Author's Note: Some fan-made stories involving the female protagonist have her use a different, female persona other than Arsene to match her gender, so I came up with Elphaba. It may surprise you to know that Elphaba does share some things in common with Joker, like getting framed by a corrupt leader, an outcast at school, close friends with either stubborn or perky blondes, falling in love, abandoned by their families because of their actions, faking their deaths to escape, etc. That's what made me want to use Elphaba for a Persona for the female protagonist.
Before Yusuke can register what's happening, the atmosphere distorts and shifts all around him, and he finds the ground floor of the atelier beneath his feet had vanished, falling down a hole surrounded by nothing but wavering colors of black and red.
What on earth is going on here?
What happened to the atelier?
Eyes widened when he found Akiko falling beside him, engulfed in blue flames. At first, Yusuke feared she got caught on fire and burning herself to death. However, the flames had vanished as quickly as they had come. No longer is she exposing bare skin and undergarments, her attire had taken an entirely new look.
Yusuke couldn't get a chance to study her outfit because a portal appeared beneath them. Landing on his feet, the young artist regained control of his reflexes to catch Akiko before she landed on the hard golden concrete. "Ngh..." He winched at the sudden drop in weight, but he refused to let go.
For a minute there, he noticed how much he acted like a prince in those cheesy romantic stories, cradling Akiko in his arms as if she's his beloved princess. Her delicate legs hung over one arm, her upper back being gently supported by the other, and her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, even though it seems impossible to see under all of that black hair.
Yusuke almost relishes the physical contact of grasping her, until something furry yet hard crashed onto the top of his head, toppling the young artist off his already unstable balance. "Gah...!" The impact resulted in Akiko laying on the floor with Yusuke still securing her body, hovering over her as if shielding her from danger.
A childish voice groans in agony close by. "Aaaagh... Ooooowww!"
"A-Amamiya-san..." Yusuke panted, his voice breathless and shaken by the unexpected reality of what recently happened. "Are... are you alright? Are you... hurt?"
"I... I'm fine..." Akiko stuttered, her face slowly flushing to a bright glowing scarlet.
Yusuke is so close to her face, his heart was beating faster than it used to. He stares at her dark gray eyes concealed by a queer black and white mask. Just as he opened his mouth to question why she's wearing such a strange object when a furious female voice interrupted him.
"Hey, will you let go of her already!?" The owner of the voice abruptly pried the young artist away by his collar and shoved him aside, his vision blacking out.
"Hrgh!" Poor Yusuke fell back with a pained groan.
Next came Akiko's angered tone. "Why did you push him so hard, Panther!?" Sounds of footsteps approach him, and he suspected those footsteps belonged to his muse, voicing her concern for him. "Are you okay, Yusuke? Wake up!"
Wincing, Yusuke slowly opened his eyes. Stunned by the location he was very unfamiliar with, and surrounded by strange people standing over him. There's a blonde girl with ponytails wearing a red catsuit and a boy with bleached blonde hair wearing a skeleton mask. To him, they reminded the frightened artist of villains from those horror movies about serial killers, except they're better dressed. "Who are you all!?" he demanded, warily. He pushed himself away from them, reaching forward to grab Akiko and protect her from these monsters.
"Calm down, Kitagawa-kun! It's me!" The girl in the cat suit reassured him. She also lifted her mask upward to reveal part of her face.
He stared silently, eyes enlarged once he recognized her. "M-Miss Ann!?" Yusuke gasped, then he shifts his gaze toward the blonde thug in the skull mask, putting two and two together. "That means you are..." Ryuji, the hooligan. He noticed a fourth person wearing a black and white feline garb, child-sized. The young artist raised an eyebrow at why is there a child here with them. "I don't recall ever seeing this cat costume before though..."
The child in the cat costume glared irritatingly.
Staring at his muse, Yusuke finally got a proper examination of her new attire. Half of Akiko's face is concealed by a white birdlike domino mask with black designs around eyes, reminiscent of thick eyeliner or sharp lashes. Her black tailcoat has two ankle-length coattails and gold buttons, ruffled sleeves and red gloves. She wore a sleeveless black waistcoat with a cleavage cutout and red lining on the neckline, a black choker round her neck with a red rose in the center, a cinched black leather skirt, and a pair of thigh-length boots on her feet.
