Captain Blues: Ahoy-hoy! Captain Blues of the SS FleetingDream is back as promised! Now, let's start the show!
Persona V: Reversing the Wheel of Fate
Chapter Forty-Six
[Opening Scene: Metaverse – Museum of Vanity (Courtyard Gate)
Theme of Palace: A Woman from Persona 5]
"Never again!" Lioness exclaimed as she sat huddled on the ground, trembling violently against Panther. "I never want to be that high up ever again!"
"Awww, there, there," Panther said as she stroked Lioness' back. "You're on the ground now. We got you. It's okay."
Skull, Joker, Morgana, and Makoto stood, watching Panther console Lioness, who refused for anyone other than Panther to touch her. Despite wanting to console Lioness too, Joker decided to let Panther handle it because if anyone could help Lioness, it was Panther.
A few feet behind them, Mage was patting the back of Yusuke, who was throwing up violently in a bush nearby.
"This is not what I expected when I came here," Makoto slowly announced while keeping her eyes on Lioness. "I mean, a part of me, a small part, didn't want to believe the things in your notebook were real. But now, it's 100% fact. This is the Metaverse. And I'm inside of a Palace, no doubt."
Joker nodded as he turned to Makoto and said, "Yeah. It's pretty shocking, I know. Imagine me, Skull's, and Panther's reactions at even finding Kamoshida's palace."
Makoto nodded and turned to the Skull and Joker s she said, "Wow….I think I need to sit down." Makoto then sat down on the golden brick ground beneath her and took a deep breath.
"No worries, Prez. Just sit down and let it all set in," Skull said with a broad grin.
"Man, at this rate, I kind of wish Hifumi came here too," Mona sighed out as he crossed his arms. "But, having one more person being able to hear me will be awesome."
Makoto looked at Mona and asked, "You're the cat, aren't you?"
Mona huffed and replied, "I'm not a cat. But yes, I was that small, domesticated, carnivorous four-legged creature that belongs to the Felidae family that you saw earlier."
"Okay then," Skull drawled out. "Yeah, he was that cat, but he's a human who changed into a cat. He doesn't remember the full details of that yet."
"Okay, Lore download complete," Makoto said as Panther and Lioness rejoined the group, the latter looking better than she did before.
"Sorry about that. I didn't expect to be so high up," Lioness said as she blushed.
"Don't sweat it," Joker said as he held out a hand to Makoto, who took it and was hoisted to her feet. "Alright, now what on earth happened?"
"Well, we found out that Madarame was counterfeiting the Sayuri," Makoto answered, much to the shock of the trio. "We confronted him with Yusuke and he called security. After that, we fled, and Ann—"
"Codenames," Joker told her.
"—Panther transported us here," President finished.
"Considering they were two minutes out, this was the best option," Panther told them.
Joker nodded and said, "Despite the short notice at this, if that was the best course of action, I don't think we have anything bad to say. Good work, Panther."
"Thanks, Bro," Panther replied.
"I guess we need to tell Yusuke all of this," Mona said.
The group nodded, only for Yusuke to stumble into Joker's back, causing them both to fall to the ground.
With panicked eyes, Yusuke scrambled away from the group as he cried, "Who are you people?!"
"Kitagawa-kun, calm down," Panther said. "It's me."
Yusuke stared at Panther and asked, "Takamaki-san?"
Mage ran up behind the group and said, "I tried to c-calm him down but he freaked out really hard."
"You did the best you could," Lioness told Mage.
"T-That means all of you are…." Yusuke began before his eyes glanced at Mona, who immediately let out a long-suffering sigh.
"Before you even say it, I'm not a cat," Mona said, immediately making Yusuke nod.
"Okay," Yusuke mumbled, immediately accepting this as fact before he asked, "Where am I? What is this place?"
"The easiest way to explain it? We are inside Madarame's heart, dude," Skull said as he put his hands on his hips.
Yusuke sat on his knees and looked around. "T-This repulsive world is inside S-Sensei's heart?" Yusuke questioned. "That can't be, something like t-that is impossible…."
"He's not lying," Lioness told the artist.
