Captain Blues: Ahoy-hoy! Captain Blues of the SS FleetingDream and I'm back with a brand new chapter. As I mentioned previously, I've been re-writing the chapters of this fic, and my most recent change was Chapter 30, so we are nearing the end of the updates.
Chapters 28-30 hold some of the most significant changes. First: It has the slow start to the Makoto/Shiho portion of the Ren/Shiho/Makoto pairing with Makoto confiding with Shiho regarding her knowledge of the PT. It also has Ryuji and Shiho finding out about Sumire/Kasumi's past with Ren.
Second: The Hifumi/Haru pairing is in full sail after some shenanigans from Hifumi, Ann, and Shiho.
The following few chapters will be updated, so I would strongly advise starting re-reading the fic to get somewhat familiar. Now, Trigger warning. Things are about to get dark for Mishima. Be prepared.
Persona V: Reversing the Wheel of Fate
Chapter Thirty – Nine
[Opening Scene: Metaverse – Museum of Vanity (Unknown Location)
Theme of Thy True Self: Bomb Shelter from Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PSP Ver)]
"Wake up, Yūki. Wake up…"
Yūki slowly opened his eyes to find himself staring into the eerie, glowing yellow eyes of his double. "About time," his duplicate said with a tender smile.
"W-Where am I?" Yūki stammered out as he looked around him. Yūki found himself hovering in some sort of golden-brown field of energy.
"You're on a roof across from the Museum of Vanity," the replica gently answered as he walked to the edge of the roof to view the museum. "It's beautiful, is it not?"
"It is," Yūki replied.
"Far too beautiful for the likes of us," his duplicate murmured. "But that is our problem, isn't it? We see the beauty in everything and everyone but ourselves."
Yūki flinched and looked down.
"Why did you attack Morgana and me?" Yūki asked.
"I asked for you to come with me willingly. You refused, and Morgana was injured because of your refusal. And here, I thought that you were always supposed to follow orders," The shadow responded as it looked back at him.
"I-I…" Yūki started before lowering his head.
Shadow Yūki walked up to the bound Yūki and knelt in front of him, his hands gently touching Yūki's face with such tenderness; the teen felt all of his fear evaporate from his body. "Do not fret, Yūki. I will not harm you. I'm not like Kamoshida. I will not break you down and torture you as he did you. I am here to help you," The shadow whispered gently.
"W-What do y-you want from me?" Yūki asked.
"All I want from you is to open your eyes, see the truth, and acknowledge me. Is that wrong?" The shadow asked.
[Scene Change: Metaverse – Museum of Vanity (Inside)
Theme of Battle: Last Surprise (Scramble Ver) from Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers]
"This is looking bad," Skull panted as he stood alongside Joker, Panther, and the re-awakened Mona.
"Looking? This is bad," Mona said. "Six Waterside Nymphs, two Foolish Monks, two Girls of the Hanging Tree, with one of them being a Disaster Shadow, three Captivating Dancers, and one highly dangerous Bringer of Misfortune. Now tell me how this is looking bad?"
"Fair," Skull relented.
"No time to turn against one another," Joker said as he twirled his dagger. "The odds are staggered against us, but we got this!"
"I agree, bro. Let's handle this," Panther said.
'Pixie, Arsène known weaknesses?' Joker asked.
"The Girls of the Hanging Tree, their weakness is similar to mine. Ice and gunfire," Pixie answered. "Waterside Nymphs weaknesses are fire and electricity. Foolish Monk also has ice as a weakness. That's all I know."
"The others have weaknesses, but you don't have anything to trigger them," Arsène explained.
'Thanks,' Joker thought before said, "Panther, Skull, focus on the Waterside Nymphs. They're weak to fire and electricity. Mona, The Girls of the Hanging Tree, gunfire is their weakness. After that, the three Captivating Dancers and the one Bringer of Misfortune we'll take down together."
The four nodded as Joker shouted, "Let's do this! Silky: Freeze them!" Silky appeared behind him with a flourish of icy wind and ethereal blue energy with her hand pointed towards one of the Foolish Monks. An ice shard flew from her hand and pierced through the monk's body, sending it to the ground.
The other monk flew down and tackled Joker off of his feet and took him into the air.
"Shit! Joker!" Skull yelled before he summoned Captain Kidd and shouted, "Shock the World: Captain Kidd!"
