The Mask Shatters

Chapter 22

"Yes. He will train Arthur. Train him to be a most excellent thief… Train him in ways I cannot…"


Wallace slung his blade to the side, pressing his back hard against the cast-iron gate entrance that hung open lazily - smashed into blithering little pieces from an attack not long ago. Slowly, he peered around the corner, eyes peeled for any sign of movement.

But, to his utter surprise, there was none. No security guards on alert, patrolling the grounds as he had expected, nor were there any ATMs wandering about, waiting to get inside to speak with Kaneshiro about their personal failures.

Wallace sighed, but his composure did not relax. This was only the beginning. He looked over to Arthur, who stood by his side, sword drawn. He had mimicked Wallace's posture, and almost failed at even that with the heavy burden he carried. While Wallace wore a hoodie and jeans, Arthur wore armor and samurai garb.

Wallace raised a finger. "Wait here." He said, and Arthur nodded. Complying as Wallace stepped into the open before swiftly dashing ahead, almost making no sound as he sprinted low over the cobblestones of the courtyard, stopping just short of the fountain. He glanced left, nothing, he glanced right, still nothing. He continued.

Kneeling before the fountain, he looked back over his shoulder at Arthur, who stood idle behind the cast-iron gate, watching with a nervous stare. He motioned for Arthur to follow, and follow he did. Keeping low as best he could all the while.

Arthur's sprint was nothing if not clumsy.

He ran, his boots clinking and clanking against the cobbled floor. Before he made it even halfway, he stumbled, nearly falling to his hands and knees before he caught himself mid-fall. Wallace sighed, shaking his head as he watched.

When Arthur reached him, Wallace reached up and grabbed him by his collar, nearly forcing him into the floor below with how hard and fast he pulled on him. "Stay low, you bampot!" He said in a hushed voice.

"Agh! What?" Arthur responded, glaring at him from behind his mask. Pulling down his face wrap to his neck, he continued. "We're alone, the courtyard is empty!"

"We're never in the clear until we're back in the real world, so keep yer head on a swivel!" He said, twisting around until his back was planted firmly against the base of the fountain. "Here," he shoved Arthur, sending the young American reeling back onto his rump. "Ya fight like ya mean it. I saw yer moves back during yer scrap with Kaneshiro's goonsquad, so I know ya can fight, the question is: Why do you think we're here?" He asked.

Arthur didn't hesitate to respond. "We're here to stop Kaneshiro, however, I'm assuming you're not."

Wallace nodded. "Smart. I don't give a rat's arse about Kaneshiro, but I'll help you anyways… as long as you help me. Call it a favor for a favor."

"Done deal." Arthur agreed. "What do you need help with?"

Wallace peeped over the fountain edge, watching the front doors to the bank. Much to his chagrin, they look boarded up with a rudimentary blockage. He frowned. "Damn, boarded up tight…" Looking back at Arthur, he said, "I'll tell ya as we go. I need tae know if I can trust ye first…"

"Fair enough." Arthur joined him, laying his sword down at his feet for a moment as he placed both hands on the fountain's edge. "So how do we get in?" He asked, peeping once more over the fountain, watching the boarded up entrance carefully.

"Hold yer horses, kid." Wallace lowered his stance back to the ground, looking over at Arthur. "We need a game plan first. What do you want tae do? How are we going tae stop Kaneshiro?"

"Oh." Arthur hummed, lowering his head as the question was thrown at him like a sharpened dart. "I…" He started, unsure of what to say. He just looked over at Wallace, eyes widened behind his dark, sleek mask. "...Dunno…" He shrugged.

"As expected." Wallace noted, looking away from Arthur as the words left his mouth.

Arthur just looked at him, but chose to ignore the insulting remark. With an arched brow, he spoke. "I figure we march in there, find Kaneshiro, and kick his fat little ass." Arthur clenched his fists, bringing them up eagerly with a smug smile. "I'm due a little payback, anyways."

"Amateur." Wallace looked back at Arthur, the static in his voice playing back a venomous tune. Arthur just blinked, eyes on Wallace. He opened his mouth to question him, but Wallace stopped him before he could utter even a single word. "We can kill the bastard… That would be one way tae solve yer issue, but we can't just march in there with the Palace on high alert. Yer little brouhaha - plus whatever the hell happened here…" He gestured to the broken gate behind them. "...Has got the entire building on lockdown. Hence the boarded doors." Wallace noted.

