Six hours, sunset

He thought he'd never feel this way again.

The way his horror slowly sank through him, somehow filtering out the disbelief and becoming pure despair along the way. The way his heart stumbled in his chest and a pit yawned wide open in him. The way he felt his cells pull him onto an already-narrow cliff and urge him to jump.

The first time was when he opened his eyes to see his mother's still ones. The second; Lavenza's heavy words when he awoke on a train through hell.

And a third time, when Goro Akechi gaped in horror as Trae was thrown off the building's edge.

He rushed to the edge at the same time Arsene launched himself over, uselessly throwing his hand out. Come back, the assassin silently willed. Come back, please.

He didn't use please lightly, so it had to have some sort of effect.

"Look out!" Noir cried. Goro whipped around in time to see a blur, a flash of metal, and ducked. Something sharp and cold flicked across his cheek, and a burst of Kougan threw him off the edge. The assassin slammed his sword against the side of the roof, just barely avoiding the death trap below him. He dangled freely above the fucking void with absolutely no way to get back up.

Could he move his right- no, he decided as his fingers nearly slipped. He gazed up at the Time-Lord, wondering if he was going to push him off the same way he did Trae.

Kronos smirked at him, his scythe tinged red, and in the blink of an eye, vanished.

Noir reappeared above him. Her pink eyes stared cruelly at his hands, and he imagined she was wondering how easy it would be to kill him. Goro was absolutely helpless.

Retribution, she might call it. An accident. A simple misjudgement in the heat of battle. Goro almost smiled. He raised an eyebrow at Noir. "What will it be, heroine?" the assassin whispered.

She smirked at him, and in one smooth motion pulled him back up. He rolled his shoulders and casted a look around the rooftop. Seemed like Yusuke was using Panther, Makoto, and Skull, and Kronos was dueling all of them with ease. He almost looked bored.

"You crush this god," Noir told him, pink eyes gleaming. "Or I will crush your head beneath my axe. Is that understood?"

He didn't bother to tell her that Kronos probably had something way worse planned for them. At least being killed by Noir was quick.

He tugged the sword out of the ground and watched Kronos's one eye weave between his four targets. "Arsene put out one of his eyes," Goro muttered.

"We, as mere humans, are incapable of that," Noir said shortly. She slung her axe over her shoulders in a manner almost like their enemy. "Do you have a-"

"Stay on his left side." The assassin frowned at Kronos's stance. He was moving so fast, it was hard to be sure, but- "He's not taking us seriously. This is a joke to him. He can freeze us all and see our possible next moves."

A wicked gleam in Noir's eyes. She understood. "But even if he can see them... can he block it?"

In answer, Goro shot forward and just barely missed Kronos's side. Ryuji took advantage of his momentary distraction and roared, "Ziodyne!"

It missed. Of course Skull missed, but he made up for it with a well-aimed shot, which Kronos just barely deflected. It had been aimed at his knees, Goro noted. Stay low. Kronos wasn't blocking attacks as well, obviously, considering that he wielded a scythe. The best he could do was hit someone with the shaft of it.

Which meant he could stab that bastard in the d-

A Zionga spell burst against his chest. Goro froze. His body twitched, trying to reach his sword, but... no use. Fucking paralyzed.

Loki, where the hell are you?

There was no response. With effort, he tilted his head up enough that he could see the rest of the roof. The griffin was encased in ice, as was everyone but him, Noir, and Fox.

"How disappointing," the TIme-Lord sighed. He closed something in his right hand. "I expected more from the famed Thieves, but I suppose you're nothing without your Wildcard leader."

Goro snarled. Just one step, and he would shove a knife through Kronos's spine.

The god turned around and smiled at him, as if he knew what he was thinking. He probably did. Kronos could allegedly see the future. He spread his arms wide, tossing his scythe away. "Try it," he sneered.

It was hopeless.

It was fucking hopeless, but Goro had to try.

He threw the knife at the god's right leg, then jumped back with a fire shield in front of him, frantically scrabbling for his sword. Kronos's calf leaked blue blood. Goro found the shortsword and swung, throwing himself backwards and bracing his fire shield.

