Persona 5: Alternative
By: Kingdomkeylight / J.A.K
In loving respect for some awesome people to enjoy
Prologue
Bom, bom, bom, bom, bom
The midnight serenade of a sky tainted with crimson grey moonlight followed the drums of war. Lanterns alit to the beat in existence of a massive Japanese-styled castle made from redwood, and black stone. Beyond the presence of the foreboding castle was a resounding cackling bestial roar quickly proven to be centered around the eastern wall as a massive explosion of electricity blustered against its walls and halls. Inside the very castle where the very blast had been dodged was a disastrous trail of fractures, and standing near the edge of it a kneeling entity slowly standing back up after flawlessly executing a to-the-wire dodge. The entity stood up revealing a completely covered head-to-toe black skin-tight suit-wearing individual with no prominent features other than a heavy-duty belt across his waste oddly in the shape of a white wristwatch that seemed to have two notable sockets that something could be inserted into. Also that of a dark brown trench coat that covered the entity much like a noir age-old detective.
"If I didn't know any better I would think I wasn't welcome here," the entity chuckled turning with a snarky lip to another unique individual holding out a dark yellow folding fan to which electricity was emitting off in a disturbing display of charged currents all around its closed form. The attacker was dawned in a dark yellow kimono with grey-edged tinted sleeves, and baggy pants matching the theme much like a Shogunate in their formal wear even dawning its sigil of a Kirin beast upon the torso area of their outfit. Their face though lay hidden by lack of lighting in the particular large hallway thanks to the destruction of the electrical blast.
"PROTECT THE SHOGUNATE. TO THE ARMS OF THE CLEANSER OF SHUJIN CASTLE. PURE. ASTUTE. PRIDE," the words came yelling out from all directions above as unnaturally sized shadow-like humanoid foot soldiers dressed in yellow leather gear jumped from the rafters above blocking the intruder entity from the attacker now known as the Shogunate.
As the wide space filled with profound numbers of foot soldiers. Yet it was the three last to arrive that hit the scene dressed in full Samurai armor unlike the rest as their landing shook the very ground with a wave of weighted presence. The first was dressed in graceful white armor with a golden goose atop its head, and held in their arms a celestial yari, the second donned in heroic crimson red clasped onto a legendary katana with their helm resting a fiery red dragon, but the last was cloaked in demonic purple armor clutching onto hellishly blood-dripping kanabo with a demon sitting atop their helm with a face ready to devour.
"Never mind, you were just preparing the red carpet," the intruder laughed exuberantly at the show of force given in response to his assault on the castle. Without any need for response, the intruder charged forward as the shadow foot soldiers raised their weapons charging in vigor and confidence. Yet the first shadow to meet the intruder in combat immediately found its face pulverized to dust upon contact with a fast right jab. Another two were quickly cleaved in half with a heavy left wide kick as the intruder kept their forward momentum as a group of shadow foot soldiers took a jumping flight all around him. During the surrounding net of shadowy men's approach, three more had charged in from different angles. Still, it was met with blinding light burning them upon touch from an aggressively intense claymore with a blade burning with some form of intense white energy as he swung it not even to strike, but more to rest it on his shoulder. The weapon's sheer force burned a heavy impression yet before he could launch his counter-assault onto the wave coming from above the watch of his build started to blink with some sound of warning causing him to facepalm in annoyance as the sword dispersed from existence by him letting go of his grip.
"Won't you just let me have some quick fun busted bag of bolts," as the encroaching circle of soldiers was suddenly overwhelming him upon near contact they were blasted away midair and ripped apart by superior laser fire. The three Samurai prepared to move forward before their master raised a hand halting their movement. As the shot soldiers turned to mist the intruder was revealed to be brandishing two high-tech pistols black with purple indented kanji inscriptions for Legendary, and Unbreakable. Unleashing a torrent of gunfire the intruder rapidly mowed down another wave of enemies before he was tackled directly by two of them forcing him back his feet dragging heavily against the ground in gravel uprising resistance as two other foot soldiers fought to rip the guns from his grasp.