"Palace…?" Arthur asked, confused. "What, is Kaneshiro an emperor now?"

"In a sense." Wallace stood up, hefting his blade over his shoulder as he looked down on Arthur. "But that's neither here nor there. A Palace… Well…" He pointed to the bank with his blade while Arthur got to his feet, taking his blade back into his determined grip. "That is a Palace. A place of concentrated distortion in the cognition of its ruler." He looked back at Arthur, arching a brow. "Remember when I said that what we believe becomes fact here?" He asked, to which Arthur nodded in confirmation. "Well, a Palace is where reality bends. Where its ruler, this case being Kaneshiro, believes so heavily in his distortion that it has manifested in'ta a reality for him. He sees all of Shibuya as his own personal bank that he both runs and profits from… Does that make any sense?"

"Actually, it does." Arthur put a hand to his chin, pressing his finger against a growing five o'clock shadow. "If this 'Metaverse' is what the human heart and mind sees, then this bastard has a wicked heart. I suppose that makes sense, given his criminal occupation." Arthur surmised. "Yes, it makes perfect sense… to someone in the know." He glanced at Wallace, a questionable expression blooming. "If you told me all this a week ago, I'd call you crazy." He lowered his hand, looking back at Wallace who was closely eyeing him. Seemingly impressed with Arthur. "But seeing is believing."

"Couldn't have put it better myself." Wallace said.

"Woah, a compliment." Arthur noted with a sly smirk, bringing his facewrap back up to cover his nose and chin. "I will take it."

Wallace huffed, and didn't say anything further. He simply motioned for Arthur to follow. But Arthur hesitated, and instead watched as Wallace moved by him at a swift pace. He only got a few feet away before Arthur stopped him with a single question.

"Who are you?"

Wallace stopped himself, and for a moment he didn't look at the American. He simply stood there, quiet and seemingly distant. Arthur took a step forward, and opened his mouth to speak, but Wallace turned his head, looking over his shoulder at the young man.

And he said something that sent a shiver down young Arthur's spine.

"I'm simply a lamb that someone tried to slaughter." He said. "The keyword being 'tried'."

Arthur's mouth hung ajar, unsure of what to say to that. He simply stared at Wallace, and rose a finger to him as if he were to respond. But a response, he could not find. At least not a proper one. Instead, he stood there. Looking into Wallace's distant, golden eyes. And Wallace stared back, unblinking and defiant. After a few moments of awkward silence reigned between the two, Arthur righted his posture, and quietly said:

"OK then."


Arthur crouched low to the floor as Wallace shushed him, the sounds of Arthur's boots gave way to the jingling of metal and scales. With a sword in hand, and the other flat on the floor, he watched as Wallace inched his way to the corner - his back planted firmly against the yellow wall.

The two had managed to find a secret entrance to the bank. A secret entrance hidden underneath a pig statue in the courtyard. Thanks to Wallace's keen eye, he had managed to spot a "tile" that was out of place, and putting two and two together, he had managed to open the path forward for the both of them. This all stunned Arthur, who had asked Wallace how he did such a thing.

Wallace responded with, "Ye'll pick up tricks if you do this enough."

From there, it was as simple as navigating an empty, dark passageway that led into the bank proper. Wallace did his best to lead the way through the dark, even using his cracked phone to light the way while Arthur stumbled behind him. All to Wallace's chagrin that he was aiding a man of such little skill.

When they found the ladder that led inside the bank, Wallace went first, leading Arthur up and over the top into a side hall by the bank's lobby.

Arthur had almost rounded the corner when Wallace had grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back.

"Are ya crazy?!" Wallace quietly chastised Arthur, admonishing him for almost walking into the open. "What did I just tell ya?! Ya have to be careful in here! This isn't the Tokyo ya know, Yankee Doodle Samurai." He spat, causing Arthur to flinch with every word spoken. Arthur simply nodded, responding in kind.

"Sorry, I'm… I'm not used to this, is all."

Wallace just grumbled in silence, and directed Arthur to stay low.

