Chapter 14: Heartbreak for Yoshiki's Kingdom!
"Looks like all the cameras are back on. We'll need to use our disguises if we want to leave the café." Futaba informs everyone inside Leblanc. They had only got back a few minutes ago after the twin base raids. Both of which were very successful.
"Still, we managed to rescue a lot of people from those bases." Chihaya comments, checking her cards. "That should be more than enough people for Toshiro's plan to work."
"Yes, I believe so. But whether they will help us or not is another matter entirely." Toshiro replies. "And, no matter what happens, we can't force them to help. We would be no better than my father if we were to do so." It was a valid concern. Toshiro's plan required a vast number of people in order to work. If they didn't have the numbers…
"About that… We have good news for you!" A lively citizen remarks, entering the café. "More and more people are stepping up and offering to help."
"Already? That's quick." Iwai remarks with some surprise.
"After seeing you guys put your lives on the line for us in battle, they all made up their minds. They've decided to put their faith in you rather than simply giving up."
"Well, we certainly can't let them down, can we?" Ren comments, folding his arms. Before he could say anything else, his phone started to ring, drawing all eyes to him. "Huh? Who could that be?" He asks, taking his phone out and answering it.
"Thank you for answering. This is Lavenza speaking."
"Good to hear from you, Lavenza. How are things in the Velvet Room?" Ren replies, with everyone turning to face him.
"Fairly well. Do you remember the ritual we spoke of—" The sound of something snapping and slamming into someone echoes from the phone as Lavenza give out a gasp of shock. "Hey!?" The sound of a hammer whacking against something, along with steam escaping, echoes from the phone as everyone sweat-drops. "You again! How many times must I—" More sounds escape from the phone, along with another one of metal hitting someone, followed by an explosion.
"W—Whoa!?" Mona shouts as everyone backs away slightly.
"What's going on there?" Isara asks.
"It is nothing! *cough cough* Anyway, please come to the Velvet Room Immediately." And with that, the call ends. While slightly worried about what had happened but also concerned for Igor and Lavenza, Ren, along with Morgana, Iwai and Makoto, head into the Velvet Room, expecting to find a complete mess. Instead, everything looked the same as normal. Well, almost everything.
Lavenza was covered in soot, and her hair had been puffed up into a large ball of fluff. While Igor now had two cog marks on his face. And some soot on his suit.
"Welcome back to the Velvet Room." Igor says in his cheery tone, completely unfazed, while Lavenza lets out a smoke cloud from her mouth.
"Uhm… Master Igor. Lady Lavenza. What happened?" Morgana asks, glancing at the two while Igor gives a chuckle.
"Just a slight accident. No need to worry." Igor replies, snapping his fingers, cleaning both of their attire and fixing Lavenza's hair. "Anyway, the reason for us calling you is to inform you of the ritual to fuse weapons for you."
"You managed to fix it?" Makoto asks with wide eyes, Igor nodding at her with a large grin.
"Indeed we have." Lavenza replies. "And the weapons created here are not only more powerful than what you can find outside but can be used by anyone."
"You mean that even those of us who haven't got Persona can use them?" Iwai asks, folding his arms as Lavenza nods at him.
"Indeed it will." Igor replies, looking at Ren. "Shall we begin? I am sure that having such weapons will be a boon for you here."
"Might as well." Ren replies, glancing at Makoto and Morgana. "This might take me a while. Iwai, do you mind staying and helping me decide?"
"Sure." Iwai remarks, folding his arms. "I can help."
"Then we will wait outside." Makoto replies, heading back out to the café as Ren and Iwai get to work. After informing the others, everyone waited in the café for them to finish up before Yuki suddenly had a thought come to her.
"Actually, while we are waiting, there is a favour I need to ask everyone."
"Huh? What is it?" Ann asks, flipping a leg over the other.
"It would seem there are still some Aizen Squad members in one of the bases we attacked. I'm afraid they will try to attack and imprison the townspeople again if we leave them be. So I want to make sure that doesn't happen again."
"In that case, let's infiltrate them again." Shiho says, standing up. "If we don't do anything, we'll be failing not only them but ourselves as well."
"Yeah. Let's head to that base and show them what they missed out on." Ryuji remarks, nodding his head.
"Security is probably not that tight, so four of us should be enough." Mishima adds, standing up.
"Well, I'll go. Fire magic will make quick work of them." Ann adds, doing a little fist bump. "Let's show them what we think of creeps like them." Without even stopping, the four leave Leblanc and don their disguises, setting off for the base.
"Aren't we supposed to do things unanimously?" Makoto questions, shaking her head before glancing at Erina. "What's wrong, Erina? You look troubled." Erina glances at Makoto, rubbing the back of her head as she gives a nervous chuckle.
"Well, I lost something important of mine. And I was wondering if you would be able to help look for it with me." Erina reveals, rubbing the back of her head.
"I'm sorry to hear that. What did you drop?" Haru asks.
"Um, it's a white cloth, actually. I must have dropped it while getting dressed."
"So, like a handkerchief?" Ohya asks, sipping some coffee.
"It's longer than that, actually." Erina replies, sounding very nervous.
"A towel?" Chihaya offers, but Erina shakes her head once more.
"It's similar but more ragged than that. And it has blood stains on it."
"Say no more! It's ancient mummy wraps, isn't it!?" Futaba asks, confident in her answer.
"Of course, it's not. But lame joke aside, what she lost is a long piece of white cloth, right? That should be easy to find." Isara replies, nodding her little cannons up and down. "Then the girls can help you."
"Why just the girls?" Shinya asks innocently.
"Something that you do not need to know about." Akechi swiftly responds, watching as Erina leaves with Ohya, Haru and Futaba. Just as Ren and Iwai come back from the Velvet Room with new weapons.
"Where did everyone go?" Ren asks, putting the weapons on the table.
"The girls are helping Erina look for something while Ann is leading a group to take out some Aizen members we missed." Makoto tells him before glancing over the weapons. "These look pretty good."
"In real life, these would be no better than high-end squirt guns for summer." Iwai remarks, picking up a black and red handgun called Breath of Irakalla. "But here, these are the best weapons we can use. With some handy effect as well."
"The colours on them aren't just for show." Ren remarks, grabbing his own pistol, Black Inferno. "They also indicate what type of effect they have as well. Mine can cause burning, while Iwai's can cause despair."
"I'm guessing that yellow is shock, then?" Makoto asks, grabbing a yellow revolver. Ren nods at her with a smile as everyone else picks up their own weapons. Leaving the ones on the table for those who had just left.
It had been some time since the two groups had left, and everyone was starting to get a bit worried. To the point that Yusuke had begun mumbling to himself.
"Love…Love…Love…"
"You okay, Yusuke? You've been saying that for a while now." Ren asks in slight concern.
"It is nothing, Ren. But Yoshiki has been shouting the word 'love' ever since we arrived. And it has caused me to rethink my conceptions of what it means." Yusuke admits, hand on chin. "Do not get me wrong, my feelings for Haru remain the same, and they will forever more."
"Well, there are many different kinds of love. And you all have experienced almost all of them." Chihaya remarks, holding out the Lovers card. "Love between friends, siblings, parents, romantic partners. Even those for inanimate objects."
"Indeed, but there is one thing that they all share. Compassion." Yusuke points out. "To give affection and receive nothing in return. The love I received from my mother… I never had a chance to return to her."
