Persona BLEACHED 4 Gaiden 1: Cutting Flower

Persona BLEACHED 4 Gaiden: Cutting Flower
February 9, 2025
Kyiv, the capital city of Ukraine.
Once a bastion of Eastern European culture and development, years of bombardment by Russia had seen much of the city reduced to rubble. Life persisted in many sectors as the country continued to fight back against their conquest-minded neighbors, though some parts of the city remained uninhabitable.
These spots, so frequently targeted by missile strikes, were in many ways meant to be avoided. And in that sense, perhaps they were the ideal spot to stay hidden.
In the city's outer regions, the charred chasis of a city bus sat. On its roof, the white, blue and red colors of the Russian flag were spray-painted on, as if to tell anyone looking to strike the area to stay away.
Seated inside the bus, contrary to the flag outside, were five men wearing the uniform of the Ukrainian military. All had rifles, all sat in silence, though one was peering out of one of the broken windows.
"(Will you get down, you idiot?! You'll give us away!)" one of the men demanded. All spoke in Ukrainian.
"(Why frighten yourself like this? Nobody's going to set foot near here.)" another one questioned.
"(No one human, maybe.)" the one by the window answered.
"(Pittacus and the others are thousands of miles away from here. Why would they follow us all the way to a warzone?)"
"(You know how he feels about dissent. He probably has Haimon hunting us down right now. A missile wouldn't put a dent in that man.)"
"(We never should have taken that demon's offer.)" one man holding a bottle of alcohol began. "('Join me, and I can help bring your home back to its former glory.' Such pretty words. When have words ever helped us? Now we get to spend the rest of our days waiting for either the Russians or Death's Hand to come take our heads. I wonder which one would bring us more glory?)" He took a swig of his drink.
All were alerted by the sound of something landing on top of the bus.
"(What was that?)"
"(Too soft to be a bomb. One of you go and look.)"
The soldier who had been peering out the window stepped out, pointing his rifle at the roof of the bus.
"(I don't see anyone.)" he said.
"(Probably some idiot kids sneaking around and throwing rocks. Keep looking.)"
He walked over to the back of the bus, never moving his rifle away from the roof.
This would prove to be a mistake. Something grabbed his ankle, and pulled him underneath the vehicle, his weapon hitting the ground.
Alerted by his yells, the other men got up. Three of them cautiously moved to the exit, their rifles at the ready. The other stayed behind.
As the three were nearly out...
"...AAAAAAAAAGH!"
...they turned around upon hearing their comrade's scream. A blade had pierced through the floor and was jutting out of his left foot. The blade retracted. Almost immediately, someone crashed through the window next to him, kicking his head and driving him through another window. His body went limp.
The men stared at the assailant: a petite figure in a black hooded cloak, the side of which bore a white hand imprinted on it; the emblem of Death's Hand. Their face was covered by a black mask, a sewn-shut mouth scribbled onto its front.
"(Tiresias...!)"
"(He sent that creepy kid all the way here?!)"
"(Tear the fucker to shreds!)"
The three men fired their rifles at their assassin, who deftly swung their sword around to parry away the bullets. After several rounds were fired, the assailant deflected two of the bullets away, striking two of the men in the head. Both fell instantly.
The lone remaining soldier, the one who had previously been drinking, tried firing again, but his magazine was empty. He attacked with the blunt end of it, but the assassin parried it out of his hands. They grabbed the soldier by the neck, shoving his head into the singed seating with force belying their light frame. They finished the attack with a chop to the back of his head, leading him to collapse to the floor, gasping and coughing.
"(Ungh...you're just a tiny kid...what kind of monster did Pittacus create...?)"
The assassin raised their sword. "(Baba Yaga.)" they responded with a light voice.
As they plunged their sword down...
---
March 19, 2032
...Sakuya Hanakotoba awoke from her dream.
Early morning in the forested mountains near Sendai. The dawn was beginning to creep through the trees. She sat up from her sleeping bag. Digging through her supply bag, she took out her signature ribbon, and began tying her hair back. 
She spotted her phone in her bag. "....."
She turned it on. "*You have (5) unheard voice messages*" it read on the top.
With a sigh, she pressed the notification.
"(Heeeey, Saku, it's Sahir. I know you said you needed some time to yourself, but...your mom's calling me. I told her you went camping, but she's getting really antsy. I know you're dealing with a lot, but talking with her--or me--might help. Call me back, okay? Love you. Bye.)" the first went.
"(Hey, Saku, it's Ibuki. Just checking in to see how it's going. If you're still feeling down, you know I'm right here to chat with. Our door's always open for you. Maybe we could have another night on the town, help get our heads in order. I promise I'll keep the drinking to a minimum this time. Just call me when you get a chance.)"
"(Hey Mags, it's ya girl Kitty Kat. Heard you were in need of some head therapy. Luckily for you, I happen to be a master in the field. One pet of my fur, and you'll forget allll your troubles. For real, though...we're all here for you, Saku. You know you can talk to me about anything. I've got some birthday plans that I think you'll really like. I'd love to get your input. Call me quick-like. Bye.)"
