Naoto was right. We weren't ready for this fight. Sarah and Teddie had run out of energy to use their healing spells, Kanji's electric attacks were absorbed by Shadow Tony, Yosuke was getting knocked down by every other attack, and Naoto was running low on bullets. As a result all five of them were at the end of the line. One more hit to any of them and they'd go down, not getting back up. "Anyone got a plan out of this?" Sarah asked. "Sadly nothing comes to mind." Yosuke sighed. Shadow Tony raised it's fist and threw it at her. Sorry Tony. Guess I failed you. There was a flash of white and the sound of metal hitting metal. "Huh?" Looking up Sarah found a blond woman in white standing before her kneeling form. Strange thing about her was that her joints had gaps that revile metal, wires, and gears. It was as if she was a machine. "What!?" Shadow Tony growled. "You shall be eliminated." The blond woman said in an even voice as she pushed back Shadow Tony's fist causing him to slide. She then held her right hand straight out to the side. Sarah watched in shock as her fingertips opened reviling her fingers were hollow. She then held out her right hand, fingers pointed at Shadow Tony and opened fire. "She's got guns for hands!" Yosuke yelled in shock. "Naoto who is she?" Sarah asked. "I don't know. I" Naoto narrowed her eyes at the blond woman before her eyes widen. "Wait that's Aigis!" She cried. "Aigis? As in one of Mitsuru's group?" Sarah asked watching as the blond woman, Aigis fought off Shadow Tony. "Someone please fill me in?" Yosuke asked. "Show you the files later." Naoto sighed. "Whoever she is she's clearly a machine." Kanji pointed out. To their surprise Aigis, who was clearly a robot of some kind summoned a Persona. "Palladion!" Her Persona appeared to be humanoid but then its head opened up and a large spike popped out. "A Persona from a machine? Now I've seen everything." Yosuke sighed.
Aigis had beaten Shadow Tony. But not without doing heavy damage to herself. Sarah and the team gathered round her to see what they could do. But the damage done to her was too great for them to try to repair her there. "Hey! He's still there." Yosuke pointed behind Sarah to Shadow Tony. Who was standing silently near them. "But why?" Sarah asked. "Sarah Tony's Shadow appeared partly because of the stress between the two of you. Maybe if you clear the air between you and him he'll disappear and Tony will wake up." Naoto suggested. Sarah gave her a small nod then stood and made her way over to him. She didn't know what to say. Letting out a sigh she shrugged her shoulders. "I don't hate you. I just don't understand you. Nothing seems to bug you and yet you push peoples buttons like you want them to get mad at you. Truth be told Tony I do want to get along with you. I worry about you when you look like the stress is getting to you. I wanted to say sorry to you for how I yelled at you but you were locked in your lab. You can be pushy and you say the wrong things more often then not but you are all I have. Yeah Pepper, Steve, Bruce, Thor, Clint, and Natasha are there too. But you're my godfather. And that in part makes us family. So if you still want me how bout we start over?" Shadow Tony gave a friendly smile and nodded before disappearing. Sarah felt a little better for saying all that. But she knew she had to say it, or at least the important bits to Tony. "Sarah!" Turning Sarah returned to the team and Aigis. "She's in bad shape. We need to get her help." Sarah agreed with Naoto. "Alright Kanji can you carry her?" Kanji nodded and picked her up as best he could with out damaging Aigis further. "Let's get back down to our friends and get her out of here." "But where can we take her to be fixed?" Yosuke asked. "Tony's the only person I can think of who'd be able to repair her. I just hope he's awake." Was Sarah's answer before she turned and leaded the way to the stairs.
