Persona 5 Royal: Makoto X Male Reader OC- The Forgotten Shadow (Part 1)

Not The Same (Chapter 141)

(Evening August 24th)

*Your POV*

It's another late day in the office, sitting in your chair listening to Sae discuss the current case. Akechi, a close partner, has been by your side, working hard and effortlessly with you to solve each one. On the off chance of it being a mental shutdown or breakdown case, you have requested the case personally. Sae would be quick to comment on the constant priority of cases, but she soon realized that fighting with you was pointless.

Sae: This case comes from a driver who seemingly had a shutdown incident. Hitting and killing a pedestrian. Y/N, I want you to head to the scene of the crime and see if you can find anything.

You: It won't give us much of what we already know.

Sae: Akechi is going to the morgue to examine the corpse. If someone is causing these incidents, I need you two to come to a conclusion about this one.

Akechi: I'll head on over right now.

You: Same here.

Sae: Just a second. Y/N, after you finish with your inspection, I have something I must discuss with you.

You: Sure, that shouldn't be a problem.

Sae: Alright, you two are dismissed.

Walking out of the office, you take a cab to the street where the crime scene occurred. Like all the other cases, you have used your Shadow Sense and Persona abilities to help you peer into the other world. Finding the fragmented shadows to see what they can offer to you. They usually all say the same thing. "The Black Knight". Being the source of all the recent cases, it has become apparent that he is trying to lure you out. If he is playing a game or something else. The people being affected and shutdown has been random ever since the assassin died.

You: Reveal me your secrets!

Shadows: The...Black Knight....

You: Tell me something I don't know.

Shadows: Man...Monster... It works... In Shadows...and light...."

You: Do you know his identity?

Shadows: He knows you... Wants you to see.... Wants to show you...

You: Show me?

Shadows: He smiles with every stain.... He hopes to do...to achieve his ambition.

You: He's just a madman.

Shadows: He is a creature... Born of this world...born in the darkness... He works to find himself...

You: What? Don't give him excuses! Reveal your secrets!

Shadows: You...Not the...Same...

You:..!

Shadows: You...Fight...Survive...Live... The Black Knight...Strives for death...for pain... Won't stop until... You understand.

You: Understand what?

Shadows:...His life is yours to decide....now.... LEAVE US....!

You: Not until you answer my questions!

Shadows: YoU dOn'T bElOnG hErE aNyMoRe!!!

You: Shit!

Stepping back from the plane, the shadows try to grab you. Severing yourself from the connection and world, you find yourself back in the normal world—a soft sigh of disappointment. Turning away, you leave the crime scene and ponder as you sit in the cab back to work. Thinking about what they revealed about the Black Knight. It seems every time he causes an incident, more and more shadows learn more. It's almost like he has been leaving clues. Clues to what? You don't know. But soon, it will be revealed.

Stepping out of the cab, you pay your fare and head inside the office. It helps to know you got a decent amount of money saved up from working your job for a small while now. You know a good amount of the people in the office, and they surely know you. Rising in the popularity, the "Junior Detective" name has been recognized. Some even have started to imply that the name has a different calling. They all remind you with the name "Ace". Your ability to be spot-on and thorough has been seen and measured. You have a spotless record of your assisted arrests and your completed cases. You enter the floor where Sae sits and sips on her coffee.

You: I've returned from the site.

Sae: Good, Akechi already turned in his report, a copy is on your desk if you wish to look at it.

You: I got my own report.

Sae: Let me hear it.

After a brief discussion, you tell her of a possible clue that the suspect causing the incidents might be obsessed with being caught or some other purpose. It intrigues Sae to a fine degree. But then she stops you and asks you to stop thinking about work.

You: I've been working here and solving these cases, why do I need to slow down?

Sae: You are still young and barely an adult. I have watched you take nearly sleepless nights to finish filing a case and report in that time. Hell, when's the last time you shaved or showered? You are slowly turning into a mess from my standpoint.

You: I may be a little disheveled, but keep myself clean, so don't worry.

Sae: You've worked for three days without having a single moment to yourself other than to sleep.

You: Fair point, but that's because we've had multiple cases pop up all at once. You expect you and Akechi to tackle them all yourselves?

Sae: If you were aware, we are two highly capable officials in this building. Akechi might be the same age as you, but he knows his limits and when it is unhealthy. We know how to get the job done without having to not live.

You: You might want to look in a mirror after saying that.

Sae: I am in charge here; it is quite different compared to you two. So, I can recognize that you need some time off.

You: What?! No! I am getting this close to figuring out who is the one-

Sae: And what proof do you have?

You: I-Uhh... I know I can get some and show who it is-

Sae: *Sighs* You really want to do this case and this situation, I know. But I am ordering you to take a breather. Come back in a week and clean yourself up while you are at it. Talk to my sister, friends, and family. I don't really care. Just get out there.

You: Makoto?

Sae: Did I stutter? Yes, she has been bothering me about you. She's worried and misses you. Even if I dread the idea, she wants to go out with you some more. Don't neglect my sister, you hear?

You: Are you going to suspend me then?

Sae: Are you going to make me?

You: No, you win. I'll take the week, but it is straight back into this, you hear me.

Sae: Fine, sure, whatever you say. Just take the breather you need.

You: Am I dismissed?

Sae: You are; now go.

You: Yes Ma'am.

Leaving once again, you take the train to your home and enter it. The place was a bit of a mess. A sudden realization that you haven't been taking care of things here for some time, and it was showing. It was nearly midnight but taking an hour of cleaning up had cleared your head of the day's moments. Not until you looked into the mirror before a shower that you realized that you had a stubble of facial hair growing from my face. It was dark in color, and the size was becoming more noticeable. Sae wasn't lying about this and soon you take a razor and quickly remove the facial hair then wash yourself up in the shower. Soon you feel in bed and slipped into a deep sleep, the exhaustion of the events were proven to be of use as you could think about your findings while you sit out for a week...