Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

As Kasumi waited for Ren, she tried to fixate on the tower, but, against the open sky, it seemed to duck behind the passing light and then back into view again like a flag revealing and hiding itself in the wind, its visage was on the tip of her tongue and along with it her mind hopped and tripped back and forth trying to pin it as a sea of commuters passed by. Why had it appeared over the stadium? She shifted for a passerby. Why is it appearing in reality? Again, rocking to make room. Why didn’t anyone seem to care? And, the appearance of her sister there before.

Falling from the tower, the street was now almost empty except for Ren who was approaching and another passing behind him. She breathed a sigh of relief. Now, she could go in and explore the Palace, she could lay her questions to rest, and she won’t be alone anymore, the only one paying the anomaly any mind. “Senpai!” she greeted him. He gave a small wave in return. Before she could move on to the issue at hand, from beyond, she realized the figure behind Ren was not a passerby and instead, colored in, it was, “And, Akechi-san?”

Why was he here? What were the two of them doing together? The questions just kept piling on. Of course, she knew they were friends, and it wouldn’t at all be strange for them to be together, but would it be ok to investigate the Palace with Akechi here? She didn’t want to exclude Akechi, but she thought the Palace was a more pressing matter.

“We just happened to be together when he got your call,” he brushed her off in the courteous and cordial tone of the Detective Prince. Something felt off, and she felt just as lost as she did before his supposed explanation.

“First a dead woman returns, and now a Palace appears… How intriguing,” Akechi said to himself. Ren and Akechi both looked up at the Palace but, in its formlessness, neither could make out what kind of place it was supposed to be.

She glanced at her Senpai, wondering how they would investigate the Palace with Akechi here and what was Senpai’s plan?

Wait, “Akechi-san, you know about Palaces?” Then, is that why senpai brought him along? Maybe he isn’t an obstacle.

Akechi turned to Ren, “Would it help you grasp the situation if I told you that I have the same powers he has?”

Kasumi placed her hand over her mouth as she gasped, “Really!? Does that mean you’re also…”

Frost covered Akechi’s face as he laughed a little, “Allow me to stop you there—I’m not a part of the Phantom Thieves. However, since you've already grasped the concept, it's clear to me that you're a fellow Persona-user.”

“Um…” Kasumi looked to Ren.

“You can tell him, he knows.”

“Yes, I can use a Persona as well. I'm not a part of the Phantom Thieves either, though… I just so happened to slip into this Palace with Senpai and Morgana-senpai a while ago. But, what could be the meaning behind its appearance here? I just happened to be passing by on my way home when I came across it…”  Kasumi explained.

“Since nobody else is making a scene about it, I assume others aren't able to see it. Or, they see it, but it doesn't evoke any real reaction in them…” Akechi theorized.

“Yes, that’s exactly it! I asked some people in the area, and none of them seemed to care at all about its appearance.”

“Hmm... Rather than simply hypothesize out here, we may be better off taking immediate action.”

“You mean, we should go into the Palace?”

“Not only has a Palace manifested in reality, but this is the only one visible to us. I realize I have no proof, but it's highly likely that this is related to our current incomprehensible situation. Wouldn't it be more efficient to just go inside and see what we can learn? That is, if we have the means to do so,” Akechi pulled out his phone, “Oh, it’s… I thought it was gone for good, but it looks like we've regained access to the Nav.”

“I have it as well.”

“Is there a search history?”

“Search history… How do I check… Ah! There’s one search in the log, but…”

“Ugh, the ‘name’ portion of the entry has been censored somehow… Could this be the doing of the Palace’s Ruler?”

“Does that mean we can’t enter the Palace?”

“Well, we do have the search history, so it should be possible to infiltrate it anyway.”

“...If you’re going in, would you be willing to bring me with you? I can't put my finger on it, but something's been bothering me about this place ever since we first entered it. I promise I won’t slow you down.” Kasumi thought she might already be a part of the conversation, but she didn’t want to make any wrong assumptions.

Akechi looked to Ren, “What’s your call?”

“Infiltration time.”

“That settles it!”

“All right. Let’s do it.” 

As reality warped and the cognitive world formed through a kaleidoscope, Kasumi thought she also heard Akechi’s tone change to something darker.

Above, the tower lit up the empty night of this inner world like a great torch, and rings of lenses, of such size that any person below would’ve appeared microscopic under them, circumscribed the top of the tower like many eyes, some targeting the ground and others searching into the beyond, ensured that their approach would be preordained, and these were accompanied by errant shapes that also fluttered about the top like a multitude of wings. The trio hopped up past the gate with its red and white bars and onto the cover of the walkway. As they ran down, passing trees, threads of light bound to Heaven graced the city below the trunk of the tower which rose from the silent garden, and, amidst the different colored spotlights that danced about closer to the ground and the radiant lights higher above, it could be made out that the sphere at the top of the tower displayed a transparent globe. Kasumi hopped over a bush of leaves that had grown over the eave and saw a ghost train wave at her before disappearing behind one of the many curving tracks that stood tall outside the perimeter of the Palace.

“Now that I’m getting a second look here, I’ve noticed just how mysterious this place is… What could this building even be?” Kasumi said.

“It depends on what the Palace’s Ruler thinks of the place. We’ll likely find that out if we keep pushing forward.” Akechi said.

She turned, “Is that so?” and came across an unexpected figure. “By the way, um…”

“What’s the matter?”

“Well… I’m not sure how to put it…”

Ren spoke up, “Wearing that one, eh?”

“That one?”

“Oh, you mean this old thing? Yoshizawa-san aside, there’s no reason for me to uphold the pretense of a righteous, sincere Detective Prince. Enough chatting. Let’s move out.” 

Pretense? So, Akechi’s been lying this entire time? As they rode up the elevator, Kasumi stole multiple glances trying to figure out what Akechi’s disguise was supposed to be.

“Those guises… You aren’t among those who desire salvation.”

“Take us to your Ruler,” Ren said.

“Leave. You are unwanted intruders. Do not disturb our lord’s research—this world’s salvation.”

“The language of a Shadow is a hint into its Ruler’s ideology… This one sounds rather cultish, for example,” Akechi projected his voice past Ren, “Sorry, but we’re going to pass through there now. We don’t have the time to waste on peons like yourself.”

“Why do you willingly strive for self-suffering? Why are you reaching out to your own pain?”

Kasumi jumped when the Shadow suddenly exploded into its true form.

“Yoshizawa-san—you can do this, right?”

Any questions about whatever was going on with Akechi were driven from her mind after Kasumi watched that video. Kasumi left the two behind on her way to the door on the other side of the circular hall. Her suspicions were being proven right. They went through the door, and, from the glass walls of the corridor, she could see the entrance hall down below. Reaching out to your own pain? Self -suffering? That video… She didn’t understand. Her sister’s passing was painful, but it wasn’t something she was doing to herself? Was it her poor performance in gymnastics? Was she not good enough?

As she rushed the Shadows, leaving behind Ren and Akechi, she had that feeling again, that sense she got doing gymnastics lately where her movements don’t feel like her own. It frustrated her that they came to her so naturally even when she didn’t know why she performed them or where they even came from. Why was she the one being singled out here? Who was behind this where they thought they knew all about her? When Ren and Akechi caught up and joined the fight, the two shadows were quickly defeated.

Afterwards, Kasumi had to catch her breath.

“Such a fool, rejecting our lord’s mercy… In that case—witness it for yourself.”

“Now what!?” Kasumi snapped, being so over whatever was going on here.

Cheers erupted from behind and an announcer’s voice appeared, “Oh wow, the crowd is going wild! Their cheers are shaking the stadium to welcome a new heroine to the world of competitive gymnastics!”

Kasumi walked over to the railing. She saw a girl, “Thank you so much! I’m simply thrilled with the results I had today!” She guessed right when she saw it wasn’t just any girl.

“Your performance exceeded anything seen before in the junior class—it was absolutely stunning! But, you’ll be entering high school soon—will that impact your career in gymnastics?”

“Oh, I have no intentions of stopping! It’s my dream to compete and win at the international level!”

“How wonderful!”

“One last question—is there anyone you’d like to give a shout-out while you have the chance?”

