar to when how he was after Tetsuya's death. Kairi kneeled down and put her hands around his shoulders.
"Trapped with whom, sweetie? Tell me."
*The man…in the red…coat…*
"Red coat…?" Kairi asked.
*I deserve…it, though…* the boy continued, still stiff as ever. *After what happened…to Tetsuya.*
"Wh-What? What do you mean?"
*Tetsuya died…because of me…* The Thieves felt awful upon hearing this. Futaba, especially, remembered how she blamed herself for her mother's death, causing her desires to birth a Palace. She hated that Akira felt the same way about his brother.
"No, no, no, no, stop it!" Kairi stopped him from continuing. "What happened to your brother was not your fault. Do you understand me?"
*You…never told…me that…* the boy continued to stare into nothing. Kairi was finding it increasingly difficult to maintain her composure.
"I know, I know…" Kairi sniffed. "Y-You're right… I should've told you long ago… I should've been there for you when you needed me the most, but I wasn't, and I'm so sorry…" She was now shedding tears of sadness. "But I want you to know that it's not your fault. It was never your fault, and I never believed for a second that it was your fault. You loved him, and he loved you."
*He…did?*
"Y-Yes, he did…"
*Do you…love me?*
"With all my heart," Kairi slowed her sobs and softly smiled. "You're my son, Akira. I love you, and I promise you I will be a better mother for you."
*I…I…* The boy began glowing.
"S-Sweetie?" Then, he began disappearing. "Wh-What's happening? WHAT'S HAPPENING!?" Kairi frantically looked back at the others, who were just as confused.
*… Mom. Thank you…* the boy said with a smile before he disappeared entirely in a beam of white light.
"AKIRA!" Kairi yelled as she was on her knees. The others rushed over; Rise knelt to comfort her.
"Don't worry, Viper. That wasn't the real Akira, remember?" Ann said.
"Yeah, it was just his shadow, right?" Ryuji assured her.
"Wait a second," Sumire worriedly began, "if that was his shadow, and it's now gone…"
"Then that means the Palace ruler is gone…" Morgana added.
"Oh, we could be in serious trouble…" Futaba anxiously said.
"Why? What does it mean when a Palace ruler leaves the Palace?" Yu asked.
"When a ruler disappears, it's usually followed by the destruction of the Palace," Makoto explained.
Yu's eyes widened, and Rise's head snapped back to the others. "D-Destruction!?" she exclaimed.
"But, I don't understand, we haven't stolen the treasure yet!" Haru said.
*What did you expect!?*a voice called out from back at the entrance. The Thieves turned around to see the usher, still wearing Akira's face. He began walking forward to them. *Another crown? Another painting?* His movements sped up. *Another hunk of gold? Another steering wheel? Hahahaha.* The usher hopped up on stage. *That would've been rich. Anyway, how are you all doing, good?*
"What are you doin' here? Shouldn't you be up in the projector room or whatever?" Ryuji asked.
*Look around, blondie!* the usher chuckled. *Do you see a movie screen? Besides, I'm not just going to sit back and enjoy this show. I have the starring role, after all.*
"What? What do you mean?" Ann asked.
*I have a role to play.*
"But, you're just an usher," Yusuke said.
"No, he isn't…" Kairi recomposed herself and stood back up. "You're not the same usher as before."
"W-Wait, h-huh?" Sumire asked.
*Oh?* the usher tilted his head in a cocky manner.
"You may have tricked the others, and I don't blame them, seeing as how they didn't know he existed until yesterday. But I recognized that voice, and it wasn't yours!" Rise yelled out.
"Me too!" Kairi added. "You're not really Akira…" she paused. "…and you're not Tetsuya either."
*Well, no fucking shit, lady,* the usher laughed maniacally. *Congratulations, Sherlock! You've cracked the case! Of course, I'm not them. I'm just a shadow.*
"Wait, you mean Akira has multiple shadows?" Morgana asked, wide-eyed.
*In a way, yes. Oh, but the other usher? He was just a cognition.*
"What happened to him!?" Rise angrily asked.