It didn't matter. He felt the sudden cold on his costume, then violent heat as the ice began to burn. The fire sputtered out, and the ice crawled over his face. THe last thing Goro saw was Kronos's cruel smile-

The ice exploded outward.

Goro collapsed on the roof, shivering in a pool of cold water. He gulped down breaths, swearing to himself that would never happen again. Ever. The assassin felt the skin on his hand sting and realized he was still bleeding. He'd cut himself somehow on the shortsword, but at least he'd been freed from the ice before he was completely frozen.

Wait.

There was only one person who could counter the effects of the time-freeze thing. But Trae was...

And then came the flapping of wings and two beings laughing together, neither of them quite human.

Goro leapt to his feet and saw Kronos gaping at the Treasure. Trae shone like a star. She was taller now, everything but the roots of her hair dyed green and yellow and braided together. Her yellow, ringed eyes were slitted vertically like a snake. Goro could see ice wreathing her hands and Chrysopelia just behind her, mirroring her.

The heavy feeling in his chest softened. She was alright. Better than alright, actually. Trae was a Treasure, and she was probably more powerful than the rest of them combined.

And judging by Kronos's furious look, he knew it.

"Now you've fucking done it," Trae seethed in a very un-Trae-like voice. Her cold, ringed eyes surveyed the scene before her. "How dare you hurt them!"

"I gave you an out," Kronos snarled. "You should have stayed on the ground."

"I would never stay down," Trae sneered. "I will cut you open and let your blood swamp this rutting town."

"Big words for a-" Kronos was cut off by a vicious barrage of Psiodyne from Milady. Noir smirked up at the floating girl and bowed.

"You're finally here," the pink-eyed demoness said, as if she'd known all along. Maybe she had: like recognizes like, or something like that. "He's practically invincible as of now, but if you could-"

"Allow me."

Trae vanished in a flash, and Kronos started to scream. Before his eyes, the god's black-webbed skin started to crack even more. Porcelain chunks shattered on the ground, blue gushing out to fill its place. The golden-edged armor he wore under the cloak warped into what looked like a... straitjacket?

The assassin gulped and turned away. He'd been subject to straitjackets enough when Shido was around.

He could no longer sense Trae, but her voice still flitted through the air. "He is no more powerful than a Persona now, save for a few items." Her voice, low and musical now, paused. "I will be back."

"You mean you're leaving?" Panther demanded.

"I am a god in my own right. I can go where I wish, and trust me when I say this shall benefit you."

Goro had always been sure that gods were as vain and cruel as they were powerful. He was also fairly sure that Trae was only acting this way because she could show off her power without the Thieves turning on her. Arsene would probably slaughter anyone who dared to hurt her.

"Good hunting, Phantom Thieves."

Kronos snarled, pressing his fingers to the missing parts of his skin. "You cannot think this is enough to win."

This time, when Goro called Loki, he responded easily. Yusuke's eyes pinned the god down. "You," he growled, "Cannot possibly think you could win."

"Let's find out."

Rustling wings beside him, and a clawed hand on his shoulder before he could charge. Arsene alighted behind him. "Good evening, Crow."

He was caught between "You're late" and "You're alive," so Goro decided on, "Good evening, Ra-"

Arsene covered his mouth before he could finish that. "We need to steal the pocketwatch."

The watch?

Oh. The god had used it at the beginning of the tower, right before he'd turned that woman- Trae's fake mom- to a statue. That thing was powerful. "Go on," he said slowly. His face began to sting. Was it still bloody?

Arsene nodded at something clutched in Kronos's hands. "I explained to our Treasure. When he opens that pocketwatch, he becomes incredibly fast.... Or more likely, his perception of time slows." He tilted his masked head at Goro, who wiped the blood off his forehead. "You would have to be a very fast thief."

"Are you asking me to be a sacrifice or a thief here?" he demanded. The cuts on his arms and face suddenly pulsed. Damned scythe.

Arsene seemed to wince. Blue leaked out from under his manacles, and he hastily wiped it away. "Perhaps it was a bit blunt... but a distraction is necessary. Have you ever heard that a thief needs two hands to-"

"To properly steal," Goro finished. "My father said that about his tricks, too. One hand to guide the public's eyes, the other take whatever he wanted."