Why his muse is wearing such an odd costume, Yusuke had no idea. As much as he wanted to question the reason for the dress up, the reminder of why he's in this strange new world comes back to him. "What is this place?" He stares at the golden architecture and the fancy garden in disbelief.
"We're inside Madarame's heart," Ann replies softly.
Unfortunately, this doesn't actually help Yusuke's comprehension of the situation he's gotten himself into. He wanted her to elaborate more clearly to explain this queer metaphor, but no more answers came. "Inside... Sensei's heart?" He stands up, giving her a look as if she probably lost her mind or is slightly ill. "I'm sorry, Miss Ann... but are you sure you're feeling okay?"
"She ain't lying." Ryuji gets involved in the explanation. "This is what that bastard really feels. He's nothing but a greed-filled money grubber."
"Enough of this rubbish!" Yusuke refused to believe it, slashing his arm in the air. How dare that delinquent continuously insult his master. How long will this go on?
"Yusuke, shut up!" Akiko interrupted; her sharp tone gained his attention like a jaguar's growl. She took a deep breath and stepped toward him. "You were there when Madarame told us the phony story of Sayuri being stolen and selling counterfeits because he's in severe debt. We just found the real Sayuri kept hidden for who knows how long in that storage room. If he wanted to, Madarame could've just told you the truth. Instead, he tried to have us arrested. He's covering up some kind of secret that he doesn't want anybody, least of all you, to know of."
Yusuke grimaces, shifting his gaze to the floor. "Ugh, that's..." He knew she spoke the truth, but he chose to deny it.
Ann spoke up with a very sympathetic expression, even though it's under the mask. "You may not want to believe it, but this is another reality as viewed through Madarame's eyes... This is his true nature."
"This repulsive world?" Yusuke trailed off, staring at his surroundings in disbelief. He did take note the buildings are carved in numerous amounts of gold, too gaudy and it hurt his eyes. Since when did Sensei love gold? He used to lecture Yusuke that gold is for the greedy and selfish. And yet, why would he...? He whips an accusing frown at these people surrounding him. "Just who are all of you?"
"I guess you could say..." Ryuji's grin behind his skeleton mask doesn't make the bluenette feel any better, "we're a group that changes the hearts of rotten crooks." He looks so proud of what he just said, except it made things worse.
"If everything you say is true, then the Sensei I know doesn't exist..."
"You gotta snap out of it."
Yusuke looked around, his eyes frantically darting about at the scenery before him. He can't take this in, his Sensei wouldn't have deceived him about the Sayuri and everything else unless he has a reason for it. And if his master is a greedy person, why did he take him in? If not for Madarame, then Yusuke would've perished of starvation and lived in an unruly orphanage. The artist's grimaced expression refuses to change, grasping a fist to his chest. "Still... he has kept me safe these past ten years. My gratitude for that just won't disappear."
This makes the blonde delinquent furious, glaring at him incredulously. "You're gonna forgive him!? At this rate, you'll..."
Trying to process this doesn't further help Yusuke. The world is spinning in his vision and he begins to feel sick. Nausea overtakes him and prepares to vomit, "N-Ngh..." but thankfully, nothing comes up. For once, he's silently thankful he hasn't eaten anything. Either way, Yusuke lowered himself to his knees and clutches an arm round his stomach, struggling to breathe.
Alarmed, Ann gets down on her knees. "Are you okay?"
Yusuke shakes his head. No, he's not okay. How can this garnish world be Madarame's heart? How can he accept this when there's else other than what he sees is gaudy architecture? "I'm trying to be rational about this, but my emotions are overwhelming me..."
Glancing around sharply, the child in costume hissed seriously, "Sorry, but we don't' have time to dawdle. The security level's gone through the roof! We need to get out of here at once!"
Yusuke struggles to stand up properly, his stomach still aching and panting heavily.
"Here, Yusuke..." Akiko offered him a helping hand, "you can lean on my shoulder while I carry you."
Though appreciating the kind gesture, Yusuke civilly refused to be a burden. "...No, it's all right." He shakily gets back on his feet, although his steps are wobbling.