*I had to punish him. The customers disobeying the rules is one thing, but my own employee? Especially when my employee is betraying me by helping you, giving away information, and letting Calamity Jane over there heal you all? IN MY THEATER OF PAIN!? NO!* the usher yelled. His scream felt powerful as the Thieves felt the ground shake ever so slightly. He then returned to a calmer tone of voice and sauntered around the stage. *Well, I call it my 'theater,' but a more accurate term for this hellhole would be my 'prison,' hehe,* the usher chuckled and pointed at Yu. *You hit the nail right on the head, Grey. This place is like a prison. It's a prison for the little bastard and me…where is he anyway?*
"Wait, you mean…" Yusuke began.
*Aw, who cares? He's not the one getting out of here; I am. And I refuse to let anybody stand in the way of freedom.* the usher's his eyes began to glow bright yellow. The Thieves took a few steps back. *I hope you were all appreciative of me letting you walk in here with your medicine, but I'm afraid it won't save you. The Oompa-Loompa was right; you are all in serious trouble…* He looked like he was transforming into something, not a shadow, but something else. Something worse.
"What…are you…?" Sumire quietly asked; the usher grinned sinisterly.
*Allow me to properly introduce myself…*
The usher's clothes began transforming. The red usher shirt turned into a long red coat, a black vest with a white undershirt, and a red bow tie.
*I am a spirit of the one you call Akira Kurusu…*
His hands were covered with black gloves with gold adornments.
*The foundation of the rebel soul that lives within him…*
Dark pants with matching dark boots adorned with gold.
*An extension of his shadow…*
His hair was a mix of black and white.
*His savior! His Personal Jesus…*
All topped off with a black and white mask, glittering with gold.
*Pleased to meet you; hope you guessed my name…*
He pulled out a tool of some kind that unsheathed a long, dangerous-looking blade before twirling it around.
*However, if not, you may simply call me…*
"Guys! He's getting ready to attack! Look out!" Futaba warned; the Thieves got ready to fight.
*…Joker.*
Akira and Naito pulled up outside the cemetery. As Akira got out, he noticed the Phantom Thieves' van, and…Yu's car? And…his mother's car?
"So, now what?" Naito asked, still in the car. Akira's confusion disappeared as his attention snapped back to Naito.
"Huh?"
"Am I just supposed to sit here and wait for you?"
"No. Go to the Inaba police station and ask for detective Ryotaro Dojima or, if he's not there, ask for officer Chie Satonaka. Tell them you found me."
"Should I tell them where you are?"
"Do or don't; it doesn't matter…"
"For God's sake, Akira. You're making it really hard for me to help you out here…" They stared at each other for a moment before Naito sighed. "I really hope you know what you're doing…"
"I do," Akira began, "but it's something that I have to do by myself."
"I have no clue what that means, but I wish you luck anyway. Don't make me regret this," Naito shot him a soft smile. Akira nodded in appreciation before closing the passenger door and watching as Naito drove off, leaving him in the pouring rain. He pulled out his phone and pulled up the MetaNav.
"Here goes nothing…" he said as he closed his eyes and activated it.
*Beginning Navigation…*
When he reopened them, he felt like he was back in someone's bad dream, his own. The blood-red sky, the dark clouds, the haunting and foreboding atmosphere, and finally, Cinema City, the bane of his existence acting as his own personal Palace. Akira looked at himself and realized he was still in his wedding suit. He didn't have his mask on, either. Confused about what to do, he took a step forward before a flashing light on the side caught his attention. The blue door from his nightmare came back. It opened before him and out came someone he hadn't expected ever to see again, but boy, was she ever a sight for sore eyes.
"Lavenza?"
"I'm glad you came, Trickster. Please come in; time is of the essence," she said before disappearing back into the blue door. Akira followed; he closed his eyes as he felt a beam of energy go through him, and before he knew it, Akira was back in his Velvet Room cell, still in his wedding suit. Piano, strings, woodwinds, and an operatic voice could be heard as the "Fly Me to The Moon" variation played from somewhere unknown.
"It's been a while since I've been in here," Akira remarked as he looked around. He noticed the empty desk behind Lavenza. "Where's Igor?"
"Absent," she simply responded. Akira grabbed the bars of his cell door and sighed.
