Persona 5: Shots Through the Heart
Shot 13: I'll come back to you!
It's the long-awaited night of the Phantom Thieves' final heist. Although there was a lot on the line in this instance, it couldn't be more like all the heists before them. Get to the Treasure's location via the secured infiltration route, subdue the Palace ruler's Shadow, take the Treasure, and get out before the Palace collapses completely. Sixth verse, same as the first. As such, they've already made it to the Treasure's location and, even though it was a physical and emotional struggle for Makoto, they defeated Sae Nijima's Shadow. Everything was going exactly as planned…
Until they secured the Treasure.
xxx
"Enemy readings?!" Oracle (Futaba) exclaims. "When did they…?! They're gathering outside!" The blood of the entire group runs cold as ice as Futaba's goggles display a bird's eye view outside of Sae's Casino Palace, where tons of hostiles are mobilizing. A massive squad of men in black suits that somehow found their way into the Palace and Shadows that are most likely trying to prevent the thieves from escaping.
"Huh?!" For real?!" Skull (Ryuji) shouts.
"Look at those numbers…!" Fox (Yusuke) gasps.
"This doesn't look good…" Panther says.
"We defeated the Palace ruler and even stole the Treasure," Mona says. "Yet the Shadows are still restless. It doesn't make any sense! What's going on here?!" More and more Shadows start popping out like weeds.
"There are more coming?!" Oracle shouts. "This'll be dangerous if we don't do something!" She starts picking up a strange transmission from an unknown source, but Mona's shout cuts off her thinking.
"We need to go now! Those guys in black suits are almost here! We'll be done for if we're surrounded!" Queen (Makoto) shuts her eyes and crosses her arms to think.
"A team this large would be discovered immediately," she says. "We had best split up for our escape… Although, we'd need someone to act as a decoy…" The word "decoy" strikes a chord in Joker. The person they would send out would most certainly be caught by such a massive team of hostiles. Who knows what they'd be subjected to in order to pry the truth out of them? One thing's for certain: It would be absolute Hell.
However, the thought of any of his friends, especially Ann, being put through malicious torture makes his blood boil. If anyone necessarily had to go through that, he would much rather it be himself.
… In fact…
Queen shakes her head.
"No! That's too dangerous!" Joker closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and smirks as he looks down at the ground.
"... No way in hell they can catch me… But it's different if I let 'em…" That quiet comment catches everyone's attention. Joker, with his resolve bearing the strength of steel, shoots a serious look at Skull.
"Skull… Hand over the Treasure and get everyone the hell outta here…" He shoots the same look to everyone else.
"And no matter what you guys see… Don't. Stop. Running." The group is shocked by the conclusion their leader is drawing. Panther most of all.
"No…!" she gasps.
"Joker?!" Queen shouts. "A-Are you planning on distracting them by yourself?!" Joker shoots a thumb at Crow (Akechi).
"I can maneuver around this place, no problem. And like Crow said, I'm the strongest member of the team. Even if they corner me somewhere, they won't take me down without a fight. If we're really gonna send someone to lure them all away, I can at least give you guys the most time to get out." Joker, seeing Panther trying to say something, glares at her.
"And don't you even try to say you're coming with me!" he barks.
"There's no way in hell I'm letting you go by yourself!" she protests.
"Don't argue with me! You're going with them! End of story!" She starts storming up to her leader/boyfriend.
"But Joker, you-" Joker stomps his foot and blows up at her.
"That's an order, Panther!" Panther stops in her tracks in shock. That was the first her boyfriend has ever blown up at her.
Before she tries to argue again, Skull grabs her shoulder and shakes his head.
"You heard him. Let him do it," he says. "He's quiet, but when his mind's made up, he's not gonna take no for an answer." Panther shuts her eyes and hangs her head. The thought of him getting caught and detained with no guarantee of his escape made her heart shrink.
But she knew Skull was right. Evident by the way he shouted at her just now, no one can stop him once he's made up his mind. So, she lets a deep sigh and slowly nods, reluctantly agreeing to let him go.
Skull smiles as he walks over to hand Joker the briefcase containing the Treasure.
"I'm sure ya ain't gonna die. It's you we're talkin' about here." Everyone else, having conceding to their leader's command, let out a sigh.
"Please don't do anything reckless, okay?" Noir (Haru) says. Panther shoots an intense glare at him.
