Author's Headnote: Liberties with canon with both series', yadda yadda don't complain about that. Well, I got out of my funk after a show I watched killed off its main character and introduced a clone of said character as a subtle replacement. I'm not throwing names out there, but I'm just saying. So I will be writing this fanfic among RWBY: Festival of Blood and the Ruby of Cerberus. RWBY is owned by Roosterteeth and Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 5 is owned by ATLUS.

Remnant's Very Own Detective: Prologue

Goro Akechi:

Health: 0% (Dead)

Spirit: 33% (That fight with him took more out of him than expected)

Personas:

Robin Hood

Loki

Weapons: None (Dead, remember?)

Social Links:

Fool (Unknown): Rank 0

Magician (Unknown): Rank 0

High Priestess (Unknown): Rank 0

Emperess (Unknown): Rank 0

Emperor (Unknown): Rank 0

Hierophant (Unknown): Rank 0

Lovers (Unknown): Rank 0

Chariot (Unknown): Rank 0

Justice (Unknown): Rank 0

Hermit (Unknown): Rank 0

Wheel of Fortune (Unknown): Rank 0

Strength (Unknown): Rank 0

Hanged Man (Unknown): Rank 0

Death (Unknown): Rank 0

Temperance (Unknown): Rank 0

Devil (Unknown): Rank 0

Tower (Unknown): Rank 0

Star (Unknown): Rank 0

Moon (Unknown): Rank 0

Sun (Unknown): Rank 0

Judgement (Unknown): Rank 0

Trickster (Rival): Rank 9 (He defeated me in the last fight. Weakened, I was surrounded by a cognitive version of myself and the local security of the palace, I sacrificed myself so they could escape. I'd rather die than have Shido win.)

End of Main Character status report

Unknown Location, Time does not exist here, Unknown sublocation

Akechi had woken up. Though, everything was... black. Not like the shade of black when one closes their eyes black, but like pitch black. He cannot see anything whatsoever... he is conscious he can feel himself... so... is this death? Just floating around consciously until the end of time? It would be better if he wasn't conscious during the time... but it seems he cannot choose what happens after death.

He believes he hears the sound of... banging metal? Wait, no that can't be right. Where would the noise even come from? There is nothing here... no ground, nothing... so where could it possibly come from? As he continued to ponder the question the noise only grew louder. Is he going toward the noise or is the noise coming toward him? Is this the afterlife? Just floating around the sound of metal banging onto itself until end?

That would not be the answer, as he began to see a butterfly floating in the void, briefly lighting up the darkness. The butterfly was red, and it had a threatening aura around it. Come to think of it, he saw a butterfly right before he had awakened to Loki and Robinhood.

"You have been given a second chance." the voice from the butterfly had uttered.

"At what, exactly? Turn over a new leaf? How cliché." Akechi mocked the butterfly.

"At life. Know that this world you will enter will not be your own."

Oh, great, Isekai. Pretty sure Akechi didn't remember getting hit by a truck before he died. Not like that matters now, he's talking to a red, glowing butterfly.

"Are you doing this out of pity? If so, you can flap your wings and FUCK OFF." Akechi yelled.

"Pity? Mercy? No, I know what you are, the kind of person you are. I'm not doing this out of pity, I'm doing this because it'd be a waste otherwise." The Butterfly stated.

"A waste? So, you plan on using me as a puppet?"

"That would imply I would control you. But I am aware you are better performing without a leash, so I won't give you one."

Perform? That would imply that this butterfly has something in this world Akechi wants him to do. Normally Akechi would just laugh it off and just accept his death as is, but he is quite curious to what the butterfly has to offer. May as well ask a few questions first.

"Alright, butterfly. Does this world at the very least speak Japanese?" Akechi asked.

"No. They also don't speak English either." the voice said.

"Then what do they speak, exactly?"

"A language called Vytalean."

"Eh, it could be worse."

"Worry not, I will impart you the knowledge of the Vytalean Language, both in tongue and scripture."

"That's good, that way I don't have to waste time trying to learn it on my own."

"Any further questions?"

"I'm not going to wake up as a baby or inside another body, am I?"

"No. You will arrive as yourself."

"That's a relief. Now, who are you?"

"I am a powerful being, as you can observe, I am a god."

"Let me be specific, tell me your name."

"That is fair, I am Astaphaios." Astaphaios introduced himself.

"And why would a god like you need my help?"

"The world I am sending you in... is not my own, yet... I am a god who does not rule a world, and a yearn for one. This one is perfect for my ambitions."

"And something is preventing you from getting to this world?"