"(Good day, Ms. Hanakotoba. This is Dr. Wolfe. I'm calling because your classmates have all expressed concern about your mental health. I understand that the battle may have brought some negative feelings to the fore. Professor Kubo and I are both here to talk to if you feel it's become too overbearing. I assure you, you are not alone. Let me know if you want to schedule a session.)"
"(Saku...it's Mom. Saku, I'm really getting worried about you, sweetie. You've been so closed-off lately. Your friends keep saying you're dealing with some personal stuff, but they won't say what. And that scares me. I've just felt for so long that you've been keeping something hidden from me. Honey, I promise you, no matter what you're hiding, I'll always be here to support you. You're my precious baby. I love and accept you as the beautiful young lady you are. You can tell me anything. Please. I'm terrified of losing you again. You're all I have, Saku. Please...just call me back. I love you more than anything else in the world. That will always be the truth. Call me, please.)"
The last message led Sakuya to cover her eyes, and begin weeping. She wanted to go home. But she knew that she couldn't.
The shadow on the ground, looking so much like the masked assassin from her past, was a testament to why.
---
Naruki City, Tokyo. 
Inside the cozy confines of the Kubo household, Rose sat at the kitchen table, her tea on one side and her laptop open in front of her.
Rin walked out of their bedroom, and yawned. "Morning, Rose. That was the same spot I left you in. Please tell me you weren't working through the night."
"Good morning, Rin. No, I didn't. I understand the importance of taking a break. I'm just organizing my files. I was going to see if I could schedule your younger self and Ms. O'Donnell for some sessions."
"Good idea. I know GoGo has plenty to work through, still."
"We really are staying with that nickname, aren't we?"
"Best alternative to causing any confusion. It's already surreal enough for me." Rin saw that Rose had Sakuya's file opened. "Has anyone heard from Sakuya lately?"
"Sadly, not to my knowledge. I left her a message, but I haven't gotten a response. It may be time to start sounding the alarm if we don't hear anything soon."
"It's such a sad situation. I wish she didn't have to use those awful skills again. We probably haven't even scratched the surface of what she's had to keep buried."
"My thoughts exactly. The things that Death's Hand put her through, and the acts they forced her to perform...it would be deeply scarring for anyone, much less a girl as young as her. I fear what the battle reawakened in her. Any confrontation with her would likely prove costly."
"I don't want it to come to that. But if we have no other choice..."
Rin's phone rang. "It's Ibuki...what could she be calling about at this hour?" She picked up. "Hello? Hey, Ibuki, what's--ah."
"What's wrong?" Rose quietly asked.
Rin's expression turned serious. "...alright. We'll be right over. See you in a few." The call ended. "Get dressed. I think...the worst-case scenario just happened."
---
Earlier, on the other side of Naruki, at Ibuki and Max's apartment.
"Do I look dorky enough?" Max was garbed in a dress shirt and pants, as Ibuki fixed his tie.
"Hon, you look spiffy. I'll bet anyone else interviewing showed up in a tank top and shorts. You've got this in the bag." she replied.
"I just don't want to mess this up. I've always wanted to do camera work, but being the personal cameraman for Tokyo's biggest weather girl...it's a lot. Especially when she's also Tsutsugo's wife."
"Don't sweat the details. Natty says she's not as prickly as the bleach-blonde ball boy. It'd be a super awesome gig if you landed it. Plus, if he ever talks shit at you again, you could say that you spend more time around his wife than he does."
"Oh, that is nasty. I'll definitely use it."
"You're welcome. There, done."
"How do I look?"
"Handsome maaaaan, my handsome maaaaan! All set to knock those TV peeps dead. Got your credentials?"
"Right here, color-coded and everything. Think I should wait a few?"
"Nuh-uh. Rumi always says, if you're not five minutes early, you're five minutes late. Business types love promptness. And you just know this is the day an ogre falls asleep in the middle of the road and blocks everyone off."
"I don't think the ogres followed me from the other world, but yeah, probably. Guess I don't have time to waste."
Ibuki kissed him. "Good luck! You've got this."
"Thanks, I'll try. Have a good day at work. See you for dinner."
He left the apartment. 
"Time to follow your own advice, Fireball. Gonna just grab a bagel, and--"
"Ibuki-chan."
Ibuki turned around. Sakuya had climbed in through the window, and was draped in a black hooded sweater.
"Saku! Why the...why'd you climb in through the window?" Ibuki hugged her. "Where've you been? We've all been worried sick! And what's with all the foliage on you? Sit down, we've gotta talk..."
Sakuya sat on the couch. "Let me get you something to eat. Have you talked with your mom?" Ibuki asked.
"...I can't."
"Saku, she's worried like nothing else. You have to let her know you're okay."
"Not like this."