"I'll… I'll never forgive you if you don't make it back." Mona waves at him.
"We still haven't fulfilled our deal, remember?" Oracle shouts frantically again.
"Even more are coming!"
"This is truly a painfully reluctant parting…" Fox grimaces.
"It seems we had best hurry," Crow calmly says. Joker walks up to Crow.
"One thing first, Crow. I need to help me a little bit." He whispers his plan in his ear and he agrees to it with a nod.
"Understood."
"Then you guys get going." Queen glances at her sister's Shadow, then looks to her leader.
"We'll see you later." One by one, his teammates left him, starting with Crow, Skull, Noir, and Fox. However, Mona, Oracle, and Queen are trying to convince Panther to leave with them.
"Panther, I don't want to either," Oracle says. "But we gotta go." Ann takes off her Panther mask, marches up to Joker, and gives him a tight bear hug. She buries her face in his chest.
"... Akira…" Akira frowns as he hears her muffled sniffs. He takes off his Joker mask and hugs her back.
"I know. Don't worry. This isn't the last time I'll hold you." Ann pushes away from him, revealing her leaking red eyes, and digs her right hand in her cleavage.
"Just in case… hold out your hand." He holds out his right hand as she pulls her four-leaf clover necklace out of her suit. She puts it in his hand and closes it up with both of hers.
"H-Here. Here. T-Take this," she sniffs. "Take this… It'll protect you… and help you get home." Akira smiles at her, then looks towards Mona.
"You make sure she stays safe," he says. "Got it?" The black cat on hind legs nods.
"You bet!" Akira nods at him, gives Ann a passionate kiss, and wipes the tears from her face.
"... I love you," she whispers.
"I love you too. I'll see you back home… okay?" Ann forces a smile and nods. Akira turns her towards the others and shouts as she pushes her onward.
"Now all of you, run! RUN!" Queen, Oracle, and Mona follow the teary-eyed Panther out as she puts her mask back on and sprints towards the exit without looking back, leaving Akira standing there alone.
A strong gust of wind hits Akira's face, making him turn its direction. A burning fire of determination ignites in his heart as he takes a deep breath and puts his mask back on.
"Okay… Showtime." He dashes towards the the end of the arena and makes a huge leap of faith, like a majestic bird taking flight with his leather coat blowing back in the wind.
xxx
The air blowing through the gaudy casino is super charged and flooded with tension. Alarm bells are blaring, cognitive people are scurrying in fear, and men in black suits are calmly surveying the area.
After a flashy neon sign is sent crashing down to the casino floor, panic among the people rises as a black figure from above soars through the building with style and grace, causing loud thumps as it lands on top of the metal structures above. It cleverly shrouds itself in the shadows and lets out maniacal laughs to keep one thought on everyone's mind: What in the world is happening? Are we safe? Who is the hoodlum orchestrating this havoc?
Having kept everyone in suspense for long enough, the evil mastermind reveals himself with pride standing on a catwalk with the full moon illuminating behind him, his black trench coat floating in the breeze and a devious grin plastered on his face.
As the people start to run for dear life and the suits begin their pursuit, the rebellious man clutches his borrowed good luck charm and leaps from the catwalk and into the darkness once again, but not before he issues a grand challenge to all who oppose him with a sing song tone.
"Catch me if you can~! Hahahahaha!"
xxx
Having dropped off the briefcase where his team can pick it up on their way out, Joker jumps onto another catwalk where everyone can see him and opens up his comm link.
Joker: Package dropped!
Mona: Good! Now get going!
Crow: This is our only chance!
Oracle: Stay calm. You can get away now.
Queen: We'll retrieve the briefcase on our end.
Oracle notices another mysterious transmission ring through the comm.
Oracle: Huh? What was that?
Mona: Don't worry about us. Just concentrate on getting away.
Joker nods and makes a mad dash atop the illuminated catwalk.
Mona: But I have to say. Showing yourself in front of that crowd was an excellent move. Nice work as always, Joker.
Joker: Hmph! That's the kind of shit I live for! You outta know that by now!
Panther: I bet Skull wouldn't have pulled it off that smoothly.
Fox: This happens because you lack aesthetics.
Skull: Nobody ask you, Inari!
Oracle: HEY! That's MY shtick!
Crow: Feel free to praise my marksmanship that helped me shoot that sign down, if you'd like.
