Real & the Ideal: A Persona 5R Dark Sun Sequel (Goro Akechi x Amamiya Ren)

21: Out of Kindness

(Ren's P.O.V)

"Quick! Get inside!"

Skull called out to Mona and Noir, the last two Thieves to rush into the elevator.

We'd finished off the latest over-levelled shadow: a gigantic Surt, and had rushed through a large circular room with mechanical pod-seats and cognition's all sitting in them, being brainwashed to accept Maruki's reality.

It was a shocking sight to see: just another secret of what Maruki's deepest desires truly were. The deeper we delved into the Palace, the more oppressive it became.

But just as the group of us stopped to try and process the totalitarian altruism that Maruki was spawning, a huge group of enemies rushed us from beyond the stairs. We just managed to get into the elevator before they all ambushed us.

We hadn't even had a chance to really understand what had happened with Kasumi earlier. Everything in the Palace was moving just too quickly now, leaving us scrambling.

"Quick! Press up! Press up!!!" Oracle yelped as Noir picked up Mona and dove into the elevator. The doors closed within inches of the shadows jumping at us, and Skull punched the 'up' button on the panel, effectively sending us on our way before the group of 10 enemies could attack.

Our elevator rose high into the next floor, and the group of us all heaved a heavy sigh of relief...

But...it was a short lived comfort.

"Did you guys...feel that? After that set of doors locked back there?"

A quiet silence befell the cramped space as we all tried to regain our bearings. But my mind was still running on autopilot.

What Ryuji was talking about: I could feel it, in my chest and my heart. An unconscious forboding...like a curse, telling me I shouldn't be here.

I looked up to meet Skull's eyes.

"It's like...this weight, on my shoulders and on my chest." The blonde Thief shifted uncomfortably.

"Ever since Maruki locked that room..I could feel it. It's like the feeling you get when the security level of a Palace is at 99%, and you know that any minute, a high levelled enemy could come and wipe you out from anywhere..."

"I feel it too." Fox frowned from his spot beside Mona.

"The weight of Maruki's cognition is getting stronger...the deeper we dive into this Palace, the heavier it gets. The closer we get to the treasure, the more he doesn't want us here.." Yusuke crossed his arms and seemed to stare at the floor of the elevator, deep in worried thought.

"It's almost like...his cognition is weighing us down. Telling us to turn back. That whatever lies ahead...it isn't safe..." Mona pouted through his words as he rubbed his paws together nervously.

"The physical weight of his feelings is festering into a physical presence. I've just....I've never felt anything like it before." I could only swallow the lump in my throat as I stared at Mona. I could see that he, along with the rest of the group, were all growing uncomfortable.

"It's the weight of his oppression." I looked towards Crow as he spoke up. Beyond his tired eyes and soft, fatigued panting, I could still see the suffering in his gaze. It was clear that his mind was struggling greatly.

"Why else would Dr.Maruki want us here? The deeper we dive into his cognition, the more at risk he becomes. If we get too close, he will lose his lifes' work. This is his defense mechanism- it's weighing us down, and making it harder for us to succeed." I watched Akechi's jaw stiffen as his eyes met mine. The reflection of pain and aggrivation was clear in his gaze. Shido was weighing on him.