The name I call you by

Flashback (5)

A few months prior...
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The gunshot went off, a single bullet flying past and leaving a mark on my cheek. I could feel blood dripping down from the cut and glass shattering behind me, the vibrations of a door moving shaking me to my core. My body moved without my asking it to, the metaverse seeming to slow down around me.
"Akechi!" I launched myself over the rising wall, fully aware just how dangerous that was, and landed safely on the other side just as it sealed shut.
"Joker! What are you doing?" I heard skulls voice rise over the rest, a series of surprised exclamations, concerned remarks, and... well, what skull said.
I rose my gun and pointed it at the shadow Akechi slumped on the floor and bleeding, my hand sitting on the hilt of my dagger.
"You idiot-! Did you not just-?"
"Shut up Akechi, and let me do this for you." The adrenaline of the situation brought me to say things I wouldn't normally, forcing words through my lips without them being considered first.
"Arsene!" The persona manifested behind me, it's wings spreading out and hiding Akechi's weakened form behind the black stained feathers.
"You're in no state to fight, so just stay down for a bit and let me do my god damn job!" My finger tightened on the trigger and a bullet went off, lodging itself into one of the shadows that the shadow version of Akechi dragged out.
"And if you don't, I'm more than happy to force the matter." I spoke these words a bit quieter so only Akechi would hear them, my tone conveying the words as a threat. However, it's better to not give the other thieves the wrong idea.
"Eigaon!" The red light built up around me for a moment before it went charging at the false Akechi; and so, the fight for his life and my own began with that.
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POV: Akechi
(Same time)
The recoil from the gunshot went up my already injured arm, I was barely even to pull the trigger to begin with. They've done quite a number, and I'd only- No... I choose to face death without them holding me back.
The heavy vibrations of the moving door could be felt in the floor, as well as the horrible sound of metal against metal as it rose, meaning to separate me and my disgrace of a counterpart from the Phantom Thieves.
Except... as I saw Joker moving on the other side and throwing himself over the moving door, I knew that wouldn't happen. He landed before me just as the door sealed shut, my knees giving out on me and sending me to the floor.
"You idiot! Did you not just-?"
"Shut up Akechi, and let me do this for you." The last two words echoed in my mind on repeat, making me feel dizzy. For... did he just say what I thought he did? Did I hear that right?
"Arsene!" His persona manifested, its red stained, black feathery wings spreading out slightly, just enough to hide me from my shadow self.
"You're in no state to fight, so just stay down for a bit and let me do my god damn job!" His words echoed out despite the protests of his friends, the growling of shadows, and the rattling of Arsene's chains. A bullet made its way from his gun and lodged itself into one of the shadows that had gathered behind the shadow version of myself, earning a twisted cry that sent a shiver down my spine. All this, and I'm still...
"And if you dont, I'm more than happy to force the matter." His words driving home a clear threat, and a sarcastic remark sat of the tip of my tongue. I bit it back, prioritizing living a bit more than my ego at the moment.
"Eigaon!" He called out his order, Arsene shooting a burst of the focused curse magic at my false self; for a moment, I was glad I that figure wasn't me as the curse spell met it's mark.
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"Damn it-! Yaldaboath was defeated, what's this doing back on my phone?!" A mixture of negative emotion built up and threatened to boil over; I took a deep breath, forcing rationality for the time being. I glanced over at Makoto, who had a similar reaction, though far less verbal. Her shock was still painted in her face when she met my gaze.
"What about Akiras?" She brought up a pretty good point; I followed her up to Akiras room, where she opened his phone- Akira, you should really put a lock on that... maybe I'll do it for you and leave you to figure out the password yourself.
There was no MetaNav on his phone, no trace of it either.
"Why would it have just been us, then?" Makoto placed down his phone after shutting it off, screen down, and started typing something on her phone.
"What are you doing?" It's a bit of a stupid question, but jumping to conclusions isn't a good way to get reliable information.
"Seeing if the same thing happened for the others." This time, my guess was correct. A memory popped up all of a sudden, from back in prosecutor Nijima-sans palace.
"Crow... it's actually a little frightening how sharp you are..." The black cats voice rang out in my head; why was I remembering that now? Actually, Morgana hasn't been around at all...
"Akechi..." Hearing my name pass through quiet lips pulled me out of my thoughts; I glanced at Makoto, then Akira when it was made clear the she wasn't the one who said it.
My gaze was set of Akira then, I fully noticed how pale he was, and how red his cheeks where. I knelt down by the bed and pressed the back of my hand against his forehead, not too surprised when it burned a bit.
"He's only gotten worse from before." No need to state the obvious... I kept my self directed thought to myself.
"It's better to just leave him be for now; nothing I did was helping him." I held back my sarcastic and rude responses, because Makoto didn't have to be here, she didn't have to come or stay on the line when she realized it was me on the other side instead of Akira, she didn't have to believe me to begin with.
"Fine then. I want to check out this new MetaNav, there's already information in it." The point of that though... can't be good.
"I'll trust you to stay here and keep him alive." Alive wasn't a term I had to use, but I did anyway. Saying anything else felt off to me.
I turned my back and left the room, sliding on my shoes and navigating into the metaverse.
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