"If ya want to get at Kaneshiro, ya follow my directions!" Wallace said, placing his back against the wall. "Do what I say…" He said, inching forward slowly. "...And I'll place him before you for judgment."

"So we are killing him?" Arthur asked, his voice cracking at the mention of murder. A sudden wave of doubt began to befall him. "Look… I dunno if I'm down to kill him. I just want to kick his ass, that's all."

Wallace huffed. Reaching the corner, he stopped himself and glanced back at Arthur, who remained still as a mouse. Quietly, he said.

"Well, you might not have a choice." Wallace told him, adding that: "Here. When the moment comes, it's kill or be killed. But I guarantee you one thing: Killing Kaneshiro here will put an end to his crimes in the real world, and it will right the wrongs he has done to ye and yers, whatever they may be."
"How will killing him here affect him in the real world?" Arthur asked.

But Wallace just sighed.

"Are ya gonna ask questions all day, or are we gonna get underway?" Wallace asked, to which Arthur just looked at him, unsure of what to say to that. Instead, he just remained silent as Wallace peeped around the corner before quickly retreating. Eyes narrowed as he turned back to face Arthur, his voice quieter than before.

"We have a Shadow just at the end of the hallway…" He told Arthur, to which the American opened his mouth to respond before being promptly cut off by Wallace. "I'm gonna lure him. Ya just sit there and watch how it's done."

Arthur stood up, a question passing his lips.

"What is a 'Shadow'? Are you going to explain that to me or keep me in the dark?" Arthur asked as he stepped forward. "I'm kinda-"

Wallace scoffed and silenced Arthur, clenching a fist and raising slowly as he spoke. "One thing at a time, laddy."

And then, in one swift motion, he brought it down, slamming his fist against the wall with a loud, echoing crack.

*THUNK*

"Huh?" Arthur heard. A sharp exhale that exuded both surprise and aggression. "What was that?"

Wallace put a finger to where his lips would be, and Arthur nodded. Watching. Waiting. Then, in the silence, Arthur could hear the unmistakable footfalls of a flatfoot clambering on the tile floor below and the jingling of keys. It wasn't a rushed approach, however. It was slow, and wary. But as the sounds grew closer, Arthur couldn't help but feel anxious at Wallace's inactivity. He simply stood there. Flat against the wall. Eyes to the side as he, too, waited.

"What's he planning?" Arthur asked himself, taking an idle step back as the "Shadow" approached. "Whatever it is, it better happen now! We're about to be discovered!"

Arthur's heart began to pound, and his breathing began to compound into heavy, sodden breaths. Silent as the grave, but fearful nonetheless. The feeling of absolute danger was present within him, and as the security officer began to step into view, Arthur nearly lost his nerve.

And soon, he was bathed in a light as azure-tinted flames engulfed him from head to toe.

Revealing nothing more than a young man in a Shujin uniform.

Arthur gasped, looking down at himself as quickly realized he was without his outfit and sword. Glancing back up, he realized the security officer was looking right at him.

"Huh?!" The officer gasped as he spotted Arthur. "Who are- Hey, what the-!"

Without warning, Wallace grabbed the officer by his arm, swinging him face first into the wall. A sickening crack sounded away as the officer recoiled in clear misery, shouting obscenities and spouting agony. Wallace then swung a clenched fist at the officer, knocking him to the side. He swung again, and again, and again, catching the officer off guard with a flurry of jabs and swings with such a swiftness that both shocked and stunned Arthur.

He then backed away from the guard, who was practically spinning in place from the sudden assault, and delivered a swift, sharp kick to the chest that sent the guard flying against the wall behind him.

The impact shattered him, and he slid down to the floor below slowly. Unconscious and still.

Wallace dusted his hands off, whistling as he did so.

"And that's how it's done, boyo." He said, placing his hands on his hips as he looked over at Arthur. "Hmph." He huffed, noting Arthur was no longer clad in his samurai garb. "Seems your Persona isn't stable yet."

"Uh…." Arthur hummed, looking down at his feet as Wallace looked on. "What happened?" Arthur asked him. And just like that, as if on cue, the blue flames returned. Engulfing Arthur in a painless, fiery embrace that burned from the inside out.

