Proof Among Paintings

Akechi's Final Interlude

"YOU WANTED TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED, DIDN'T YOU? TO BE LOVED? YOU'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT A PUPPET SINCE THE BEGINNING!"

The blonde boy once again verbally challenges the cognition, the sound drowned out by two rapid gunshots. One comes from the shiny gun pointed in the cognition's direction, but the shot goes wide and misses badly. The other comes from cognition's gun, the aim switched from Black Mask Akechi to the girl in the red and white. 

For a moment, Akechi sees it all go the way that would make it all strangely better. He watches the bullet enter Y/N's abdomen; a splatter of crimson dotting the ground, dotting her flats, dotting the white swirls on her button up. There is no sound that comes from her mouth; only a quiet, trembling breath. He can feel his lungs burn faster than he can hear himself shout. His next thought would be scrambling to help her, but he wouldn't be able to. 

But that would be ideal; he knows he isn't going to make it out of here alive. Instead, he watches a fascinating act of selflessness, an act of love.

The bullet from the cognition's gun is aimed toward Y/N's abdomen. It flies fast and unstoppable. If he wanted to, Akechi could will his feet to move and hopefully get there in time. Instead, he watches a bright blue hand swipe in front of the bullet, attached to a dark blue arm. The crimson does indeed dot Y/N's flats and the floor below her, but it isn't her body it hits.

The icy blue glove turns purple as the bullet flies through his hand. Fox- no -Yusuke's eyes widen beneath the white mask on his face. His fingers spread apart and tighten at the knuckles. This is the most pain he's ever felt in his entire life. 

"NO!" Y/N shrieks as the body of stupid Kitagawa falls to his knees. 

The world suddenly comes to a stop after the deafening roar of action. It isn't a long pause; maybe a few seconds before the chorus of guns loading fills all the ears in the room. 

"Is there anyone else who wants to waste my GODDAMN time?!" The cognition roars. "I have no problem taking care of all of you first!" In addition to the yelling dying out, the poof of four Shadows acting as surprise back up fills the stale air.

"He's not alone!" The platinum haired girl shouts, momentarily putting her gun down. "He has Shadows too...?"

"You know what? I'll let someone volunteer to take his place. Who knows? You may delay his death."

"Damn you!"

"You guys are all about doing things for others, aren't you?" The cognition snarls. "Oh, that's JUST the same as me! I'm going to take all the blame for our captain. I'll die for him, too."

Small Niijima makes some sort of comment, summing up what's happening around them. Akechi drowns that out as his hand wavers, lifting his own gun above his hip. 

"I'll give you one last chance," cognitive Akechi glances toward the Phantom Thieves, then sets back on Black Mask. "Shoot them."

A sharp laugh rises from Akechi's belly. It hurts on the way up and it hurts on the way out. "I was such a fool." He turns his gun to face Joker and clicks the trigger, letting his finger hover before making the decision.

"Yes, good!" The cognition cackles. "That's what our captain wishes to see!"

"Don't misunderstand... You're the one who's going to disappear!" In a flash, Black Mask turns on his heel and shoots the cognition directly in the side. It takes some of his own strength, but in another moment, he lifts and aims again. Glass shatters in the back by the stairwell, which leads to sirens lighting up and alarms blaring. 

"The watertight bulkhead door has closed. All personnel within the partition wall, evacuate at once." That's the only voice that sounds before a thick wall slides up between the Phantom Thieves and Akechi, sealing his doom.