A/N: Yes...I know I'm WAY behind schedule...school and work does that to you...I wanna apologize to all the people that read my story. After all I may not have many followers or favorites at the moment but, I see the statistics of my story...And people DO read it...that inspires me...And I'm sorry for making you wait...However another reason for this note is that I've made a change somewhere in my story...WAAAYYY back in the first chapter. You see I added a little scene in there when my cousin called me and told me that my opening had little flair to it...He was right...so I rectified that.
I added a little scene as I just said...You don't have to read it cause I'm gonna explain it in the later chapters anyway but...let's just say it'll be rather interesting if you DO re-read the first chapter...Anyways thanks for reading and for giving your time. ONTO THE SHOW.
Road to redemption chapter 11: The Chariot
"So my persona Izanagi told me that to summon your persona Jaraiya you basically need to do like a sync with him. Think of him as you and vice versa. Call his name and boom. Bad ass persona fighting for you." Kuro explained as he put on the glasses that Teddie gave him and Yosuke to better see through the fog. Yosuke did the same with his glasses as well as doing as instructed and sure enough, a blue card hovered in front of him.
"Wow...it really works!" He chuckled in amazement. "THEN what do I do?"
"Then, you crush or break the card in any way you want and HELP ME TAKE DOWN THESE FUCKING SHADOWS!" Kuro screamed as he and Izanagi were struggling to keep the two ball mouthed shadow's at bay.
"Sensei use lightning! I think that may be there weakness!" Teddie suggested hiding behind Yosuke. Yosuke seeing how Kuro was in Trouble took a swipe at the card with one of his wrenches and breaking it.
"Jaraiya! Use Garu!" He commanded as his persona unleashed a torrent of green wind on the shadows separating them from Izanagi.
"Zio!" Kuro commanded. as lightning struck one of the shadow's causing them to crumple on the ground. He didn't hesitate to rush forward and impale his sword into the fallen monster causing it to dissipitate into black goop. Yosuke tried using his wrenches to strike the last one but, got head butted by it for his troubles.
So Kuro had Izanagi fire another Zio on it and impaled his sword into the last crumpled shadow, ending the skirmish. This allowed the group a breather to take in their surroundings. They had all rushed into the castle after the rogue head strong, into the castle to see that the inside matched the outside. It was mostly red inside and even the fog within the castle took on an ominous red color. It was very fancy and artistic within the castle with Gothic glass pictures of Yukiko in her princess outfit on the walls, and long silk red carpets that seemed to travel on forever in the hallways before them.
"Hmm...You're good at fighting, Sensei. Compared to you, Yosuke stinks..." Teddie remarked which didn't go by well with fawn haired teen as was just now putting his glasses on.
"Shut up, Ted!" He barked back. "Though I do gotta admit, you seem to have a knack for this stuff." Kuro scratched the back of his head.
"I'm more of a survivor than anything...plus considering the fact that I've had more experience in fighting these things...it's only natural." He commented.
"Wowie! So humble! In fact I think you're so good, you should be the one to give Yosuke orders during a fight." Kuro raised an eyebrow.
"You're joking right?"
"Actually Kuro" Yosuke interjected. "It ticks me off to hear Teddie say that stuff, but I don't wanna cause trouble doing my own thing in battle. So don't hesitate to order me around." He said with a smirk. Kuro was immediately taken aback by suddenly being named de facto leader of the group.
"W-Wait a sec! Who died and made me commander!? Wasn't this whole investigation thing your idea?" Yosuke shook his head.
"Yeah it was but, you just said it yourself. You have more experience when dealing with personas and shadows, plus you seemed for fluid in battle than me back there...So I think you should lead our little mottly crew." Kuro still seemed a bit unsure.
"Urg...Alright but, only for now..." He relented with a sigh. Yosuke smiled as he put a hand on his new leader's shoulder.
"Glad to hear it. I'm counting on you partner." He said with a reassuring smile only causing Kuro to groan more. In all honesty he didn't think of himself as much of a leader. He hated that role. He hated being in charge of shit that seemed to be a bother to him. He didn't want to deal with the consequences of failing a group that looked towards him for direction.
"Oh c'mon Kuro have more confidence in yourself. Are you really that scared of failure?"
Kuro mentally snarled.
'Shutup Izanagi! How would you know what I'm scared of!' He swore he felt the persona roll his eyes.
"Because I'm you."
'...dammit I guess you got me there...it's just...I don't want to be the guy that everyone blames...when we fail...'
"Then don't fail." The persona replied. Kuro scoffed.
'You make it sound so easy...How would you kno-
"More shadow's incoming! Don't cry!" Teddie whimpered hiding behind Kuro. The boys whirled to the bear's distress and sure enough there were three more of those ball shadow's flying towards the boys. Kuro immediately on instinct started shouting orders.
"Yosuke use that wind attack to separate them and we'll em pick off one by one!" Yosuke was caught a bit off guard by his decisiveness but, complied.
"Garu!" He shouted breaking a card as Jaraiya indeed successfully separated the shadow's to divide and conquer them.
"Izanagi!" Kuro felt a major sudden burst in power as he summoned another card. "Zio!" For some reason this zio was much stronger than the last ones he had fired, and it immediately vaporized one of the shadow's into nothingness. Seeing him as the biggest threat the remaining two hurled at Kuro only to be intercepted by Izanagi. They bit into his blade as the two boys retaliated.
"Bash!" Yosuke shouted as Jaraiya threw ninja shuriken at one of the shadow's striking it in the side causing it to back off of Izanagi.
"Cleave!" Izanagi then used his blade to slice the remaining shadow that was on the blade in half reducing it to goop. Leaving only one more.
"Let's finish it off good! Zio!"
"Got it partner! Garu!" The boys launched their respective persona's elemental powers at the remaining shadow reducing it to goop like it's brethren ending the fight.
"Nice quick orders Kuro!" Yosuke praised him. "For someone so reluctant to be a leader you weren't so bad back there." Kuro scratched his head.
"Yeah...I suppose." He said still not convinced of himself. Izanagi still in his materialized form, turned to both boys surprising both boys as he spoke.
"Come now Kuro have some confidence in yourself. A lack of that and it could prove to be your downfall." He advised as he and Jaraiya then vanished returning to both boys' psyche.
"So...Your Persona can talk too?" Yosuke asked.
