Chapter 10

Ellen had dinner with both Dojimas later that night. The news was playing in the background. After awhile Dojima said "Hey, mind if I ask something?"

"What is it?" Ellen asked.

"You aren't getting involved with any strange business, are you...?"

"Huh...?"

"What happened at the station this afternoon...it's still bothering me."

"Ugh, my head still hurts from it..." Ellen thought to herself.

"Is there...anything you're not telling me?"

"Of course not."

"...I see. Well, it's just been nagging me, that's all..."

"I get it, but I assure you there's nothing to worry about." Ellen said.

"What's wrong? Are you fighting...?" Nanako asked.

"No...we're not having a fight." Dojima said.

"This isn't the police station..." Nanako said.

"Oh, speaking of, how is your head feeling?" Dojima asked.

"Fine...why do you ask?" Ellen asked.

"Well...your mom always had this habit to where if something happen that she thought was stupid she would smack her head on the first hard surface she could find and...it's been habit to always get an ice pack." Dojima said giving a small smile.

"Huh, I've always wondered who I got it from..." Ellen said actually surprised to hear it.

"But anyway I agreed to look after you. So don't get yourself involved in anything that could get you into trouble. Got that?"

Ellen nodded and they continued eating hearing the other weather forecast as it said it will be sunny for a few days yet. Nanako asked "Is this lady the one who decides the weather?"

They both looked at her and she continued saying "'Cause when she says that it'll be sunny, it always is..."

"Uh, she's not really deciding it...Never mind." Dojima said.

Nanako looked at Dojima confused and they finished eating and soon went to bed.

The next day at school in the classroom, Yosuke asked "I wonder how Chie's doing? Too much stuff happened yesterday. I hope she's back to her usual self..."

Ellen nodded and soon the saw Chie come in. She said "Oh, morni'."

"You feeling better?" Ellen asked.

"Yep...um...Thanks for everything yesterday. It's kinda embarrassing, ya know? You two were right there to see my hidden feelings and all..." Chie said.

"Don't sweat it." Yosuke said.

She nodded and said "The same thing happened to Yosuke, right? Soooo...what was it like?"

"Huh? Uhhh, how should I put this...Oh, I nearly forgot! None of that happened when yours awakened, huh? Hmmm, could that be because you've got nothing to hide?" Yosuke said.

"Oh? So nothing happened for you? I gotta agree that you seem like a pretty open gal. There's a funny air about you...I dunno, I guess that's what draws people to you, or something like that." Chie said.

"Hhmmmm...maybe. But that dragon still bothers me..." Ellen said.

"Dragon?" Chie asked.

"Oh yeah! It was when she got her Persona. It changed at some point into a dragon and then after the fight it change back again. Wait, do you think that dragon was your-" Yosuke said.

Ellen shook her head and said "I don't know...That's just confusing even for me..."

"Anyways, what's most important right now is to rescue Yukiko I'm dead set on coming. Remember...You promised." Chie said.

They all agreed and then Yosuke ran off to go to the bathroom. It was just Chie and her now as Chie said "Hey, um...Th-Thanks for saving me...Yosuke's cool and all, but...There really is something different about you. I feel like you won't let me down..."

Ellen touched a little said "Thanks and um...sorry for slapping you."

"Nah its ok. I can take a lot more than that." Chie said smiling.

Ellen smiled a little too. They then shared phone numbers for the investigation. "We have to be careful of the fog that sets in after the rain, right? Let's save her before that happens!" Chie said.

"I agree. Let's head there right after school." Ellen said.

After a lecture with Mr. Kondo, who was the P.E. teacher teaching English, they all went to the TV world. They made it to the second floor again to find Yukiko though something didn't seem right. She wore that same princess dress she wore on the Midnight Channel. They ran to her as Chie said "Yukiko...?"

"Yukiko-san! Are you all right!?" Yosuke yelled.

She said nothing and Chie said "Yukiko...what's wrong?"

Suddenly a single spotlight came on and the other Yukiko said *chuckle* Heehee...Ahahahahahahaha! Oh my! Special guests? I wonder how they'll play into all this! *chuckle* Things are really heating up! Okie-dookie! I'm going back to hunt for my Prince Charming! Ohhh, where could he be...? This place is huge! It's sooo exciting, but it makes it so hard to find him! Ooh! Maybe he's playing hide-and-seek in the fog! Ready or not, here I come! Let's go further in then, shall we!?"

Then a giant sign that said "Princess Yukiko's hunt for her prince charming!"

Then it vanished with what sound of a crowd clapping. "Wh-What the hell is this!?" Yosuke yelled confused.

"You're not Yukiko...Who are you!?" Chie yelled.

"*chuckle* What're you talking about? I'm Yukiko...and Yukiko is me." the other Yukiko said.

"No! Don't tell me, are you-Where's the real Yukiko!?" Chie yelled.

"What's with these voices...!?" Yosuke asked.

"I don't know but, it's giving me a headache..." Ellen said.

"The Shadows are getting agitated!" Teddie said.

"Well, I'm off again! Heehee! You'd better be waiting with bells on, my dear Prince!" the other Yukiko said.

Then she ran off with Chie yelling "Hey, wait!"

She turned to the others and said "That clearly wasn't the real Yukiko. It had to be..."

"I think it was. It must have been the other part of herself." Teddie said.

"So it's just like what happened to us..." Yosuke said.

"But I don't think she was excited for nothing. The real Yukiko wants to show us something. I can feel it. It's hard to explain...It seems like she has a strong connection to this castle. This is a lot more dangerous than I thought!" Teddie said.

