Persona 5 - The Jester's Point Of View

Scene 59

The process took days, literal days. Instead of going home right after work they would do something only one would do if they were investigating something. And well, this was essentially what they were doing. As they were not sure where to find the young woman in question, Miyuki Ishikawa, they always followed their easiest lead, Goro Akechi, around. Though they had to hide every single time, especially when being nearly spotted. He had turned a few times after all, looking around yet then shrugging whatever feeling he had quickly and continuing to walk wherever he had been headed. Though it took quite a while, a few days of some kind. But there was no result whatsoever, no meeting with Ishikawa. Not even by chance.

It had gotten them frustrated yet there was not much they could do in the end. All they could do was play the waiting game, as silly as they probably looked to some passersby... Especially with that set of glasses which had a mustache and massive nose attached to it, all to seal their identity. Actually, they may stick out like a sore thumb each day yet it was the only disguise they had available. So they had to stick with that. And yet they were ready to give up, call it quits. Maybe following Akechi around was not the way to go about this... Until suddenly—

"Ah, if it isn't the bastard son~" A voice would say, sickly sweet yet the undertone being anything but sweet. It was mocking, to the point of insulting. The mockery was audible beneath the layers of sweetness, not very well hidden.

As for the male's reaction, he had grown stiff in an instant. His body clenched itself together, wanting to do nothing but run yet kept itself in a clear position. And it only made the female voice chuckle... Not playfully, no, sinisterly, yet amused all the same. "And rude too. Then again, sluts cannot raise proper children, can they~?"

Sluts? They tilted their head at that, or wanted to. It was confusing. But in the end they did not and instead turned their gaze finally to the person... Bull's eye! Ishikawa! Right then and there! And she had that same smile she always would have. The place she had shown up at was far from crowded yet even then her smile would persist. And she talked a little more quiet than usual yet they had hidden themself close enough to overhear what was going on... Or parts of the conversation. But why did they feel uneasy the longer they listened in?

"Ah– H... Hello Ishikawa–San. Are you on your way home as well?" Akechi would ask, keeping up with his usual polite facade. Yet that smile was strained. He could just barely hold it in. And his body seemed to be... Quivering? Right then and there? Well...

"Hha, you could say so." She laughed, the fake innocence not even hidden. "Though I also have to keep an eye out that bastard son who seems to be having a little too much fun. Decided on your career path like your bitch of a Mom?"

"Would you please hold your tongue? This is a—" Akechi wanted to warn her, having his fists clenched together yet was only met with mockery.

"My, sorry. I forgot~ But it's just your face. It looks so disgusting and pathetic that I just couldn't help myself~" She even said, no hesitation whatsoever. "I may as well have my fun, don't I?"

A moment of silence kicking in, him clenching his teeth together visibly. That even someone like Akechi could look at the brink of fury, only holding it in just barely... That was... "If you are worried that I will act out of line I can assure you that I will not."

"Oh, still playing little lapdog? Well, maybe that's all you can do. Barking is your expertise, isn't it?"

"What do you want now? We do not have to discuss it here."

"Hmm... I tell you after I have my fun. I need to see you at the brink of tears after all~"

"I... Ishikawa–San..." He could just barely hold it in. They could see it, how his hands were about to move up and he was ready to throw a punch right then and there. Yet he held it in, had to hold himself back and the like. Oh how they wanted to jump in as well yet couldn't. Though it was awkward to listen to... They just wanted to cover their ears.

Miyuki had always been unsettling but this? She talked about it all, insulting Akechi without remorse and then just... Saying that she would love to see him cry, in tears. And when looking at her breathing as well as her excited yet sinister face... Yeah, she was enjoying every second of it. Talk about a fucking sadist!

Huh? Wait... Sadist? H... Hold on... Could that be... Possibly...?

Yet before they were able to check the duo was just gone. They had their head in the clouds for a short moment, from one moment to the next. Maybe they just wanted to block the conversation off... Yet it threw in some questions as well, about Akechi. What was Miyuki talking about when she used the word 'slut', referring to Akechi's mother? Just—

Ah no! They couldn't think about it now... Right now they had to focus on the sadist at hand. "Sadist..." They mumbled again and as they did they felt a sudden vibration in their phone.

They pulled it out in one swoop, trying to see what it was. They had their phone on mute so how— Yet bizarrely enough, the new navigator app opened. And then– There! One of the boxes was filled out! The concept... With one word...

Sadist

Was that it? ... So that's what a concept is... The idea of a person... Perhaps? Uh... They weren't sure but for now they should be glad to have filled it out, even if it was some idiot's luck.

Progress is progress. And in the end all that counts is connecting the dots.