Memory 8: Developments

Artistic Memories

He had endured a long and painful road thus far, but he knew he was slowly but surely reaching the end. His mind and heart were almost fully recovered. It seemed the most painful memories and moments of the journey had passed. Endured every piece of it thus far. Four of the twelve Shadows that were placed and stored inside his heart and mind were slain by his hand, and now only a handful more of them remained. Eight left. All he could wonder now was what he would come across this time, or rather, where the next location placed in his memories would be. But after all that he underwent and knowing what was true and what was not in his mind, and now knowing what he believed in, he was more than ready to face what was ahead.

Suddenly, the light that surrounded Connor and Iris faded away as his feet landed on the ground, with his Ice Blue eyes slowly moving and examining all that was around him while the female in her bird form flashed from his shoulder and returned to his side in her human form. This time, he was left confused. They were in the park of Ueno, and just nearby on the lake too. Normally, he would be ecstatic to be in a place he knew well. But this time, however, he held no such thing. Only confusion. "W-We're in...Ueno...? That's...Strange. I-I don't remember ever coming here before...No, I know for sure I never came here with Mom before...B-But, why are we here of all places...?" Then, he looked at her. "D-Do you...?"

She looked around now, trying to figure that out herself. Unlike him, however, something did click. Her hair and eyes turned from their Rainbow color to Green. "Yeah...I...I think so. Actually...I remember being taken here once upon a time..." Then, she shakes her head. "No...I KNOW I did...Because...I was here when I was a little kid..." That caught his interest. Something new that he hadn't heard before from her. And so he listened. "I...Remember I used to be a human...And I had a mother. But, there was no Dad. He wasn't around at all. But...She used to take me to places like yours did." Now, she began to think...That Green turned to Yellow rather quickly. "But...That's all I remember. At least...About being here..."

"W-Well...At least we're getting closer to you knowing who you are...Or what you were..." He continued to glance around the area he was in currently, wondering where he should go to deal with the Shadow in this location. Slowly, his eyes are then glued to a map of the park just attached to a sign, with him slowly inching toward it to look at it just to figure out where the most likely place it would be at. The short female followed him as he did this. He mentally tossed away any of the locations of the park he thought were unlikely until one caught his eye. The Tokyo National Museum. It was one of the biggest parts of the area, so it was likely that that was a very good place to start the search. "...There's the National Museum just nearby. M-Maybe that's the best place to look."

Without wasting any more time and ready to go back home, he walks away from it and starts to make his way there. He was ready to finish and take care of the remaining Shadows inside of him so he could go back to Haru. Back to his real self. But as he walked, all Iris could do was just stare at his back as she followed. "Hey...Glasses?" She asked, making him stop and slowly look over at her. That alone made fear bolt into her body, particularly with how quick he was to turn and his eyes immediately darting toward her. But...She remained steady. "About before...On that beach..."

He knew where this was going, with him now looking away for a split moment before his eyes remained on hers. Those soft orbs of his...They were far from holding the dark look he had prior. "O-Oh...T-That. I'm...I-I'm sorry you saw me like that...I just...I shouldn't have been like that at all...I-I..."

"H-Hey, I didn't say you shouldn't have! You got us out of that spot, but...I'll be honest, seeing you like that freaked me out." Then, she rubs her arm a little bit, looking down for just a split moment. "...When you became like that, I...Remembered something else too. I remember...That I was also...Held at gunpoint, I think?" Her Yellow hair then slowly started shifting to Red, with Connor now standing there and listening...Concern filled his eyes. "I remember that they had this...Crazed look in their eyes. Next thing I know? Trigger got pulled...And that's the rest of what I can remember." Then, those Red eyes of hers glance at his Blue ones. "The way you looked at me...Made me remember, but...Scared the hell out of me..."

He rubs the back of his fluffy head, a sigh escaping him. "I-I'm...Sorry. I know I needed to, but...I-I don't know. It was like...What I felt at that moment was completely me. My feelings...Were real. B-But...The way I went about it...It felt like, something took control of me. Something deep inside of me, somehow..." He then began to look forward once again, staring at where they needed to go. "M-Maybe...The rest of the Shadows in my mind are what made me like that...They're the reason my mind and memories have been messed up for so many months, after all..."

"...Then again, it was an emotional moment. But..." She starts as she makes her way to his side. However, he didn't turn toward her this time. "Don't beat yourself over it, alright? If what you said is true, then...When this is all over and when you take care of that...Alena person, that stuff won't ever happen again."

"...I-I hope you're right. I don't...Want Haru to deal with that side of me, if it's by them..." And with that, he continued walking...With Iris just behind him. What he knew for sure, was that he was ready to finish this.

Finish everything and return home.

Connor and Iris continued to go through the park until he made it to the Tokyo National Museum, with him wasting no time entering through the front door. In the real world, he would know that it was locked. Especially if everything was empty like it is now. But he's grown adjusted to the world he was in. Both with how dead it was and how it was covered in the Green hue. Once they entered, he began to walk around the empty and dull museum, looking for anything that stuck out. Or rather, find anyone in particular. Little did he know that who he was looking for was behind them, watching from the shadows. But, they followed the duo, eyeing them the entire time.

Every now and then, the short woman looks behind her, feeling the stare...Every time she did look, there was nobody there. And that didn't help her anxiety in the slightest. "This place...Is giving me the creeps..." Her Rainbow hair turned Orange as she spoke. "It's like...We're being watched, but...There's nobody there. T-There better not be anything hiding like last time!"