"This is what Madarame's heart looks like. Filled with greed and lust for money," Panther sadly told him.
"I c-can't believe this rubbish," Yusuke whispered.
"Kitagawa-san, were you deaf the entire time of that conversation?" Makoto questioned. "Didn't it cross your mind that something is seriously wrong with your teacher? The copies of Sayuri? The countless lies? The fact that he called security on us, including you?"
"T-That's…." Yusuke began before quieting down.
"I understand that this is hard to take in," Joker began. "But this is the reality as viewed through Madarame's eyes, Yusuke. This is his true nature…."
"How am I seeing this?" Yusuke asked. "Just who are all of you?"
"These," Makoto began. "These are the Voice of the Voiceless. These are the Phantom Thieves of Heart."
Yusuke's eyes widened in realization.
"Wait….Amamiya Ren, Sakamoto Ryuji….Takamaki Ann, Suzui Shiho, Mishima Yūki….The only one missing is Okumura Haru. The Shujin Six are the Phantom Thieves?" Yusuke gasped out before he glanced at the world around him. "I knew you all looked familiar but I couldn't place it… You truly are the Phantom Thieves… But t-that means… If you all are here… "
Joker could practically see Yusuke's heart fall into his stomach. "Then the Sensei I know doesn't exist…."
Mage walked until he stood in front of Yusuke. Slowly, he knelt before the artist and placed a comforting hand on Yusuke's shoulder, causing the visibly distressed teen to look at him.
"Kitagawa-kun, I know how you feel. I too had someone I looked up to. Someone I admired, and he turned out to be someone that truly didn't exist either," Mage gently told him. "It's so hard to realize that the person you admire could be so callous and cruel."
"H-He has kept me safe for over ten years… I o-owe him everything," Yusuke stammered as tears began to fill his eyes. "I-I can't just let my gratitude for that disappear…."
"Kitagawa-kun," Mage whispered. "So you're willing to forgive him? Despite the grief he's caused others with the same dream as you? Despite lying to you and hurting so? You are will grant him mercy?"
Yusuke's eyes fluttered as he fell forward against Mage, causing the group to gasp, but Mage caught him. "I have you," Mage whispered. "It's okay…."
"I-I'm trying to be rational about this," Yusuke weakly whispered, his body shaking. "But my emotions are overwhelming me…."
"Hey, I'm sorry for interrupting this heart to heart," Mona began. "But we don't have time to dawdle about. The security level's gone through the roof. We need to get out of here at once."
"Shit," Joker cursed.
Mage gingerly wrapped his arms around Yusuke and slowly lifted him off the ground. "Just lean on me, Kitagawa-kun. I won't let you fall," Mage gingerly told the artist, who nodded and slide his arm around Mage's shoulder.
"Alright, I know this doesn't need to be said but we have two amateurs with us now," Mona warned. "Let's try to avoid fighting as much as possible!"
The group nodded and immediately ran.
[Scene Change: Museum of Vanity (Infinite Spring Statue Chamber)
Theme of Palace: A Woman from Persona 5]
'So, this is what is in Sensei's heart….A vain museum such as this?' Yusuke thought with despair as tears leaked from his eyes. The Phantom Thieves were all running while the one he was leaning on kept a strong grip on him.
As they ran, he could see faces, achingly familiar faces staring back at him as they passed, until one face caused him to gasp. "This painting!" Yusuke cried, causing the group to stop.
"Kitagawa-kun, are you alright?" Mishima holding him asked.
"This painting…." Yusuke repeated as he stumbled away from the thief and towards the painting on the wall.
It was of a girl around his age, wearing a school uniform. She was frowning and her brown eyes were dull and weak looking.
He knew who she was….
"Do you recognize it?" Suzui asked.
"We were thinking these might be his past pupils or something, but we weren't sure," Takamaki said.
"Samonosuke Kana… Sensei's former apprentice before me…." Yusuke shut his eyes, images of a young girl his age staring at him with those emotionless eyes as his sensei was on top of her. He shook the image from his mind and found himself staring at all of the paintings before he whispered, "Why? Why is her painting here? Why are there paintings here?"