"Four relics. A Sword, a lamp, a Crown, and a Staff. They serve as a barrier to keep foreign gods away from this world. You are to destroy them."

"Right. And I assume these gods have champions to guard them?"

"Two. They are on opposing sides. They're unwitting pawns in a game, the winner of the game remakes the world in that god's image. Do not confront the champions directly, as the gods have made each of them unable to die permanently."

"So... this world has two gods?"

"Correct, though said gods have neglected this world."

"And you believe by having me go there and disrupting their game, you can 'fix' this world?"

"That is correct."

This 'Astaphaios' being is giving off a familiar vibe. However, it doesn't seem like he's lying. From the sound of it, he simply wants Akechi to act as his 'champion' in this world to seize control of it and recreate it in his own image. And despite his statement earlier, he still feels like he's being a pawn to his plan. So, he better lay some ground rules and ask for something in exchange to make this a fair deal.

"Normally I don't like the idea of being a pawn, so I want you to offer me something to incentivize me."

"Very well, if you complete my task, I will grant you a single wish."

"I assume that's the best I'll get. So, I'll accept your offer on the condition that you will let me act independently. How I achieve your objective is not up to you."

"You seek to act independently and demand something from me? How demanding, nevertheless I'll accept your deal. Now hold still."

The red butterfly had faded away, but the metallic noise kept getting louder and louder. Akechi can no longer feel anything, he can only hear the sound of metal banging. But then suddenly.

Thursday, December 15, 2016 - Monday, August 7, 2175

Urban Building, August 7, Unknown hour, Unknown Sublocation

This feeling... it's... warmth. Never thought Akechi would feel it again. He opened his eyes, he appears to be on the floor of a building and in a sleeping bag wearing the set of clothes he wore before he entered the metaverse that day, although they look like they were soaked in the ocean. First instinct, he checked his phone. The date on it says... 'August 7, 2175'. If that were the case, then he would be in the future. This is reinforced by the fact he has no access to Reddit's servers. He checked the map and... no data. Guess wherever he is, his phone is not getting any signal. The Metanav app is still present, however.

Akechi began to recall how he got here... he was in Shido's palace intercepting the phantom thieves, lost the fight and had a breakdown, and then made a sacrifice for their sacrifice as he died fighting a cognitive version of himself. Then he had some sort weird dream, something about a butterfly... then he remembers everything. He was sent to this world by Astaphaios to find 4 relics and destroy them. He was also told about two champions that the native gods have placed in this world, both on opposing sides. However, what he doesn't know is where the relics are and who the champions are.

He hears the all too familiar sound of metal banging. He got up and investigated the noise, as it turns out... it was just some guy banging on the door. The door had begun to unlock and entered.

"Welcome to Tukson's Booktrade. We have every book seen by the sun." the man behind the counter said. The language was neither English nor Japanese, yet he somehow understood it completely.

"Do you have any books about drama and intrigue?" the man in front of the counter asked.

"If you're looking for the Flaming Crest Saga, there's a lot of those. The author publishes books like crazy, I think he just published the thirteenth book in the series."

"Right, I'll just look around." the man in front of the counter said, began browsing the store.

Akechi checked his surroundings. If the conversation didn't make it obvious, he was in a bookstore, standing on a sleeping bag, which was in the middle of the store. Grounds, albeit it was faced against the wall. He was sleeping between the horror novel section and cookbook section. This was rather a weird place to wake up in... but it could be worse, one could end up waking up in a far worse situation. He should be lucky he's alive, albeit no doubt he's not in Japan anymore.

The man behind the counter then looked toward Akechi's direction.

"Oh hey, you're awake. Do me a favor and move that sleeping bag, okay?" the man behind the counter asked.

"Why did I wake up in a bookstore?" Akechi asked.

"I was on a nightly stroll, but then I saw your body in the ocean, unconscious. Thankfully I managed to save your life."

That would explain the seawater smell. To why he was placed in this world in the sea and not on dry land is beyond him. Though, he should be lucky he arrived near civilization and not in a den of wild animals. Saving anyone from drowning is nominally a normal reaction of seeing an unconscious, yet alive body in the ocean so really can't be upset with him there.

"And where exactly am I?" Akechi asked.

"You're in Tukson's Booktrade." The man stated.

"Yes, you already said that. But I need more details."

"You're in the City of Vale, capital of the Kingdom of Vale."

"Kingdom? This country has a politically active Monarchy?"

"Eh... not really. The royal family is still there, but they're mostly ceremonial."

"Then why call it a kingdom?"

"Because that's what we always called it."