Pepper had given up on worrying and begun praying for both Tony and Sarah. "Pep?" Opening her eyes Pepper gasped in shock as she found Tony looking at her. "Tony! Are you alright?" She asked as she helped him sit up. "I don't know. It's kind of blurry but I think Sarah and I made up." He told her. "What? But Sarah took off hours ago. She was really upset by what happened to you." Tony nodded. "Yeah. I think I know what to do now. Where's my phone?" Pepper quickly handed it to him. Tony had Sarah's number but he figured with her being mad at him he'd never have need of it. "My calls haven't been connecting. I hope she's alright." Pepper was relieved to have Tony back, but Sarah's location was still unknown to her. Clicking her number Tony listened as it dialled. "Hello?" It was Sarah. "Hey Sarah. Where are you?" Tony asked. "Tony! Thank god you're all right. Listen Tony, about what I said that night" Tony cut her off. "I know kiddo. I should've eased you into being around me. Start over?" He asked. "Yeah. Start over." She agreed. "Sarah Aigis won't last too long with out repairs." A voice called. "Tony can you get to your lab?" Sarah asked. "Yeah I can, why?" He asked. "I'm bringing in a machine in need of repairs and you're the only one I can think of that can repair her. She's in really bad shape." Tony nodded in thought. "Alright. Bring it in and Bruce and I will do everything we can." He promised. "On our way." With that Sarah hung up. "Tony what's going on?" Pepper asked. "Sarah's on her way back with some kind of machine in need of repairs. Jarvis get Bruce and tell him to meet me in the lab." Tony called as he threw off the covers and got out of bed.
"Ok Tony and Bruce will be waiting for us. Kanji you'll come with me. Naoto you better check in with the police department so you don't get another tail. Yosuke and Teddie go home and rest up." Sarah ordered. "Hold it right there." Ordered a female voice. Turning Sarah couldn't find it in her to be surprised at the site of Mitsuru and Akihiko standing in the opening of the ally. "Aigis!" Shouted Akihiko as he and Mitsuru ran over to them. "I thought she'd gone with Labrys." Mitsuru mumbled to herself. "We can ask her once she's repaired." Akihiko tried to take her from Kanji but he held her closer to him and backed away. "Sorry. Our leader has already given her orders regarded Aigis." Kanji's tone was the kind that left little room to argue. "Leader?" Mitsuru looked to Naoto but she shook her head. "Not me. I believe you know Sarah already." That made the two look to Sarah. "We can talk about this later. Tony is preparing the lab as we speak to repair Aigis. If we don't get here there soon she may end up as scrap metal. You two want to tag along then fine. But you aren't stopping us from taking her." Sarah was using the same commanding tone she had used in the other world. With a sigh Mitsuru nodded. "Alright then Sarah. We'll do this your way. Akihiko can carry her to Stark tower allowing your friend here to go home and rest." Sarah looked to Kanji and shook her head. "No. I know and trust Kanji. He'll carry Aigis." Mitsuru was left with no choice but to give in. "Fine. Lead the way." As the group left the ally the young man Sarah knew as Luke was watching them. "Now what happened here? Five of them look like they just returned from battle and one carries a broken machine. And little Sarah, a leader? I thought nothing could surprise me." He laughed.
Sarah didn't waste any time once they were in the tower. She took Kanji right to Tony's lab. "Just set it down here." Tony instructed as he waved to the table in front of him. Kanji carefully set her down and backed off allowing the two men to examine her. "Wow. This is some piece of work." Tony whistled. "And she belongs to the Kirijo Company." Mitsuru warned as she entered the lab. Sarah glared at her. "Doesn't matter who made her or who she belongs to. What matters is fixing Aigis. Can you repair her?" She asked Tony. Taking a look at the screens he nodded. "Will take some time but I see no reason why we wouldn't be able to. Sarah take them to the living room. Jarvis make sure there's lots of coffee. We're going to be at this a while." Sarah did as Tony ordered. Forcing Mitsuru to leave the lab. "Things seem different between you and Sarah. How'd you manage that?" Bruce asked. "I'm not sure. Before I passed out she was at my throat. But somehow after I woke up it was like we'd made up with out speaking or seeing each other. I think we fought again, in some kind of room. I don't know. Maybe I dreamt the whole thing." Tony shrugged and set to work salvaging what could be salvaged.
