Persona 5 - The Jester's Point Of View

Scene 145

Getting the treasure… They all searched every corner on the surface, or so it felt like. Any hint, may it be a riddle or a map. Anything would help at this point. Literally anything. Yet when it felt like the right time to report the findings, hope for any hint got crushed in an instant. 

Because whoever asked ‘ Did you find anything? ’ It was met with a headshake. None could believe it, probably. At least Swan was a bit in disbelief at this. No hint of any treasure whatsoever. Not even the pages they had found on the ground did much in the end. They told somewhat of a story at most yet they didn’t reveal anything about the treasure. Even when analyzing every single line there were no hints whatsoever, nothing at all. Nothing to make this any easier. So they were pretty much stuck here, weren’t they?  No use, they had to do this the old fashioned way after all… 

“ Is there some place left to check? ” Swan had asked, the response from Crow coming pretty much right after they had asked.

“ Yes. There’s still the dungeon, isn’t there? ”

“ Huh? Well, yeah. But Sato–San’s Shadow is there .”

“ Then we’ll have to be prepared before entering the place. Just in case we’re attacked yet again. ”

It sounded like simple logic and they could only nod to agree. At this rate they had no other choice but to agree. After all, they had taken a look everywhere but there. So this might be the only place for clues or exactly where the treasure had been hidden.

Even O seemed to agree with this. “Then let’s not waste any more time than necessary. We'll be going back down there, now.”

Hence why the trio took several steps to the location they were all too familiar with. There was no other choice anymore but to return. It should have been as simple as that, no complications whatsoever. And yet luck stopped being on their side, one last time. As if being tricked by two Shadows hadn’t been enough already. Then again, given that they had mentioned this one Shadow, maybe this should not have come as a surprise. Though one may have believed it to be nothing but a ruse at first. 

“You may not be aware of this, but a jailor is out here, guarding this castle very closely. They must be making their rounds somewhere else.”

A figure guarding the entrance of the dungeon. Surely they would have seen this Shadow before and said Shadow would not let them pass through. However, the first time arriving there had been none. So it had to be a ruse for them to stay away without help of any kind… And yet it was nothing like that. It was very, very far from that. Because just as they had been walking towards the entrance a voice would already stop them.

“Who goes there!?” An unfamiliar one yet also one not too unfamiliar. A loud tone, the strictness audible as well as the mild annoyance within the voice itself. It was a voice Swan could be easily set off by, given who it sounded very familiar to. Actually, it was more than that. And yet their eyes would still go wide when the view became clearer, who was standing there.

At first it seemed like a very tall, dark figure was standing there, swathed in dark robes. The figure itself carried a scale of judgment in one hand while the other was equipped with a mace. The face only became more and more visible with each step… Until—

“Huh? Sae–San?” It slipped out of Crow’s lips, even though he seemed to be at least a little surprised. Because the face was unhidden, showing itself fully. Not just that but judging from the slim build of the body there was no doubt about this here. A rather imposing looking figure, a little taller than they were used to. But there was no doubt about it… This one was representing Nijima–San, at least a cognitive version of hers, Sato–San’s cognitive version.

And just as Swan at least was used to they could already feel the gaze of the one dubbed ‘jailor’ right then and there, freezing their own veins if that had been possible. Although the gaze was even colder than they were used to… Colder than they remember. It was almost terrifying to look at.

At first the jailor remained silent, not responding to these words in any way. She looked them both up and down, a matter of moments before slamming the mace right onto the ground, right in front of them. She then spoke with a raised voice. “It’s you again! For the last time, I will not let you through!”

“A… Again!? Wait, we’re not—” Swan wanted to explain though would be cut off as they had to quickly jump backwards the moment they saw the jailor remove her mace from the ground to swing it right at them, though only hitting the ground once more.

“I am making no exceptions, even for the daughter of the late king! Know your place!”

“If you listened to us you’d realize that—”

“Enough! Who gave you two the right to pass judgment on the knight!?” She interrupted once more, very loudly. “Every sinner must repent without leave! Not from this place nor this world!” 

The jailor was more than serious about this at the very least, anyone could tell. Even Swan could tell. Yet the next one getting a word in was O, his tail and ears already up, ready to let out a hiss at any point. Actually, when he spoke one could hear it. If there was any more fur that would stand up too. “Lady, we’ve got no time for your nonsense! Let us through! We have no intentions of harming the boy in there!”

“Didn’t I make myself clear? I told you to turn back and leave!”

“And what if we don’t!?”

Instead of verbal confirmation it would be one with actions, the mace being lifted out of the ground right into the air, only to be pointed right at the trio, getting ready for its next move. That she could even lift that thing with one arm without a problem. “Then I shall slay you right where you stand! To think that you would dare question my judgment!”

It was inevitable. A fight would be unavoidable. To think that this version of Nijima–San would be ready to go this far. But if they wanted to get through then they had to do this. Hence why Swan was about to get ready, wanting to summon their lance right then and there. “Alright! If that’s how you want it then—”

“We’ll keep it in mind. Apologies for the intrusion.” Crow suddenly threw in, making both O and Swan to their heads towards him right away. And while they were too shocked to speak, the cat turned human countered quickly, the hissing only becoming worse.

“What!? Didn’t you hear her!?” He even nearly yelled. 

“I did. Hence why we should turn back for now.” Crow continued, his voice awfully calm as he continued speaking. In fact it was a little eerie. 

“T… Turn back?” Swan asked. “But didn’t we agree on—”

“We should not rush into this unprepared. Let’s call it a day for the time being.”

“Tch… Seriously boy…” O scoffed, crossing his arms pretty much right away before turning to the jailor. “Ya heard it lady. Put your mace down.”

“Didn’t I tell you to not tell me what to do?” She shot back, though she seemed to lower her weapon regardless, even if her eyes and tone stayed the same. “But very well. Take your leave! Should you set foot on these grounds again however I will not hesitate to cut you down!”