Persona 5 - The Jester's Point Of View

Scene 183

One hoard after the other, Shadow after Shadow. At first it had been no problem to hold his own. After all, it was nothing someone like Goro would be unused to. It was simple, just slice them into pieces or make them explode. It didn’t matter, as long as they would be gone from one moment to the next. And there being no end to them was not the worst if he was completely honest. No, he could handle that much. After all, the solution to that would be rather simple than anything. There was something else. Something which made this unbearable, difficult… Something which made him feel dizzy and thus it was difficult to keep up with all of this… 

Everything kept changing. 

It was as if the two Shadows were in full control of how he was perceiving things. Then again, he was in their Palace so this should perhaps come naturally, or at least not much as a surprise. Their Palace also meant their rules in the end, didn’t it? And he had to play by those rules, one way or another. And if this was how they were playing unfortunately… So be it. Unless he wanted to start a bloodbath yet he didn’t, at least not in this case. He didn’t want to put them into their own grave. That was why he was here to begin with, to avoid that from happening. No, avoid was the wrong word… 

He had to prevent it from happening.

But like this it felt impossible. He was about to collapse, fall down from the constant changes. Not just the Shadows taking shape into different people, faces he hadn’t seen yet probably had a significant impact on Lukanja. And yet they were all treated like meaningless people, fodder to be destroyed, to be torn apart. They were meaningless, not worth thinking about, only good enough to become part of destruction. And if that wasn’t enough of a headache there was also the scenery. Different backgrounds each time, some being familiar sights within Tokyo – Like the streets of Shibuya or the corridors of a school. However, some were unfamiliar to him and others were just flat out unrecognizable – Dark though also messy, as if one had gone over it with water color and made it look all washed out. Devoid of any color yet also hard to take in. This was causing more than a mere headache. It was impossible to comprehend yet also hard to look away from.

He staggered, more than from a regular battle. For how long had he been at this to begin with? He didn't know. It felt as if his entire sense of time and space had been messed with in a matter of seconds. At one point he was wondering where he even was, only to remember minutes later. If this continued then he could seriously fall here. He didn't want to run but did he really have to retreat? It was infuriating to think about but what good would it do if he bit the dust right then and there? He wasn't going to throw his life like that away again, not without results anyways. But to retreat he had to find the exit first.

He lifted his head up, a last ditch effort to find what he was looking for. But nothing, it was all too blurry and crowded. Goro couldn't even see where he was going nor if he was going in the right direction. They were good at this, too good. Were they seriously going to get their way? Maybe he was acting too rash. And this tine he didn't even need to hope. Well, then again, his headache was so severe that he couldn't think to begin with. And it only got worse when hearing those two speak again, their chuckles right into his ears, one each.

“This is your punishment for trying to decieve us.” He heard them say, both of them. Yeah, they had the upper hand. And they were out for everyone, including him. He shouldn’t have seen it coming any other way. And they were right, this is exactly what he deserves. Out of everyone's sight, forgotten by everyone, unable to be found. His death was treated as meaningless, just like  all of the lives he took. Oh the irony… But a well deserved one. “Sayona–”

Yet before they could finish it happened. It came out of literally nowhere, just like everything else. Was it really a surprise if it just kept on happening? Last minute nonetheless. What type of joke was this? But in the moment it didn't cross his mind.

Instead he was just… Amazed. The Shadows who were ready to run over him turned into dust. Nothing remained of them. It was as if they exploded right then and there, on the spot. Not just that but the next thing happening – The surroundings, or rather the illusion, started to show cracks, as if it was mere glass. It first started slow, it crumbled bit by bit… Only to shatter at a moment’s notice. The glass fell down, a pile forming before that vanished as well. 

Right around the same time Goro’s head stopped feeling as if it was beaten like some type of drum. It still hurt like hell but it wasn't the worst feeling anymore, slowly wearing off until finally disappearing. Though he still had to try to not fall onto his knees.

Though he felt it now, how his body felt sore, overly exhausted. He had been at it for a while, hadn't he? That was… Something, more than a workout. Yet he’ll be fine. Just give him a moment to recover. Then he will be– 

No, wait. There his thoughts stopped, just as he came to face something familiar. He stared at it for a few moments, registering what it was he was seeing shoved into the ground, even though he was a good distance away. The sharp blade, the long, black handle, the white bowtie looking thing wrapped around it at the lower half… This lance belonged to someone. Someone he knew rather well, hence why he couldn't believe it. 

Though it was then suddenly grabbed by a hand, a tight grasp before removed in one go, then twirled around in a circle a few times before stopping and pointing right at the Shadow duo, both just staring in disbelief as well. Yet they seemed to growl, their sharp teeth showing and their eyes glowing even brighter now. They didn't like it. And Goro? He was just confused. Because the person facing the two heads on, out of literal nowhere, was no other than…

“Swan!?”