"So you lied to me. You did know about Personas." Mitsuru said as she sat with Sarah and Akihiko. "When you were in my place did you go around telling everyone about Personas?" Sarah asked her. Mitsuru smiled at her. "No, you're right. I shouldn't be upset that you lied. After all no one out side of those with Personas are allowed to know about them or Shadows." Akihiko nodded in agreement with Mitsuru. "So why did Aigis follow me into the other world?" Sarah asked. "No idea. After getting her sister back Aigis disappeared. We had no idea where she was until we found you and your team with her." Akihiko let out a sigh. "We'll have to hope that Aigis' memory isn't damaged when she's fixed. Other wise we may never know." He pointed out. Sarah sighed. "Sarah I noticed you and your team were hurt. Do you not have anyone capable of healing on your team?" Mitsuru asked. Sarah blushed in embarrassment and hung her head in shame. "When we learned the Shadow was of Tony I allowed my worry get the better of me. I pushed them into going into battle against the Shadow before we were ready and as a result Teddie and I ran out of power to heal everyone. It was a mistake that would've cost us our lives had Aigis not been there." Akihiko threw Mitsuru a look. "Sarah have you ever been in charge of a team before?" Mitsuru asked. "Not before coming into my Persona. But I have been training with them." Mitsuru nodded. "You can't blame yourself for pushing too hard. Even though you put your team at risk all of you survived the battle. In the end as long as everyone survives that's all that matters. Just be careful Sarah. Keep you team happy and together. You shouldn't have a problem as long as you do that." Sarah was grateful for Mitsuru's advice. "Thanks. Do you two still use Personas?" They both nodded. "Do you think you'd be willing to fight along side us?" The two looked between each other in thought. "It might help." Akihiko suggested. Mitsuru nodded. "Alright Sarah. We'll do our best to help you as often as we can." She promised. "Thank you." Sarah was glad to have more people on her side. And once Aigis was repaired she could join as well, if that was what she wanted.
Sarah groaned as she watched Peter hurry out of the classroom. School had ended and like all the other times he had run off with out giving her a chance to talk to him. So pulling out the slip of paper she headed for the street. If Peter's not going to talk willingly then I guess he's left me no other option.
Peter's aunt was more then happy to let her in and when Sarah explained why she was there she was told what room was Peter's and sent up. Which was why she was now standing in his door way with him struggling to form words. "Sarah? What are you doing in my room?" He finally got around to asking. "Well since you refuse to give me the time of day anymore I figured my only option was to give you no choice in the matter." Sarah was trying not to snap at him. She had just fixed things with Tony; she didn't need to have go through the same with Peter. "Sarah please leave." She narrowed her eyes at him. "Not until I know why you suddenly don't want anything to do with me. I text you, you don't text back. I try talking to you in school, you take off. Why? Why don't you want to be around me any more?" Peter let out a heavy sigh and shut the bedroom door. "Sarah there's no point in my having any involvement with the other world. I'm not like you. I can't use a Persona so I'm useless. Figured I was doing you a favour by stepping back and letting you fight those battles with out someone like me to worry about." He answered as he dropped into his chair. "That's what this is about? Feeling useless because you aren't a Persona user? Peter come on!" Sarah took a seat on his bed. "You were the first friend I made. If it weren't for you I never would've found the door and learned of this power. I own it to you." Peter nodded in understanding. "Yeah I guess. But" Sarah cut him off. "But nothing! Peter I don't care if you can't use a Persona. You're still my friend. And having you act like this worries me. It doesn't matter to me what you can and can't do. You are the one person out side all that chaos that I can talk to about this. The one person who at the end of the day will listen as I explain what happened and tell me where I could improve or point out things I didn't notice at the time. The one person who makes me feel like I have a normal life. I need you Peter." Peter turned away from her; but she caught the thoughtful look on his face. With a sigh he turned back around. "Well then you better fill me in on what I've been missing." He smiled. "Oh you missed a lot." Sarah laughed before telling Peter everything.