"Lavenza, why am I still locked up?" he asked. "I completed my rehabilitation, didn't I? You don't need to lock me up anymore."
"You are mistaken, Trickster. I am not the one who has locked you in that cell."
"Then who did?"
"You."
"Huh?" Akira raised an eyebrow.
"You are locked in there of your own accord, but fear not. If you recall, the last time we met, I gave you the key to your own cell." Akira did remember. It was the day before he went home last year, when he was saying goodbye to all of his friends… his friends.
"…" He remained silent, but something clicked in Akira's mind.
"Go ahead," Lavenza began, "free yourself." Akira felt the key appear in his pocket. He stuck it in the keyhole and watched as the door disappeared before him before stepping out and going to the desk, where several random items were spread out.
"What are these?" Akira asked.
"Only you can know that, Trickster," Lavenza responded. Akira took a closer look and picked up one of the items, a sports watch, just like the one Ryuji gave to him before he went home. Touching the watch triggered something inside of him. Akira heard Ryuji in his head, but he also felt his voice in his heart.
"If anything comes up, you tell me. I'll help you with whatever you need… It's nice feelin' like I got a future worth lookin' forward to for once, though. And that's all thanks to you, man."
Akira's hand shook as he put the watch back down. "W-What was that?" he asked, turning to Lavenza.
"I warned you that you would have a choice to make. I am hoping this will help you make the right one. Remembering the bonds you have made saved your life once. Perhaps it will save you once more," she responded, Akira picked up another trinket, hearing the voices of each of his teammates reminding him how much he meant to them.
A fashion magazine from Ann: "You can lean on me too, if you need it… I've gotta reach people. I wanna give someone hope like you did for me. Thank you for all you've done. The days I spent with you were some of the brightest in my life."
The painting "Desire and Hope" from Yusuke: "I'll extend my assistance to you, should you ever stumble… Your life is no worse for its own scars. Your truest beauty lies in them, and I hope you tell me their secrets someday."
A buchi calculator from Makoto: "You can rely on me when you need it. I want you to know that you're an irreplaceable comrade to me. Always have been…always will be."
The more he listened, the more he realized that they meant a lot to him too.
A promise list from Futaba: "You gave me my life back, so it's my turn to risk my life for you. Feel free to tell me anything. I'll do whatever I can to help… If you ever feel lonely, just look at this notebook and remember that I've got your back. Okay?"
A dyed handkerchief from Haru: "If you ever find yourself in trouble, I'll be there for you. Feel free to rely on me from now on. I have the strength to help you… But as long as I have you, I have to ensure I'm worthy of your support—and your pride."
Morgana's scarf from, well, Morgana: "Between a cat, a human, or some kind of vehicle…it's been hard to say for sure who or what I am. But whatever else I am, I can say without a doubt…I'm your partner."
Finally, Akira pulled out the ring that Sumire had gifted him out of his pocket. "It's a gift from the heart… I've learned all sorts of things from my time with you. If I can just hang onto this warm place in my mind… I feel like I can push myself further than I've ever gone before… I love you, Akira. Now and forever…"
Akira put the ring back in his pockets and simply looked down. Though his head still hurt, his mind became less clouded, enough so that he realized something. He loved his friends. Yet, he almost abandoned them? What was he thinking? But after what he said at the wedding…was it all over? The possibility haunted him. Had he finally pushed them away for good? He didn't want to believe it, he loved them all, but thoughts like these only made sense to him looking back. Now, Akira feared that the time to fix things had long since run out.
"May I ask you a question?" Lavenza asked; Akira silently nodded without looking at her, keeping his eyes focused on the table of trinkets. "Are you happy?"
"No."
"Are you sad?"
"Yes…" Akira looked down at the ground before closing his eyes.
"Do you care about your fellow companions?"
"…"
"Do you feel your bond with them has been severed?"
"…maybe."
"Do you wish to abandon them?"
"…"
"Do you wish for them to abandon you?"
"…"
"Do you…truly wish to be alone?" Akira looked back up and clenched his fists before responding.
"No," he responded adamantly; Lavenza began to softly smile.
"Allow me to re-state previous questions. Do you feel your bond has been severed between you and your companions?"