“My younger sister! She should be here in the stadium…”

“What…?” Kasumi leaned over the railing, anxiously waiting for Sumire to appear, was she already here?

“Oh, there she is! Sumire!”

“.......!?”

“Sumire! I did it! Both of us have the same dream—to be international champions!”

“Stop…”

“Let’s make it come true, Sumire! Together!”

“...Stop it! I…”

“...Yoshizawa-san, you’re…” Akechi said.

“I really hope this helped you understand,” a new voice appeared.

“A man’s voice...” Akechi said.

“If you keep pushing on like this, you will find nothing but heartache. Please, won’t you stop fighting this and just return to the ‘current’ reality?”

“Nothing but heartache, huh… I don’t understand what you’re saying, but I have no intention of leaving now!” Kasumi said.

“We’re in agreement there. We also refuse to do as you say. Now, why don’t you drop the ‘big voice behind the curtain’ act and face us directly?” Akechi said.

“......…As you wish. Head on down. I’ll meet you there.”

“...He agreed to that much more readily than I expected. Perhaps the Palace’s Ruler really will make his appearance?” Akechi said.

“Kasumi, are you okay?” Ren asked.

“Thanks for your concern. But I’m fine, really! Let’s go.” She brushed him off.

The shot cut from showing Kasumi and Sumire, and the large screen reflected Sumire back at herself. The TV was far-away, but it felt pressed up right against her. It felt as if the contents of the screen threatened to spill over the TV's frame or that the stadium would start sliding past the border and into the screen.

“I…”

“...Seems you remembered,” Maruki said.

“That’s right… I’m…”

“Kasumi?” Joker asked.

“Kasu…mi? No… That’s not right! I’m… I’m not Kasumi!”

“...The girl named ‘Kasumi Yoshizawa’ is currently deceased,” Akechi said.

“It was last spring… Before I started at Shujin… We were walking home from practice. It happened right there, on that street in the video… I wasn’t looking where I was going… And Kasumi, she protected me from the car… I was saved by Kasumi… I robbed her of her dreams… and even her life! I’m… her younger sister, Sumire Yoshizawa,” Sumire fell to the ground, holding her head.

“I’ll take over from here. After all, I do play a part in this story. Her real name… Is Sumire Yoshizawa. She’s Kasumi-san’s younger sister… But for months now, she’s only seen herself as being Kasumi Yoshizawa… her deceased elder sister. Of course, it was only her cognition of herself that changed, so to the people around her, she was still Sumire-san. For some reason, though… there were a few rare exceptions to this. Did something happen to make you believe she was Kasumi-san?”

“It appears you were clueless, but she was Sumire Yoshizawa from the start,” Akechi said, “However, when we watched that other video, she gave her name as Kasumi Yoshizawa. Considering such an odd claim, I’d actually suspected for a moment that she was the Palace Ruler…”

“After Kasumi died, but before I started at Shujin, I received counseling from Dr. Maruki. That was when I told him… If Kasumi is gone and can’t make her dream come true… Then I want to become Kasumi, so I can turn her dream into reality for her.”

“So that’s why you meddled with her cognition? For her own wishes?”

“That’s right. Limited as it was, I already had the power at the time to actualize her wish. Put yourselves in her shoes for a moment… Sumire-san’s older sister died from protecting her. Imagine surviving such a dismal tragedy… Who would be able to cope with that survivor’s guilt, let alone heal from the emotional scarring that she’s suffered? If Sumire-san can live a healthy, positive life by becoming Kasumi-san… Then I believe that reality is what would make her happy.”

“I’ve had enough of your high-and-mighty rationalization. All you really did was use her to try and make everyone acknowledge the validity of your research.”

“So that’s how you see things, huh? That’s quite unfortunate. Of course I wanted society to acknowledge cognitive psience through my research… But that’s because my goal is to save everyone in the world like Yoshizawa-san by ending all suffering!”

Akechi didn’t know what to say to that.

“My work will convert the wishes of the people into reality. Even as we speak, my research is coming to fruition… No one will ever have to suffer again under the yoke of an unfair world. This… Palace, you called it? It’s a place where its Ruler’s desires take physical form, yes? I wish to utilize my research to save humanity—I suppose that would be the ‘desire’ I hold dearest.”

“What total nonsense.”

“You could very well be right. Still, I’m entirely serious about changing our imperfect reality. Just as she was saved by becoming Kasumi, I’ll save every other person in the world currently suffering. In fact, it’s my responsibility to do so… You can see how this world’s bestowed the duty upon me.”

“Is that truly salvation?” Joker asked.

“The cruelties of history will vanish and everyone will live their lives just as they’ve always dreamed them to be. If you don’t call that salvation, then what would it be?”

“And you assume we’ll buy into your brainwashing and just live in the palm of your hand? Honestly, that sounds absolutely revolting.”

“...All right, so that’s your answer, Akechi-kun. How about the others? Yoshizawa-san… Allow me to ask you yet again… Which reality is it that you wish to inhabit?” 

“Huh?”

“If you so desire, you can return to your life as Sumire… But if you’d rather continue your life as Kasumi, I can grant that wish for you as well.”

“Dr. Maruki… I…”

“Believe in yourself.” Ren said.

“...... It’s impossible. I’m sorry, Ren-senpai… I… I can’t go back to being her… I can’t be the one who led her sister to her death!”

“Please don’t judge her. This is just evidence of how painful life is for her. You two sensed doubts forming in the reality I manifested—that’s what brought you here. But please, remember this as well: you two aren’t excluded from the people that I wish to save. Come now, Ren-kun… Won’t you accept my reality for your own happiness?”

“I’ll find my own happiness.”

“...No deal so far, huh?”

They were flashbanged by spotlights from above. Suddenly, Sumire felt a large tendril wrapped around her, and she felt that she was being slightly lifted off the ground before being pulled through the air. As she slipped out of consciousness she was being lowered into Maruki’s care.

“What do you think you’re doing with her?” Akechi said.

“I won’t harm her—it’s in her best interest that you turn back. You’ve made clear that you reject the reality she desires. The reality where she lives as Kasumi Yoshizawa…”

“This isn’t reality.” Ren said.

“It saddens me when you speak that way. Don’t you understand? You deny her wishes when you say such things.”

“‘Her wishes,’ huh?” Akechi said.

“This isn’t just for her—I’m doing all of this for yourselves as well,” Akechi stepped forward to say something but closed his mouth, “I honestly do want to come to terms with you. We should talk. Think about it: you both have dreams, no? I have the power to make them come true. My reality can become just the way you like.”

“Total waste of my time.”

“A shame… but I understand.”

“Well then, we just have to resort to force now, don’t we?” Akechi threw up a shrug.

“Violence is not my thing…”

The Shadow that had been standing next to Maruki stepped forward and burst into a warped form, a humanoid form from the torso up but instead normal body parts were replaced with protruding tentacles.

“I agree, though. It seems we’re out of options here.”

“Time to fight. Are you ready? Keep up—and don’t embarrass me.” Akechi said to Ren.

Behind the formidable shadow, stood Maruki holding the unconscious Sumire.

“Stubborn imbeciles, rejecting our lord…”

“...Disgusting. We’re not here to listen to your bullshit!”

Joker concentrated his power, and Akechi had Loki detonate a devastating almighty attack on the Shadow, which in turn attempted to touch Joker but missed.

Then, Joker threw up his mask in a blaze of blue flame and executed a bless spell, a pillar of light quickly brightening the spot around the Shadow before the area was no different from a wall of fire.

“No… Such pathetic attempts won’t be enough!” the Shadow bellowed before restoring all of its health.

“Tch… This freak just won’t go down.”

The Shadow summoned three portals from the underworld and three demonic eyes emerged from them and ruined whatever fell under their gaze, Joker and Akechi included, both of them crying out as the attack passed over each.

“Accept his mercy… Give yourselves over to him!”

“Would you just quit running your mouth already? Joker! I’m going to shut that thing up. Give me a hand!” Akechi ran his gloved hand down his mask, “You’ll pay!”

Joker became a bit worried when he saw the red glow in Akechi’s eye and the violent aura that pushed out from him. Did he make himself psychotic again? The Shadow could hear a horrible cackling coming from somewhere before Joker came zigzagging from one spot to the next before delivering a discombobulating blow, and, as Joker jumped back, he uncovered the crowing heard previously to be feverishly running towards it, the last things it saw were the terrible claw and serrated blade that flashed by before they disorganized and mangled the Shadow’s vision into a bloody blur. It fell to the ground, and a bullet to the back put it out of its misery.