"Technically," The anthropomorphic cat began. "Those aren't actually paintings. They're the pupils themselves."
"Madarame saw 'em as objects, so that's what they are in here…." Sakamoto explained before he looked down at the carpet. "Oh, and uh… we found yours too…."
Yusuke felt his shaking legs give out, but like before, Mishima caught him. "T-Thank you," Yusuke gasped out.
"We'll talk more later," Amamiya told them. "For now, let's get out of here!"
The group continued to run until they reached the statue room. The group ran down the ramp on the left but as they did, Yusuke whispered to Mishima, "Stop."
Mishima stopped, causing the group to halt as well.
"What's wrong?" Mishima asked, his LED eyes blinking.
Yusuke stared at the golden statue and said, "This is horrifying. There is something evil with this statue. What is it?"
"The Infinite Spring," Sakamoto answered.
"Kitagawa-kun, you shouldn't see this," Takamaki warned. "We need to keep moving."
"No," Yusuke whispered as he left the Mishima and stumbled to the golden sign beside it and began to read it. "A conglomerate work of art that the great director Madarame created with his own funds. These individuals must offer their ideas to the director for the rest of their lives. Those who cannot do so have no worth living."
"Oh my god," Suzui and Mishima whispered behind him.
Yusuke felt sick to his stomach at the sight of these words.
"T-This is what he thinks?" Yusuke whispered. "Of all of us? Of me?"
"So glad for you to finally understand your place!" a familiar voice exclaimed, causing the group to immediately get on guard.
[Theme of Confrontation: Blood of Villain from Persona 5]
Yusuke slowly looked up at the top of the ramp and to his horror, he saw his Sensei.
His Sensei wore a traditional yellow kimono with make-up on his face, similar to that of a shogun, with his hair being styled in a Japanese topknot look, that Yusuke noted its close resemblance to a paintbrush and bushier eyebrows.
But it was the smug expression and the glowing yellow eyes that Yusuke took notice of.
"Madarame!" Takamaki, Suzui, and the brown-haired girl exclaimed.
Sakamoto laughed and said, "Talk about bullshit clothing. First a king, and now some kinda shogun?"
"The arrogance is appalling," Mishima whispered.
"Welcome intruders to the museum of the master artist, Madarame!" The mockery of his sensei exclaimed with open arms. "How do you like my masterpieces?"
"They're pretty shitty to me," Amamiya replied. "I've seen better art drawn by my little cousin."
"Sensei? Is that you?" Yusuke said as he looked up at his master, a horrified expression on his face. "Your attire…."
"It's so gaudy," Takamaki snarked. "But I guess gaudy clothing goes well with disgusting people."
"This… This is all one big lie, isn't it?" Yusuke whimpered.
"Oh, this all very much true," Lord Madarame answered with a grin. "My usual ragged attire is nothing but an act. Besides, a famous person living in that shack? How foolish!" Lord Madarame began to laugh as Yusuke felt his heart further break.
"While you work away in that dingy little shack, I have another home, under my mistress' name, of course. That is where I live," Lord Madarame told him.
"I'm almost impressed by how shitty you are," Amamiya told the man. Yusuke wanted to defend his teacher from that insult, as well as all the others, but he felt defeated, thanks to all that he has seen.
"Such disrespect you show, you lowly simpleton," Lord Madarame hissed out. "I will use your blood as paint for my new masterpiece…."
"Sensei, tell me," Yusuke whispered. "Takamaki-san, Suzui-san, and…."
"Niijima Makoto," Niijima introduced.
"Thank you," Yusuke told the girl before continuing, "And Niijima-san… About the Sayuri… Were they telling the truth?"
"You're still going on about that insipid painting?" Lord Madarame questioned. "You are just as foolish as your mother, Yusuke."
"What?" Sakamoto whispered as Yusuke looked stunned.
"M-My mother?" Yusuke whispered.
"Don't you see, the painting being stolen was a rumor I spread!" Madarame gleefully exclaimed. "It was all a perfectly calculated staging!"