"I know how that feels." Tao admits, glancing at the tattoo on her arms. "My sister loved me so much she gave herself up so I could live. And I never had a chance to repay her back."
"The same with me and Kasumi." Sumire adds with a sad frown. Akechi stays silent, his mind going to his mother and the hope she will awaken soon.
"Since we're on the topic, why is Yoshiki so fixated on love?" Sae asks, looking at Yoshida and Toshiro. "Do you know?"
"I'm afraid not. There is so much I no longer know about Yoshiki after seeing what he really is." Yoshida remarks, folding his arms, while Toshiro gives out a hum.
"I do have a theory." He says, drawing all eyes to him. "You remember how I spoke of how strict he was as a father? Every time he scolded us, he would say the same thing. 'This all out of love for you.' And, 'Understand this is fatherly love, accept it'."
"Fatherly love? What nonsense." Sojiro replies with a frown. "What father would beat up their own child? Not I."
"Right." Iwai remarks with a stern eye. "I admit I have my faults, but I would never hurt my son Karou no matter what. He has no right to be a father if he abuses his children."
"That's not all. My father claimed it was the love of our deceased mother. That he was doing it because our mother loved us." Toshiro adds, not meeting anyone's eyes.
"That's stupid!" Isara comments from the bar. "He's using your mother as an excuse to beat you up! By being a big ol' coward, so he can control whatever you to do whatever he wants!" Hifumi and Shinya were silent, remembering their own birth mothers and how they acted. While Shinya's mom had a change of heart for the better and was now what she should have been, Hifumi's mother had gone insane from trying to drag Hifumi back into her sphere of influence. Even after they changed her heart, she was not the mother she once was.
"And you are right, Isara." Toshiro remarks, holding his hands. "When I think about it now, I know it's true. I think I probably understood it back then as well. But whenever he brought our mother up like that, me and my sister would just freeze. And our brother would look at us with anger for some reason."
"But, your mother was a nice person, right? Why would you freeze up when she was mentioned?" Makoto asks, tilting her head.
"That is certainly correct. My mother most certainly was, but…" Toshiro pauses, racking his brain. Not seeing the look Yuki was giving him. A look of sadness. Before giving out a sigh. "I'm sorry, my memories of that time are still shrouded."
"Don't force yourself." Akechi comments, shaking his head. "If anything has told us so far, it will come to you eventually. However, I would prepare yourself for mental heartache. Whatever it is you have forgotten, it won't be gentle."
"Well, if this world really is my heart, then I'll encounter it sooner or later." Toshiro agrees, centring himself. "I'd best start mentally preparing myself then."
"That might be for the best, Toshiro." Ren comments, just as the café door opens with Erina's group entering. "Welcome back. Did you find what you were looking for?"
"We did." Erina replies with a grin. "I have my lucky charm back."
"It was surprising to find out what it was, but when she explained it to us, we understood why." Ohya remarks, sitting on a stool.
"Oh? Care to share?" Isara asks curiously. Futaba leans down to her and holds a hand out to hide her mouth. Whispering to her.
"Not while Toshiro is here." Isara seemed to get the hint as she refrained from asking further while Haru noticed the weapons on the table.
"Oh? What are these?" She asks, eying the green grenade launcher with wings.
"These are new weapons for all of you. Made by Ren-kun and Iwai in the Velvet Room." Yoshida replies, glancing over his white and blue tommy gun, Chronostasis.
"Well, thank you very much, Ren." Ohya remarks, grabbing the red and orange minigun called Hephaestus's Kiln.
"You're welcome." Ren replies just as Ann's group enter the café.
"You're back. How did it go?" Yuki asks, with the group of four giving her big smiles.
"Easy-peasy!" Ann replies with a grin. "I burned them all to a crisp."
"While Yuuki and I dealt with those that managed to survive. And any wounds we got, Shiho patched them up." Ryuji remarks as Mishima and Shiho nod in agreement. Before Mishima caught the remaining weapons on the table.
"Are these our new weapons?" He asks, grabbing a dark blue and silver rifle called Ultimate Proto.
"That's right." Makoto tells him as the others grab the remaining weapons. "Now that we are all here, it's time for us to discuss our next course of action."
"Alrighty! Give us the rundown, Toshiro!" Futaba declares as Toshiro, Yoshida and Hifumi take the stage.
"Very well. Essentially, we will be using the same strategy as when we invaded Marie's castle." Toshiro starts, hand on hip. "We'll attract the enemies' attention in the town, then infiltrate the castle while they are distracted."
"And once inside, we take of Yoshiki and free this kingdom from his rule. Never hurts to use the same plan." Tae remarks before tapping her chin. "But won't this castle have a moat?"
"Don't worry. I can get us inside." Yuki says with a determined look. "It will be the same way I used to escape. Yoshiki won't know about it."
"And the people we freed are helping us to keep the guards busy?" Shinya asks, with Hifumi nodding at him.
"That's right. Yuki-san has already helped us in that regard. All they are waiting is our word to go ahead."
"Once everything is ready, we will head into position and begin the operation." Yoshida ends. "This will rely on speed for our part. No doubt the citizens will take the full brunt of his rage once we commence the operation."
"You guys have really thought it through, huh?" Morgana comments with a grin while Shiho takes a glance outside.
"So, this has been on my mind for a while, but why are there so many secret doors and passageways around here?" Shiho asks, glancing outside. "Is this all because of his paranoia?"
"Unfortunately, no. My father is excellent at exploiting loopholes in the law and common sense. All to benefit his political career and personal life. Perhaps it's having an effect on this world because I perceive my father that way." Toshiro remarks with a bitter smile. "I…was aware of my father's nature. But I always averted my eyes from it."
"Toshiro…" Erina quietly remarks as everyone looks with grim looks. It wasn't easy, what he was going through.
"Be that as it may, at least you're going to settle things with him now, right?" Morgana asks, arms folded.
"Yes! And we've made all preparations for that." Toshiro replies. "We will defeat Yoshiki. And we will do it together." Grins form all around as Erina jumps up and fist bumps.
"All right! Operation Smack, Crackle, Pop is a go!"
"What the hell is that name?" Isara asks as everyone looks at Erina with questioning looks.
"It's the name I came up with for the operation."
"Vetoed." Toshiro immediately replies. "Besides, I have the perfect name already. Operation Obfuscation: Midnight Infiltration!"
"Lame…" Erina remarks with a sly grin.
"What!? You'll realise the beauty of it when you say it with your own mouth! Go on, say it!"
"Oh no, lame-ass Toshiro is harassing me!"
"That's really what you call harassment? How about a different idea, then? I have eighty variations to choose from." While the two once more bicker like an old married couple,. Everyone else shakes their heads at the two.
"There they go again…" Tae remarks with a smile.
"Oh goodness…" Yuki remarks with a motherly smile, finding the scene amusing, before glancing at Ren. "Well then, I will send out the signal when we are all ready. Once the battle begins, there will be no turning back."
"Then it's time to get this started." Ren remarks, pushing himself off the bar, all eyes turning to him as he grins. "It's Showtime!"
For once ever since they arrived here, the Thieves were traversing via the roofs in full view of the cameras. It was strange that Toshiro's plan called for them to travel this way, but if it was part of the plan, then that's what they would do.