Captain Kidd appeared in a burst of lightning and held his cannon at the flying Monk and Joker but was Skull was immediately struck in the chest by a wave of water from one of the Waterside Nymphs.
Skull fell to the ground and said, "Damn you! Captain Kidd: Change targets!"
Captain Kidd turned around and fired his cannon, which struck the Nymph in the chest, causing it to wail as it fell to the ground.
Skull got to his feet and charged forward with his pipe.
The downed Foolish Monk floated to his feet and shouted, "Not so fast! Garu!" and launched a green wave of wind at Skull. Skull was struck in the chest by the sharp gust of wind, which sent him sailing backward in the air before crashing to the ground.
"Now for the other one," The Foolish Monk uttered as he flew after his partner into the air, with two Waterside Nymphs following after the shadow.
"Skull!" Panther screamed as she maneuvered against the swinging arms of three of the Waterside Nymphs. She ducked a swing from the Nymph to her right and swung her whip to wrap it around the Nymph's neck before she shouted, "Carmen: Incinerate!"
With a flourish of flames, Carmen appeared and launched a sphere of fire at one of the Nymphs, sending her to the ground.
Panther pulled on her whip to send the trapped Nymph to the ground and twisted her body to kick two of the Nymphs in the face, sending both shadows floating backward.
The two Girls of the Hanging Tree immediately yelled as they shot spheres of fire towards the group, but Mona leaped up and sliced through both orbs and fired his slingshot twice to bring them down to the ground.
Mona then turned around fired his slingshot twice to destroy the two Girls of the Hanging Tree but was then attacked by the two Captivating Dancers, who swung their fans at him at top speed. Mona deflected each swing with his sword but was hit with a sidekick from the third Captivating Dancer, sending him skidding to the side.
"Zorro: Lucky Punch!" Mona cried. With a gust of wind, Zorro appeared and lunged its free hand out to punch one of the Dancers, which caused that Dancer to fall to her knees, knocked silly.
Mona ran backward as two of the Captivating Dancers followed him, both of their fans streaking with electricity. "Mazio!" the two chorused as they waved their fans in unison, sending several bolts of electricity, which caused Mona to scream in pain.
"Mona!" Skull exclaimed as he punched the ground stood up.
Skull ran forward as Captain Kidd appeared beside him. "Shock the World: Captain Kidd!" Skull yelled as Captain Kidd fired a bolt of lightning that collided with a Captivating Dancer before Skull jumped into the air and nailed her with his pipe.
The Dancer fell to the ground as Skull smacked the second Dancer with his pipe, causing it to fall before he said, "Captain Kidd: Zio!" Captain Kidd appeared and fired a bolt of electricity at a Waterside Nymph, destroying it just as the Nymph was about to hit Panther.
Skull turned to Mona and tossed him a Takemedic, which Mona swallowed and was somewhat healed. "You alright?" Skull asked.
"That hurt," Mona groaned. "But I'll live."
"Good, let's keep going," Skull said before he and Mona dashed towards Panther to help her in battle.
[Scene Change: Metaverse – Museum of Vanity (Outside - Air)
Theme of Battle: Last Surprise (Scramble Ver) from Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers]
Crashing through the skylight, The Foolish Monk gripped Joker tight as the leader of the Phantom Thieves struggled against his grasp.
Joker gripped the hilt of his knife tight and stabbed the Monk in the side three times, each time loosening the grip of the Monk until a final stab forced the Foolish Monk to release him.
"Arsène!" Joker yelled as he fell from the ground.
"I got you!" Arsène yelled as a dark cloud with twinkling stars formed around Joker's falling body before Arsène's form took shape, opened his wings, and flew in the air with his arms wrapped around Joker's torso.
"Too close Arsène!" Joker exclaimed.
"Thrilling isn't it?!" Arsène exclaimed as he flapped in the air.
"That's one word for it!" Joker exclaimed as the wounded Foolish Monk was joined by its healthy brethren and two Waterside Nymphs. The two Waterside Nymphs held their hands to the chest and lunged their arms forward with a shout of, "Malaqua!"
Dozens of raindrop-shaped spheres of water flew from their hands as the two Foolish Monks shouted, "Garu!" then flapped their wings hard to cause four swirling spheres to fly towards Joker.