"...Don't worry...I-I'll take care of them if there are any..." He spoke to her without looking back, continuing to walk through it and keeping his eyes forward. "T-There's...Nothing they can say or do that can stop me...Nothing..." He was clearly thinking about what was told to him...How he was carrying the weight of the responsibility. The responsibility of being part of the reason his mom was gone. But, he had to keep moving. To move past the pain so he could escape this place and continue to live his life. It was all he could do.

His words did ease her a bit...But she did notice just how focused he was on the mission. Now more than ever. How different he was since the first fight he ever took part in. He was certainly ready to return home. Return to Haru. They continued walking until they made it to the art gallery section. Their eyes glanced at the artwork before them...But one piece, in particular, caught her attention and made her stop. A piece that was filled to the brim with roses. However, that just left her more confused, if anything. "Hey...Glasses? This piece here is a little...Weird." She then said, making him stop to look over and move to where she was so he could look at it as well, wondering what she meant. The sight of the art piece...Left him entranced. "This thing is just...Flowers. Nothing but that. What's so appealing about just that...?"

"W-Well...Some people just like the sight of them. There's nothing more to it than just that. B-But..." He slowly reaches into his jacket to take out the sunflower he retrieved some time ago. Something she took notice of and observed it. "...Seeing a bunch of them all in one place, or even in something like a field...T-They're beautiful. It's...A sight you could never forget..."

"...Really? Is that so? Well, I don't really get it that much...Well, kinda. Sorta." She let out a shrug. "...I just know that they're good gifts...At least, from what I saw since your mom...Well, you know." He knew full well what she meant. The memory of it made him smile. It was a truly happy memory. And one he would keep for days to come. Perhaps even years. And just then, she was curious about something. "...How about you? You ever give that Haru girl something like that?"

That question made him blush lightly, but he nodded. "...Yeah, I did...Seeing her that happy when I did give her roses...It made me happy." He closed his eyes, thinking back on that very day. "Especially when it was her Birthday..."

December 5th, 20XX
Flower Shop/Morning

Today was finally the day. A day that Connor had pinned in his head since last month. Today was Haru's birthday, and he knew exactly what to try and get her for today. And it was perfect too, since he had no classes today. He didn't exactly know what she wanted, but...It was probably the best thing he COULD give her. But, much more than that. He wanted to show just how much he appreciated her. Appreciated being with her, both in being his friend, and in helping him find something he enjoyed doing. It was the least he could do...On top of genuinely liking her as well.

And so he walked through a flower shop to find something good for her, all while wearing an oversized Dark Blue jacket on top of his Red sweater, and wearing Black pants. Things were getting much, much colder this time of year. It was starting to become winter, after all. He observed all of the bouquets of flowers that were on display within the building, looking for the one that would fit her the most. Though that last part...Was difficult to decide on. "L-Let's see...What kind would she like? Should I go with something typical like roses, or...Something more...?" He wondered to himself, trying to figure out what to get.

"...Can I help you find anything, sir?" A voice then asked, making him look to see that it was someone who was working in the shop. "Any...Particular flower you're looking for? Or any questions?"

"W-Well, um..." He started, wondering how to word this. Maybe just being completely honest was the best approach. "I-I was...Trying to figure out what kind of flowers would be best for a birthday...Today's a certain...S-Someone's day today."

"Ooooh, a girl's, huh?" Hearing that did make his eyes almost shoot out of his skull...With a blush soon after. So he nods lightly. "...A girl you like, maybe?"

He wasn't sure how to respond, especially with a stranger...But he bobs his head once more. It was almost embarrassing to talk about. "...I-I...Do really like her, y-yeah..."

"...Well then, I think these roses will be perfect then. They're right over here." He looked over at the roses just nearby. They were Pink, and they were certainly the most expensive in the store. But if it made her happy, who cares? Today was her day. And so, he picked it up. "So...How do you plan to give these to her?"

That part...He didn't quite figure it out yet. Maybe he could give it to her straight up when classes were done? Perhaps that's what he should do. And he had the best place to do it in mind, if that's what he was going to do. No...The best way to do it. To show her just how much he truly did care about her. To not hide how much he genuinely did care for her. "...I...I-I do have an idea in mind. I-I might...Give them to her right after classes..."

"Oh yeah? Well...I hope it goes well for you! I think she'll love them. I'll be upfront when you're ready to check out!"

And with that, the person working walked off to leave him alone. The idea he had...That's what he was going to work with. He wanted to do it...Right on the campus for everyone to see. And so, he took out his phone to start messaging her. What he was planning to do was possibly the most out there way to give her his present. But it's what he wished to do. Especially for her. He had his doubts at first, reading to himself what he had written down. Second thoughts began to surface, but...He couldn't back out now. Especially when it was her birthday.

"Good morning, Haru. Could you meet me at the entrance once your classes are finished? Near the fountain? I need help with something."

And so the text was sent. His heart was racing afterward...He no longer had a chance to back out now. But, he didn't want to. This was what he wanted to do. And so, he waited for the response. His eyes were all on his screen the whole time. And soon, he saw his message was put on read. This was it...The deciding factor whether or not what he had planned would happen. He watched as the text bubble to show she was typing formed every now and then. And soon, she responded.

"Of course! What do you need help with?"

She gave the okay, with a smile forming on his face and a sigh of relief. The first step was set up and ready, and now the next one was the delivery. And he had just the place to do it in mind. He planned to make her happy today. And so he responded.

"It's...Complicated. I'll show you when you leave. I'll be near the fountain."