“Tcheh, not bad for an improvised technique.” 

They now stood before Maruki.

“Shall we continue this? I’m fairly certain any further ‘negotiating’ is pointless.”

 “That seems to be the case, unfortunately. But first, I have an idea. Rather than explain it with words, I’d like you to actually see this new reality with your own eyes. I know that your friends are already enjoying it, Ren-kun.”

“Hand her over.” Ren said.

“Hmph, that, I cannot do. As I said before, she wishes to live in the reality where she is Kasumi. There’s no way I can hand her over to you with matters as they currently are. I already told you that I won’t harm her. And I’ll swear by it. Don’t worry about her. Go, look at the reality I’ve created for you all. Once you’ve seen the results, I know you’ll realize which future is best.”

“You think we’ll just obey your orders?” Akechi spat out.

“I apologize, but you really are going through with this—even if it’s by force.”

In a flash of light, Maruki disappeared with Sumire.

“We’ll meet again one week from today: January 9th. I genuinely pray that you’ll change your mind by then.”

“Tch… He got away… We shouldn’t chase him too far. What say we head back for now?”

Chapter Text

They ran up the stairs and through the door to the information desk. And, an announcement sounded, “VIP patients identified. We will now begin the grand tour.”

Akechi looked up past the entrance and past some kind of heart shaped measuring gauge that sat atop the entrance gate and through a large opening in the ceiling that had some mesh over it, which a huge fan hung from, shone a bright light, reflecting off the white floors and walls, attempting to sterilize any stains infiltrating the area.

The announcing voice continued, “The Auditorium is now open. The master awaits you there… with the patient you seek.”

Akechi looked to his left, “That must be the door. Let’s go.”

They rushed through into the corridor, and, immediately, there was a patrolling Shadow that just happened to have its back turned, allowing Joker to ambush it.

He ripped the mask off of the labcoat, bringing forth three enemies.

“These sorry bastards will regret ever having stepped in our path,” Akechi said.

Joker freed his Persona from his face and lit all of the Shadows ablaze. Two of them went down.

Akechi brought forth Loki and finished them off with devastating physical attacks.

They instantly jumped forth through the black mist that was the Shadows, “What a worthless effort.”

Pushing through cognitive visitors and passing by more research presentations, they turned a corner and headed for the stairs. But, another Shadow was waiting on the steps of the staircase, and it immediately set off for the two though Joker also wasted no time, the Shadow ran right into Joker bringing down his dagger and picking off its mask with it.

Akechi saw that the two Shadows that emerged were weak to curse attacks, “These ones are mine, I can hit them where it hurts.”

“Persona!” Akechi released Loki, who stood ready, arms in front of it pointing in opposite directions with the glowing red sword spinning in front of him.

He cast the dark spell on a Shadow then rebounded to the other, bringing them both to their knees.

Akechi was ready to spring on them, “Joker?” who had already stepped forward pointing his pistol down at them, “Run your shit.”

To which the Shadows dumped their change on the ground a few times until only their own pockets turned up, and then they threw their hands in the air and scurried off into the opposite direction.

“Not a bad haul, I suppose,” Akechi added.

Then, proceeding, they started up a large flight of stairs. As each step fell behind their feet, Akechi tried to sneak a read on Joker. It wasn’t impossible that Joker was just using him to get to Maruki. Akechi couldn’t think of a reason why Joker would have to trick him into going along with him, but, without proof showing otherwise, he shouldn’t put it past all possibility is all. He still believed his supposed friends were coming. If they turned out to be a no-show, then would he change his mind and accept this reality for the sake of his friends? If Joker abandoned him, then he probably stood no chance. Akechi’s last reprieve would be to go down hurting those nearby as much as he could. They reached the top of their flight and pushed past the landing to the reflective Auditorium door.

On the other side of the door, in the dark entrance, Akechi was able to focus on a distant presence, “There’s no doubt that Maruki is up ahead. Make sure you’re ready.”

They glided down the stairs to the Auditorium floor.

When they reached the center of the floor, the lights flashed on. Feathers of doves fell like heavenly snow, white curtains and flowers adorned various parts of the Auditorium such as the ceiling where a large halo was fixed above, and, further behind that, large text orbited around the room in the large, spherical screen that comprised its walls. And, in the distance, on a raised platform, stood Maruki next to Sumire who quietly sat in a large, ornate throne.

“Thank you for coming,” Maruki said.

“Did you do something to her?” Ren asked.

Maruki looked down at her, “She’s only sleeping. I’ve never had any intention of hurting her. Once her inner turmoil begins to settle, I’ll have her remember her life as she wishes to live it.”

“The life that she wishes for, huh? Call it what you like—you’re merely brainwashing people for your own satisfaction,” Akechi accused.

“I’m wholly aware that some will interpret my acts that way… But if that self-satisfaction leads to the happiness of thousands of others, don’t you agree that outcome is for the best? Ren-kun—if I understand correctly, you went and checked in on your friends this past week. This reality is the one that they all wished for… Did any of them seem troubled by that fact?”

Akechi looked at Joker, who was recalling the past week.

“This reality is the ‘true’ reality—all you have to do is recognize it as such. Once you do, you’ll be just as happy as they are. Didn’t you see it yourselves? Your friends don’t just want to live these lives—they want you to choose this reality for yourselves and live happily too. Please, I want you to understand… For their sake, as well as yours…”

Akechi kept watching Ren who was deep in thought. Was he actually considering this?

“Well, it’s time…” Maruki said.

Ren was silent long enough for Maruki to plead more, “For the sake of Yoshizawa-san, and the rest of your friends… I ask you to give me your answer.”

“I can’t accept this reality,” he said.

Akechi sighed, being relieved of the crushing breath in his chest. Damn idiot making him worry for nothing.

Maruki was taken aback.  

“Negotiations seem to have broken down,” Akechi relished the surprise in Maruki’s face.

Disheartened, Maruki spoke, “...I see. It seems we still haven’t reached an understanding…”

“No…” Sumire suddenly said, “You’re not serious, right? Please… I’m begging you, Ren-senpai… Please let me live as Kasumi!” Her speaking was tired and she looked exhausted, bags under her eyes.

“Don’t hide from the truth,” Ren said.

She stomped her feet on the ground, “But, why? This pain is too much… Why can’t I just leave it behind me!? Kasumi is gone forever, and… and it’s all my-” she shook her head, “All Sumire’s fault! I can’t live that kind of life!” her clothing transformed.

She jumped forward, tumbled in the air, and landed before them. 

“Please… Don’t try to stop me…” drawing her sword, “If you do, then I’ll…!”

“Are you serious?” Ren asked.

“How stubborn…” Akechi said, “No matter what you say to her, I doubt she’ll understand. I don’t think we have a choice in the matter here. I could take care of it for you right now… But you’d prefer her to leave here alive, right? Just hurry up and end this.”

“Please… Don’t make me do this…” she pleaded.

She engaged Ren.

“I can’t stop this… I refuse to live as Kasumi’s killer!”

Akechi stayed back while waiting for them to finish. So far, he hasn’t gotten any more indication on why Maruki got into cognitive pscience in the first place. Nor, how he even is able to distort reality to such an extent in the first place. Akechi watched Maruki while Ren and Sumire fought. Why was Shido the only one imprisoned instead of simply rewriting his life to have never committed his crimes in the first place? Was it simply outside of his power? Maruki would let them retain their agency only to the point where they went awry, so he could step in and fix it, perhaps? And, Akechi’s own crimes have been covered up… He didn’t care. But, he sure as shit didn’t ask Maruki to reach into his own past. 

Once Sumire could be shoved to the side, they could finally end this. Akechi wasn’t sure if he was going to have to kill Maruki or if he just had to fight his Persona. He’d err on the side of caution and kill him just in case. The only potential obstacle to that might be Joker. He’d have to make it quick. Then, Sumire went down.

“Ngh…” she took a knee.

“Looks like you lost,” Akechi said.

“...Why?”

“You need to stop,” Ren said.