"Ah, I see." Wallace commented, watching as the flames dissipated and revealed a very confused samurai in its wake. "Ya lost yer nerve, and thus lost yer rebel spirit."

"What?" Arthur asked, unsure of what that even meant.

"Y'see…" Wallace said, taking a step forward towards the unconscious security officer. "Ya were dressed that way because ye were viewed as a threat by the Palace ruler, but by losing yer nerve, ya lost yer will tae fight. The Palace ruler no longer viewed you as a threat." He bent down, looking over the security guard as spoke. "That garb yer wearing? A symbol of yer will tae rebel against society's norm. And yer persona? Yer champion against the coming darkness. The inner 'you' that has struggled to escape from the confines of yer heart for so long. Does that make any sense?" He asked, looking back at Arthur.

Arthur just shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest as he replied with a solid "Nope. Not at all." He lowered his arms, placing an idle hand over the handle of his sword. "But it was poetic. I liked that."

Wallace simply grumbled a response out. "I'll find a way to explain it tae ye. Until then, come here. Look at this."

Arthur complied, approaching the two slowly. "Jesus…" Arthur commented as he too looked over the still security officer. "Is… is he dead…?"

"Nope. Just out of it." He said, before pointing a finger at the guard. "This is a Shadow."

"A Shadow, huh?" Arthur crossed his arms, watching as Wallace reached down to the Shadow's toolbelt.

"Inhabitants of the Metaverse. These are the figments of the human subconscious that humanity ignores. The negative emotions, traits, and stigmas that we lock away in the deepest corners of our minds." Wallace explained, unbuckling the belt. "Many Shadows find themselves entombed in Palaces such as these, trapped by the negativity and delusions exuded by the ruler - whom is also a Shadow. A Shadow of its real self. The hidden side they refuse tae acknowledge and accept." Wallace continued as he stood up, retrieving a set of keys from the belt before chucking it to the side. It clattered only a few feet away, skidding and sliding with the force Wallace gave. "Does that make any sense?"

"Actually, I suppose it does." Arthur answered him, putting his palm to his chin as he spoke. "These Shadows inhabit the Metaverse and represent our negative emotions and traits, and some get trapped in these Palaces to serve the ruler, who is also a Shadow and is the true self of its counterpart in the real world, who refuses to acknowledge it, right?"

"Exactly." Wallace said as he threw the keys to Arthur, who scrambled to catch them as he stumbled and fumbled with them. "Yer gettin' it. And faster than expected. Impressive."

"I'm a smart cookie, Wallace." Arthur grinned. "But, what do we do with these?"

"Don't get a big head." Wallace wagged a finger at him. "As for those, hold on tae them. We'll need them as we head further in. If I'm correct, those keys will open most doors on this floor."

"What makes you think that?" Arthur asked as he went through the keys. They varied in size, from small golden ligaments to bizarrely huge picks that looked nothing more than token novelty prizes one could win at a fair. Arthur looked up at Wallace, who gave the guard on the ground a good kick to the leg - determining if he was indeed out cold. "These could just be a set of janitor's keys…"

"I've been through here before. Most of the doors on this floor are locked with a set of keys. I've been meaning to get my hands on a set for some time now…" Wallace explained as he spun around on his heels. Approaching the corner wall, he peeped once more, and a silent curse slipped past his lips. "Shite. Looks like the lobby is crawling with Shadows…." He looked back at Arthur, who had clipped the keys to his belt and was simply standing there, waiting for instruction. "It's too hot. We'll have tae find another way."

"OK. I guess I'm following you."


It was not an easy time for Arthur.

Wallace had made it clear that the two of them stood no real chance against a high-alert security force, and it seemed that the Palace was indeed tightly secured, and so they had to tip-toe and crawl their way through the bank. The lobby was the first step, but Wallace found a set of stairs that led to the second floor above, which gave them a prime opportunity to bypass most of the security team present.

When they got past the lobby, they came into a large open waiting room with offices on one side and an elevator on the other. Patrolled regularly by hounds and security forces armed with what looked like shotguns and assault rifles. Each step Arthur took felt like it would be his last, and when he spotted his first hound with its handler, Arthur nearly jumped at the sight.