"Hang on!" Arsène exclaimed as he flew towards the attacks and began to maneuver around them as Joker gripped his knife tightly. When Arsène got close to the wounded Foolish Monk, Joker swiped his knife and cleaved its head off, causing it to disperse into the familiar black substance.
Arsène performed a U-turn in the air for another go-around only for the still abled Foolish Monk to collided into them, sending them both spiraling into the air.
"On my honor, I will not allow you to reach Lord Madarame!" The Foolish Monk exclaimed.
Despite the danger, Joker smirked and said, "Sorry, that ain't up to you!" before he kicked the Foolish Monk in the chest, forcing the Shadow to release him. Arsène flew high in the air, avoiding the multiple raindrop attacks from the oncoming Waterside Nymphs that flew past the Monk.
"This is going to get annoying!" Joker exclaimed.
[Scene Change: Metaverse – Museum of Vanity (Rooftop)
Theme of Thy True Self: Bomb Shelter from Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PSP Ver)]
Yūki could hear the sounds of combat coming from the museum and felt concerned for his friends.
The duplicate of him stood at the edge of the roof, watching with intense eyes.
"I warned them," The shadow whispered as he gazed out at the museum with a sad expression. "I told them to get away before Madarame's guards came. They wouldn't leave without you. And now, they're fighting for their lives. How do you feel, knowing they are in danger because of you?"
"They shouldn't be in danger because of me…." Yūki whispered with dread.
"You don't want them to die…But we both know that you enjoy it," The shadow's mournful tone whispered.
"W-What?" Yūki stammered.
"You love this attention, don't you? Knowing that they are fighting for their lives to save you from me. It makes you feel worth it, doesn't it?" The replica said as he looked at Yūki's stunned expression.
"N-No, I don't love this," Yūki argued. "I don't want anyone to die. Not for me. Never for me…."
The shadow approached Yūki again and said, "Oh Yūki….You do not need to lie to me. For we are one in the same…."
"W-We are?" Yūki asked.
"We are," The shadow softly replied. "You want the power to help them? I will be willing to give you that power. But it comes at a price. And that price is being honest with yourself and with me."
"You would d-do that for me? W-why?" Yūki asked.
The shadow smiled. "Because I will kill you if you don't," the shadow gently answered. "I will carry you to your friends and make you watch as Madarame's guards kill them."
"First Morgana will perish, then Ann and then Ryuji….When they die, I will make sure Ren lives long enough to see me murder you. You will perish before your savior, knowing it was your fault he died a failure…Do you understand?" The shadow asked.
Despite the gentle, loving tone the shadow spoke, Yūki could sense that his duplicate was telling the truth. If he did not be open and honest, he, and his friends, would die.
"I understand…." Yūki answered with a bowed head.
"Tell me, what drew to Kamoshida when he first arrived?" The shadow asked.
"W-What drew me to him?" Yūki asked. "W-Well. When I first met him…I thought he was nice. He treated me nice compared to my parents. Compared to my fellow students. He didn't treat me like they did. He treated me like a person."
"He was very handsome, wasn't he?" The shadow asked.
Yūki paled considerably at the shadow's words.
"That's what also drew you to him and who could blame you? A dashing, funny, charismatic, athletic man came into your life and acknowledged you," The shadow said as he circled Yūki slowly. "He didn't treat you like the freak everyone thought you were. Back then, Kamoshida treated you, the "Nobody of Shujin," like a person."
"And that is what made your heart quicken, your face redden, and your determination to hold on to that and his acknowledgment of you stronger. Is that correct?" The shadow questioned.
Shamefully, Yūki nodded.
"But we both know how that turned it, Yūki. That kind, sweet, handsome man soon became the worst villain in your life because you were the first to fall for his act. You were the first to be suckered in by the all-heroic façade he had. And how did you do it, I wonder?" The replica questioned as he stopped behind Yūki.
"Oh, I know," The shadow murmured before he leaned down to Yūki's ear and whispered, "You told him your secret. The secret that made you the "Nobody of Shujin." The secret that put that big target on your back, and the secret that Akiyama betrayed you after telling him."
Tears began to build up in Yūki's eyes.
"Tell me Mishima Yūki….What did you think he was going to do when you told him your secret? Did you think he would accept you? Did you think he would protect you?" The duplicate asked.