“Ren-senpai…”

“No… I can’t… I can’t go back to being Sumire… You saw it all for yourself, Ren-senpai… It’s my own fault that my sister’s… Why don’t you understand!? Please, I beg you…”

“Yoshizawa-san…” Maruki walked down, Ren and Akechi were startled by his approach, “I can give you strength… So you don’t have to suffer.”

“Doctor…”

“Tell me: if you want your pain to end and desire to live as Kasumi, I’ll actualize it!”

The ground turned dark, and large, and small tendrils emerged from the sludge, causing black, dark green drops of the ooze to splash around. They took hold of Sumire, and, as she struggled in their grasp, they raised her high into the air. There, the cables electrocuted her.

 “Ngh- Aaaaaaah!” she cried out. 

Her mask evaporated into blue flames and she fell unconscious. And, below, to the ground, her Persona appeared on its own, bringing a strong red aura that colored the room and pushed Ren and Akechi back.

“Sadly, she has lost sight of herself… She’s in pain. Now, be her guide… and together, escape from the nightmare!”

“No, I… I can’t…” Cendrillon held her head, “I don’t want to go back to my life in cinders, ever again!”

“What the hell… This so-called ‘kindness’ of his disgusts me. Let’s do this quick,” Akechi said.

This was starting to become all too familiar a sight for Akechi’s liking, the way Maruki was puppeting her around, hiding behind his own patient’s straight jacket, though, of course, he’d say he was just giving her the strength to fight for her own wishes. Her own damn wishes Akechi keeps hearing, as if they’re supposed to believe the shit spewed out by someone standing so earnestly in the house of their own distortion. Whether Maruki was the one doing it to Sumire or whether she was doing this to herself, he didn’t care, he was starting to get tired of it all.

“I refuse to go back! I’m happy here… THIS is where I belong!” she yelled.

The fight broke out.

“I’ll rescue you… the only way I know how!” At a snap of his fingers, Maruki summoned two smaller Shadows to Cendrillon’s side.

“Tch, it’s gone totally berserk… We need to stop her Persona!” Akechi said, getting ready for the fight.

Then, the rogue Persona turned to its side and grabbed hold of one of the summoned Shadows and absorbed it.

“It ate the smaller one!?” shock fell over Akechi’s face, “What a pain… We’ll have to beat it before it heals itself again…”

First, Akechi and Ren tried to kill the Shadows on the side to prevent Cendrillon from healing itself. However, Maruki just summoned more as soon as they killed them. All the while taking hits from the enemy. Akechi was even knocked to the ground from the widespread faith attack unleashed on them. Then, the only thing left to do was to try and do more damage than it could heal. Akechi wondered if Ren was also considering the joint attack they did the other day and which he reminded Ren of earlier today, but the thought was cut short by Maruki summoning more food for the Persona after they already struggled to get it to the state she was in.

“Dammit, there’s no end to this! Just what the hell is this thing!?” Akechi yelled. He looked up at the unconscious Sumire, being held up in a cross.

Cendrillon yelled, “I refuse to return! I will never go back to being such pathetic, soot-coated garbage!”

“You can’t tell? It’s her refusal to accept the truth…” Maruki said. But, Akechi could only think of how this refusal that was supposedly hers seems to have been completely detached from the body.

“Tch… We can’t afford to waste time on this shit!”

The rogue Persona readied an attack, reaching one hand forward while keeping the other close to the chest, and energy was concentrated in the stuck-out hand.

“Here it comes!” Akechi yelled.

A tapping could be heard.

The ability was unleashed.

“I don’t think so!” someone jumped in front of the torrent and took it.

“Dammit, Skull, I told you not to rush in by yourself like that!”

“At least it seemed to work out in our favor.”

Ren turned to see the rest of the Phantom Thieves behind them.

“You came…” Joker said.

“Our apologies for making you wait so long.” Yusuke said.

Is that…?” Haru said.

“Akechi-kun and Dr. Maruki!?” Ann said.

“Yoshizawa’s trapped by- Why’s her Persona doing this!? What in the world is going on here!?” Morgana said.

“So much of this shit makes no sense, but we’ll cover it later! We’ve gotta stop her first—right, Joker?” Ryuji said.

“All right! Let’s get in formation!” Morgana ordered.

Now, Akechi and Joker were joined by a full party.

“Okay guys, leave the navigation to me! Let’s push ‘em back!” Futaba said.

“Unbelievable… Why did they come here?” Maruki said.

Cendrillon opened with a bless attack on all of them.

Ryuji dished out an attack, successfully hitting Cendrillon.

“It can’t end yet,” it said.

Morgana made his attack.

“I can’t lose.” 

Cendrillon bounced back, raising its arm again and then sending out pure slices towards the four, the ground receiving cuts as the attack pushed forward.

The attack landed nicely, hitting critical points on all three except for Joker who passed through a window in the segments with a turn of the shoulder. The Persona then turned to one of the Shadows.

But, Joker snapped back and rammed a psychic skill into the Persona, knocking it down in return and also causing a look of disbelief on Maruki.

Futaba spoke, “It looks like it’s working—just hang in there a little longer!”

Ren made his follow-up attack, hitting the Persona while it was down.

Ryuji and Morgana got back up and then went to work killing the Evil Synthetic Organism that the Persona was about to go for. Akechi dusted himself off as he pushed himself back up.

As the Persona slowly rose it said, “If I’m forced to be covered in tattered rags again, then I… then I…” it raised its arm.

“Can’t go back.”

The remaining Shadow buffed Cendrillon.

“Alright, we’re almost there! Just a little more!” Futaba cheered.

“Hang in there, I’ll imbue you with enough power to stand against all of them.” Maruki poised himself.

Morgana surrounded Cendrillon with a whirlwind.

Maruki anxiously snapped his fingers to return the Shadow that was lost.

Ryuji pounded out a heavy physical attack that was taken on by it.

One of the Shadow’s stepped forward and set a fire upon Morgana.

When it got back to Ren’s turn, as he sent one of his Personas forward to hit Cendrillon, a shift in the rhythm of the fight that everyone had been feeling but had only realized until now became apparent. Maruki watched Cendrillon. But, when Ren’s Persona hit, it disappeared behind a curtain of blue flames.

The Shadows on the side also shortly splooshed back down into the dark sludge that had begun to dissipate as well. And, Maruki, defeated, lowered Sumire to the ground where she stumbled before falling. 

“Yoshizawa-san!” Makoto called out.

Ren caught her, and the rest of the Phantom Thieves ran closer and gathered around.

“You’ve all… I can’t believe you’ve thrown away your happiness just to come here and… And how? It’s impossible…” Maruki said.

“You’re… you’re Dr. Maruki, right?” Ann said.

“...That’s right. More importantly, why are-” Maruki was interrupted.

“Dude… What the hell’s Doc doin’ inside a Palace!?” Ryuji said.

“He’s ruling this Palace, is what he’s doing.” Akechi said from the back.

Ryuji spoke for all of the Phantom Thieves, “Wha-!”

“Not only that, he’s the one who’s generated this whole distorted reality—isn’t that right, Maruki-san?”

Maruki replied, “...All of this was done for your own joy.”

“Our joy?” Yusuke said.

“That’s right. I only wanted to grant your wishes… Each and every one…”

“Wait, you what? Whaddya mean!? We never wished for anything like th-” Ryuji said.

“Is that really true?” Maruki rebutted.

“Huh?”

“...No, never mind. So you all intend to deny the reality I’ve created for you… If you want to fight me… then so be it. If you plan on changing my heart, that’s fine too. But before that—I think there’s still room for discussion here. Also, I believe taking care of Yoshizawa-san is more important than settling this issue right now.”

“Planning to run again?” Akechi reached for his gun. Even if he was this Palace’s Ruler, if he caught him off guard then, maybe, a bullet or two or three or four to the head should do the trick.

“We can get back to fighting, if that’s what you really want… but I think you’re rather exhausted at the moment.”

Akechi stayed his hand. He looked over to the collapsed Sumire. He had to admit it. What a lousy infiltration.

Sumire fidgeted and the rest of the group went to her.