"They have dogs?!" Arthur gasped, looking at Wallace with a pang of fear in his eyes. "What if they find us? Eyes, we can hide from. A snout, we cannot!"

Wallace simply shook his head. "Easy there." He had said. "These Shadows don't play by the rules of our world. Just avoid their sight and deceive their hearing. You'll be fine."

Arthur just looked at him, unamused and clearly discontent with his answer. "OK…"

When the guards moved paths, Wallace had jumped from the second floor to the first, vaulting over the wooden railing with ease, as if he's done it a hundred times before.

And he landed on his feet, like a majestic cat that had just jumped from his place of glory among the clouds.

Arthur just watched in awe, amazed by the fluid movement.

He then hesitated a moment, then heard Wallace call after him.

"Come on, Yankee Doodle Samurai!" Wallace called out in a hushed voice. "Ye'll be fine!"

Arthur gulped, unsure of what to do or say. So instead of standing idle, he nodded and ran for it. His boots jingling and clinking with each step. Hand on the railing, he boosted himself over and tumbled to the floor below. Flailing and fidgeting as he fell.

"Aggh!" He grunted as he made contact with the tiled floor, nearly shattering the black and white tile with the weight of his own body and armor. "Goddamn it…" He cursed as he clambered onto his hands and knees. "Grrrr…."

Wallace just stood over him, shaking his head in sheer disappointment. "Yer not agile enough for this, it seems."

"Yeah, I heard it too. Let's go check it out."

Wallace darted his eyes in the direction the voice called out from. And then shot a quick glance around, realizing they were standing in the open with no cover or places to hide. Suddenly, the sounds of boots on ceramic tile clambered away in the silence. Before them sat a door and, thinking quickly, he swiftly reached down and pulled Arthur to his feet with a heavy grunt, motioning for him to follow.

"On yer feet, laddy." Wallace told a dazed Arthur, his voice hushed as a whisper. "We need to hide, now!"

Arthur, still reeling from the impact of the fall, simply nodded, and off the two went.

Wallace swung the door open, glancing inside the room before throwing Arthur inside. Arthur gasped, stumbling as Wallace grabbed him by the shoulders and thrusted him forward. Wallace then took one last look behind them before shutting the door slowly and quietly.

"The keys, boyo!" Wallace looked back at Arthur. "Toss me the keys!"

"Uh, uh…" Arthur fumbled with the keys, doing his best to unclip them from his belt. "Here, here!" He said, fulfilling Wallace's request as he threw him the keys. Wallace locked the door, and then they waited. Standing there, in total silence. The two listened for the sound of trouble coming their way, and Wallace watched the knob closely. But when nothing happened, the two of them sighed a breath of relief.

"That was close…" Arthur flipped back his hood, attempting to wipe his brow clean of the sweat he could feel beading up. Much to his chagrin, however, he found that the mask he now wore covered his entire upper face.

"No thanks to ye." Wallace growled, approaching Arthur as he spoke. "Yer carelessness almost got us caught." He shoved the keys into Arthur's chest, eliciting a sharp, pained huff from the young man.

"What?" Arthur looked at him incredulously, a surge of anger burning within him. "You told me to follow you! Don't pin this on me!" He threw his fists down in a fit, all the while Wallace watched him with contempt burning in his eyes. "Goddamn it, I don't like you!"

"That's none of my concern." Wallace waved him off. "But enough of who's at fault. Keep your mouth shut. The Shadows are still waltzing around out there." He gestured to the door behind him. "For now, just keep an eye on it…. Looks like we picked the wrong room to hide in…"

Arthur blinked, unsure of what that even meant, and when he followed Wallace's gaze, he spun himself around to witness a silent room filled with desks and laptops - with a large central screen at the very end of the room. Mainframes and powerhouses for the computers and laptops lined the walls, and chairs were scattered everywhere. Some lying on the floor, others parked at the desks or even flipped upside down.

Arthur could even spot a cup of what he assumed to be cold coffee sitting next to a laptop that was left running by it's previous user. The homescreen being that of a pig surrounding by Japanese Kanji that read "Glory to President Kaneshiro".