"...Too...?...Wait...Your persona can talk to you like mine can talk to me?" He asked realizing something. Yosuke nodded.
"Yeah...I just never told you cause you never said anything about it...I thought I was going a bit crazy for the longest while...Heh heh...shows what I know?" He joked a bit.
"Whatever man I-" Kuro stopped dead in his tracks when a roulette of cards starting rotating around him.
"..."
"...something wrong dude?" Yosuke asked. Kuro deadpanned as the roulette of cards continue to circle around him.
"You don't see this shit?" He asked Teddie and Yosuke. They both shook their heads.
"See what?"
"...Why is it always me?...wait a minute..." He said to himself as Igor's words suddenly rang in his mind from earlier.
"When you defeat an enemy, the seeds of possibility you attain will appear before you as cards. At times, they may be hard to grasp...but you must master your fear and reach out to them."
'...I didn't think he meant that literally...' Kuro thought as he looked at the rotating cards. One card had red sword on it. One had a picture of what looked like a puddle of slime. One card was blank, another had what looked like a small fairy.
'The fairy looks the least threatening...so...' Kuro said as he reached out and grabbed the fairy. The card turned into a blue aura that suddenly blinded all three party members involved. Once the light dissipitated Yosuke asked another million dollar question.
"What the hell was that."
"Yeah! It was beary bright! So bright by beady bear eyes could bearely stand them!" Teddie complained. Kuro rolled his eyes.
"Would you quit the damn bear puns!?"
"HAHAHAHAHAHAH! But, there soo funny Ku-chan~! So beary funny indeed!" A high pitched cheerful voice called out getting the attention of all boys. The voice came from Kuro's right shoulder as he looked and found the fairy that was on the card now sitting on his shoulder. She looked no bigger than his hand.
"...Dafuq?" He muddled out. The fairy just laughed harder.
"You're so funny Ku-chan! I was expecting a crazier reaction but that works!" She cheerfully exclaimed.
"Kuro...what in the world."
"I don't know Yosuke...I...Who or what in the blue hell are you?" He asked as calm as he could wanting to solve this next mystery as soon as possible. The fairy simply smiled.
"I'm pixie! One of you're new persona's! Nice to meet you!" Yosuke and Teddie both looked understandably surprised.
"New Persona? Wow sensei that's so cool I didn't know you can hold multiple persona's!"
"Wait! you can hold more than one? How come I can't do that?" Yosuke asked a bit jealous. Kuro shrugged.
"I don't fuckin know...apparently I just can't be weird in a normal way...So wait...I can still use Izanagi right?" Pixie nodded.
"You can keep using Izanagi! You just have to call our respective names to switch! It's pretty easy! Oh by the way! I can heal and use lightning just so you know. In fact I can heal your friend if you want!"
"That's...actually pretty useful...OK um...how do I do-OH" Kuro suddenly realized a word popped in his head. "...Um...Dia?" He said as he crushed another blue card as Yosuke's bruises suddenly healed from the first fight he had with the shadow's.
"Whoa! that's some nifty move you just did! I feal a bit better now!...Hey I think I can do the same spell you did partner!" He said cheerfully said as he crushed his own card summoning Jaraiya and using him to heal his more of his wounds. "Holy crap this is awesome!" He said elated to have all these special abilities.
"So we can learn new spells and attacks with our persona's?" Kuro asked curiously. Pixie nodded.
"Yup! The more you use you're powers on Shadows and other beings the more experienced and stronger we get!"
"So it's...just like pokemon?" The fairy nodded.
"Exactly Ku-chan!" Kuro frowned.
"...Why do you keep calling me Ku-chan...that sounds ridiculous." The miniature persona only smiled.
"Cause you're a cutie piiiiiieee!" She said cheerfully once more pinching his cheek causing a tick mark to appear on his forehead and cause a Yosuke to start chuckling.
"The hell are you laughing about!?" He asked ticked. "And cut it out! It's Kuro not Ku-chan! Kuro! What do I look like a girl?" He asked incredulously. She flew in front of him with a grin.
"Mmmmmaaaaayyybeeeee?" She said sickeningly sweet to Kuro's annoyance.
"I like her." Yosuke said with a smirk.
"Y'know what else you'd probly like? A boot up your ass if you don't shut it." Kuro threatened. However he yelped as he felt a bolt of lightning strike his behind.
"Ku-chan! Be nice to your friends, It's hard enough for you to make any with your grumpy attitude!" Yosuke started laughing hard at this point, even Teddie had to giggle a bit at the fairy disciplining Kuro as if she were his older sister. Kuro only groaned while rolling his eyes.
"And I have to deal with you for the rest of my life...You're really a part of my psyche?" He asked hoping for a glimmer of hope of not having to deal with her any more than he already had. Those hopes were shattered when she happily nodded.
"Yup! Lets have fun in the future kay?" She declared as she dematerialized back into the confines of Kuro's mind.
"Great...Just great...If there are any persona's like her I shudder at the thought of dealing with more than one of her." Kuro drily complained. Yosuke smirked and clapped on the back.
"Don't worry 'Ku-chan.' I'm sure you'll get used to he-ok I'll shutup now." He said quickly when Kuro gave him a death glare. He sighed.
"That fairy better be worth the trouble."
"I heard that!" She called out within his mind. Kuro ignored her as he lead his group further down the halls in the castle.
...
After wandering the halls the small group went a up a small flight of stairs until they came upon a massive set of double doors. Teddie sniffed the area before nodding.
"My nose tells me she's behind here! We'd better hurry guys, she doesn't have glasses on! It's too dangerous for her here!" Yosuke swore.
"Geez, that girl...Let's hurry after her, Kuro!"
"Right! The sooner we reach her, the sooner we can scold her for doing something so damn foolish!" He said feeling more determined about the rescue than usual. He couldn't quite pin point it but, for some reason his mood felt slightly lighter and he felt more determined since he got Pixie. He couldn't quite explain it but, it was like the fairy was changing his mood. Nonetheless the boys pushed the doors open to find Chie in a spacious room staring up into empty space.
"Chie! Are you alright!" Yosuke asked.
"What the hell were you thinking running off like that!? Were you trying to get yourself killed!?" Kuro scolded. However to both boys surprise she paid them no mind and continued to stare into space, her back turned.