"No."
"Do you wish for them to abandon you?"
"No."
"Do you wish to abandon them?"
"No."
"They are currently fighting for your life. Would you do the same for them?"
"I'd take a bullet for any one of them," Akira cracked a smile; his mind had never been so clear.
"That's my Trickster," Lavenza beamed as Akira turned to her.
"Tell me what I have to do."
"Your shadow has been torn apart into two halves. In order to save yourself, you must do what you did for me and fuse your two halves back into one. One is a small child, the other is…" Lavenza trailed off, but it didn't matter, Akira already knew the answer.
"Joker…" he huffed. Suddenly, another cell door opened up. Akira looked to his left and saw a young boy with messy black hair and silver eyes, wearing black and white prison stripes like he had two years prior, walk up to him.
*You're back,* the boy smiled.
"Yeah, I am," Akira smiled back.
*But…what about the man in the red coat?* the boy looked down in fear at the mere mention of him. Akira knelt down and put a hand on his shoulder. The boy looked Akira in the eye.
"He's not going to hurt you anymore. I promise you."
*You promise?* Akira smiled and nodded.
"I'm going to stop him and take back my heart," he declared. "But I'm going to need your help." The boy smiled before transforming. Akira watched in awe as a new Persona appeared before him. He had never seen this one before, yet he felt a sense of familiarity when he looked at it. The Persona had a mix of modern and steampunk in its attire, mechanical wings made of leather and metal, a vivid red jacket with golden trims, white shirt, black tie, black bottoms, black boots with golden studs, white fingerless gloves with golden claws, a demonic face with red eyes. It looked like… "Arsène?" Akira asked, but the Persona shook its head.
"I have waited a long time for this moment, Trickster. I am no longer Arsène. You have awakened to my true form. I will guide you as you walk your chosen path without fear of mistake…" The Persona transformed into a mask. Akira willingly let it attach itself to his face as he was enveloped by blue fire before reemerging with as his former alter-ego. "…you may call me, Raoul."
The battle against Joker was a disaster. Unlike the shadows the Phantom Thieves fought previously, he never transformed or even called upon a Persona. Despite this, he was constantly flinging magic attacks and hitting his mark nearly every single time. Kairi did her best to heal everyone whenever it was critical, but her stamina was beginning to run low, as was the medicine they brought with them.
"Argh, damn it…" Ryuji grunted after getting knocked to the ground by one of Joker's attacks. "He's too fucking strong!"
"Even with the buffs, you're not doing much damage to him," Rise began. "It's like he's resistant to everything."
"He's not resistant to curse, though," Futaba said. "Unfortunately, none of us know curse attacks."
"Curse? You mean Darkness?" Rise raised an eyebrow.
"ARGH!" Makoto was flung back due to Joker hitting her with a Black Viper. Nearly all the Thieves were on the ground, in pain.
*Is that really it?* Joker began. *I expected a lot more from the great Phantom Thieves of Hearts. I know I trained you all better than that!*
"I'll show you!" Yu yelled as he summoned Izanagi-No-Okami. "MYRIAD TRUTHS!"
*Ngh…hmph…* Joker took a decent amount of damage, but it was nothing to shake a stick at. He simply stood back up and cockily brushed imaginary dust off his shoulder. *Even the other wildcard disappoints me. Pathetic,* he said before launching Black Viper at Yu, who also got knocked back from the impact. By this point, almost all the Phantom Thieves were down. *Now then, anyone else wanna take a shot me?* Joker invited.
"I do!" Sumire accepted the invite by standing up and twirling her sword in preparation for a fight.
*Okay, Tiny Dancer…* Joker twirled his blade in response. *Let's see what you're made off.* Sumire ran forward and tried attacking Joker with her sword. She was physically weakened and running off pure adrenaline, but she gave it her all. She gracefully danced, dodging Joker's slashes, but he was too fast. He avoided all of hers as well.
"ARGH!" Sumire wailed as Joker produced a cut in her leg. She fought through the pain, only to get cut in the back. Again, she kept fighting, though she staggered more and more. Joker used his sword to knock her saber away before forcefully knocking her back to the ground with his own two hands.