Then there was a flash of light and Maruki was gone, “...There’s still time. …February 3rd. I’ll hear your final decision on the 3rd. If your views can’t align with mine by then, we’ll have no other choice but a physical altercation. As much as I would loathe that, I still can’t give up what I’ve started… What I swore I’d do… on the day I lost everything that mattered to me!”

“...I’ve lost his reading.” Futaba said.

“I want to pursue him, but I doubt that’s even possible right now.” Makoto said.

“Let’s get outta here. Yoshizawa’s gotta rest, anyway.” Ryuji said.

Back out in front of the stadium entrance, Akechi walked in on them talking amongst themselves, “Apologies for the interruption—mind if I interject?”

“That’s right! Akechi-!” Ryuji said.

“There’s no reason to be defensive. Had I wished to kill you all, I would’ve simply done so already.”

“Akechi’s not our enemy,” Ren said.

“So you’re not here to fight us?” Makoto said.

“I’ve already put our feud behind me. Not only that… Since he and I both refuse to accept reality as Maruki sees fit to make it, we currently have the same goal.”

“So what you’re saying is, you’re using him.” Morgana said.

“What about the rest of you? Considering how you were all living your ideal lives in that other reality until you decided to come here… Maruki seems to be telling the truth about taking your happiness into consideration. While his heart is distorted, he is quite different from the adults whose hearts you’ve changed so far. Now that you know his intentions, I’m most interested in learning whether you still plan on fighting him or not.”

“What do you mean?” Yusuke said.

“I’m up against someone with the power to distort reality as we know it. The more allies on my side, the better. If we all share the same goal, shouldn’t we join forces and improve our odds?”

“Nnh…” Sumire shifted.

“I’ll be going now. Be sure to consider my point.” Akechi said.

“Hey… Hey!” Ryuji said, but he had already walked off, “Geez…”

“Yoshizawa! Are you all right?” Morgana asked.

“I…”

“Are you all right?” Ren asked.

“Oh, yes…” she stood up, “I’m sorry that I… caused you all so much trouble…”

“No no, you don’t need to apologize!” Ann said.

“We should probably go our separate ways for now and discuss it at a better time,” Makoto said.

“We’ve got time. Maruki said he’ll wait until February 3rd before… Let’s really think it over before making our decision,” Morgana said.

As soon as Sumire got home, she went to her bed as quickly as possible and crawled into it.

Chapter Text

The first moments of waking had been calm and peaceful.

But, the world began to sink into her head. It throbbed. There was a light. Its dimness burned. Despite getting some rest, her eyes still felt heavy. She didn’t move an inch and remained with such stillness that her sitting consisted in nothing but the bones, sinews, and muscles being a certain way and in a certain position…

Her thoughts detached themselves from her and left her behind, they presented themselves before themselves with no regard for her, all she could do was watch. In this externality, the thoughts entered and left her head with no apparent necessity, withholding the weight of their judgements from her along with any certainty of them, leaving her feeling thoughtless before them. They pounded on her head as they came and went. She wanted it to stop.

The door effused the smell of coffee. It made her head feel foggy. Along with it, sounds occasionally stirred from within the walls. She didn’t really remember getting home yesterday. She had gone to her room as soon as possible and lied in bed until sleep took her. The smell with all it brought made her want to sink until the bed swallowed her whole without a whiff of her left in the world. She clenched a fistful of sheets and let go and gripped them again repeatedly desperately trying to make her wish come true.

She wasn’t sure why. What reason would she have for doing one thing over the other. What should she do? Or, what could she do, maybe? Which path forward was the correct one? How was she even supposed to begin to tell? Who could give her the right answer? Where could it be found? They all looked the same to her. As if no matter what choice she made, whichever idea she tried to shoot down from the rest of the flock flying around in her head, to live as Kasumi, to live as Sumire, to give up gymnastics or not, to accept this new reality, to abandon it, to rejoin Ren and his friends or not, they all appeared equally as horrible to her, no matter what choice she’d make, whichever downed idea she’d arbitrarily decide to tie down, the one thing she was sure of right now, the one thing that made sense to her, is that she’d regret it.

Dread flooded her as it was made known to her that she was in a room that had folded itself over its own exit. She curled up in an attempt to hide away.

The beeping of some larger vehicle when in reverse fixed her mind.

She crawled out from the dark cavern under her pillow and saw from the fully lit room that it was now noon.

She looked to the wall where the mirror hung, remembering all those days where she saw Kasumi as herself and giving a last minute check to make sure the ribbon hadn’t been sitting lopsided on her head before heading out. Now, from her perspective in bed, nothing reflected in it, it might as well have been opaque. It irritated her. She hated this and wanted to go back to that simplicity, when there was surety in wanting to be Kasumi, she wanted to want to be Kasumi again, though she wasn’t even sure she was fully back to her old self, for the Sumire she remembered would’ve been in a pool of her own helpless tears. But, it wasn’t a matter of wanting or wishing anymore, there was an irreversible shift that barred her from going back to simply pretending to be Kasumi though this was some comfort as if it had been a wish then she feared it may actually come true. Currently, she couldn’t shake the feeling that if she had tried wearing the ribbon in front of the mirror then the glass would threaten to crack and then shatter.

She looked at the smaller, rose patterned pillow intruding on her in the bed. Even now, she was still thinking things like this. It wasn’t even a matter of being a horrible younger sister at this point but rather just a horrible person in general. Staring at the pillow made her restless. She tore herself as it itched at her and left her between throwing it from the bed and throwing herself from the bed. The pillow had similar comrades all around the room, items that weren’t hers but that she had no right to throw out even with the noble cause of distancing them from herself, thus leaving her subject to their play. Then again, that was her selfishness shining through, where her decision to remain where she was, was simply because the place was familiar, and she was too weak to go elsewhere even when it was what she deserved, when she was nothing more than a trespasser.

She heard a knock at the door. She ignored it. She hated the sound.

The memory of when Kasumi had picked out the pillow case for both of their rooms surfaced. She hugged it, bringing it close, and started crying. 

Not only was Kasumi herself robbed of her life, but her parents and family were robbed of Kasumi’s smile. Because of her, anytime the house would be lulled into a silence, it would be one of melancholy rather than serenity. She would never be able to fill the void that she created for her parents.

She wiped away her tears and then noticed that the sky had started painting the room a cold orange. It felt like everyone had moved on too soon and that there should be another funeral. Like she missed her chance to mourn or didn’t get to mourn with everyone else.

Listening to the siren of an ambulance settled her focus for the longer than usual time it remained audible though it eventually left of course, leaving her to tire, wading among the torrent of reflections until she turned her attention to the movement of light through the window.

When Kasumi was still here, she just thought that Kasumi was what everyone wanted. Even if she wasn’t like Kasumi, even if Kasumi was everything she wasn’t, everything still made sense then. So, why was it that now nothing seemed to make sense. Even after having been in Kasumi’s shoes or rather was it because of the proximity that there was only this feeling of emptiness? Even when a routine turned out well, it was the good scores or the praise that ended up being what fell short. Was she just an imperfect Kasumi? Or, was there no perfect Kasumi?

She wasn’t sure what anyone wanted anymore. And, what they wanted from her. How should she act around everyone? What should she say? What was she? Did she even care? What was even the point? Would she be some ‘herself’? Why should she be herself.

A distant plane could be heard. She wondered what Ren and his friends did today. Did they meet up and decide to take Maruki’s heart? Even if they decided not to, she wasn’t sure she could go back. But, they were the ones that helped bring her to this position, so it would be their own fault if they came to a disagreement with her. The day had passed her by. She hadn’t even checked to make sure she was completely ready for the next semester tomorrow.

She was going to be left behind. At this rate, she surely wouldn’t be able to keep her scholarship now. Thinking about it though, was she even the one it was awarded to in the first place? The school was going to get mad at her again. Would she have to leave Shujin after she lost the scholarship? What was she going to do about high school? Not even that, what would she do without gymnastics? Without those, the only other alternative seemed to be carting her off a cliff and into the winding abyss.

