Persona 5 - The Jester's Point Of View

Scene 158

“ My daughter went missing! ” – That simply means that Anja was missing. Eli had to check his ears a few times, if he heard that correctly. He didn’t want to believe it at first but it eventually sunk in. The reality hit and it hit him a little harder than a mere brick could. Anja is gone. She had seriously gone missing. And her mother’s answers to his questions made it even clearer.

“Where have you last seen your daughter? ” He asked, though that was part of the procedure. Of course he had to ask to have a lead somewhere. He didn’t know why he was inquiring information himself from the get go though. Maybe it was because he felt as if he owed her? It was possible.

“ It was when she came home like usual. ” Her mother responded, her voice strained yet trying to keep herself under control, to not freak out at that point. “She greeted me and then ran upstairs to rest. She said that she was really tired that day.”

“ I see… ” It didn’t sound unusual. Why would the girl go missing then if she had arrived home safe and sound? Something didn’t add up. He had to dig deeper. “ Did she behave weirdly in any way? ”

The mother shook her head. “ No, not at all. Anja didn’t act strange. ”

“ Have you heard her running downstairs? ”

“ No. The house was quiet, like every night. ”

“ When did you notice her absence? ”

“ It was this morning. She’s not the type of person who gets up early after all. I always have to wake her up. But when I opened the door she was just… Gone. Her bed was unused too .”

Eli nodded and listened intently. The daughter had gone missing? Just like that? As if she had disappeared into thin air? That sounded impossible. Maybe she had snuck out somehow? “ Was the window open? ”

“ No. ”

“ Was there anything amiss in her room? ”

“ Not at all. I even checked everything twice. ”

Yeah, that sounded like a case of disappearing into thin air, literally. But how could that be? How could someone disappear just like that? No, she had to be somewhere. He was certain of it. “ I see… Please, don’t worry. I will find your daughter as soon as possible. ” But even then was that really reassuring? Not even he knew where to look. Even when inquiring about places Anja liked to frequent.

“There aren’t really any in the city. She usually spends her time at home.” – This was not the greatest lead. Though honestly, it wasn’t even a lead at all. He didn’t know where to look nor what places she liked. Not even being able to pinpoint down what places she would think would be the least suspicious for her to be at. He would have to look through the entirety of Tokyo at that point. But that would take way too long.

Though it didn’t really want to kick in until he had asked others if they had seen Anja recently. It was just difficult to really believe, at least for him. Everyone just shook their heads when he had asked around Anyone who could have seen her in some way. But the answer was always the same. Always. “ I haven’t seen her. Sorry. ” What madness was this? It was as if– Ugh, he didn’t even want to think about it, let alone say it. But he had no other choice when thinking back on one last detail Anja’s mother gave him… 

“Oh, she is usually at home if she isn’t hanging out with one of her friends.”

“One of her friends? Who would come to mind?”

“Hmm… Sometimes a boy is carrying her home. Who was it again? I think it was…. This Akechi kid! The one who you can see all over the media!”

That guy… But of course. It should have crossed his own mind at a point. Given that the two would usually stick together no matter what. They had even visited his office together. He didn’t know why anyone would waste their time with him yet Eli figured that this was because the two were closer in age than he was with the kid. And it was usually them surrounded by adults in the workspace. Maybe that wasn’t so that big of a surprise after all… Talking to old, stuffy people could be exhausting sometimes. This was only natural.

Though it told him who he could inquire information in regards to Anja. Maybe the wannabe–detective knew what was up with her, where she was. If she had told anyone, maybe it was him. And given that he was involved in the Phantom Thieves case Eli knew exactly where to look.

He had headed to the newly built underground prison, one which had been specifically built for the interrogation of the chased thieves. It had been going on for almost a year now. He was kind of sick hearing about it but a job was a job in the end so he couldn’t complain about it too much. As long as he found the kid he could move on and get to searching for Karl’s daughter.

And he found the boy pretty soon, perhaps a little too soon. Or so he had thought at first. It happened when he had passed by somewhere while walking down the corridors of this prison. And it was Akechi’s voice the officer had heard. Though it sounded as if someone had been playing it, a recording. Yet the contents of what was said had him in shock, confused, startled. He wasn’t surprised per se but hearing it was still jarring and stirred something within him.

“We could say he stole the guard’s gun and committed suicide during his imprisonment… How about that? ” The voice began, so calm… Uncomfortably calm. So calm that it made the one listening nearly punch in the wall. It was only two sentences but he was already having a hard time containing himself. But he had to. “ Public security questioning will occur on the first day… and with that room, my task will be simple. And thus. the dangerous criminal responsible for the mass mental shutdowns shall end his own life. ”

Anyone knew this voice, no mistaking it. Akechi’s. Eli was about to dash out, into view, yet when looking past the wall he only saw… Miss Nijima? And she remained silent while staring at a phone… Yeah, in the end it was just a recording. 

He didn’t hear what she had to say and that was not important. So many emotions ran through his head if not his entire body. Instead of direct confrontation he hid himself. There was no mistake, the boy’s voice, talking as if cold heartedly plotting a murder. He didn’t know why and he had so many questions. Yet if he was ready to do that then— This could mean a lot and it only rang alarm bells in Eli’s head.

If one was ready to consider murder an option, no, plan it in such a secluded area, then he would not be afraid to dispose of anyone. And he was close to Anja in particular… Maybe she knew something and when it became too much he got rid of her? It would explain why no one had seen her. But how would he do it? That was only something Akechi would know… 

Maybe it was just the emotions talking but he had to act fast. This brat has to answer some questions as quickly as possible!