"Oh come on enough of the ants at least send one of the big beetles in. I don't want to have to finish this up too fast," the intruder taunted before with a regain of footing he halted the pushing tackle. With one twist of his own body, he spun in circles with the four soldiers holding on for dear life screaming as he unleashed another hellish volley of laser fire. Each shot made its mark taking out another soldier like they were nothing to his approaching calm before the storm. As he halted in his bullet storm the shadows holding onto him lost grip sending them hurdling into a pinball group of their brethren and toppling them over before the one-man army could continue.
However, the intruder got his wish as an intense fire slash gashed into his torso dealing a heavy blow to the intruder. As black blood escaped the medium-sized wound delivered by the red samurai the intruder was sent back dead center into the fractured wall with flames now trying to consume him. Stripping the massive stride the intruder had made through the enemy's line the Red Samurai re-sheathed his flaming sword putting out its flame.
"Okay, good shot me. I was clearly asking for it," the intruder strangely proclaimed humored by the wound, and in the tension of momentum stolen by one strike. It seemed the Intruder had not been as ready as they thought for this frontal charge, and as he reared up ready to dislodge himself from the wall a bright yellow light signaled a sour groan from the intruder before he was blasted straight through the wall. Thrown so far out into the distance he smashed into a building a good two miles away as electricity burned through his nerves. The watch head of his belt started to ring and his form started to fade as the number "00:00" appeared on its screen.
"Dammit, that's what I get for showing off too soon...," he mumbled as he lifted himself seeing the fortress out in the distance knowing he needed to handle this sooner... than later. For now, given the minor hiccup, he wouldn't meet his original deadline the price of no sense of caution a burden in this double-edged dilemma of his.
"Damage control on two fronts now... ain't that a pain in the ass," the Intruder sighed shaking his head as he completely faded out of existence.
...
Chapter 1
Click, click, click
The midnight air was moderately gusty for a Spring flavor in early March. It was flushed with the tints of rosy-esque scents of the harvest season being blown downward. A long snake-like road the upward trek of which, was quite a menace to those not driving as the incline only got worse the further up you went. The area itself was surrounded by older structural opaque buildings meant to last but aged with dim colors if not rustic painting each a different story amongst the road only adding to the reception of distance.
One delivery bicyclist with a package in tow was experiencing such the hard way apparently from lack of air from the vigorous trek. At best, he was about maybe 19 in age sporting a orange striped silver shirt and bike branded with the name Shibaura Stampeding Deliver plastered over a charging rhino with a package perfectly atop its horn. He wore a hat with similarly branded covering a mop top of jet black hair hiding much else in facial features other than his thin lips.
Pausing at a rare occurrence of a flat spot parking for a newspaper stand on the road the boy heaved a bit as he took a big swig of water from his water pack attached to his bike. Leaning down against it eccentrically grinning as he patted the box behind him, this was it the big build-up of his dream. He just had to get over an upward hill battle two more miles, and then? It was an easy five-mile straight-away shot. This gig was as important to him as the day of his birth, and all he had to do was drop this small box off to an office space up by Tokyo Tower. The lights of which were starting to come into the distance like a beacon of calling. After catching his breath he pumped himself up slapping the sides of his face again as he reclipped on his helmet before turning around once to confirm the package was still securely... tied off of the bike, and in the hands of a hoodie hidden girl.
There was an awkward pause as the two shared a moment of disbelief. How had she snuck up on him so silently? Why couldn't he have just rested a second more? Each thought separately crossed their minds as there was no proper approach to how to react at this very moment. Even with the Plan Jane Grey concealing hoodie the bicycler could tell the thief was a girl given her rather assertively gifted assets given to her during puberty no doubt. Any detail pass that only showed itself amongst a common black skateboard she held onto with her other hand that had not professionally been involved with untying the box from the bike.
