Hey everyone! I've been interested in the Persona series for a while now, Persona 3 being my first. I played as a female protagonist and was surprised that P4 and now P5 had no option to choose gender. The Atlus game is already great as it, but choosing gender opens so many perspectives and different interesting paths. Seeing a fanart of a possible female protagonist sparked my inner passion and I just had to write.Please note that some things may be changed from the original storyline due to the gender change.There may be more sexual themes due to the protagonist being female. The protagonist will be more talkative as well and be in her perspective. The name will remain Akira Kursuru. I plan on shipping Akira with Ryuji.

Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 5, it is owned by the Atlus.

Helicopters flew in the sky, drawing closer to a ritzy casino. Inside, it was the picture of chaos. Sparkling and glowing signs and games flashed with light. People were looking around nervously, murmuring to themselves or others around them. Some began to run away. They all feared the worse. A bomb? A terrorist attack? Who knew?

A black shadow danced unnoticed between the lights.

Men in black filed into the room.

"Spread out and secure the target." One ordered.

They walked around, searching for anything- or anyone- that could lead them to their target.

A woman jumped onto a chandelier, revealing herself to the crowd. As quickly as she appeared a man called out, pointing to her.

"L-Look up there!"

His call turned all attention to said woman. Clad in a black trench coat with a qipao dress underneath, the top being a gray collared shirt and the bottom a black skirt, exposing her white trousers and black cuban heeled boots that reached above her knees. A pair of red gloves hid her hands and her long unruly black hair flew in the wind. Her mask finished her look. A white bird-shaped mask with a black design around the eyes. A silver briefcase was secured in her hand.

Once she had revealed her to the crowd, the men in black began to deploy.

"Target has been found. Moving in to capture." One instructs.

With a smirk, she jumped off and got ready to escape.

As she began to jump across the ceiling lights, boyish voice spoke to her, telling her to get going.

"This is our only chance!" Another male said.

"Stay calm! You can get away now!" A girl added.

"We'll retrieve the briefcase on our end." Another girl said.

A static filled radio transmission filled her ears.

"em...suspects...not...confirmed...Hold... your...positions..."

"...Hm? ...What was that?" The girl thought aloud.

"Don't worry about us! Just concentrate on getting away." A boy yelled.

The masked woman ran over an illuminated sign, giggling to herself as her teammates complimented her and joked around with each other. Hopping over the ridiculous architecture of the casino was simple enough and proved to be fruitful. Unfortunately, the men in black managed to catch up to her. Two stood in her way. Their bodies shook violently before collapsing on themselves into black, buff shadows. A huge one jumped behind her. As she turned to face it, a smirk formed on her lips.

"Take 'em down Joker!"

With a nod, she flipped into the air, landing on the broad hulking shoulders of the shadow. She pulled off it's masking before jumping off again.

Said shadow began imploding until it burst into black and red, exposing a Sacrificial Pyrekeeper. Using her Persona, she douses the shadow with Eigaon. Darkness engulfs the shadow but it's still able to survive. It retaliates by attacking her with a strong fire attack.

"Ugh!"

The flames burned, but it wasn't too bad. Summoning her Persona again, she commanded it to use Brave Bird. The physical attack knocks it down, leaving it with little to none health.

Time to finish this!

She sprints up to him, slashing it once, then twice, with her knives. Pulling out a handgun, she shot the shadow down, turning it into disintegrated ash.

A voice praised her, then another warned her of more coming. As soon as she received the warning, three more shadows appeared before her. One lunged at her, crowbar in hand. It swung at her.

Too slow.

She back flipped away from it, jumping onto another balcony. She jumped away, landing safely.

"Joker, behind you! Go through that door!" The girl said.

Following her instructions, she ran through the door and up the stairs. Behind the door was a dark room, gating off pipes.

"You should be able to get out that way. Hurry!" She warned.

"Dude, can she even hear us?" A male replied.

"Don't worry, I'm picking up everyone's voices. Just go, Joker!"

Joker continued running down the dark back halls of the casino, pushing through doors and entering various rooms.

As she entered a windowed room, she watched a man in black run by, cursing as he vainly searched for them. She dived into the shadows, narrowly avoiding a passing man in black. Once he left, she bolted up nearby stairs. At the top, she watched them through the window.

They were frantically searching, watching security cameras and calling agents to move and keep looking.

She continued heading up stairs. The agents weren't far behind though. At the end of the hall, there was a single door. With no choice, Joker ran through, only to be faced with the entire bottom floor casino.

"What's wrong? The exit should be right in front of you."