How could so many people let her run around as Kasumi for so long? She threw a fist down against the bed. They just let her make a fool of herself. It didn’t concern them at all that she came back one day pretending to be Kasumi? Even after that, they let her keep going to the same counsellor? Maybe they thought Dr. Maruki wasn’t the cause and rather he would’ve been the one to help her get past the episode. And, she was such an idiot for letting Dr. Maruki deceive her. She placed her trust in him. He told her to be happy. How was she supposed to believe in them or trust them again? But, no, that wasn’t fair, they were only doing what she asked them to do. She couldn’t blame them for tending to her wishes without blaming herself. Her stupid self was the one that had asked for it in the first place.

Ren didn’t know though. She accidentally roped him into her mess. If it weren’t for him and his friends, she might have never come around to realizing she wasn’t Kasumi. 

She thought back to when she made the deal with Ren. Why did she say those things if she didn’t mean them, when she herself was the cause behind her slump? She was such a hypocrite. That wasn’t even the only time. Even her promise with Kasumi, why did she make that promise with Kasumi, when by the time before the accident she had become so vindictive and disillusioned with gymnastics. She’s horrible. She's a liar. Did she just get some kick out of going through those motions without actually sticking to the substance behind them? She didn’t even care as much about gymnastics as Kasumi in the beginning, she just went along with it to go along with her. It was Kasumi’s dream, and she merely tried to steal it. She never wanted to speak again. 

Why did she behave that way? Though, was it really any different now? She was still using Kasumi to punish herself, where before, even if she thought she was Kasumi, she was still in the same loop of not living up to her. She didn’t know. What else was there? Her mind remembered times awaiting the scoring from the judges and her performance coming up short. What the hell did they want from her? Even though the microphone the speaker used, when announcing the scores, was almost always in the competing hall with them, it was like the voice that came out of the speakers came from somewhere else, a secret room somewhere where the perfect score was. She wanted to see her coach. Maybe now her instruction and teaching would fall in her ear differently. When was her next practice? It couldn’t be more than two days away. Darn, the realization struck that she’s gone about a week without practice. Did it matter? She wouldn’t be good enough anyways. She couldn’t do it.

She heard a knock at her door again. She ignored it. 

Then, she heard it.

“Sumire?”

She braced herself. How long has it been since she’s heard her dad call her by her name? 

The tears flooded over her eyelids. She must have made her parents worry for so long. She then put a hand over her mouth for failing not to cry. Even then, was her dad under one of Maruki’s spells? Would he remember after they go back to the original reality? Would she have to wait until they go back to finally show him that she’s ok? A memory of her coach telling her to really think about who she is flashed through her head. She wanted to see her. 

She had to go back out there. 

But, she didn’t.

The room had circled back around to being obscured in darkness with the four far corners of the world growing back and extending and twisting. She wanted to fall asleep. Maybe that would wipe today’s slate clean. Maybe she would cook breakfast for herself and dad tomorrow. That was the one thing she had before. She held her head as it got in one last whaling on her before the timer ran out.

Anyways, she had school tomorrow, so she shouldn’t stay up too late. She continued to lie in her bed until the discomfort in the arm she had been lying on grew enough for her to want to turn over and so, using the momentum from the toss, she sat up and dragged herself out of bed, past the barricade of covers that piled up as she went, and headed to the bathroom.

Chapter Text

“Do you think that ambush was targeted at you, or do you just need to keep up?” Akechi asked as the group began to press forward ahead of them.

“I’m not sure. But, either way, it won’t happen again!” Sumire said before running ahead with her newfound vigor.

They ran into the upper part of the auditorium, “We really have to go through here to get to that balcony?” Ryuji asked.

“That’s what the map says. Just follow Joker,” Futaba said over the radio.

Ren came out of the grappling hook and hopped up onto the catwalk. He pulled himself up to an adjacent catwalk. Following behind Ren, Ryuji did a pullup, Akechi clawed his way up, and Sumire swung up with a twirl.

On the bridge, a Shadow had its back turned to them. Before it could turn around, Ryuji charged it and rammed it with his elbow like a train. He pushed the Shadow until it went over the railing.

They continued moving forward. While hopping to the next catwalk, a Shadow in a labcoat waited for them, and they approached it. “You’re not supposed to be up here!” it said. The scientist exploded, and the four thieves jumped back.

As Sumire landed to her feet, she threw off her mask and targeted a bless spell at the Macabre at the same time as it spun its scythe.

Before it could crumple to the ground, the Macabre had raised its party’s speed.

From behind its large hat and veil, the floating Scathach attacked with ice.

Sumire ducked under the stabbing icicles and passed her turn off to Akechi.

He threw back his mask, and Loki, after throwing his sword into the air, rained down high caliber bullets on the four Shadows.

As the attack fell, Futaba came in over the radio, “Careful with using physical attacks against Scathach! They could throw them back at you!”

The Byakhee raised the Scathach’s attack, defense, and agility.

And, Dionysus struck them with lightning.

“Come on, Persona!” Ryuji raised their attack.

Dodging the lightning, Sumire said, “Dance, Cendrillon!” and the Persona appeared and cut through the four enemies except for one.

“Damn, the scythe guy is slippery with physical hits too,” Ryuji said.

“If someone can hold their attention, I’ll jump off the side past them and take them from the back,” Akechi said.

“This is kinda a horrible matchup for me, so…” Ryuji said.

“Allow me, Crow-senpai!” Sumire said.

She stepped forward and threw off her mask, and curtains of light started opening and closing around the Shadows. Akechi jumped off the side. She could feel her body strain as she held the spell longer than she normally would as well as intensifying it to blind more of the battlefield. The Shadows besides Dionysus danced in between the erratic light show falling on them. She posed with her head to the sky, and, to the side, the large text on the giant, cylindrical monitors descended across the wall like falling stars.

A hand fell on her shoulder. “Hang on. I know you’re psyched and all, but you’re kinda overdoing it,” Ryuji interjected.

“Huh?” a terror whipped her head in the direction of the Shadows.

Hanging off the side, Akechi was just barely dancing in between the Dionysus trying to hit him off. Not only did the sneak attack fail, but she had accidentally kept Akechi from being able to jump back up to the platform, judging from the marks of destruction left by the barrage.

“I’m so sorry,” she said.

“Don’t sweat it. It was a good try, let’s just get back in there.”

Akechi was finally able to slip up behind the enemy line.

The Scathach floated forward, “What a pathetic display. That was supposed to catch anyone’s eye?”

“Screw it. Counter or no counter, with Seiten Taisei, we’ll just smash through ‘em!” Ryuji pumped his fist.

With Akechi now behind them, the Dionysus smirked and raised its entire group’s attack, defense, and speed. “You think you’re clever!?” Akechi yelled from the other side of the catwalk.

Ryuji took off his mask and the Equaling Heaven Great Sage appeared on its cloud. Meteors fell upon the Shadows.

The Byakhee and Macabre dodged them.

“I’m not sure how much more this platform can take,” Makoto said over comms.

Byakhee came out of its dodge and sent for a pillar of fire over Ren.

Ren spun out of the way and took off his mask. His Persona used an ice skill on the Byakhee, causing it to go down.

“Violet, try to knock down the Macabre and Scathach!” he high-fived Sumire.

Knocking down the Macabre was one thing, all it would take was a bless skill, but the Scathach would require more luck.

The Macabre disintegrated under the holy light.

“Nice! One enemy down,” Futaba said.

Whatever she did probably wouldn’t be enough to kill the Scathach, but that wasn’t the purpose. She just had to bring it to its knees. That would create an opening for Sakamoto-senpai to smash it into the ground without having to worry about it dodging or reflecting the attack. Sumire could feel every bit of herself being reflected in the large cameras watching them from the sidelines. She wouldn’t try to upstage everyone else this time. She’d hold herself back and have Cendrillon create less swords than normal in order to focus more on hitting Scathach’s blindspots.

It smiled at her.

She threw her mask down like a hammer.

Cendrillon brought down the swords. They hit.

The Scathach took a step forward.

She underdid it?!

“Hahaha, do you want a participation award?” it mocked her. It ignored her and swiped a bunch of slashes at Ryuji.

But, Sumire jumped in front of him. She wasn’t about to let him pay for her mistake. Her vision flashed white and she fell to the ground. She shook her dizzy head.

“Shit, you alright?!” Ryuji asked, surprised.

She gave a firm nod.

He looked back to the Shadow, “Give ‘em hell, Seiten Taisei!” and crushed his skull mask with one hand.

A rocket fist had flown around in the air before flying straight down over the Scathach.