"Chie?" Yosuke called again but, once more with no response. That all changed however when a voice echoed throughout the room.
"She said that red looks good on me..." It was Yukiko's voice that echoed through the room.
" Yukiko-san!?" Yosuke exclaimed as all the boys looked around to the source of the voice to no avail.
"I hated my name...Yukiko..."Snow"...Snow is cold and it melts quickly. It's transient...worthless. But it's perfect for me...Apart from inheriting the inn, I'm worthless. Still...Chie told me that red looks good on me." Kuro winced.
"Man...talk about self-esteem issues..."
"Are these...Yukiko-san's inner thoughts? I remember hearing Senpai's, too..." Yosuke wondered. Teddie nodded.
"Yeah. This castle is probably here because of this Yukiko person."
"Yukiko..." Chie said sadly wondering if this was truly how her best friend felt all this time. The voice however continued.
"Chie was the only one who gave my life meaning. She's bright and strong, and she can do anything. She has everything that I don't...Compared to Chie, I'm...I'm...Chie protects me. She looks after my worthless life, and I...I don't deserve any of it. Chie is so kind..." Chie's lip quivered as tears started to gather at her eyes at the horror of this.
"Yukiko I..I.."
"Chie is so kind," huh? What a joke." A distorted form of Chie's voice called out from in front of her.
"Wh-What!?" Chie stuttered using her sleeves wipe away the tears and look forward to something walking out of the shadows of the room...It was her...with golden eyes and a malicious dark aura surrounding her. She had one of the creepiest and unsettling grins that Kuro had possibly ever seen and that was saying something.
"Oh man...Is that...!?" Yosuke felt a feeling of dread cross over as he had obviously seen this before.
"It's just like Yosuke!" Teddie exclaimed. "She lost control over her suppressed self! Now it's a Shadow!"
"Shit!" Kuro cursed. "Talk about a major twisted case of Dejavu!" Chie's shadow started cackling maniacally before speaking on.
"Are we talking about THAT Yukiko!? She says I'm protecting her!? She says she's worthless! *chuckle* That's how it should be, right?" She said twistedly and sadistically. Kuro had met some pretty nasty people in his life but, lord alive there was something about the way Shadow Chie spoke and grinned that sent major chills down his spine. It was a whole level of creepy. Even creepier than Yosuke's shadow.
"Wh-What're you saying?" Chie demanded, stunned. The shadow chuckled before having whistfull look in her eyes.
"Yukiko's sooo good looking...sooo fair-skinned...sooo feminine. She's the one all the guys drool over. When Yukiko looked at me with such jealousy? Man, did I get a charge out of that." Jealousy and unbridled envy laced every tone of Shadow Chie's voice. "Yukiko knows the score. She can't do anything if I'm not around. I'm better than her...Much, much better!" She sneered venomously.
"No! I have never thought that!" Chie denied fiercely stomping her foot in frustration and disbelief.
"Wh-what're we gonna do?" Yosuke asked frantically.
"We gotta stop this!" Kuro exclaimed. "I think if she denies her shadow like you denied your's It'll go berserk and attack. We can't let that happen!" Teddie nodded determined.
"Sensei is right! We need to protect Chie-chan right now!" With that all three sideliners ran into to stop this but, all it accomplished was Chie freaking out on them.
"N-No, don't come near me! Don't look at me!" Kuro rolled his eyes.
"Stop freaking out will you!? It's not helping just calm down!"
"No...No, this isn't me!" She denied as she ignored the boys' warnings
"W-Wait, stupid! Don't say anything else like that!" Yosuke shouted frantically to stop what could be the inevitable. Shadow Chie just chuckled enjoying the original's reactions.
"That's right. I'm the one who can't do anything... I can't win as a girl, let alone as a person. I'm pathetic. But Yukiko...She depends on me. *chuckle* That's why she's my friend. I'll never loosen my grip on her...She's too important to me." Chie shook her head frantically holding her head not wanting to believe any of it.
"No...That is not how I think of her..." Shadow Chie just laughed harder enjoying the real Chie's internal struggle.
"Oooooh is it now? It's how you think of everyone who's close to us. Even that insensitive prick Narukami..." Kuro raised his eyes at his name being called out. "He doesn't act the way you want him to. He acts the way HE wants without a care in the world, hardly showing kindness and tact around others. He's nooooothing like Yukiko...He's defiant, uncaring, and doesn't give a shit about other people's feelings. He's unwilling to be controlled. People like him don't deserve to be my friend, much less someone who can serve my needs. He's worse than useless. He's trash!" She spat showing hints of venomous anger in her voice.
"..." Kuro was speechless. Chie denied and denied even more.
"Kuro no! I-I-
"I what? It's true ins't it? At least Yosuke is willing to show some submission to me from time to time. Yukiko is practically ALWAYS begging for my help with EVERYTHING...but him..." She continued now glaring at Kuro making him feel very uneasy. "He's a moody little shit head who smacks and yells at people who do something he doesn't like. Seeing THAT it's nooo wonder he's adopted. His parents probably couldn't deal with him any more than I can! People like him have no worth to me and are better off dead!" Yosuke was surprisingly the next one to speak.
"Chie...is...is that...-
"No! It's a lie! All of it!" She shrieked with a tears of anger forming in her eyes. The shadow was laughing like a maniac.
"So you're just gonna turn your back and deny me again? But things are different now. When the times comes, I'll be the one left standing. You won't mind, right! I'm still you!"
"Shut up!" Chie yelled defiantly having heard enough. "You're..."
"Chie, no!" Yosuke said trying to prevent her denial.
"You're not me!" And failing.
Everything went frightningly quiet for what felt like minutes. However in a matter of seconds Chie's shadow grinned even wider than anyone thought possible as, dark shadow-like energy began flowing towards her. With her laughing all the while. she began cackling like a hyena when her dark malicious aura grew taller and taller by the second.
"Aaagh!" Chie shouted when she got knocked on her back as her shadow burst into an explosion of dark energy revealing it's new form.
