Real & the Ideal: A Persona 5R Dark Sun Sequel (Goro Akechi x Amamiya Ren)

9: I'll Sacrifice Everything

Suffering and pain bring nothing to people except for their ruin...

(Akechi's P.O.V)

"Which do you choose? The merciless, unforgiving reality...or the reality of salvation?"

Maruki's voice echoed in my ears. No matter how many different avenues of possibility I thought of, I couldn't come to a definite answer.

I couldn't live with Shido.

But I couldn't live without Ren, either.

Tmp, tmp, tmp..

Before I could even begin to speak, the clatter of fast paced footsteps descended down the hallway and stopped at the stairs, just by the railing that lead to the stadium room we stood in.

I turned around quickly, only to watch as Joker came to a running hault. He was panting heavily, and his uniform was covered in rips and tears. Blood trailed down his cheek from cuts and scrapes just below his mask.

....he came alone.

My jaw immediately tightened. How was I surprised he'd jumped in without backup - completely ignoring my words f̶o̶r̶c̶i̶n̶g insinuating him not to.

"You fool!" I snapped, but instantly changed my angry tune when his exhausted body all of a sudden dropped to one knee.

Without so much as a blink, I was at Ren's side.

"How could you be so daft..? Why didn't you listen?" I growled as I knelt and took his arm around my shoulder. Now that I'd paired up with him, I could see his HP and SP were quite low.

That simple fact signalled to me that 1) he grew anxious when he realised I left, so he didn't prepare for this infiltration and 2) now that Maruki had shown himself, the shadows in the rooms preceding this one had most likely doubled or tripled.

Which made the Palace Ruler even more suspicious...

...it was clear that Maruki didn't want anyone interfering.

"You worried?" Ren was still trying to catch his breath. But despite that, he had the energy to look up at me with a cocky, albeit exhausted smirk.

I scoffed and turned away.

Overconfident bastard.

"Fuck no I'm not." I retorted; but I knew Joker had already deduced the real answer.

"Ren-kun...it's been some time."

The councilors voice broke up our incessant flirting. When the two of us looked towards him, he was smiling fondly.

"It has..." Ren responded, to which Maruki grinned even brighter.

"I'm happy to see you two got your second chance." The tone in Dr.Maruki's voice made me uncomfortable. I grit my teeth.

"It's suspicious to think that you, of all people, would be rooting for him and I." I hissed, but even with the bite in my words, Maruki only frowned.

"Like I said before...I did this for you. To end your suffering, and combat the pain you'd go through in the future." The Rulers determined gaze returned.

"I wanted to create your second chance. I wanted to give you back your happiness."

The councilor was doing his best to assert his altruism on me, but I didn't care. I had been backed into a corner by his motive, and now I had to determine how I would pay the price.

"Haa...haa..." Ren was breathing heavily against me. I tore my glare away from Maruki to see that now, Joker was wincing. I wouldn't let it show on my face, but I could feel my heart clenching in worry for him.