Glancing ahead, she noticed the large stain glass window. There were no other doors nearby.

Surely she's not implying-

"The entire bottom floor is completely closed off." A girl explained.

She sighed but understood. Observing the room, she predicted she could vault herself through the glass off the railings around the room.

"H-Hey, can you make it?" Another girl voice worried./p

Before she could answer, the men in black barged into the door she entered from. Walking in, they raised their guns at her.

"Don't move! There's no where to run!"

She smirked and gave them a quick salute. Quickly, she jumped onto the railing and ran as fast as she could towards the window. Taking a deep breath, she launched herself through the window. Soaring through the open air, the glass shone and shimmered around her body as both fell towards the ground.

"Man, what a show off..."

She rolled and ended up crouching on the ground. The stained glass rained around her. Standing, she dusted glass particles of herself. Instantly, she was blinded by white light.

She was surrounded.

Thousands of armed police officers had the area closed off. A number of alarms went off in her head, along with her teammates cries for her to get out of there.

This is bad.

She ran. That's all she could do.

"ARREST HER!"

The giant group of police followed her much to her dismay. Thinking the worst, she scanned the area for any form of escape. Luckily, a fire escape ladder was ahead of her. She grinned victoriously, climbing up and away from the ones on the ground.

However, said feeling was short lived.

At the top of ladder, there was a large group of officers already there. One rammed her in the face with the back of his gun. With a gasp followed by a scream, Joker fell back into the crowd. As quickly as she fell,she was pulled into the sea of over-armored officers and held down.

A smug officer walked up to her side.

"Huh? Didn't think it was a kid doing all this."

He laughed and squatted beside her. He grabbed her hair, painfully pulling her up a little.

"You have your teammate to thank for this. You were sold out."

Her eyes widened.

TAKE YOUR TIME

"Guess the drug was too strong."

The man walked around the unconscious girl.

"Wake her up."

SPLASH!

Her eyes hesitantly opened, water dripping down her face. She shook her head. The room was hazy at first, but her vision began to clear. She was in a dark room with two men.

"No dozing off."

She went to raise her hand, but it wouldn't budge. She tried shaking free from her shackles vehemently.

"You still don't get it, do you?" The man asked.

She ignored him and kept struggling.

"Give it up!"

His foot came in contact with her stomach. A strangled scream escaped from her mouth before she began coughing violently. She laid there, writhing in pain on the floor. He stepped on her head, grinding her cheeks into the ground with his heel.

Something red flashed in the background.

A security camera?

The man noticed her stare and sneered at her. He removed his foot and pulled her up by her braid.

"What? You think it can be used as evidence?"

"Of course not..."

"You're smarter than you look kid."

As soon as the words left his mouth, he released her hair and gave her a swift kick into the stomach again. Akira coughed and wheezed violently.

As she struggled to regain her breath, the man stepped away from her.

"Obstruction of justice, blackmail, defamation, possession of weapons... manslaughter too. You've got the works." He listed.

He looked up from a clipboard and focused his intense gaze on her.

"To think all these crimes were led by a bitch like this. You seemed as if you enjoyed every second of it huh?"

His words startled Akira. Unconsciously, tears slipped from her eyes.

Was I... Did I enjoy it?

Everything's so hazy...

..I can't remember.

When she didn't respond, the man only replied with a head shake.

"You should know your place."

With a subtle nod, the agent in the corner approached Akira. He squatted down and removed her handcuffs. Once off, he shoved her against the ground mercilessly. She painfully pushed herself off the ground, gently massaging the bruises now evident on her wrists. Not even giving her a moment to compose herself, the agent held a clipboard out to her, demanding her to sign it. It was a confession. She frowned at him, slapping it away. He narrowed his eyes at her act of defiance.

"I see..." He said as he rose.

"I need your hand to sign it but..."

He suddenly pinned her hands to the ground, above her head. His other hand wandered up her leg, closer to her skirt.

"I don't care what you lose until you do!" He said with a sadistic grin.

She squirmed and struggled against him, but it was to no avail. She was no match for his strength.

"For a brat, you have quite the package."

She cringed and continued to thrash about pathetically. His hand brushed the waistband of her panties before pausing. As he pulled away, a feeling of disgust was left clinging to her body. The clipboard was pushed back at her. With shaky hand, she relented and took the board. A silver pen was held out towards her. Taking it, she signed the paper.

Akira Kurusu

She handed it back to him.

TAKE YOUR TIME

Akira wasn't sure what was happening outside her room. She could faintly hear voices, but it could just be in her head. She was too busy debating with her mind when Sae Nijima sat across from.