Joker: Don't kid yourself! It's nothing compared to mine!
Joker laughs, then stops when he sees some suits coming out of the door on his right, telling him to stop.
Oracle: Just run! Get out of there!
Joker: 10-4!
Joker proceeds to leap across the arc structures that make a path towards the staircase ahead.
Mona: Okay. The enemy's focus is on him. Now, the rest of us can get away.
Noir: Everyone remember where we're meeting up?
Oracle: No worries. I can guide you all.
Joker: Like we get anything to worry about with the one and only Alibaba on our side!
As he parkours over the neon sign and bolts towards the stairs, two Shadows block his path. He slides to a halt as another leaps down behind him. He chuckles as he turns to the foe behind him.
Joker: Looks like these guys wanna play.
Panther: Take 'em down, Joker!
Joker grins before high jumping into the air, landing on the Shadow's shoulders, and grabbing the the bottom of his mask.
"Alright! Show me your true form!" He pulls back the mask with all his might and rips it off. He jumps off as the Shadow is forced to reveal its true form, a Moloch. The other two Shadows respond by transforming into Power angels.
Oracle: Comparing power levels. No threat. Get 'em, Joker.
As he's preparing to fight, he feels time stop around him and hears his main Persona, Arsene, speak to him in his mind.
"You have done well in your recollections. Last spring, you awakened to this furious power... Now, use that power… and defeat the enemies before you!"
Recollection, Akira thinks. That's right. I…
Time moves forward and he calls Arsene to the battlefield, opening with Eigaon. The Moloch endures the hit and summons Agidyne pillars one by one while the Power angels dive at him. He swiftly and gracefully jumps, dives, and rolls out of the way of all the attacks. He then spins around and fires his pistol in all directions, shooting the angels down to the ground.
Joker dashes towards the first angel, blocks its spear attacks, and roundhouse kicks it on its jaw, making it spin around so that he can grab it, dig his knife into the side of its neck, slit its throat, and rips its head clean off.
He hears the Moloch charging, summons Arsene again, and has him toss him at it, but the other angel gets in his way. After landing his kick, he holds on for dear life as it thrashes around. He makes it turn its back to the charging Moloch so that the horns are driven into his back. Joker flips onto the Moloch's head and finishes the angel with a headshot from his gun.
As the Moloch throws its head up, Joker uses the force to launch himself into the air. He then dives down, dodging the Agidyne pillars that the Moloch fires at him, and lands a clothesline on its neck to knock it on its back before landing.
"Now! One-Shot Kill!" Arsene ascends to a great height, then quickly plummets down, performing One-Shot Kill with its spiked heeled foot, and violently crushes its skull, finishing it off.
Mona: Good. You defeated them ease.
Joker smirks as he fixes his red gloves.
Joker: Oracle was right. No threat at all.
Speak of the devil...
Oracle: More of them?! Be careful!
A black suit Shadow appears in front of Joker and jumps with its extendable taser baton ready. Joker backflips away at the last second, then parkours up the neon sign behind him and onto the balcony behind him. He turns around and sprints through the door to make his escape.
xxx
As Joker is sneaking and dashing through the dark back rooms of the casino, his heart pounding away and his legs moving as fast as they can, he thinks about everything that has led him to this moment: Moving to Tokyo to serve out his probation, meeting Ryuji, Morgana, and his dream girl, Ann, forming the Phantom Thieves organization, and all the heists that came before this one. All of that led to this inevitable moment. He can't help but laugh at himself.
"Wow… going through every single detail of it… I almost forgot I'm reliving the past."
This is not the present. Akira Kurusu has already been caught by the police. In the end, his escape attempt fails with him being pinned down by the police outside the casino. In order to hold a better understanding of his crimes, he is being forced to remember everything from when he arrived back in April up to now. However, there is one more crucial reason why he had to restore his memories. If he can uncover it, escape will be made possible.
As he is sprinting up the stairs and down the hallways, Arsene's voices echoes in his head once again.
"Your fate shall soon be determined… Recall everything… Remember the bonds you have forged with your friends… If you are destined to continue beyond this point…" Joker glares at the door ahead of him, ready to face hell.
"Then we shall surely meet again."
He busts through door, stops before hitting the rails of the balcony, and looks down at the crowd on the floor below him, looking for his way out.
Oracle: Something wrong? The exit should be up ahead.