"Um... ma'am I going need you to... WAIT," the bicycler yelled out as the girl immediately hauled ass back down the very street he had just almost completed. Jumping on her skateboard and building up intense speed within seconds she was off like the wind. With everything suddenly on the line with no thoughts of self-preservation the teen turned his bike around curving straight into pursuit. The lights on the chase flickered on, and off as they passed numerous lamp posts in a fast tempo of adrenaline. The girl rather skillfully hung to the corners with each curvy turn breathing only when on a straight shot. She couldn't afford to give attention to her pursuer as her ears only listened to the volume of the wind giving her an understanding of how much she was accelerating and allowing her to keep muscle control in mind as it elevated.
"MA'AM PLEASE THAT IS NOT YOUR PACKAGE. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ME," the bicyclist was catching up determined not to have everything ruined by this unfathomable event. However, unlike her, his element in extreme sportsmanship was subpar in comparison as his lack of breath, and poor control of the bike were evident as he constantly tried to slow down losing the edge to truly catch up. She couldn't give him any attention of mind... this was the most important theft of her life. The velocity was quickly building a rift between the two riders, and with little else left to mend it the bicyclist finally let go of his brakes aiming for a dangerous straight shot on one of the curves in an attempt to cut her off.
"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? PLEASE THIS WILL RUIN MY GAHHHH," upon the next sharp turn the girl hugged tight against the edge of the road's sidewalk. The bicyclist in his attempt to halt her at this point rather disoriented by the constant flashing of lights had not properly processed his spatial awareness. Turning instead into a massive mistake as he up, and smacked right into the sidewalk throwing him right off the bike and sending him tumbling into a trash pile barely cushioning his landing. He was gone from her sight within a second as she kept going not even attempting a look back to see what had happened to the poor boy she had robbed.
After a few minutes of this, she eventually made it to the bottom of the hillside slowing down bit by bit in case that boy had gotten back up to return to the chase. As she halted at the end she was finally allowed to start letting her breath catch up to all the energy she had burnt up in that stunt. Straightening herself out she quickly took out an iPod player selected a DJ Acid Heart song to create the illusion of a late-night stroller, and eventually took a step off her skateboard. The height of the chase started to bare down on her as she stumbled a bit holding tightly to the box fetching the skateboard as she kept moving into the more lucrative alleyways of the downhill area. All she had to do now was drop the box off in a paid-for tourist locker and walk away. Following that she would get exactly what she needed to move ahead in life, and move on from the "sickness" that plagued her.
With little time left the hoodied girl made quick leg work towards her targeted area where neon lights started to take over marking dozens of color hues to the once-darkened stretches. Exiting the back alleyways near a Hostess Club right before taking the next left a panicked yelp caught her attention. This directed her to the club's entrance to see a freshly bruised, and well-dressed woman knocked down with a hand holding onto the sidewalk's railing desperately, and another where a serious welt was now forming. It didn't take long for the source of the welt to come into view as a Viking of a burly thuggish-looking man swayed in quite a bit like someone who had gone way past the safety net of alcohol consumption.
"That was... hic pretty rude what you said in their non-meta... hic. Heh, and quite ballsy of you to strike me when I corrected ya. So I got a bit handsy... hic that doesn't give ya the right to go slappin important people a second time, and now you have forced my hand to remind ya... of your place," at first the deep-voiced male seemed amused but the longer he talked the more his body language clearly stated he was going to hit her again as his fist started to clench up. This wasn't the skater girls' business this was not the time to be dumb in this type of area. The girl started walking away shaking her head at the very notion trying to numb the scene with music raising the volume until...
"HELP," the cabaret woman screamed as the burly brute winded up for a second shot before the loud reverberating sound of a snapping skateboard could be heard triggering the burly man to stumble forward a single step. A bit confused he turned to see quite a few broken wooden chips on his shoulder as well as half a skateboard hanging off his suit. Slowly he brushed the chips off before grabbing the chunk of skateboard ripping the shoulder pad of the outfit as he turned around to find the hoodied girl holding the other half. The man's confusion turned quickly to laughter as he threw away the skateboard chunk to the side now sluggishly moving towards the skater girl. The hostess seeing her chance to run went straight for the club doors though this seemed to not bother, or even be noticeable to the brick house. His amused expression saw a smirk grow across his stubbled brown beard, and his buzzcut bruiser face built the picture real fast with unhinged brown eyes that she really should have taken to her own damn opinion and not gotten involved. A partial thought even blaming the techno rave music getting a rise out of her still hyper-aware adrenaline. With a raised eyebrow at the short 5.2 ft girl as he a solid 7 ft chuckled shaking his head all in amusement. With his suit rather a mess around the neckline with a barely functioning tie the skater girl could tell nothing she said was going to de-escalate this situation.