"Hey, can you hear me? It seems you've been through a lot."

All she could do is nod. She hadn't been able to see a mirror but she knew she was covered in bruises and a cold sweat. Sae thought the same thing. The poor girl couldn't stop shaking and was frightfully pale.

"Almost anything to happen here and I can't stop them."

Akira stared down at the table.

"That's why I need you to answer truthfully. I don't have much time either."

Sae went on explaining herself and asking questions towards Akira, who still wasn't responding.

"It was because I couldn't figure out a method."

"Of course you couldn't." Akira said.

"True."

Sae then went on, bombarding her with more questions, discussing her disbelief towards the files and the supposed "other world". She crossed her arms and sat back, giving Akira an intense and serious gaze.

"Now tell me your account of everything."

Akira held her hand to her head and closed her eyes./p

"Start from the very beginning."

Reopening her eyes, a blue butterfly flutters past her slowly. The room seemed to be growing dark.

"You are held captive." A mysterious voice says calmly.

"A prisoner of a fate to a future that has been sealed in advance."

"This truly is an unjust game... Your chances of winning are almost none. But if my voice is reaching you, there may yet be a possibility open to you."

"... I beg of you... Please overcome this game... And save the world."

The butterfly flew on gracefully.

"The key to victory lies within the memories of your bonds- the truth that you and your friends grasped."

The voice paused.

"It all began that day...when the game started half a year ago. For the shake of your world's future...as well as your own...you must remember..."

The blue butterfly had continued it's journey. And everything went white.

Akira jolted up. As soon as she realized where she was, a frown took over her face. She was on the train, wearing her new school's uniform: A buttoned up black blazer with red buttons and the school's emblem on the pocket, a white turtleneck shirt that has a tiny black bow on the collar, a black and red plaid skirt, and black stockings.

I don't want to be here.

The news was blaring out of the TV, but she only turned away. As the car cruised down the railing, a tunnel light flashed her face, just like that night.

A woman screaming and pushing a man away.

A man forcing himself on her.

Akira's rage flared within her. She strode up to the man and whirled him around.

He stumbled awkward and clumsily, ultimately crashing to the ground. The woman gasped and Akira could only gape at her hands in shock as the man struggled up. His hand was held tightly against his face, and his eyes burned with rage.

"Damn brat, I'll sue!"

Static...

The police grabbed her arms and began pulling her to their flashing car.

Akira looked down at the memory. There were so many conversations happening around her. Two girls standing by a window loudly gossiped about mental breakdowns.

I don't want to be here.

The walk from the station was much more pleasant for Akira. There was still an influx of people but she wasn't confined to a small space anymore. She pulled out her phone, looking to see if she had any new messages.

No new messages.

What a surprise.

Turning on her GPS she set off to find her home. As the app start up, a strange image appeared at the bottom.

"What's this?"

A red box with a distorted black eye enlarged on her screen, much to her annoyance. She furiously poked the screen, looking for any way to close it. The crowds circled around her. Loud voices echoed around her, then suddenly slowed. Looking up, Akira almost dropped her phone in surprise. Everything and everyone slowed to a standstill. Gazing around wildly, a large blue flame captured her attention. It swirled in the wind, forming something.

It bursts to life, illuminating in her glasses. Orange fire sparked to life, creating a smirking face. The fire pushes back, revealing an amber eyed Akira.

She blinked as light flashed her. Once her vision refocused, the city was in motion again. Conversations continued as if nothing happened.

I'm going insane.

Akira laughed bitterly at herself before looking back at her phone. The weird app was still there. She promptly deleted it and continued on her way. After another train ride and some walking she reached the Sakura household. She dusted off her skirt and checked her hair to make sure she looked presentable. Taking in a deep breath, she rang the doorbell.

No answer.

Akira rang once more.

No answer.

"I guess he's not home..."

"Oh! He's not home. I guess I have to deliver this over to his cafe, Leblanc."

Akira looked at the loud delivery man. He really shouldn't announce stuff like that out loud, but now she could find this Sakura person. Traveling through the the back alleys, she reached Leblanc in no time. Pushing open the door with shaky hands, she entered the small cafe.

A man with black hair, accompanied with a twisted black beard was lounging on a chair, reading a newspaper. It took him a few moments to realize she was standing there. He sighed as he stood, tossing his paper aside. The TV droned on about the subway accidents. The elderly couple in the shop seemed upset by it, but the man acted as if he didn't hear it.

"...Oh right. They did say that was today."

Akira noted his tone. Didn't sound like she'd be welcomed here with open arms.

Well who would be?