And with that, he put up the phone and began making his way to the front to check out. But while he did this, someone within the shop was watching him from close by. And it was none other than Alena herself. Since he had walked inside, she had been watching him. And all while wearing a Red coat with a Black sweater and Tan pants. Seeing him here of all places had intrigued her. "How...Strange for him to be in a place such as this. I wonder why he's here...Perhaps...For that woman he's been with lately?" However, she kept her Green eyes on him as he made his purchase and began walking out. She then followed suit.

She was now very, very curious.

Kinshiro University/After Classes

"Okay...So...How do I give them to her...?" Connor now asked himself, as he was around the area he said he'd be in to meet her. He was sitting on the side of a large water fountain that was in front of the university. The campus was rather large, and many people were walking in and out of classes second by second. Be it regarding the large school buildings or just the entrance. But he sat there, waiting for her to arrive, listening to the sounds of the water behind him and watching people passing by. So, he thought to pass the time, he could practice. "U-Um...Hey, Haru! I got you these roses! They're as p-p-pretty as the...N-No...I-I can't do that..." Then he thought of another. "...Hey, I'm glad you made it! I...M-Maybe not..."

He then sighed, looking up into the sky...Maybe the way he was doing this wasn't the best way to do it. But then, he looked toward himself once again to see her. Haru was approaching him after finishing her classes, so he hid the roses behind his back. He let out a deep breath before he got up and began walking toward her. And seeing him brought a smile to her face. That smile...Knew how to melt the poor man completely. "Good afternoon, Connor-Kun. It's very strange for us to meet again like this. Is something wrong?" Just then, he got cold feet. The blush formed on his cheeks once again. And that made her curious...And concerned. But mostly wondering. "Connor-Kun...? Are you okay...?" She asked now, now having her eyes look to see him hiding something. "What is it...?"

This was the moment of truth. He made a deep inhale, then showed off and revealed to her the roses. "H-Happy Birthday, Haru! I-I didn't know what to get you, so...I-I thought these would do!" With that, surprise lit up in those precious orbs of hers. He remembered. He bothered and cared enough to remember. No...This shouldn't come as a surprise. He always said he did then, and now...He was proving that to her even more. "I-I just hope it's enough..." He looked away for a bit...And did notice some people were looking as they passed. Particularly with how he was making a scene.

Her soft eyes stared at the roses he had given her, with her slowly grasping hold of them. She never expected this for a moment. But...It made her happy. This very surprise made her the happiest she's ever been. And so, she looked up to him. "C-Connor-Kun...You didn't-"

"B-But I wanted to...To show you that, I appreciate you...And that I care about you a lot..." He was slowly getting his footing back, with those sweet, Ice Blue eyes of his staring at her Brown ones. "I-It's...The least I can do...I didn't...I-I didn't want you to be alone on your birthday...And whatever other days to come..." He kept his sights on her despite his cheeks being red...With her now doing the same as him. The two fluffy-haired college students were now Red-faced. "I-I...I said I'd be by your side, a-and..." Then he trailed off...The only sounds between them were the wind and the running water.

She listened to what he said, with her usual gentle smile now accompanying her brightened face. Those butterflies in her stomach reappeared once again. Just like the other times prior. "T-Thank you, Connor-Kun...You're so kind...If only there were more people such as yourself out there..."

To hear that from her made his heart skip a beat. But there was much more he wanted as well. And so, he let out another deep inhale and exhale. "A-And...There's something else..." He continued, grabbing her attention once more. "...I-I know...I know how lonely it must be sometimes, especially for the holidays...S-So...Once this semester is over...D-Do you...Want to spend them together?"

That made a heartbeat of hers skip as well. Ever since she moved on her own and her father passed away, things HAVE been rather lonely. Much more so now than ever. She was practically the only one in her dorm room. She was always alone, like he was at the moment. So the fact he was willing to be by her side this much...That he cared this much to make sure she wasn't...It made her happy. He truly was someone she cherished. And the same could be said for him. "I'd love that...I'd love that very much."

That alone made his own leer form. It made him...Happy. Happy to make her happy...Happy to not be alone during this time of the year. So he nods, giving her the brightest smile he could give. "Happy Birthday...Haru..." It was all he said. But doing what he had done just moments ago did make people take notice. Even some of them watched for a bit...Wondering who he was to be associated with someone like her. Little would they know how important she was to him. Or how important he was to her. Be it emotionally, or with what they planned to do together.

In the distance, just far enough, there stood Alena...Watching what was happening at the moment unfold. To see him living his best life, and to do this...It brought a little smile to her face. Happy to see him doing this, and to see him still being in this state since she started observing him back in May. So far, he was only getting better and better. "It's...So good to see that he's likely found someone to be with...Now...All that's left is...To fully finish my work...I'm almost there..." And with that, she began to walk away...To leave them be.

To try and finish what she had set out to do, whatever that may be.

Present Day

"...A-And after that day, things were...W-Well, set in stone...To the day we spent Christmas together..." Connor continued, his eyes still on the art piece with the roses. Then, he looks over to Iris, who was listening to him the whole time. From the look on her face, it seemed like she was starting to slowly understand...Somewhat. "...I-I think it'd make more sense if you saw something like that for yourself...And in person. I-If we ever see it here or in the real world, of course..."

"Is that right? Well...I hope the next place we go to lets me get a clear enough idea of what that really looks like then. Because just this picture isn't doing anything for me." Then, she saw another piece just close by and started walking over to it since it caught her interest as well. That made him soon look over and make his way there too. While he didn't have an eye for the arts, he did see that it was rather eye-catching and nice to look at. Maybe even more so than the last piece. It was rather unique, to say the least. "Desire and Hope...?" She spoke out, reading out the title of the piece.