Another critical blow was dealt to Yusuke's heart as he further wilted beneath his Sensei's bright smile. "Why?" he asked.
"Why don't you tell me how this sounds," Lord Madarame began. "'I found the real painting, but it can't go public… However, you can have it for a special price.' Sounds wonderful, doesn't it? How's that for preferential treatment?! Are snobs'll eat it up, and pay good cash at that!"
"It sounds foul," Mishima whispered before Yusuke fell to his knees.
"No…." Yusuke weakly said as he held his head, the tears dropping to the carpet below.
"The value of art is purely an illusion. What's the matter with providing that illusion to eager customers?" Lord Madarame asked. "Though, considering your mother, I knew a brat like you wouldn't understand such a brilliant scheme!"
"Yo! Shut the fuck up about his mother!" Sakamoto exclaimed.
"You keep going on and on about money this and money that," Takamaki began. "I can understand why you have this disgusting, pitiful museum."
"You're supposed to be an artist," Mishima said. "Aren't you ashamed of plagiarizing other people's work?"
"Art is nothing but a tool to gain money and notoriety," Lord Madarame swiftly answered before Yusuke felt the man's gaze turn on him. "My dear boy, you have helped me greatly in achieving this…."
"This is infuriating," Niijima whispered.
"Yo, Yusuke, this is your teacher," Sakamoto said. "The man you defended so much to the point of threatening us with the cops. Doesn't this piss you off too? Doesn't everything you've seen and heard make you want to knock this dick out?!"
"Sen—" Yusuke cut himself off, unable to even call the man by the title he had called him since he could speak. "W-What about the people who believed in you and your skills as a master artist?"
"I'll tell you this alone, Yusuke," Lord Madarame began. "If you wish to succeed in this world, I'd advise you to stand beside me, not against me."
Yusuke slowly looked into the eyes of his teacher, who smirked and said, "Because if you do, you will feel my boot smother out the flames of your success. I tried to warn Nakanohara he stepped away after Samonosuke-san was no further use to me… and we both know what happened to him."
Yusuke's eyes widened as the image of Kana's body hanging from a ceiling fan appeared in his mind, her cold, pale gray eyes staring deep into his soul.
"Y-You…." Yusuke struggled to speak as Lord Madarame laughed.
"All I have to do is say the word, and all of your hopes and dreams of a future in this industry will float away, like ashes in the wind," Lord Madarame warned.
"But you took me in. You raised me from a small child," Yusuke began, only for Lord Madarame to laugh. "Why would you do that if you weren't a kind man?" Yusuke asked.
"You are truly a dimwitted child," Lord Madarame said. "You really thought I took you in out of the goodness in my heart? Plucking talented, yet troubled artists, allows me to find promising pupils and use them to my heart's desire. After all, it's much easier to steal the futures of children who can't, and in your case, won't fight back."
"You piece of a shit!" Sakamoto screamed as Niijima, Mishima Takamaki and Suzui gasped.
"How dare you?!" Amamiya yelled as the anthropomorphic cat hissed out in rage.
"I can't believe this," Yusuke whispered.
"What is there not to believe?" Lord Madarame asked. "Livestock are killed for their hide and meat! This is no different, you insipid boy!"
The world began to slow down and fade away as Yusuke knelt there as Lord Madarame continued to talk, his skin paler and his irises shaking.
[Location: Sea of his Soul
Theme of Thy True Self: Bomb Shelter from Persona 2: Innocent Sin (PSP Ver)]
"You see? This is what he's always thought of us," a familiar voice said from behind Yusuke.
Yusuke kept his head bowed as he heard footsteps walking up from behind him. Finally, from the side of his eye, his replica sat down next to him, his yellow eyes matching that of Madarame's. "Nothing but a printing machine for success," the shadow continued.
"Look at how callous he's being. Look at what he's done, not only to us but to Kana and Nakanohara. He used them, just like he's been using you. He even taunts you about what Samonosuke-san did," his shadow told him.
Yusuke remained silent.