"Well no duh. Aren't we dealing with Yukiko's true feelings? If that's the case than of course it's going to be dangerous. Emotions are always dangerous..." Ellen said knowing all too well.

"Yukiko...!" Chie yelled.

Then she ran off. "Hey...Not again! Dammit, we told her not to run off on her own!" Yosuke yelled.

"No shit...Chie, came back, you idiot!" Ellen said as she ran after Chie.

They all ran through the next five floors to find the Shadow Yukiko and a shadow knight wielding a giant lance and riding an armored horse. "*chuckle* My Prince wouldn't lose to guards such as this, correct?" the Shadow Yukiko asked.

"Great...come on Teresa! Let's go!" Ellen yelled summoning her Persona.

The others did the same and soon beat the large Shadow. They then hurried to the last floors. However along the way they kept hearing more voices of Yukiko, yelling so she can be left alone. Ellen in some way can relate but, this ideology that Yukiko has was not going to fix things with her life.

They made it to the last floor and saw both the Shadow Yukiko standing there and the real Yukiko on her knees in her kimono. "I knew it...There's two of her!" Yosuke yelled.

They went closer and the Shadow Yukiko said "Oh? Oooooh, what's this? Three princes are here to see me!? My, my! Are you the surprise guests who came in late? Awwwww...I wish I'd gotten a better look at you!"

She closer and said "My, it's getting crowded here. Why don't you and I go somewhere else...? A land far, far away, where no one knows me. If you're my Prince, you'd take me there, won't you? C'mon...pretty please?"

Oooh. Is this "scoring a hot stud"!?" Teddie asked smiling.

"No." Ellen answered bluntly.

"Three princes...? Wait, does that include me, too...?" Chie asked.

"Duh! The third one's gotta be me!" Teddie yelled.

"I seriously doubt that..." Yosuke said.

"Yeah...the numbers still don't add up. Why am I a Prince?" Ellen asked.

"*chuckle* Yes, Ellen...she's a mysterious prince, coming from a land far away to live with commoners. She may seem like she doesn't care for others, but I know there's something there. Maybe with that, she can take me away..." the Shadow Yukiko said.

Ellen shook her head and the Shadow Yukiko said "And Chie...*chuckle* Yes, she's my Prince...She always leads the way...Chie's a strong prince...Or at least, she WAS."

"Was...?" Chie asked.

"When it comes down to it, Chie's just not good enough! She can't take me away from here! She can't save me!" the Shadow Yukiko yelled.

"Yukiko..." Chie said.

"S-Stop..." the real Yukiko said getting back up.

"Historic inn? Manager training!? I'm sick of all these things chaining me down! I never asked to be born here! Everything's decided for me! From how I live, to where I die! I'm so sick of it! To hell with it all!" the Shadow Yukiko yelled.

"That's not true..." the real Yukiko said.

"I just want to go somewhere far away...Anywhere but here...Someone, please take me away...I can't leave here on my own...I'm completely useless..." the Shadow Yukiko said.

"Stop...Please stop..." the real Yukiko begged.

"I have no hope if I stay, and no courage to leave...So I sit on my ass hoping that someday my Prince will come! I don't care where we go! Anywhere's fine! As long as it's not here, I don't give a damn! Historical tradition? Pride of the town? What a bunch of bullshit!" the Shadow Yukiko said.

"How dare you...?" the real Yukiko said.

"That's how I really feel. Isn't that right...me!?" the Shadow Yukiko asked.

"N-No..." the real Yukiko said.

"Stop! Don't say it!" Yosuke yelled.

"If you do, you'll-" Ellen tried to yell, but it was too late.

"No! You're not me!" the real Yukiko yelled.

The Shadow Yukiko began to laugh manically saying "Aaah! This is wonderful! It's building...more and more...If this keeps up...I'll...I'll...!"

She then changed into a monster. A giant red bird bursting out of a cage. Ellen kept her cool however saying "Ok, let's get this over with...Teresa!"

She and the others summoned their Personas and was ready to fight. "Hey boss, you sure we can handle this?" Jiraiya asked Teresa.

"All foes have weaknesses and we shall exploit that weakness in any way we can." Teresa said looking at Tomoe.

Tomoe nodded and they all heard the monster say "I am a shadow...the true self...Now, my Prince...Why don't we dance and make merry together? *chuckle*"

"I'd rather not since your way of thinking is bullshit." Ellen said.

"What!?" the monster asked with anger.

"You think someone can just come into your life and "save you"? That's a load and you're a fool to think otherwise. If you feel that strongly towards leaving, then get off your ass and do something about it!" Ellen said hoping for the real Yukiko to hear.

"Hang in there, Yukiko...I'm right here for you!" Chie yelled.

Oh really...? Then I'll make sure to give you plenty to deal with!" the monster yelled.

They all then began to attack with full force. Things were going well for then until the monster summoned a prince charming like creature. They tried to attack it but, its defense was too much. Once Ellen saw this, she yelled "Ignore the prince! Keep attacking the bird with full force."

After many more attacks on the monster, it grew weak and the prince, knowing it was a lost cause, ran away. "Oh no, my Prince..." the monster said.

She tried summoning it again but, nothing happened. "Why? Why won't he come?!" the monster yelled.

"Alright guys, now's our chance! Hit it with everything you got!" Ellen yelled.

They used an all out group attack and with that the monster was defeated and back to it's normal form.