"What do you mean 'not like this'? Saku, what's gotten into you?"
"A lifetime of pain and suffering."
"You're scaring me here, Saku. I'm gonna call Doc Rose up, see if there's any way she can--"
As she spoke, Ibuki was putting away the silverware in her kitchen. When she picked up a knife, it was suddenly knocked out of her hands, by the flash of a crimson sword.
Sakuya was now standing up, another sword in her hand, pointing it towards Ibuki. The look in her eyes was far more grave. "You'll be doing nothing."
Ibuki put her hands up. "Saku...put the sword down. I'm gonna call Doc Rose, and we're gonna take care of whatever's hurting you." She materialized her bow. "Don't do anything you'll regret. I'm your friend. I wanna help you."
"Help...? Friend...? I have no friends. Only targets."
"Saku--"
Sakuya lunged at Ibuki, swinging down on her as she blocked with her bow.
"Saku...stop it..." Ibuki could see it in her eyes that she was not in control. "Alright...you wanna act a fool...I can play dirty!"
Ibuki kicked Sakuya in the knee, knocking her off-balance, then took advantage of the opening and grappled her from behind, with one arm around her neck.
"Calm down...just...calm down..." Ibuki urged.
"Enemy...must destroy...enemy..."
"I'm not your enemy, Saku...you're the best friend I have...I don't wanna keep doing this...so just calm...down..."
Eventually, Sakuya stopped fighting. Her eyes looked up at Ibuki--filled not with merciless abandon, but sadness. "...I'm sorry...I destroy...everything..." Her eyes closed.
"Saku..." Ibuki grabbed her phone, while continuing to hold onto Sakuya, in case she regained consciousness. "Hey, Prof? We've got a problem..."
---
Max returned home about an hour later. "Oh, man..."
Sakuya was lying on the couch, asleep. Rose had her hand on her head, emitting a blue aura. Rin was also present. "Hello, Mr. Jadefang." Rose greeted.
"Hey...is Ibuki here?"
"She had to leave for work. We promised to look after Sakuya here until you got home." Rin answered.
"How's she doing?"
"I'm keeping her in stasis for the time being. Ms. Hinotama told us that she had a...very bad look in her eyes. We're trying to decide what our next course of action should be." Rose replied.
A knock at the door. Max opened it. Sahir sprinted in. "Where's Saku?!"
"Calm yourself, Mr. Musa. She's right here, unharmed."
"Then why do you got her asleep?!"
"Apparently she just tried to stab Ibuki." Max replied.
"Bull! There's no way!"
"Would they really lie about this sort of thing, Kicks?" Kat entered. "You know better than anyone that she hasn't been right since the fighting stopped."
"Tch...so what's really wrong with her?"
"We think that the fighting brought out conditioning from her Death's Hand days that she'd had buried since she left them. And with how long she spent fighting in that mindset, it's become more difficult for her to suppress the urges." Rin theorized.
"I just don't get it. Even when we first met her, she was never like...this." Kat said.
"Speaking from experience, she might've been good at hiding it. Or maybe it was meeting us that started breaking her out of their control. Either way, she's way stronger than me. How's she struggling this badly?" Max asked.
"The reason that I've long suspected. That the depth of her trauma goes far deeper than any one of us knows. Buried so far into her consciousness that she couldn't possibly remember all of it. I'm amazed she's still able to function in some ways." Rose replied.
"....." Sahir looked down despondent at Sakuya. "So how do we undo it? Everything the hand freaks did to her?"
"I honestly don't know if it's possible. Not until we see for ourselves how deeply ingrained in her psyche it is."
"So...we do it the old-fashioned way. We go into the Metaverse and find what's hurting her ourselves." Kat suggested.
"Seconded." Max added.
"Ditto." Sahir affirmed.
"That would seem to be our best course of action. But I would suggest we exercise caution. The trauma and secrets she is holding may be the most deeply-rooted we've ever dealt with." Rose dictated.
"Whatever I've gotta do. I told her mom I'd look after her. She deserves to have some peace."
"Alright. I'm sure Ibuki is going to want to join in. We'll wait for her to finish work, and then we can take it from there. Until then, we keep her asleep." Rin responded.
"Oh, Saku...what do you have swimming around in there?" Kat pondered.
As she slumbered, one image persisted in Sakuya's mind: the looming silhouette of that masked, black-hooded assassin.
---
Later that afternoon, at the apartment.
"Here are the coordinates." Rose handed Rin her phone.
"Sure you don't want to come with, Doc?" Ibuki asked.
"I need to remain here and ensure she doesn't wake up prematurely. If she were to awaken with her Death's Hand instincts intact..."
"Yeah, we'd be in a load of trouble. Better to be cautious." Max responded.
"Since when's that ever stopped things from going horribly wrong?" Tsutsugo stood in the corner.
Kat grumbled. "Why'd we invite him along, again?"