Shadow Chie's skin was an unnatural pail grey as she wore yellow scantily clad clothing. She had Yellow high heel boots and gloves and barely enough yellow clothing to cover her other parts of her body. Her face was covered in a yellow cone like hat that had eye holes and an eeire red stitched smiley face above it. The eye holes looked as if she were glaring. She had a long red chain whip in her hand as she sat on what looked like three clones of Chie's holding her up as if she were a dominatrix mistress. She also had extremely long black hair that went all the way down to the ground. The ends of the hair resembled long flexible spears, each strand of hair sharp at the end like a weapon. She looked down at the party as if she were looking down on peasants not worthy of kissing her boots.
"I-It's coming!" Teddie shakily warned. "You have to use your powers to save Chie-chan!"
"I am a shadow...The true self...What do you guys think you're doing? Trying to defend the "real" me? Then You're gonna pay the price!" She said menacingly as revealing a chain from her side that was collaring all of the pale Chie clones she was sitting on top of. she took her red whip in her left and snapped down at them down in intimidation. Yosuke got out his wrenches and stood defiantly.
"Shutup! Quit being such a pain! Chie...just hang in there a little longer..." He said as he turned to Kuro. "You ready partner!?...Kuro?" Kuro didn't reply however as he was to busy giving a blank, empty stare to the fallen Chie who was on her side unable to get up.
"..."
"...Kuro...is this about the things she said? C'mon man we can worry about that later we have to fight!" Yosuke urged him on. He still got no response, as Kuro was too invested in his thoughts to do much of anything right now.
'...She's just like them...She hates me for who I am...Like everyone else...' Kuro thought bitterly. 'Maybe she's right...Maybe I do have a shitty attitude...but, if people like her really think that...why should I give her a good attitude...?'
"So you would leave her here to die?...for not liking the kind of person you are...? Your right...In a way she kind of is like them...But, that's because she doesn't know the real you." Izanagi spoke. Kuro raised an eyebrow.
'Real me...?...And why should I give her the chance to know the "Real me"...Why should I care what happens to her...?...Her shadow is a representation of her inner true thoughts right?...If she thinks I should be dead...why help her live?' He thought angrily waiting for a response from Izanagi.
"...In the end it's your choice what you do...I'm just your Persona...I simply help you face the hardships in life...but, let me ask you something...Rick..." Kuro grit his teeth.
'Don't call me that-
"Could you live with yourself if she died...And you had the opportunity to stop it...and did nothing...Could you leave Yosuke to fend for himself and sleep at night...If she doesn't know the real you...Then let her understand the real you...show her behind that crude facade of yours...that you aren't what she thinks you are." Kuro mulled over his persona's thoughts...He was thinking about telling him to shove it...but, then he realized something...
To leave her to die would make him the biggest hypocrite in the world...Nobody helped him when he fled the states...Not even friends or family...So why should he do what they did...
'I'm better than them...' Kuro thought angrily with grim determination as he readied his blade, and got into a stance. 'I'm...I'm better than all of them...!'
"Kuro?" Yosuke asked now seeing Kuro getting ready. Kuro looked in determination at Yosuke...A fire in his eyes...
"You ready partner?...This bitch is probably gonna be a tough one..." Yosuke blinked before smiling.
"You betcha!" He said both boys now getting in front of Chie.
"Huh...Think you can stop me that easy!?" Shadow Chie leered.
"Teddie get Chie a safe distance from here!" Kuro barked at him as the bear complied with a bit of difficulty dragging her semi-unconscious body from the battle that had just began
"Cleave!" Kuro yelled with a passion summoning Izanagi with the persona charging at Shadow Chie.
"Bash!" Yosuke shouted as Jaraiya also appeared throwing shuriken stars at Shadow Chie. Both attacks hit their mark but, seemed to have little affect on her, barely even scratching her.
"Wh-What the fuck!?" Kuro sputtered taken aback.
"Our attacks barely did a thing! What's going on!?" Yosuke asked frantically.
"Physical attacks aren't very effective on her guys! Try using elementals!" Teddie suggested from afar.
"I won't give you the chance! Kneel before me! MAZIO!" The shadow screeched as bolts of lightning struck both boys. Kuro unsurprisingly wasn't all that hurt by the lightning since Izanagi was resistant to it. Yosuke however crumpled to the ground like he just got stabbed, howling in pain.
"She can use lighting to?" Kuro said rubbing his now stung arm.
"Sensei you weren't hurt all that much because your persona is resistant to lightning. However Yosuke's weakness IS lightning! It hurts a lot more for him because that's his persona's weakness!"
"I don't mind hurting you here and there. After all it looks like you wont understand how little of a chance you stand against me without a little pain!" She boasted. "Bottomless envy!" As she yelled that, most of her spear like hairs came to life, homed in and stabbed Yosuke where he sat blood spurting from his wounds with the poor boy howling in pain.
"Ku-chan, quick bring me out so I can heal Hana-chan!" Pixie suggested within Kuro's mind.
"R-right! Pixie use Dia quick!" Kuro exclaimed frantically breaking a card and summoning the small fairy. She used her powers to heal most of Yosuke's wounds stopping the bleading.
"ugh...Damn it...thanks partner..." Yosuke slurred getting back to his feet feeling a bit reenergized. However as he was getting up Kuro got whipped by Chie's red chain right on the shoulder causing him to grunt in pain.
"AHAHAHAHA! How lame! You're all so deadly serious, and We've only gotten started!" Kuro was starting to get very annoyed by this shadow's jeers. She certainly talked more than Yosuke's shadow. "NOW! MA-
"ZIO!" Kuro yelled using pixie to fire a bolt of lightning at Shadow Chie. To Kuro's surprise It had a degree of effect against her.
'I guess just cause she can use lightning doesn't mean she's resistant to it.'
"Garu!" Yosuke yelled firing a torrent of wind at her. To both boys surprise this caused the bottom clone to crumple on the ground slightly, and Shadow Chie looked completely out of it from the attack. If this were pokemon Kuro would say Yosuke's wind attack was super effective!
"Her weakness is wind! Yosuke keep using attacks like that and we can win!" Teddie shouted.
"Lets dog pile her while she's down Yosuke! Get her!" Kuro bellowed charging at her giving a ferocious lion-like roar with his deep base voice, while Yosuke followed behind him as they tackled Shadow Chie with her clones, stomping, smacking, and even biting to do as much damage as possible to the shadow. It was chaos.
"ENOUGH!" Shadow Chie then used her long hairs to snare both boys suspending them in the air. "You too have annoyed me long en-
"Cleave!" Kuro was able to summon Izanagi with a free hand using his massive Naginata blade to cut the hair that had grabbed both boys freeing them.
