Chapter Text
His trench coat billowed out from beneath him, the wind circling around the trickster, engulfing him in chaos. His mouth was stretched wide into a demented smile, eyes flashing gold.
Because of the spell Akechi had cast on him, he could only see his parents and the past palace rulers all staring down at him with mocking smirks plastered across their stupid faces. He resented them. And now he could finally accomplish what he’d longed to do every time he held them at gun point. He would kill them, cackling manically as their body thudded against the steel floor.
Only in reality the Phantom Thieves were standing in front of Akira, dreading the fact they’d have to battle their own beloved leader.
“Akechi! What the hell did you do to him!” Skull yelled out, his blond hair standing up on edge just from glancing at Joker’s sadistic grin. No this wasn’t really him after all. Akechi was controlling him...right?
“Oh I assure you all this is all Joker. All I did was rile him up a little.” He laughed manically as he sent heavy bless attacks their way, almost knocking out Makoto.
“Going insane is one thing but taking Joker with you...that’s too far!” Ann protested, her hand resting on her heart just like she did whenever she spoke out passionately.
“I’m showing you what he’s truly capable of! This is what he’s been hiding from you all along! Don’t you get it you can’t trust him!”
But whenever they spoke all Akira heard was the words of his revolted mum and enraged dad.
I wish you were never born! All you’ve ever brought to us is misery and pain! I should’ve let your father beat you to death!
Tears prickled, threatening to stream down his face. But that’s what they wanted. To see him weaken. And he wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of his suffering.
So instead he clenched his scarlet fist and commanded Arsene to obliterate them with curse attacks. Joker watched as Kaneshiro and Madarame toppled to the floor much to his delight.
Only in reality it was Ann and Ryuji, two of Akira’s closest friends, falling to the ground in defeat, their bodies now limp and unmoving.
“M-Morgana can you revive them again?”
Look at him he’s pathetic.
“I’ve ran out of sp Queen! I’m basically useless at this point plus Joker’s got all the items!” Morgana leaped out the way just in time, barely dodging Akechi’s almighty attacks.
You should've seen him when he was a child. Always acting so smug just because he was ahead of the other children. He sickened me.
“Once you’re all dead I’ll turn on Joker and kill him instantly...or maybe I should let him mourn your deaths. It’ll finally break him.” Akechi sneered at the remaining five, baring his crystal white teeth in a way that didn’t suit his pretty boy face.
I can’t believe two highly respectable people like you raised up a child like that.
“Why are you doing this? We are on the same side here! Joker...he cares about you. More than you know.” Queen sighed, scarlet eyes staring straight at Akechi, observing his actions. He looked taken aback for a second. Then anger clouded his face, his eyebrows furrowed and his jaw visibly clenched.
I’m so glad we got rid of him. He was a waste of space. He was useless to me, to his father, to everybody!
“That’s the point! He shouldn’t care about me no one should! He’s just too dumb to understand that!” Akechi clenched his jaw.
Stupid useless child. I wish you were never born. Stupid useless child. I WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN!
“Enough!” Akira screamed and threw a huge nuclear bomb, so powerful the actual palace shook from the sheer force of it.
“Not again!” Yusuke cried out as Haru fell to the floor. Another one ‘dead’.
Insolent boy.
“Joker please snap out of it!” Makoto pleaded, seeing that as their only way out of this. Attacking them would only enrage them even more and Queen couldn’t risk another person dying.
Joker please snap out of it!
The image of his parents standing with Shido and Kamoshida faded and in their stead was Makoto, Yusuke, Futaba and Morgana all glancing at him with big, fearful eyes.
“Guys-Ah!” He collapsed to the floor, clutching his head as excruciating pain sliced through his head.
“That’s not possible he can’t be fighting it! None of the others did so why...” Akira could hear Akechi’s voice now clearly instead of the illusions whispering poison into his ears.
“Akira!” Futaba gasped out all of them rushing towards him in concern.
“Don’t come near him! Lok-“
“Don’t even consider it.” Fox pointed his sword at the detective, forbidding Akechi to act with his cold steely glare. Akechi dropped his guard for a second, looking conflicted as they ran towards their leader.
Akira clutched at his hair as the pain continually got worse. Without wasting any time the misguided detective pulled out his gun and aimed it towards Akira’s head. The gunshot echoed through the room.
But instead of their leader dying, Akechi and Akira both fell to the floor, unconscious. The only thing that moved in that moment was a mysterious sapphire blue butterfly, hovering over their bodies.
“Fear not, friends of the trickster. All will be resolved soon but please give Akechi a chance. He is not what he appears to be like.” The butterfly then dissolved into blue dust leaving behind four very confused Phantom Thieves.
“Did that butterfly just talk?” Futaba wondered aloud.
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“You’re finally awake inmate!” Akira winced Caroline’s harsh tone. A dull pain vibrated across the crown of his head. Right now he just wanted to sleep. Instead he forced himself to get up, just like he did at every other visit.
“Hm? Have these chains gotten lighter?”
“That may be because of me.”
Akira looked into to his right and noticed, in the neighbouring cell, that the silver chains had attached themselves to another pair of wrists.
“Akechi?!”