"We need to get out of here!" The child in costume instructs firmly, as if he's in charge despite his very young age. "That said, we have an amateur with us now. Let's try to avoid fighting as much as possible!"
What sort of enemies would they avoid fighting? What kind of place is this? These strange people surrounded and guided him out of the garden, ready to protect him at any coast if they run into danger. Akiko took the lead, bringing them to an exhibition hall, filled to the brim with painted portraits of multiple faces, all of them displayed an aura of melancholy and despair.
Yusuke doesn't recall a series of portraits like these before, but those faces... Oh, God, he recognized some of them. The people whom he once called brothers and sisters, his fellow peers. The rest of the interior made him feel morosely. The pretentious gold wallpaper, the overly extravagant floor tiles, the absurd detailing to all picture frames... "So this... is inside of Sensei's heart? A vain museum such as this...?"
To think that such a vile and disgusting exhibit exists deep within the shadows of his master's heart? Still following the group at close range, Yusuke struggles to breathe deeply to free himself of the nausea again. This is so deplorable, if only he was dreaming. If he was, the young artist wanted so badly to wake up.
And to make things worse, he recognized the face of a girl staring back at him from the portrait. "Ah, this painting!" he gasped. It's Kiku, his senpai and student from the high school he attends now. She always treated him like a baby brother due to him being six years old and because she adored him the most; coddling or feeding him, painting or watching movies together. Kiku used to have this lovely smile on her face which illuminates the dreary and darkened atelier whenever bad days happened for Yusuke or anyone else.
That is until one day, when Yusuke had made breakfast for her in attempt to cheer her up after the poor girl had shut herself up in her room because Madarame had published her new masterpiece to the exhibition... in his name, but it was to help Sensei get out of his slump by offering their ideas to him, right? The door was locked, and Yusuke had to ask Nakanohara for the key. However, when they entered the room... Kiku was hanging from the ceiling... and it was the first time Yusuke has ever screamed at the top of his lungs upon finding a dead body in plain sight.
"Do you recognize it?" Ann's question had pulled the young artist out of his momentary flashback. "We were thinking these might be his past pupils or something..."
"But... why are there paintings of them here?" Yusuke gazes into Kiku's mournful eyes, unable to tear his gaze away an expression he was used to seeing at funerals. The memory of Kiku's death made him notice something. Her face looked exactly the same as this painting right here when she died. Had she really looked so sad back then?
"Technically, those aren't actually paintings," the cat-costumed child explained. "They're the pupils themselves."
"Madarame saw them as objects, so that's what they are in here..." Ryuji further added, a little awkward on his part. "Oh, and uh... we found yours too." He pointed to a huge portrait of the bluenette himself, wearing a melancholy gaze on his face just like the others.
It doesn't make Yusuke feel less horrific to see himself viewed as an object rather than a human being. He stares at the floor, clenching his fists. No words escape his lips, only silence.
"Yusuke...?" Akiko's soothing voice reaches his ears, and he glances over his shoulder to see her looking at him with genuinely concerned eyes behind the mask. Kiku's eyes often shone with the same love and concern for him whenever he was under the weather or frustrated over something.
"We'll talk more later. For now, let's get out of here." The child insists firmly, ready to make a mad dash for the exit.
This time, Akiko had taken the young artist by the hand and guides him to rejoin the group. Yusuke's continuously wobbly legs quickly became a hinderance, so the raventte does something he never expected her to do; hoist his arm over her shoulder and lean on her, one hand clasped on the one draped over her and the other securing his back protectively. Even this close, he tries to avert the memory of what they had nearly done out of his mind.
They made their way down a curving ramp, rushing past a giant swirling golden tree with shiny curves. With one gaze, Yusuke could see the symbolism drenched in extreme vanity and greed more than ever. Noticing how close they were to the exit, Yusuke had never felt so relieved to be so close to freedom.
All of a sudden, black and red liquid explodes in front of them, blocking their path. Two guards materialize from the explosions, their twisted faces concealed by emotionless heart-shaped masks and wielding heavy thick batons. To Yusuke, these inhuman creatures reminded him of those monsters bursting from the floor to devour their victims like in the movies. He feels Akiko clutching his back and arm more tighter than ever.
