2026-03-27: You Can(not) Escape Destiny

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A sickening wrongness, flashes of light, palpitating like a heartbeat, sound and fury. The rooftop door opens, and the stage unveils itself. The rooftop is a wide space made of white square tile, caged in by a fence and coin operated binoculars, shrubbery and tables arranged in order to call people into the enormous authentic Zeppelin that's affixed to the building.

A model that's been converted into an upscale restaurant. No one would seriously think it could fly, that would be absurd.

Near the coin-operated binoculars are a number of elementary school children, cowering and huddled, out of the way, but not out of danger, as smoke curls up each side of the building from ruptured windows. A few Persona-users stay back to protect them, but they aren't in a position to stop what comes next.

Despite the view above, eyes cannot fail to be drawn to the Old Maid, with flowing mane like unkempt lion, holding a blade to Jun Kashihara's throat.

Only a few paces from him is another in motorcycle leathers of red and black, and sweat-drenched expression, his own blade held at his side, tense but lowered, understanding the life at threat in front of him.

Tatsuya Suou.

"Let go of Jun." He demands, "He won't remember. And there's nothing you can do to make him remember. He has nothing to do with your plans any longer."

"It's over, Sudou." The Death Boss glares at the Joker killer, wanting to blow a hole through him with his 'guitar case' but the hostage gives Eikichi pause.

"Tch, goes to show what kind of man you are! Taking Kashihara hostage instead of fighting us!" Eikichi growls, holding the strap on his weapon as he keeps his eyes locked on Sudou.

"Let the boy go, Sudou!" calls out Katsuya, positioned near one of the groups of school children. He has his gun drawn, but he keeps it directed at the ground; with the current situation, it's a shot he doesn't dare take.

The Old Maid keeps the blade near Jun's neck, positioning himself to use the poor lad as a human shield. Jun's beautiful features are twisted in a grimace; Sudou had caught him off guard when he'd arrived on the roof with the children, and Jun had pushed the kids away rather than let them get harmed. A glance is given to the other hostages before he looks at his good ole buddy, Tatsuya.

"You say he won't remember, he says he won't remember, I say he won't remember, but you know the voice. The voice says otherwise. The voice even made promises if I can just get things back on track. Oh the promise to be king again." Sudou throws his head back and laughs.

Suou's eyes narrow in response, his entire body tensing, as if he were readying himself to act.

"My friend even sent a flower." Tatsuya Sudou holds his hand out and from nowhere produces a sprig of bushy lavender blossoms. "He promises to help you prune your garden if you just be his friend."

Teeth gritted, Jun nonetheless instinctively peeks down at it. "A thoroughwort... 'Remember that day'... You won't stop until you get your way, will you, Sudou-san? How like a Leo..."

Sudou grins before looking at Tatsuya, "It will be just like old times. Jun guiding us, and Tatsuya failing, though if you ask nicely maybe you can join this time." Sudou laughs again at his own joke.

"I don't think any friend of yours is worth having," Ayame Watanabe says as she steps up. Her daughter is with the other elementary schoolers now--she, in slightly singed blue dress, holds out a darkly glowing sword point-first. "And we don't want your 'old times'!"

"Kashihara-kun, look out! PERSONA!" The housewife's Persona emerges, her hooded cloak concealing her, her great shears gleaming amidst blue flames. Her sharp, golden eyes flash--and gravity /slams/ down against that sword, dragging it down from Jun's neck towards Sudou himself, before the purple-gray Force slams against Sudou himself to knock him free. In that instant, Jun, thanks to her warning, ducks down and scrambles a short but healthy distance away from that deadly blade.

"No more!" Ayame calls.

As Jun gets knocked free by Ayame's spell, there's relief in Suou's posture at the sudden lack of a hostage, "Stop this…!" His stance shifts, like he's readying himself to charge.

Sudou has had enough of this, enough with words, the time for action was at hand, or at foot in this moment. A cackle is given as Sudou looks at the flames. "Enjoy your express trip to hell." Slamming his foot on the ground, a crack forms. Slowly the crack spreads before the inevitable moment when a chunk of the roof disappears, obviously trying to drop the entire group of rabble rousers down into the fiery depths below.

Suou was so focused on Jun, that he doesn't remember this part, at least, until it's too late. "JUMP!" He warns the others, but he is square in the center of the predestined hole, and when it gives way, he begins to fall and with a sudden lurch, only makes it to the edge, dangling with a single hand. Even now, in this situation, his other hand does not let go of his sword.

"Tatsuya! Amano-kun!" Katsuya shouts, his stance betraying the way he just about lunges forward before checking himself. He can't forget the children behind him, but--

Maya jumps back just in time to narrowly avoid the gaping hole on the rooftop. Tatsuya, however, isn't quite as lucky. Maya drops to her knees and snatches Tatsuya's arm by the wrist. Her second hand snaps into place just beneath the first.

"Hang on!" she shouts, clutching his arm with all of her strength. If déjà-vu boy falls here, there's no guarantee he'll survive the drop.

"Amano--!" Katsuya calls out and in this her name might well be a prayer. Don't let her lose her grip, but... with Sudou so close, is this the right place for her to be?

"Tatsuya! Amano-san!" Jun shouts in alarm--but Sudou is still in between him and the others.

Suou looks up at Maya with an intense frustration written on his features, "Idiot! Let go!" And it may not be obvious why he says that at first, until he adds, "He's after YOU!"

Eikichi jumps backwards from the sudden crack in the roof, falling backwards right on his ass. The future rock star growls as he moves to stand back up, moving to try to hold on to Maya holding Tatsuya.

"Tch...The only guy who is going to die here is the freakin' Joker," Eikichi says, mostly to himself, straining to keep Maya from going over with Tatsuya.

"He's right, Ma-ya!" calls Ulala, ducking back away, ranged out of combat. "Be careful!"

Sudou grins as he looks at Maya then Tatsuya, "You're the type that gives away the movie too aren't you." Stepping towards the duo as the Old Maid grips his sword, "With this we are one more step closer to the other side." Raising his sword he grins, "Unfortunately you will not see it Ma-ya. Time to die, again…."

"NOOO!!" In a panic, Jun launches himself at him. Instinctively, Argeiphontes materializes at his back, mirroring his outstretched arms as he strikes Sudou with that sprig of lilac in a desperate shove--right into the hole dropping directly down into a hellish inferno.

Sudou's focus is on Maya, and surely deep down the real Joker would never attack his faithful follower. Of course this denial is what causes Sudou to be slow to process what is happening, Jun strikes out at him, his footing slips, Maya and Tatsuya seem to be moving upward at a rate approaching 9.8 m/s/s. Is he falling? Did Jun push him? All he can do is look at Jun as he falls into his own personally made hell, "Why?"

Jun watches him fall with his own look of horror, hands trembling. It seems unthinkable that even the Old Maid could survive that conflagration. "I-I pushed him in... I /killed/ him... I..."

Tatsuya is hauled up off of the edge by Maya and Eikichi, and he glances at them both briefly, before looking down at the pit. Moving over towards Jun, he says the only thing he can, to his distress.

"Don't worry. Whatever you're thinking right now... It's not your fault."

Jun looks up at him with plaintive eyes and takes a half-step towards him too, as if wanting to ask for the reassurance of his arms but knowing he cannot. "Tatsuya..."

Nonetheless, Tatsuya reaches out a hand, then hesitates, and lets it fall back to his side. Because, he knows whose fault it truly is.

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