"We thought it would help if we had someone with first-hand knowledge of Death's Hand coming with us. And since your sister is a sea away, and my presence alone brings out audible groans from Mimi, Coach Tsutsugo was our lone option." Rin answered.
"Flattered as always, red." Tsutsugo replied.
"We're not gonna put up with the sarcasm today, man. This is serious." Sahir chastised.
"Alright, alright, just trying to ease up the room. Truth is, I don't know how much I can fill in. Pittacus kept Saku here close. I spent five years in that band, and when I joined, she was already pulling jobs for him. Never spoke that much. If someone disappeared, so did she, for a few days. Not hard to imagine what was going on then."
"Jeez, how old did that make her?" Ibuki asked.
"From what she disclosed during our sessions, she was seven when she was taken in by Pittacus. If what Tsutsugo says is accurate, then she was performing missions on his behalf when she was ten years old." Rose deduced.
"Ten years old! Old freak was making a kid do all that for him when he had plenty of followers already! Bastard..." Sahir exclaimed.
"Eight years of indoctrination...her cognition must be deeply warped by it all. This could make things incredibly difficult." Rin said.
"Prof, we just survived a multiversal war with wolfmen, elves, dragons and wizards. Whatever's causing Saku so much pain, we can handle it." Kat assured.
"Your protégé is right, Professor. Everyone helped pull me out from the darkness. We can do the same for Saku." Max agreed.
"Right you both are. We won't know how severe it is until we see it ourselves." Rin replied. "Alright, I think we're all prepared. Look after her for us, Rose."
"As I would our own child, beloved. Tread carefully." Rose responded.
Rin input the coordinates into the Metaverse app, and reality itself began to twist and bend around.
---
As the transport ended, the group appeared in their Metaverse uniforms.
"Man...how long's it been since we've actually come in here?" Kat asked.
"Kinda strange being back here after all those fights we just had. Almost like visiting an old friend." Max responded. 
The apartment's walls and furniture were still a vibrant pink, but now possessed an aesthetic evoking ancient Chinese decor, almost appearing to be drawn in a cartoon style.
"Still got that princess aesthetic, bro." Tsutsugo pointed out.
"I'd say something rude, but I don't feel like jeopardizing my career chances." Max muttered.
Footsteps approached from the hallway. "So, you came."
The group turned. It was Sakuya, but appearing to be a child, wearing pink Chinese warrior-type armor, which was very apparently big on her, the sleeves extending over her hands. Her hair was tied into a bun, her eyes were a yellow hue, and her voice was distorted.
"Saku! That...is you, right?" Sahir questioned.
"Why's she look like a little kid?" Ibuki asked.
"That and the way everything looks...doesn't really jive with the Saku we know, does it?" Kat added.
"I am Sakuya's innermost desires given form. More precisely...I am what she yearns for." Shadow Sakuya explained.
"What do you mean?" Max asked.
"Come. See for yourselves."
The Shadow departed the room.
"Should we? I don't have a nice feeling." Tsutsugo asked.
"Sakuya has a full understanding of her inner self. She doesn't see us as a threat. I suspect there's something else in here creating what we're seeing in reality." Rin replied.
"Let's see what she has to show us." Max said.
The group followed the Shadow outside. The city was similarly pink and cartoonish, sharing the same ancient aesthetic as the apartment. Replacing some of the buildings were large stuffed animals and dolls.
"It's like a little girl's paradise in here...not what I'd call twisted." Ibuki said.
"Take a closer look." the Shadow directed.
Present on the buildings, the streets, and the other structures, were glowing, blue handprints.
"This is all *her* doing." the Shadow said.
"Who is 'her', Sakuya?" Rin asked.
"The one behind my true self's continued misery. The manifestation of all of our torment."
"Tiresias. It's Tiresias, isn't it?" Tsutsugo asked.
The Shadow nodded.
"That was your codename in Death's Hand, wasn't it?" Sahir asked.
"The mask someone else wanted for me. From the very beginning, I have only worn the face someone else demanded. Never my own. What you see here...it is what I desire most. What I was denied."
"Innocence. Happiness. A childhood." the Shadow concluded.
"You suffered so much, didn't you..." Ibuki said.
"From the moment I could begin thinking for myself. The world told me I needed to be one thing. My heart told me something else. I hated what I'd been given. I wanted dolls and cute things. Skirts and dresses. That is what felt correct to me. But Father could never accept that. His 'gods' would shun me for it. For seven years, I had to hide my true feelings to avoid his punishments. But that was never enough. The whippings, the forced bathings, the 'exorcisms', all came with the intent to bend me to his will. I believe that given enough time, he would have killed me."
"But then...Death's Hand came calling." Max said.
The Shadow turned around. "Come along. There is more to see."
The Shadow walked the group through the city. "This walk is...pretty familiar, isn't it." Kat uttered.
"Like I've come this way hundreds of times. Or, maybe more accurately..." Rin continued.
"Like we're going home." Ibuki finished. "Saku...you're taking us to your old house, aren't you?"