"The exit is right there!" The child shouted, the frustration clearly evident.
Just then, a familiar yet distorted voice from behind cackled at their misfortune. Finding the origin of the voice, everyone turn around tensely. It makes Yusuke's skin freeze as a creeping chill travels down his spine.
Madarame... his Sensei... the man before him... draped in a traditional kimono, woven from shiny gold. His white hair was styled in a chonmage, sticking straight upward slightly resembling a paintbrush. His feet adorned in yellow socks and gold sandals, thick black eyebrows, his face a pale shade with red painted on his lips. What terrified Yusuke the most were those sickly yellow eyes gazing at them with cruel amusement. On either side of him, Madarame was flanked by two more guards also carrying batons.
"What the-" Ann cut herself off the second she viewed the old man's gaudy outfit.
"Talk about bullshit clothes! First a king, now some kind of shogun!?" Ryuji's snarky comment describes the moment better than the young painter does.
Yusuke is too stunned to verbally express his own horror. Why in heaven's name is his guardian dressed like that? The costume he wore melts into the background of this vain museum, like another useless decoration. This doesn't make any sense. There has to be an explanation for all of this.
"Welcome to the museum of the master artist, Madarame!"
This man standing before Yusuke looked like his master, sounds like his master, but... is it truly him? At last, the young artist finds his voice. "Sensei? Is that you? That attire..."
"Disgusting!" Ann snarled, and the others are inclined to agree with her.
"This... This is all one big lie, isn't it?" It has to be a lie, as Yusuke greatly hoped. He was barely holding himself together. There's just no way his Sensei would ever deceive him like this... nor use him like an object or betray his trust.
The man whom the young artist looked up to as a father figure all his life replied with a haughty scoffed, staring down at Yusuke, as if he were nothing more than a pathetic insect, and not the boy whom he'd raised for ten years. "My usual ragged attire is nothing but an act. Besides, a famous person living in that shack? I have another home... under a mistress's name, of course."
"You're such a pig!" Akiko's voice is dripping with insult and hatred, vaguely reminding Yusuke of that moment she used this tone on Madarame in the storage room.
"Hahaha! Don't make me laugh."
"If the Sayuri was stolen, why was it in the storage room?" Yusuke implored, his voice breaking due to the aching pain in his chest and the pressure in demanding answers. "And if you had the real one, why make copies? If it's really you, Sensei... please tell me!"
Madarame wasn't hesitating to make his answer. "Foolish child. You still don't see?" He flaunted, smirking at the despair on his pupil's face. "The painting being stolen was just a false rumor I spread! It was all a perfectly calculated staging!"
Yusuke felt his blood run cold, like every cell in his veins was slowing turning to ice. "What do you mean?"
"Let me see... How does this sound?" Madarame grinned manically as he put on a mocking tone. "'I found the real painting, but it can't go public... You can have it for a special price, though.' Haha! How's that for preferential treatment!? Art snobs will eat it up, and pay good cash at that!" Not a trace of remorse on his pale features for his scheme.
"No!" Yusuke despaired. His head was spinning too fast for him to register this and, too dizzy to stand, sinks to the floor before he collapsed unwillingly. The revelation of how his idol really treated the Sayuri broke his heart.
Concerned, Akiko boldly takes a step in front of him due to his weak posture, fully aware that it would make him an invulnerable target for the enemy. "You deceived so many people, including your own pupils, to steal their artwork and increase your own ego! They trusted you, and you took advantage of them! You're not only a thief, but you're a selfish bastard!"
Madarame doesn't cease bragging smugly about his scheme, uncaring of Yusuke's distress. "The value of art is purely illusion. What's the matter with providing to eager customers? Though I doubt a brat like you would ever come up with such a brilliant scheme!"
"You keep going on and on about money this, money that..." Ryuji's tone sneers huffily. "No wonder you ended up with this disgusting museum!"
"You're supposed to be an artist, right!? Aren't you ashamed of plagiarizing other people's work!?" Ann's voice cracks like a whip.
