"Kasumi" Yoshizawa [P4 Akechi AU] (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
midnightmaiden) wrote2024-11-21 04:56 pm
midnightmaiden) wrote2024-11-21 04:56 pm
Entry tags:
Memory Tapes
CW: Unreality, trauma, brainwashing.
The tunnels were so dark and dreary. A deep corruption of the familiar subway station Kasumi had come to know. The black tendrils creeping up columns, the red tinting... It all looked so uncanny, and she fought back a shiver. Thankfully, she wasn't alone. Up ahead, in shining, gold armor...
"...Dr. Maruki? Is that you?"
The long, flowing cape, the sheer bulk of the armor, combined with the eye patterns along the pauldrons, and as he turned around, his belt and boots as well... It was as if his very presence stared into her soul. The helmet rendered him unrecognizable, with equally piercing eyes and cold metal concealing the kindly face she knew...
At least until he reached for the front of the helmet with a clawed gauntlet and raised it to reveal Dr. Maruki's familiar face. "If you'd like, I can change into something less imposing."
She shook her head. "No, that's okay. I'd hate to inconvenience you."
Sighing, Maruki stared out toward a nearby escalator. "...Yoshizawa-san, are you sure you want to do this? The tunnels here are crawling with dangerous creatures, and there's no guarantee you'll awaken your powers right away."
He'd tried so hard to convince her to turn the other way. Every step of the way, Kasumi had pushed and pushed to be a part of this, despite his clear reservations.
It took a lot of trust for him to take her here. Turning back now would render it all so... pointless.
So she stepped forward. "It's okay. I know that if anything goes wrong, you'll be there to protect me."
Though Maruki hesitated, they continued down, into the deep, dark, and massive tunnels.
And then it happened.
Deep, guttural groans bellowed from the darkness. Masked, Shadowy blobs lunged at Kasumi. They morphed, twisted, and contorted to cackling Jack-o-Lanterns and mounds of living slime. Flames blasted her way, but Dr. Maruki dived in front of her. The air around him rippled, and the Shadows dissipated.
The video feed flickered.
"Yoshizawa-san! Try to reach deep inside yourself! Find the strength I know you carry in your heart and—"
It flickered again. Maruki peered over his shoulder, mask concealing his face. "Yoshizawa-san, maybe we shouldn't—"
"No! I have to do this! Please!"
Maruki hesitantly—
Another flicker.
Kasumi took a deep breath. "The power inside me..." She placed a hand over her heart. "I was too weak to save my sister, but I refuse to give up on you! Let me show you just how strong I really am, so we can fight together!"
Such fire inside... A voice echoed all around. You refuse to live a life in cinders, languishing in despair?
The video flickered again. Fireballs bombarded Kasumi, but when Maruki raised his staff, she shrieked. "No! I have to do this! Let me be useful for once!"
"Yoshizawa—"
Her head throbbed. A voice called out. Is that truly what you want?
"Yes! I want to help! I have to help!"
A Slime lunged. She stumbled aside, only for another fireball to hit its mark.
"Dr. Maruki changed everything... I need to repay him! It's the only way I can—"
Another flicker.
Well, if these are the shoes you've chosen, then we'll dance to the end...
A black mask appeared on her face, and she effortlessly peeled it off. In a burst of blue flame, her entire body sparkled—
—Writhed. Blood dripped from her face. She screamed as a new costume took hold. Black leather, knee-high boots, pockets and belt, long sleeves, black gloves, and—
She twirled gracefully, a rapier in hand and a beautiful, graceful dancer hovering behind her.
I am thou... Thou art I... Accept this contract... The spell cast upon you...
"All right, Cendrillon! Let's show them what we can do!"
Side by side, Kasumi and Cendrillon dance into battle, tearing through the Shadows unfazed—
A far cry from the woman screaming and slashing in a terrified frenzy, followed by a Heat Wave attack that takes out all the Shadows—
Because there was nothing painful at all about Kasumi's awakening. Once she defeated her enemies, she curtsied, and Maruki approached, warmth in his voice.
