Chương 77: The Cry of Cthulhu.
(Ya'll are eating good with this chap, lol. 3.6k words. Hopefully ya'll enjoy reading as much as I did writing it. I was blasting Rivers in the Desert on repeat on my headphones for like an hour while writing the second half.)
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Once the pyramid stabilized, the trio resumed their journey, navigating the labyrinth of hidden corridors and traps with ease, a benefit of being led by the Palace's ruler herself.
-
Shortly after setting out, they encountered the second Will Seed, a blue skull resting atop a pedestal in a damaged room. Futaba, with a determined expression, approached the seed and took hold of it.
Instantly, the scene transformed. Futaba and her mother, Wakaba, were walking through the streets on their way to Leblanc. The world around them, vibrant at first, began to lose its color as Wakaba clutched her chest, struggling for breath.
"Mom?" Futaba's voice trembled with concern as she watched her mother falter.
Wakaba's eyes rolled back as she stumbled into the road, releasing Futaba's hand in a desperate attempt not to drag her daughter with her. Perhaps by chance, a black car with tinted windows was approaching fast.
At that moment, the world turned monochrome, and Futaba watched in horror as the car collided with her mother. She ran to Wakaba, lying motionless on the ground, the scene blurring as if time itself had warped, speeding up and slowing down simultaneously.
The car's drivers quickly stepped out, pulling Futaba back and reaching for their phones to call an ambulance. Before Futaba could whisper a final goodbye, the setting abruptly shifted to a room filled with men in suits.
Surrounded yet utterly alone, Futaba could not discern the faces around her; they were blurred and indistinct as she sat in the center, bombarded by their conversation.
"I should have never had Futaba… She was always such a bother…" The men in the suits began to read out loud from a fake suicide note they had written in order to pin Wakaba's death as a suicide.
The cruel words echoed through the room, unbearable for the young hacker. She shut her eyes, and as she did, the faces around her morphed into accusing stares. Her entire family seemed to be judging her, but as the static of overwhelming noise began to distort the scene, Futaba found her voice.
"No."
With that single word, the static cleared, and the room snapped back into focus. Among the faces now clearly visible, one stood out to Ren in particular.
It was the same man who had previously met with Kaneshiro, though now he was dressed more like a businessman than a criminal. His face remained unchanged.
Futaba, filled with anger, made sure to look at each face in front of her, remembering each one and promising to pay them back for what they had done to her.
After capturing every detail she needed, Futaba turned sharply, causing the illusion to dissolve and returning them to the confines of the pyramid.
Her hands were formed into fists, her whole body was trembling slightly, and her eyes were somewhat reddened from holding back tears. However, rather than sadness or fear, Ren could clearly see one emotion on her face: anger.
"Let's finish this. I already know what comes next." Futaba said as she turned towards her Shadow.
They moved through the pyramid with determined and heavy steps. As the structure began to quiver and crumble around them, miraculously, no debris seemed to touch them. The walls ahead disintegrated, forming a direct path to the final Will Seed. The emerald green Seed emitted an ominous, almost melancholic glow.
As Futaba approached the Seed, her Shadow turned to Ren and offered him a warm smile.
"Thank you," she whispered, her form growing translucent as she slowly faded from view.
As her Shadow disappeared, the world around them dimmed to grey. They found themselves looking at Futaba lying on the cold concrete floor of a basement, her eyes dull and her body shivering slightly. The door opened, casting a sliver of light across the room, and her uncle entered, tossing a bag of fast food toward her.
"Here you go; I'm heading out again. Don't you dare mess anything up in my house while I'm gone. You should consider yourself lucky I even took in a murderer like you. The only good thing about you is the money Wakaba left." he spat venomously, a harsh laugh escaping him as he lingered in the doorway.
"You know, our parents always told me just how much worse I was than her," he continued, his voice dripping with mockery. "'Youji, when are you going to learn from Wakaba? She is so successful!'" Mimicking their praise of Wakaba, he laughed bitterly.
"Look where that got her, a single mom who couldn't stand her daughter so much she killed herself. I wish they were here to see this."
With those harsh words, her uncle slammed the door shut, leaving the younger Futaba alone, crying helplessly on the floor.
Witnessing this, Futaba reached down instinctively, trying to comfort her younger self.
"It's okay… Things get better," she whispered, closing her eyes and focusing intensely. The room swirled into static, then transformed.
Instead of the cold, unforgiving basement, Futaba found herself enveloped in a warm embrace by Sojiro, who had tears in his eyes as he reassured her.
"I'm here now, and I'll take care of you."
They were in a cozy, welcoming room, and Sojiro seemed determined to cater to her every need despite clearly not knowing exactly how to proceed or how to be a dad at all.