"Art is nothing but a tool... A tool to gain money and fame!" Madarame's truth to how he views art was like a lightening bolt had struck Yusuke's physical being. "You help me greatly as well, Yusuke..."
"God... pisses me off... That's your teacher..." Ryuji's accusatory hand points to the golden monstrosity with Madarame's face.
That's his teacher...
His teacher...
Yusuke looks up at him, despairingly. His stomach churns violently and finds it difficult to breathe in order to plead one last time, in the hopes there's still some good in his Sensei. The man who raised him, fed him, taught him the ropes, and treated him like his own son. "But what about the people who believe in you? Who think you're a master artist!?"
That monster's golden eyes scrutinized the agonized state his foster son is in and all he did was respond with this, "I'll tell you this alone, Yusuke. If you wish to succeed in this world, I'd advise you don't rise against me. Do you believe anyone could find success with my objection holding them down? Hahahahaha!" He threw back his head and chortled callously. No shred of regret in his words.
"To think I was under the care of this wretched man!" Yusuke laments, recalling back to the time when he was a child sitting on Madarame's lap and observing the Sayuri for the first time. He admired it so much that Yusuke knew at once that he desired to become an artist, just like the man whom he loved and cherished all his life. Except that man standing here now was not the man whom Yusuke thought he was.
To add more salt to the emotional wound, Madarame celebrated the horrible deception and actions he's done to his student, and so many others before him. "You thought I took you in out of the goodness of my heart? Plucking talented, yet troubled artists allows me to find promising pupils and take their ideas... After all, it's much easier to steal the futures of children who can't fight back."
"I can't believe this..." Yusuke was very good at keeping himself from crying after years of losing his brothers and sisters, but right now, it almost feels inevitable.
"Livestock are killed for their hide and meat! This is no different, you fool!"
Livestock... That was all he was to his Sensei? Was that all his pupils are to him? Was that all who Yusuke was to him? A source of talent being used and then discarded once he outlived his usefulness.
Memories of his childhood with Madarame rewind and replayed inside his head, remembering how his guardian grabbed his tiny hand, holding a brush between his small fingers, and teaching the little boy how to paint passionately. All his life, Yusuke had come to view him as a father. Instead, Madarame saw him as nothing but livestock meant to be sacrificed whilst using his talent for his own selfish plot.
At last, Yusuke can't hold it in any longer. Tears are shed uncontrollably on his face like waterfalls. He couldn't say anything else due to a sudden new emotion rising fast within his core. He gritted his teeth in pure frustration. He made sure nobody could see his eyes shadowed by his hair, glaring at Madarame with a lethal scowl. Yusuke felt an infuriating instinct take over his body, which slowly urged him to lash out at the man who betrayed his trust for ten years.
"But I tire of this little chat. It's time that I-"
"You are unforgiveable." No sooner did Yusuke speak, everyone turned to look at him. Despite shaking, he gets back on his feet. An icy rage pours throughout his body like a storm. "It doesn't matter who you are... I won't forgive you!"
"So, you repay my keeping you around for all these years with ingratitude? You damn brat!" Madarame sneered dismissively, yet insulted by his student talking back. "Men! Dispose of these thieves!" He gestures outwards to the guards, all of them enclosing around Yusuke and his companions.
"Get back!" Ann called, whilst the rest of the group withdrew their weapons in preparation for a battle.
Undeterred, the next words which come out of Yusuke's mouth happen without a thought. "How amusing..." This confuses everybody around him, but he could care less. Yusuke finds himself laughing mirthlessly and shaking his head, smirking bitterly. "It seems the truth is stranger than fiction, hm?"
"Kitagawa-kun?" Ann blinked in confusion.
"Are you okay?" Akiko worried.
Oh, he's fine. Just close to avoiding a mental breakdown, but an unbreakable resolve found its way into his heart... a resolve to put an end to Madarame's reign of terror forever. How could he have been such a fool to not recognize his peers' sufferings? Kiku commited suicide because she couldn't take it any longer, and he had been a blind fool to not recognize her suffering. He allowed himself to turn a blind eye to the pain everyone, including himself, endured for ten years. And right now, Yusuke has had enough. "I wanted to believe it wasn't true... I had clouded my vision for so long... My eyes were truly blind... Blind, and unable to see the true self behind this one horrible man!"