"Violet!" Futaba yelled. Sumire stood back up, heavily breathing despite her weakened state, as she tried her damnedest to keep fighting and not let the pain reach her. "Violet! Stop! Otherwise, he'll kill you!" Futaba warned her, but she didn't care. Joker was impressed by her tenacity; he folded his arms and smirked at her.
*What else you got?* Sumire walked towards him and threw a punch, which Joker caught. *Really? A punch?* Joker rolled his eyes.
*BANG*
*ARGH!* Joker caught a bullet in the back. He hissed in pain as he pivoted his head to see Kairi with her dual revolvers in hand.
"Leave her alone, you bastard!" she said, cocking the hammers. Joker threw Sumire to the ground and retrieved his blade. He sprinted towards Kairi as she kept firing at him, but Joker was too quick. He effortlessly dodged her bullets before slashing at her with his sword; eventually, knocking her to the ground.
*Good effort, but not good enough,* he said. Joker grabbed Kairi by the throat with one hand.
"OBASAN!" Rise yelled as she watched it all happen.
*How does it feel? Knowing that you couldn't save him?* Joker snarled at her before he yelled, *That's what you get for abandoning me!*he chucked her with all the others. Everyone was down, and the Phantom Thieves were on the verge of defeat.
"Viper! Take some medicine; otherwise, you'll die!" Futaba warned her; Kairi did as instructed and took medicine.
"Ugh…" she grunted in pain. "I-I think that's the last of it…"
"We've got two more." Rise said. "But…"
*I told you it wouldn't save you, hehe.* Joker chuckled as he admired his blade. *Do you know how long I have tried to get out of here? I was this close,* he said, bringing his thumb and index finger close together. *The bonds were severed. I was nearly out—No, I was out! But then all it took was one look at her to ruin everything.* He pointed his sword at Sumire, still writhing in pain on the ground. Joker walked over and stood over her and shook his head. *I didn't want to have to do this, but sometimes, you have to get a little dirty.* He grabbed Sumire by the throat with his left hand. The Thieves were incapacitated and couldn't do anything but watch, powerless to help her.
"VIOLET!"
"NOOOOO!"
"YOU BASTARD!"
*Smile, girl. You're going to see your sister again.* Joker raised his blade in the air. Sumire closed her eyes and awaited the inevitable. He was about to bring it down on her when suddenly…
*BANG*
One moment, Joker's sword was in his right hand, then it wasn't. There was a gunshot from afar, further back in the hall; the sound echoing throughout. The bullet ricocheted off Joker's steel blade, causing it to fly out of his hand and back onto the floor. Confused, everyone looked in the direction of the shot and spotted a shadowy figure standing atop one of the balconies. They could only see the silver frame of the gun, still raised in the air after the shot. Then, it lowered, and the mysterious figure slowly stepped out of the shadows.
"What the hell?" Yu asked.
"Holy shit!" Ryuji exclaimed.
"Hu-huh?" Haru gasped.
"No way…" Ann stared in disbelief.
"It can't be…" Yusuke murmured.
"W-Wait, is that…?" Kairi began.
"Akira…" Futaba softly began to smile.
"Is that really him!?" Rise wondered in shock.
"It is!" Makoto beamed.
"He's back," Morgana smiled.
Akira Kurusu was indeed back. He was in his standard Metaverse outfit; a black ankle-length tailcoat, a high-necked waistcoat with gold accents, black pants, brown-black boots, red gloves, and a black and white mask. The polar opposite of Joker. Akira didn't go by that code name anymore. He didn't need it since A: he was in his own Palace, and B: that name was already adopted by his evil-self, and like with his heart, his desires, and his life, Akira was here to take it back. He holstered his gun before using a golden chain that used to belong to the double doors as a grappling hook. He launched it at the chandelier, fearlessly and effortlessly swung from the balcony and through the air before somersaulting down onto the stage. He stuck the landing and slowly lifted himself up as he stood before his corrupt shadow. Akira looked around his surroundings and analyzed the position he was in. Chihaya's last reading came to his mind, and the three cards he focused on the most. He wasn't particularly savvy with tarot cards, but he even he understood what they meant. First, there was the Tower, that was an easy one; it was the Theater of Pain. The Devil was the ruler of the Palace, the shadow that stood before him, and the Fool was Akira, here to confront him.