"MY HAIR! You'll pay fo-
"Garu!" Yosuke didn't let her finish either as he summoned another wind torrent that caused her to clone-like throne to faulter yet again with her. Both boys now free of the hair snairs got back into fighting position.
"Alright lets do what we did last time but, with our Personas! You ready!?" Yosuke nodded.
"Damn right I am partner! Let's do this! Jaraiya get her!" Yosuke summoned his persona while Kuro summoned Izanagi. Ordering there Personas to go they did what the boys did last time basically giving an all out attack but, with much for effectiveness giving off more damage to Shadow Chie. She had bruises and cuts all over her nearly bare body oozing black blood.
"Are you guys idiots!? Why are you protecting her like that!? She's nothing but a grubby bitch! Wind Wall!" With that she summoned a shield of green that appeared briefely around her before fading away.
"Careful guys wind attacks wont be so effective against her for now!"
"Damn it! There goes our gameplan! Ok new plan. Yosuke get behind me! I'll tank this bitch so we can finish this!" Kuro suggested raising his katana getting ready to charge.
"What are you planning to do?" Yosuke asked getting behind him.
"I think I have a plan."
"Kuro!" Izanagi called within his mind. "I have an idea of what your planning and I may be able to help. Yell this spell-
"Rakunda!" Kuro yelled summoning Izanagi who created a small purple orb that hit Shadow Chie. It didn't seem to do anything.
"Sensei!" Teddie called. "You just weakened her defense! she'll take more damage now!" Kuro donned an evil grin.
"Aaaaaaaahhh...This WILL make my plan easier...Ok, Yosuke here's my plan..." he said whispering to Yosuke who look shocked after hearing it.
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND! I'm gonna end up killing you!" Kuro shook his head.
"Not if you aim right. No-GYAH!" Kuro howled as the whip Chie held snapped him across the back, leaving it crimson dripping with blood, since it easily cut through his clothes. He knew he should have got some armor.
"Don't you DARE turn your back on your future mistress!" The shadow shouted.
"Just do it now-Lets go!" Kuro shouted with vigor gritting through the stinging, biting pain the best he could as he ran towards the shadow, Yosuke reluctantly following behind.
"Morons! Mazio!" She summoned multiple bolts of lightning at the charging boys, but Kuro with Izanagi in the forefront of his mind used his resistances to tank up both blasts since Yosuke was so close to him.
"Dia!" Yosuke shouted healing Kuro, both boys still charging.
"Bottomless Envy!" All of the Dominatrix's hair spears flew at the boys but, Kuro was ready.
"Yosuke make a clear path!"
"Garu!" The torrent of wind sliced through her hair with ease giving the boys a still clear objective.
"MY Hair! Stop doing that! You're ruining my precious hair!"
"NOW YOSUKE!"
"Garu!" Yosuke fired another wind torrent. However this one was aimed right behind Kuro. It hit him as He jumped in the air. It hurt like a bitch, since Izanagi was weak to wind but, it sent him flying towards the Dominatrix, like a javelin, his sword at the forefront of his charge.
She didn't even have a chance to scream as the blade plunged her breasts. Black blood oozing onto the blade.
"You're done...it's over." Kuro said face to face with the shadow.
"Mabufu..." Kuro blinked.
"Say what now-AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Kuro screamed as a shard of ice exploded in front of him, multiple small shards of ice impaling him. Yosuke screamed as well confirming that the same thing happened to him. Kuro was luckily caught by Izanagi, who had now materialized. Unfortunately he was still weaponless, as the blade was still stuck in shadow Chie's chest. She was wheezing signaling she was on her last legs...or her clones were...kind of.
"Dammit! what's it gonna take!" Yosuke asked as Jaraiya helped him up as well.
"I dunno...but...ungh...one more attack like that, and I don't think were gonna last much longer..." Kuro moaned clutching his arms which were covered in ice shards. "...Dia..." he switched to pixie who gave him a concerned look and healed his wounds hastily causing the shards to pop out of his arms. She then flew next to Kuro's ear.
"Ku-chan! Her wind wall is gone...It's worn out but, I don't think she's noticed..." Pixie told him. Kuro raised his eyes..and then that evil smile returned to his face.
"Yosuke, use Garu." Understandably the boy looked confused.
"What? But, I thought-
"Just do it!" He yelled getting a blue card ready. Yosuke simply did as he was told.
"Garu!" And to his surprise and Kuro's unsurprise the attack caused all of the clones of Chie slaves to collapse unable to support their dominatrix who Ironically was now on her knees.
"You're done bitch!" Kuro yelled getting another card ready.
"Ngh...Don't make fun of me...You're...You're nothing against me! Mazio!" She fired two more bolts of lightning. One at Kuro which had little effect...the other-
"GYAH!"
"KYAAA!"
"Chie!?" Yosuke Called out as Kuro whirled his head towards where Teddie and Chie were supposed to be and where the other bolt of lightning struck between The two of them. It sent Teddie flying backwards and Chie hurling towards the battle...not that far from her shadow. Chie looked up in fear, trembling.
"If I'm going down your going down with me! And don't worry...If I live...I'll take gooood care of Yukiko...As my new chair!" She spat. "Bottomless envy!" With what little hair knives she had left she sent them all of flying at Chie.
"IZANAGI!" Kuro reacted on instinct. There was no time to come up with a better plan or better solution. He reached his arm out. Izanagi grabbed it and sent him flying towards Chie's position by throwing him with all his might.
And he took every last one of those hair spears, Blood spurting out of the areas he had been stabbed, now pinning him to the ground. With him barely even able to stay conscious.
"KURO!" Chie shrieked in horror seeing the boy apparently sacrifice himself for her. Yosuke glared angrily at the shadow.
"THAT DOES IT! JARAIYA!" A major influx of green energy began to swirl around Yosuke and Jaraiya.
"GARU!" Yosuke swung his wrench at the summoned card, and Jaraiya fired a more powerful Garu than ever before. It was like mini-tornado that cut every strand of hair at the Dominatrix and created new cuts all over her body. She finally collapsed unable to fight anymore, her new form dissipitating. The battle finally over.
But at a huge cost.