"I did…" Yūki admitted. "H-He made me believe he wasn't like A-Akiyama-kun…that he wouldn't b-betray me l-like he did."
"But he did. He betrayed you worse than Akiyama. Kamoshida blackmailed you. He Told you he would tell of your shame to your parents. You begged, and you pleaded and surrendered yourself to his desires if he kept your secret. And that was the beginning. You were his first victim. His first slave…" The shadow said as tears fell down Yūki's eyes.
"You did so many terrible things under his command. You planted false evidence to frame the Track Team Coach; you gave Kamoshida the ammo he needed to break down Ryuji, you leaked Ren's records, and that's naming the few things you've done. You ruined lives for his sake because you were too weak to stop him. You were too spineless to stand up to him, lest he tells everyone your secret," The shadow admonished with a frown. "But deep down, despite Kamoshida abusing your body, your morals, your soul, you wanted what he had."
"No, I didn't!" Yūki yelled.
"Yes, you did!" The shadow shouted. "That is why you made the Phan-site. Because you wanted to use them, like Kamoshida used you!"
Yūki's eyes widened.
"Despite all of the pain you went through, you were too weak to stand up for yourself and other people that needed help. Ren, Ryuji, Ann, Shiho, and Haru, did what you couldn't," The shadow said as he looked at Yūki in the eyes.
"With Ren as their leader, the Phantom Thieves stopped Kamoshida, and while you worship the ground Ren walks on, you're envious that you could never make an impact upon the world as he and his friends did. You knew that they were the Phantom Thieves, and to your luck, they did not deny it. So you made the website to gain the upper hand and make them need you."
Yūki began to sob as the shadow stood above him, his sorrowful eyes staring down at the teen openly.
"You, like Kamoshida, was going to blackmail them into taking down Akiyama and all that bullied you because you are too weak to change and stand up for yourself, and if they refused, you would spill their secret," The shadow finished as Yūki continued to cry.
The shadow knelt in front of the crying teen and wiped Yūki's eyes as he whispered, "But I don't blame you, Yūki. Because this is all, you know now, thanks to Kamoshida. How to use and abuse others, Just like Kamoshida did to you…It's a vicious cycle. The bullied becomes the bully, and the betrayed becomes the betrayer. You're another statistic in that way."
[Theme of Realization: The Voice of Someone Calls from Persona 3]
"You're right," Yūki brokenly whispered. "All I ever wanted was to be free from it all. All the jeering, the abuse, the beatings, the awful things I had done for Kamoshida. Then Ren and the others came, and after hoping and dreaming of the day Kamoshida's torture would end, I was finally freed into this unfamiliar world…."
Yūki stared at his hands as he whispered, "But despite being free, all of the memories of all the things that I was forced to do and become because I was too weak and pathetic and felt that I didn't have a choice…But now I did."
"Despite them saving me and all of Shujin, I was going to use them for my own desires, just like Kamoshida did with me. I-I'm no better than he is."
"I'm just like him….I'm worst than him. Can I ever be redeemed? Can I change the path that Kamoshida set down?" Yūki tearfully asked his shadow.
"Tell me something, Mishima Yūki. You have always wanted to change yourself and help others, even in your darkest moments; that's all you ever wanted. This is not an answer that I, Ren, or anyone can give you. This is your moment of truth. Do you want to change, Yūki? Or do you want to be that pathetic weakling that follows the tainted commands of Kamoshida?" his duplicate asked.
"I've done so many awful things under Kamoshid," Yūki finally whispered after a minute of silence. "I've cheated, I've lied, and I've stolen for him. For the first time in my life, I regained the agency I lost."
Yūki clenched his fists tightly as he said, "Kamoshida has stolen a lot of my life from me, but I will not allow his phantom to dictate it anymore!"
The yellow eyes of the shadow flashed blue. "Then tell me, Mishima Yūki! Do you think you can be redeemed from that Phantom's pain?!" The shadow yelled.
"Yes! To be the change I want to be, I believe that I can be redeemed. And the first step of redemption is to make amends with those I planned to hurt!" Yūki yelled. "You said that you could give me power, right?! Well, I can't redeem myself if they die here!"
The shadow smirked, and suddenly, Yūki fell to the ground, free from the prison he was held in as the shadow's eyes glowed a bright blue. "You're right. So let's not waste any time!" The shadow exclaimed before it vanished.