"From here on, time is of the essence. We should sprint for the castle!" Toshiro remarks as Erina helps him move via grapple. For some reason, he just couldn't get it down.
"Just don't push yourself so that you collapse, Toshiro." Athena warns as they come to a stop.
"Don't worry. I put him through some leg exercises. He should be good for the long haul." Skull remarks, with Toshiro giving him an uneasy nod. Truth be told, his legs were already starting to cramp up.
"Still, don't we need disguises if we are doing this?" Teach asks with a head tilt. "I don't think we can waltz in like this."
"Once we are inside, no disguise will be able to keep us hidden." Shadow replies, checking her park purple sniper rifle with pink highlights, named Silent End. "Not only that, they would hinder our movement."
"Which is why we are not the ones who are in disguises." Sensei replies with a grin.
"What do you mean by that?" Queen asks before shouts from below catch their attention.
"Found them! Over here!"
"Have at them! Have at them! I've caught the scoundrels right here!"
"What the—!? I've got them over here, too!"
"Erm… what's going on?" Devil asks before the entire area begins to rumble as a veritable stampede of citizens charges through the streets. With each on of them holding onto a stuffed doll of a member of the Phantom Thieves. Unless they were Mona, in which case they were dressed as themselves.
"Huh… That's something." Oracle remarks, watching as the wave rushes past them.
"I see now! Getting the townspeople to dress as us and confuse the cameras and the Aizen Squad!" Erina remarks, seeing the befuddled and overwhelmed members of the Aizen Squad stand helplessly as they are trampled under the stampede.
"But… um… aren't the designs kinda out there?" Panther asks, seeing the faces on the outfits. "I mean… they make us look like demons."
"I had a hand in the design. I believe they turned out rather well." Fox reveals, with all eyes turning to him.
"Are we…really that intimidating?" Queen asks, motioning to her and Joker. Seeing themselves running around with black eyes with little red dots was… interesting to say.
"In short. Yes." Mona says bluntly to the couple as they have a brief face fault. "Anyway, the distraction is working out. Looks like this was a good plan after all. Now, all we have to do is sneak into Yoshiki's castle."
"Indeed." Sensei replies, glancing at Yuki. "Yuki-san, please lead the way."
"Yes. This way." She jumps from the roof, rushing down an alleyway towards the castle with the Thieves right behind her. Although Oracle was carrying Isara who was strangely silent after seeing that stampede. Eventually, after rushing through a maze of alleyways, the Thieves find themselves at a lone well just outside the castle walls hidden by houses. "This is the passage." Yuki reveals.
"A well that leads into the castle? Well, well." Boss remarks, earning a groan from everyone present.
"Urgh, why did it have to be an old well? Just thinking of all the bugs and critters down there has me itching." Panther remarks, starching her arms.
"At least you don't have part of your legs exposed." Violet remarks, rubbing her thighs. "Urgh…now I've got an image of spiders crawling over me."
"Just to ask, it IS very well lit, right?" Queen asks, standing very close to Joker. Yuki nods at her as Queen relaxes a bit while Erina chuckles at them.
"I suppose even the fearless Phantom Thieves are scared of something mundane after all." She remarks with a grin.
"We are just normal people under all this. Those fears we have don't go away because we have superpowers." Joker remarks while shaking his head. "Anyway, let's head down. Those disguises will only fool the Aizen Squad for so long."
"But before that, I have to ask Yuki-san, do you really intend to follow us into the castle?" Toshiro asks nervously. "Past here, there's a dangerous battle awaiting us. Why don't you find somewhere safe to hide with the townspeople instead?" Yuki looks at him before giving him a motherly smile.
"Oh, but didn't you say we should not lie to ourselves anymore?" She asks him back. "I want to do everything I can to help save everyone I can. And, most of all… I want to witness your fight with my own eyes, Toshiro-san."
"Why me?" Toshiro asks, puzzled by Yuki's answer, only to receive a chuckle in reply.
"The way she talks to him… You'd think she was his mother." Outlaw remarks, tipping his hat.
"I get that feeling as well." Spring agrees, shifting her weight onto one foot. Fortune for her part, had a suspicious feeling about what was to come. So she takes out three of her Tarot cards to see the reading. But what she drew stunned her before she glanced up at Yuki.
"What does this mean?" She asks, pocketing the three cards. She would show them to the others later, but for now, they had a tunnel to travel through.
Which, as it turned out, was largely uneventful. It was well maintained, had plenty of lighting and proper wooden support and floors. Before they even knew it, they were inside the castle in a large hall.
"That was…smooth…" Guernica remarks as they pile into the hall.
"Not for long. I've got a ton of readings already." Oracle warns her map glowing red. While Yuki glances around with a worried look.
"This place…everything has changed since I was last here." She remarks with worry. "I fear my knowledge may not be of use anymore."
"When you were last here?" Erina asks, surprised at those remarks, before eight troopers, three brutes, two drummers and a new foe charge into the room. The new foe is a four-legged sumo wrestler. As it marches onto a raised platform with two of the troopers.
"Foul knaves! You die today!" The lead trooper shouts, firing at them as everyone dives into cover and returns fire. The two of the brutes charge forward while the sumo wrestler does something unexpected. It grabs the two troopers next to it and throws them onto a nearby raised platform overlooking the Thieves.
"What the!? Did that thing just throw its buddies?" Panther shouts as she is put under fire. Shadow aims at one of them, firing a round and sending it to sleep while its buddy falls back into cover. Only for a rocket from Teach to slam right into its cover and destroy it while pulling both of the troopers together. Making them easy pray for Noir's grenade launcher.
"Push forward! Don't let them hold us down!" Fox calls, casting Bufula on a hiding trooper and freezing them solid. The two brutes manage to get in close and slam their fists into Outlaw and Spring, sending them into the wall. While Spring was quickly back on her feet, Outlaw once again had stars spinning around his head. Even as troopers fire at him and find their shots to be useless.
As for the two brutes, they were sent flying back by Queen and Athena, with Devil picking them off with her minigun. The Sumo Wrestler grabs the two drummers, throwing them over to the troopers before grabbing the last brute and launching it right at the Thieves. Unfortunately for the brute, the Thieves saw it come and lit it up as it came down. Turning it into the shadow version of Swiss cheese
The wrestler growls in anger, seeing its main method of attacking foiled before suddenly finding itself being pushed forward by a bow to its back. Stumbling at the edge, it spins around to find Skull and Medic behind it, melee weapons out. Judging by the rod-like imprint on its back, it was Skull that sent it flying forward. Medic rushed at it and slashed with her scythe, sending the sumo falling down to the ground. Where it instantly dies on impact.
"Huh. Falling from great heights is their weakness." She remarks as they go into cover. The rest of the Thieves flank around the troopers, picking them off as they join up. Only for more Aizen squad members to rush in from other doors.
"We anticipated this, but not in these numbers." Queen remarks, seeing how many were flooding into the room.
"At this rate, we'll lose our concealment." Noir remarks, letting a grenade fly.
"Argh, I can't access the cameras due to our infiltration." Oracle replies with a groan.
"Guess we have to search the old fashion way." Gecko remarks, firing his gun and nailing a drummer in the head.
"I'll run ahead and try to find a route." Toshiro volunteers immediately.
"Are you sure? That sounds dangerous." Erina remarks with a narrow gaze.
