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『 holystigma 』
"Really? Are you sure about that?"
"Are you so satisfied with the ‘Truth’ that you found?"
Yu promptly walked up to 'Kitty', picked her up in his arms, then walked to his balcony and opened the door before throwing her out, two stories down.
"I'm not having this crap."
☭ (holystigma)
Battle Theme:Dissonance
Battle intro: "So…it has come to this huh?"
Victory: "I apologize…but the world’s not ready for you!"
Defeat: “No….this can’t be the end!”
Assist: ”You’re still part of me!”
Taunt: “You’ll never be like him!”
Reacting to Taunt: "Quiet…QUIET!"
Tie: "I’ll fight you for an eternity if that’s what it takes!"
Perfect Victory: "D-did I really surpassed Nyalathotep? I AM the embodiment of power!"
Finishing Move: "I’m sorry…Philemon-sama!"
holystigma
As if to provide the perfect backdrop to Yu’s inner turmoil, a warm rain began to fall from the sky. Raindrops ran down the marble-like face that Nyarlathotep wore, and his smile receded into an almost loving gaze. The rain might have provided the tortured man with some comfort, but the Count opened up a red umbrella and held it out over Yu’s head.
"Come on, then. The game’s waiting."
Like a worried passerby helping an injured boy, the Count put an arm around Yu and led him towards one of the shops. In the window, glowing brightly, were rows upon rows of TVs of all shapes and sizes.
"So you don’t need anyone… then I will allow you to find your solitude… for now, at least. Who knows what stage I might take next?"
Something wrapped around Yu’s wrists and began to hoist him towards the glass. Then, a force made him double over and slam through the window, glass shattering everywhere as he toppled head-first into the TV World once again.
Before the umbrella ended up over Yu's head, the warm raindrops fell on his face, rolling down his cheeks like tears, and dropping to the ground. Rain long stopped being a sign of comfort for the silverlet, given how it related all too closely to the case and the fog -- if anything it stirred unease within him, made him alert and cautious. But that day all it did was wash over him in a silent shower, making his hair stick to his face. But then he noticed being shielded from it, and an arm around him, his lips parting once again to attempt objecting to the course things were taking... but all that left his mouth was a groan of pain, until the other man spoke further.
"----this is not-- a game!!" he snapped, one elbow ramming into the man's ribs, but to little avail -- it was as if he did little to no damage to him, as if he hadn't felt any pain...
"I will not-- be your pawn!!" Yu screamed, once again trying to wring himself out of the man's grip, but then they were in front of a store, and there were all those TVs, flickering in the rain. "This isn't solitude--"
But before he could try and make another move, there was something closing around his wrists, tugging, pulling, and he dug his feet into the ground, doing everything in his mind to not succumb--
It's time to face the truth.
--he doubled over and rammed head first into the glass window, feeling the shards digging into his shoulders, his face, his arms and hands, and the shattering sound all too familiar, all too similar to when his Personas vanished. His feet lifting from the ground, the dark presence pulling him, he could feel himself slipping into the TV World, black and white engulfing him as he was falling, falling, all too fast, all too suddenly...
...and then everything turned black, when he landed on his back, air locking out of his lungs, and just before his consciousness slipped away, he could swear he saw someone there, who he assumed to be the Shadow... but the eyes... no, they weren't... ...
......
So, my other me, you say you accept all of me? If that's so, why don't you just tell everybody, including the one before you, what I stand for boldly? Or are you too afraid of me to do so?
This voice… definitely the clearest among all the others, a voice that was his own, distorted and twisted but his own all the same.
Now almost laying down on the ground, barely able to keep himself upright in the overwhelming pressure, the image of the man before him blurry and distant, Yu breathed a shaky sigh and squeezed his eyes shut.
Yes… yes, he accepted it. Of course he did. There was nothing to be afraid of, nothing to surpress or hide… it was all a part of him, after all. So there was no use denying it. He wasn’t afraid.
Say it, then. If you’re not afraid, just say it all! It’s all right there, in your heart. You don’t even need to search…
”——…………….”
'They are all just a burden to me.' ‘Useless brats who have to lean on others, because they can’t do anything by themselves!
’They can’t protect anything.’ 'You just need to be a little nice to them, and they'll do as you please…
’THAT’s how cheap a game of make-believe those bonds really are, right?’
Yu opened his mouth, just barely, his lips trembling as he tried to make a sound… but the words died in his throat, as much as he was trying everyhing in his mind to squeeze them out. …but he couldn’t.What’s the matter, me? Scared? That’s okay… after all…
I don’t want anyone. I don’t need anyone. That’s how it’s always been, from the start!!”
A whimper passed his lips instead of words he was meant to speak, hands rising to cradle his head and curled up inwardly.
"----..........I... can't................"
"You're... YOU'RE NOT MY PARTNER!"
———………………
He’s heard that before, hasn’t he? Yes, he has… way, way back, almost ten years ago, wasn’t it? Back then, it was but an illusion, an echo ringing in his mind caused by that man… that man, who was standing right there before him, when he was barely holding onto his senses on the ground, doing everything in his mind to keep the darkness within him from manifesting.
Yes, out of all the whispers in the back of his head at that very moment, this voice… was almost a scream. So clear, nearly muting all of the others, playing repeatedly in his mind again and again.
”——…no.” he whispered softly around the tightness holding his throat in a firm grip, his voice barely audible, but it didn’t matter — he was mostly speaking to himself, anyway.
"--even if you tell me that... a t-thousand times..." he paused, struggling to breathe at that point "I will-- never believe... this to be truth. B-because a lie... even if repeated a thousand t-times... stays a lie. I-Isn't that right... p-partner?" a small, shaky smile curled his lips for a fraction of a second, before he groaned painfully again.
prelude { holystigma }
holystigma
The Time Count stopped just beyond Yu. He spoke without looking over his shoulder, serenely taking in the man’s discomfort.
"Is something the matter, young man?"
He turned back around. “Pardon me, I should specify. I wasn’t asking you, really… but… that other you. The one spiraling out. You’re a rather different little toy, aren’t you?”
The Count took in the atmosphere, calmly inhaling the darkness permeating from Yu’s body.
"You never did confront your Shadow back then, did you? It was all so clean, so neat and tidy… looks like it’s finally come out to get its due attention. Don’t hold back, that will only make it more painful."
By the time the man turned around to look at him, one of Yu's hands was already clutching at his shirt where his heart was, but other than that there was no more visible indications of the distress he'd been undoubtedly going through.
He was now certain that that man... he knew everything. He would even go as far as to say that he had known more than Yu, himself... which, at that point, was already all too much for just a bystander, a passerby. This man knew... and he was there for a reason.
"----...toy." he repeated in a low, cold voice, finally rising his eyes to meet with the other man's gaze.
"...neither me nor the 'other' one are anybody's toys." Yu hissed under his breath, but as soon as he finished speaking, the throbbing ache in his chest became more fierce, and the grip on his shirt tightened, accompanied by a pained gasp.
Sweat started beading up on his forehead.
"...there's nothing to hold back. I am... not denying anything."