Well, this place is rather odd. Never heard of this Vale place... must be part of this other world he's in. He was actually surprised he can speak fluently in this strange language as well, it's as if the knowledge of it suddenly came to him.

Akechi picked up the sleeping bag and handed it to the man behind the counter. The man takes the sleeping bag with relief.

"Thank you, kid. Now I suppose you have somewhere to be." the man said.

"Actually, I don't." Akechi stated.

"You an orphan? Well, I can't afford to feed two mouths with the money I make from running this business. In addition to hardly any customers, I have to pay taxes and bills. And since I'm a faunas, I have to pay more according to some old law."

"Faunas?"

"We're just like humans, but with a single animal trait. Some faunas have two, though."

"Riiiight. I'll believe it when I see it."

"Oh, you will."

Since he's here, he may as well pick the guy's brain about this city. Akechi knows he's going to be here for a while, so he may as well know what he's in for. A map would be helpful, along with a calendar that lists the events that happen here, being out of the loop would only raise some eyebrows. He may as well also ask about the relics whilst he's here. First, he's gonna ask about the map.

"Do you have a map of the city? I'm afraid it's my first time here." Akechi said.

"Map? Check your scroll for that." the man said.

"Scroll? As in a piece of paper?"

"Have you been living under a rock?"

"Yes..." Akechi lied.

"Oh for... Scroll is the name for the piece of technology that basically covers the many pocket utilities, it can function as a phone, a videogame controller, and much more." the man explained.

"And where can I get one?"

"You can buy one."

"Unfortunately, I don't think I can afford it."

"Then tough."

"Another question, know about any upcoming events."

"There's the Vytal Festival in December. Happens every 2 years, and it's always something. A fair, games, and a combat tournament between the various huntsman academies."

"That's interesting, anything else?"

"There's the Pyrefest on October 31. It's a Vale only holiday, though this one girl is usually more excited than most on that day. It celebrates the anniversary of burning a treacherous Duke. There's candy, costumes, partying, and lots of debauchery. There's also this wooden statue built to be burnt down every year."

Great. So, this world has a more... decadent version of Halloween. He should also steer clear of the aforementioned girl; he has a feeling that he would not like her at all. Though, he isn't fond of people at all in the first place.

"Any other events I should know about?" Akechi asked.

"Well, the school year for the various academies starts next week. If you're looking to apply, make sure you know how to fight first." the man said.

"So, the school year starts in late August? Interesting."

"Uh huh..."

"Any recent events, lately?" Re

"Well, there's this local crime lord going by Roman Torchwick. The guy's been causing a lot of trouble in Vale. The police are too incompetent to stop him, and he's too elusive for the huntsmen to catch him."

"Huh. I'll stay careful."

Guess some things never change, no matter what world he's in. The police are incompetent no matter where he ends up. He may bend that to his advantage. He has no intention of turning over a new leaf, he knows what he is. Though, he is curious about the huntsman thing. Is wildlife really that much of a problem here? Perhaps it would be best to stay within city limits just in case. His combat skills are limited to the Metaverse after all.

Guess he should be away from the bookstore when he tries to use the Metanav app. He should also try to find the entrance to this world's Mementos should he have time. But first... he'll need a base of operations before he can even consider exploring this world's Mementos.

"Now for one last question: what can I learn about the four relics?" Akechi asked.

"The four relics? As in one of those fairy tales?" the man asked.

"Yes."

"I got books on Fairy tales, but they're not for free."

"It doesn't matter, I'll come back once I get some money."

"Well, I hope you do. Window shoppers tend to take up space."

"I'll be off then." Akechi said. Leaving the store.

The man wished him good luck before leaving. He should be grateful for him supposedly saving his life. Too bad he can't really crash with him right now. Because now Akechi is homeless and broke. With none of the native currency, and no doubt the Yen he has will have any worth, he can't buy anything right now. There is also the fact that he's homeless, being that he has no family or any connections here... he really doesn't have anywhere to crash. Solution? Build some connections.

City of Vale, August 7, Late Morning, Unknown District

Akechi had just stepped outside. From the looks of it. The design of the buildings takes on a modern, western inspired design. And the older buildings take more after western designs, like what one would see in North America and Western Europe. He can get a grasp on how the customs of these people are just by looking at the infrastructure. If he were clueless, he would think he wound up in North America or Europe by mistake. The native inhabitants of this dimension are for sure human, but he doesn't spot any of those aforementioned animal traits on any of them.

Which reminds him, he was informed there is another group of people called faunas by the man running the bookstore. And given he has yet to see any of those aforementioned animal traits. Either the faunas are not as common as humans or made up. If it's the former, then it would make sense that there would be some discrimination against them. And if the humans of this world are anything like the ones on earth, he would find nothing odd about the human vs animal traited discrimination. Though, he does not condone nor condemn it.