"Have you finally come to your senses?"
A voice, slightly similar to his own, but unlike anything he'd ever hear before boomed through his skull. Yusuke's eyes snapped open, gazing at everyone with gleaming yellow eyes. Pain follows and his hands flew to his head, clutching tightly at his temple and his vision becomes blurry that he's unable to see everyone's reactions.
"How foolishly you averted your eyes from the truth... A deplorable imitation indeed... Best you part from that aspect of yourself..."
It hurts worse than any pain he had felt in his life. Yusuke screams, increased by the agony. "A-Aaaagh!" He collapses to his knees and his nails dig hard into the floor, except his nails break and drawing blood on the surface. It hurt, but not as badly as the pain surging through his physical being.
"Let us now form a contract... I am thou, thou art I... The world is filled with both beauty and vice... It is time you teach people which is which!"
And then, the pain is gone, leaving in its wake a mask taking place on his face: a kitsune mask. "Very well..." Yusuke slowly stands up, understanding what the voice clearly meant. Teach the people about the real beauty and vice of the world. "Come..." he gripped the mask, the fresh blood on his fingertips staining the surface and tearing it aside as he called upon the voice from within, "Goemon!" An explosion of power erupts around him, enveloping him in a pillar of blue fire.
Empowering him.
Healing him.
As the flames died down, his inner spirit of defiance and rebellion posing as a kabuki dancer towers behind him. Yusuke immediately understands this person is here to aide him in battle. Every ice-cold rage that has ever kept hidden inside of him was finally unleashed.
"A breathtaking sight," Yusuke announces, his outstretched arm moves horizontally in front of his enemies and the man he once called father, imitated Goemon behind him with perfect grace. "Imitations they may be, but together, they still make a fine spectacle. Though the flowers of evil blossom, be it known... abominations are fated to perish!"
No sooner he said this, he throws back his arm and sends a blizzard at the guards, knocking them off their feet and freezing them solid, then they shattered to pieces when their frozen bodies hit the floor. One of his companions speaks over the cold breeze, but he managed to hear the child say the word 'impressive.'
Madarame has shielded his face from the chilly explosion, the look of rage and fury at his pupil's defiance clearly visibly on his painted face. "Hmph... who do you think you are!? The price for your insolence will be death! Where are my guards!? Kill them all!" Upon command, more more guards spawned from the ground.
"The children who adored you as 'father'... The prospects of your pupils... How many did you trample upon?" Yusuke questioned intensely, his temper cold as his newfound power. His master smirked amusingly in response, and the young artist realized at once there were more than enough than just him and his fellow peers who's lives were ruined by this greedy man. "How many dreams did you exchange for riches!? No matter what it takes... I will bring you to justice!"
"You got this?" Akiko's proud voice is behind him.
"I am ready!" Yusuke grins with newfound resolve and malevolent satisfaction.
The guards' bodies convulsed violently, then erupted themselves into different forms: four winged Koppa Tengu creatures, and the fifth one in the center had become a Ippon-Datara, swinging its hammer ruthlessly. "You are in the presence of Lord Madarame! On your knees, intruders!"
A katana was found in Yusuke's possession, and he slowly unsheathed it. "I learned much from you, Madarame. In order to see authenticity... one must be passionately realistic. With Goemon by my side... I can now ascertain your true self without any reservations!"
He has no idea how or why, but apparently he knows the names of his attacks by either instinct or telepathic communication with Goemon. It doesn't matter now. Sometimes, he follows Akiko's instructions on how to attack the enemies. Even without being told, it's clearly obvious his muse is the leader of this queer group he's become a part of.
Every moment of cold terror he strikes fear and dread into the hearts of these Shadows, which is what these creatures are called, according to Akiko. Yusuke has never felt more powerful than ever. He welcomes Goemon's strength as he envelops the Ippon-Datara in a large block of ice, not longer after the rest of his team summoned their own supernatural beings for assistance.
"Captain Kidd!" Ryuji has this enormous pirate riding on a ship in midair.
"Carmen!" Ann is accompanied by a beautiful dark-haired lady wearing a cat mask.