Joker looks directly in front of him to see a massive stained glass window on the other side of the building.
Joker: Through there?
Oracle: That's just how it is. After that commotion, the bottom floor's-
Panther: Completely closed off. Hey, can you make it?
Joker sports his signature cocky smirk.
Joker: Who're you talkin' to?
"Over there!" Joker looks behind him to see men in suits leveling their guns at him.
"There's nowhere to run!" Joker chuckles at their stupidity.
"Ha! Says you!" He hops onto the rails and runs along them to the other side of the building. He crouches down, then turns back to his pursuers to bid them farewell.
"See ya~!" He takes a powerful leap to bust through the window, which catches everyone's attention. He laughs maniacally as he spins and soars through the air like a majestic bird, the wind carrying him forward, glistening shattered glass surrounding him, and the full moon illuminated above him, casting his shadow on everything. It was certainly to the amusement of his friends.
Queen: Hm hm. Impressive, as always.
Oracle: Hmph! What a show-off!
Panther: You're so reckless, ya know that?
Joker tucks and rolls when he hits the ground to soften his landing.
Joker: Ain't that what you love about me?
A question subtle enough that no one could tell it was for his girl.
As he's standing up, a bunch of bright lights flash in his face, revealing the small army of special police forces waiting for him.
Oracle: Enemies HERE?!
Skull: What's wrong?!
Oracle: These readings! It can't be!
Skull: What happened?!
Queen: An ambush?!
Mona: Joker, can you handle this?!
Fox: Joker!
Oracle: Oh no!
Joker: GUYS!
Joker shouts at his teammates to quiet them down, keeping the calm look on his face. He takes a deep breath, fully prepared for his capture, and utters his last words to his team.
Joker: Remember what I told you… Don't stop running, no matter what.
Panther: JOKER!
Joker looks up at the sky and shouts.
Joker: I'll come back to you! I promise!
With that, he makes a break for a nearby fire escape with the feds hot on his tail. He jumps to grab onto the ladder and quickly climbs up it, only to meet more police on the top who hit him with the butt of their gun, making him fall back down to the ground.
He feels the police painfully trample on him, force him on his stomach, and secure his hand behind his back. They make a path for a man in a suit to walk up to their target.
"Didn't expect to find some kid," he says as he kneels down to grab Joker's hair. "You have your teammate to thank for this. You were sold out."
The rest was pretty simple. They slapped the cuffs on him, dragged him to his feet, and pushed him towards the detainment truck. As he is being arrested, he catches a glimpse of a shadow standing on a rooftop.
He could easily tell it was Ann. Although her face was shrouded, he knew that it was filled with shock and despair. All he could do was give her his biggest smile before being thrown into the truck and taken away.
That was the last memory he had before he arrived at the police station.
xxx
...
Caroline: Well done on making it this far, Inmate.
Justine: Now that you have traversed through your long, perilous recollection, you have truly entered the present...
Caroline: The effects of that drug are gonna wear off soon. This is your golden opportunity. You must grasp the truth that will save you from the brink of ruin.
Justine: The evil influence that desires your head on a platter is fast approaching.
Caroline: If you want to win this unreasonable game...
Justine: If you wish to take back your stolen future...
C+J: Recall the bonds you formed with your allies. And grasp the truth that will save you from the brink of ruin.
xxx
"I see... So that's what led to you ending up here… What a disappointing end to the hero of justice…"
In the dark and condensed underground interrogation room after being put through torture unlike any other (near bone breaking muggings, head dunks in glacier cold water near the point of drowning, multiple injections, etc.), the exhausted, cold, soaked, drugged, and beaten Akira opens his hazy dark gray eyes and stares at the woman who was questioning him and the target whose heart he failed to change, Sae Nijima, who was sitting across from him on the other side of the desk. Her face was stern, her arms were crossed, and her eyes were as cold as ice.
He then looks at the objects on her left: his phone and a golden four-leaf clover necklace. At first, he didn't know why that was with his confiscated phone since the vulgar police guards injected him with a vile truth serum. But after going through his memories of the past several months, he now knows that it's not just some trinket that got mixed in with his stuff. It's the good luck charm his lover gave him before he was arrested, as well as the symbol of the promise he made to her.
That's right… I have a promise to keep… so…
With his vow to her on his mind, he shoots a determined glare at Prosecutor Nijima.
"Who the hell said it's over?"
Target: Hit