[Theme of Awakening: Awakening from Persona 5]
Seconds later, Yūki felt a pulse in his chest as a pain settled in his chest. "They say Redemption is not perfection. The redeemed must realize their imperfections. That is the first step down this long road of atoning for the misdeeds you've done," A feminine voice whispered in his head.
Yūki felt his body start to heat up as the building beneath him began to quake. "You've taken that first step, but you have long away to go until you earn it. But as long as you stay resolute and loyal to those you cherish, redemption can be yours. Says the you that dwells within."
With a blue flash of ethereal flame, a black leather mask with glowing white Tron lines connected to the bright white LED lights in the eye sockets appeared on his face.
Yūki grabbed at the edges mask in alarm as the female voice whispered, "I am thou, thou art I. Let the moon's radiant light guide you on your path to atonement. And let its sheer gravity crush those that dare get in the way of that path!"
With a fierce scream, Yūki ripped off the mask, causing a bright light to encompass the area while the sheer gravity of his power destroyed the building beneath him.
[Scene Change: Metaverse – Museum of Vanity (Inside)
[Theme of Awakening: Awakening from Persona 5]
Skull fell to one knee, blood falling down his forehead and the side of his face as Panther stood beside him, her leather suit scratched up in various places.
At the same time, Mona leaned against Skull's body, the three of them panting heavily as Bringer of Misfortune stepped forward with a Captivating Dancer on its left.
Skull caught a bright light out of the corner of his eyes from the hole in the building.
"W-What in the world?" Panther whispered.
"A sense, another Persona user!" Mona exclaimed.
[Scene Change: Metaverse – Museum of Vanity (Outside - Air)
[Theme of Awakening: Awakening from Persona 5]
With a slash, Joker's knife sliced through the head of the Foolish Monk, causing it to explode into that inky black substance. Without warning, Joker's received a kick to the face by a Captivating Dancer, which sent him flying.
Joker's body collided with a building as two Waterside Nymphs, and a Captivating Dancer floated into view. The former's fans were glowing an ominous green while the two Waterside Nymphs held out their hands to allow water to flow into it.
Joker, who had a claw mark down his chest to reveal his bleeding torso, opened his eyes to see the new trio he had to fight and hissed out, "Just my luck. Get rid of one annoyance and get hit by another…."
"We've been through worst than this. We just need to regroup," Arsène said.
Suddenly, the building to the west of the museum began to glow a bright light.'What is that?' Joker questioned.
[Scene Change: Metaverse – Museum of Vanity (Outside - Air)
[Theme of Awakening: Awakening from Persona 5]
When the light faded, Yūki found himself in the air in a bright white orb.
Yūki now wore a black leather cloak with the emblem of a glowing LED crescent moon on the front of the cloak with glowing white Tron lines around the edging of the cloak.
Beneath the cloak, Yūki now wore black leather armor with matching black boots and gloves; both items had the same glowing white Tron lines on their edges. And finally, he wore a black hood over his head, and where the white glow of Yūki's white LED lenses within his mask could be seen.
And in Yūki's right hand was a long staff with a crescent moon at the end of it and a glowing white crystal that sat in the middle of it. "W-Whoa! What is this?!" Yūki questioned as he looked around in amazement before he grew serious. "N-No, no time to freak out yet. I have a j-job to do!" Yūki lifted his staff into the air and shouted, "Eilistraee, I summon you!"
With a flourish of dazzling silver-white light, a black humanoid woman with floating, glowing silver-white hair that took the shape of the moon behind her head, bright white eyes, and flowing gray dress that appeared to be made of mist appeared behind him with a long black ebony sword in her hands.
"I am the deity of Redemption and the Moon. I am Eilistraee," The persona said behind Yūki. "Now, Mishima Yūki…Let's us continue on your path…."
Captain Blues: Holy shit. Whew, that was a monster to get out. So to those that have played DnD The Forgotten realms, you will recognize Eilistraee. You'd be surprised at how hard it was to find a character that followed the moon and redemption, but I found it, and it was her.
Typically, I'd avoid things not sent in mythology but considering *SPOILERS* Persona being Valjean from Les Misérables, I decided to make an exception.
The next chapter will show Mishima in action with his new Persona so until then, see you later!