He crosses his arms and continues to observe it, tilting his head slightly. "T-This does look nice...All of them do. B-But something about this just...Grips me much more. Maybe I could take Haru here one day when all of this is over...T-Then again, I'm not sure she would understand any of this either..." His attention on the paintings was then put to a halt when he heard the sound of walking filling the air. Or rather, the sound of someone walking with crutches. This alone made them quickly look around, and it made Connor take out his sword and start looking around. "...W-Who's there?! Are you one of the Shadows?!" He yelled out, with the entire building echoing. The walking then stopped, with him still looking around. "...C-Come out! I-If you don't...I'll start looking for you!"

"...I knew it...You're him, aren't you?" A voice called out as the sound of moving resumed, with the source of it continuing and making its appearance before them by going through the entrance of the gallery area. Before him was a human male that appeared to be at least twenty years old with unruly and fluffy Brown hair and Golden colored eyes. Fluffy like Connor's He also wore a Gray jacket with a Black shirt underneath, Red pants, two metal crutches under his arms, and a cast on one of his legs. Seeing the man before him made Knight slowly lower his sword. Better yet, made them both calm down. He looked...Far too vulnerable or human-like to look like a threat. "Relax, you two...I'm not like the other Shadows. I won't attack you...At least, not yet."

That last part of the sentence startled her. "Y-Yet?! What do you mean yet?!"

"...By "not yet", I mean I've yet to be forced to attack you guys. I've been fighting against that for a while. The parts of me that isn't, well...Fully me. Besides, not like I could even if I wanted to." He continued to make his way over to the duo, eventually stopping to examine the young man more than the smaller woman. His Golden eyes observed and scanned him before nodding. "...Yeah, no doubt about it. You're him, alright...I've been hearing a lot about you in here. You're Connor..."

That alone made Connor's eyes squint, observing him as well. He almost looked like him. Almost. Much different than the Shadows prior. "...I-I've heard that a lot lately. And you're...You're definitely a Shadow. S-So...Are you here to try and tell me that I killed Mom too...? Or that I caused the deaths of many people for what I did? B-Because if you're going to, I don't-"

"...Please, like you'd be able to do something like that. Besides, even if I did see you like that, which I DON'T...I think you've heard that enough times for one life." This took them both by surprise. They weren't used to hearing that. The university student HIMSELF wasn't used to that now. Whoever this was, he was vastly different. And not just because of looks. "I've seen the inside of your mind...Everything from the moment I've been in here to now...There's no way you'd actually kill off my mom."

"Your...Mom? W-What are you...?" Slowly, a realization dawned on him. He knew exactly who he was talking to now. And without a second thought, he put his weapon up. "...T-Takeishi...?" That name alone drove shock into Iris, with her now looking at the both of them. The two of them looked so alike...From how their hair was to the way they stared at each other. Even body stature was similar. It was like...Takeishi was a twin of sorts. Or maybe Connor was? This was, in essence, a meeting between adoptive brothers. "...I-Is it really you...? B-But, how? How are you in my heart...? M-Mom said you died a long time ago...How...?" He was left in confusion and question, but then a thought crossed his mind. "...Alena. She put the Shadows into my mind, and here you are as one...It was Alena, wasn't it...?"

He nods in response, with him letting out a sigh just after. "Yeah...It's a crazy small world we live in, huh? Everything going on right now just seems to surround you, us, and her. Our whole family." Slowly, he starts to move toward a wall and rests his back against it to try and rest for a little bit. "The same person that took control of your life and made you into who you were a while back was also the same one who put me in here. In here...Like most of everyone else. She ripped us away from our real selves to try and "bring" her kid back to "life". And once she saw you, she stored us into your noggin all at once. Except...I'm the sole exception. I think I've been here the longest. Longer than anyone."

"The sole exception...?" Now he was confused. "Wait...What do you mean...What makes you different from the others...?"

"Yeeeah...The explanation is a bit of a woozy...Do you want the long explanation or the shorter one?" He shrugs. "Because I've got enough time for both."

"...Explain as best as you can. In detail."

"Alright, so...That thing's power...What did you call it? Persona? I'm a little sketchy about how it works...But, I've seen enough to get a good enough idea..." Takeishi then began to look up at the ceiling, devoid of light. "In that...Crazy world or whatever that's full of those Shadows and Shadow Selves, she's able to grab a hold of other people's Shadows. You've seen that and know about that yourself. But she can do that in two ways. Either she can put a pin on them so she can grab them all at once so that it's more convenient...Or, she can rip them out of you right then and there and just store them inside of her Persona or whatever. Like she's storing a firefly in a jar." Through the explanation, all Connor could do was listen, staring in horror. "I was on my way to dying after that accident fourteen years ago, and right then and there, she just...Snatched me. Stored me in that...Thing. I was trapped inside that thing for-"

"...F-For fourteen straight years...Oh my god..." He slowly starts pacing back and forth, trying to process all he was learning.

"...I was the first one she ever snatched and stored. Deep down, I bet she was thinking that if she did that, I wouldn't be hurting anymore...Thinking that would spare me the pain of dying...But she was wrong. Being both in there and in here, Connor? It's a fate worse than death. It's awful...You want to know what the worst part about it is?" He lowers his head so he can look at the young adult with pain in his eyes, then at the woman with them...Listening with horror on her face. Her hair turned Black as a result. "I watched the ENTIRE process of what she was doing...It was an obsession. From the searching she did to the day she did that to you. For every Shadow Self she ripped away, she killed someone without a second thought. Eleven other people. She killed eleven other people, Connor. Every time she was off of work in the hospital, She went STRAIGHT into finding the right people with the right memories and traits that were like her son. To find someone to be her "reborn" son. And she did this every single day." Slowly, he gets away from the wall and slowly inches toward Knight. "That power? It can let her do so many things...She can snag you at any time and anywhere. See EVERY single memory in your head..."