"Where it used to be. All that lies there now...is my suffering." the Shadow replied.
What was once the quiet, comfortable residential district of Naruki had been replaced by large-sized children's toys, pink in color but vandalized with blue graffiti. Most visible, however, was the space that, in reality, was occupied by Sakuya's childhood home. It and the surrounding properties were now replaced by a gigantic, colosseum-like structure shaped like a blue hand, reaching out from the ground. It was surrounded by a moat, which exuded an ominous red glow.
"Woof...yeah, not getting good vibes out of this." Kat commented.
"This is the center of all the wrongs that have been forced upon me. The lives I was forced to live...and to end." the Shadow explained.
"What do you mean, Saku?" Sahir asked.
Tsutsugo bent down and looked into the moat. "...oh, geez."
"What is it?" Rin asked.
"Come and take a look. But just you. You kids...shouldn't have to see it."
"We're all technically adults here, Tsugi." Kat pointed out.
Rin looked over the edge. "...oh."
"Not a pretty picture, is it?" Tsutsugo asked, low enough so only she would hear.
The moat was not filled with water. What lay within its borders, were blackened, broken corpses, piled on top of each other. Scarlet cuts were visible on many of them.
"There's quite a few of them...I can make out some Wolfpack insignias." Rin spoke.
"Yeah. And that one..." Tsutsugo pointed to one in particular, with many cut marks across their body. "...looks a lot like that creepy Zeke guy."
"The fruits of my labor." Shadow Sakuya said. "Many by the order of Pittacus. Many from this past battle. All felled by my blade. The blade of a heartless demon."
"Don't say that, Saku! You're not heartless!" Sahir protested.
"Anyone lying in that pit would see it quite differently."
"Those Wolfpack thugs were trying to kill us! You did what you had to! They were the bad guys, not you!"
"They may have been. The ones I slew for Death's Hand, however..."
"Please don't do this to yourself, Saku." Ibuki interjected. "You were just a kid. A bunch of monsters manipulated you. Adults who should've known better than to pull a kid into that kind of world. I...know the feeling."
"Everyone here had a bad past, and a lot of us did things we regret. That doesn't make us monsters. Right, Sparky?" Kat asked.
"Couldn't have said it better, Kitty Kat." Max replied. "Your past is something you've been saddled with. It doesn't have to define who you are. You weren't born into this world to be a murderer."
"Hm." the Shadow uttered.
"What was that? Scoffing?" Rin questioned.
The Shadow turned to the entrance. "Better to explain in here. Come along."
Kat shook her head. "I don't like this. She's being way too dodgy." she whispered.
"Shadows normally aren't this evasive. They're a person's inner feelings given form. Is what she has to say really that grim?" Rin questioned.
"'Grim' seems to be this girl's only mode. Guess we won't be finding out if we stand here." Tsutsugo replied.
"Saku...what aren't you telling me?" Sahir uttered.
The group entered the hand-like structure.
"...I brought them." Shadow Sakuya said.
In a burst of shadow energy, a figure appeared, garbed in a black hooded cloak and mask. "Good."
"That uniform..." Max said.
"Haven't seen that getup in a hot minute. Just as freaky as the last time I saw it, Tiresias." Tsutsugo chimed.
"And you are as flippant as ever, Creon." 'Tiresias' responded.
"You...let Saku go right now!" Sahir demanded.
"Impossible."
"'Impossible', my ass! You're the parasite making her miserable! Why can't you get lost and let her be happy?!" Ibuki questioned.
"Impossible."
"Gonna play the bullshit game, huh? I'll humor it. Why is it 'impossible' to let her go?" Kat asked.
"I am her true nature. Her entire reason for existing is to serve, and take life. Nothing more."
"No, it isn't! You know that's a lie, Saku! You're more than just a Death's Hand assassin! Don't listen to--" Sahir retorted.
"She speaks no lies." the Shadow interrupted.
"Why are you saying that...?"
"Sakuya, what do you want to tell us? You've been hinting at it. There's no reason to keep hiding it." Rin spoke.
"You all have said that I was not born for this role. That wretched beings diverted my path. But what if I told you that my path was decided from the beginning?" the Shadow responded.
"What do you mean?" Max asked.
"Sahir-kun. Do you remember what we did the week before the battle?"
"Um...oh, I remember! That shipping container they found with all your dad's stuff. You asked me to help sort through it. Ended up trashing most of it." Sahir replied.
"Correct. But there was something I uncovered amongst his personal effects. Something that made me question everything I thought I understood about my life. I found a small container, filled with his old robes. The kind he would wear for sermons...and punishments. I looked through, and among all the average-looking ones...there was one with a familiar brand. My blood ran cold the moment I laid eyes on it."
The Shadow pointed to the hand symbol on 'Tiresias cloak. 
"You're kidding..." Max uttered.
"Your father...he was...?" Rin questioned.