"Of course. No one is as good as me at fleeing conflict." Toshiro replies, causing the entire group to sweat-drop at him.
"Allow me to go with you. You should have someone watching your back." Yuki suddenly asks. Stunned at first, Toshiro accepted the help as the Thieves stayed behind to hold off the attack.
Or at least try to hold a defensive line. Every member they take out, another one just appeared in their place. If it wasn't for the fact they had infinite ammo, they would have long since run dry. Not helped by the three Sumos that keep throwing troopers and brutes at them. It was only a matter of time until they either broke or fled. And currently, the latter was looking more appealing by the second.
"They just keep coming!" King shouts, blasting two drummers before ducking into cover.
"At this point, I think we have managed to give Toshiro and Yuki-san enough time to find a route." Crow remarks, blasting a group with Megidola.
"I agree. Everyone, fall back!" Joker shouts with the team falling back into the hallway that Toshiro and Yuki ran down. Joker once more gives covering fire as they retreat, with Panther and Fox helping in supplying fire. Before the trio rushes into the hallway and after the others.
Meanwhile, Toshiro and Yuki had just reached another intersection, with Toshiro struggling to go on.
"Yuki-san…we must hurry." He remarks between gasps of air, greatly worrying Yuki. "We need to…find somewhere to hide… Everyone's…waiting for us…"
"Please stay calm, Toshiro-san." Yuki tells him, letting him drop to the floor. "You seem to have a hard time breathing. Perhaps we should stop and rest?" Toshiro waves her off, his breathing returning to normal as he fixes his tie.
"It's alright. I'm…I'm sorry if I worried you. Running is not…one of my strong suits." Toshiro tells her, slowly standing up. "But Yuki-san, I promise that I'll…" For a moment, an image flashes in his mind. Of a woman who looked just like Yuki with a flowing blue dress, holding hands with a young boy who looked like him, and a girl with hair matching hers. "I promise that I'll protect you." He finishes, gasping for a second as Yuki places a hand on his shoulder.
"Are you alright? Do you not feel well?"
"N-No, I'm fine…" Toshiro replies, shaking his head. "I must be imagining things. A-Anyway, we should keep moving. The others are in danger." Yuki, while not convinced, begrudgingly accepted that they needed to continue before spying a peculiar door nearby. It was a deep blue with white cloud-like patterns on top. With sections cut out showing gears underneath.
"What a strange design. I don't think this door was here a moment ago…"
"You're right, that is rather odd…Ngh!" Toshiro suddenly grasps his head, feeling a spike of pain as a voice echoes in his mind.
This way…! C'mon, follow me!
"What is that voice?" Toshiro asks as he slowly stands back up. Before either had the chance to respond, the door suddenly opened by itself as reality around the twists and turns. Before the two suddenly find themselves in the Shimatakaya fairground. A sight that had Toshiro glued to the floor.
"No, how could…. What is this place doing here?" Toshiro asks in building shock and panic as his skin turns pale. Even as Yuki tries to calm him down
You promised me…
You liar!
It's your fault.
It's all because of you—!
"Please…forgive me…Back then, I…" Toshiro starts to ramble, his breathing increasing to a rapid rate as Yuki watches on in worry.
It's all your fault!
I'll never forgive you, Toshiro!
At that, Toshiro could only scream.
"Where did they go? Don't tell me they got captured?" Shadow asks as the team moves down a hallway. They had been following their trail, but now they had lost them. And it was concerning.
"We'll find them, but we have to keep moving." Fortune replies as they continue on while Joker and Oracle hang near the back, with Isara rolling along the ground next to them, letting out a sigh.
"Hm? What's wrong, Isara?" Oracle asks, looking at the sentient model.
"Nothing. It's just… I feel so useless…"
"Useless? What are you talking about?" Joker asks as Oracle picks Isara up.
"Everything. Ever since we came here, there has been nothing I can do to help. First, I got taken by Marie and rendered K. until Inari patched me up. And then we came here and I've not been in any battle at all because I might hurt other people. I just feel… like a burden."
"Now you stop right there." Oracle speaks up, turning the model to look at her. "You are not a burden, Isara. I mean, sure, I didn't deploy you at that base, but that was only because of the citizens being held there. If they weren't, I would have happily sent you down."
"But why not deploy me back there? I could have taken the Aizen Squad out."
"You could have. No one questions that." Joker replies, patting the model. "But we didn't because wiping the Squad out isn't our objective. It's getting rid of Yoshiki. Listen, Isara. None of us are doing this because you're talking to us. We know how powerful you are and how much you saved us. You are the reason Kobayakawa was taken down in the first place."
"Not to mention you helped bring down Shido, Yalda-bitch and take out Maruki's wall. We would have been in trouble without you." Oracle tells her gently. "And even though I have not called you out yet, I can guarantee you will be needed when we take on Yoshiki."
"Really?"
"Absolutely." Joker responds, patting the tank. "We promise, Isara."
"Well… Okay. I'll hold you both to that." Isara replies as Joker sees the sixth star added to her Tarot Card. The two were just about to respond before a scream echoed through the hall. Startling everyone. "What was that!?"
"That was Toshiro!" Erina shouts before rushing towards the source of the scream with everyone else chasing after her. With them all following her into a strange door that closed behind them the minute they entered.
"It came from around here. Wait, what the!?" Outlaw shouts as they all find themselves in an amusement park.
"When did we get here!?" Skull shouts, looking around confused.
"Over there!" Fox calls out, pointing at a frozen Toshiro and a fretting Yuki. With them all quickly rushing to their side, much to the relief on Yuki's face.
"What happened to him?" Noir asks as Sensei moves to Toshiro's side.
"I don't know. Toshiro just screamed and…" Yuki motions to Toshiro, who was quietly mumbling to himself in terror.
"We need to get out of here. Whatever this place is, it is having a negative effect on him." Sensei remarks, wrapping an arm around Toshiro.
"Unfortunately, it would seem we will have to fight our way out." Crow comments as several members of the Aizen Squad appear before them. Some of them were geishas holding umbrellas forward like shields. All the while, a scathing voice echoes around them.
You can't escape. There's nowhere for you to run!
Liar, liar, liar! Hahahahaha!
"You think so?" Oracle asks, glancing at Isara in her hands before nodding. "Well, try and say that to this! Get them, Edelweiss!" She throws the model into the air, enveloping it in blue flames as it lands on the ground in full size. Guns are aimed at the Aizen Squad as they stand there frozen like statues.
"I've been waiting for this! Take this!" Edelweiss shouts, launching a full barrage of missiles at the Aizen Squad before firing her main guns. Wiping them out and destroying half the room in the process. If Yoshiki felt that, he should be completely terrified. "Room cleared." Edelweiss quips, reverting back into her Isara form and rolling up to the group.
"Toshiro! Snap out of it!" Guernica shouts as the team converges around him.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry! It's all because I lied…" Toshiro stammers, still stuck in whatever vision he was seeing. Yuki looks at him, taking a deep breath before looking at him in the eyes.
"Pull yourself together now!" She shouts, her words snapping him out of the trance as he starts to breathe normally again. "Don't let yourself be led astray here. That voice tormenting you was only an illusion. If nothing else, the Toshiro I know is certainly no liar. Right?" Yuki's words managed to bring Toshiro back from the despair as he looked around the room at everyone.