"Kana's art was always beautiful and carefree. Like a rainbow after a bad thunderstorm," His shadow said. "She was like the older sister never had. But Madarame sullied her. Used her for her talents and her body. And her artwork suffered from it…"
"Nakanohara and you tried to help her, but Madarame said she was worthless to him now. He took her smile and her joy and destroyed it… leading her to do what she did….And leading Nakanohara to leave you alone with that monster…." The shadow told him, anger filling his voice.
"Nakanohara's art was revolutionary. You looked up to him. But when he left after seeing what Madarame had caused, Madarame made sure that Nakanohara paid for it by making sure he could never achieve his dreams as an artist," His shadow sadly recounted.
"Now, at the height of his mania, Not only does he throw their names in your face as a threat, he insults our mother," The shadow said. "I understand that he took you in and took care of you, but all he sees are investments and money signs. He doesn't recognize you as a legitimate artist, let alone a person. He sees you are a piggy bank, just like everyone else!"
Yusuke found himself being hoisted in the air by his jacket as he stared into his replica's glowing eyes. "All of the faces, the paintings of those he's wronged, the way he flaunts his fraudulent riches in our faces while you sit in hunger working on his next piece of art! Don't you care?!"
"He's done so much for me," Yusuke whispered.
"For his own gain, Yusuke!" His shadow bellowed. "That man you thought he was, he is gone. He never existed. He said it himself! And the fact you continue to latch on to this image of him makes me sick!"
Yusuke was sent flying backward into the air before crashing to the ground after a vicious punch to the face. "And the worst part of it is that you always knew he was this way. Beneath that thin veneer of a "kindly humble artist," you knew his true nature, but your sick love for him keeps you from understanding that he is wrong! That's he has always been wrong! Why can't you just wake up from this false reality, Yusuke? Why won't you tell yourself this truth?"
[Theme of Realization: The Voice of Someone Calls from Persona 3]
Yusuke laid there on the ground, the blood from his right cheek mingling in with his tears.
"He was everything I wanted to be," Yusuke whimpered as he covered his eyes with his face. "His kindess, his dilliegence, his talent… I would have followed him anywhere… I loved him so much… only for this… thing to reveal itself. I've clouded my vision for so long…."
Yusuke leaned up off the ground to see his replica staring back at him. "I've lied for him. Fought for him when all along, I knew he was a vile and wretched creature… But I wanted him to become the man I wished he was… and I held out hope that he would see the errors of the past and realize his true nature…."
Yusuke bowed his head and whispered, "But his actions today have finally opened my blind eyes. He is nothing but wickedness, greed, and evil decadence!"
The yellow eyes of the shadow flashed blue as a smirk appeared on its face. "Then what shall we do?" The shadow asked.
"Before, I would have walked beside him as his pupil…." Yusuke began. "But now, I will tear asunder his museum of Vanity as a true artist and a man more worthy than him!"
"That's all I needed to hear!" his shadow exclaimed.
[Scene Change: Museum of Vanity (Infinite Spring Statue Chamber)
[Theme of Realization: The Voice of Someone Calls from Persona 3]
"—But I tire of this little chat. It's time that I—"
"To think I was under the care of this wretched man…." Yusuke whispered, causing the laughter of Madarame to cease. Yusuke stood up on his feet and hissed out, "I respected you, I worshipped you. I did everything you wanted of me, despite you treating me, and those under you, like slaves…"
The temperature of the room began to get colder as Yusuke's head stayed bowed. "Now, I don't care who you are. You are unforgivable," Yusuke's detached voice told the man.
"So, you repay my keeping you around for all these years with ingratitude? You damn brat," Lord Madarame hissed out. "I'll scatter your ashes to the four winds for defying me! Guards, seize them!"
"How amusing," Yusuke softly stated as a cold burst of wind froze the shadows solid, shocking the group behind him.
"What the hell?" Sakomoto whispered.
"What is this?" Lord Madarame questioned.
[Theme of Awakening: Awakening from Persona 5]
A dark, almost sinister left Yusuke's lips as he looked up, revealing a traditional kitsune-style half mask on his mask.
A pulse of energy echoed through his chest as his right hand glided against the top and the right side of the mask.