The next team meeting was held in a conference room that Mitsuru had paid for. After explaining Peter to Mitsuru and Akihiko they all went over what they knew so far. "So the mirrors act like the Midnight Channel and Shadows are able to form with out people entering the other world. But why?" Naoto asked herself. "Well the heroes are very strong and very well known. Since Shadows are made by the thoughts of people it does make sense for them to form from those people think about the most." Peter offered. "Odd. The story of what happened in Inaba as well as here in New York is far different then what took place for us." Akihiko voiced. "Perhaps the Shadows change with each time. Like how the dungeons they appear in both in the TV world and in Tartarus change when you leave." Sarah suggested. "Sound possible. However we don't know enough to know for sure." Mitsuru sighed. "Well what we do know is that we have to watch the mirrors around us. No one else seems to notice when the mirror changes to show a Shadow, so we have to watch how we react to it." Sarah pointed out. Everyone agreed with that. "Ok then. Sarah we'll inform us what days we train. I suggest when the mirrors start showing Shadows we double training days. Is that alright with you Sarah?" "Yeah Mitsuru. Sounds like a good plan for now." Sarah agreed. "There is something about this that bugs me." Everyone turned to Peter. "Jade and the others claimed that when the light gathers in a circle the Shadow all move towards something that appears in the other world. What do you think that mean?" He asked them. "Good question. Also what about the two dead bodies found near the ally the door appears in? Did they stumble into the other world or were they forced in?" Naoto asked. "At this time we lack details. Let's take it easy, one day at a time and see what turns up." Sarah suggested. Everyone could agreed to it. "Alright then. If there's nothing else I say this meeting is over."
"Hey kiddo." Tony greeted as Sarah entered the kitchen. "Hi Tony. How's Aigis' repairs going?" She asked as she got herself a cup to make some tea. "Alright but we are struggling a little. Never seen anything like her before." Tony poured himself a coffee and set up the kettle for her. "Thanks." She set her cup down and looked at the teas available to her. "Sarah. You and your friends are doing something the rest of us won't like. Aren't you?" Sarah had just been adding sugar to her cup when he asked that. She turned to him with a look that said I-want-to-tell-you-but-I-can't-let-you-stop-me. He waved a hand dismissively. "It's ok kiddo. I get that sometimes you have to do things that people don't like or want you doing. Just, make sure you guys come back alive alright? Do that, and I won't say a word." Sarah smiled at him. "I promise Tony. We'll come home just as alive as we left it." Tony chuckled. "Sorry kiddo but that's a lie." She frowned at that, not getting what he meant. "After all last time you looked about ready to drop dead when you got back." He teased. "Oh shut up!" She laughed. "You really don't know what we're doing though?" Sarah had to know for sure. "I know I saw some of what you did to help me but the more time passes the less I seem to remember." When the kettle whistled Tony poured the water into Sarah's cup. "For the best I guess. After all I don't want you to worry about me." "Now who said I was worried?" Sarah shook her head at him. "You know, either I've gone crazy or you really are a nice guy." It had taken a long time but Sarah felt like she was beginning to understand Tony Stark just a little bit. Everything came to a sudden stop around her and a card appeared before Tony. This is just like with Pepper. The card flipped reviling it to be the Emperor. Sarah almost wanted to laugh. Pepper's the Empress and Tony's the Emperor. They clearly belong together. The card faded and time started moving again. "How are things between you and Peter was it?" He asked. "They're great again. I cornered him in his house and got him to explain the problem and we were able to fix things." Tony nodded. "Good to hear. I better get back to Aigis. You most likely want her back in working order." He turned to leave but Sarah stopped him. "She could use an upgrade. From what I understand she hasn't had one in years so if you want to." Sarah trailed off, letting him fill in the rest. "I can think of a few things she might be in need of if she's going to be joining you and your friends in whatever adventures you guys are up to." Tony agreed. "Thanks Tony."