"He sound- sorry, sounded- like a cruel man." Arsene huffed a warm breath. "I assume you have something in mind as... well, bait?"

Goro did, and as much as he hated the idea of losing control- the last dregs of the Detective Prince would fight against him with everything it had- he really wanted revenge. Kronos crushed him when they last fought, and Loki had been at his mercy for a long, long time. "Oh, yes I do," he said slowly. The Black Mask felt a grin spread across his face. The demon-thief matched it.

"Loki!" Goro yelled. The Persona appeared in a flash of blue sparks and a furious snarl.

Kronos met the thief's eyes from across the roof, and a black-webbed smile stretched nearly to his too-small ears. "Oh Loki, Loki, Loki. Don't you learn?"

Blood roared in his ears. Through their bond, Goro could sense his Persona's rage. He snarled at the god, yanking his sword from the ground, and slowly summoned the red mist to his right hand. There was one way to get Kronos's complete attention, and he'd never seen anyone do it before.

"Python!"

And there it was: two Personas and a splitting headache to go along with it.

He ignored that unhelpful fact as the red mist dissolved into his skin. He felt his body pulse again, like his skin was a second heart, and suddenly felt... free? Yes, that was the word: free. This was probably the strongest-

Psychotic high, a voice in his head reminded him dryly. You are no stronger than before-

Shut up, Loki.

He launched himself at Kronos, who laughed delightedly and let loose a palmful of electricity. Goro rolled and came up behind him and stabbed straight for his chest- and the god blocked it with the scythe. He was still laughing.

"Out of my way!" he roared to the Thieves.

His comm crackled. "Lemme guess; you found a weak point, right?"

"No, but I'll stab him 'till I do."

"What, you have a death wish?" Futaba didn't wait for an answer before demanding, "GET DOWN!"

That was the only warning he got, and when he saw Necronimicon appear, he decided to do what she said. He heard the girl slam a button and dive out the side, landing in a stumble. "GET DOWN!" she screamed again, clutching her ankle.

Necronomicon dropped out of the sky. Goro threw himself to the side, just barely avoiding the edge of the roof.

Kronos smirked and let the Persona hit the ground in front of him, but his expression quickly changed to horror. A second later, Necronomicon exploded. Shards of metal and fire and a screechy, corrosive sound howled around them like a fucking tornado. The Time-Lord seemed to roar and he slammed his hands over his ears. Goro was pretty sure he'd lost his chance to keep his hearing. And still his hurt like something was playing a trigger-happy Smash Bros game.

If he was his normal self, he would be curled up on the ground right now. But since he was insane and shit, Goro launched himself to his feet and summoned fire. Loki!

His Persona was unresponsive for a moment. Then- Get ready.

Goro was slightly less confused when he saw a giant fist emerge from the tornado and slam into Kronos's scythe. Kronos pushed his weight against it, but his form was human, and even if he had a different one, he probably couldn't change now without his head being crushed in. The fucking goliath curled his other striped hand into a first and slammed it towards Kronos's head.

The Time-Lord barely blocked him with a crackling lightning shield. "Get," he spat, "away."

"Remember when you kept me in a cell? When you laughed?" Loki's snarl was nothing short of terrifying. "You are going to die today, Kronos, and I shall be the one to do it."

A strained chuckle. "Who says 'shall'?" The scythe shaft creaked dangerously.

Hurry up! Loki demanded, projecting his thoughts into Goro's mind. However easy you think holding this form as a Persona is-

Yeah, yeah, it's difficult, I know.

Goro moved faster than he'd ever moved before, rolling under the lightning shield. Kronos glanced back and threw his only hand up to protect his face. The pocket watch was gone, clenched between Kronos's black teeth. Goro hissed a curse and slugged him across the face.

Loki's thoughts sounded strained. Bless attack!

His goliath form shrunk into some sort of bird, and a second later, Loki was gone. Goro didn't give him a chance to recover. He unsheathed his sword and it began to glow a dull red. Blood or fire or something. The assassin didn't really care, but it got the god's attention. His soulless eye bored into Goro's.