"I'm sorry. That was embarrassing of me." Toshiro replies, fixing his tie. "The enemy ambush had me shaken. But I'm fine now."
"Yeah, if by 'shaken' you mean a full-on meltdown…" Panther remarks, shaking her head.
"Why were we in an amusement park anyway?" King suddenly asks. Toshiro turns to him, an answer on his lips before they are rudely interrupted.
"That explosion came from here! The intruders must be nearby!" A trooper shouts as several members of the Squad rush inside, with the team quickly taking cover behind what remained while the Squad has none.
"Oops… I got a little carried away…" Isara remarks as the Thieves open fire on the Squad. Easily knocking them down with gunfire and magic. Without cover protecting them, they were helpless against the Thieves' combined assault.
"Don't worry about it. You did good." Joker replies, watching as the last Squad member falls to their gunfire. "Okay, let's move on and find a safe spot to rest up. We can talk about what happened here then." Nodding as one, the team left the ruined room as they continued searching for a safe spot to rest before Isara came to a sudden stop.
"Hang on! Everybody Stop! Stooop!" Isara calls out as every screeches to a halt. She could swear she heard the brakes on a car with tyres screeching when they stopped, but maybe it was her imagination.
"Isara? What's wrong?" Spring asks, kneeling down to the model.
"Can anyone else feel that? It's like the ground is vibrating." Isara comments, rolling around.
"Not really, but I am picking something up." Oracle comments, opening up her map. "And I think I hear a strange sound as well."
"Now that you mention it, I can hear something." Devil remarks, looking down the hall.
"And I can feel something vibrating the floor." Boss remarks, glancing around. "Some kind of heavy machinery?"
"Whatever it is, let's not drop our guard." Athena replies as the team moves on. The vibrations and sound get louder as they press on before finding what could be the source of the sound beyond a large door. Joker and Queen silently opened the door so they could take a glance inside, but what they saw shocked them.
Inside was a giant electrical device being turned by a group of citizens while three brutes either whipped or kicked them to continue. While scattered around the entire room, bodies of exhausted citizens, their eyes white and blank, lay in heaps and clumps while a third kicked on those who were still conscious.
"What the!?" Panther remarks before Noir places a hand over her mouth.
"They can hear you." She whispers, pulling her back. Thankfully, the brutes didn't pick up on her as they were focused on the citizens.
"This place…it's the same from the video you showed." Joker remarks to Oracle, grasping his hands.
"It really is hell on earth." Mona remarks as Medic silently growls.
"Pick it up, shitstain! You're only good to us alive if you keep running!" A brute shouts, whipping those turning the device.
"I can't move my legs any faster…" One of the citizens replies before having a whip lash out across their back.
"You're dead if anything goes wrong broadcasting today's 'Lovercising with Lord Yoshiki'! You better not let the power go out!"
"Power?" Shadow remarks before eyes widening in realisation. "This is how he is powering all his security."
"Not only that. It sounds like this controls that giant TV as well." Oracle adds, glancing at Joker. "I think we can manage a little distraction."
"Even if it wasn't, we wouldn't leave them here either." Queen remarks, spinning her revolver in her hand and glancing at Joker. "How shall we do this?" Joker's eyes never left the room as a wave of burning anger filled him at seeing the treatment before him.
"Usually, we would sneak around and ambush. But not this time." He remarks, taking his gun out. "Full frontal assault."
"All right. Let's mess them up." Skull replies, pumping his shotgun. Counting down with his fingers, Joker balls his fist before he and Queen throw open the doors, and everyone rushes inside. Catching the four brutes off guard.
"Who the hell are you!?" One of the brutes shouts before it is peppered by gunfire from Panther, Sensei and Fortune while an arrow from Spring slams right into its head.
"We're shutting this place down now—permanently! Great Partisan!" Erina shouts, slamming a spear into a Brute as it is engulfed by almighty magic from Athena and Crow. The other two brutes attempt to rush the Thieves but are either mowed down by bullets or are swamped by magic.
But as the last brute fell, reinforcements came in from behind.
"Intruders! All who oppose Lord Yoshiki will come to regret it! Capture them! And don't forget the furball either!" A lead trooper yells before it is blasted away by a Garula from Mona.
"What did you call me!? Oh, you are SO in for it now!" Mona shouts as he glows red, Diego forming behind him with a similar red aura. "Let me show you just what this cat can do! Winds Of Time!" With a large blast of wind radiating out from Mona, the Aizen Squad reinforcements were blasted away into the wall. Some even punch through the fabric and get stuck, while others are left dizzy.
"Allow me to clean up." Noir comments, calmly walking forward as she, too, glows with a red Aura. "Time for you to learn some manners! Noble Lady's Invitation!" At her command, Lucy appears before her, opening her skirt and revealing her hidden weaponry before unleashing a psionic blast on the dazed Squad members. Those who managed to survive were dragged forward towards the Thieves before being engulfed by flames from Panther or nuked by Medic.
At this point, the Thieve had no mercy left for the minions of Yoshiki.
"That's the last one." Oracle happily reports as the last trooper vanishes into dust. Yuki rushes over to the tired and exhausted citizens as the Thieves spread out to help those who had collapsed and take the ones chained to the mechanism in the centre of the room away from it.
"We… we've been rescued?" One of the citizens asks as Violet heals them, glancing around. "I'm sorry…but who are all of you?"
"Don't worry, you're safe now." Yuki tells them before pointing to a side entrance. "But please, this was quick!"
"S-Sure…but my back's shot, I can't stand…" The citizen replies before locking eyes with Yuki, going wide-eyed in shock. "L-Lady Yuki!?" The citizen's words grasp awe from the citizens as they all turn to look at her with hope.
"Lady Yuki's here!? You came all this way to rescue us!?"
"I'll explain later. You need to escape first." Yuki tells them with determined eyes while Fox tilts his head.
"It would seem everyone refers to her as Lady Yuki. But that would mean that she is married to a prominent Lord, given the time period." Fox comments, catching the attention of one of the citizens.
"Of course she is! Are you saying you didn't know that?" The citizen asks, looking to Yuki who gives out a tired sigh.
"I was… in a formal relationship with Yoshiki. So yes, I am technically his wife." Yuki's response stuns nearly everyone in the room, apart from a small few.
"I had a feeling that was the case, yet remained silent until you told us." Crow remarks, hand in hip.
"That's right." Athena adds, nodding her head. "It is not our place to spill secrets until the person is ready to tell them." They both shoot a knowing glance at Sensei, understanding full well why he is staying silent.
"So all this time, we've been hanging out with a princess? How about that." Guernica remarks, shaking her head.
"Technically, it would be consort." Teach clarifies.
"She always did have an elegance to her. I just never crossed my mind." Noir comments, hand on cheek.
"But the fact remains that you were once married to Yoshiki but left him after seeing what he was doing, right?" Joker asks, hands in pockets.
"Yes." Yuki replies, looking to the ground. "And when I fled, I took those who I could with me. But this never affected him. As you can see, he just took new people in and turned them into his victims. And no matter how many I saved, he always enslaved more than I could rescue."
"Hence, explaining why you were hiding them." Sensei replies before casting a glance at Toshiro. "However, I believe another fact may have come to light." Toshiro glances around, wondering if now would be a good time to reveal it.
"But what about the security cameras?" King asks.