"I needed answers. I found them inside a maximum security penitentiary. A former elder of Death's Hand, serving a lengthy sentence for various offenses. I pointed my sword at him, demanded he tell me the truth. He revealed everything. Father...was Pittacus' servant. My purpose for living, for my miserable upbringing...all of it was to serve Death's Hand." Sakuya explained.
"Didn't this Pittacus guy kill your father, though? Why would he kill his own lacky?" Ibuki asked.
"I was meant to be the ideal soldier for Death's Hand's quest for vengeance. Someone raised in such a horrid environment that they would resent everything about humanity and the gods they worshipped. My desire for femininity was used to justify my torture. And when it became clear that my father was about to end my life and spoil his plans, Pittacus intervened. He spun the lie that 'the gods' were the cause of my pain. He gave me security and everything I wanted, in exchange for my eternal service. And all the while, the 'gods' I came to despise...the ones my father worshipped so much...were the ones giving me those orders."
"Do you not see it now?" Tiresias asked. "This life was fated from the beginning. We were born to serve Death's Hand. There was never any other option. Pittacus signed off on our torture because it suited his goals, then masked his lies to make me forever grateful for his 'aid'. You say I was not born to be a monster? I say that is impossible. I was born *precisely* to be a monster."
"Oh God, Saku...I can't...that's horrible..." Kat uttered.
"Saku...while it might be true that you were born because of Death's Hand...you broke away. Of your own free will. Why? If you were so indebted to them?" Max asked.
"They sought to erase my soul. They would have succeeded, if not for one thing. My one keepsake." the Shadow began.
"The seal plush from your mom..." Sahir answered.
"A simple toy with a simple message of unconditional love from the one person who ever truly cared for me. The hope of seeing her again...it kept me tethered to my humanity. And then, once I was made to infiltrate the academy...and I started to interact with all of you...I began to understand the truth. Humanity was not as deplorable as I had been made to believe. I started to believe that I had a chance at happiness. So I thought, until recently."
"What changed, Saku?" Ibuki asked.
"You weren't the same after that fight with Zeke...what did he show you?" Sahir questioned.
"The same thing he showed you. My worst fear, made reality. Me, standing over my mother's body, a blood-coated blade in my hands. I realized then, how dangerous I truly am. So long as this darkness lies in my heart, I am a threat to everyone who comes near me." Shadow Sakuya continued.
"It is not so simple as expunging our dark past. How can I truly separate myself from something I was born to do? No matter what happens...I can never be free. That is why we came to your apartment." Tiresias added.
"Why me, Saku?" Ibuki asked.
"Not you. You." She pointed at Max.
"Me?" he pondered.
"You are the person in the group who comes closest to understanding us. Anger, born of pain. I wanted to know for certain if you believed that I could be redeemed. If I could ever live in peace."
"Of course I do. I don't believe for a moment that you're doomed."
"Even knowing how close I came to hurting the one you love?"
"That wasn't you, Saku." Ibuki retorted.
"It *was*. I could not bear the thought of hurting any of you, but you saw for yourself how quickly it could change. I am a danger. And if you saw that for yourselves, and knew the threat I posed...then I would have asked you to end my life."
The group were stunned. "End it...?! I'd never even consider it!" Max objected.
"You're talking crazy, Saku! I don't care what you were born for! You're not a monster, and we'd never even think about killing you! Stop...just stop talking like this!" Sahir pleaded.
The Shadow shook her head. "Do you really not see the danger in front of you? I'll only bring more pain and bloodshed to your lives. The choices are banishment, or death."
"And we're choosing neither." Kat firmly stated.
"Your life is invaluable, Sakuya. We wouldn't have come here if we didn't believe that. You don't need punishment for something that was forced on you. We're here because we want to help you." Rin added.
"Do you all really not understand? There's no saving me! I am a monster in every sense of the word! Look at that pit of corpses outside, and tell me that isn't the work of an inhuman demon!" Tiresias ranted. "My life...is worth nothing. I was born to serve. To kill. A weapon is worth nothing without a wielder. Without purpose, I am an abomination! For my actions...my past...my desire for acceptance...the world could only ever see me as a freak, far beyond help!"
Both sides of Sakuya began to shift together, before merging. Tiresias' mask fell to reveal her face.
"Rejection...or death...are all that await me. If you won't see that...then I will show you how dangerous I truly am!"
Nobody drew a weapon or summoned a Persona. Rin held her arm in front of everyone, and shook her head.
"What are you doing?!" Sakuya demanded. "Don't you understand what I'm telling you?!"
"Loud and clear, Mags." Kat replied.
"We're not gonna attack you, Saku." Ibuki said.
"I am DANGEROUS! I could kill every one of you in a matter of seconds! All I was built to do is cause pain and suffering! If you won't defend yourselves, you will die! Why won't you fight back?!" the Shadow questioned.
"Because you're our friend, Saku. And because you said yourself that you don't want to hurt us." Max replied.