"Kuro-kun!" Chie rushed over Kuro's bloodied form, with him coughing his life-fluids struggling to breathe. A puddle of his own blood beginning to form underneath him. Yosuke wasn't too far behind.
"Jairaiya quick heal him! Use Dia!" Jaraiya did as he was told healing Kuro as much as he could temporarily stopping the bleeding, and momentarily saving Kuro's life. Even pixie came out and started frantically pumping Dias into her owner's body to save him.
"Kuro-kun...wh-Huh?" Chie was about to ask Kuro something until she heard sobbing. Everyone including Kuro looked and shadow Chie back to her normal form. Except her hair was cut into patches...she was sobbing, on her knees, pathetically. Chie glared angrily.
"What's the matter...? Got nothing to say anymore?" Yosuke shook his head.
"Stop it, Chie. It's all right."
"B-But..."
"Chie..." Kuro's weak voice weazily called out, getting her attention.
"K-Kuro?" She asked holding his head up, while still kneeling down.
"...Me...Yosuke...Everyone on this god-forsaken earth has a side like them to that." He said before having a coughing fit, specks of blood escaping his mouth.
"How...Is that supposed to make me feel any better!?" She asked angrily. "Wh-
"Lord alive...Look at ya...still thinking with your emotions than your head...You're...more than that...thing is...It's only a part of you...But, it's a part of you nonetheless." He said again coughing but, not stopping. "...Sure...This may make you seem like your a horrible person...but, in the-*Cough*...End..." He had another coughing hacking up more blood in the process giving a morbid, uncomfterable scene.
"Kuro stop talking!" She said frantically. "Your only getting wor-
"NO!...listen to me...! In the end...That thing being a part of you...It only makes you human...It's what makes you who you are...You have no reason to speculate that...We'd think of you any less...for accepting that." He said with an unsufferable smirk growing on his face. Tears were welling in Chie's eyes.
"Kuro..."
"He's right." Yosuke cut in reassuringly. "I went through the same thing. So I can understand...I mean, everyone has a side like this." Chie looked down for a moment before walking over to her shadow who was now looking up at her original with an empty look in her eyes.
"Yeah...I kinda get it now. You are me..." She said now crouching down to her shadow and putting a hand on it's shoulder. "A side of me I couldn't forgive...That I tried to ignore...But you still exist. You're a part of me."
The shadow gave a small sad smile before all the malicious aura around it evaporated as it got enveloped in a bright light.
It revealed Chie's persona.
A women with a yellow and black suit with a double bladed staff, with white boots and a long, tall white helmet. She also seemed to have long black hair that reached down to her waist.
The persona vanished into a blue card with a Knight and chariot led by two different animals on the front cover. It was absorbed into Chie's body into a blue hue.
"A...persona?" Yosuke looked in awe.
"...VII...Chariot...Chariot Arcana?" Kuro asked a bit curious as the thought of those appeared in his head. Chie looked towards the boys a bit emberrased.
"I...Um, it's true that part of me feels that way...But I wasn't lying about being friends with Yukiko!
"Like we didn't know that already." Yosuke snickered. "Right Kuro?...Kuro?" He looked to Kuro who's eyes had already rolled into the back of his head due to his exhaustion and blood loss. His consciousness already fading.
...
...Where am I?...
Kuro looked looked around and found himself in a bathroom. A compact bathroom with small stalls as if meant for kids. His vision was hazy and he couldn't see straight very well. However he saw what looked like a familiar young 13 boy with a buzz cut head and a dark blue school uniform on. He was conversing with another young kid with messy blonde hair.
"...Is...this another dream...?" Kuro thought to himself trying to touch one of the kids only for his arm to phaze through. "Well that answers my question." He gruffed watching the scene take place.
"Sorry Richy but, my mom won't let me take anyone else...Maybe next time." The blond kid said say apathetically to "Richy" as he was left alone in the bathroom. The kid huffed, before going over to the sink to wash his hands. As he looked up in the mirror he yelped in shock as he nearly fell on his rear. Kuro curious, he looked at the mirror and saw the boys' reflection...It was his shadow in the mirror...the same one with the fedora and black suit.
"W-what do you want now!?" The boy asked hurriedly. The shadow shrugged lazily whipping out a cigarette and a lighter.
"...Nothin kid...Just observin." He said without any effort lighting his cigarrete and giving it a puff.
"...Observing what...?...When are you gonna leave me alone...?" Richy growled annoyed. His shadow just blinked at him. Bored with his response.
"...Observing how easily you let others brush you by as if your nothing more than a prop...Observing how badly you're trying to be one THEM..." He took another drag with his cigarrete before giving a weird lazy, yet somewhat annoyed glare. "...And failing at it all the while..." The boy tightened his fists in anger.
"What do you know! That was just a one time thing! You don't see everything I-
"Oh but that is where you're very. Very. Very. Wrong...Richard Syx..." His shadow responded with a fierce glare and yet a calm and composed voice. "Deny it all you want...I'm you...I'm stuck in you because I'm a part of who you are...I'm stuck watching you trying to pander to these...Sick fucking pigs..." The shadow snarled as if disgusted. "Being a part of you is a pain in the ass...Day by day you do nothing but, try to be goody goody with everyone in vain...In the end it leads to the same result."
"Shutup! You don't know anything!" Richard yelled back at his other self. "And if you were me, I would never swear like that!" The shadow scoffed.
"I can say that and more you Goddamn idiot. Look at you. Your pathetic. Stop trying to act like your on a moral high ground when your doing it just to impress others...Not because your a nice guy." The boy covered his mouth in shock.
"Y-you...You just...Took the lords name in vein...How could you..." The boy took steps back in a mix of shock in anger. "your...You're not me...I would never say that." The shadow breathed a sigh of frustration and just pinched his the bridge of his nose in annoyance.
"Friggin pussy...You keep sayin I'm not you...And yet Here I am talking in front of you..." The shadow pressed his fist up against his side of the mirror glaring a look of pure raw anger beneath his eyes. His face looked calm. But under those eyes was unbridled hatred, rage, and vengeance.
"You keep telling yourself you'll get friends. But at this rate you'll be nothing more than a speck of plankton. Small...meaningless. forgettable. And puny among the bigger fish of the sea. You try to join and intrigrate yourself with others and you FAIL...YOU HEAR ME!? FAIL!" He yelled condescendingly. Tears started forming in Richards eyes as the words continued to hit home.