"Don't worry! We were charged with keeping them on." One of the citizens replies before rushing out of the room. Leaving the device unmanned and unpowered. With Yuki following after them.
"I'll make sure that they all escape. Please, head to the top and finish this!" She calls to them before rushing after the citizens, with the Thieves rushing on ahead to the top. With the cameras down, they had managed to reach far into the castle without running into the Aizen Squad. And the few Squads they did find were running around like headless chickens. With such panic, it was easy for the Thieves to move about in the shadows and remain undetected.
With them soon coming to a pseudo-safe room as they took a moment to relax.
"Things have been going fine so far. But something tells me we're in for a fight soon." Gecko remarks, checking over his gun.
"So long as the cameras stay down, we'll be fine." Fortune remarks, going over the same three cards she drew before. Joker took a moment to glance at what she had, but what he saw was strange. It was the Magician, followed by the Reversed Tower and Empress. Did it have something to do with Yuki? Speaking off her…
"Who knew that Yuki was married to Yoshiki?" Devil remarks, spinning the barres of her gun. "What a scoop to find."
"But doesn't that mean…" Outlaw asks, turning to look at Toshiro, who had been in deep thought the entire time. As he releases a sigh, he turns to face the others.
"Yes. As you have all gathered, I am fairly certain that Yuki-san is my mother."
"I had a feeling." Spring suddenly says. "She just gave you all these looks that a mother would."
"I figured. I suppose you were all being considerate for my sake then. I'm sorry, but I'm still trying to come to terms with it." Toshiro replies, shaking his head. "That being said, I suppose she is more like an illusion of my mother created from my mind. A… Cognition, was it?" And the teams nod, he continues. "I honestly don't remember what my mother looked like. And I don't remember if that is her actual personality or not. Then again, those could be memories that I'm missing, similar to everything else."
"An illusion, huh…" Oracle remarks, her own mind going back to that monster that tried to be her mother. Guernica's mind also flashed back to Luca, and what she did to save her.
"So a vestige of your mother still lingers as a fragment of your memory? How I wish to have even that." Fox comments with a sad frown.
"I'm not sure if it's that poetic, especially considering how I don't know what my real mother really thought of me." Toshiro remarks bitterly with a sigh. "It is possible she may have resented me. As I've told you before, me and my siblings were raised under the strict supervision of our father. Our mother was in and out of the hospital due to her illness, so we weren't able to see much of her. To the point that my brother no longer cared about her."
"Your brother gave up on her?" Joker asks with narrow eyes.
"He did. But me and my sister didn't." Toshiro replies. "And when we did get to see her, it filled us with so much joy like nothing else… those visits saved us. But gradually, her illness grew worse. Watching her grow weaker by the day was a terrible shock. And my father became ever stricter, rarely letting us go visit her."
"That's too cruel…" Noir comments, looking at the ground.
"For a father to forbid his children to see their mother… What a cruel joke." Boss remarks with a growl. Toshiro nods his head at Boss before continuing.
"It was around that time in our childhood that me and my sister hatched a plan. We would sneak our mother out of the hospital and visit an amusement park. She had always wanted to go outside with us, so we worked up the courage to carry out the plan." Toshiro looks up at the group, a faint smile crossing his lips. "That was the first time we rebelled against our father."
"You finally rebelled. That must have made her happy, right?" Skull asks, with Toshiro nodding his head.
"By the time we reached the park, our mother was beaming. It was just a small place on the roof of a department store. Though our trip was brief, we were grateful to have worked up the courage to take her after seeing how happy she looked. But, on our way home, she suddenly collapsed. I'm not sure what happened after that. A lot of adults came… I only remember crying with my sister the whole time. Not long after, our mother passed away."
The Thieves stay quiet, letting the story seep into their minds. It was a hard story to hear, a family outing that ended in tragedy.
"B-But that wasn't your fault! At least not directly!" Oracle says, drawing his eyes.
"That's right! Neither of you could know that was happening! And besides… if your mother did go with you, she must have known the risks but went anyway. Because she wanted to spend time with you." Isara agrees from Oracle's side.
"As an adult, that's what I now believe. And it is what the doctors told us as well. But our father still blamed us for it. He said our mother died because we selfishly disobeyed him, and she would resent us forever, even from beyond the grave." Toshiro replies, glancing to the floor. "And.. I believe my brother took his side."
"What about your sister?" Queen asks.
"I can't remember… However, she never blamed me for what happened. But everything else is a blank." Toshiro remarks, giving off a bitter chuckle. "I wonder what she would say to me now, having forgotten both of them?"
"Even so, to push her death on you is not fair." Fortune remarks, holding her cards. "No one can predict when a person's time will come. Even us Tarot readers."
"Yes, but despite knowing that, I'm afraid." Toshiro replies, hands shaking. "I dread my worst fears being confirmed when I ask Yuki—No, when I ask my mother for the truth. Though I'm ready to fight my father, my mother is a whole separate battle. For some reason, I can't stop this wishful thinking that she'll be kind to me." Joker stays silent, his own mind travelling back to his birth parents back in Yokohama… And his twin brother. Even now, after cutting off all contact with them, he couldn't help but wonder about them. Did they regret everything they had done, or would they still treat him as they always did?
And honestly, it frightened him as well.
"All right, I've digressed enough. For now, let's press on and do what needs to be done." Toshiro announces, with the team standing to attention, not noticing the look she is getting from Oracle. On silent feet, the team continue the climb before finally arriving at two large golden doors with purple banners over them. It was only now that they realised that the symbol on them looked almost like that of the Tokugawa clan. Almost.
"Yoshiki should just be beyond these doors. Is everyone ready?" Joker asks the team.
"One sec Joker." Oracle replies before turning to Toshiro. "You know how you were talking about your mom, how you believe that she resented you? Well, if this place really is a world reflected from your heart, then wouldn't Yuki-san also be resentful of you as well?"
"Ah… I see where you are coming from, Oracle." Guernica catches on, turning to Toshiro. "And she's right. If Yuki-san had resent you, we would have seen it. But none of us have even got that impression from her, let alone any hints of it. So we don't think she resents you at all."
"She… doesn't?" Toshiro asks, stunned by the two.
"A-And that's not the sort of thing moms resent their kids for either!" Oracle adds with a furious head nod.
"I already said this, but she CHOSE to go out with you. How could she resent you if it was her decision to go out?" Isara asks.
"While I haven't had a good experience with my mom until her heart changed, I can say that she would never be angry with a chance to go out with you." King remarks, looking away. Toshiro stays silent, looking at all of them before taking a moment to breathe.
"Hearing all of you say that… makes me wonder if you are all right." He tells them with a smile. "It's time I uncovered the truth by myself. No matter what comes next."
"Well then, let's go take down a tyrant!" Erina shouts, with Joker nodding to her before glancing at the doors, with an idea coming to him.
"Who wants to help me kick these open?" He asks the Thieves with a smirk. With smirks matching his own, the core seven walk up to join him in a line before, as one, they kick the door open. Slamming it against the sides as the sound echoes through the large room.
As well as managing to startle Yoshiki all the way at the back with his countless TV screens around him.
"My word! Do you criminals know any form of decency?" He asks, watching the large group fold into the room. "Either way, I am quite impressed you have made it this far. Toshiro, his little band of miscreates, along with a toy and stray cat."