But, the Shadow spun it back around. And instead of going back to Ryuji, it threw the fist behind itself.

“Oh shit,” Ryuji said.

“Wha-UNNGH,” the God-like fist collided with Akechi, his entire body pressing against it in its flight. He blasted off with the fist.

While the Scathach still had its back turned, Ren jumped in and finished off the Shadows with one last physical attack.

The last ashes of the Shadows disappeared in the air, and Morgana came scurrying out from a distant shadow behind them.

“Crossfire, numbskull!” Akechi said, lying on the next catwalk that he had been knocked over to.

“I didn’t miss! The Shadow, uh… threw it at you.”

“That’s enough! Let me heal you guys, so we can keep going,” Morgana said. Morgana patched them up and then returned to the shadows.

“Let’s keep moving,” Ren said.

While going from catwalk to catwalk to get to the door on the other side of the auditorium, Ryuji turned to Sumire, “You didn’t have to jump in front of that attack for me. I can take a lot of hits, so it probably would’ve been better if you didn’t.”

“Sorry, I know I messed up.”

“Hey, what’re you talking about? You did fine. You don’t gotta apologize. I meant that you don’t gotta get yourself beat up for me is all.”

“Right,” she said. “It’s that Shadow.”

“Hold on, don’t ambush it just yet. I’m intercepting a conversation it's having,” Futaba said.

The Shadow disappeared from the balcony.

“Go for it, Joker!”

He swung from the camera to the floor, and the party landed before the two Shadows.

Ren finished off the last Shadow, and the ID fell to the ground.

The hall became quieter, and Akechi spoke, “We ran all the way up to that balcony just for the Shadow to go back to where we originally were. From what it sounds like, that Shadow was only out here to coordinate that ambush from earlier.”

“Well it’s not like we could’ve known that,” Ryuji retorted.

“We couldn’t have known that the Shadow with the keycard wouldn’t go back to the door that needs said keycard? What would we have done if we took too long, and it had already left by the time we got here?”

“If it was so obvious and important, then why didn’t you say anything before?”

“It left just as we got there, so, in the end, no time was really wasted,” Ann said.

“Just… forget I said anything,” Akechi said.

In the dimly lit warehouse, with many corners potentially hiding an enemy just beyond them, Ren hopped from one shelf to the next following the blue lights to the exit. The orange lights near one of the exits were getting closer.

Hopping across an aisle, Ren bumped into a dark Shadow.

It fell back and blew up.

A Baal emerged and shot its arm toward Ren.

He was pulled back from the shoulder, and Akechi jumped out and parried the Baal’s piercing arm. With a grin beaming from under his mask, Akechi pushed a curse-infused slash across the Shadow’s torso.

Ren summoned his Persona and knocked the Shadows further back. They were pushed into an open intersection between the maze of shelves.

Behind Akechi, a blue blaze burned in Ann’s eyes as fire took the place of her freed mask. She snapped her fingers and a spark streaked through the air to the Shadow pile where it blew up into a furnace. The heat and light flashed from in between the shelves like chimneys.

“Chimera drains fire!” Futaba said.

From the flames a powerful shot from Cu Chulainn’s spear launched toward the four. They ducked. The missile whizzed in between the four and crashed into the surrounding shelves, blocking the path they had just come from.

Meanwhile, the Chimera was slurping up the flames around it. “I’m all fired up now!” It cast an ice skill on Ann.

She went down.

That just left Sumire. She spun into a pose as she threw off her mask.

Light pooled at the Shadows’ feet and then shot up into the sky. Cu Chulainn wasn’t affected by the spell and used the time to raise Baal’s critical hit rate.

Nebiros crumpled to the ground, and Sumire clapped Akechi’s hand.

Akechi heaved away his mask and sicced cursed spirits upon the Chimera, bringing it to its knees.

Akechi passed the turn off to Ren. Ren brought down lightning on the four Shadows. The Cu Chulainn went down. A bolt struck a shelf and travelled down one of the legs, breaking it and causing it to lean against another shelf.

“Careful, that shelf looks like it's about to fall over!” Makoto warned.

All the while, the Baal was holding its fist and charging up its next attack.

Ann got up and buffed Akechi’s next magical attack, “Take care of that Chimera already, so I can use my fire again.”

The Nebiros’s red cape flapped in the air as it jumped up, getting back to its feet. It swung its puppet and used a psy spell on them.

While the others held their heads, Sumire went to knock the Shadow down again but was intercepted.

A devastating punch connected. The Baal slipped past the other three and hit her all the while not spilling a drop from its goblet.

She flew into an aisle between high shelves and crashed up a mobile staircase. She flipped against the railing at the top. Then, she felt something wrap around her wrist. She instinctively pulled her arm back. “Violet!” Ann cried. It was Ann’s whip, which had caught her from falling over the railing and over the edge of the entire platform to the ground floor.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine!”

“Don’t push yourself, ok?” Ann said.

Sumire nodded.

Ann focused her attention back to the Shadows and ran back over to Ren and Akechi.

The Nebiros was making its next attack and brainwashed Ren.

“This is getting bad. We need to regain control!” Akechi said.

“The shelves!” Makoto said, “Maybe you can pull the leaning one down and trap the enemies under them!”

“Guys, we’re supposed to be thieves,” Morgana said.

“Only until the fighting starts,” Ryuji goaded.

Akechi shoved Ren over to the Shadows before he could receive any of their orders.

Ann flung her whip around the corner of the tilting shelf and pulled. But, its own weight plus the weight of everything on it proved to be too heavy. But then, from the shadows a black ball flew down and rammed into the shelf sending it over. “Coming in!” Futaba said, riding in Prometheus.

The Nebiros and Chimera jumped out of the way. Ren and the Cu Chulainn were pinned under it for the time being.

As Sumire pulled herself to her feet, she realized how heavy she felt all of sudden. It was just her own two feet. She couldn’t hide behind Kasumi anymore. Before, she could just let herself fade away and be forgotten in Kasumi’s shadow, and Sumire could let Kasumi bear the weight of the spotlight. There was some kind of freedom in that. Now, she just sucked.

There was a banging crash as one of the shelves fell completely over and into the court.

Amidst the commotion, the Baal slipped in front of the aisle’s exit. It punched the ground and a cutting slash went forward and up the stairs, destroying them.

Sumire fell on the destroyed pieces of staircase like a bed of nails.

Futaba’s laptop gently slapped closed, and one of the white doors to the employee lockers bumped a little as Yusuke pushed off of it. Everyone was getting up to head back out of the safe room.

“How many times do you need to go back out to the front in one day?” Akechi asked.

“Chill out. It doesn’t take that long now that we have a route here and back,” Ryuji said.

“Actually,” Morgana spoke up, “I wanted to use this time to talk to Violet about her awakening.”

“Hmm, splitting up seems like a bad idea,” Makoto said but she turned to Ren with everyone else.

“It should be alright,” he nodded.

“Just don’t leave here and get into trouble,” Makoto said.

Morgana turned to Sumire, “Is that all right with you?”

“Of course,” she said but was a bit surprised by the request.

The rest of the Phantom Thieves filed out. Sumire returned to one of the square seats and sat down while Morgana hopped up onto the table. The ceiling fan lazily spun, no longer overshadowed by the march of seven people.

“One thing I don’t understand is why you didn’t have a Shadow. If you were rejecting a part of yourself, then it seems like one should’ve formed,” Morgana said.

Sumire thought back to the moment. She remembered that sinking feeling when Cendrillon didn’t heed her call at first though she can’t blame them for not trusting her. 

“I hung my head low and took your hand…”

“The only one who remained true to yourself…”

“...make our dream come true…”

“...glass slippers are the icon of glory…”

“Not just for you, but the other girl within you as well…”

Could it have been because Cendrillon had somehow been truthful while Sumire’s cognition was altered? But, how? Did Cendrillon bear the weight of truth for her in her stead? But even so, that didn’t matter when it came to having a Shadow or a Persona, did it? At the very least, Cendrillon wasn’t merely dependent on Sumire.

