Persona 5 - The Jester's Point Of View

Scene 57

They were facing their phone, sliding back and forth between the applications. There were several on there, ranging from a mere writing and image editing app to several gaming apps. This phone was filled to the brim with applications yet one stuck out... A red one, morphing from a black eye on a red background to a wide silhouette of a smile, resembling the figure's mask on its own. It was a weird application and they were playing around with it... Or rather eyed it in turn, hesitant to open it. All while sitting at Station Square, waiting for Akechi to arrive. He had notified that he would be arriving late so there was no need to worry, or so they concluded. Yet this app... According to Pipistrello it was 'the key to access the palace'... This bizarre app...

"What is that app to begin with?" They had asked the figure, when the two had been talking days ago in this mysterious space Pipistrello resided in. This one was however busy cackling, not giving them a direct answer.

"Open it dearie~" He urged them on instead.

"And install a virus on my phone? No thanks."

"Aww, don't you trust me~? Just open it. I would never temper with your device like that..."

"You installed this thing on it!"

"Haha, you're right. But nothing more than that. But keep me waiting and I might do something hilarious with your phone. Don't you want to find out~?" It said so with a wide, wide smile on its mask, almost dark. It sent shivers down their spine and, although hesitantly, they got themself to open the app eventually with the tap of a finger.

"Fine fine. I'll do it." Yet the moment they did they were met with an... Odd sight. Once they did they saw a map spread out, the map of a town. Yet there were no marked locations. Sure, the outline of the roads were there but no buildings whatsoever. It was... Empty. Literally. "What's that?"

"Do you have no eyes? It's a map, silly." The figure responded, though chuckling right after. "My my, what an oblivious one I caught."

"I... I know that much! It's just... Weird..."

"Oh? What's so weird about it?"

"There's nothing on it!"

"Ah yes, indeed. That's because you need to fill out the blanks~"

They looked up at Pipistrello, not even trying to hide their confusion. "I have to... Fill out the blanks? Do you want me to go around Tokyo and mark every single location?"

"Haha, you could do that if you ever feel like it~"

"That... I think I'm gonna pass..." Not like they knew where they would be going to begin with. Seriously, if this was some weird scavenger hunting app then—

"But alas, call this your navigator. The entry between the cognitive world and the world you live in." The figure said, explaining it rather nonchalantly.

They eyed it closer, even zooming into the app. A navigator? This thing... This had to be the worst navigator they had seen then. Nothing was on it so for who would it even be useful!? That was the question! "I... Don't get it."

"Slide up dearie. You'll see..."

Slide up? They weren't sure why or what to do but they obliged for now, sliding it up to open... Another window? Yeah, a window with three blank spaces. Four boxes, marked what was supposed to go in there and it read... "Name, location, concept and... Distortion?"

"Ding ding ding. Full points~" Pipistrello announced, a sudden bell ringing across the place, making them shriek up yet trying to not move too much or else they may as well be devoured by the place. In fact, whatever they sat on, they felt a mouth opening, as if something was just waiting to take a bite. And that was a terrifying thought to have, being so close to becoming a meal. "That's all you need. Simple, isn't it~?"

"W... Well... It does sound simple but..." What were they supposed to imagine? A name? Of what? It couldn't be a place, location already existed. And what concept? What does distortion mean!? "What does any of this mean?"

"Hmm... I could say something but where's the fun in that?" It continued, sounding so very nonchalant. "I'm sure you'll figure it out. You're a smart one assisting a so–called ace detective, aren't you? You can figure it out."

"Eh? You won't explain that either!?"

"There will be no need, sweetheart. You will get there." Pipistrello said, the smile on its mask only becoming more amused. "All I will give you is the name of the target... But you know her already."

"Ishikawa Miyuki, right?"

"Ding ding ding!" And another bell sound. "You catch on fast~ As long as you look into her you'll figure it out. Now chop chop, don't keep me waiting at her little Palace~"

That was all the information they had and honestly... It was so damn confusing! They had a name yet what was that about the rest!? As long as they looked into Miyuki but... How!? They couldn't just ask her directly, right!? Ugh, how does anyone handle this!? What nonsense was this!? And it just had to make it so damn complicated! They could just smash words in yet they wouldn't even know where to start! Hah, this was going to be a—

"Good morning Luka. Sorry for my late arrival, something came up at the last second." They heard a familiar voice asking, making them look up from their smartphone in surprise. And they were met with a guy who had a rather light smile on his face, the familiar smile... Akechi–Kun. Took him long enough.

"Ah, morning! Don't worry about it, ya told me already!" They assured him with the usual grin, though that faded when noticing his clothes. "Those stuffy ones again?"

Akechi looked at them a little dumbfounded when they made such a comment. "Is something the matter with them?"

"You sure you're not sweating in that? Looks way too sticky..."

"I already told you that I am doing just fine."

"Don't blame me for a sudden heat stroke." They then got up, putting their phone into their pocket and stretching for a moment. "Anyways, let's get going! We got work and stuff, right?"

"Someone is surprisingly eager."

"One more second outside and I'm gonna explode! I wanna be somewhere where it's nice and chilly!"

"So that's all... Of course..."

"I'm still taking this seriously! Promise!" They had no inten— Wait, actually... Thinking of Ishikawa, maybe they should ask Akechi. He could know something.

But they were not going to do that in this heat, no way! First the two gotta get somewhere cooler!