"SHUTUP!" The boy yelled covering his ears. His shadow's words were undettered however.
"Stop trying to get others' admiration when you have you can have your own! Screw them! All they do is hold you down like the parasites that they are! After all the only person I need is me. Myself. And I...I don't need anyone...And neither do you...Yo-
"SHUTUP!" Richard yelled as he punched the mirror shattering the image leaving his hand bloody. "...You're...wrong..." Richard hiccuped as tears fell down his face. "Your wrong...your not me...I'm...I'm..
Kuro's image of the dream soon faded along with Richard's mumblings to himself.
...
"Dammit...He's waaaaayyy heavier than he looks." Chie complained as she continued to carry a still unconscious Kuro narukame on her back. After the defeat of her shadow, Kuro went out cold like a rock. Yosuke offered to help him to his home, but Chie opted to do that on her own.
She felt it was the least she could do after all he had done for her.
"But, man...For someone so short...He's almost as dense as led...And Yosuke says I eat a lot..." She snorted to herself. "Hmph...shows what he knows." Her self-ranting was brought to an end when he sure heard a grumbling of sorts from the young man she carried on her back.
"Mrrrrrruuuugh...Dafuq am I?" Kuro slurred his head pounding like a jack hammer, and the rest of his body weak and sore. He looked up and saw that the sky was orange signaling the day nearly coming to a close. Chie smirked as she continued to walk on.
"Rise and shine sleepy head...Man Yukiko wasn't kidding the other day. Once you're out cold you're out cold like a log." Kuro rubbed his eyes in confusion.
"Cheeeeyaaa?..." He slurred confused until all of the day's events came rushing back to him..."wha-...wait...Your shadow...wha-
"Easy Kuro just relax...It's over..." She soothed still carrying him. "You and Yosuke beat her while I...I guess you could say I did what Yosuke did...I accepted it...It seemed to turn into one of those persona thingies You both could summon."
Kuro recalled what little he could remember and it all came back to him...including Chie accepting her shadow.
"I...I see...what about Yukiko?" Kuro asked. Chie's eyes looked to the ground.
"I...I wanted to further into the castle to find her...but, Yosuke said I was too exhausted and you were out cold...so we really wouldn't be able to do much...Heh...Looking back on it now, I was pushing so hard for us to go further in despite the state we were all in...I really am stupid..." She said ironically. Kuro frowned looking at nothing but the back of the girl's neck, as she continued.
"...You would always call me dumb and stupid all those times...I always just thought of it as you being an ass...but, in a way you were right...I always just rush ahead without thinking...Like back at the police station...And in the TV...It's all-
"I don't blame you..." Kuro cut in catching her off guard causing Chie to stop in place.
"Wh...what?" She asked confused.
"I don't blame you for acting the way you did...Kind of...She's your friend I guess...So it's only natural for you to have been upset the way you were back then." He lamented, glad they weren't making eye contact. Chie slowly began to feel a small smile creep to her mouth.
"Kuro-kun?"
"Hm?"
"...Thanks for helping me...even after all the things my...other self said...You could have left me but, you didn't...I really appreciate it...you really put your body on the line for me..." She said with gratitude. Kuro just blushed unused to the praise and looked away from her head.
"...It's nothin...Just did what was right is all." He brushed off. Chie shook her head.
"I really mean it Kuro-kun...You and I haven't gone along well all that recently and I'm glad to see that I was wrong about you...My shadow...In a way it was telling the truth about all of the thoughts I had about you up till now." Kuro raised an eye brow.
"...whattya mean?"
"...I...I was frustrated not mostly about your attitude towards me...but, how...actually in a way I guess it was your attitude...You've seen how reserved Yukiko is...She never really had the gaul or strength that I had to stand up for herself...She depended on me...And...I guess I kind of liked it...having someone to protect." Then there was glimmer of determination in her eyes. "...but...Now I realize how wrong I've been this time...I've been abusing our friendship without even realizing it...She hasn't found a way to stand up for herself most of the time...because I'm always there for her...And that isn't good for her...I've been...I...Instead of giving her confidence to take on her problems head on I've been sapping it away..."
"...Chie...You couldn't have truly known that." Kuro commented not wanting the girl to beat herself up anymore than she already had. But she continued.
"Then YOU came along..." She pointed out. Kuro cocked his head to the side.
"...Me?"
"Yeah...You were like...A complete opposite shift from Yukiko...You danced to the beat of your own tune...You gave orders to me and Yosuke both times we were in the TV rather than following them...And you don't seem like the kind of guy who rely's on others to stand up for yourself...Sometimes even Yosuke depends on me but you...You're just...I dunno...Independent I guess? It was...It was something about it that really rubbed me the wrong way ya know...In the end I didn't like you Kuro." Her voice then became sad. "...But, I disliked you for all the wrong reasons..."
"...I see..." He said plainly before sliding off of Chie's back grunting when he fell to one knee. His legs were extremely weak like Jello. Chie immediately rushed to his side.
"What're you doing you dummy!" she exclaimed crouching next to him. "After all you've been through for me you're in no condition to be walking right now!" Kuro however shrugged her off. His expression blank and unreadable.
"...I just...don't want any help right now..." He deadpanned sitting down so he could rest.
"Kuro I'm sorry if what I said hurt your feelings, I mean I can understand if your upset but-
"You don't need to help me..." Kuro cut her off. "If that's what you really think of me then you have no obligation of coddling me anymore than you already have...I'll just take it from here." He grunted trying to get up but, found he didn't have the strength and just gave up. His expression continued to look blank and empty.
"...Kuro...Your right I did think that way but, it doesn't HAVE to be continue to be that way." She huffed annoyed when he didn't respond. "C'mon! Don't be a baby...I'm gonna help you regardless alright...You don't have to be keep being mad about the way I thought alright?"
"...I'm not mad..." He deadpanned causing her to stop.
"...What?" She asked perplexed and confused.
"...I'm not mad..."
"...so...if that's the case then why-" Kuro cut her off with a dry bitter chuckle.
"You're not the only person to dislike me for who I am...And you sure as hell won't be the last...I don't blame you for thinking of me the way you do...A lot of people back home thought similarly..." He lamented not giving her eye contact.
"...Kuro...?" Despite her concern he kept talking.