"You have finally come to your senses," His shadow's voice said within his mind. "You were foolish to avert your eyes from the truth for so long from the deplorable imitation before you."
Yusuke winced as the cold wind around him intensified into an icy tornado. "But you've focused your eyes on that aspect for yourself and parted from it…Therefore let's forge our contract!"
"Understood," Yusuke coldly whispered as the cold wind picked up around him, causing shards of ice to explode from the ground and pierce through the Infinite Spring Statue, causing it to freeze over.
"I am thou, thou art I… The world is filled with both beauty and vice. It is time you teach this fool and all others which is which!"
Yusuke smirked and gripped the mask so hard that he cracked it, causing blood to spill from his fingertips and down the side of it. "Very well! Now come forth: Goemon!" With that shout, he ripped the mask off, causing the icy tornado to freeze in place before exploding, shattering all of the ice, including the statue, into millions of pieces, revealing Yusuke and his persona.
Yusuke now wore a black high-collared puff-sleeved jumpsuit with a striped sash worn across his hips, white motorcycle boots, bright blue gloves, and attached to the jumpsuit is a white foxtail.
Behind him with a shimmering shroud of icy mist, stood Goemon, who immediately performed the ending motions of the Lion Dance, his kamishimo fluttering in the icy wind as a smirk formed on his face.
"A breathtaking sight," Yusuke taunted as Lord Madarame shook with rage.
"M-My statue…." Lord Madarame hissed out.
"Imitations they may be, but together, they make a fine spectacle," Yusuke continued as Goemon held his large tobacco pipe. "Though the flowers of evil blossom, be it known: Abominations are fated to perish!"
Yusuke swung his hand a froze the remaining Shadow Guards, sending them flying back while freezing over, causing them to shatter against the wall upon impact.
"Wow, amazing," Mishima whispered.
Lord Madarame snorted and muttered, "For destroying my statue, the price for your insolence is death!" Several shadow guards sprouted up from the ground on the sides and in front of Lord Madarame. "Kill them all!" the man shouted as the guards jumped from the ramp and towards the group.
"The children who adored you as a father," Yusuke began as he reached to his sheathed katana and gripped its hilt. "The prospects of your pupils…." He dug his feet against the carpet. "I will find out how many more you trampled on…." Yusuke narrowed his eyes. "I will find out how many dreams you exchanged for riches, and I will bring you before them within a frozen tomb!"
Yusuke jumped into the air, leaving a spike of ice behind him as he withdrew his katana and cleaved through the first shadow from the right hip to the left shoulder. "And only then," Yusuke continued as he swung his katana and bisected the second shadow.
"Will there be…." Yusuke swung again and sliced the head of the last shadow before he adjusted his blade as Lord Madarame was in his view. "True justice!" Yusuke screamed as his blade swung downward towards his former sensei, who threw up a hand, causing a shield of ink to form as Yusuke's blade collided with it.
Lord Madarame gritted his teeth as the inky shield began to crack before the blade slipped through and sliced Lord Madarame from the left side of his forehead to the left side of his chin.
Lord Madarame hissed and summoned a pillar of ink to collide against Yusuke's chest, sending Yusuke into the air, where he twirled, land on his feet with the rest of the group, only to crumble to the ground due to the fatigue and the burst of pain from the blow.
Lord Madarame touched his face, where the wound caused a black/red swirl of ooze to fall from it. He growled and said, "You've just thrown your bright future down the drain. I'll destroy every chance you've ever had of becoming an artist!"
"Madarame," Yusuke growled out.
"You'll forever rue the day you dared to defy me," Lord Madarame warned. "I will leave exactly how I left your mother." With those forboding words, Lord Madarame vanishes in a golden flurry of lights.
Yusuke stood to chase after him as he said, "Get back here," but he fell face-first onto the carpet, where he lost consciousness.
Captain Blues: And that is the end and the official awakening of Yusuke. I wanted to make his entrance fucking cool (pardon the pun) so that's why he dispatched with those shadows with ease. The next chapter will have the Haru/Hifumi bonding moment that was supposed to be in this chapter, Yusuke's official welcoming into the thieves, and an update with Kasumi. Until then!