"That's..." Connor wasn't able to find the right words to say...Only just being shocked. To hear of this...Shook him. He knew of what she was doing before, but...To hear everything from him, and in detail, and from the very person who saw what she was doing for themselves, it could only make him speechless. "That's...So sick..."

"Twelve of them...? That...That's...That's so sick! But how? Why?!" She then faces the biological son of the Mercer family, with confusion plastered all over her face. Even now, she was starting to become angry over the whole situation. "How did she get that idea!? How did it happen!? How did she get that kind of power?! It just didn't come out of nowhere!"

"I...I wish I could give you both a straight answer on where she even got a power like that in the first place. Or even got that idea. But...Even I don't know how all that Persona stuff works. Maybe...Maybe when she saw me, or rather...Pieces of me, it reminded her of her son."

The young Phantom Thief tilts his head in confusion before he remembered that as well. "T-That's right...She said she lost a child fourteen years ago...She said she looked like me..."

"Yeah...When you first met her on that day you woke up, she talked about him. How much he looked like you. Once she saw you and the fact that once Mom and Dad were gone, multiplied with all that happened after I "passed away"...That was it. You won the lottery. She ripped the Shadows out of everyone she put a pin on, with a little dash of me mixed in there, and then...Well, you know the rest." And knew the rest Connor did. His mind was a giant clutter. Still is. And now here he was. Takeishi then let out a small sigh before looking at him once more. "But...There's one thing to take from this. It's that, from what I'm feeling...There's just me and one other Shadow left in your mind, I think. So...At least you're almost out of here..."

"...J-Just you and one other...?" Now he was left confused. He had only come across four so far. Five including the Shadow Self they were talking to now. That raised an even bigger question. "W-Wait a moment...You said there were eleven other people, including you. Do you...Know where the other seven are...?"

The female knew where he was going with this. "H-Hey...Yeah! The only ones we've seen were that wolf, cowboy, axe dude, and that samurai! That's just four! If you're here and we have one more coming up, as you said...Where's the other six!? D-Do you know anything about the other ones?!"

"...W-Wait...You only came across four beside me? That's...Strange. There were Twelve...And only those twelve. I saw that for myself. That's...News to me." He shrugged as best he could. "...The only thing I know about the other Shadows in here, including myself, is that we're here to serve more than one purpose. And I'm not just talking about rewriting Connor's memory with theirs or parts of mine. I think maybe, and this is just a wild guess, just maybe...We're fail-safes. In case, for some reason, you were trying to undo what she did, there they were. Maybe even manipulated them to say the things they have to you to get you to stop." He then looks back at the adoptive son. "...But still...What you said bothers me. Let me ask you something, Connor...Other than me and the ones you did see, you're SURE you didn't see any other Shadows?"

From that question alone, he began to think back on all he saw. From the Wolf, Gunslinger, Ghost, and ending with the Samurai. It was only those four. "N-No...I haven't. It was just those four. B-But, there's something strange I noticed. Other than talking about how I killed Mom and that I'm responsible for her death, only two of them seemed to have remembered some form of who they were or showed some form of...W-Well, being human. Talking about their past lives. And just those two."

"Wait...Just those two? That's...Interesting. So then, if it was just those four so far...Where did the other six go...?" It was then that something clicked in his mind, with his Golden orbs growing in size. "Wait...No, she couldn't have..." This made the duo confused, wondering what he was thinking. "I just...Had the worst thought imaginable...What if she did more than just play around with your memories? What if she toyed with most of their minds too? To make them become...Sort of lobotomized. Just to try and have them be the fail-safes they were designed to be. No...More than that...Something to keep their memories as yours..."

Now, he was confused. "I-I'm...Not understanding...What are you saying?"

"Connor...Let me ask you a VERY important question. About that wolf you guys mentioned earlier? Was there anything that stuck out about it?"

That got him to think. "Well...It spoke in very butchered Japanese...And it had all of these masks around its body..." Just then, hearing himself say that made Connor's own eyes wide, with him gripping his fists tightly. An idea then sprung into his mind as well. And it was the very same one Takeishi thought about. "Y-You're not saying what I think you're saying..."

"L-Look...This is what I'm thinking and guessing, and I might just be talking crazy here, but...I think I know what happened to the other six. She needed to maneuver around with your real memories so that she could rewrite or alter them with theirs to make you like her son. She takes your bad memories out, takes their good memories, and puts those into you while putting those bad ones of yours elsewhere...Elsewhere being the Shadows. But JUST to even things out so they're not incomplete and disappear on her, right? A mind can't function without being whole in some way. Any of the Shadows that STILL functioned afterward were probably able to remember who they were before partially like I do...But they were changed just enough to make them the slaves they are now. Like me, but in a much worse state. Turned them into those fail-safes we talked about earlier...So that's the six we know, and that's what happened to us. But...The other six..."