"Well. Can't say I am too surprised. You trashy sheep stay together after all. Heh, though you got some fight at least," the titan of a man spoke as the skater girl quickly realized her mistake of backing away at this current angle cutting her escape into a closed-off back alley. She was screwed as it seemed karma came knocking awfully fast this time with his clenched fist pounding to a rhythm with each step he took after her. This is what moment of kindness got her after all... damn... she knew better. Fear started to build up as she became this man's target of aggression. In a moment of hesitation with her mind having no options in the barren alley to work with his hand shot forward causing her to leap back in panic.
Before she could make the distance his open hand snatched from her the only thing keeping her calm... the box. She didn't dare attempt to take it back as she made a bit more distance between them with what little time she had left before she was out of space. Her eyes stayed glued to it though as hyperventilation started to sink in... that was her way out, and now it was as far away from her as could be. Not even remotely curious about what was in it the Brickhouse tossed it perfectly jutting into a ventilation stack precedingly shredding it to pieces in a puff of brown, white, and blue blur of scrap paper. Her only escape from this town torn asunder stealing whatever words she may have contemplated squashed in a moment. The air left her body for a moment yet that didn't matter as she doubted she would be getting out of this alive as her back touched the wall, and the big man seemed quite satisfied... he was going to kill her.
"KENJI," a much more indomitable voice yelled out behind the burly man causing him to halt in noticeable annoyance as the stacked man let out a momentous growl in anger.
"COME ON LET ME HAVE SOME FORM OF... ah shit," he yelled out before deflating into a mumble turning to a much more suave gentleman-like figure decked out in a perfect form-fitted black suit with white stripes. Hair as white as snow slicked down to the nape of his neck with piercing red eyes strangely casting a calming effect out in the distance. Even more important was the flashing of police lights followed by the sound of sirens. It wasn't hard to put together for the skater girl that the Hostess had called the cops. Yet a wave of dread followed right after relief quickly placing her from the frying pan straight into the fire as she realized the boy on the bike could have called them as well. Rather quickly an elderly cop with a bald split of brown-grey hair came across the corner stopping at the sight of the suave gentleman in surprise.
"Commissioner Yamagishi?... Is that Baonko what the hell's going on? Hands up," the policeman spoke quickly latching onto the sight of the burly man now dubbed "Baonko" clearly being a distaste in the girl's favor as the law had him raise his hands to which the tank Baonko complied mumbling some colorful words about this situations turn. Yet before she could utter a word the other office that her attention had been void to due to the pleasant change suddenly unveiled her revealing a girl with dark blue straight-laced hair, and emerald eyes adorning a rather average petite-like face nothing exceptionally amazing or even charming for that matter.
"Hina Oygi well ain't this something," the other officer shook his head as if not surprised at all by who was under the hoodie.
"Oh? What's this about Mojin," the suave Commissioner Yamagishi asked. Creating the air that his position was probably just recently gained in promotion from another district as his curiosity to the reaction of the other officer while nearing the vent where the box had been shredded. Noticing the leftover residual blue paper he bent down to inspect, and read over what little content remained as he awaited an explanation.
"Big-time juvenile delinquent in this area, and quite the thief this one," Officer Mojin started to explain but was instantly cut off.
"That would match all that transpired here. Arrest her Officer Rongi," the red-eyed gentleman mulled having looked over the paper with some strange thoroughness as he turned to the office next to Hina. The very words froze the girl in place with a deep wave of confusion enfeebling her motion to the very spot.
"Sir?"
