We're on the ground, Maruki standing over us, a triumphant smile on his face. I slowly stagger to my feet, planting myself between him and Futaba. He cocks his head and laughs.
"Your battle is already over, Trickster. You know it's futile, but yet something pushes you to keep going... What could it be?"
I force myself to stand up straight, dagger in hand. "Good question..." My face cracks into a smile. "But even if I told you, you wouldn't understand, because you're just a cold-blooded bastard! YOU WOULDN'T KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO FIGHT FOR OTHERS WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND SOUL!" I stagger forward, swinging my blade, cutting into his arm.
Maruki swings for my legs, the pole of his scepter knocking me down. He swings for my head and I roll out of the way, kicking his legs out from under him. "After all your talk of healing, now you only control? That's quite a shift for you!" Maruki scowls.
"I have no use for healing if it cannot save these people." He kicks me back and to the ground, charging a blast of energy. "And what of you? Fighting for a promise made to a couple teenagers? You think such a trivial cause can compete with God's resolve? I ordain what people will or will not feel! THAT'S my cause!! And to serve it, I forsake all else!" An orb of energy appears above his hand, expanding to a massive size.
"JOKER!! GET OUT OF THE WAY!!" Futaba screams.
"PERISH PHANTOM THIEF, AND BE NO MORE!!!" Maruki throws his orb at me, the monstrous thing carving through the floor like hot butter, leaving a trail of destruction in it's wake. Time seems to slow.
You've forsaken all else yet dare to call my cause trivial? I fight for Futaba... For Ryuji and Ann! I fight for the oath I made to my friends, for my pride! I fight for all I've built and all I am! UNLIKE YOU, I WON'T ABANDON ALL THAT TO PLAY GOD!!
"MYRIAD TRUTHS!!" The Almighty Spell catches him off guard, carving through his own spell and forcing Maruki to his knees. Before I can Attack again, he waves his hand, Reality shifting so I'm the one on the ground as he swings the ball of his spiked scepter down at me.
I slide my hand up toward it, catching the pole, and using it to pull myself up again. Maruki waves his hand, trying to bend reality again. I can feel the world pulling at me... but I refuse to be controlled EVER AGAIN! I shatter through his shift, and I begin to throw punches left and right, fighting harder than I'd ever fought before, Maruki yelling in shock.
"You think your Reality Bending will save you? That it gives you the strength you need? WELL NOT IF I HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT!!!" He staggers back as I charge another attack. "Only a failure abandons his principles and pride!" Maruki is staring up at me in an awed kind of fear. "DO YOU ACTUALLY THINK I'D LET YOU STOP ME!?! MYRIAD TRUTHS!!"
The Almighty energy crackles across his body, leaving Maruki beaten and bruised on the ground.
"No... This isn't the end... THIS IS NOT THE WAY THIS ENDS!! DAMN! YOU!!" Doctor Maruki screams, slamming his fist into the ground, his spiked scepter slowly losing substance, turning into just a single spike. He stands again, screaming in rage. Maruki draws back and throws his spear at me. I make ready to block, but the weapon shoots past me, hitting something else with the crunching sound of breaking bones. I turn, and Futaba is staggering, the spear sticking out of her chest.
My knife clatters to the ground as she starts to fall, her head hitting hard on a loose stone.
"FUTABA!!!" I catch her as she starts to slide off the Palace. "Nononono... Diarahan!" Light sparkles on her, but her wounds don't heal. "No, PLEASE!! DIARAHAN!! DIARAHAN!!" Futaba slowly grabs my hand.
"K-'Kira... I love... I l-love...... I..." Her eyes slowly glaze over, her hand going limp in mine. Akechi grabs my shoulder, lifting me to my feet.
"She's gone. Let's finish this. NOW!" I stagger forward, everyone's eyes sparkling with tears.
"Why..." I look up at Maruki. "How dare you..." I clench my fist, power surging through my entire body. "What did you do... TO MY FUTABAAAAAA!?!?!?!"
*******
"What did you do... TO MY FUTABAAAAAA!?!?!?!?!?!" Akira vanishes into nothingness, appearing directly in front of Maruki, his fist slamming into the Doctor's stomach. I grip Ryuji's hand, and he pulls me close.
Akira moves faster than I ever thought possible, even faster than he had only moments ago, his fists slamming into Maruki as he screams in desperation.
After a moment, Maruki retaliates, slamming his own fist into Akira's face. Joker turns his head, pushing back the fist, and returns with a punch of his own to Maruki's stunned face. Maruki hits the ground, falling still. Joker scowls, his every action fueled by his rage.
"You are a fool. I'm going to crush you, and watch as your ashes scatter in the wind!" Joker raises his hand, crushing Jose's star in his hand, the resulting burst of energy pushing everyone back. Akira lowers his hand, no Persona appearing to cast a spell. This would be something new.
"I can bring her back. Let me win, and I'll bring her back for you." Joker slowly takes aim, his body crackling with black and red energy.
"I'll bring her back myself." His face scrunches up in concentration. "EARTH BREAKER!!" The resulting beam of energy that appears is puny, a tiny beam that disappears into Maruki. Then, with a blast like a bomb, he explodes, his body shattering like any other Shadow, fading to dust. Joker walks over to Futaba's body and sighs, exhausted.
"Once this world is returned back to the original timeline, they'll come back... both of them... I'm certain of it..." Ryuji walks over to his best friend, and pats his shoulder.
"Let's get her out of here then." Akira picks up Futaba's limp body, and carries her to Morgana, who transforms into a car. We all pile in and Morgana drives off the edge of the platform, transforming back into a cat just before we hit the ground, stalling our fall. We touch down and before we can start running away. The world around me begins to twist and change color.
"We're going home, Ann." I nod at my boyfriend, pressing a kiss to Ryuji's lips before the entire world vanishes in a flash of light.
(A/N): Bonus Points for anyone who knows where I got my inspiration for this whole scene.
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My Key Item (Joker X Futaba) Persona 5 Royal
FanfictionAfter months of getting to know and love Futaba Sakura, knowing that she is the one he wants to spend the rest of his life with, it's all ripped away by one man. Takuto Maruki has decided that people cannot be allowed to think for themselves, and t...