And, she saw Kasumi. Even compared to the dazzling crystalline Persona, Kasumi outshined everything. Sumire brought her hand to the warmth in her chest from seeing her sister after so long. Was Cendrillon Kasumi? But, then why did she say, “the other girl within you,” as if they weren’t referring to themselves? Thinking, Sumire crossed her arms and threw her head from side to side like she was trying to roll the answers out of Cendrillon.

“...glass slippers are the icon of glory… Not just for you, but the other girl within you as well…” Could Cendrillon be the glass slippers? In that case, when Sumire saw Kasumi in Cendrillon’s place, it wasn’t Kasumi appearing as Cendrillon but rather could it have been Cendrillon bringing out Kasumi to her? It is through Cendrillon that Sumire was able to see Kasumi again. So, could Cendrillon be Kasumi’s Persona as well? Is that why she was able to use Cendrillon while she thought she was Kasumi?

“Does that sound like it could be right?” Sumire asked.

“It was your awakening, so only you can say for sure,” Morgana said. “So, instead of a false awakening, maybe it would be better to call it an incomplete awakening like Noir’s? And, Crow is like a two in one. Whereas, you’re like a one in two?” Morgana speculated, “Persona users really come in all different kinds of shapes.”

“While it’s just a single idea compared to the theory you’ve put forward, do you think the actualization could have made it to where you weren’t actively rejecting a part of yourself, at all?” Akechi asked from the distant corner.

“That sounds like it could also be right.” She was kind of surprised Akechi stayed behind with them, but maybe the topic interested him as much as it did Morgana. Or, maybe he just didn’t feel like walking to the front and back.

“Now, let’s get out there and show ‘em what you’re made of!” Morgana said.

“Right!” Sumire agreed.

So, she had been able to use Cendrillon because it was her and Kasumi’s Persona. Cendrillon connected her and Kasumi. She and her were united in their shared dream. She wasn’t alone. As long as she had Cendrillon, Kasumi would be with her. Kasumi was still with her.

“You’re nothing without her.”

Sumire felt her blood coursing through her body as her eyes shot open.

“Before, you could take on all of the Phantom Thieves at once, now you can’t even hold your own against one of us. It would make everyone happy if you went back to being her,” the Baal said.

Bits of metal stabbed into her back and neck and legs.

She climbed to her feet and eyed the clown standing at the end of the aisle. She was going to make it feel regret. “I’m sick and tired of you all even suggesting that somebody like me could ever replace her!”

Sumire jumped back onto the railing and then grabbed the ledge of a shelf and swung up.

“Are you trying to get behind me? As if you’re fast enough!” the Baal moved in, easily tracking her movements up and across the shelves. Until, Sumire disappeared into the shadows created by the many large crates and boxes on the shelves. The horns on the Shadow’s helmet turned as it looked around the shelves. Instead of simply destroying her hiding spots, and potentially leaving itself open, it waited to counterattack. A large ceiling fan not too far above kicked around the dust, thrown up by the fighting and mayhem, in the faint light from the large windows against the ceiling.

“Dance, Persona!” a voice from behind.

It whipped its head around.

The princess sparkled into existence. Its user wasn’t there.

No, the Persona was disappearing.

A sabre pushed out of the Baal’s chest. The crossguard rammed into its back. It felt like it had been punched in the back and then as if a card was being swiped within its body and its skin was being tugged and pinched until the tip of the sword was in its face. Kasumi was with her. But, if that was the case…

Before she could pull back, it reached back and grabbed Sumire’s arm.

She tried to pull free but was stuck.

“Let us save you,” the Chimera said as it and the Nebiros approached Akechi and Ann over the fallen shelf.

Behind the two Shadows, the orange lights in front of the exit glowed. “Hahaha,” Akechi cackled, “Ahhh, I can feel it. I’ll put you in your place!” He threw himself onto the Chimera as his mask ripped free.

“Hey-Heyy!” Ann said as he blocked her sight on the Nebiros.

The surprised Chimera stumbled on its four legs. Akechi looked on with glee as his taloned hands dug into the lion’s face like a kid digging in a sandbox. Akechi’s ambient curse seared into the curse-vulnerable Chimera’s supposed flesh. In a swift pull, the Chimera’s face was ripped from its body. The husk’s soul puffed out in a wailing gasp as the last strings of its face were pulled taut and plucked.

Akechi threw the face at the Nebiros.

It put up its arms, but the veil had already slapped against its own face. By the time it took it off, it was too late. Akechi was already upon it.

“OUT OF MY WAYYY!!!” his mind went blank as he swung his jagged sword into the Shadow. Each swing became more passionate as he tore the demon’s skin and sawed off more and more parts of it until the pressure built in his mask and it came free.

Akechi threw the carved and decapitated head behind himself like a game-winning pitch.

Like a cat, Loki turned and waved its sword to the pair of dead eyes.

Sumire winced as her arm was being crushed under the Baal’s grasp.

It began to pull her around when a large sword came down over her head and sliced cleanly through the Baal.

Sumire covered her head as the now triangulated shelf, with its many lockers, twisted forward into the open area, crashing to the floor.

She stumbled out of the aisle. “Snap. Out. Of. It. Wake. Up,” Ann was slapping Ren back and forth. Akechi was hunched over and breathing heavily. The Cu Chulainn was worming its way out from under the shelves. Akechi prepared himself, but his movements were clearly exhausted. And, Sumire mustered the energy she had left.

She saw the railing behind the armored Shadow and rushed towards the enemy, hopping up onto the boxes in between the fallen shelf.

It stood up as she came for it.

It thrusts its spear toward her.

She deflected it with her sabre. The sabre was left behind.

She rammed into the Shadow.

But, it planted its feet and jumped to the side.

“Violet!” one of them called and her sabre landed in her hand.

“Why the hell ain’t she using her Persona?” Ryuji asked.

She stepped towards the Cu Chulainn.

It swept its spear towards her.

Sumire hopped on the end of it and somersaulted backwards, landing against the side of a still standing shelf.

She kicked off down towards the Shadow.

It thrust the spear forward, but Sumire didn’t flinch. She’s wasted enough time living only to please others; she couldn’t be bothered to spend any longer doing something other than figuring out what she cared about.

No matter how much it hurts. The spear pierced cleanly through her torso. The Cu’s eyes widened as she slid down the spear’s shaft to it, sabre readied.

The Shadow’s head was quickly turned into a pin cushion, becoming less head and more holes that oozed black liquid. The Cu Chulainn had first fearfully shook the spear like it was a stick with a bug on it until it decided to let go of it altogether.

Sumire finished by slicing out, nearly cutting his head in two.

The Shadow fell back as it disappeared, and the spear melted with it.

She dropped to her feet. Her steps felt light. The warm blood started to pour onto her skin. Her eyelids felt a little heavy.

With the hole in her chest, it wasn’t long before she fainted.

“But, damn, that move Sumire did was badass. And then after that, BAM” Ryuji thrust an imaginary spear into Ren.

Morgana was nodding along proudly.

“It was kind of reckless,” Makoto said.

“I mean it wasn’t so bad that it couldn’t be patched up,” Ryuji said.

“That doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt,” Makoto said.

“I guess she is more of a glass cannon type.”

“Glass cannon?” Haru asked.

“Hits hard but can’t take many herself. You either compensate for that weakness some other way or you bank it all on one attack,” Futaba said.

“I don’t mean this in a rude way, but does she hit particularly hard?” Haru asked.

“In terms of physical strength, she’s our third strongest member behind Yusuke and Ryuji, and, with the right support and timing, she could easily lay out a room full of Shadows,” Morgana said.

“Don’t get me wrong though. It was pretty cool,” Makoto said.

“Right?” Ryuji beamed. “Anyways, what do you guys think about working with Akechi so far?” the name always coming out of Ryuji’s mouth as if he didn’t expect it to.

There was a brief silence. Haru wondered if Futaba also felt annoyed from feeling like they had to be the ones to break the ice whenever he was brought up.

“He seems to cooperate well enough,” Yusuke said.

“He doesn’t really seem to have changed much or at all,” Ann said.

“Honestly, I’m still not completely sure taking Dr. Maruki’s treasure is what we should do yet,” Yusuke sighed.

“The Palace doesn’t seem bad so far. There haven’t been any freaky rooms or any cognitions being abused. I don’t know if you would call it distorted even,” Ann said.

“Well, there is still more to explore,” Haru said.