"Baonko, and the lovely lady were out here just getting some fresh air. The lady was showing him some sort of box when out of nowhere on a skateboard this girl came screaming in punching the poor hostess before bashing Baonko with her skateboard as he tried to shield her. This Oygi girl then grabbed the box, and as Baonko attempted to calm her down keeping her from going at anyone else she threw the box into that vent shaft destroying the poor girl's belongings," the Commissioner explained creating a look of uncertainty in Officer Rongi, and Mojins faces.
"Sir? She's never had a single recorded incident of violence, and you're telling me Baonko whose record is full of violence along with being the Katsungo's Family right-hand man wasn't the perpetrator of this situation," Hina flinched as Mojin questioned the situation revealing that this lunk was not just a violent man but a legit well-connected criminal. Masami could feel her breath build up as the realization that death had been potential at her feet made her take a step back causing Rongi to catch her shoulders.
"Sir she's practically terrified there is no way...," Rongi was cut off instantly.
"Are you questioning someone of my credentials, rank, and history to lie," Yamagishi asked not threateningly, or hostile yet with a strange aura of equal confusion. As if he was legit throwing his worth at someone as downright holy to his fellow law upholder, not straight face lying to the degree of the situation. Hina couldn't even utter a word as she felt nausea at everything happening no words could escape her mouth atop the weight of the loss of the box, the threat over her life, and now a theft of her innocence.
"Tell you what I understand no doubt you have good instincts, and this does probably build a bizarre situation. Come on I'll direct you to the hostess she'll tell you the same thing. Officer Rongi at least take the suspect over to your squad car," Yamagishi instructed Rongi as he led Mojin, and Baonko to the club. Hina was sure everything would clear itself out right?
No doubt the hostess would cause this insanity to cave in on itself. Yet as Rongi brought her around the club about to attempt to have her sit in the vehicle she stole a glance through the club window and looked into the bar. Her heart stopped as the hostess was giving a statement, and the look of pure fear held to the woman's face like Hina's. She could tell, she was being set up, and as the world spun from that moment she would quickly find herself noticing Commissioner Yamagishi looking at her knowingly as he raised a finger up to his lips domineering a will of silence.
Hina's mind couldn't take it all anymore finding herself mad dashing out of Rongi's grip making a beeline for the back alleys the sounds of sirens, and police officers yelling the nightmarish roar of the predator to sabotage her life. As she cut more, and more corners taking routes extremely hazardously to make distance she pulled out her phone called her parents, and finally found some source of voice though a bit condescending for someone in her position.
"Mom, Dad I lost the package, and now the police are after...," she was quickly cut off by an immediate response from her handlers.
"You're on your own,"
The line was killed instantly. Hina's eyes went wide as it became clear her parents had just disowned her for her blunder with the police. Small-time crooks taking on a big-ass job that had now botched so hardcore that they were cutting their losses. She didn't feel anything from it as she growled in frustration she knew they weren't worth it. However, something made her want to hope they would catch her hands as the world fell apart all around her. No, no such thing was going to happen there was only one route now. Without any reservations knowing full well she needed to make real distance she ran towards a dead end before diving off a second-story staircase landing smack dab hard into an old mattress pile. Rolling off she continued to scurry silently to the right into the hustle, and bustle of city life hiding amongst the crowd as she made another call as the rain started to come down.
It would take all night on foot to make it to her destination before she could then catch sight of the agreed-upon meeting sight an old school hotel. She went straight to door 15 where a man hidden by a raincoat opened the door catching the now extremely energy-depleted girl the very sight of the man seemed to give her some comfort as he barely caught her. She aimed to say something but he started to hush her with legitimate parental concern.
"No, no keep it to yourself niece I gotcha, I gotcha you're safe now," a very smooth voice promised as he got her into the room making sure no cops, or any other form of witnesses were around to see her. He took her in immediately grabbing a bag with an ironing curler, green hair dye, a ton of bandage wraps, and quite a few things of face masks with a strange identity card with only the name "Masami Ogawa" legible on it as he closed the door for the night.
...