Wallace huffed as he stood next to Arthur.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a security station…" He noted with a hand to his chin. Rubbing it, he looked over at Arthur with his ever-present indifferent stare. "You know what that means?"

"Someone may come back…?" Arthur asked, shrugging.

"That." Wallace raised a finger in agreement with Arthur's conclusion. "...and it's a prime spot for finding info on the layout of this place."

Arthur opened his mouth, giving out a silent "Oooohhh…."

"Like a map or architectural schematic or something?" Arthur asked, watching as Wallace slowly trailed away towards the active laptop.

"Mmmm. Sometimes." Wallace answered him, shrugging as if even he didn't know the answer to the question. "I'm gonna check this laptop, laddie. You just watch the door and make sure I go undisturbed."

"Yeah, yeah." Arthur waved him off, still unpleasantly perturbed by Wallace's blame on him. "Just get on it."

Wallace looked back at him over his shoulder, and shot Arthur a nasty scowl. "Watch yer tone, boyo."

Arthur just huffed, crossing his arms as he turned his eye on the door.

Just then, the unmistakable click of a lock giving way broke the silence that prevailed for but a moment sounded off, and Arthur's heart began to sink as he watched the door open up before him.

Revealing a security officer, standing just mere feet away from the young American.

The two, for a second, just looked at each other, clearly surprised by the other's presence. Then, when it dawned on the Shadow that Arthur was an intruder, he lifted an arm in Arthur's direction.

"Wha-what the…" The guard pointed a shaky finger at Arthur. "You-you're that guy…!" He said, visibly terrified of Arthur, having heard of the power Arthur commanded.

"Don't just stand there, ye twat!" Wallace shouted, causing Arthur to spin around and face him. "Take him out!"

"R-right!" Arthur stammered, pivoting as he fumbled with the hilt of his sword. He tried to unsheathe it, but the nerves got to him and foiled his every attempt.

The Shadow placed a hand to his ear, and with a shaky voice, he spoke. "Attention, all units, we have a situation in Security Station A55!" The Shadow called out, causing Arthur's heart to plummet to the bowels of his stomach. "Intruders! Two of 'em! I need backup!"

Just then, the Shadow began to lurch. It bent forward, sounding forth a sickening crack as it began to shake - not with fear, but something else entirely. It then jolted backwards, and the Shadow was soon engulfed in a blackish-red goop before suddenly vanishing - melting into the ground before Arthur as three other shapes began to take form.

Revealing three feline humanoids, prancing about in place with their claws extended, and a thirst for blood dominant in their eyes.

Nekomatas.

"Ooooh…" One of them cooed, looking Arthur up and down with a pair of hungry eyes. "Look at this one, girls…"

Another piped up, speaking in a sultry, provocative tone. "Are you here to play with us?"

"Gah, you freaks!" Arthur jumped back, nearly falling backwards over a table as Wallace ran up next to him. Sword drawn and leveled towards his foes.

"Get back ya bastards!" Wallace shouted, standing before Arthur, swinging his blade and startling the Nekomatas with his swiftness. They stumbled backwards, arms risen to protect themselves from the hooked sword. He swung again, and again, as if wielding a torch against beings that feared the flame. "Back! Back, ya mangy curs!"

He then turned and looked at Arthur, eyes narrowed.

"I told ya tae kill the bastard!" Wallace admonished Arthur, scowling as the Nekomatas regained their composure. "Ya can't be afraid to take a life here, Yankee Doodle Samurai! Now we have tae do this the hard way…" He said, tapping Arthur in the stomach with the flat edge of his blade. He shook his head, voice dimming as he continued. "I suppose it was only a matter of time… But very well… Allow me."

He reached up to his facewrap, gripping it tightly as he shut his eyes, and with a single motion, he ripped it off. Tearing it from his hood with such strength, such speed, that Arthur swore he saw flecks of blood spray in every direction.

"Come to me,"

"Get them, girls!" One of the Nekomatas cried out, pointing a jagged finger at the two.

Wallace's facewrap vanished from his hand within azure flame, replaced by nothing more than his ever-present indifferent stare and frown. And he opened his lips, all that parted from him was a name….

"Willy Wallace!"


Post-Chapter Author's Note

Edited by Frozen Foe and Kabuto S. Inferno.