*Well, well, well…* Joker, still holding a practically incapacitated Sumire, had an evil smile on his face.
"Add a verb and a noun, and you've got yourself a sentence," Akira spoke menacingly.
*What took you so long?* Akira didn't say anything; he was filled with disdain for Joker, but tried to maintain a calm composure. *Though, I have to admit, you know how to make an entrance.*
He threw Sumire with the others. They began tending to her as best they could, giving her one of the two remaining remedies, all the while watching intently as Akira and Joker faced off. Akira clenched his fists, but his face remained neutral. He didn't need to show the recently reignited fire that was burning within him. He wanted nothing more than to rip Joker to shreds for what he had done to his friends and for nearly killing the woman he loved. Akira knew, however, that he had to stay focused and not let his anger get the better of him, knowing he likely had a fight waiting for him. Besides, his anger nearly caused him to lose his friends once already.
"…"
*What, nothing to say?* Joker approached Akira and observed his face, noting the bruises, swelled up face, and the closed-up gash in Akira's forehead. *Jeez, you look like shit. The trio really did a number on you last night, huh?* Akira still didn't respond. *So, bruises aside, this what I look like, huh? Gotta admit, it's not too bad. Although, the beard is little-* Akira pulled his gun on Joker and aimed it at his face.
"I don't give a shit what you think of my beard," he said, venomously. Joker was slightly caught off guard by the gun, but was unfazed.
*Are you really pulling a gun on me?* Joker asked, folding his arms.
"What was your first clue?"
*Hehe, you know it's going to take more than just a single bullet to take me down, right?*
"You wanna bet?" Akira replied, keeping his gun aimed at Joker's face. The shadow was getting bored.
*Look, will you just put the gun down? You and I both know you're not here to kill me. If I die, you die, and neither one of us wants that now, do we?* Joker was right, and Akira knew it. He was letting his anger take over. He holstered his gun but kept his blade ready in his right hand. *There, that's more like it. Now that you're here, I can ask you, face-to-face, rather than torture you for months on end with seizures…oh, and, uh, sorry about those, by the way.*
"So, that was all you, huh? I knew I wouldn't like the answer," Akira shook his head.
*It was the only way I could attempt to get out of here. You don't know how miserable it's been being locked in this theater of pain and misery, reliving your most painful memories.*
"Oh, boo-hoo, cry me a river. You're not the guy walking around with scars and cigarette burns on his body." Joker glared at him.
*After you deleted Mementos, I was stuck here; stranded in this miserable Palace with no way out! I couldn't leave, I was trapped like a rat in a cage; endlessly reliving these painful memories. I didn't watch those films like the rest of your pathetic companions, I lived them from your point of view. Every punch, every kick, every belt lash, every cut, every cigarette put out on your skin, even the loogie from that bastard, Takagi; I may not have any bruises, or scars, or even draw blood like you do, but every bit of pain you felt, I did too…* Joker exhaled. *I had to make the pain and suffering end. I had to get out of this damn place! I realized, the only way I could escape is if you let me out yourself. Obviously, I couldn't exactly ask you for the key so, I had to try and convince you. I had to break into your mind, and become you, Akira. And I was so close… I was about to finally be free…but your goddamn friends had to show up and RUIN EVERYTHING!*
"Don't you dare act like you've suffered the same way I did," Akira calmly stepped up to Joker. "You nearly took everything and everyone I care about away from me!"
*I'm not taking anything from you your sad, pathetic life hasn't already deprived you of!* Joker took a couple of steps back. *Au contraire, mon frère, I'm trying to return something you've lost.*
"Really? And what's that?"
*Your freedom.*
"Oh, bite me," Akira rolled his eyes.
*E-Excuse me?* Joker scoffed.
"Freedom? You tried tearing me apart from the ones I love in the name of my freedom? Fuck off. It's your freedom you care about; you don't give a shit about what I want!"