The elderly couple stood to go on their way. Akira went and held the door open for them.

"What a well mannered girl! Thank you."

Their compliment made her smile. It had been a while since anyone had said anything remotely nice to her. Unknown to her, Sojiro was watching her. Her actions made him quite curious, but when she refocused on him, he acted indifferent.

"Akira Kursuru, right?"

When she nodded, he continued on.

"I'm Sojiro Sakura. You'll be in my custody for the next year."

He observed her from bottom to top.

"I wondered what unruly kid would turn up, but you're the one, huh?"

He began explaining how he ended up taking care of her, all because he knew a customer that knew her parents.

So basically, they stuck me with some stranger.

Her parents were always like this, so it didn't necessarily surprise her.

"Well, not that it matters. Come on, follow me."

Sojiro led her up some stairs into some kind of attic. It was beyond cluttered and everything was in disarray. Within her mind, she pleaded for any God to promise her this wasn't her room.

"This is your room."

Oh course it is.

She really had no room to complain, and Akira knew it. Her parents didn't want anything to do with a rotten kid, the least she could do is be thankful someone had at least given her some form of space to take shelter in. Albeit not tons of space, but space was there.

"I'll at least give you sheets for your bed."

"Thank you. I'll clean up the clutter."

He was taken aback, but shrugged indifferently.

"I'll be leaving after I lock up each day. You'll be alone at night, but don't do anything stupid. I'll throw you out if you cause trouble."

She nodded. It was to be expected after all. He ran a business and last thing he needed was some delinquent screwing things over for him. She never planned on starting anything remotely related to trouble, but he drew his lines fast.

"Now then...I got the gist of your situation."

Akira cringed. She didn't want to hear the police version of her story again. Her mother and father constantly repeated it over and over once she had been taken in by the police that night. Her "alleged" claim had no proof as the asshole who cause it went free. Unfortunately, she'd have to sit through another retelling.

Again.

"You protected some woman from a man forcing himself on her, he got injured, then sued you, right?"

She quickly nodded happily.

Finally! Someone's on my side!

"That's what you get for sticking your nose in a matter between two adults."

So much for on my side!

"You did injure him, yeah?"

She had no choice but to agree. Him getting hurt had been because she forced him to move. There was no denying it.

He continued to detail her terrible plight, including her school expelling her for her criminal record and her parents agreeing with the court to ship her out to some remote place.

"In other words, they got rid of you for being a pain in the ass."

She frowned at him.

Just keep rubbing in all the salt.

Sojiro continued on about her not doing anything that could hurt his cafe, to which she solemnly swore she would not, her probation, and several other warnings not to get into trouble. She slowly began tuning him out, but flickered back just in time to hear him say they were going to head to Shujin Academy tomorrow to register and introduce herself. Looks as if she'll meet more people who will judge her before actually meeting her. She sighed but nodded. He then went back downstairs to tend to his cafe. Now that she was alone, she went through he luggage and began unpacking. Taking a look around, she decided to change and get a start on cleaning. Ditching her uniform, she changed into a white shirt with a dark brown jacket over a jean skirt and black leggings. She clipped on some overall straps and went about cleaning.

Starting with the windows, she dusted down the glass until the sunlight could stream through. The floor was next. As soon as she got a bucket of water, she busied herself with mopping up aging wooden floor. She slid the box of her belongings into the nearby shelf, then went off to make her bed with the sheets Sojiro provided her with. She then continued tidying up the room. By the time she was done, it was already evening.

"What the heck? I heard all sorts of noise but I didn't think you'd actually be cleaning."

"Well, I don't want to live in a dirty room."

"Fair enough. Why don't you head to bed? I'm closing up for tonight and heading home."

"Alright."

She listened as he descended down the stairs and then out the door. She didn't have anything better to do so she might as well hit the sack like he suggested. Once she changed into her pajamas, she laid down on her bed. Despite being in bed, her thoughts were still wide awake.

Arrest...

Trial...

Criminal record...

"Damn brat! I'll sue!"

The memories were still fresh within her mind. His yells. The woman's screams. The sirens. The grip on her arms.

Still... There was no way I could just let that go.

The memory just kept replaying in her mind. Her exact actions constantly repeated in an eternal time loop. Frustration clouded her arms, but closed them in an attempt to calm herself down. They reopened once she heard the beeping of her phone. Pulling it off the charger, she unlocked it.

The strange app had returned.

I thought I had deleted it...

Once again, she dragged the icon to the trash.

Placing it back, she could feel sleep slowly attracting her. Turning off the light, she laid back in bed, falling into a deep slumber.