"I am NOT a toy!" Isara shouts back, managing to jump on the spot, with Mona shaking his head at her.
"Is that how I was?" He asks nobody before glaring back at Yoshiki. "And who are you calling a stray cat!? I'm a HOUSE cat, thank you very much!"
"Heh! Enjoy your high horse while you can, cuz you're on borrowed time, pal!" Skull shouts, pointing a finger at Yoshiki.
"Hoho! As if you have room to speak! You're the criminals here!" Yoshiki remarks, his golden hands pointing to the screens. "Just take a look! My glorious nation is in shambles because of you!" All around them, screens show the citizens outside fighting back against the Aizen Squad. Sowing confusion and chaos as the cameras refuse to work. "What fools they are to defy me… This is what happens when you give in to temptation. You realise my people were living in peace until you cast them into the throes of chaos? What hope do you have for committing these atrocities?"
"Have you tried looking in a mirror lately? You'll find the answer to all of that staring back at you." Joker remarks with a grin, earning chuckles from the others.
"Hoho…quite the mouth you have one you. But you shouldn't make me repeat myself." Yoshiki looks to Toshiro, seeing the man stand in silence. "Now Toshiro—come to me, my son. Allow my love to guide you to happiness… With the Eyes of Love that only I can see through." Yoshiki makes a heart shape with his hands, confidant that his son would come to him. Yet what he got was not what he expected.
"No. I won't." Toshiro replies resolutely. "As your son, I came here to stop you."
"Huh? Hohohoho! You've picked up some fine jokes along the way, haven't you?" Yoshiki asks, not believing what he is hearing until he sees the look in his son's eyes. "Toshiro, patient as I might be, even the Buddha has his limits." Suddenly, Yoshiki's red head bursts out from behind, glaring directly at Toshiro. "Sinner! You murdered your mother, and now you betray your father!?"
"I might be a sinner, father… But that is exactly why I have to stop you!" Toshiro shouts back, the red head of Yoshiki retreating into its green shell.
"Ludicrous, absolutely ludicrous! All this to overturn my peace!"
"And what peace are you trying to achieve, Yoshiki?" Sensei remarks, walking forward with a calm presence. "For what I see is nothing but a tyrant trying to take after Shido."
"Yoshida… the one who stands in my way." Yoshiki remarks with a calm presence. "Why did you return to politics, No-Good Tora? Do you really think you can escape the Three Strikes?"
"Those Three Strikes are a part of me." Sensei remarks. "Along with the Title of No-Good Tora. But, while you may see it as nothing but a stain on my record, I see it as the lessons I needed in order to grow. But what have you learned? Nothing."
"What do you mean nothing?" Yoshiki replies. "My plans, my dream, are about to come to fruition. And the people will see you for the failure that you are."
"If I am a failure, then that makes you a disaster." Sensei replies back. "You may once have been a symbol for those of us who climbed the ranks, but I see the truth. You are nothing more than a corrupt tyrant seeking to rule through the unwillingness of your son. But I will not stand for it." He places the tommy gun on his shoulder, holding the fedora down to cover an eye.
"It is time to bring this falsehood to a close."
And how shall you obtain it?
Sensei grunts as he feels a sharp pain race through his skull, stumbling for a moment as he tightens the grip on his gun.
Traversing the seas of politics is no easy task.
For there are always those who will fight against your values.
But will you surrender who you are to uphold the status quo?
Or will you follow what is right?
"I will always follow what my heart deems is right. Regardless of what others say or demand." Sensei remarks, tilting the fedora up as his eyes glow yellow.
Very well, I hear your vow.
I am thou… thou art I
Conceived in Liberty and dedicated to all that are created equal
Let us turn this stagnant system around with our own address!
In Fires of Azure, a mask forms on Sensei's face. Stylised after a Menpō face armour, but covering the top of his face instead of his chin. Gleaming white, with red and green details. Without hesitation, Sensei grips it with his left hand. And effortlessly rips it off, consuming himself in the blue fire as everyone looks on in either shock or amazement.
Stepping out from the fire, Sensei was now wrapped in a deep black kimono robe and slacks, with a white gleaming breastplate accented with red silk and a brown sash crossing the chest. A single piece of armour just out over his left shoulder while silver fingerless gauntlets protect his arms. Blue and green gloves covering his hands. White boots with green silk protect his feet, while a skirt armour of silver with red fabric protects his legs, separated into three parts and typed together with a green sash over his waist. His fedora remained but now had similar white plating surrounding it, while on his back was an odachi. Protected in its sheath while his tommy gun remained in his hands.
Behind him, glowing with the azure aura, was a man who was dressed in a fitting black suit and white top. On his shoulder was a great eagle. A top hat covered the top of his head, while his skin looked to be made of pure marble, complete with small lines. A cane was held in one hand, while in another was a rolled-up decree held gently together by a ribbon. On his back is an axe, along with a musket, while a revolver is held on his waist.
Yoshiki stares in befuddlement as Sensei continues to look at him with a cold fury. "It is time we brought this senselessness to an end. With me, Abraham!" Sensei remarks, his persona spinning his cane in one hand as the Thieves join his side with Yoshiki growling in anger.
"Fine then! I will shut all those impertinent mouths you have and take my time teaching you your lessons!" With a clap of his hands, the room begins to change as a wall rises between them and Yoshiki as Aizen Squad members appear along the wall. To the side, they could see what looked to be a moving platform that could take them to the top, but they had something else they could use.
"You ready, Isara?" Joker asks with a grin, seeing the perfect target for them. The chuckle that came from the model told him everything he needed to know.
"Let me at them!" Isara shouts, changing form and shocking Yoshiki with her presence. "Hey! Greeny! You called me a toy earlier! Let's see how you like this!" With that, she fires at the wall, tearing it down and sending those unfortunate enough to be nearby flying with a trooper landing near Sensei, who gives an impassive look.
"Perhaps this will cool you off. Bufula." He says, freezing the trooper before glancing at another one. "As for you, Garu!" With a swing of his Persona's cane, Sensei sends the trooper flying back onto the wall while Skull, Panther and King rush through the blown hole in the wall. Finding to their joy a lift waiting right at Yoshiki's pedestal.
Stepping on, the three head up to greet the green Buddha before unloading a full clip into him. Much to his great annoyance and anger.
"Argh! You sneaky brats!" He shouts, blasting them away with a gust of wind before slamming his hands together and reformatting the room. And fixing the hole made by Isara. "Don't think you will break through this wall like the last! And just to make sure!" He summons a hand over Isara, slamming a finger down on the ground and knocking her onto her side with a surprised yelp.
"Edelweiss!" Oracle shouts, rushing to her side. "You okay!?"
"I'm fine. But something tells me I can't do that anymore." She replies, shrinking back down to normal as Oracle picks her up.
"Don't worry, you did good!" She comforts before beaming back into Al Azif. Giving a scan of the air, she spots what looked to be security cameras now protecting some parts of the room. Cameras she could not hack into. "Guys! Look out for the surveillance cameras! I don't know what, but they might do something bad if you're spotted!"
"And we can destroy them either!" Outlaw remarks, seeing his shouts ping off the camera.
"Witness the fortitude of my fortress of love!" Yoshiki shouts as more Aizen Squad members arrive and open fire on the Thieves. But what he failed to notice was, in his haste to reshape the room and disable their tank, he failed to account for all the Thieves. And currently, at the bottom of his tower, Devil, Crow, and Athena were waiting for the right moment to strike.