"What I want doesn't matter! The urge to kill has been beaten and ingrained into me! That will never disappear! As long as I live, that threat will always be there!"
"You're really not hearing them at all, are you?" Tsutsugo questioned.
"This anger and bloodshed doesn't have to be who you are, Sakuya. We've seen for ourselves how you are without a sword in your hand. That person is not a demon." Rin replied.
"That person is a fabrication! A mask to be worn to satisfy others! That is all I've ever been! I try to live in a way that satisfies everyone, and look at how that's turned out!" Sakuya continued.
Outside, the corpses inside the moat began to twitch, and move. They climbed up from the pit, and started shambling into the arena.
"Red..." Tsutsugo looked.
"I see them. Give us just a few more minutes." Rin replied.
"Look! LOOK! Death is all I'm capable of creating! What greater meaning could someone like me possibly have?!" Sakuya ranted.
Crimson trees sprouted up from the ground, before dissolving into petals, which then reformed as blades, which hovered above the group, pointing straight at them.
"Fight back! Finish me! Save yourselves! A life around me will only bring you pain! Do it...do it...why...won't you do it..."
Sakuya fell to her knees. The lack of emotion she'd shown prior had melted away. It gave way to weeping.
"End me...please...I can't take this pain anymore...maybe I'll be happier in my next life...I could have peace...I might even be born a real girl...and I'll never have to pick up a weapon again..."
Sahir knelt down in front of her. "Saku."
"Please, forget about me, Sahir-kun. I can't cause you any more misery. Find a wonderful person, live a happy life, and consign me to memory. I can't be the reason for your unhappiness."
"I've already found a wonderful person. She's serious, thoughtful, responsible, looks majorly adorable in a maid outfit, and makes these cute little squeaking noises when she sees a seal."
"I can't be! I'm not..."
"If I had a problem with anything about you, don't you think I would've said so by now? You don't make me unhappy. Everything I said is exactly the reason I love being around you. That's the real you. Not what the hand cult tried to make you into."
"Saku, honey." Ibuki walked over and knelt down. "I know how easy it can be to get swallowed up by all the bad. And I know all about doing things you're not proud of just to stay alive. If I let all that keep me down, I'd still be on the streets. What those assholes forced you to do was bad, but that's on them for using a kid to do their dirty work. They're gone now, Saku. You're allowed to be you. And the you I know is beautiful, exactly how you are."
"I didn't think I'd ever make it back from my mistakes, either. You have to remember, it's the people who failed you that led to this. What makes you good or bad is how you move on from it. If you want a life of peace, you have every right to it." Max continued.
"If you never wanna pick up a sword again, Saku, that's totally okay. We don't love you because you could break a table in half with your bare hands. That serious attitude with all your little quirks is why we love you. It's who you choose to be. To hell with the hand freaks. It's *you* we care about." Kat added.
"Look, kid. Pittacus did you dirty. That is majorly messed up what he did to you. I guarantee you, he did that with a lot of people. It wouldn't surprise me if he was really behind my baseball career ending. You're lucky you've got all these bleeding hearts here to help you out. Not a lot of people would see all this and still want to save you." Tsutsugo dictated.
"That was somewhere close to encouraging, Tsutsugo." Rin said.
"I try."
Rin put a hand on the Shadow's shoulder. "I know this hurts. Everyone here knows what it's like to be haunted by the past. And that's exactly why we know this isn't your fault. You're not a monster, Sakuya. You're a bright young lady with a wonderful future ahead of you. But you have to make peace with your pain. And that starts with being honest with the person who loves you the most."
"Mother..." Sakuya uttered.
"She's made it clear that she'll always be there for you, no matter what. She knows what it was like to live in that environment. If you want to start healing, then you'll need to tell her everything. She's called so many times, asking if we knew how you were doing. She wants to help you. We all do. So please...don't give up on us."
Sakuya looked to the ground. She buried her head in Sahir's chest, as the others comforted her. The swords dissolved away. The corpses all turned to dust. The giant hand crumbled to pieces, sinking back down into the ground.
Finally, the black mask on the floor broke away and scattered to the wind.
---
The Kubo household, a short while later.
The doorbell sounded. Rose answered it.
"Where is she?" Lily, still in her work uniform, looked like she had not gotten much sleep in days.
"Right this way." Rose gestured.
Sakuya sat at the dining table, drinking tea and looking shaken. Rin was seated next to her. The others had been directed home by her, to give Sakuya time to recover.
Lily ran over to Sakuya, and embraced her. "Oh, Saku...oh, I was so worried..."
"Mother..."
"Where were you?! I tried calling and you wouldn't answer, and no one would tell me anything! What's been going on with you?"
"I..."
Rin patted her shoulder. "Take it slowly. You can do this. It's okay."
Sakuya, still nervous, took a breath. "Mother...the truth is...I've been hiding something from you. Something terrible."
Lily took her hands. "Tell me."
"I told you that, after Father died, I was taken in by a strange group. What I found out not long ago is that...Father was a part of this group."