It was then that what he thought was true. Horror was written all over his face now. "...I-I think I'm seeing the big, ugly picture..." Iris was confused about what he meant. "...S-She was taking out a lot of the good ones from the other six. But...T-There wasn't enough of the bad memories from me to put into the Shadows to ensure my new "memories" from them stuck. She was too focused on rewriting mine with theirs to look at them...A-And when there wasn't enough to keep some sort of balance to ensure they stayed, s-she..." He starts to shake in anger. "...S-She merged them into that wolf...Turned them into a mindless beast. Something that wasn't even them in some way anymore...Made it to just hope for the best in evening things out to make them a fail-safe, as you said...A-And to keep everything steady. She destroyed any part of who they were before...Actual human lives..."

From hearing every single word, the female was left in shock. "B-But...If she did that, then...They wouldn't even be themselves anymore. S-She turned them into a monster...A monster in constant pain...T-That's..." She then looks up at Takeishi and Connor, staring at them both. All of them are now glancing at each other. "...That's...Horrible...How could she do something like that...?"

"I-I...I don't know...But...If she plans to do that again with someone else or Connor in the real world again, then..."

"...I-It would be repeated all over again." Knight finally finished, his eyes completely wide. "...S-She would do what she did to me...All of this again. T-To whoever else...And to the Shadows. Merging and lobotomizing and all...T-They wouldn't even be themselves anymore..."

At that moment, he makes sure he's balanced and plants his hand on Connor's shoulder. "...Connor, I wish we met under better circumstances, but you listen to me. And listen to me REAL good, okay? Whatever you're going to fight from here on...Do NOT hold back. You slash, you shoot, you kill, and you don't even THINK of trying to validate second-guessing yourself. Whatever she did to what's left of these people, they're not who they used to be...Not anymore. She put them into what might have been a fate worse than death...No matter what they say, what they're feeling, or how scared they are of being killed off...Or even from how much they try to tell you you're a monster, you're putting them out of their misery! What she's doing...Is absolutely terrible! No...It's not even that! Only a real monster could do this!"

All Connor could do was just stare at his adoptive "brother". And stared at him for quite some time. He knew what he needed to do, and planned to do so. But he knew who he was including too. Hesitancy began to fill him...And it didn't take much for his supporter to notice this too. "B-But...If I'm killing the last remaining Shadows inside me...That would include you too..."

"...I was supposed to have been dead a long time ago, Connor. Fourteen years ago, I should have died in that accident. An accident where Mom's brakes stopped working and we slammed right into a bus...That was enough to make me like this. To put me in a hospital...To place me on death's doorstep. Connor...You killing me? You would be doing me a favor. To be forced to watch not only everything Alena did to everyone, but to see through your memories...Through your eyes, it's...Heartbreaking..." Just then, Takeishi felt a stinging feeling in his head, making him move the hand that was on his shoulder to be put on his head, his eyes glowing even brighter. Everyone knew what was coming next. "Besides...I know I'm next when it comes to trying to stop you...It's been difficult just trying to fight back and not become like them ever since she took bits of me...It's like I have another voice in me just telling me to do what I was told...To stop you...To tell you that you killed Mom..."

He could only just stand there, hearing and listening to what he was saying. Out of all the Shadows he's had to face thus far, this was easily the hardest one to take care of. And obviously not because of fighting it. As of now, this had become much more than just reclaiming his memories or even returning to the real world. It now became him needing to return home so that he could stop Alena. To stop her from doing anything else like this again. To stop her from doing the very same thing to someone else. To protect the person he cares for and loves from her. Reluctantly, he begins to take his magnum out, staring at it before looking back at him. The emotional tension was in the air. What he was about to do...Would kill Takeishi for good. "Y-You're...You're sure about this? Once I do this, that's it..."

"...Yeah, I'm sure...I'm ready to pass on. Ready to go see Mom again...I can't bear the idea of her being alone anymore...Not after what happened...Not after how Dad treated her or you after I was gone..." Slowly, the pain dulled, and he now stares at the Phantom Thief. "Hey, before I go...I want...You to know something. From one of Mom's kids to another. I heard what you said a bit ago in here. How the only life you'll take responsibility for is yours and yours alone...How you refuse to go back to how things were just to be free...And how you run away from it all just to be free from the pain, even when you know it would hurt Mom..." Slowly, he began to smile. "I think, even if it did hurt Mom at the time...I think she would have been proud of you for doing that."

Hearing that alone made him stop in his tracks once he was ready to pull the trigger of the gun after aiming it at his head. His Blue eyes were wide now. "...W-What...?"

"It must have worried her, that's definitely for sure...But the fact that you ran from the person who hurt you more than anyone else...The person who continued to hurt her...It told her that you knew what was right and what was wrong. What was best for you and what wasn't. You showed her your validity as a person...You showed her your heart. Your courage. How painful it was just seeing her like that. It...It showed the good in you. And...Had things been different, you know what I think? I think...She would have left him after...With you by her side. You would have given her the courage to finally stand up to him..." Each sentence only made tears start to form in Connor's eyes, and his prepared hand started to shake. "This world...It's full of people that'd put others down just for them standing up for themselves...For doing what's best for themselves. Whoever calls you her murderer...That's bullshit. They're wrong. She raised...A fantastic person. A man...Full of courage. The best of all of us."

"...T-Takeishi..." He spoke abruptly, catching the Shadow's attention. The young college student firmly held the gun once more, his eyes leaking tears still, but now holding resolve in his eyes. He knew what he had to do. To put everyone else that remained to rest, return home, and stop Alena. "...I'll make sure I go back to the real world to stop Alena...And live my life for Mom's sake. T-To live the life that she would have joined me on...I-I want you...To rest peacefully. W-Will you do that for me...?"