"Well, it would seem he's distracted." Crow comments to the duo before stepping on the switch and sending them up to Yoshiki. Who was understandably taken aback by the sudden appearance of the Thieves.
"How did—!?"
"Surprise bitch!" Devil shouts as the trio opens fire on him, riddling his garb with bullets before he manages to blow them back. Where he noticed that the rest of the Thieves had managed to make it halfway through his blockade. Despite the cameras he put in place!
"To think you would perform such an act not once, but twice. And that you are close to a third time… I commend your persistence." Yoshiki remarks before managing one final gust of wind to blow everyone back to the entrance. "HOWEVER! You are all ill-mannered! Impudent! Impertinent pests! You're standing before the one and only authority on love, Lord Yoshiki himself! SHOW SOME DAMN RESPECT!"
"How about no?" Everyone shouts back with grins, inflaming Yoshiki's anger as he slaps his hands one final time. Changing the room once more to be almost full of platforms and security cameras. With a line of umbrella-wielding Aizen Squad members blocking the lift. And no other path seemingly available to them.
"Even the saintly Buddha can be ruthless as a daimyo. When he doesn't sing, his rage will deliver you to mindless bliss!"
"I don't know what he's talking about, but he's definitely pissed." Guernica remarks, changing the mag on her gun.
"We've almost got him, but just how many times can he change this room?" Queen remarks with a grimace.
"Come on, everyone! Don't give up! Just keep at it again, no matter how long it takes!" Erina cheers on, rushing to a corner not covered by a camera. She saw a charging brute running towards her before it was hit by a hypno attack from Shadow. Nodding he head in thanks, Erina rushes forward with Gecko and Medic, followed closely behind by Boss, Teach and Fortune before finding their path blocked by cameras.
As for the other group moving to the right, they had even less luck with the platforms being watched by even more cameras. No matter which way they would go, they would be caught!
"Hohoho…So weak. You are all so weak!" Yoshiki gloats from atop his high horse. "All that bravado, and this is what you have to show for it? How miserable you all must be." He summon a sigil under a group of the Thieves, who barely had time to move before he slams his finger on the ground.
"If only we could get past these cameras, we would have a straight shot at him!" Spring shouts, letting an arrow fly and hitting a trooper in the head.
"It's no use! No use, I say! Postrait yourselves before me, and die in the name of my love!"
"Enough of the Love talk already!" Mona shouts. "You don't even know a single thing about it!"
"It's only a matter of time until he wears us down." Boss comments, healing the group nearby. "We need to turn the tide."
"Anyone got a strategy on hand?" Outlaw asks, but Shadow and Queen shake their heads.
"I fucking hate these cameras." Joker says through gritted teeth, blasting a nearby brute with Eiga and forcing it to jump to him, with Noir finishing it off with a grenade.
"Can you bring Isara back in?" Fox asks Oracle, who joins them, shaking her head.
"Yoshiki will just drive a finger into her the moment I bring her out. And that's the last thing I want to do to her." Oracle replies with Isara in her hands.
"Seriously! That was too close for comfort!"
"Hohoho! Oh, how I do pity you, cretons. Allow me to finish you off quickly. For the crime of leading my son astray, I sentence you to die in my all-encompassing love!" Yoshiki declares, holding his hands arm to the sky. Until the door to his throne room is forcibly thrown open once more.
"You're the one who needs to accept fate, Yoshiki!" Yuki shouts in anger as an army of rebels swarms around her.
"Mo—Yuki-san!? What are you doing here!? And with the others…" Toshiro asks as the citizens charge into the room while Yuki rushes up to join them.
"We're here to lend a hand. Allow us to fight with you." Yuki tells him as the rebels rush around the room and attack the electrical equipment around the sides. Tearing wires out and smashing screens.
"STOP THAT! LEAVE THOSE ALONE!" Yoshiki bellows, but his words go unheard as every screen around him either turns off or is smashed to pieces. Some even climb up his podium and jump onto his face and hands. Blinding him as the citizens destroy all of his surveillance equipment. "Yuki!? This is how you repay me for showing my love to you!? Instigating a rebellion!?"
"And I'd never ask for your forgiveness! I'm rebelling because you deserve it!" Yuki shouts back as Toshiro pulls her into cover.
"It's time we draw the curtains on this farce, Yoshiki. No, wait… there's a better way to say this." Fox stops himself as all eyes turn to Joker.
"It's all yours, Joker." Mona cheers as Joker shakes his head.
"Really, guys?" He asks in good nature before sporting his Joker smirk. "It's Showtime!" With a final charge, the team rushed forward as the Aizen Squad put up a final defence. But without the cameras blocking the paths or the platforms being held in place, the Thieves were easily able to outmaneuver the Squad. Even as Yoshiki attempted to blast them with his third eye beam, the Thieves pressed on until Joker, Sensei and Erina rode up the lift to face him.
Aiming their guns at him with one final stare of defiance.
"Checkmate!" Joker shouts as they unload into him, dealing severe damage to him as he finally collapses forward on his pedestal. The injuries given to him more than he could handle.
"It's over, father." Toshiro tells him with fire in his eyes as Yoshiki stares back at him. Watching as Toshiro walks up to him with Yuki.
"Fool…you big damnable fool. If this wasn't a farce, I don't know the meaning of the word." Yoshiki remarks, seeing all of his screens were destroyed with no way of showing what was happening outside. But he still had one card to play. "Toshiro, my boy…. You remember that day, don't you? You and your sister spurned my love and rebelled against me…"
His words cause Toshiro to freeze, the memories of that day rushing to his mind with Yuki looking at him with a worried look.
"You both selfishly demanded your mother take the two of you out while she was ill. You both killed your own mother. All because you both had to fulfil your stupid, fleeting wish. What sort of monster would kill their own mother! One can hardly imagine the betrayal she must have felt!"
"That's enough, Yoshiki!" Yuki shouts, standing in front of Toshiro, who is starting to have a panic attack. "I won't tolerate these slander and lies any further!" Yoshiki chuckles at her, amused at what he is seeing.
"Well, well, isn't this delightful? What say we move on to the final act of this farce? Diiie Toshirooo!" Revealing his red head once more, he fires a beam right at the two. Just as Yuki pushes Toshiro out of the way, a speeding object rushes past them.
"NO!" Isara shouts, morphing into her tank form and taking the shot right onto her turret, with the Thieves staring in shock. Oracle gasps, seeing how she had somehow slipped out without her noticing, while Yuki and Toshiro gasped in shock.
"WHAT!?" Yoshiki yells, seeing his attack being stopped like that.
"EAT THIS YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Isara shouts, launching a barrage of missiles at Yoshiki's platform. The missiles tare through it, collapsing its structural integrity and sending Yoshiki falling to the ground. Landing with a hard thud, he raises his head up to see the end of Sensei's gun aimed right at him.
"Hasta la vista, Yoshiki." He says before unloading a clip into Yoshiki's face. All the while, the mad Buddha laughs even as his body vanishes into dust.
Yoshiki was finally defeated.
Notes:
New Confidants
Toshiro/Erina : Eclipse (Rank 2)
Tao : Art (Rank 10/ Max)
Isara : Aeon (Rank 6)