I know...I just can't help but wonder if there's a version of me that made the right choice without intervention.
[He steps out of the Metaverse into the real hallway, scoffing as reality reasserts itself. There's no visible difference, but checking his phone confirms he is back in the real world. Down the hall, there's a single guard in front of his target's room, and he walks up to the older officer with a practiced, meek smile.
"Would you mind accompanying me? He might just be a teenager, but I'm a little nervous being alone with a murderer."
The officer agrees and they enter the room together, only for Akechi to snatch the guard's gun and use it to shoot him. The guard falls, dead, and Akechi turns his attention to Akira, beaten, bruised, and looking thoroughly shocked.
"Did you really think your little trick would fool me?" The memory of Akechi asks, his tone cold as he draws a silencer from his pocket and attaches it to the gun.
The barrel is pointed at Akira's face by the time the other teen responds, "This isn't at all how I wanted this to go...but I'm at least glad the last thing I see is you."
Akechi snarls, hand tight on the gun. "Liar! You don't give a shit about me!"
"That's not true." Akira's voice is firm as he meets Akechi's eyes, still supporting his head with one hand.
Akechi's voice, in contrast, shakes as he struggles not to shout at the top of his lungs. "You tried to trick me!"
"Only because I had to. But you don't have to do this."
"Yes, I do." Akechi's voice has dropped, tone now firm, but pained. "It's you or me at this point."
"Then help fake my death." Akira struggles to lift his head as he looks at Akechi, eyes pleading.
The suggestion takes Akechi aback, and his aim wavers. His voice, too, is uncertain. "The other Phantom Thieves would never accept me. I can't risk them getting in my way now..."
The scene fades, resuming in the back of a car. Sae is driving, and Akira leans against Akechi's shoulder. He's unconscious, but breathing steadily, and Akechi's arm is wrapped around him to hold him steady during the long drive back, as Sae talks to Sojiro on speakerphone.]
CW: murder, implications of police brutality
[He steps out of the Metaverse into the real hallway, scoffing as reality reasserts itself. There's no visible difference, but checking his phone confirms he is back in the real world. Down the hall, there's a single guard in front of his target's room, and he walks up to the older officer with a practiced, meek smile.
"Would you mind accompanying me? He might just be a teenager, but I'm a little nervous being alone with a murderer."
The officer agrees and they enter the room together, only for Akechi to snatch the guard's gun and use it to shoot him. The guard falls, dead, and Akechi turns his attention to Akira, beaten, bruised, and looking thoroughly shocked.
"Did you really think your little trick would fool me?" The memory of Akechi asks, his tone cold as he draws a silencer from his pocket and attaches it to the gun.
The barrel is pointed at Akira's face by the time the other teen responds, "This isn't at all how I wanted this to go...but I'm at least glad the last thing I see is you."
Akechi snarls, hand tight on the gun. "Liar! You don't give a shit about me!"
"That's not true." Akira's voice is firm as he meets Akechi's eyes, still supporting his head with one hand.
Akechi's voice, in contrast, shakes as he struggles not to shout at the top of his lungs. "You tried to trick me!"
"Only because I had to. But you don't have to do this."
"Yes, I do." Akechi's voice has dropped, tone now firm, but pained. "It's you or me at this point."
"Then help fake my death." Akira struggles to lift his head as he looks at Akechi, eyes pleading.
The suggestion takes Akechi aback, and his aim wavers. His voice, too, is uncertain. "The other Phantom Thieves would never accept me. I can't risk them getting in my way now..."
The scene fades, resuming in the back of a car. Sae is driving, and Akira leans against Akechi's shoulder. He's unconscious, but breathing steadily, and Akechi's arm is wrapped around him to hold him steady during the long drive back, as Sae talks to Sojiro on speakerphone.]