He slashed at the shaft, but it sparked off harmlessly. Lightning crackled around Kronos's palm, the other wielding the scythe defensively. The lightning turned white-gold, and the crackling became a smooth hum. Goro dove for the ground as a Kougan washed over him. "Python!"

The previously circling snake coiled himself around Kronos's throat. "Let's try this again," he hissed. He squeezed tighter. Kronos's bones- did gods even have bones?- creaked.

Behind him, Futaba was finally getting to her feet. The tornado faded and the wind died down. Necronomicon reformed as a Shadow Futaba. He didn't really care how that was possible, but if she wasn't being a distraction, then...

Python hissed again. There was a painful sounding thump, and he sensed the Persona vanish.

"Goddammit, Python-" His breath was suddenly cut off as something cracked against his chest. The assassin flew backwards and his head smacked the concrete roof. Sparks flashed in his eyes. He could hardly breathe.

"YOU DAMN THIEF!"

There was a hissing Curse spell and the swish of a scythe. Hurried footsteps, still so light he could barely hear them. A whoosh of wings and the crackle of electricity. Chains clanking.

"Thief, give that back!"

"Make me," Arsene laughed. The assassin guessed he was waving the pocketwatch around, taunting him. "You know, I wonder what time it is-"

A clink of metal and then absolute silence.

One...

Two...

Three...

And Kronos screamed in rage. He hissed, curled up, put his hands over his ears.

Wings rustled beside him. Goro shook the stars out of his eyes and got up- thank the fucking moon and stars he was more used to the psychotic haze shit. His ribs were probably broken, but he couldn't really feel it, and he wasn't particularly insane today. The only thing he could feel was the lessening pressure in his head, which was probably a good thing.

"Akechi, can you hear me?"

"Yeah," he muttered back. "What'd you do?"

"I opened the watch." The Persona seemed to be grinning at his hand. "I was right. It does slow perception. Kronos isn't very happy with me."

"He's never happy with you."

The assassin felt smooth, cold metal and clawed nails press into his shoulder. Arsene chuckled softly. "Trust is essential, Goro Akechi." He opened his left hand and a gold watch embedded with crystal stared back at him. "I have another plan, but I need you to trust me."

"I don't trust thieves," he said automatically.

His ever-grinning mask showed nothing, but his voice became deadly serious. "You need to now. Please."

He hesitated. Then he realized that if Arsene or Ren wanted him dead, they'd had plenty of chances. "Just this once," Goro decided.

"Good." The Persona tossed the watch into his hands, and Kronos's eyes snapped onto them. The hand on his shoulder tightened. "I'll catch you."

"You'll catch- WHAT THE FU-?" Arsene shoved him backwards and he stumbled. His feet hit open air. Goro hung still for a half-moment. I'm flying, he thought dumbly, then began to fall.

He clenched his fingers around the clock and refused to close his eyes. The assassin hit the clouds, the sour wind whistling in his ears and nose.

Also, if was fucking freezing.

The watch cut into his fingers. Where was Arsene?

A dark shape dove out of the clouds, and a grin spread across his face. He would've screamed obscenities for pushing him off the goddamn roof had he not seen the lack of a mask. Then the dark, soulless eye.

Kronos.

The ground was getting close, Kronos was seconds away from getting the pocket watch, and Goro was definitely going to die.

"This," the god snarled, "is where your justice ends."

And he vanished suddenly. A second later, there was a blinding light, painful-sounding thud, and something like bricks crumbling. A flash of black wings and gleaming silver, and then Goro slammed into Arsene.

The Persona grunted, furiously flapping his wings. "Ugh, you're heavier than I thought."

Goro coughed painfully, the wind knocked out of him. "You caught me," he said. He didn't realize how surprised he sounded. "And you shouldn't say shit, you dropped me off the fucking roof."

The mask smiled at him. "Have a little faith, Goro." Arsene's voice became serious. "Our Treasure is holding him off. I needed you to bait him off the roof. Neither Dryad nor I had ever seen him fight in the air, so we assumed he was weaker-"

There was an explosion, and two shapes hurtled out of the building, which crackled and moaned. Their heads swiveled towards it. Arsene seemed frozen.