"Zorro!" The child in costume summons a huge man wearing a black mask with quite an impressive physic.
"Elphaba!" Akiko screams the name of her companion to deliver the final blow against the Shadows: a lovely lady with green skin and dressed in black garb, wearing a pointy hat on her head with long black locks flowing freely in the breeze and huge feathered dark wings attached to her back.
Yusuke had never seen such incredible power before, but something about this girl's giant partner was different than the others. The way this witch moved in harmony with her partner's movements to strike down these monsters... curled her wings protectively around Akiko for defense. Is this her inner spirit of rebellion? Just like Goemon is to him? It was inspiring, and Yusuke couldn't stop himself from smiling.
"Breathtaking... Absolutely breathtaking..." Yusuke spoke more to himself, as he closed one eye and used his index fingers and thumbs pressed together to frame Akiko in his gaze, doing this right after the battle was over. So powerful and independent. "Such power and grace... Just like Joan of Arc."
"Quit gawking at our leader!" Ann scolded, giving him the stink eye of caution and distrust while she heals Ryuji and the child from the blows of the attack before any wounds have time to develop.
"I-I wasn't g-gawking! I-I was admiring her strength, courage and elegance!" Yusuke was frantically taken aback by the embarrassment in his tone, and Ann rolled her eyes in disbelief. Why was he stuttering? And why is his face all red? He still can't be attracted to Akiko after what had happened in the altelier. Can he?
No time for such nonsense. Madarame still needs to be dealt with. The sinister shogun watches them impassively, though angered by his henchmen's defeat. Yusuke takes a few steps forward, but soon collapses on his knees. The exhaustion from the fight is so extreme that he can hardly move.
"Yusuke, you've just thrown your bright future down the drain," his mentor sneered vengefully. "I'll destroy every chance you've ever had of becoming an artist!"
The anger surges within him, and Yusuke tries to stand to lunge at him. "Madarame!" he growled. He stumbles to get back up, but in the end, his muscles ached with a pain very unfamiliar to him and falls back on the floor before he can stand up. He can't let him get away with this.
"You'll forever rue the day you dared defy me!" The shogun quickly hightails it out of there.
This time, Yusuke finds some strength to go after his former mentor. "Get... back here!" The pain comes back to him and he falls against the floor once again, struggling to pick himself off the ground.
"Kitagawa-kun!" Ann cried out worriedly, rushing to his side and knelt next to him.
"Why can't I move!?" Yusuke impatiently tried lifting his legs with all his might, blue gloves gripping tightly over his knee.
"Listen, you're totally drained. You can't do much, even if you wanted to!"
"What a disgrace I am!"
"C'mon, just listen to her," Ryuji's tone was much more softer.
Without saying a word, Akiko reaches out to gently grasp his arm and hoist it over her shoulder. Ryuji followed suit and, soon enough, the two of them carried the exhausted Yusuke out of there, with Ann and the child keeping a stern lookout, just in case more enemies ambush them.
"You were really cool, Yusuke. That's what I call real beauty," Akiko compliments him.
Even through the misery of his tiredness, those comments were enough to make Yusuke's heart soar.
With some effort the group shuffled into the waiting area just nearby, finding a couch where Akiko and Ryuji carefully aide Yusuke to sit down and rest. She sits beside him on the couch, as does the child in the cat costume. Ryuji leaned against the couch's side, while Ann was still standing.
The group formed a perfect protective circle around Yusuke, but it occurs to him that they're not only concerned for him, but the gentle seriousness in their eyes yearning for an explanation from him. It's no use hiding it now. He had foolishly deluded himself for so long, and look what it's done to his brothers and sisters.
"You've known for quite some time, haven't you?" Ann's voice is soft and non-accusatory.
"I'm no fool.." Yusuke finally confesses the truth after years of silence and selfishness. "Strange people have been coming by for years, and the plagiarism was an everyday affair. But... who would want to admit that the man they owed their life to was doing such terrible things?"
"Why didn't you leave, Kitagawa-kun?"
"Well, he is the one who painted the Sayuri. On top of that, I owe him a great debt..."
"You mean because he raised you?" Ryuji questioned.