This only makes him chuckle a bit in response. "Yeah...I will. I'll give Mom some company up there until you join us one day. I bet...She'd absolutely love to see you again...And even meet that "Haru" girl you met. I know she'd love her." But then, the pain worsened inside of him, with splotches of Black ooze starting to cover his body and him holding his head. "C-Connor...I-It's starting! I-I can't hold it back anymore! Do it! DO IT!" He watched him struggle to hold the monstrous side of him back. There was no way for Knight to go back now. And just then, he fires a round right into his chest to halt both him and the transformation. And that was enough to not only revert Takeishi back to normal, but also have him slowly fall onto the ground back first. Both of his crutches joined him as he let them go. From there, he only lied on the floor, slowly fading away as he glanced at the young adult. And with a smile on his face. "Thank you, Connor...It was...Really nice to have met you. Let's...Talk again someday, alright? Next time, without all of this crap..."

"...W-We will...I know we will." He slowly put his gun up as he watched Takeishi fade away, soon to not just be in a much better place, but to finally rest. His orbs were all on the sight of him, taking in the sight of him one last time. "I'll...See you soon...Brother..."

A small chuckle then left him. "...Likewise, Little Bro...I'll be...Waiting in the next life..."

Soon enough, he finally disappeared. Not only leaving them alone in the museum, but also leaving something behind where his body was. But he paid no attention to it. Rather, he focused on the area around him while still silently crying. Now he knew why he was here. As he stood there, Iris only stared at him...Concern fills her mind while doing this. Her Black hair and eyes turn Yellow as she approaches him. "Glasses...? Connor...? You going to be okay?"

He slowly looks over at her, giving her a soft smile despite the tears...Which he wiped off quickly by taking off his mask for just a moment. "Y-Yeah...I think I'll be okay...I-I think...I know why we were brought here...This was the final place he was going to before the accident. The last place Mom was taking him..." Then, he looked back up to the ceiling. "I-I think...Just hearing what he said helped...Helped me know what I need to also do...To tell me...What I'm doing is the right thing...It...Helps..."

Just witnessing what he had to do, even if it was the right thing...Made her feel uneasy. Especially when it was Takeishi of all people. His own adoptive brother of some kind. A part of his own family. "But...You shouldn't have had to do that...You shouldn't have been put in this position at all...Y-You shouldn't have had to kill him! H-He was your family!" Hearing her speak made him look over now. "Y-You shouldn't have had to shoot him!"

Hearing that, he looks away to his right. "...I shouldn't have been put through a lot of stuff, but...Here I am. Though...One thing is clear...His death can't be in vain." But then, his eyes lingered down to the floor to see what was left behind from where his body was, and he made his way there to pick it up. This time, it was a scarf. His Olive Green scarf from before, to be exact. The one he was wearing at this very moment in the real world, in fact. "T-This is...Haru's gift to me from Christmas. My scarf. B-But...That's strange. Everything I've ever seen left behind so far were parts of the good memories I had with Mom...S-So, why something of mine from her this time...? And why is it here...?"

As he asked himself this, a light began to form and consume the area he was in while observing the scarf. But, unlike before, when he remembered memories with his mom, he remembered the context of the article itself. A memory he clearly could remember even during his time of having a messed up memory.

Christmas Day.

December 25th, 20XX
Connor's Apartment/Afternoon

Today was a special time of year. Christmas had finally arrived. Exams were finished, and the second semester had finally come to an end, and the third would soon follow suit once the middle of January would arrive. But none of that mattered to him right now. Today was not only the first day of winter vacation, but also the day Haru would arrive at Connor's place so they could celebrate together. Doing so alone would be devastating for either, given that they have nobody living with them. Especially with how cold it was tonight on top of it snowing. But today, none of that would be happening. Today, it was their time to be together.

His apartment was warmly lit with the lights within the house while Connor was setting up things at the coffee table. From the nicely sized pieces of cake he bought recently to the warm mugs filled with coffee, all while wearing his Red sweater and Tan pants. A contented sigh escaped him. It was truly going to be a wonderful time today. Better than most of the other Christmases in his life. "I don't think I've ever been this excited for Christmas in such a long time...Not since Mom and Dad left to go overseas..." How little he knew of the truth. But just then, he heard the door being knocked, which made him look over with the largest smile on his face and quickly ran over to open it.

And upon opening it, there stood Haru with a warm smile, holding a small, wrapped box with her. Though he didn't notice it as his eyes were all on her. "Merry Christmas!" She spoke with a happy tone to her voice.

"M-Merry Christmas! Come in and take a seat! I-I have everything ready near the couch!" He moved away to let her inside, closing the door soon after she walked in and got settled by sitting down on the piece of furniture.

When she sat down, she observed the lighting and what was before her. Even when she had come here many times, she felt right at home. As if this was her home. A secondary home. "It feels very warm and cozy here, Connor-Kun...And you even brought a cake with you too."

"I-It only feels right to...Especially if it's cold. I-I hope it wasn't too bad getting over here..." He then sat down once she did, looking over at her as the two of them claimed their respective cups of coffee. And together, in sync, they took a sip. While it wasn't her blend, it was good enough for a day like today. Then, afterward, he glanced over to her. "W-Were things okay trying to get here...?"

"Oh, absolutely! No issues at all! I was going to take the train to come here, although Takakura-San had someone drive me here..." The name did make him confused as he took another sip from his mug. But she did catch that from him. "Oh, he's the stand-in President of Okumura Food until I graduate and obtain the skills I need to make the cafe."

"Oh, I see...Y-You know...It's funny..." He started, now making her wonder. "We've...Been around each other and doing such normal stuff for a long time, I-I sometimes forget you have such a name attached to you. N-Not saying that I fully forgot, but...Y-You know what I mean..." He clears his throat before taking another sip, but then his Blue eyes take notice of the present just close by the table. "U-Um...What's that...?"