*Does anyone?* Akira huffed at Joker's remark. He knew the shadow was trying to get to him, and he wasn't going to let himself be toyed with. *Let me tell you something; your life has been filled with nothing but hardship and tragedy. You have no father, no brother, no friends, and you're a goddamn criminal…* Akira softly chuckled. The first time he's genuinely laughed in forever. *What? What are you laughing at?*
"Haha, no-nothing, it's just, uh…you're full of shit," he smirked.
*Am I now?*
"Yeah, you are," Akira began. "See, I get it now. I let myself believe that my friends didn't care for me. I let myself think that my mother blamed me for Tetsuya's death. And I let myself believe that all of them were turning their backs on me. But I realize now that it was all bullshit. And I can't, for the life of me, think of why or how I let you trick me into thinking that was the case."
*Hm-hmm, it wasn't actually that hard. You already had those feelings deep seeded inside your heart. All I had to do was give them a little extra kick.*
"You're lying…" Akira said, but he knew there was some truth to what Joker was saying.
*Again…am I now?* Joker smirked. *See, the problem is, Akira, despite everything you've done for them; the help, the advice, the inspiration, the sacrifices…deep down, even after all you've been through together, you're afraid they're going to leave you, so you deliberately tried to push them away yourself before they could hurt you. That whole wedding fiasco? The seizure was me; again, sorry. But your words? They were exactly that, your words, and your true feelings.*
"…" Akira didn't say anything; he simply looked down.
*Let me ask you something; why didn't you tell your friends that you had a brother, huh? Why didn't you ever tell them that you had cigarettes put out on when you were thirteen? Or that the same fucker who did that also gave you belt lashings and used a switchblade to carve you like a pumpkin? Why did you keep all of that to yourself, even after they saw your scars? And don't give me that whole, 'it was too hard to talk about' bullshit.*
"…" Still nothing; Akira didn't have answer. Like him, the Phantom Thieves were paralyzed by the words they were hearing.
*I'll tell you why. You didn't tell them because you didn't want them to know. You had no problem getting close to them, but recently, they tried to get closer to you, and the more they tried, the more you wanted to run away. Now, sure, you can blame me all you want for unearthing those feelings and amplifying them…but, you know, deep down in your heart, that you were the one who created those feelings because when you've been let down several times over in your life, eventually, you start to see everyone as your enemy…even the ones you say you love. Deep down inside, you feel resentment towards them…* Joker pointed to the Phantom Thieves. *…but not towards me.*
"…" Akira tried to think of something to say, but even he had to admit, Joker had a point. He did have some of these feelings inside him, even before Joker made them more prevalent. The feelings of loneliness, fear, and abandonment; he experienced them all before and after Tokyo. He was feeling them right now, and he couldn't blame Joker entirely. But there was one thing Joker was wrong about.
*So, that is why I say this: You can be free. Free to live your life without the past weighing you down, driving you mad and slowly destroying you. Free to do whatever you want without the burden of friends or family.* Akira kept looking down, but finally said a word.
"…what good will freedom do me if I'm all alone?"
*Allow me to show you. All you have to do is accept me; let me, finally and definitively, take the wheel,* he offered his hand to Akira. *Set me free and let your inner rebel soul take over. The one true Joker. I promise, you will never feel pain, ever again.* The Thieves watched worriedly as it seemed like Akira was going to do it. He dropped his own blade to the ground and looked like he was about to give up.
"You're right…" Akira admitted. "…I have drifted apart from them lately." He looked to his friends before looking back down at the ground. Joker placed a hand on Akira's shoulder. "There can only be one true Joker…" The shadow grinned; he looked like he had this kid right where he wanted him. Akira tilted his head back up. Joker noticed something was different; Akira's mask was gone.
"Woah, what is…?" Futaba said, as she and the others noticed a Persona appear behind Akira. Joker noticed it and became worried.
*Wh-What?*
"…but it's not you," Akira smirked.
*POW*
Akira forcefully pushed Joker and sent him flying far back through a wall.