"That was Dryad and Kronos, wasn't it."

Arsene's silence was all the confirmation he needed.

"We leave her," Goro said, the words tasting disgusting. "One Treasure isn't worth the world."

The building groaned again, and the floor collapsed. Goro cussed it out and Arsene frantically dove away from the imploding bricks and glass. Panicked cries echoed down from the roof. He could dimly hear Ryuji screaming about his Persona- a surprisingly good plan for a monkey.

Arsene muttered some words in a smooth, lovely language that was no doubt absolutely foul. "Where's Loki when I need him... oh, nevermind. I'll get our Treasure. Call Loki. And keep that watch away from Kronos at ALL COSTS."

Goro pressed his fingertips to his helmet. "Loki," he growled, "Get your striped ass down here and help!"

The building groaned again, and a layer of dust plumed into his face. The helmet vanished again with a shower of sparks, and a griffin appeared next to them. It tossed its birdhead, shaking the dust out of its feathers. "Have you found a use for me?" Loki asked innocently, swishing his lion's tail.

Arsene tossed him unceremoniously onto the griffin's back and dove back down without a goodbye.

"That was rude," Loki observed.

Goro leaned forward and flicked his beak. "Let's go."

"This seems unnecessary," his Persona said slowly. "After all, they are only weak distractions. You would not have hesitated to leave them before."

The assassin frowned to himself, wondering just why he cared. Maybe it was because he realized they weren't stupid and useless. Maybe Arsene had proven that Goro was just a bad person. Maybe he didn't want to fight a god with an injured thief and an unreliable escapee.

Who cared? Time was wasting, and the building was exuding more and more debris. There were screams from inside and it was listing to one side. Bad.

"Let's go," he repeated more forcefully.

A heavy sigh. "As you wish."

-

Goro arrived to atrociously loud screaming, Futaba clinging to the very edge of the building, and six other Thieves crammed into Captain Kidd's small boat.

"Crow!" Yusuke cried. "When Arsene threw you off the roof, we thought-"

"He had good reason." Goro held up the watch and leapt off Loki's back. He transformed back into a humanoid and hauled Futaba back onto the roof. "Oracle, summon Necronomicon."

She slowly opened her eyes, and upon realizing she was alive, considered the demand. "Can't," Oracle said finally. "She's recharging from her kamikaze attack. But we need something bigger than a griffin, cuz that Persona's boat's not gonna get us down safely."

Another tremor under their feet. Goro staggered.

"If a griffin is too small," Loki said, "Perhaps a dragon?"

Goro snorted. "Only room for two people."

"Ah, but only Western dragons are small and weak." The assassin was about cut in- mostly to start a controversial argument about what kind of dragon was best- but Loki kept talking. "Eastern dragons, however..."

His skin split, folded in on itself. Loki's face elongated and his limbs molded into his body. Four small claws grew out of his tubelike, scaly body. The dragon looked up and smiled with a mouthful of fangs.

"Eastern dragons are powerful."

"Bitch-ass showoff," Goro muttered. "Whatever. Get your dumb asses on the drago- HOLY FUCKING SHIT, MOVE!"

He threw himself to the side as the building split down the middle. Debris flew through the air, and the assassin choked on dust. He heard a few dull thuds and a pained yelp. Panther was hit.

The assassin lifted his head and hauled himself onto Loki. He tossed Futaba on and roared to Yusuke, who was balanced precariously on the bow, "GO!"

Loki grabbed him in his left claw and dove off the roof.

Medjed screamed. Yusuke laughed in some insane delight. Goro closed his eyes and hoped he wouldn't splat against the ground.

"I rather like this form," his Persona said lightly. He weaved around a house-sized chunk of brick and ducked under the clouds. "Eastern dragons. No irritating wings to get caught on things." The Persona tossed Yusuke from his claw to his back, causing a bout of delighted, cringeworthy laughter.