"...You had some things to say about me not too long ago...You're right...I am insensitive...Truth be told no matter how hard I try I just can't bring myself to care very much about other peoples' feelings before harsh words leave my mouth...A bigger part of me stopped caring about others' wants and needs long ago...I guess you could say...I just got numb...numb and apathetic to peoples' thought and feelings...years of people disliking and avoiding you does that I guess..." Kuro said somewhat pouring his true inner thoughts to Chie. He didn't even know why he was doing it. He didn't know why he entrusted Chie. A person he strongly disliked. He didn't know why he was all of a sudden telling her all these private thoughts of his. Wierder still to himself He couldn't stop.
"I just stopped giving a damn...Years and years later I developed some sort of...I dunno...Instinctive mistrust and dislike of people...I dunno...I guess...yeah...I guess in a fucked up kind of way I just stopped caring for peoples' needs after a while." Kuro then chuckled bitterly. "Dunno why I'm even telling you all this to be honest...Maybe...Just maybe I felt the need to tell SOMEONE all this...Don't know why of all times though." He said almost whimsically looking up into the late afternoon orange sky.
Chie gave him a soft look. "Kuro...What about your parents...Surely you could have told them all of this...Y'know...before you...um...left?" Chie said slowly doing her best to dance around a possible minefield of a subject. Kuro looked unfazed by it however. What he did next shocked her near her core.
"Never had the chance to tell em...they never understood, and never would...I doubt they ever will since they're dead anyways..." He said plainly. Chie was frozen her mouth agape.
"...Kuro...I...I'm so sorry...I didn't know." To her surprise Kuro just snorted a bit abrasively.
"Don't be...There's nothing to be sorry about...I know I'm not sorry..." Chie just looked confused.
"...What do you mean...?" Kuro didn't answer immediately. He was hardly making any eye contact through the duration of the conversation.
"...It's nothing...Look...If you wanna help...then just help me home already will ya?" He grunted offering his hand. Chie expected more pain to be in Kuro's expression when talking about his dead parents...but in his eyes...They were empty...expressionless...As if hardened into not caring over such a topic. For some reason she felt like Kuro really was hurting talking about it...but didn't want to show it...He seemed stubborn like that. The girl did nothing until she finally stood up and put her hands on her hips.
"Kuro...Did you...I mean I know this gonna sound personal and all but...Did you have any...well...Close friends back at home?" A bit put off by the question, Kuro actually gave that some serious thought before answering.
"...If I did...I can't really remember any that are worth mentioning...why...?" A small smile made it's way to the girls face to his confusion.
"I think...I think I understand you a bit better now..." She declared. Kuro only raised an eye brow.
"Whattya mean?" She looked away for a moment before looking at him right into his stormy grey sunken tired looking eyes.
"Throughout your entire life...I think You've forgotten one important aspect that everyone should have in life...Me and Yukiko had each other so at first I never understood why you act the way you do...Why you're so insensitive to others and why you act like you have a huge chip on your shoulder." To his surprise she fiercely grabbed him the shoulder and with deceptive strength she hoisted him back into piggy back position on her back much to his surprise.
"Ch-Chie!? What're you-
"You haven't had many friends in your life I can tell...Plus with you telling me straight out that you can't even remember your best friends names you know that it's time to change that!" She said going in a direction away from his house.
"H-hey where the hell are we going!? My house is that-
"I know where your house is dummy! Were going to my place!" Befuddlement was to be had with Kuro.
"Your place!? Why the hell are we-
"Cause' I said so! Last I checked you needed help to get where your needed. For tonight as my thanks. Your gonna have some dinner with us Satonakas'!" Kuro was immediately confused. At first she hated him now she wanted him over for dinner? Has she lost all sense of reason?
"What the hell!? NO! I don't wanna go to your house! I'm tired as hell Chie! I got stabbed today! Multiple times! By YOUR Shadow no less! I just wanna go home, sleep and-
"You can sleep once you eat!" She cut him off. "And besides your not bleeding now are you? Are you dying?" She asked rhetorically.
"...I may as well be..."
"...Thought so. Off to my house we go!" She said running with him still on her back. It was an interesting...experience the young teen had to admit.
"...Why are you doing this...?...what's with you all of sudden?" She just grinned to herself.
"I swear your personality is a complete difference from her but, Your almost like Yukiko when I first met her."
"Wha...what do you mean by that?" He muttered confused. She looked back at him still smiling.
"Kuro...what you need is a friend...After seeing you sacrifice yourself for me...I've realized something important about you." Kuro looked at her skeptically.
"Oh yeah...?...What's that?" He asked with a raised eyebrow...
Chie just kept smiling at him. "You may have a bit of a crappy attitude...but, deep down inside...You're actually a very decent human being who would throw their body in the way to protect those important to them." She said with absolute sincerity. Kuro was dumbstruck and shocked.
No one besides his relatives or family ever said something like that to him. It was something hard for him to believe. But it got even harder when she kept on talking.
"It seems like not a lot of people know you...the real you behind that crusty old shell of yours...So let me know what kind of person you are...Let ME be your friend."
Kuro didn't know why but, he felt his face heat up and his stomach doing flips inside of him. His heart rate quickened, and words were unable to leave his mouth. It was a feeling that felt completely foreign to him.
*Crash*
Time seemed to freeze once more as Kuro watched a blue card form in front of him and Chie. Only he saw it of course. It was the same card Chie absorbed into her. It had knight on a chariot being carried by two different types of lions.
THOU ART I...I AM THOU...
THOU HAST ESTABLISHED A NEW BOND...
IT BRINGS THEE CLOSER TO THE TRUTH...
THOU SHALT BE BLESSED WHEN CREATING
PERSONAS OF THE CHARIOT ARCANA...
Once the spooky voices finished their incantation, the card turned into a blue aura and was absorbed into Kuro's body in a warm blanket like feeling as time resumed.
"...Okay...I'll go..." Kuro said finally giving into the girl's demands. Chie looked a bit surprised at his answer before grinning again.
"Great to hear! Welp, Hang on tight it's probably gonna be a rough ride!" She said running off with him still on her back.
'That warm feeling just now...before the card appeared...what was that...?' Kuro kept asking himself over and over what just happened confused with the feelings he was having as Chie carried him off into the sunset.