"I... never knew my father," Yusuke admitted. "I was told my mother raised me by herself, but she died in an accident when I was three. That's when Sensei took me in. I heard he helped my mother while she was still alive."
"Heard...?" Akiko repeats with a linger of doubt. "Are you sure that part is true?" She flinched when he shifts his gaze at her, although he didn't want to give her more harsher backlash for what she wanted to say and nodded encouragingly at her to say what's on her mind. "I know I shouldn't say this without evidence, but do you think Madarame might've 'helped' your mother in the same way he 'helped' you?"
Yusuke just shakes his head in so morose a state, he hesitates for a second. "I have no way of knowing if that's true or not. To be honest, I don't remember much about my mother either. I did everything I could for Sensei. I thought of him as a father... but he changed." His eyes narrowed behind the fox mask and his shoulders grew tense. "To think he would treat the Sayuri, the very foundation of his art, like that!"
Ryuji's gaze shifts aside, saddened. "A lot's happened to you, huh?"
"When you had mentioned plagiarism... deep down I knew you were right. That's why I so vehemently denied you... I was simply running from the truth. I'm sorry." Yusuke bows his head apologetically to the group. He was so aggressive and passive whenever they confronted him. The young artist wasn't willing to believe it, so much that he turned a blind eye and remained loyal to his master. Yusuke felt like such a villain, no better than Madarame for what he had done to threaten them.
"No worries." Akiko smiled sweetly and reached over to pat his gloved hand. "I've been through some crap myself when it comes to confronting the parental figures who raised you all your life."
Yusuke manages to show a little smile. "Thank you." He interlocks his fingers with her own, clutching her hand for comfort. Tell the truth, he secretly relished in the joy of holding her hand. "I'm grateful for the chance to face what I have been denying all this time."
"You're way too serious, man," Ryuji grins, easily forgiving him. Perhaps Yusuke had been wrong to misjudge him so harshly and swiftly. "That's why you're always getting stuck in your own head. Look at me! I just go with the flow."
Ann tries not to giggle. "For real."
The child quickly interrupts, turning the conversation back to the bluenette. "What are you going to do now?"
Sighing solemnly, Yusuke has no real answer. "I don't know..."
"We can't help the fact that Madarame's gone and changed." Ryuji was trying to be comforting, straightening up from his slouch against the couch. "But... we can change his heart. We'll make him pay for his crimes." He smiled in pure determination.
Hearing this, Yusuke perked up. He did hear those words before, but he never got the chance to ask whatever the group was going on about. "That reminds me, you mentioned something about that 'change of heart' earlier."
"Have you heard the rumors? The ones about the Phantom Thieves that steal hearts?"
Blinking confusingly, Yusuke glances around the group. He studies their appearances and recalls back to their superpowers from earlier. Pieces of the puzzle fall into place as his eyes widen once the realization hits him. He has heard of them, but easily dismissed these stories as nonsense. However, after everything he witnessed, there can be no denying it. "Don't tell me..."
The conversation was cut off by the sounds of slimy-exploding black and red lava bursts right behind them. To Yusuke's horror, more of those monster guards spawned into the room. How they found them, he didn't want to know.
"Oh, crap!" Ryuji yelled.
"We'll talk later! We need to scram!" The child in the cat costume instructed firmly.
Yusuke suddenly pushes himself off the couch to run, until he looks down and notices something. The dark, smooth leather of his outfit caught him off-guard. Now that he noticed, his entire appearance has changed and it's not just the mask on his face catching his interest. Cyan blue gloves, white sleeves attached to the dark suit, white motorcycle boots on his feet, a blue and white striped belt tired round his waist where his katana rests, and a foxtail dangling behind him. "When did my clothes change?" He wonders aloud, examining his brand-new costume with intrigued befuddlement.
"You just noticed that now?" Ryuji gawks at him incredulously.
"Save it for after! Let's go!" Ann scolded hurriedly.
Nodding, Akiko grabs the young artist by the wrist and drags him out of there, nearly causing him to stumble like the time when she pulled him inside the storage room. Everyone else followed after. Quick as wink, Ryuji activates his phone to teleport him and his team safely back to reality.