He should do some research about this world before he even considers finding the relics. If what the man in the bookstore said is true, then he's being led on a wild goose chase. If not, then the champions don't want people to know about the relics. So... if he wants to get to the relics, it's best if he plays for one side or the other... or perhaps both. But to play it on the safe side, it's better to stick allegiance to one faction over the other and sabotage the aforementioned faction's schemes and pin them on the opposition and they won't be none the wiser. After all, there likely won't be anyone other than himself having access to the Metaverse so he can pull the strings on the plans whilst keeping the heat off of him.

He continues to take a stroll around the city to familiarize himself with the place. Suddenly, a group of muggers attacked him in broad daylight. There were three of them, none of them apepar to have any animal traits. Seriously, it's not even noon, are the police here really this useless? Not even in Japan this would be acceptable. If they're gonna commit a crime, they better at least have proper manners beforehand, sundown or in a secluded area. He's more mad about how stupid the muggers are than being mugged himself.

"Alright, pretty boy. Hand over everything ya got." one of the muggers threatened.

"I don't have any money, nor do I have anything valuable." Akechi retorted.

"Did I stutter?"

"How about you try mugging your friends over there, instead?" Akechi bluffed, not sure if it would actually work... buut... he snapped his fingers at the mugger.

Suddenly the mugger's face went droll and started laughing in an insane manner. The mugger went to attack their friends instead of Akechi. Meanwhile Akechi could watch in marvel as he somehow managed to cause someone to go berserk outside of the metaverse... was this gift from whoever sent them here or perhaps this world has more supernatural properties than he first seemed to appear? Many possibilities can be opened up just by this achievement alone. He can simply go up to someone and make them go berserk without their shadow manifesting in mementos or in a palace. He can now berserk someone directly in the real world, Akechi's smile grew large upon the realization and the possibilities of this new potential.

Upon his pondering, he had only noticed the berserk mugger and one of the two non-berserk muggers ended up mutually killing each other, leaving one scared one. Akechi uses this to his advantage to get some money and a scroll.

"Unless you wish to join them, I would suggest handing over your money and scroll." Akechi threatened.

The mugger backed down and dropped the mentioned items on the floor, in which Akechi had picked up and stored safely. The mugger then ran away scared.

"Well, at least that wasn't a total waste of time." Akechi said in Japanese. The fact that he's the only one who speaks this language means no one could understand him, perhaps he can use that to his advantage.

Akechi took out the scroll, went into settings and had a factory reset initiated on the scroll. After some time, Akechi booted up the scroll and began to set it up, it was not too dissimilar from a phone's set up. Once the set up was complete, the metanavigator app appeared on the scroll. This may be more convinient to use the metanav from the scroll than his phone. He'd blend in more if he's using native technology. He will go visit mementos tomorrow, but for now he needs to look for a place to stay. He checked his scroll; a map of Vale can be seen. Apparently, he's in the commercial district near the docks. Unsurprising, given that he somehow wound up in the ocean.

He checked for a hotel to stay for the night. There's one nearby and it costs something called 'Lien'. Which Akechi assumes is the name for the native currency. It costs roughly around 200 Lien a night, and Akechi has roughly 4,000 Lien. So, he can stay for 20 nights, minus costs for food of course. Though, he should minimize costs for food. Regardless, this world best prepare for the Detective Prince to make his debut here, as well for what lies underneath the charade.

Author's Footnote: First, some explanations.

Year 2175? I know it's a weird stretch, but I'm not gonna elaborate on that.

I decided to give Akechi the ability to make people go berserk in the real world as well as shadows in the metaverse. However, it does have some conditions. It won't work with those with a strong will, strong aura, or with 'special eyes'. It also cannot work on the grimm. Anyone else is fair game. Think of this as his "Semblance".

Why separate English from Remnant's language? Well, I did so in another fanfiction, and I don't want to be inconsistent.

Astaphaios is an independent factor, not affiliated with the characters of Akechi's native world, however he is similar to Yaldabaoth. The part of him might not be totally in character, but I don't wanna use the gateway thing again. Figured something involving a god would make sense.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm only intending for Akechi to access the metaverse, though that might change depending on my whims.

I do not intend for Akechi to be a good person. He's gonna be either an Anti-Hero (Not the edgy kind) at best or an irredeemable monster at worst.

This version of Remnant is not the same as the one the canon one, it is an alternate timeline. The timeline also starts before Volume 1.

After all of that, the prologue to this fanfic is done. Let me know what you think.