Whenever Futaba expressed a desire for something, Sojiro would immediately set out to obtain it. Gradually, her room became filled with computers, monitors, anime figurines, and toys. Distractions that Sojiro hoped would ease her pain.
Futaba was the spitting image of her mother, so whenever she had to look at her own reflection, she saw her. It got so bad, to the point where Futaba didn't even want to enter a place with mirrors. That was until she decided she wanted to dye her hair orange.
It was clear that Sojiro disagreed with the decision, but even then, he just sighed and put on some gloves, helping her through the process.
Even as Futaba increasingly secluded herself in her room, Sojiro refrained from forcing her outdoors, gently encouraging her to try, even just a little.
As trash bags accumulated and a musty smell lingered in the air, the memory version of Futaba, disheveled and visibly exhausted, turned to her with questioning eyes.
"Is this really better?" she asked. Her voice was tired, weighed down by sleepless nights and a loss of will.
In her solitude, Futaba had found a semblance of purpose in hacking, adopting the pseudonym of Medjed and branding herself a 'hacker of justice.' It was exhilarating at first, but as others began to usurp her identity, claiming her achievements and continuing her legacy under her stolen name, the thrill faded into monotony.
"That's not the end of it..." Futaba reassured her memory self. Just then, a playful knock interrupted the somber moment.
"Do you wanna build a snowman?" a voice chimed from behind the door, sparking a brief, genuine laugh from her memory before the illusion dissolved.
Back in the crumbling reality of the pyramid, Futaba stood resolute, clutching the final Will Seed.
"Let's get out of here," she declared as the ancient walls trembled and began to fall apart around them.
They dashed through the labyrinthine hallways of the pyramid, dodging falling debris and crumbling stones. Now that Futaba's distortion was entirely gone, the Palace had no ruler and was collapsing without control. The debris that had previously avoided them now crashed around them furiously, indifferent to their presence.
Without Futaba's command over the Palace, the only option left was to find the nearest exit. They approached a fractured wall that opened to the outside, only to be met with the full fury of the sandstorm engulfing the pyramid. The winds were so fierce they hurled fragments of the pyramid into the air.
Exchanging a determined glance, they understood this was their quickest route of escape. They only needed to get a little distance from the pyramid to escape from the Palace, so they would only have to endure the storm for a few moments.
In a swift motion, Ren scooped Futaba into his arms. Behind them, Tartuffe materialized, adopting the disguise of Fuu-ki, the blue Oni who could absorb the winds and use them to heal.
They jumped through the breach in the wall, sliding down the pyramid's steep side. Ren shielded Futaba with his body, bearing the brunt of the sand-laden winds that assaulted them. The countless grains of sand flying through the wind constantly assaulted his skin, yet he simply held Futaba closer to make sure she took as little damage as possible.
As the sand whipped against him, creating fresh wounds, Tartuffe would draw the winds into himself, using their power to heal Ren's injuries.
The moment the two of them fell close to the bottom of the pyramid, they were greeted with a strange view. Almost as though they had pierced through the sandstorm's heart, finding themselves in a serene eye amidst the chaos.
Yet, as they looked back, they could see that the gigantic sandstorm was currently surrounding them from all sides. Almost as if they were in the eye of a hurricane, a sphere of relentless winds trapped them near the entrance of the pyramid.
"This is…" Futaba murmured, taking in the surreal calm before pointing towards the entrance of the pyramid. "They are coming!"
Just as those words left her mouth, their small pocket of safety from the raging sandstorm became inundated with countless accusations from Futaba's family.
The voices, like whispers carried on the storm, converged in a cacophony aiming to overwhelm Futaba. Yet, despite her face twisting in discomfort, she stood resolute, unyielding to the verbal assault.
Standing up from the sand, she turned towards the countless shadows resembling mummies and shouted.
"That's enough! I'm done believing those lies! I'm done feeling sorry for myself! So, you can shout at me all you want, but I won't believe you anymore!"
The whispers around her escalated into a cacophony of screams, yet even as she began to tremble slightly, Futaba stood unwavering. Amidst the noise, a soft female voice echoed in her mind.
[Are you done living in an illusion? Are you finally opening your eyes to the truth? Who will you obey...? Cursed words spat out by a seething illusion? Or the truth within your own soul?]
Futaba responded, her voice thick with emotion.
"I have been hiding from the truth for too long. Even when it stared me in the face, I was too afraid to look back."
As her conviction strengthened, the storm intensified, the glow and the deafening thunder reverberating across the desert.
"From now on, I will only trust my own eyes and heart. I will see through all the lies. I'll never forgive them! And I'll make sure they pay for what they did."
[Good.] the voice affirmed, as the tempest around them began to turn to mayhem.