"How beautiful!" he exclaimed. "I was sure we would find an Eastern dragon in Mementos, but we never got the delight of-"

Goro sighed. "Those things are obnoxious. You never dealt with Kohryu? Didn't Ren have Kohryu?"

Yusuke shrugged. "Perhaps, but he never did say. Joker is quite the secret-keeper."

Loki yawned. "You are all-"

He froze.

Froze, as if the the weight of the world was suddenly pressed onto his shoulders. Then he heard the telltale crackle of ice.

Futaba went pale as she looked behind her. Hard, cold crystals stabbed at Goro's hands. "Look out!" she screamed. "Kronos, you bastard!"

Trae said he couldn't use the time-freeze ice, but he sure as hell could cast Bufudyne.

Goro leapt to his feet, balanced precariously on the dragon's slippery, frozen back. Kronos hovered there in all his one-eyed glory. Far below them, he could just barely see a tiny form tumbling to the ground. Trae. Dryad. Treasure.

She was going to die.

Kronos smiled at him, ice wreathing his hands. "I grow tired of this game, human. It is time to remove a few pieces."

He didn't realize he was screaming until his throat was raw and his fist connected with the god's jaw. Blue blood dripped onto his hand. The assassin snarled and fire exploded from him, hot enough to melt stone and incinerate flesh. Pain seared his arms and left hand, but fuck that.

Goro could sense Loki's pain. The Persona couldn't transform, couldn't move, couldn't turn into a mask, couldn't breathe. He was dying in there, and the only person who could save him was Trae.

"I'll kill you!" he howled.

Kronos was laughing. Laughing.

"Who are you to even fight me?" The flames died away. His head spun. Everything hurt. Red mist bled out of his skin, wreathing his vision like a halo. Distantly, he heard Futaba screaming for him to get up Crow, we need you!

As if.

Kronos's voice almost sounded pitying. "Goodbye, Shapeshifter."

He vanished, and under his fingers, the ice shattered and Loki fell.

Next thing he knew, Yusuke was tossing him over one shoulder- for a beanpole, he was strong- and Futaba over the other, and roared, "Goemon!"

There was an explosion of blue fire. His skin felt like it would split open. He wondered what would come out, muscle or bone or blood or black psycho sludge.

"Where-" Goemon sounded confused.

"No time!" A blessedly cool hand on his skin. He was burning up. Fire and embers and red mist. "Where's Necronomicon?"

"Still recovering."

"How many floors up are we?"

"Fifty-four...fifty-three...very high up. You are falling too fast: the Navi is already unconscious. Where is the Treasure?"

"On the ground. Status unknown."

"Thirty floors. Where is William... ah. I see. The Leblanc Tower trick?"

"It's going to hurt." Yusuke sounded like he'd reached some sort of agreement, but Goro couldn't really tell. Monsters usually didn't have ears, and only a monster could have blood like lava and fangs and red eyes.

A monster, a monster, I've turned into a...

He started laughing.

"Is he..."

"Not important. Get ready!"

"Bufudyne!"

Lava trickled down his wrists. He closed his eyes.

And he woke nestled in cold, bloodied scales.

---

I am very tired and have been working on this for the better part of two weeks, while simultaneously ignoring my math homework. I really have to do that by Monday.

UGH FIGHT SCENES SO DIFFICULT.

all things considered, it turned out pretty well. Now, as for what Trae had to do before returning to the fight (her and arsene's plan was made in the timeskip in previous chapter) you'll find out in the next chapter. Oh, that is going to be so much fun!!!

Another thing. Akechi starts to call Arsene something, and the Perosna hastily stops him. Also crucial for next chapter. Akechi only knows this information- which, obviously, Arsene's kinda touchy about, considering how important it is- because he's thouroghly researched the creatures in the metaverse.

As for why this chapter is called Assassin's Loss- well, Akechi's proven himself to be no longer a traitor... just like Ren is no longer a Ruler, right? As for the "loss" part. Well, he's lost one of his Personas. I worded it that way in the last sentance so i could decide which one, and how.

words: 4440

Thank you so much for your patience!

Happy New Year, my dudes!

Robin out!

(My banner won't load rippppp I'll get it later i swear)