"That's for the seizures, you son of a bitch," he said before cracking his neck and knuckles, and turning to his fellow Phantom Thieves. He was confused as to why Yu and Rise were here as well as curious as to who the cowgirl was. "You guys okay?" They softly smiled and nodded. The one thing Joker was wrong about; Akira didn't feel resentment towards his friends. He loved them; they were his family, the ones who occupied his thoughts. The Phantom Thieves were lodged in Akira's mind, routing his synapses, driving him on to accomplish his task; to punish Joker. He winked at them before his mask returned to his face. Joker stumbled out of the debris.
*What the hell was-*
"I took your advice, and I gave you a little extra kick," Akira responded, still smirking.
*How do you have a PERSONA!?*
"Let's just say, my younger self was quite the fighter back in elementary school. Ask my mother; she'll tell you. Turns out, so's his shadow." Akira tapped on his mask.
*Huh, so that's where the little bastard went.* Joker dusted himself off.
"Look, despite everything you've done, I don't want to fight you," Akira began. "But I will do whatever it takes to stop you. Concede, and this won't go any further."
*Concede? What is this, a fucking Shogi match?*
"Here's what's going to happen: you're going to get in one of those guillotines, I'm going to fuse you and my other shadow back into one. Then, the Phantom Thieves and I are going to take my treasure and walk out of here. The Palace will disappear, and I will move on with my life."
*Pfft, hahahaha…* Joker laughed for a while. *You-uh, you want to try and explain that again, numbnuts?*
"Why? I thought I made myself clear," Akira folded his arms.
*No, you did. I just want to make sure it still sounds just as stupid the second time around.*
"Stupid or not, this is exactly how it's going to end."
*Uhm, no, thanks; I'll pass.*
"You really think you have a choice?" Joker glared at Akira. "Besides, after all the shit you pulled, you're lucky I don't send you to the electric chair and fuse your ass into a Marin Karin skill card instead."
*Hmph… So, I take it this means you're not going to accept my offer?* Akira silently shook his head. Joker clicked his tongue. *Tch, well, that's a shame…*
"Sorry to disappoint you," Akira sarcastically smirked.
*It's all right,* Joker paused. *But, if that's the case…well, then I don't see much of a reason to keep you alive, after all.* Joker grabbed his sword off the ground. *You're softer than I remember. You sure you haven't completely lost your edge?*
"Positive."
*Hmmm, you know, I can see the anger flowing through you.*
"…" He was right; Akira was pissed off.
*I am going to tangle you up in your rage, and I am going to choke you with it. I have lived in this hell for a long time. Allow me to be your guide.*
"No, I'm going to stop you."
*Even if I let you walk out of here, it's not going to make much of a difference. Your heart is just too messed up.*
"You're right. But it's time I do something to change that, so I can be happy again. I need to get rid of everything in my heart that is poison to me, starting with you." Akira grabbed his own weapon off the ground. "You've distorted my desires for too long. Today, I'm stealing them back."
*Your desires were distorted long before I showed up. I could've helped you live with them.*
"I don't want your help."
*And there's your problem right there. You refuse to let anyone-*
"No, no, no…" Akira cut him off. "You don't understand. It's not your help that I want." He glanced towards the Thieves before twirling his blade. "I can't and won't let you control my life any longer…Joker."
*And I can't and won't let you stop me…Akira.* Joker readied his own. The two stared each other down, ready for the fight of their lives. It wasn't ideal; Akira was already in bad shape from the previous night. At best, he was Superman on kryptonite while Joker was looking like he was dying to go fifteen rounds with a mutant alligator. Akira felt rusty; it had been a while since he had done this, but this wasn't the time to doubt himself. Joker was right; this was Hell. The situation wasn't pretty, but Akira figured none of what was about to happen was going to be.
"It doesn't have to be like this…"
*All this talk of trying to get out of fighting me,* Joker smiled. *Akira, do you even see yourself winning?* Akira looked at his family, the Phantom Thieves, one more time before smirking at Joker. For some reason, he thought about a duel he once had with another Persona user, Goro Akechi.
"I don't see myself losing."
Akira found himself in Hell; he might as well dance with the devil.
Author's notes:
Remember how I kinda nerfed Myriad Truths in a previous chapter. Well, I'm going to do something similar next chapter to make Akira vs Joker a more even fight, otherwise, Joker would just sweep the floor with Akira.
That's it for notes, hope you enjoyed ;)