Without warning, a UFO appeared above Futaba. It was covered in green engravings, and atop it sat a golden gargoyle. Countless tentacles emerged from within the UFO and grabbed Futaba.
"Huh!? What the-" Futaba exclaimed in surprise, just as she was swiftly drawn into the ship.
Inside, she felt as though she was floating in an ethereal space, surrounded by an endless stream of numbers and words that flickered before her eyes. Then, multiple screens materialized, resembling a complex computer program.
[Contract... I am thou, thou art I… The forbidden wisdom has been revealed. No mysteries... No illusions shall deceive you any longer.] the soft voice continued, resonating inside Futaba's head.
She looked at the screens surrounding her before realizing that she could understand all of the information being displayed.
[You shall see through the programming of the Metaverse with our forbidden knowledge.] the soft voice concluded.
The countless shadows running towards them suddenly began to take off their wrappings, revealing the faces of Futaba's family and the men in the suits. Each of them shouted louder and louder until they began to burst and fuse into one another, creating a gigantic serpent, with each of its scales resembling the faces of Futaba's family.
(Image here.)
The gigantic serpent roared menacingly, its many faces whispering threats and accusations as the sandstorm swirled around them, trapping them with this monstrous creation.
"Futaba! You monster! How dare you try to run away! Do you not realize all the sacrifices we made for you? It is not up to you whether you live or die. You should simply follow in your mother's footsteps and accept that you don't deserve anything!" the serpent bellowed, slithering aggressively towards them.
[Ren! The storm is getting stronger! We are not going to be able to escape if we run for it now. Just hold on for now! I know I can clear the storm, so just give me a moment.] Futaba's voice resonated in Ren's mind as she began to furiously work on the keyboard that had materialized in front of her.
Futaba could now view the Palace as if it were a computer program, a complex and chaotic code unlike anything she had encountered before, yet somehow decipherable through the lens of her Persona. She targeted both the storm and the serpent on her screen, which displayed a torrent of information.
With a resolute nod, she set about methodically dismantling the menacing code.
Meanwhile, Ren stood beneath the terrifying storm, watching as the serpent's massive form approached. At that moment, his outfit erupted into flames, morphing into the iconic attire of a Phantom Thief, signaling the Palace's recognition of him as a threat.
The air crackled with tension as the colossal serpent coiled menacingly before lunging with terrifying speed through the swirling sands towards Ren. Reacting instantly, Ren summoned Tartuffe, who morphed into the formidable form of Arahabaki, a deity encased in a metal shell.
Standing behind Tartuffe, Ren watched with a smirk as the serpent's massive form crashed against the impenetrable shield that was Arahabaki.
The impact set off a monumental explosion, the blast hurling sand into the air and creating a dense cloud around them. Apophis Apep, the amalgamation of Futaba's distortion, was sent reeling backward. Arahabaki was one of Ren's hidden aces, capable of deflecting physical attacks.
"Ah, what joy, 'tis been a spell since we last joined in an act together. Let us, then, dispatch this serpent," Tartuffe proclaimed theatrically, relishing the challenge as he observed the serpent stagger.
[Watch out! It's gathering power. It's gathering some dark energy!] Futaba's urgent warning resonated in Ren's mind.
Blinded momentarily by the sand cloud, Ren couldn't see the serpent's next maneuver, but he was ready, thanks to Futaba's timely alert. With a mischievous grin, he recalibrated, recalling Tartuffe, who swiftly reemerged beside him, now in the guise of Anubis, the jackal-headed god.
As Anubis materialized, he chuckled softly, adjusting the scales he wielded, a small crystal on the scales acted as a counterweight, tipping the balance towards the light element. The serpent struck again, unleashing a formidable wave of dark energy.
As the dark energy neared, it was inexplicably drawn into the small crystal, the crystal of gluttony. Weighed down by the now glowing crystal, Tartuffe's floating body fell to the ground. Yet, the scales were precisely where they needed to be.
The crystal of gluttony emitted a blinding light, and a gigantic spear of light materialized, hurtling toward the serpent. It roared in agony as the spear struck, but as the spear dissipated, a warm green light emanated from the wound, which began to heal rapidly.
In moments, Apophis Apep had regenerated, chuckling darkly as it began to muster energy once more.
"Damn it," Ren muttered under his breath, strategizing his next move. He realized he had two options: relentlessly assault the serpent to prevent it from healing or stall long enough for Futaba to clear their path forward.
[Just hang on for a second! I'm almost there!] Futaba's voice echoed urgently through their connection as she began to spot the flaws she needed to exploit. However, her expression darkened with concern.
[There's another enemy lurking around the storm, waiting for an opening. The moment I break the storm, it will try to barge in. Be ready to run!]
Nodding with resolute determination, Ren braced himself to dodge.