"Masato, the old bastard...him being in a cult isn't surprising at all."
"There's more. The reason I was even born to begin with, was to serve this group. Father punished me so heavily, because this group wanted my heart to be filled with hate. The fact that I wished to be a girl was just a convenient excuse. And so when the day came where they killed Father and took me in, they told me that they offered salvation. But the truth is, it was all a manipulation. I was to be their puppet from the beginning."
"...I'll never forgive that old fool. Where are these people?"
"Gone. Most of their membership is either dead, imprisoned, or assimilated back into society." Rose replied.
"This is all awful, Saku...but why do you look so afraid? If they're all gone?"
"Because..." Sakuya's hands shook.
"Sweetie, if it's too much, you don't need to keep going. We can talk about it some other--"
"No, Mother. I need to get this off my chest now. The secrets...they're eating me from the inside. The reason this group wanted me, was to hurt the people that wronged them. So they put me through intense hardship, and when they deemed me ready, I...I hurt people. I hurt...so many people. They promised me everything I wanted. They made me believe they had helped me. And I...took lives for them."
"Oh...God."
"They sent me throughout the world on these 'errands'. I was only ten years old when it began. I did...I did so many terrible things, Mother. Things that no child should ever be exposed to. And it...haunts me every single day. I'm so sorry for keeping this from you. But...I'm afraid of you seeing me as a monster. The thought of it makes my heart ache. And I..."
Lily wrapped her arms around Sakuya. "...this is all my fault."
"No, Mother..."
"I should have taken you and ran. If I hadn't left you there with that man, we would've been so much better off."
"If you had taken me, they would have hunted us down and killed you. You're the one person that kept me from losing my soul. It was the thought of seeing you again that got me through all those awful years. If I'd lost you...I would be completely inhuman."
"She isn't going to jail, if that's what you're afraid of." Rose spoke. "She was a child and was manipulated by adults who have all paid or are paying for their crimes. None of this was by her own will."
"You have more to say, don't you, Sakuya?" Rin said.
The girl nodded. "I've been having nightmares about the things I've done. And...the things I could do. I've dreamt of hurting my friends and...you, Mother."
"I know you'd never hurt me, Saku." Lily replied.
"Just this morning, I attacked Ibuki-chan in a fit of anger. If something were to happen, and I lost control and...hurt you...I couldn't forgive myself. I'd never be able to move on. Sometimes I think you'd be safer and happier without me around. If you could start over, with a new family, and--"
"No. Never. You're my reason for breathing, Saku. The eight years I didn't have you were the worst. I was a miserable, drunken mess. I thought I'd left you to die. I could've won the lottery and be swimming in a sea of gold for the rest of time, and it wouldn't matter if you weren't there with me."
"You say that, even knowing the things I've done?"
"The things you were forced to do. It doesn't change who you are now. It only makes me want to protect you even more, knowing the awful things they did to you. I need to take you somewhere far from here. It's too much pain."
"Mother, no. I'm not forcing you to uproot your life again."
"I'll only be happy if you're happy. I'll move to the middle of nowhere if that's what it takes to give you some peace."
"I don't think this is something to rush into." Rin spoke up. "I do agree that a change of scenery could do Sakuya some good. But she's just started university in Sendai. You just got a promotion, yourself. Uprooting everything again might not be the right solution here."
"I agree. The more sound choice would be a personal trip, somewhere relaxing. A strong bonding experience for the two of you. I'm sure a travel agent like yourself can think of quite a few places like that." Rose affirmed.
"Guess we're long overdue for a girls' trip. Is there anywhere you'd like to go, Saku?" Lily asked.
"...maybe somewhere with--" Sakuya began.
"Seals?"
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Sakuya let up a smirk, and a giggle. "You know me so well."
"I'm your mother. Of course I do. I'm gonna start looking into travel plans as soon as we get home." Lily kissed her daughter on the top of her head. "I love you so much, Saku. We're getting through this, together. Let's get you some rest."
"Thank you, Mother. I love you beyond anything else. Kubo-sensei, Rose-sensei, thank you for everything."
"Of course. It's what we're here for. Take your time with healing." Rin replied.
"Don't forget to let your friends know how you're doing. You know it won't take much for Ms. Kit to start poking around your apartment." Rose added.
"It's a nice problem to have, being surrounded by overly concerned friends. I'll be sure to speak to them when I'm ready. Until then, I rest." Sakuya bowed, then departed with her mother.
As they walked through town to get to the train station, something caught Sakuya's attention. She looked at her reflection in the side of a building.
"Something up?" Lily asked.
Sakuya smiled, then shook her head. "Not at all."
"Good. Got any ideas on dinner tonight? I'm in the mood for something spicy..."
What Sakuya had not told her mother was the reason for her curiosity. Long had she looked in the mirror and seen that black hood draped around her.
Now, all she could see was herself. The mask and hood were gone. At last, she could be free.