"Well done, Yoshizawa-san! I knew you could do it."
It had to be this way. A perfect, simple awakening.
The tunnels were so dark and dreary. A deep corruption of the familiar subway station Kasumi had come to know. The black tendrils creeping up columns, the red tinting... It all looked so uncanny, and she fought back a shiver. Thankfully, she wasn't alone. Up ahead, in shining, gold armor...
"...Dr. Maruki? Is that you?"
The long, flowing cape, the sheer bulk of the armor, combined with the eye patterns along the pauldrons, and as he turned around, his belt and boots as well... It was as if his very presence stared into her soul. The helmet rendered him unrecognizable, with equally piercing eyes and cold metal concealing the kindly face she knew...
At least until he reached for the front of the helmet with a clawed gauntlet and raised it to reveal Dr. Maruki's familiar face. "If you'd like, I can change into something less imposing."
She shook her head. "No, that's okay. I'd hate to inconvenience you."
Sighing, Maruki stared out toward a nearby escalator. "...Yoshizawa-san, are you sure you want to do this? The tunnels here are crawling with dangerous creatures, and there's no guarantee you'll awaken your powers right away."
He'd tried so hard to convince her to turn the other way. Every step of the way, Kasumi had pushed and pushed to be a part of this, despite his clear reservations.
It took a lot of trust for him to take her here. Turning back now would render it all so... pointless.
So she stepped forward. "It's okay. I know that if anything goes wrong, you'll be there to protect me."
Though Maruki hesitated, they continued down, into the deep, dark, and massive tunnels.
And then it happened.
Deep, guttural groans bellowed from the darkness. Masked, Shadowy blobs lunged at Kasumi. They morphed, twisted, and contorted to cackling Jack-o-Lanterns and mounds of living slime. Flames blasted her way, but Dr. Maruki dived in front of her. The air around him rippled, and the Shadows dissipated.
The video feed flickered.
"Yoshizawa-san! Try to reach deep inside yourself! Find the strength I know you carry in your heart and—"
It flickered again. Maruki peered over his shoulder, mask concealing his face. "Yoshizawa-san, maybe we shouldn't—"
"No! I have to do this! Please!"
Maruki hesitantly—
Another flicker.
Kasumi took a deep breath. "The power inside me..." She placed a hand over her heart. "I was too weak to save my sister, but I refuse to give up on you! Let me show you just how strong I really am, so we can fight together!"
Such fire inside... A voice echoed all around. You refuse to live a life in cinders, languishing in despair?
The video flickered again. Fireballs bombarded Kasumi, but when Maruki raised his staff, she shrieked. "No! I have to do this! Let me be useful for once!"
"Yoshizawa—"
Her head throbbed. A voice called out. Is that truly what you want?
"Yes! I want to help! I have to help!"
A Slime lunged. She stumbled aside, only for another fireball to hit its mark.
"Dr. Maruki changed everything... I need to repay him! It's the only way I can—"
Another flicker.
Well, if these are the shoes you've chosen, then we'll dance to the end...
A black mask appeared on her face, and she effortlessly peeled it off. In a burst of blue flame, her entire body sparkled—
—Writhed. Blood dripped from her face. She screamed as a new costume took hold. Black leather, knee-high boots, pockets and belt, long sleeves, black gloves, and—
She twirled gracefully, a rapier in hand and a beautiful, graceful dancer hovering behind her.
I am thou... Thou art I... Accept this contract... The spell cast upon you...
"All right, Cendrillon! Let's show them what we can do!"
Side by side, Kasumi and Cendrillon dance into battle, tearing through the Shadows unfazed—
A far cry from the woman screaming and slashing in a terrified frenzy, followed by a Heat Wave attack that takes out all the Shadows—
Because there was nothing painful at all about Kasumi's awakening. Once she defeated her enemies, she curtsied, and Maruki approached, warmth in his voice.
"Well done, Yoshizawa-san! I knew you could do it."
It had to be this way. A perfect, simple awakening.