"You damn child, just surrender your life to us!" Apophis bellowed before it opened its massive jaws.
Suddenly, Ren felt a chilling weakness as the blood inside him stirred unnaturally. Crimson energy siphoned from his body and streamed into the serpent's mouth. Recognizing the skill, Ren realized it was Life Drain, an almighty skill that could neither be blocked nor repelled.
As the crimson energy fed Apophis, it unleashed a wave of Stagnant Air, blanketing the battlefield with a noxious mist.
"Ose!" Ren summoned, and the humanoid cheetah materialized, dashing furiously towards the serpent. Ren knew maintaining distance would only invite more drain or ailment attacks from Apophis, so he opted for a direct confrontation.
Ose moved surprisingly quickly, reaching the gigantic serpent in just a few moments as it began to slash furiously. Each strike merely scratched the scales, but it successfully diverted the creature's attention.
Irritated, the serpent snapped at Ose, who was equally prepared. As it attempted to bite, Ose raised his guard and countered with his blades, parrying the massive fangs with precision.
Seizing the opportunity, Ren watched as Ose shattered one of the serpent's fangs, forcing Apophis to recoil in pain, its lethal bite momentarily neutralized.
Quickly dismissing Ose, Ren called forth Narcissus, who gracefully waved his hand, releasing a chilling mist. With fluid motions, Narcissus launched round after round of icy mist mixed with piercing ice spears.
The barrage seemed effective at first; Apophis's movements slowed as frost began to accumulate on the many faces decorating its scales.
However, before the frost could fully immobilize the serpent, Apophis roared defiantly and shook its massive body, breaking the ice. Its eyes lit up with renewed vigor, and the familiar green light of healing began to envelop its scales once again.
Seeing as his attacks were not working, he prepared to use Jose's star, a move he was saving in case of an absolute emergency.
As Futaba tirelessly worked on the storm's complex 'code,' she finally found a breakthrough. Realizing that Ren was still in danger, she urgently shouted her message through their mental link.
[Watch out! I'm breaking the storm!]
Instantly, the chaotic winds began to subside, and the incessant lightning that had enveloped them abruptly ceased.
[Ren! Get out of there! There's another one rushing towards you!] Futaba's voice rang out, tinged with fear, as she observed a rapidly approaching shadow on her radar.
Ren wasted no time. He summoned Tartuffe, who now sported the dark, majestic wings of Arsene, lifting him swiftly into the air. They had barely escaped when a tremendous explosion erupted behind them. The force of the blast was so powerful that it sent Tartuffe spiraling uncontrollably to the ground.
[It's that…] Futaba muttered under her breath. As Ren regained his bearings and looked back, he was met with the sight of a gargantuan Sphinx. It possessed the body of a lion and, more disturbingly, the head was unmistakably that of Wakaba, her mom.
The formidable Sphinx was now standing over the serpent, relentlessly slashing at it with its mighty lion's paws.
[Mom!] Futaba cried out, her voice a mix of shock and awe as she watched the Sphinx seemingly aid them in battle.
Although she knew deep down that it wasn't truly her mother, the symbolic gesture deeply moved her.
The two colossal creatures clashed fiercely, but it was evident that Wakaba's form, the Sphinx, held the upper hand.
As Ren finally regained his standing, he watched awestruck as the two titans fought each other. The sphinx fought with a ferocity that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. Each swipe of its massive paws was a precise and powerful strike towards the serpent's neck.
Apophis tried to fight back by coiling up Wakaba's leg, but with one swift strike, Wakaba was able to send the serpent back down.
The serpent fought back for as long as it could, but it was clear that it could not heal fast enough to deal with the constant strikes.
Letting out a deafening roar, the serpent tried to give one final pushback, but he was only greeted by Wakaba's own defiant roar.
With a swift, clean movement that echoed through the air like the finale of a tragic symphony, the Sphinx's paws came down, decapitating the serpent. The serpent's head rolled to the ground, its expression frozen in a snarl, its dark energy dissipating into the sand.
The remaining body of the serpent thrashed wildly for a moment before collapsing into the sand, its own darkness fading as the light of the desert sun began to pierce the remnants of the storm.
As the dust settled and the echoes of the battle faded, Futaba felt a profound sense of closure washing over her. The Sphinx turned to look at her, its eyes, Wakaba's eyes, full of warmth and pride. Then, just as it had appeared, the Sphinx began to dissolve into golden particles of light, shimmering in the morning light, leaving behind a serene calm.
"Thank you, Mom... for everything," Futaba murmured, her voice steady but full of emotion, as she watched the last traces of the Sphinx disappear. And with her, the rest of the Palace.
~A/N~
(Lemme know what you think of it! Longest chap so far!)
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