She then looks over to the box, putting on a happy look on her face, and grasps it to then hand it to him once she puts her coffee down. Now he was much more curious about it. "It's a gift for you. You bought me something for my birthday, so it's only right to buy you something too! So...Merry Christmas, Connor-Kun."

He stared at the box for some time before slowly grabbing it from her. He was extremely curious about what was inside. "T-Thank you...You didn't have to...J-Just your company was enough..." Slowly, he began to undo the present from its wrapping and opened the box. And what was inside it took him by surprise...And made his real memories surface. Before him was the Olive Green scarf. He slowly put the box on his lap and slowly took the article out, observing it with wide eyes. "H-Haru..."

"I thought Green looked wonderful on you...And it was only going to get colder soon, so I thought you'd like a new scarf!" She explained while keeping a happy smile on her face, observing his reaction. "...I hope you like it." However, the reaction she did get took her by surprise. Tears began to well up in his eyes. Painful ones, to be exact. And that only began to confuse her...As well as himself. "C-Connor-Kun...? Are you okay...?"

"...I-I used to have a scarf a long time ago...My mom bought me one exactly like this. The same color and all..." He spoke softly, staring at it with his Ice Blue eyes. For a split moment, this was a genuine memory of his. A real one. "I-It...Reminds me of...Of..." He trailed off, unsure of what to say. In fact, there was nothing to say as suddenly, his real memories fully resurfaced. The false ones were pushed to the side.

"P-Please, dear! I'm begging you to calm down! Think about-"
"Shut up! Shut the FUCK up!" Then, the sound of glass breaking filled his ears from the memory alone. "It's YOUR FAULT Takeishi is dead! You got him killed!"
"But...Dear..."
"You killed him! You killed him you stupid bitch! It should have been you! YOU should have been the one that died! Not Takeishi!"
"...You're right...I'm sorry..."
"Sorry won't bring him back!" A slap was then heard. "And you think bringing in a new kid will make it ALL better?! You've got a lot of nerve! He'll never take his place! Nobody!"
"...Mom? Dad...? Is something wrong...?" The young voice of Connor entered.
"Nothing! Get out of here, you stupid kid! And what are you doing with that scarf?! That's HIS you little brat!"
"W-What?! I-It's not! D-Dad, don't!" The sounds of struggling were then followed up. "N-No! Dad!"

And then he was brought back to reality. Even if for just a moment, his real self had emerged. While neither of them knew it, one thing was clear. The stitches that bound his memories together so shoddily were close to snapping. The real him was slowly coming back from just remembering these real memories. Slowly, he lowers the scarf...A sad look plastered on his face. "...Y-You shouldn't be near me like this..." He finally said, taking Haru back. She was left confused now. "I-I'm...I'm nothing but trouble...An annoyance...I always have been...I don't...Deserve to be-"

"Connor-Kun, of course you do. You deserve to be happy. The very best in the world." Haru cuts him off while shaking her head, making him look up at her with those tears still in his eyes. Slowly, her hand cupped his cheek. The feeling of her hand on him...On his face, it brought warmth to him. Comfort. "You've done so much for me...You've been there for me to help however you can...You...You see me for more than just my status and-"

"...And more than just a Phantom Thief..." He finished, the two of them staring at each other eye to eye. There was a gentle stare between the both of them. "H-Haru...You're you...Of course I'd want to do all of it for you. B-Because...I care. I care about you...A-A lot..." At this moment, his heart began racing...As if it were ready to burst out of his chest. His beautiful Blue eyes could only stay attached to hers. Those orbs of his held so much care inside them. No...Not care. Love. He loved her. He knew that much now. "Haru...No matter what...I'll...I..." He trailed off, unsure of what to say at this very moment.

"...Do you remember what I said, months ago, Connor-Kun...? How I want to know you better?" That question of hers made him lightly nod. "It's because...I don't know more about you than I should. But...I want to know. To know who you are...And be the only one who does know you completely..." All he could do was just watch her, with his hands trembling. Not in fear, and not in anger. Happiness...Anxiety. "I know we've both been busy, and I'm sorry if you find that selfish of me...But I want...To know you better than anyone in the whole world."

Her words...Pierced his heart like an arrow. He wanted the very same thing. "...As do I..." A hand slowly moved to the back of her head, petting her softly. Her hair...It was fluffy. Fluffy like his. And that earned a blush from her. "Y-Your hair...I-I love it. T-There are a lot of things I love about you...Your voice...Your kind heart...Your way of being strong...Your dream..." He spoke, now talking completely from his heart. His mind was no longer doing the talking. All of it came purely from his own feelings. And those alone. "...But if...There's one thing I love more than anything else...It's you..." Her little Brown orbs only grew from his words. There was no going back now. "...I love you, Haru..."

"...Connor-Kun..." It was all she could say...With his head inching closer to hers. Eventually, his forehead was now touching hers. The both of them were close to each other. Their stare didn't break for even a moment. "And I...Love you too.." And with those words, a smile formed on his face. A true, genuine smile. He was happy. Extremely happy. And soon, he holds onto her other hand softly, with his eyes closing...Relishing this very moment. She'd join in doing the same, only just sitting there with him. "...Stay by my side, please..."

"...I always will..." He spoke softly to her. His hand that was on her head was now around her shoulder to embrace her and hold her close. The both of them being this close to each other...Side by side.

Never wanting this tender feeling and moment to end.